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Okay so now is time for the long rant of Dick and Bart's dynamic. I'd like to state rn before anyone @/s me, I don't ship these two romantically, if anything it's more brotherly companionship than anything.
To start off, Bart would definatly be broken up about Wally's death just as much as Dickie would, and in a weird sense they'd have sort of an understanding. After Wally disapears, Artemis goes off grid so it's not like he can talk to her. Barry is off-limits for obvious reasons. (honestly some things Barry's said in the comics makes me feel like he blames Bart for Wally) More often than not, Bart would go to Bludhaven to talk to Dick and find comfort. Dick was, after all, Wally's best friend. And Bart would give him the same comfort.
Dick had already known Bart, he's seen him hang around the mannor, following behind Tim like a puppy with it's tail wagging. For a long time, he'd thought the two were dating with how close they were. Dick, being the awkard brother that's trying his best to get closer to his siblings would try and get to know his friends better and Bart really enjoyed his company whenever Dick stuck around.
Before Wally's death, Bart would always do anything and everything to make him jealous, upset, or a combination of the two. So every time Dick and Wally were in the same room with him, Bart would use his pick up lines on Dick just to piss Wally off and it worked every time. Dick, of course, knew what was happening because Bart had given him a rushed explination before he started doing that and he found it hilarious how Wally's face matched his hair as he dragged Bart away with the younger speedster yelling out "CALL ME". Tim pinched the bridge of his nose when he learned of this and Jason finds it hilarious as well. Damian, not so much.
Bart would definatly give Dick all the hugs, and Dick- being the touch starved boy he was with brothers who aren't too touchy and neither was Wally- always allowed it. He never really did anything in company but whenever they're having silent time just hanging out Bart would lean up against his shoulder or lean back to back with him. Speedsters are also actual furnaces so it's nice in the winter time. Dick would return the affections by a random hair ruffle in public or a touch to the shoulder to show he was there.
When Dick saunters in for the night, he nearly kicks over a paint bucket. Muttering an ungraceful fuck under his breath, he fondles the air for the light switch and finds a hand at his wristâ
 âHey, Dick Grayson! Dick Nightwing Grayson! DeeGee!â
 The hand brushes Dickâs wrist for only a moment before the owner flees. Lights turn on after that, and Dick twitches. His room is barren of all the furniture (which explains why he scrambled through the dark without bumping into anything) and his floor is covered in tarp.
 Dick is four steps away from a puddle of green-and-orange paint goop, which is moving around dangerously like slime.
On one wall is a perfect rendering of the Mona Lisaâin neon colors. Against another is a mural dedicated to his faceâranging from a Bruce Wayne-esque grin to Robin, Boy Wonder in cat ears. His infiltrator keeps speeding around the room, paint showering from a brush in hand and staining the tarp in an ugly array of colors.
 âBart,â Dick starts.
 Bart stops immediately. He grins up to Dick, Kid Flash uniform caked with red around his thighs (Dick hums) and purple tapering down his chest. Bart pushes his goggles up above his face, revealing the only strip of tan skin that hasnât been tainted by the storm of colors in the room.
 âWhat are you doing?â A tired smile etches against the corner of Dickâs lips and he toes around the paint puddle to meet his boyfriend.
 âRemodeling!â Bart reports, and Dick may just be tired, but Bart looks like heâs spitting out paint when he talks. âSurprise! Isnât it crash?â
 âItâs a big change of scenery,â Dick notes. He scans the room again and finds tiny little flowers have been painted on his window. How on earth did he miss that?
 âDo you like it?â Bart asks with a tone of voice that mirrors when heâs at the peak of his impulsiveness. Home brims at the very core of his question, and Dick canât ignore it.
 He thumbs Bartâs face, smearing a blotch of blue that happened to drip on Bartâs cheek. It flattens beneath the pad of his finger, bright as ever, and Dick quickly molds his hands to the rest of Bartâs jawline. He looks down to green eyes beneath his opaque lenses, and watches Bartâs enthusiastic façade drop for only a moment. âI love it.â
 Bart keens before they even kiss, and he rolls to the tips of his feet to stand at eye level with Dick. (Because even at 20 and 25, Bart is short. All lean muscle with a personality that just makes him even younger.) He slaps his arms over Dickâs shoulders, and paint gushes as it meets Dickâs Kevlar, and Dick knows thatâs going to be hard to wash out in the morning, but kissing Bart is definitely worth it.
