It's been three months now, that Wally had his Coming Out to Robin. Conner and Caldur had taken it with self-composure. Caldur only said, that in Atlantis same sex love was something entirely normal and Superboy, well, he just didn't care as long as Wally was happy and let him alone.
The last three months were affected by hard missions and the team had worked to its limits and beyond, when Batman called them, two days after their last missions.
The masked face of the Dark Knight appeared on the big monitor in the main hall of Mount Justice and examined the exhausted team.
"The last two months you did excellent work and I know that you all need a break. Because of that I will exempt you for the next two months. Any problems will be taken care of by the League. I wish you all nice vacations." The monitor went blank again.
"YEEEES.", Wally shouted and sprang into the air, "finally. I thought Big Bats would let us work until we dropped dead."
The others nodded, likewise relieved to get some off-time.
They didn't waste any time and began packing, everyone eager to come home to their families.
Superboy seemed a bit lost, because he didn't have anybody to come home to, until Megan invited him to visit her family on Mars with her.
"And what are you going to do in the holidays, Rob?", Wally asked his best friend, after they had packed their belongings and gathered in front of the teleporters. The Boy Wonder didn't really know what he should answer. Again, because of Batmans order not to reveal his identity to anybody, he was at a loss. He couldn't really say: "Well I'm going to hang out in the pool of Wayne Manor, while getting served by Alfred."
Instead off, the only thing which came out if his mouth was a lame: "Hm, don't know."
"Well I'm going to run to california and chill out at the beach.", said Wally entusiastically.
The teleporter activated and one after the other their teammates disappeared to their hometowns. At the end Wally and Robin were the only ones left.
"So Boy Wonderful, see ya.", said Wally and blew a kiss in Robins direction. That one only rolled his eyes. After Wally had outed himself, he had switched from annoying his female teammates with his catchphrases to annoying the male ones. Kaldur had taken it with the stoic seriousness, with which he took everthing. Superboy had been on the edge of a nervous breakdown on some occassions and Robin, well, with a mixture of both.
With a last wave of his hand Wally dissapeared and Robin went on his way, too.
"No, not Robin. Now, I'm Richard Grayson, again.", he thought. This was always the most difficult thing to adjust to for him.
A few weeks had passed and Dick enjoyed his holidays to the full. Sometimes he went on nightwatch with Batman, but he didn't really see that as work, especially because the super villains were all quiet. Only the normal small fishes. Actually he was a bit bored. To distract himself, he decided to go a bit shopping. Alfred had pointed out, that he needed some new clothes, because he was growing out of his old ones. The only thing that annoyed him, was that he had to shop alone.
"This secret identity shit is getting on my nerves.", he thought, while he strolled through the shopping mile of Gotham City. At least being the adpopted son of Bruce Wayne had some advantages. He could buy everthing he wanted. He was just looking after new sunglasses, when somebody ran into him and knocked him to the ground.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry.", said a familiar voice. A hand gripped him and he was drawn onto his feet.
Surprised Dick starred at his barger. It was Wally.
He wanted to greet his friend, but catched himself at the last moment.
"No problem.", he said and wiped imaginary dust of his clothes to hide his bewilderment.
When the boy Wally had just barged into, patted his clothes off, he had some time to observe him.
"By the gods, he is cute.", Wally thought. He was nearly a head smaller and younger, too, but this eyes...big and of a wonderful warm seablue. Wally couldn't stop looking at his eyes.
"Is there something in my face?", the boy asked and teared Wally away from the examination of his eyes.
"Ähm no, I...sorry that I barged into you, but I got lost."
The boy smiled at him. "He has that same I-know-everything-smirk like Robin.", thought Wally.
"And where do you want to go?", asked the boy.
"I, well, my uncle gave me a message. For Bruce Wayne. He said he lives in a big manor and gave me the adress, but I didn't think that Gotham would be this labyrinthal."
The eyes of the boy lighted up. "You're lucky.", he said and put out his hand. "I am Dick Grayson, the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. I can bring you to him."
