"…Welcome to Mount Justice, Robin." With any luck, he couldn't help but think wistfully, you'll be coming here to attend meetings yourself someday.

"Thanks," he breathed back, eyes wandering around the chamber and taking everything in. "This place is so cool. Where are we, exactly?"

"Later," he said quickly, his arm slipping back to his side as a door opened. "Superman," he voiced flatly as the Kryptonian entered.

"Batman," was returned with a fair bit more warmth. "…And Robin," he smiled, greeting the boy. "This is your first trip to Mount Justice, isn't it?" he asked, approaching and squatting down to match his much lower height.

"Yes," he replied as strongly as he could. For all that he had met both Superman and Clark Kent several times and knew them to be one and the same, seeing the man in his full garb still overawed him.

"Well then, welcome. I'm sure you'll have the whole place memorized in no time. Unless, of course, Batman had you commit the entire floor plan to memory before you got here?"

The comment earned him a smile. "No," he almost laughed, knowing that his mentor would be kicking himself for not having done exactly that. "He didn't."

"Huh," his eyes traveled up to the pursed mouth beneath the cowl, then back down to the smirking boy. "Strange. But maybe he wanted you to explore it on your own. It's more fun that way. You find little secrets that didn't make it onto the maps," he winked.

The black-clad man cleared his throat loudly. "Is Flash here yet?"

"In the lounge. With Kid Flash," he added, standing. Sensing Robin's sudden discomfort, he went on. "You'll like him."

Sure, but will he like me? the boy thought darkly even as he gave him the most confident look he could drag up. "Great!"

Superman tilted his head slightly. Something's wrong here. He's not quite himself. "Well, I'll leave you two to it. See you in the meeting, Batman. Robin," he gave him a fond look. "…Have fun."

"I will," the child nodded, knowing that it was the expected answer. "You, too," slipped out afterwards. He was embarrassed – who has fun in a meeting? A meeting with Batman, especially? – for a half second before the superhero laughed.

"I can pretty much guarantee that I won't," he informed him, "but thanks for the encouragement." With that, he threw them a wave and exited through another door.

"…This way."

"Batman?" he asked suddenly. The dark cape stopped, then turned back to face him and waited expectantly, but he suddenly couldn't speak. He didn't want to belie his fear, not while they were in costume at least, but he also desperately needed just a tiny word of comfort. "I-"

The cowl dropped down in front of him unexpectedly, eye holes opened so that the boy could see the bright blue beneath that matched his own almost perfectly. "Robin, I want you to listen to me," the low, gravelly voice instructed him. "You have nothing to worry about. Is that understood?"

"…Yes," he gulped, still nervous but less so. His nausea faded as a black-gloved finger reached up and turned the lenses on both of their masks down. "…Thanks."

"Keep them closed. And remember what I said about your identity. No matter what, you are not to tell him, or help him figure out, who you are."

"I remember."

"Good." He rose back to his full height, placing his hand back on the boy's shoulder for the briefest of seconds. Had there been anyone watching it would have looked as if he had merely used the smaller figure for leverage as he got up, but Robin felt the tiny squeeze that had been relayed. "…This way," he said again.

They walked down a long corridor from which several other halls and rooms blossomed before they turned into a comfortable space dominated by a huge television and quite possibly the comfiest looking sofa the boy had ever seen. There was something on the screen, but it had been muted so as to not interfere with the low conversation of the two people on the couch. Neither one looked up as they entered and drew up behind them. They must be really involved in their discussion, Robin thought, feeling a little guilty that they would be interrupting. Unbeknownst to him, their talk wasn't what kept the seated figures unaware of their approach; he had developed a level of stealth approaching that of his mentor over the past nine months, and even had the speakers been completely silent, they wouldn't have realized there was anyone else present.

"Yeah, but what if-" the smaller form asked, his face anxious.

"It's okay, Kid," the other answered soothingly. "Just relax. You're going a mile a minute already – not that I should be surprised – and he's not going to be used to that. Just be yourself. You'll be fine."

"But Unc-"

Batman coughed purposefully, cutting the sentence off before a name could be mentioned, making both speedsters jump. "Flash," he said in the same way he'd greeted Superman.

"Hey, Batman," the man got up and moved around the furniture to join them, gesturing for his protégé to do the same. "You've got to be Robin, then," he gave the dark haired boy a smile. "I like the outfit. Good color choice," he joked, plucking at his own red suit.

"…Thank you. It's nice to meet you. I…Batman's talked about you." He was suddenly glad for all of the etiquette lessons Alfred had been putting him through; without them, he wasn't sure he'd have been able to speak at all.

"Really?" He looked legitimately surprised.

"I can't educate him thoroughly without occasionally mentioning other members of the League," Batman admitted begrudgingly.

"And here we all thought you didn't like us," he shook his head with an exaggerated sigh of relief.

"…They're waiting for us," the cowl growled, not bothering to respond to the taunt.

"All right, all right. Batman, Robin, this is Kid Flash. Kid, this is Batman and Robin. I think you know which one is which."