 Bits of paint somehow get into Dickâs mouth, but he ignores it in favor of nibbling Bartâs lips. He feels fingers pinching his Kevlar-colored skin, hears Bart whining, and wraps his arms around Bartâs waist so he can prop Bart up and higher into their kiss.
 âBed,â Bart breathes out, and heâs dangling in Dickâs grip. âBedbedbedââ
 âYou got rid of it,â Dick points out. He points to the rainbow void known as his room and reaches for the zipper at the back of Bartâs uniform.
 âOh.â Bart frowns. âIâm fine doing it here.â
 âIâm not,â Dick says, but his cold hand is now touching the warm bare skin of Bartâs back and Bart gasps and Dick feels the need to buck against him. âIâm tired.â
  Bart pouts. Which is the worst argument ever. He proceeds to yank at the zipper on the side of Dickâs uniform, and Dick only rolls his eyes.
 âWeâll get dirty,â Dick points out.
 âIâm already dirty.â Bart sighs this time and tosses his head back.
 âBart,â Dick chides.
 âDick,â Bart mimics, and wow, when did he learn to do that? God, thatâs hot.
 They stare at each other for a while (which is more like a relative five seconds for Bart and even longer for Dick) when a drop of purple paint drips from the ceiling and lands on Bartâs face.
 Bart uncharacteristically yelps, and the blotch completely coats his hair. He stretches out of Dickâs grip and falls to the ground with a THUD.
 Dick laughs.
 (Later that night, theyâre too tired to put Dickâs bed back in its place. They have to take six showers before all the paint is officially cleansed off their skin.)
Title:Â How to Win a Nightwing (Track 6: Right Where You Want Me)Â
Rating:Â M
Pairing:Â Bart Allen x Dick Grayson; Nightwing x Impulse; ImpWing teehee
Series:Â Young Justice
Genre:Â Comedy, Romance, general teen angstÂ
Summary: Bart wants Dick Grayson as a friend. As a special friend. As, the Tuxedo Mask to his Sailor Moon! Plus Fondue! And, well. Dick wantsâŠto pretend none of this is happening. Fortunately, Nightwingâs on the job.Â
Notes:Â ...now I have nothing to do with my life.Â
Alternate Reading Places:Â AO3|FF.net
The tiny voice in the back of Bartâs headâthe one that nagged and scratched at his resolve as though it was nothingâtold him to forget about Nightwing. Forget about the way he smiled through his frown of disapproval, or the way he would put his hand on the small of Bartâs back and pull him closer until they touched, and pretend he didnât hear Bart the first time. Forget about his warmth, or the way he managed to get that laugh out of Dick. The one where Dick sort of crooned and cackled, forgetting about all entities in the room because it was likeâŠDick remembered to be a kid again.
Yes, insisted the tiny little voice in his head, it was just that easy.
Only it wasnât. Cissie knew his secret, only because he was careless one day and she saw him running. She was smart and pretty and cool. AndâŠone day she would pull another archer aside and be the strengthâthe right arm that he needed.
Cissie was a reminder that Bart didnât belong in the past. That, even with Nightwing, he was screwing up everything. The last thing he ever thought he would find in the past was heartbreak.
It felt like it did when he hurt his knee: running, feeling the wind and adrenaline whistle through his ears with no regret, and thenâŠboom. All the pain, all the agony as his heart caved in, asphyxiated from all other emotion except for guilt and fear.
Superboy greeted him on the platform, in the middle of specs and calculations. The silhouette was almost so familiar that Bart could have cried. All that was missing from his hands was a bouquet of flowers and a chirpy comment that dried in his throat. As Conner scanned the boy over, Bart found himself at the end of a brotherly kiss and a hug.
âI hope you realize youâre an idiot,â Conner chided.
âWhat do you mean?â Bart looked up, eyes tired and brow furrowed.
âDonât pretend you can endure everything.â A large hand petted the brunet on the head, super blue eyes morphing in concern. âI can hear your heartbeat whenever heâs around.â
Stunned, Bart couldnât think of a response. He looked to his feet, shoulders to his ears as red bloomed in his cheeks. Only moments later found Bart by himself, sitting in a room where months ago, Wally, Dick, and Superboy had hauled his time machine. The thing had started collecting dust; maybe a few cobwebs.
He would come here in the two months since his stay, to watch the machine. Sometimes he found himself tempted to fix the mechanism; yet many of the parts required to assemble it would not be built for another few decades.
