A/N the support and love has been wonderful, and I feel super bad about not being able to update more often but unfortunately I don't get paid to do this, so work comes first.
Then of course there was Daisho Con and yeah, but I know none of that is an excuse. Thank you for still reading, and maybe one day I'll update in a more timely fashion. ^^"
Barry's POV
Barry Allen was concerned. It had been weeks since anything major happened at all, no villains, barely anything for him to protect the city from other than a few small robberies. Now normally that would be a good thing, if only it didn't scare him so much. Why weren't they trying anything to get the big plan rolling? Was it already in motion? How long did they have until the League found out finally? So many questions buzzed around in his head as he sat at work.
And then on top of everything, Wally was having trouble balancing school and being a superhero. His parents had been talking with the blonde both as the flash and not, and it was starting to get to him. Why was this happening all of a sudden? What was Wally really playing at?
Huffing he tossed a pencil at his report, eraser side down, and couldn't wait for it to be noon. At noon he was going to leave, get Wally, and then meet Bruce at the City Appreciation Day picnic barbecue thing.
That was something else that scared him. He was all but ready to hop out of his chair and speed over there to meet Bruce now, let alone waiting. Since when did he want to see the detective so eagerly? After all they had only recently officially become friends.
Deciding that maybe it was just nice knowing that Bruce of all people accepted him. For the longest time, Barry really thought that Batman hated him. At all of the meetings and every time they had gone on missions together, it was just the way he acted. It wasn't like with all the other League members, Bats sort of treated him like he wasn't a serious superhero because he didn't take it serious enough.
Now, though, they were closer than ever, and had a great friendship out of it. Wally and Dick got to see each other more often, and Barry got all of Alfred's best recipes. It was a win win really.
Huffing he groaned and rested his head on his desk. This was some sort of horrible torture. Lifting his head up, the top page of the report stuck to his forehead and he sighed, getting the papers all neat and together. Looking over what was already done, all he could determine that if he were to finish it now, it would be absolute crap.
Gathering his jacket, Barry stood up and slid it on. He stored the report in a folder and then made his way out a few minutes early. Hopefully the Chief wouldn't mind, and if he does, he doesn't come to check and see if he was still there.
The speedster dropped off a few papers to certain people before making his leave, and then sped to catch Wally at school. Pausing at the sight of the Public School, he bit his lip and then ran to find the younger speedster slyly. He wasn't necessarily spying, it was more of checking on the redhead without him knowing.
Running around the school proved to be more difficult than he thought, with the teenagers grouping and clogging up the hallway. Was it always like this when he was a kid?
However, he found Wally with some of the other kids by what he assumed was the redheads locker. Sneaking off to the side he listened in on the conversation, obviously not spying, obviously not eavesdropping either.
"I dunno Wally it seems kinda reckless don't ya think?" One of the boys said.
"It might be, but it's not fair. My parents think that my uncle is a bad guy and he's not, I'd rather be with him than with them. And if I have to flunk a few tests while around them and then pass all of the ones when I'm with him then I will." Wally said, closing his locker. "Then maybe someone will actually listen to what I have to say."
"Well he's not really your uncle anymore Wal," one of the boys said with a frown as they started to walk.
Barry was frowning as well, but followed to hear more. This was unnerving, but he so wanted Wally to live with him too. It was something that had crossed his mind, but he knew it was selfish and would never happen.
"I know that, but that doesn't mean I don't think of him as family. He gets me, knows when to tell me I'm wrong, one night he even carried me all the way to my bed because I fell asleep at the table. And now, just because Aunt Iris decided that she didn't want to be married to him anymore I'm not supposed to see him? That's just wrong." Wally got that look, the look of anger and hopelessness Barry rarely saw on his face, the look he hated to see.
"I get it man, I hope this all works out. See you tomorrow okay?" The kid sighed and patted Wally on the back before running off to catch a bus.
Barry rounded about the school, making it look like he was coming from work to pick the young speedster up. This, this was some heavy news. How could Wally flunk his classes just to prove a point? How long had it been going on? And why did his parents not think that they should spend time together?
Sighing and putting those thoughts aside, he ran up to the redhead with a smile on his face. "Hey Kid, how was school?"
