Central City, Missouri
August , 6, 2003
Iris waited for the sound of too fast to be possible frantic movement behind the door to stop before allowing Wally and Hartley take turns on the the door bell.
Barry opened the door moments later smiling easily and looking completely relaxed a high contrast to the rumpled shirt and dishevelled hair which suggested that he'd been running at the gym in a button up and blue jeans. And if that wasn't obvious enough the fact that a grown man was wearing a flash ring was more than a clue to everyone barring maybe the blind and brain dead.
She was dating the Flash, the new one in the red and yellow onesie the one that wally hero worshipped, not the first one who wears a tin hat and blue jeans. And Barry thought for some reason that she didn't know.
Men.
Still, considering, Barry's doing her a huge favor right now agreeing to watch her ADHD nephew, Wally, and his deaf friend, Hartley -wait ! She didn't tell Barry that Hartley was deaf only to get dialogue less media for the fourth grader ,well its a good thing that she'd had fifteen minutes to spare. Iris glanced inside, both boys were doing perfectly trackable not hide-and-go-seek play, good Wally sometimes got really hyper and took off or Hartley just vanished with his laptop not coming out for hours on end.
Yeah doing this on such short notice really was pretty nice.
"I am so, so sorry about doing this to you last minute. I just really need this job." Iris said apologetically, please don't be so freaking sweet about this just don't.
"Hey no problem Iris." great just great now she's gonna have a doorway conversation with Barry , stupid West family verbal diarrhea and stupid Barry's butterflies inducing grin. Why ,just why.
"No really I'm starting to think Osgood hates me, seriously he tells me I got the position literally the day of when his kid is having a playdate with my kid!"
"who does That?!"
"I know!" maybe she could hint that she knew about his double life, don't wanna scare him off though better be subtle-ish "Honestly Barry you are my hero, and that's taking into account that the new Flash saved me from hyper intelligent telekinetic Gorillas" Barry blanches for a fraction of a second then his head tilts to the right just slightly.
"Telekinetic gorillas?!" how sweet he sounded genuinely worried about the gorilla hostage situation she'd been in yesterday despite his obviously forced incredulity, awwwh he cares. "The new Flash? Should I be jealous?"
"Nah you're safe, though not for his lack of trying. That suit" Iris says, she had to admit that he did look hot in the skin tight red flash uniform he wore.
"Seriously though, who is this guy," like you don't know "you get his autograph, he does those right?" you know he doesn't " I could run it through handwriting analysis and find him."
"Geez sorry fresh out. ok Both the boys have school tomorrow so don't let them stay up too late, Hartely is deaf and allergic to bee stings his epipen is in the bag he put on the table, and do not give Wally anything sugary after dinner"
Barry glanced back at the boys who were now entranced by the slapstick humor of tom and jerry. "Okay? why"
"Just trust me on this. Anyway I really need to go like five minutes ago. I should be back around 9:30. seriously Barry you are a lifesaver" she closed the door and walk out of the apartment complex. Once inside the car she rolls her eyes because seriously exactly how did he think he still had a secret identity. . .Though in his joking tone , was that hint of slight possessiveness she detected? Well he did act a bit differently in costume, more confident ,more flirtatious ,at least more flirtatious towards her. Sighing as she drove away she decides that its best that Wally don't know, he might stalk the poor man, or worse try to become his sidekick like in the comics.
Still the dishonesty hurt.
-pov switch to: Barry -
Iris had called him half an hour ago asking him to watch her nephew ,Wally and his friend ,Hartley. Barry had been dating the reporter for a few months now and was excited to meet any part of her family, aside from her father, Officer Joe West, of course as he was already well acquainted with the man. So he'd jumped at the opportunity to watch the boys, he was good with kids.
kinda. ish. maybe?
Dear lord this was going to end badly wasn't it. Barry shook his head this could be a great fun last day of summer or a disaster and if he kept thinking negatively it'd be the latter for sure. Today would be awesome.
hours later
Barry decided that the boys were properly distracted with Hartley's computer and that he was craving a chocolatey beverage. It didn't matter that most people considered it to be for kids it was delicious, not to mention high in calories. he was mid drink when a voice from behind him asked
"is that chocolate milk?" Barry choked nearly dropping the glass and turned around calmly to see Hartley looking more than slightly amused.