Going back to the future, Bart knew that he would be dead. Irey would scold him. If Jai were still alive, he would ruffle hands through brunet hair and kiss him on the temple, much like Conner had done. He imagined that Uncle Damian, too, would beat him upside the head and then make him go to work, pretending it was a good enough apology.
Yeah, the brunet thought to himself. It would have been amazing.
Clutching the wrench between his hands firmly, Bart only stared at the machine. It took him nearly a year to create it; three months deciphering the chicken scratch from the Flashâs notebooks and lacing it together with the theories of the second Batman. People thought he was crazy. After his mother diedâhis only family, Irey refused to leave him. Jai, too, butâŠ
Bart bowed his head. Impulse was a better name for him than he would have thought. Past fixing the krolotean issues, making sure grandpa stayed alive, and mending Uncle Wally and Dick Graysonâs friendship, he wasnât sure where to go. Every head-banging path led him back to the time machine; reassembling parts and disassembling parts. Fixing tubes and unfixing tubes. He couldnât leave. It would have been just too easy to run away.
Behind him, the door squealed as it was slowly opened. Maybe that was why Bart liked the room so much. It was underdeveloped; slow and rickety. Primitive to even this time period, but crooning doors had been around for ages. Jaime teased him for liking little things like that; Jaime reminded Bart of Jai.
âShould have known that I would have found you here.â
He was so moded that even pretending to joke hurt. Pretending that everything was okay, that he wasnât even the slightest bit angry at Uncle Wally, that maybeâŠjust maybe he wasnât in love with Dick Grasyon. Heâd felt the ranges of anger, frustration, and sadness forty years from now. But heartbreakâŠheart break was a new concept for him.
âI could have gone to other places,â Bart murmured quietly. He flicked his wrist, allowing the wrench to catch the light of the lanterns above, then closed his eyes. He didnât expect Wally to meander across the room and sit beside him.
The seconds passed between them as water dripped from stalactites. Even now, Bart never understood the relationship between him and his Uncle Wally. He was treated like a third child; embraced and protected, but treated like a delicate thing because the Allen Family was dead.
âItâs a nice room, isnât it?â Wally mused, and he joined his cousin in scrutinizing the machine. âI used to come here a lot. Did my best thinking here.â
Bart shrugged.
âIt used to be my souvenir room. Was pretty mad when Nightwing thought it was the best place to keep your machine.â Wally bumped shoulders with him, a tiny smile on his face. When it wilted, discouraged, Bart couldnât help but feel a bit of satisfaction.
This time, though, he turned to meet Wallyâs eye.
Guilt shimmered in his cousinâs gaze. Beneath the hue of green, furrowed beneath red eyebrows, there was a way the redhead analyzed him that was different from the others. For the first time, Bart sawâŠsubstance. He saw Wally looking over not as a foe, but as a family member. Like how in forty years, his uncle would gaze at himâwhich, in retrospect, was kind of eerie and creepy. And after a long, long time, Bart had gotten pretty used to creepy, especially after watching his uncleâs son flirt with the âgoddamn Batman.â
Swallowing a breath, Bart raised his head a little higher, inhibiting anymore solemnity to rake at his insides. Without forewarning, he announced, âIâm listening.â
âHow close were you and I in the future?â Wally questioned. His eyes narrowed wryly, lips curled into a frown.
At first, Bart hesitated. Heâd formulated a fake family life to explain whenever he came to the current time. Tim immediately called him out on his shit, and every time Bart even said anything to Conner, all he got was a pat on the head and a look of brotherly pity. Nightwing took an even deeper interest, analyzing everything he said. Something told Bart that his ex-boyfriendâs best friendâhis family would not take kindly being lied to. Nor did he have the strength to remember what he said.
âIn the future,â Bart started, âMyâŠmy parents are gone. My dad when I was six and my mom when I was eight. Youââ The brunet made a point of meddling with the wrench in his hands. ââmade a point to have Max Mercury to take care of me. UntilâŠâ
Until he got lost in a speed entityâsomething called the Speed Force that his generation had little information to go about. One Wally West and his wife would dedicate their lives trying to dissect this, but not for a very long time. Bart tossed the wrench between his knees and hugged himself. Â
âSomething happened,â he muttered quietly. âTo all of them. AndâŠand I was mad at you for a while.â For the first ten years of his life, this Wally West had been in charge of him, but even Bart only got glimpses of the man as a blur or a camera goof on the eNews and something less retro than what current city-goers called âtelevisions.â âYouâŠI grew up knowing the history of the Flash family. Of knowing what my grandfather was like, and how much my grandma loved him until everything went sour. About his partner, Kid Flash.
