Prompt: For the prompt request, how about when young Grayson first meets Wally?
A/N: So much fun to write! Had a great time, thanks for the prompt!
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED letssinkaship.
Dick didn't like Central City very much. It was cold, and noisy and it had a very odd smell to it. It was bustling with people, cars and bikes. Trees littered the sides of the sidewalks, bare from the cold winter months. Haley's Circus was situated in the park in the center of the city, outside of town hall, with tall proud colors. He didn't like because it was a city, and it was just like every other city he had ever been to and that was quite boring. He was in his trailer, sitting on the bed as he did his math.
"Richard?"
"Mommy!" He sighed, exasperated. "Call me Dick, Uncle Rick and Daddy call me that!"
His mother pursed her lips, stepping into the trailer, her jacket tightly knitted to keep out the cold. She walked over and sat on the bed, wrapping her arms around him. He scrunched up his nose, leaning away from her.
"Momma!"
"Oh my little Robin! Your father and I are going out shopping, do you want to come?"
He glanced out the window where he could see the overcast sky and dismal mood hanging over the city. He frowned and glanced back at her, unsure of whether or not she was serious. "It's too cold, isn't it?"
"Cold?" His mother asked. "Bah. You're a Grayson, come on. Just to get a few mementoes of the city. It'll be fun and we'll finally get to see something other than the boring old town hall." She stood up, brushing off unseen dirt from her jeans, and smiled down at him. She held out her hand. "Up, up!"
He audibly sighed, loud enough for her to hear, and stood up. She handed him his sweater and coat and he shrugged them on, bulling on the winter boots that his parents had gotten him while they were in Europe. He glared at her as they walked out though both of them knew that he was just putting up and act, something he had taken too when he had been six years old. They walked toward his Uncle, Aunt, Father and cousin, all of which were leisurely standing by a telephone pole.
His Aunt Karla was wrapped up in a black pea coat, a blue scarf tightly wrung around her neck. His cousin John was wearing a tan trench coat that he had picked up just because he wanted to look like Sherlock Holmes. His father and uncle were in matching jackets, scarf wrung around both their necks.
"He's coming with us!" His mother called out, waving her left arm up in the air.
"I was doing homework!" He complained loudly as they reached his family, kicking up some dirt with his old pair of shoes. His cousin John scuffled up his ebony hair.
"All your work his homework! Come on, I'm ready to go shopping."
"Sweetie," Aunt Karla interjected, turning to look at her son. "Looking at young ladies is not considered shopping."
John simply grinned.
They set off not moments later, laughing and telling jokes. He held his mother's hand tightly, walking fast to catch up with her and his cousin, whom he adored. People rushed past them, screaming into phones and Bluetooth, talking loudly as they conversed with nameless people. He glanced around fearfully, trotting behind his mother. Passing a group of loud students, he felt his mother's hand slip from his grasp.
The eight year old cried out, reaching forward with wide eyes as he saw her slip from the crowd.
"Richard!" He heard her muted yell crying out.
He screamed and then was swept away from the crowd. He stared up at the looming bodies with wide eyes, curling into his body. "Mama!" he yelled, looking around the mass of bodies. He stepped aside into an alley, frowning and biting his lip. She would come back, of course, she always did. They were family.
"Hey, Kid! Whatcha doing?"
Dick glanced up at the redheaded boy with a wide array of bright freckles crossing his face and wide emerald green eyes.
"What?"
The kid sighed exasperatedly. "I said Whatcha doing? Just standing there in an alley in the middle of Central City, I mean, kinda shady don't you think? I mean… it's not Gotham or whatever but still."
"Um, I got lost from my mom. We're visiting."
"How old are you?"
"Eight."
"I'm Ten, I live here in Central. My uncle and I are getting Ice Cream and I know what you're think, I mean its winter and all but I really, really love Ice Cream."
"My Mama said I'm not allowed to talk to strangers."
"Come on kid, I'm ten work with me here. I'm not gonna kidnap you!"