"Barry! It was awesome! I was super pumped for this all day!"the redhead grinned and adjusted his backpack. "Race ya to my house? I gotta drop off my backpack and junk."
"Sure why not! But we gotta talk okay?" Barry ruffled his hair and nodded, his expression getting soft.
"Sure thing! Let's go!" And with that, Wally was off.
Laughing a little the blonde shook his head before jumping into a run. Lately Wally had been getting faster, not fast enough to beat him of course, but faster. It made the races more interesting.
He arrived shortly before Wally did, grinning at the speedster and arguing with him about who won as they walked inside.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home to drop my backpack and stuff off!" He called, and ran upstairs to drop off said bag.
The two parents walked into the kitchen where they stood, both smiling softly yet awkwardly at Barry. "Actually Wally, your Aunt is going to be here any moment. We were wondering if you'd want to go with her at all?"
"Nope! I see Aunt Iris every day, but I don't get to see Barry as often. I'm gonna go with him, promise I'll be home on time." He smiled, and leaned on the blonde.
Barry's heart warmed at that, but knew that it was probably going to get ugly very soon. "I hope that doesn't bother you. I know that since Iris and I are no longer together Wally isn't technically my nephew anymore, but I couldn't imagine life without him." He stated cautiously, not wanting to step over any lines, but wanting to make it clear he wasn't going to just hand over his time with Wally.
"No of course it's alright! It's just that we thought he might want to spend time with his Aunt is all." Wally's father smiled tightly, but his eyes showed that they weren't comfortable with this in the slightest.
Sighing he nodded and ruffled the Kid's hair. "Let's get going, I bet they're gonna have some awesome hotdogs." The older speedster grinned and walked out with the kid, despite his parents knowing about the superhero gig.
"So what did you wanna talk about Barry?" Wally asked as they walked for a short while, looking up at him with those big green eyes.
The blonde sighed and put an arm around his shoulders. "I can't lie to ya kid, I heard you talking to your friends earlier. Now I know you're reasoning, but I am no reason at all for you to flunk anything." He looked down at the younger speedster with a disapproving look to his eyes.
Frowning deeply and ducking his head, the ginger knew he had been caught. "I know I know, but mom and dad don't get it. They think that you're some kind of bad influence or something."
"Well if that's what they think then that's what they think. They are your parents and all they want is what's best for you, all I want is what's best for you." Barry tugged on his ear lightly and smiled softly at him. "And maybe I'm not the best for you."
"But you are! Barry you get it all! You know what I'm thinking I swear! You're the coolest, even when I get in trouble, you know just how to handle it. If I need your help I KNOW I can count on it. Barry, you're like…. You're like my dad." Wally stopped walking, and looked up at him with determination in his features. "I won't just stop hanging out with you because my parents don't think you're a good guy, because you ARE the good guy. I know it, I've always known it."
Barry smiled so wide his cheeks hurt, and caught the ginger in a hug. "Kid, you don't know what that means to me." He laughed a little, and then held Wally at arms distance. "You're the only person in the world I need to hear that from, you know that?" He tweaked the kids chin, both of them grinning like idiots. "But no more failing classes, you hear? We'll just have to prove to your parents I'm the hero you think I am."
"Alright! Deal!" He grinned, and then put both hands behind his head as they started to walk again. "Hey! Why're we walking? Let's go!" He laughed and took off like a bullet.
Shaking his head, Barry smiled as he took off after the redhead, the two of them racing to the event.
Bruce's POV
He knew it wasn't a formal event, so Bruce decided to dress like he did for the carnival, shirt and jeans. Still the paparazzi found him and Dick in the crowd. So many questions, and he didn't bother answering any of them.
Really, it was beyond annoying. Where was Barry? What was taking him so long? Just like a speedster to be late despite being faster than the speed of light and sound.
Shuffling himself and the boy wonder away from the commotion of the news cameras, he went to the one place he was sure Barry and Wally would end up first, the food stands.
Despite being raised on a much more expensive palate, the billionaire had to admit that the food did smell good. Grilled hot dogs, burgers, brats, of course French fries and soda galore. Dick also seemed to be enjoying himself, looking at all of the random games and people generally getting along.