âYou...you werenât there. Not at first, and I didnât know why. ButâŠa-after Max disappeared, literally the hour after he was no longer on our planet, you showed up and took me in.â Bart swallowed hard, staring at the time machine at the edge of his feet. It was one sheet of metal, a particular alloy made specifically for this machineâand engraved on the side of the machine, no bigger than one of Bartâs fingers, was the name Wally West. âI thought you hated me.
âI thought that all these years, you were too busy being Flash and just thought you were too good to give your aunt and uncleâs grandson a chance. You had your own family and all, aâŠand no one really looked at the Allen Family after Grandpa Barry died. Thatâs what Mom told me.
âWhen you took me in, you treated me like one of your kids. We didnât get along at first, eitherâyou thought I was too fast and you were just impatient. Then you pulled pranks on me and let your kids take care of me andâŠâ Bartâs nails dug into the palms of his hands and he straightened his legs, allowing himself to see the matching loafers he wore for prom. âAnd that you were afraid of losing me, too. You were the first stable home that I had in ten years, a-and Iwouldhavedonanything for you. Evenââ
âEven break up with my best friend to keep us together?â Wally guessed. The vibrato and intrusion of his voice nearly made Bart jump. Heâd gone on a tangent with his explanation, forgetting about other presences in the room. JustâŠconfessing everything heâd kept bottled up for a while.
At this instant, he expected Wally to bonk him on the head again; call him a brainless moron and tell him damn straight. What he heard was an upheaval sigh as Wally collected to his feet and offered a hand. As the teen took it, he felt a squeeze and saw the remorse in the ex-heroâs eyes.
âI was wrong,â Wally muttered humbly.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
âExcuse you?â
âI was wrong,â the redhead said again, this time more belligerent. He sighed disdainfully, running a hand through his hair before taking a step back to look at the younger speedster. âLook, I donât know whyâmaybe youâve got this damn good luck charm or somethingâonly I donât believe in magicâbut I like you. I really, really do.â
Okay. Now, slipping out of his depressing views and considerably very confused, Bart blinked a handful of times, his mouth parting slightly.
âYouâŠlove my best friend, right?â Guh. Wally had this somewhat wrinkly look on his face, like he was trying to talk while pulling out a splinter from his hands. Those things hurt.
The question did, too. The moment the âLâ word was tossed out there, Bartâs eyes moved to the stalactites above him. He debated this in his headâover and over and over until it just hurt and jarred into a tiny conclusion. Bart shrugged with a quick twitch of the shoulder. âEh.â
âEh?â Wallyâs eyes bugged out. He looked ready to kill him. âIâm about to give you permission to date my best friend, and all you can do is throw aside his feelings like âehâ?â
âWhat do you want me to say?â Glaring, Bart bit the inside of his mouth and coiled his hands into fists. He breathed sharply and kicked the wrench with his foot even though it hurt. This wasnât how the night was supposed to turn out. Not after running out of Palo Alto the moment Wally caught them. âI didnât need your permission to date DG, Wally. I never did. J-Just because we broke up doesnât meanâŠdoesnât mean it was about you.â The words fell emptily on his tongue, hollow as he felt. By the time he got to the end of his rant, Bartâs focus had turned to the ground, glaring in frustration at his feet.
âYup. Uhuh. Sure. Anywayââ Wally hit him over the head. Hard.
âOw!â
âYou still bug the everloving shit out of me. Youâre lucky I donât wring your neck.â Wally waggled his hand half-heartedly, eyes half-lidded in some weird retro sarcasm along with a smile that curled across his lips. Seething, the redhead ruffled brown hair and sobered. âAnyway, you donât have to be the adult here, Bart. Iâm telling you this now that you can ask and beg and get what you wantâeven sometimes when it seems ridiculousââ
Wallyâs eyebrows furrowed together like he was making the hardest decision in his life, then a whole new amusement tinkered across his gaze, totally out of character for the mood. âAnyway, Iâm turning the table over to Wingââ At a speed worthy of the Flash, Wally grabbed him by the arm and flung him out the door.