"Hi," the two boys said awkwardly, glancing at one another, then away, then back again.

Batman didn't say a word, simply waiting a second to make sure there was nothing else to be cleared up before he turned and headed for the hallway. "Be good, Robin," he admonished just before he vanished.

"…What he said, Kid. No shenanigans." Flash clapped his nephew on the back before following the other man. "And have some fun, you two!"

"Sooo…" Kid Flash breathed when the adults were gone. "Hi."

"Hi," Robin replied, sneaking a peek at the other youth. His fears eased a bit as he realized that the redhead looked as nervous as he felt. "…I think we already did that part, didn't we?" he joked, trying to break the tension.

"Yeah, heh," the older boy laughed shortly, his hand rising to the back of his head to scratch. "We did."

"So, um…what were you watching? Anything good?" Robin asked, inclining his head towards the television.

"Oh…" he blushed, and was suddenly unable to keep his words from pouring out at any less than a twice-normal speed. "Iwatchinfomercialsometimesca usethey're kindafuntomakefunofyaknow?" When he saw the younger child staring at him, mouth slightly open, he almost burst into tears. This isn't working, Uncle Barry, he wanted to scream, anything to make him come back and take him home so he could curl up in bed and forget that he'd ever wanted a real friend. It's freaking hopeless, the first words out of my mouth were that I watch infomercials for fun and I said them so fast it'll be a miracle if he doesn't think I've started speaking in tongues! "…I know it's really weird," he said, managing to get himself back under control, "but…" Please, please don't hate me anyway?

"No way."

"No way…what?" No way he wants to be around a weirdo, that's what, he lambasted himself. I couldn't have waited five minutes to bring that up? I could have lied and said 'nothing.' Or, you know, at least told him what a freak I am at a pace he might have had a chance of understanding. Jeez, West, too bad your brain isn't as quick as your mouth.

"No way do you watch infomercials and make fun of them." A smirk was spreading across his lips. "I totally do the same thing!"

"You – really? Wait…you understood me?" Kid Flash looked over at him finally, really looked over at him, and the delighted grin he found wreathing the other boy's face allayed his awkwardness somewhat. "You wouldn't just say that to make fun of me, would you? I mean, you really understood that? And – and you don't mind?" he asked, cautious despite the complete lack of malice in the younger child's expression.

"No," he shook his head. "That would be really mean. You want proof I don't mind? Two words: Smart Mop."

"…Better yet, ShamWow," the redhead countered, snickering slightly. "That guy's hilarious."

"Snuggies!"

"The Ab Circle!"

"Oh, man, the Ab Circle," Robin broke down into giggles. "That one's terrible!"

"I know, right?"

"There should be a special level of heck for people who write those commercials, and they'd have to watch their own crap play for all eternity."

"Duuuude," Kid Flash's eyes were wide and bright. "There totally should be!" Oh, this is so cool.

"Oh, this is so cool," the smaller boy said an instant later. This…this might work.

"…I was so just thinking that exact thing!"

"Seriously?!" They were both completely engulfed in relieved laughter now, bending nearly double as their misgivings evaporated. "…So what's this one hocking? Like a new salad shooter or something?" the acrobat asked when they'd managed to straighten and exchanged slightly less wary grins.

"Let's find out," the speedster suggested, moving back around the end of the couch and reaching for the remote. Robin, feeling a fair bit happier now that the initial few minutes had passed and he hadn't been rejected offhand, gripped the back of the couch, swung his legs into the air, and did a brief handstand before curling and letting himself land amongst the soft cushions. "…Whoa. Dude," he heard gasped. "Whaaaat…?"

Batman's partner swallowed hard. Uh oh. I blew it. That's what freaked the kids at school out, too. He'd made the mistake of walking on his hands the first day, which hadn't been so bad in and of itself but had led to challenges to do stranger and stranger things. He'd spent many dark hours isolating the exact moment the other children in the schoolyard had labeled him as a real circus freak, and finally determined that it was when someone said he should do his best trick. Lacking a trapeze or anything else he could swing on without attracting adults, he'd twisted himself into the most advanced contortion he knew, eager to please his audience. A couple of the popular girls had screamed at the sight, saying it reminded them of a horror movie, and even several of the boys had looked ill. Remembering their faces, he bit his lip, regretting his natural gift for only the second time in his life. It was going so well… "Sorry," he whispered, not looking at him.

"Sorry for what? That was awesome!"

"…Really?"

"Uh, yeah? You were just like, whoosh, and your feet were in the air. And you didn't screw up the landing or anything! It was all, plunk, yep, I'm sitting here now!"

"…Thanks."

"So what else can you do?" the older boy asked excitedly, sitting down next to him and crossing his legs Indian style, infomercials completely forgotten. "Unc – I mean, Flash said you can do all sorts of crazy acrobatics and, like, turn yourself into a pretzel and stuff."

"Well…yeah," he admitted slowly. Batman must have told him, I haven't been on the news or anything yet. I didn't know he talked about me when he was with the JLA, though. Huh.