Wally took the offered hand, 'So soft' and smiled. "I'm Wally West from Central City."
"You're uncle sends you all the way, just to deliver a message?", asked Dick with a laugh. He had fun playing with Wally.
"Ah, well, has to be an important message.", Wally said a bit lame.
"Well then come with me, I bring you to Bruce.", Dick said and waved a cap over.
"And how is it to be Bruce Waynes son?", Wally asked after a while to break the silence.
"Hm it has its advantages. Bruce works very much and when he isn't working he makes party with some girls. Most of the time I'm alone with Alfred. Hey are you even listening?", Dick asked his friend, who looked at him dreamily. Wally startled. "Woah...ahm...you've got a really beautiful smile.", he stuttered.
"I didn't really say that aloud, did I?", Wally thought terrified. Dick just stared at him, then he turned to look out of the window with sudden interest, but Wally could see the flush on his cheeks.
"He's so cute!", Wally thought and had to restrain himself, not to take the other boy into his arms and hug him.
Dicks mind was reeling. Wally liked his smile? What else did he like on him? "Well a secret identity has its advantages" , he thought, "so no need not to try it."
He turned to Wally again. "So you think my smile is beautiful? What else do you think is beautiful on me?", he asked his friend. He saw that Wally was completley shorttaken by this question.
Dick moved closer to his friend and smiled his cutest smile, while he looked deep into his green eyes.
"Ahm...ah, your eyes.", stuttered Wally. "Ah and why?", Dick breathed only centimetres from Wallys lips and placed his hand on Wallys knee. He had to muster all his willpower not to laugh, when he saw Wally squirming in his seat.
"I ah...your eyes are simply beautiful...like...like a deep well, on whose bottom the sun's sparkling.", it bursted out of Wally.
"Wow he can be really poetical, if he wants to.", Dick thought. But before he could embarrass Wally further, the cap driver called out: "We're here."
Dick detached himself from Wally with a smile and left the cap. Wally left it as well, but with shaky legs.
"Wow that's some big hut.", he called overwhelmed, when he got his first glimps onto Wayne Manor.
The huge doors opened and Alfred came down the stairs to greet them.
"Master Richard, I see you brought a guest. May I ask who the young man is?"
"That's Wally West.", introduced Dick his friend to Alfred with a wink. Of course Alfred had already heard many stories about Wally, but like a real butler he didn't give anything away.
"It is my pleasure to welcome you to Wayne Manor, Mister West. My name is Alfred Pennyworth, designated butler of Master Wayne and Master Grayson. To what do we owe the honour of your visit?"
For a few moments Wally was speechless, then he bowed full of verve to Alfred.
"I'm delighted Mister Pennyworth. Wally West, designated errand boy of my uncle Barry Allen with a message for Master Wayne.", he said in his best imitation of Alfreds formal tone.
Dick broke out laughing and even the corners of Alfreds mouth twitched for a second.
"Well then we shouldn't let this wait. Master Bruce is in his home office. If you're so kind to follow me."
Alfred let them trough the entrance hall and up over the grand staircase to the first floor. Wally was flabbergasted. The stairs were out of marble and the stairrail made of massive ebony. On the walls were paintings of famous artists like Van Gogh, Picasso and Dürer.
Finally they came to a huge double door, where Alfred knocked, before he opened it.
"Sir, a Mister West with a message for you."
"Let him enter, Alfred.", came the answer out of the room.
Alfred opened the door fully and for the first time Wally saw one of the worlds richest man with his own eyes. Bruce Wayne sat, clothed in an expensive looking suit, behind a giant desk made of mahagoni, worked on a large amount of files and looked tired.
He rose, when the three entered the room and went to Wally to offer him his hand.
"Ah Wallace West. I know your uncle. We work together quite often."
Wally took the offered hand and flinched. Bruce Wayne had a handshake like a bench vice.
"Thank you Mr. Wayne.", he said nervously. It was different to see the man on television then in reality. "I was lucky, that I met Dick in town, otherwise I think I wouldn't have found you."