" yes"
"Can I have some?"
"sure. Hey Wally ya want some chocolate milk!" Barry blinked when the boy ran into the kitchen
"Chocolate milk I love chocolate milk! wait if red eggs come from red chickens and white eggs come from white chicken does chocolate milk come from chocolate cows!? cause Ive never seen a chocolate cow before."
"well okay then here you go." Barry hands wally the one of the glasses. Hartley's eyes widen in horror and he glances at the clock on the wall nervously then starts gestulating madly trying to hint barry that he shouldn't give the other red head the drink. However when Wally drained most of the glass in one go and Barry refilled it then repeated the cycle, he put his hand on top of his pained face a gesture that he saw his older sister make in similar situations that he found an accurate depiction of his thoughts on the futility of his attempts. Giving up he went back his game.
the blonde man would regret giving Wally that much sugar.
"HeY! BArrY Can wE GO OUTSIDE CANWECANWECANWE!" the red head started then face planted into the couch. Giggling madly.
"Kid are you okay?"
"Fine. WOnderFuuuul~ Leave me away!"
leave me away? Barry mouthed to hartley who pretended not to see him, having decided he wasn't going to save either male from their own stupidity."Leave you away?"
"YES! Leave me away! Its a thing!"
"Whatever he just said its not true" Hartley doesn't even turn away from his screen having seen this before and feeling Wally's voice through the couch cushions.
"What!?" Barry asks highly confused then wally looks up at his friend looking offended and punches him feebly.
"MEANIE!- I'm Hungry" Wally announces then runs off. Barry walks into the kitchen and sees wally standing on the counter messing with the appliances.
"Wally get down from there."
"No! im makin a SSSSSSSmmmmmoooothAYYAYAYYAYAY!" He puts some bananas peel still on into the blender then turning it on without the lid and laughing as chunks of banana flew every where. Wally looked like he was about to add another fruit to the "smoothie" Barry speeded over and unplugged the blender "Awwwaawhhh."
"yeah how bout we leave the blending to the adults"he picks up wally and runs him back to the couch
"heh yer fast jus' like the flash" Wally slurs then yawns "good night" and curls into a fetal positon on the cushion
Barry blinks then glares at the other boy who is snickering quietly, and closing his laptop to force eye contact
"Hey!"
"You knew this would happen"
"Knew what would happen?"
"Him. Wally. Blender. That. Kitchen!" Barry waves and gestures to the mess that was everywhere around them
"Oh That. yeah Wally gets wacky on a sugar high especially if he gets any too late at night." the older boy explains then opens his laptop typing frantically. Then turns it toward Barry playing a video, a silent montage of scenes from Gremlins with the eight year old's face superimposed over the little creature . It was sadly quite accurate to what just happened in the kitchen. Barry stares at Hartley the kid shrugs turning his laptop back around. "I'm a ten year old insomniac computer nerd who drinks way too much coffee and has way too much free time on his hands. and I did try to warn you, but you were too busy intoxicating Wally with artificially flavored brown cow juice."
"COCOA MOOOO!" wally sleep shouted.
AN
I wish I could take credit for this idea of Wally drunk on chocolate milk but I can't the credit for that goes to Chapter three of the fic The Misadventures of the RedHaired Duo by wonderful fanwriter FallenUpStairs!
And we start to see some of Hartley's less nice qualities primarily his snark and his self-deprecation. WE also meet Barry. okay so according to canon Jay retires in 2000 but when have us fanwriters ever gone completely to canon never if we did that the Pipster Fandom would be extinct Which it is not.
expect there to be time jumps this fic really doesn't pick up until we hit 2008 when Wally gives him and Hartley super powers we all know Wally's and if you know don't know/ can't guess Hartley Rathaway's I would suggest you look him up but be warned with looking up comes spoilers.
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