"Could I see some more of your moves? I can't do hardly anything like that. I can barely even manage a handstand, I have to be up against a wall to do it."

Robin's desire to do whatever he was asked, anything that would make this new acquaintance like him, battled with his fear that showing him what he was practically begging to see would end as it had with his classmates. "I…I haven't really performed for an audience in a while," he tried to make an excuse.

"That's okay. I don't mind. C'mon, please?"

"I-" he swallowed hard. "…Promise you won't think I'm weird, or a…a freak, or anything?" I guess you could think those things, so long as you were still nice to me, he allowed mentally.

"Why would I think that?"

"Some people do," he shrugged. "…A lot of people do."

"Normal people, maybe. But I'm not normal. Ask anyone I go to school with," he said bitterly.

"…You, too, huh?"

"Yeah…"

"Bullies suck," Robin spat suddenly.

"Totally," Kid Flash nodded. "Mine likes to shove me into lockers, take my lunch money...all the standard bully stuff. He's not very smart, so I figure it's all he can manage. It still hurts, though, especially since he only does it to me…" He trailed off. "What's yours do?"

"He…calls me names," the younger boy disclosed, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "Really…awful things. Says things about my parents, and about Br-…other people. He…he says those things a lot…" He blinked back his tears, refusing to cry in front of someone he'd just met, but his pain showed on his face anyway. "I dunno, I guess it's stupid to be so upset over things people say, but…"

"But it still hurts," the redhead finished sympathetically for him. "I know what you mean, bro. Grownups tell you that words can't hurt you, but they're wrong. Way wrong."

"Yeah. They are." His voice came out high with repressed emotion, and he quickly cleared his throat. "Anyway…"

"So…would you show me something cool? I promise I won't make fun of you," he tacked on quickly when he caught him biting at his lip again.

"…Okay," Robin capitulated slowly, rolling forward off of the couch and to his feet.

"That was pretty sweet, but I gotta admit, I was hoping for something a little fancier."

"That wasn't the trick, you dork," he rolled his eyes. Hearing his own words, he froze, his eyes going to the other boy. To his gratification, he didn't seem to mind the epithet.

"…Well, then, c'mon already!" he said eagerly, grinning in anticipation. He didn't even think about that handstand, he just did it. If that's what he can do without putting his mind to it, the stuff he has to concentrate on is going to be amazing. "Do something awesome!"

"Well…" he tried to think of something that would qualify as 'awesome' without going so far as the contortion that had turned the stomachs of so many others. I wish I had a trapeze, he sighed. "…Okay," he said after a moment, working out a complicated series of ground-based moves in his head. "Whatever you do, don't move. I might accidently hit you if you do."

"Cool," the redhead nodded, agreeing.

Casting one last look at the still-seated boy, the raven haired child took a deep breath, closed his eyes behind his mask, and threw himself forward into a succession of handsprings and flips that carried him to the opposite wall. Just before he crashed into it, he sprang into the air, twisted around, and pushed off of the vertical at a slight angle so that his return sequence resulted in him sailing over the goggling speedster's head and vaulting off of the couch's opposite arm. He slowed his momentum with a triple somersault – he'd wanted to do one of his signature quadruples, but knew he didn't have quite enough space - and landed easily on his feet. "Ta da!" he beamed, spreading his arms. "…KF?" he asked hesitantly a second later when the other boy failed to so much as blink, seemingly frozen in place with a bedazzled stare plastered across his features. Oh, no, what did I do? How was that creepy?! "I'm sorry if I was too close-" he started, but his apology was cut off as his boots left the floor and the room began to spin around so fast that he couldn't even make out colors. "Aahhh…"

"Dude that was totally the coolest, awesomest, most amazingest thing I have ever seen!"

He winced at the overjoyed shriek that sounded in his ear, reaching for his temples with both hands when Kid Flash finally stopped twirling around in circles and let him drop back onto the sofa. "Shhh!" Robin hushed him as he continued to vomit praise. "They're going to hear you in China!" Does he have super sound along with super speed? He bit his tongue, knowing that the question might be taken as an insult if he actually asked it. The last thing he wanted to do was come off sounding like a bully himself, no matter how innocently he actually meant the query to be. Holy gyroscope, he thought as the world finally steadied in his vision.

"Oh, right, the meeting," the redhead winced, remembering. "Oops."

"Just keep your fingers crossed we don't get a Batglare," he advised, glancing towards the door before sinking as far into the cushions as he could manage. He's coming. I know it. Crud.

"Are…are they as bad as I've heard?" He paled, making his freckles stand out.

"…You have no idea." He'd only been on the receiving end of one true Batglare, but that had been one too many.

"Save me?" the older boy pleaded, instantly pressed against him. "You're his kid, he won't murder you, probably…"

"Um, I'm not even sure I'm safe after that aria you just performed…" Please, please don't let them have been discussing anything important.

"Boys," a growl came from overhead.

"Well," Robin managed to direct towards the figure that still apparently thought he could somehow hide beneath his much smaller partner in crime, "it was nice knowing you."