Bruce Wayne threw a look in Dick's direction. "Why that sharp look?", Wally thought, but Mr. Wayne smiled again at him.
"Yes it is easy to get lost in Gotham's streets, especially because I live a good way out of town. Alfred said you had a message for me?"
"Oh yes right.", Wally said and searched his pockets. After a few snacks and small coins, he found the slightly wrinkled letter. "My uncle said it is quite important."
Mister Wayne took the letter and opened it. He skip-read the letter and his face darkened.
"Yes this is indeed important and I will take care of it immediatly.", he said in measured tone and to Alfred, "Alfred please serve Wallace a small meal, while I take care of this message."
"Very well, Sir."
"Ah and Dick. I want to discuss something with you."
Afred let Wally out of the room to the dining hall, where he served him a quite extensive meal, Wally started to wolf down immediatly. A few minutes later Dick joined him. He looked angry.
"Wof up?", Wally asked trough a mouth full of shrimps. "Nothing,...only Bruce...ah forget it."
After Wally and Alfred left, Bruce took him to the side and impressed upon him, not to reveal his identity to Wally. Dick wondered why he had reacted so angry this time.
"Hey do you want to go swimming?", he asked Wally to distract himself.
"Of course, but the sea is pretty far away and I don't have any swimwear with me."
"What are you thinking?", Dick asked with a smirk, "needless to say we have a pool here and you can have one of my shorts. Will be a bit tight, but who cares?"
For the pool of Wayne Manor many baths would have killed for, so huge was it. Dick had given Wally one of his shorts and they really were tight. Now he sat on the edge of the pool, with his feet in the water and waited for Dick. When he came out of the house Wally couldn't do anything but gasp. "Where the hell, does somebody this age get a body like this?", he asked himself. Wally wasn't entirely untrained either, but Dick's body did literally srceam training. This boy had a sixpack for god's sake!
"Like what you see?", Dick asked and with a bright red head, Wally slit into the water. After all he was only fifteen and the tight swimming trunks didn't hide anything. Dick took a run and sprang into the water with a double salto. Snorting he came onto the surface next to Wally, his black hair dripping with water and his blue eyes shining.
Dick noticed the adoring mien on Wallys face. That was just too funny. He couldn't withstand. He lifted his hand out of the water and caressed Wallys face playfully. "Well, it looks like somebody really needed something to cool down.", he said.
Wally closed his eyes at Dicks touch and took a sharp breath. "I'm sorry.", the red haired boy mumbled, then he took Dicks face in both hand and kissed him forcefully on the lips.
Batman just talked with Flash over the phone in the batcave and casually watched the boys in the pool, when it happened. The Dark Knight faltered in the middle of the sentence and made a very unbatman-like face. Flash who couldn't see what Batman saw, broke out laughing, but Batman didn't pay him any heed. Flash's laugh died in his throat, when he saw the Batmans face change from total surprise to deepest, blackest anger. "Ah, Bruce what's up?", Barry asked very, very carefully. Without saying a word, Batman froze the picture of the surveillance camera and sent it to Flash. Now it was the speedsters turn to watch with an open mouth. Then he turned to Batman with an insecure smile. "Ähm Bats, Buddy, no reason to freak out. Wallys young and...", his voice went dead. "I...kill...him!", Batman squeezed out between clenched teeth.
Dick froze, when Wallys mouth pressed on his. That wasn't what he had in mind at all. He opened his mouth to say something, but that only resulted in Wallys tounge slipping into his mouth. Dick struggled in his friends grip, but the redhead hold thight and it seemed he had completley forgotten everything except of kissing his friend. Suddenly he broke the kiss and backed away. Horror spread on his frackled covered face. "I...that...I didn't mean.", he stuttered. Dick only stared at him, too shocked to say something.
"I have to go...getting late...have to be home soon.", Wally mumbled and then in a flash, he was gone. Dick kept staring onto the place where Wally had been, then he climbed out of the pool to towel himself off. His gaze fell onto the camera on the wall and he felt his innards turn to ice. Bruce was in the cave. He had seen everything. Dick dressed as fast as he could, then he went to his room, where he had his own entrance to the batcave. Without a whisper he sneaked down the stairs. The cave was dark, the only illumination came from the screensaver of the batcomputer. "Bruce?", he asked into the darkness.