Then, sure enough, the two speedsters were found slurping from large cups and munching on some very unhealthy looking food. Shaking his head Bruce walked up and folded his arms. "So how long have the two of you been here?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Turning Barry smiled sheepishly and swallowed what was in his mouth. "Oh hey! Bruce! Sorry we were both hungry and guess we got distracted huh? I wasn't sure if you were already here or not, so I kinda assumed you'd come looking for us eventually."
"Well at least you were right about the second part." The detective laughed a little and sat next to him. "So are those god?" He asked with a smirk.
"Hell yeah, here have one." Barry handed over a plain cheeseburger and then motioned to the condiments on the counter where they were eating. "Fix it up!" He grinned. "You want anything at all Dick? I wouldn't steal from Wally, he's like a dog when he eats, you might get bit."
"Hey!" The redhead protested with food in his mouth, slurping down some soda.
"Yeah, sure." The young detective laughed "I just want a bunch of fries if that's okay."
"No problem kid, here ya go." Barry picked up a boat of fries that was sitting off to the side, and then returned to his own food.
Bruce just shook his head and ate his burger while listening to the banter between the two teenagers. It was like watching a family interact, and almost reminded him of how he and his parents were oh so long ago. Smiling a small smile, the dark knight ate and then looked around to see the turnout. He remembered that Barry said there might be some trouble, and honestly he didn't doubt it, but Central City seemed to support their city wholeheartedly.
"Bruce," Barry's voice interrupted his thoughts his head snapping to look at the blonde. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Yeah, sure. Hey Dick, Wally, why don't you go play some of the games." Bruce handed them both twenty dollars, "Tip the officers well."
"Sweet! Dick I'm gonna own you in the bottle breaking game! Thanks Daddy Bats!" Wally grinned and ran off at normal speed with the boy wonder following him.
Shaking his head with a sigh Bruce leaned against the counter and looked at Barry, waiting for him to start.
"So… I was talking with Wally's parents on the phone today, and they told me he had been failing some tests in school, and was getting bad grades on assignments." the scientist started, pausing to sip his soda. "When I went to pick him up today, I guess I spied a bit, and found out he was failing because his parents don't want him to see me anymore." Barry looked at him, his eyes looking to something Bruce couldn't even imagine, a future without the closest thing he has to a son. "They… They don't want me around him."
Bruce rested a hand on the speedsters shoulder, letting him know he was there. "I can't imagine what that feels like Barry, but I know they're wrong to try and keep you two apart. Wally won't let it happen, and neither will you. They can think what they want, but you and Wally are best together."
Smiling a little at him, Barry nodded "thanks Bruce, it's nice hearing that." He patted the hand on his shoulder before turning on the stool and sighing. "Alright, enough moping, this is supposed to be fun."
"Alright then, what about this complication that's supposed to pop up today? You mentioned that someone might try something today, any leads on anything?" The detective asked.
"That's not fun Bruce, that's work." The blonde huffed and rolled his eyes. "No leads at all, it was more of a maybe, to be on my toes. Now come on, you and I are gonna have some real fun." He tugged the billionaire along, running up to where the Chief was sitting in a dunk tank. He was wet from obviously being dunked a few times before, his husband standing off to the side laughing.
"Isn't this your boss?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow as they walked up to where the man collected the money.
"Yup! And he knew I was coming today, I told him." Barry grinned and handed the officer the money, taking one of the balls, and handing the dark knight the other one. "Whaddaya say to twice in a row Chief!" He called to the man in the tank.
"I say you can try!" The man responded, giving Barry an all knowing half smile.
Stepping up to the line the blonde wound up and then threw the ball, hitting the target dead on and his boss tumbling into the water. Laughing, he watched as the man got back up on the seat when it was replaced. "How was that!"
"You surprised me!" The Chief responded with a shake of his head. "Who's next then?"
"Come on Bruce!" Barry grinned and looked at him.
"Barry this is hardly fair." The billionaire shook his head with a bemused smile on his face.
"That's why it's fun! Come on!" The blonde laughed and set the ball in the man's hand, pushing him towards the line.
