I came up with this while listening to 'Superheroes' by The Script. I do not own the song, the band, or Young Justice. And, so there is no confusion, neither Wally nor Dick knows who Batman and Flash really are.
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Barry Allen wasn't one to babysit. Little kids tended to scare him, what with their crying, and smelling, and always putting strange things in their mouths. As a scientist, he could understand their curiosity regarding new things, but not what drove them to attempt to eat said new thing. Then there were the kids who always got lost (his friend Bruce would never let him watch Dick again, but that was okay. That little kid was scary on a whole new level), who constantly gave him heart attacks (he had been left in charge of Kaldur'Ahm once, and the Atlantean child never left his pool. Not even to come up for air. He flatly refused to go through that again), and the ones with just too much attitude (Oliver Queen had a bad habit of dropping little Roy off just before leaving town on business. And he used to think that the adult was hard to argue with). He had decided long ago (he would never say this out loud, of course, for various reasons) that he was just so lucky that Superman had no children.
There was, however, one exception. Wally, his nephew, was the cutest kid he had ever seen. Smart too. He was only ten years old, but already showed signs of growing into a genius. He loved exploring new things with awe, but had never put them in his mouth. The exception being, of course, food. He didn't wander off, was able to swim (but always came up for air), and made a point of not arguing with authority. It might have also had something to do with the fact that his favorite superhero since he was able to speak had been a certain red speedster. So, when his father had had to leave town on business, and his mother decided to go along with him, of course Barry volunteered to watch Wally.
"What kind do you want, kiddo?" He asked, chuckling slightly when he saw the redheaded boy's face pressed against the glass separating him from the ice cream. The poor worker behind the counter looked up in shock, having assumed that the extra-large bowl of various flavors had been for the both of them. Hey, speedsters burned through calories quickly. And, maybe, he had been a bit indecisive. Just a bit.
"I, uh, um . . . I want the strawberry- no! I changed my mind! I want the super chocolate swirl! Or, maybe the raspberry cheesecake? Ooh! Coffee!" The boy bounced around, pointing to each choice in turn.
"Ha! Coffee? For you, big guy? No way. Your parents would kill me." He stuck out his tongue out at the face he was shot. "Choose something else." He took his bowl from the counter and handed over the money.
"Hmm. Okay then, I want the vanilla!" He grinned excitedly up at his favorite uncle. Barry wasn't sure he liked the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Vanilla? Are you sure?" He asked, dubious.
"Uh, huh! The classics never stop tasting good! And I bet it gets on your nerves." Ah. There was the reason. The boy eyed his bowl of at least five different (and absolutely delicious) flavors.
"One vanilla, coming right up." The worker said, readying his spoon.
"C'mon Bruce! Hurry up!"
Both Allen and West turned at the familiar voice. Dick pushed the door open, holding it for his adoptive father. Bruce Wayne, being led by a hyperactive six year old into an ice cream parlor, was a sight not many were privileged with.
"Barry. What a surprise. And hello, Wally. What are you two doing here?" The billionaire smiled warmly at his friend. Dick, on the other hand, ran over to his best friend for a big hug.
"I could ask you the same thing, Bruce. What are you doing so far from Gotham?" The two males shook hands, barely even noticing the teen behind the counter, now holding out the small bowl of frozen dairy treat, trying as hard as he could to hide his shock. He was failing. Badly.
"We were actually going to head over to your place after picking up something here. Dick insisted. I took today off, anyway." He shrugged, smiling as his so- no. His ward. As his ward tried to decide what kind to get. He knew what it was like to lose his parents. He wasn't going to take his real father's place. "I'll have a bowl of chocolate chip mint." He turned his attention to . . . Banner, as his nametag said, and blinked. The teen was just staring at him, wide eyed and slacked jawed. "Um, hello?"
"Ch-chocolate mint chip! Got it! Right away, sir!" He jerked back to reality and rushed to fill the order.
"We'll get a table. Come on, Wally." Barry led his nephew to a corner booth, snagging a napkin on the way. The boy was already making a mess.
"Bruce? Can I have the strawberry chocolate swirl?" The blue-eyed boy looked up.
"Alrig-,"
"Of course!" Bruce was cut off by the teen, who then turned pale. "H-he wasn't talking to me, was he? I-I'm so sorry."
By the time the two finally joined the redheads, Wally was almost done with his ice cream. The adults talked and caught up while the two younger friends joked, smiled, and traded tastes of what they had each gotten. They were still seated there after they had finished. Well, all but Barry. He still had a few more spoonfuls left.
"Barry, do you mind watching Dick for a moment? I have to use the restroom." Bruce stood and flashed the other man a look that clearly promised death should he fail in this 'simple' task.
Barry found himself forcing a smile. This was as close to the Batglare as Bruce ever dared to get. "Of course not."