"I'm here.", sounded Bruce's voice. No he corrected himself, the growling voice of Batman.
He sat with his back to dick on the chair in front of the computer.
"Hey, ah, what are you doing down here? There's such a nice weather outside.", Dick said with a fake-cheery voice.
"I saw everything.", was the only answer. Dick saw the hands in the gloves gripping the armrails thighter.
"That was not what it looked like."
"NOT?", Batman roared and jumped out of the chair.
Dick only saw his silouette against the weak light of the screensaver. Now he understood, why grown up man pissed their pants at this sight.
"He practically raped you!", the Dark Knight rampaged and his voice echoed from the cave walls.
"No, that's not right.", Dick tried to counter.
"Don't try do defend him! I know what I saw. He practically launged himself at you!"
Dick opened his mouth to tell Batman, that he had played with Wally and that he had provoked it, but he cut him short.
"I will take care that you will never see this, this...pervert again. Today I will take you out of Young Justice."
"You can't do that!", Dick cried out, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Oh you will see, how i can."
"Master Bruce, Master Richard, is everything alright?", Alfred asked, appearing suddenly behind Dick, "I heard yelling."
Dick only stared at his mentor. Tears of anger welled up in his eyes. "You asshole!", he screamed at Batman, then he ran past Alfred out of the cave.
"Master Bruce, what has happened?", Alfred asked with a questioning glance, into the Dark Knights direction.
"Nothing of your buisness.", Batman snubbed and sat down in his chair again.
"Master Dick running crying out of the cave, after you roared at him, isn't something trivial, don't you think?", Alfred said in a very cool voice. "The next time you reprimand the boy in your role as his adoptive father you should consider taking of the mask."
The Dark Knight glared at Alfred in a way which, in most cases, brought hard nosed criminals to run crying to their mommy, but his butler didn't even bat an eyelash. He just looked inquiringly at his master.
"Well then.", the Dark Knight growled and pressed a button. The huge monitors flickered to live and the surveillance video started playing.
When it ended Alfred kept silent for a while.
"And, what do you say to this?", Batman asked his faithful butler, when the video froze at the moment showing Dick squirming in Wallys grip.
"Well Master Bruce, the glances the young Wallace kept throwing in Master Richards direction immediatly cought my attention. Master Richard was teasing the poor boy, like you can see unmistakenly in this video and he lost control for a moment. If you kept watching the video, you would have seen Wallace, terrified about his lost of control, fleeing the manson grounds."
"More like fleeing the crime scene.", Batman hissed.
"Master Bruce, I have to admit that I'm astonished how emotional you become, because a young man kissed Master Richard. I cannot remember such an emotional release, when Master Richard had been kept hostage by Mister Dent and had been confined to bed for over two months, because of his severe injuries. That left you relatively untouched. And Master Richard seemed more disturbed by your manner than the fact he just got 'raped' by his friend, don't you think?"
The Dark Knight stayed silent. "That was something completely different.", he said shortly.
"No Master Bruce, that is not different. You lead the boy as Robin into the most live threatening situations and now you are getting emotional, because he, as Richard Grayson, has been kissed by his best friend?"
The Dark Knights anger melted away under Alfreds tone. If he minded someones opinion, then it was the one of the man who had raised him after the death of his parents. He sank back into his chair. "Thank you Alfred I will reconsider that.", he said flatly.
"Very well Sir, but you should reconsider this matter under the shine of the sun, because it is Richard Grayson you're reconsidering about and not Robin, so you should reconsider it as Bruce Wayne and not as Batman."
"Yes thank you Alfred, I will do that."
Dick was furious. How could this asshole of Batman dare to take him out of Young Justice? What should his teammates think? How did it cross his mind to intervene and to be all Big Daddy now?