Dick shrugged, rubbing his arm shyly. He really wished this kid would leave and his mother would come back.
"Here," the redhead grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the cold. "I'll take you to my Uncle Barry. He works with the police as some scientist thingy or whatever. I don't really know. Oh! Maybe we'll get to see the Flash! He could zoom all around the city to find your Mom! It'd be awesome! I really, really wanna meet the Flash. He's the best hero ever!" Redhead stopped short in the middle of the sidewalk, turning around to open his jacket and show Dick his red t-shirt with white circle and Flash symbol in the middle. Dick blinked.
"Cool, I like Superman."
The kid scoffed, grabbing his hand again and walking him into a Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream shop. "Everyone likes Superman, it's really lame. Batman is cool I guess, but from what I've seen he's kind of scary and plus, he lives in Gotham and Gotham is scary.
Dick wanted to tell him that he and his family were going to Gotham City next, but he really just wanted to get this kid out of his face.
"Uncle Barry! Look what I found?"
A large tall man about Dick's father's side with blonde hair and blue eyes turned around with two large Ice Creams in his hand. He blinked when he saw the kid and Dick, who was staring at "Uncle Barry" with wide eyes.
"Um, Wally?"
Wally, as he was now dubbed, grinned ecstatically, pulling Dick closer. "Oh, I found him in an alleyway! He's eight and is visiting Central, he said he got lost from his mom."
Barry leaned down, frowning. "What's your name kid?"
Before Dick could shake his head to refuse the question, Wally tugged at his arm. "Yeah, what's your name?"
Dick shook his head. "I want my Mama."
Barry stood up, still frowning. "Wally, why'd you bring him to me?"
Wally shrugged, reaching for the Ice Cream that Barry held just out of his reach. Falling back onto his heels, he grinned. "You work for the police Uncle Barry! Can't you help him?"
Barry frowned. "Well, yes Wally I suppose I could but you shouldn't have taken him from where he was. His mother is probably going crazy looking for him.
Dick's eyes widened, ripping out from Wally's hand and sprinting toward the doors. "Mama!" He yelled, feeling a sudden urgency to get back to the alley. What if she was already there and when she didn't find him she left! What if she was waiting there?
He was suddenly pulled back abruptly. He turned around to see Uncle Barry. "Whoa there chum! How about we'll go together and I'll wait with you, just so to make sure your mother gets you, alright?"
Dick hesitated a moment and then nodded.
He, Wally and Barry walked outside back into the cold and back to the alley. They waited there for a few moments.
"So," Wally began, licking the Ice Cream. "What's your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Why are you visiting?"
"My family travels a lot."
"Do you have any friends?"
"Wally!"
"It's just a question Uncle Barry!"
Dick nodded. "Yeah."
"Favorite animal?"
"Robin."
Wally scrunched up his nose and backpedaled. "A robin? Why? It's just a bird!"
Dick shrugged. "I just like it."
"Richard!"
Dick's head snapped up and he leapt into the sidewalk. He saw his mother's head over the crowd, his father close behind. He ran and jumped into her arms. She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry, pulling him close.
"Oh, sweetie! Your father and I were so worried!"
He nodded into the crook of her neck, unable to form coherent words.
Barry stepped forward with Wally. "My name is Barry Allen, my nephew found him and went to me. I'm glad you found him."
His mother nodded, stroking Dick's hair. His father stepped forward, holding his hand out for Barry to shake it. "Thank you so much, we were worried." He turned back to his wife and his son, Dick's Uncle and Aunt and cousin catching up. There was a momentary reunion and the boys' father turned around to smile and thank Barry again.
"Thanks again. Come on, let's go home."
As they left, Barry turned toward Wally and smiled ruffling his hair. "Never did find out his name did we?"
Wally shrugged. "I didn't catch it when his mom yelled it."
Barry laughed and led Wally out by the shoulder. "Come on Kid, let's get you back to your parents."
Wally grinned, turning back to lick his ice cream. Richard. It fit the kid.
I hope this is what you wanted!