"Dick?" His voice was gentle, but commanding. "You are to stay right here and do what Barry says, is that clear?"
"Yes, Bruce." The small boy put on his angel face, looking to any random passerby like the world's most innocent child. Allergic to trouble and disobedience.
"Good. Let me know if you see the Flash. Central City's his home, after all." And with a smirk directed at the now glaring scientist, he left.
"Wow! That's right! But it would be even cooler if we could see Batman, wouldn't it? It's too bad he's only in Gotham. And he always comes out after my bedtime." Still, Dick had pressed his nose against the window, hoping for even a glance at a member of the Justice League. Wally, however, hadn't moved. He just continued stealing tastes from his uncle's bowl.
"Wally? What's wrong bud? You usually jump at any mention of your favorite superhero."
Wally looked up at him. "The Flash isn't my favorite superhero." He said, as if confused as to why he had thought that he was.
Barry almost flinched. Those six little words were like daggers, each stabbing him through the heart. But Wally didn't know. He couldn't. So he hid it. Hid the pain and slight betrayal, and replaced them with a confused look of his own. "If you don't like the Flash, then who is it? Let me guess. Batman?" He hadn't known that words could be so hard to say, but he also didn't know what he would do if the answer was yes. Not only would it kill him, his favorite supporter switching sides to the more popular hero, but also Bruce would never let him live it down.
"I never said I don't like the Flash, he's just not my favorite anymore. He's still my second favorite. And Batman's kinda scary." This earned him a sharp look from his younger friend.
"He's kinda gotta be. Have you ever been to Gotham?"
Barry decided to try again, determined to find out just which teammate managed to get the top spot in his nephew's eyes. "Green Lantern?" Maybe the alien tech had caught his curious eyes?
"Uh, uh. Nope. Guess again! He doesn't need a glowing ring to be cool." The boy was smiling so brightly, it was almost hard to be upset at him.
"'He'? So it's not one of the female heroes. Can I ask how he's better than m- Flash?" He was really trying not to sound bitter. Right now, he was Barry Allen, playing a guessing game with his nephew. He was not the Flash. Maybe one of the other heroes had given him an autograph- no! Barry Allen! Guessing game!
Wally gazed at the ceiling, trying to find the right hints to give without giving anything away. "Well, he's smart. And I've seen him go even faster than Flash, but that was kinda in a car. And he's really nice, and smart-,"
"Uh, you said that already." Barry interrupted, ruling people out mentally. Red Tornado had never driven a car, to his knowledge, nor had Superman. Batman was a possibility, but he had been deemed to scary. Young children, who were usually a bit spooked by the rigid alien, didn't typically see Martian Manhunter as 'nice'. Captain Marvel, maybe?
"I know, but he's, like, really smart."
Never mind. Wisdom of Solomon or not, Cap wasn't what he would call 'really smart'. He sighed. For Wally's sake as much as his own, he should probably hurry up and kill the suspense, then find some way to change the conversation. He wasn't sure how much longer he could play along, and he didn't want to accidently snap at Wally. "Alright. I give up. Who is it?"
Instead of answering right away, though, the boy blushed and looked down, fiddling with his fingers. "Flash is great and all, but he doesn't put aside all his work just to spend the day with me."
Barry's heart thudded in is chest. He was Wally's favorite superhero? He, not the Flash, but Barry Allen, was his nephew's favorite superhero? Had he heard right? Impossible.
"Uncle Barry? You may not have a super power, but you'll always be the greatest superhero of all time to me."
Bruce returned to the table to find Barry in tears, hugging Wally. He glanced at Dick for an explanation, but just got a smile and shrug in response. This was between them.
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Bruce and Dick had to leave not long after if they'd wanted to get back home before dark, so they all said their good byes. Almost the entire way back, though, had been spent in silence, which was not normal.
"Dick? Are you feeling alright?" Bruce asked. Had he eaten too much ice cream? Or maybe he was just missing Wally?
"Bruce?" He asked in a tone of voice that suggested neither. "I was thinking. After my family . . . you know," he broke off to swallow thickly and scrub his eyes. "I was alone. I was going to be sent away. I know that. You didn't have to do what you did, taking me in and all. And I know I can be a pain sometimes."
"Dick, you-," he was cut off.
"I just wanted to make sure you knew that I really am thankful to you. You don't need to run fast or-or lift buildings, or even read minds to be my favorite superhero."
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That night, a certain butler was making his rounds, reassuring himself that the ones he was in charge of were sleeping peacefully in bed, when he found that one was not. And, more worryingly, he had not seen the strong man cry since the deaths of his parents.
"Alfred. Do you know what Dick told me on the way home today?"
"No, Master Bruce. What was it?"
"Something I should have told you a long time ago."
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So, tell me, what did you think? And about the ice cream boy, I had to. Simple as that. Review and let me know how I did! ;3