This questions crossed his mind, while he stormed up the staircase. He had flet out of the mansion and into the woods around Wayne Manor. He knew how toavoid the security installations of Batman and finally he came to a big oak. This was the place he always flet to, when he had had an argument with Batman.
"A tree for the bird and a cave for the bat.", Alfred had said once, because he was the only one except Dick who knew about the tree house in the crone of the oak and he had sworn never to tell Bruce about it.
The tree house was small, but extravagantly furnished. Even power did exist here, inconspicously drawn of one of the conduction to Wayne Manor. Dick threw himself onto the bed and cursed Batman under his breath, when a ringing showed him that somebody called him. Dick sat up and looked at the monitor. It was Wally. Fast he rummaged through one of the drawers after some sunglasses and tousled his hair, from the ordered Richard Grayson hairstyle, to the wild Robin mane. Then he threw a hoody over his t-shirt, took a deep breath and pressed the button for accepting the call.
Wallys face appeared on the monitor and he looked quite dissarranged.
"Hey what's up?", Dick asked with a stiff smile and he wondered why he was so nervous.
"Rob you have to help me. I really fucked-up." it bursted out of the redhead.
"Hey cool down man and tell me what you've done?"
"Well today I was in Gotham to deliver a message to Bruce Wayne and there I met his adopted son Richard Grayson. Do you know him?"
"Yes I saw him on television.", Dick said, courios what Wally had to say.
"Well he took me with him and he came on to me pretty heavy and then we were in the pool and there...well...I don't know what came over me. I simply kissed him. So...with tounge and everthing and ...I...I just forgot myself, he was so hot. Anyway I believe he didn't want that and now, when I think about it, he really could have had the impression, that I'm, well. He probably thinks, that I'm some kind of pervert."
Dick saw that Wally was practically in tears. He didn't know what to say. After his argument with Batman, he hadn't even thought about the incident anymore. Now he thought back how Wally had kissed him. About Wally's tounge in his mouth, his hands on his skin, his taste, his smell and he felt hot. His breathing quickened. He saw the face of his friend on the monitor, looking sad and it was like he saw Wally for the first time in his life.
The messy red hair. The freckles on his face and his shining green eyes.
"Wally I...", he stopped and remembered Batmans order, not to reveal his identity to anybody. "Screw Batmans order!", he thought. "Wally I think it would be better to meet. In half an hour in the Park Cafe of Gotham. That's in the 450 Williams Lain, there we can discuss this better than on the phone."
"Okay, see you soon Rob."
Dick climbed down the tree and walked to a small shed, where he stored his motorbike. Fifteen minutes later he reached the Park Cafe, that like the name already said, lay next to Gothams Central Park.
He entered the cafe and saw that Wally was already there, with a big pizza in front of him, he kept digging in. Dick moved next to his table and when Wally saw him, he choked with shock on the pizza, because Dick had come in his Richard Grayson outfit.
"What are you doing here?", Wally managed to say after he had recovered from his coughing fit.
Dick sat opposite to Wally before he answered.
"It's me Wally, Robin.", he said.
Wallys eyes widened. "What...you...and Dick...?", he managed to say.
Dick sighed, took out his sunglasses and put them on.
"Oh my god, you are it.", he whispered. Then he winced.
"But that means, that Bruce Wayne...", he stopped and looked around if somebody overheard them.
"Yes, he is.", Dick attested.
Wally only stared at him in horror. Dick put off his sunglasses again and looked Wally in the eyes.
"What you did in the pool...", he started, but Wally cut him off:
"RobahDickI'msosorryIdidn'twantto...", Wally tried to defend himself like a waterfall, but Dick just grapped his shirt with both hands, pulled him halfway over the table and kissed him.
At the contact with Dicks lips Wally simply seemed to melt and he just let it happen, that his friends tounge explored his mouth, before his own tounge tried to drive the invader off. For a while the fight went back and forth, until the two boys became aware of a constant clicking.
They broke apart and noticed a blond woman with a camera, who smiled at them before she left the cafe.
"Oh no.", Dick groaned and all color drained out of his face.
"Who was that?", Wally panted, still trying to handle what had just happened.