Sighing Bruce shook his head and looked at the target, easily winding up and throwing the ball. With no surprise it met its target and the police chief once again took a swim.
"What have you two been eating?!" The man asked as he huffed and managed to get himself back up.
"Our wheaties!" Barry laughed and almost fell over at the sight of his boss' face. "You're hilarious chief, see ya tomorrow okay?"
"You'll hear about this again Allen." The man sighed but rested back in his chair, waiting for the next person in line.
"Are you about done showing off now?" Bruce raised an eyebrow, but there was playfulness in his tone.
"Of course not! It's me after all." The blonde laughed and grinned at him. "Come on let's got get the kids and look around while we still have some free time." He then bounced lightly before walking off towards the games to try and find the two sidekicks.
It wasn't that hard to find them, considering Wally's hair was bright red after all. The two were by one of the break the bottle games, and it looked like Dick was winning, which wasn't surprising but Wally still seemed upset anyway.
"Awe come on! How can you be that good?!" The young speedster complained and pouted a little.
"Maybe you should have thought about what I do in my spare time While." The young acrobat smirked, accepting his third prize.
"I hate to say it Kid, but I agree with him." Barry sighed, shaking his head with a smile. "Maybe you should enter the eating contest, you'd do better at that than anything else."
"Traitor!" The ginger cried out, throwing his hand over his heart and pretending to faint.
"Yeah yeah, come on Kid let's go find something to do together, these two might literally disappear if we don't." The scientist laughed a little and slung his arm over Wally's neck, holding the teen close. He did the same to Dick, but gave him the option of sliding out of the hold. Surprisingly he stayed there, and the three of them walked down the path together.
Bruce watched with curious eyes, a small pang of jealousy hitting him hard. When did Barry become that close? And where was he the whole time? How come the signs were never evident of the two of them being that close?
As they walked along the detective got a small flash of an image, it was exactly like the one in front of him, but instead of trailing behind the trio, his arm was around the blondes waist. They were laughing, happy, together like a family.
Quick as it came, the image was flushed from his mind. One, Bruce Wayne was not bisexual (that he knew of), two: of all people for Barry to date why on earth would he choose someone like Bruce, they were complete opposites. Lastly Barry was a friend, nothing more. Yes the speedster was a lot like Rachel, but the two had massive amounts of other things different. Like gender for example.
Yet, while he pondered, something happened. A large blast at one of the stalls went off, right as Barry and the boys passed it. As if he were a speedster himself everything moved in slow motion, the debris flew all around them, his eyes searching for where Dick might have been, not caring that he might be the one in danger.
Then, suddenly he was on the ground, a few yards away from the site of the blast, as were the two boys with a few scrapes on them. Barry stood above everyone, a hand on his side. "You guys okay?" He asked with worried eyes.
"Yeah, yeah we're okay." Bruce hopped up, and immediately started looking at the boys and found them both the be unscathed other than a few scrapes. "We're all okay." He breathed a small sigh of relief and stood up, looking over at the blonde.
Barry grinned and nodded "Good, make sure the press see's you and Dick getting into your car or something, Kid and I will make sure people are out of the area in case there's a second one going to go off." He informed, looking down at his hand, and Bruce saw a flash of red.
In three strides he was over to the speedster, and saw a large cut on his side, pieces of wood and debris still imbedded. "Barry," He glared at the speedster.
"I'm fine, I can make sure everyone's safe and then worry about myself." He huffed "Rapid healing you know?"
"There are pieces of metal and wood in there." He almost snapped, "You'd be endangering yourself and all of us."
"Don't worry about me, I've been taking care of myself for this long." The speedster huffed and then was gone before Bruce could argue a bit more.
"Go after him, he's going to get himself killed!" Bruce growled at Wally before marching off with Dick so they could be seen getting to safety and then help that dumb scientist.
Barry's POV
Who did he think he was? Bruce telling him he wasn't supposed to do his job because of a scrape! Did it hurt, oh hell yes, but something like that could wait until after the citizens were safe and it was confirmed there were no more bombs in the area.
With the speed only someone like himself and Wally possessed he had on his suit, and was then making sure that every citizen was at the very least two blocks away, not knowing what was even going on yet.
