Flash
Flash looked around almost awkwardly, not understanding the silence that permeated the room. Artemis and Wally were hanging out in Happy Harbor and he had shown up at the Mountain to help the rest of his nephew's teammates set up his seventeenth birthday celebration. They were done decorating and only M'gann was still working – putting the finishing touches on the cakes. He had joined the boys in a board game while they waited but no one was talking and he was starting to get a little uncomfortable. He was a talker, it was a family trait really, but he didn't know what to say to these teenagers who were so in sync with each other. He had heard stories from other Leaguers about how much the team communicated telepathically.
"So why aren't we having a surprise party?" he finally asked as he made his move.
Robin, next to him, chuckled slightly as he took his turn. "It'd be pointless," he began.
"He knew we were planning this weeks ago," Kaldur continued, taking the dice from Robin.
"He knew last year too," Conner contributed, carefully watching Kaldur's move, "besides-"
"I wanted to ask him what kind of cake he wanted," M'gann finished, entering the room and taking a seat next to Conner.
The transition from one teammate to the other was seamless. Conner had known exactly what M'gann was going to say and started the sentence for her before she had even entered the room. He was stunned into silence, watching Conner carefully take his turn. The clone hesitated, glanced up at Robin as if for reassurance, then made his move after receiving a nod from the boy wonder.
M'gann noticed his questioning gaze and smiled at him. "He's never played this before," she said fondly, misinterpreting his confusion.
Flash just smiled back at her, hiding any amazement he felt at the way they fit together. "What about you?" he asked, taking his turn.
"I've seen people play," she responded before suddenly glancing at the board, searching it. The dice, in the far corner opposite Robin suddenly levitated – flinging themselves in Robin's direction. He caught them with ease, sending a quick smile her way before rolling them. "Besides, I wanted to make sure the cakes were perfect," she added, turning back to him as if nothing had happened.
"If they're anything like last year," Conner started before Flash could respond.
"Then I am sure they are more than acceptable," Kaldur finished with a reassuring smile.
"Plus, you specifically made sure that they are Wally's favorite flavor, and you know he'll eat anything," Robin added, giving Flash a grin as he passed the dice to Kaldur. "He'll love it."
As the game progressed and he watched the teen heroes in front of him Flash wondered how much they weren't saying aloud. They were very conversational, just like last year. Unlike last year, however, there were the shared glances, the random smiles that Flash couldn't quite decipher. He wasn't Batman, and he couldn't tell what they were thinking or saying, but he could tell how close they were. He never would have guessed that the majority of them met only a little over a year ago.
Eventually the four teens perked up, standing up together as one. It wasn't the way they moved – Robin was much lighter on his feet and M'gann often floated just above the ground – but the timing of it that had Flash so amazed. He didn't even bother to ask, standing up as well and zipping into the front room ahead of them.
When Wally arrived he greeted his uncle with a hug, laughing loudly and being his usual talkative self. Flash noticed, however, that though Wally was very loud and talkative to him he hadn't said a word to the team. Artemis was standing with M'gann, both with smiles on their faces; Robin, Kaldur, and Conner seemed to be having a conversation, but Wally and he were the only ones talking.
He decided to ignore it, questioning Wally on how his day had been, as well as what he'd done recently. He had been busy with the League and work so he hadn't seen Wally in a while. Wally was eager to fill him in always glad to spend time with his uncle, but Flash couldn't help but notice the silence behind him. He couldn't help but notice other things to; like how whenever Wally stopped talking to hear his reply sometimes his gaze would flicker to Artemis or Robin or another team member, and a small smile would cross his face.
As Wally finished describing his latest mission, M'gann floated over, a small smile on her face. Whatever she said to him caused him to let loose a cry of joy as the rest of the team laughed. M'gann left the room, her grin wider than before, and Wally turned to him.
"Cake time!" he declared happily as the team migrated toward the table.
M'gann reentered the room, the cakes floating behind her, and set them down on the table in front of Wally. He happily blew out the candles and Artemis leaned over to give him a kiss. As the cake was distributed the team broke up into groups much like last year and Flash went to go stand by Red Tornado, who must've arrived shortly after Wally did.
"They're so silent," he said, blurting out the first thing that came to his mind.
Red Tornado turned his head to look at him. "Yes," he responded in his usual monotone, "but I do not believe that is a bad thing." He turned back toward the team and Flash followed his gaze. As he looked over the happy teenagers he thought on what Red Tornado said and couldn't help but agree.