"That was Vicki Vayle, a reporter. Tomorrow whole Gotham will know that Richard Grayson made out with a boy in public." Now slowly, the whole weight of the situation arrived at Wallys head.
"Woah dude. You...I think I love you.", he said and graped Dicks hand.
Robin stared a while at Wallys hand on his and blushed.
"I think I love you, too.", he whispered and gripped Wallys hand thighter.
"Come on, let us begone from here, before more reporter come.", Wally said to his friend and rose, pulling Dick after him.
Dick perceived everything like through a thick fog. Did he really kiss Wally just a moment ago? Did he just say, that he loved him?
"So here we should be undisturbed.", Wally said and Dick realized that they sat on a bench at the shore of the lake in the Central Park.
He looked into Wallys eyes, which looked at him full of warmth and broke out in tears. Wally from his change of heart completely surprised, could just hold him in his arms.
"What's wrong Boy Wonderful?", he asked tenderly and stroked through Dicks messy hair.
"That is all to much.", he wept, "Batman will kill me."
"What has Batman to do with all that?", Wally asked surprised.
"He saw what you did in the pool and completely freaked out."
"Oh.", was the only thing Wally could say to that. He tried to imagine a freaked out Batman and a cold shiver ran down his back.
"But now everthing's cool, or not. I mean, apparently you didn't mind it."
"Tell that to Batman.", Robin said and looked at Wally.
This wonderful eyes filled with tears was more that Wally could stand. He wiped the tears off his face, then he kissed him fondly.
"Come on let's go to Wayne Manor and tell him that we...", he stocked, "well, what is with us?"
"Well I think it means we are a couple now.", said the smaller boy with a small smile, "in any case I never want to let go of you."
They hugged tightly and Robins mouth found Wallys and the two lovers kissed for a long time, before they rose and went on their way to confront Batman.
The Dark Knight sat as Bruce Wayne in his home office, next to him a cooling cup of tea and deep in thought. The sinking sun illuminated the study and doused the room in reddish light. He had tried to find Dick, but the boy was like swallowed by the earth. Soon he would have to go on nightwatch.
He took the cup of tea and lifted it to his lips when somebody knocked on his door.
"Come in.", he said, thinking it was Alfred.
The door opened and in came Dick...and Wally.
"You!", it broke out of Bruce and he starred angrily at Wally, who seemed to shrink under his gaze, but before he could say more, Dick moved protectively in front of his friend.
"Bruce, I don't care about the kiss Wally gave me in the pool. I have told him, that I am Robin and I'm gay and we are together."
The cup fell to the floor with a loud clang. Bruce mouth opened and closed, like a fish thrown out of the water.
Dick took Wallys hand and waited for Bruce reaction, while the brain of the greatest detective of the world, which could solve the most difficult cases in a second, tried to think clearly.
"I love him.", Dick said defiant.
Bruce rose and forced himself to calm down.
With his hand crossed behind his back, he walked trough the room and stopped in front of the portait of his dead parents. He stared at it, with his back to them and the room was completely silent.
"Love", Bruce said suddenly, "love is something wonderful. Every relationship I ever had with a woman broke up, because I never told her who I really am. With Selina I didn't make that mistake and now...somehow it's functioning. It was a mistake to ask the same of you. To hold your identity back, I mean. I think of me as your father Dick and I want to protect you, despite the dangers I expose you to everday. If you say you love this boy, who am I to deny you that. But...Wally?"
"Yes Sir."
"Do you love him, too?"
"With all my heart, Sir."
"Good. But make him sad and I will break every bone in your body."
Wally blanched. "Yes Sir, of course Sir."
"Good, then go now."
With a last glance on the still immobile Bruce, they left the room.
"Woah.", Dick breathed, when the door had closed behind them, "Wally you just saw Batman showing emotions."
"Does that happen often?"
"Once in a million years perhaps."
"Does that mean we have Batmans approval?"
"Yes it does.", Dick said and smiled at Wally.
"Well then I won't waste any more time to make sure you're happy.", Wally said and kissed his boyfriend passionately.