When he got back, another stall seemed to have already blown, and he grimaced. Who would plant bombs in stalls? Did the vendors in them know? He examined the area, the pieces molding together in his mind to try and see where the bomb originated.
"Hey! You okay?" Wally broke through his little space moment, looking up at him.
"Yeah, just normally with bombs like this you can see something that points to someone specific. They were made to put on a show and make a statement." He frowned.
"Right you are FLASH!" His head snapped up and Barry let out an audible groan. Standing on top of another stand, the FOOD stand of all things, was the Trickster. "So nice to see you on this spectacular day!"
"Really? You? How did you get out of prison this time!" he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Look what do ya want this time?"
"What I've wanted every time we see each other, your guts as streamers." The crazed bomb maker cackled and hopped down. "You know, I thought something like that would be obvious by now."
"Well sometimes people change, their goals are different, you know how it is." He sighed, and Wally groaned beside him.
"Do you ALWAYS have to talk it up with the bad guys?! It gets so boring." the ginger huffed. "Let's just get him!"
"Impatient one you got there Flash, go ahead little one, come and get me!" The Trickster laughed and taunted Wally, something giving Barry warning signs.
"Wait Wally don't!" Barry tried to stop the young speedster but he was already taking off, and as the redhead got closer, the villain grinned and tossed a LOT of metallic objects in the air, all of them heading for Wally.
In an instant the scientist was between Wally and the bombs, shoving him back and accepting the full punishment. Fire spread over his suit and seared his flesh, bits of shrapnel lodging into his muscles.
Within that same instant Bruce had managed to tackle the madman, the Batman making sure that there were no more detonators on the Tricksters person before incapacitating him.
"BA-F-Flash!" He heard Wally call out to him, the pain ripping through his body. "Bats we gotta get him out of here!" the panic, the fear, Barry just wanted to pull him over and say it was all alright, after all, he was gonna heal in a few days right? However he didn't get the chance to do so, because everything went black, and all he could hear were the many voices around him.
Waking up was something he would describe as a dream. Why a dream? Well for one, he wasn't at home. He was in the infirmary in the Watchtower, with a monitor hooked up, and IV drip, the whole nine yards.
"Ah, Damn that doesn't feel good." He grumbled and tried adjusting his legs, only for a sharp pain to coarse through the left one.
"Hey! Be careful or you'll damage yourself even more!" A familiar voice snapped, and he turned his head to see Bruce, Oli, and Wally, Bruce being the one to yell at him.
"It can't be that bad." The Blonde rolled his eyes and managed to sit up, but was met with bandages littering his chest and back, along with burns that went deep into muscle tissue. "Okay, so maybe it's a little bad."
"Barry I-" Wally started, looking at him with watery green eyes. "I didn't know, I should have listened."
"Hey, Kid, don't beat yourself up! I'm alright and this isn't your fault." Barry shook his head. "I'll be up and running in a few days promise."
"More like a week or two." Oliver sighed resting back in his chair. "You had a LOT of shrapnel in ya buddy. One piece decided to sever the tendon in the back of your left calf, so that's gonna take a little while to heal up, plus all the burns all over your body. Yet, somehow in all of that, your thick skull made it out with a few cuts and bruises."
"That's because I know how to avoid getting concussions." Barry laughed a little, resting back in the bed. "What about the Trickster?"
"In prison once again with no visiting privileges, and no licorice." Bruce gruffed, still in full garb. "I'm going to go talk to Superman about what to do about… all of this."
"Have fun Bats!" Barry teased with a grin, earning a small twitch of the man's lips in return.
Bruce's POV
That idiot! Bruce could still hear the words flashing through his head. The sight of Barry on the ground motionless, watching the bombs explode. His chest tightened and it felt as if that were Alfred or Dick down there.
It frustrated him. Why did Barry mean so much suddenly? Yes he was a valuable team member, and yes they had recently become friends, but this.. this was something more than all of that.
The Dark Knight barged in and was planning on many hours of paperwork to take his mind off of whatever this was. It was foreign, and not something he wanted to face in the slightest.
(A/N) I am so sorry for the wait for this! truly I am going to continue this, and I hope people haven't given up on me yet!