âWhat theâoof!â
âDonât worry! Iâll be sitting here. Patiently. Trying not to laugh.â
Bart looked to his cousin in disbelief, then turned around. To a bouquet of blue asters that glowed with the intensity ofâŠtwo cerulean blue eyes andâŠa mop of black hair clipped back with a twin pair of pearly clips over the very famous, very first kiddish Robin smile.
His throat went dry, doing a full lookover of his leader. âPrincess Serenity?â
Even to Bart, the comparison was almost ridiculous. He forgot to be angry at his cousin in favor of the long gown that Nightwing indubitably wore. Bartâs favorite part about Princess Serenityâs skirt was that it flowed like a waterfall, dancing and sashaying over her legs like music. It was etherealâand on Dickâs own body, only reached his ankles. The tunic was laced with gold and a large bow with twin ribbons that flowed on either side of him. He was barefootâ(Bart would later comment how her feet were never really shown)âand the way his torso was angled compared to the real Princess Serenity, made it look like a man wearing a really large retroâvintage nightgown.
He would have laughed, only Bart was still overcoming the shock. His hands had slackenedâand, and, even the makeup looked good.
âYouâre wearing a dress,â he said stupidly.
If Dick was embarrassed, he didnât let it show. Taking a step forward, the elder teenager shrunk the distance between the pair, then bowed his head. Under clumps of black hair, Bart could vaguely make out the shape of a golden crescent moon. He grinned mischievously, and Bart knew he would never again be able to take orders from his leader without thinking of this dress.
âAm I pretty?â Dick asked as if it were the most casual thing ever.
Bart gulped. He nodded. âVery pretty.â He couldnât help but notice the silver sparkles on the side of Dickâs face and the way his eyelashes fluttered. From the corner of his eye, he could see the little crowd gathered on the couch, followed by Artemis and Miss Martian, who looked very proud of their handiwork, and was aware of Wally, who was slowly circling the room to be next to his girlfriend. For the first time since the Flash Family dinner, he saw the pair lace hands and Artemis kiss the man she loved on the cheek.Â
âDo you remember these flowers?â
âI got them for you. On that very first day when you agreed to go out with me. When I was trying to proposition you since I thought youâd like sex.â When Bart was nervous, he rambled. He had no filter on his mouth, his brain fell into autopilot, and it was like running the same path taken a thousand times without actually looking, so you were in trouble if you ran into a pedestrian like an old lady on the street who would beat you with a cane or an umbrellaâa yellow umbrella preferably since it was Bartâs favorite color next to blueâcerulean blueâ
Wallyâs eyebrow twitched a little, like it was the first time he heard this. Of course it would beâknowing DeeGee, he probably deleted all the security footage just like Bart anticipated because that was such a Dick Grayson thing to do, and it made sense because this was super-cute Dick Grayson.
Dick took closer steps until the flowers were pressed against them. A large hand took Bartâs very own and cupped it around the stem, and an amused smile curled across that face. âYou gave me these flowers. Blue asters, and then we went out to eat. You told me all these ridiculous plans you had and how you loved Sailor Moon andâŠand then you called me out on something.â
He padded his finger along the side of Bartâs face, blue eyes brimming with fascination that made Bartâs heart do a somersault. ThisâŠthis was always how Dick looked at him, and Bart knew centuries from now, he would never get used to it. Each time Dick looked at him like this, heâd fall into this trance all over again and never want to leave.
The elder teen continued, inhaling a sharp breath and spoke loudly, eyebrows furrowing. âYou knew that I was in love with my best friend even though I tried hard to keep that a secret. I did it because I knew he was in love with my other best friendâsomeone I loved like a sister, and some dayâŠIâd come to love him so much that it hurt and I needed to tell him.â
In that brief moment, Bart wanted to look away to see the color drain from Wallyâs faceâto see the reaction that had formed, but Dick had a hold on him.
âWhat you were really asking insteadâŠother than making my life ten times weirder than it has beenââ Dickâs hands found themselves on his hips, pulling the younger teen closer until he picked the brunet up and placed him on the kitchen counter. âWas for me to fall in love with you instead, to keep that friendship intact. Because you love your cousin more than anything, and if I could shift my feelings, then I would still have my best friend.â
This time, Dick look embarrassed. He turned pink, and with each climbing word, Bart could feel himself turning darker, too.
âWhat you didnât anticipate was for it to work. Or for you to fall for me, too.â Dick cupped his face, blue eyes locked solely on green. âIâŠlove the way you laugh, even when itâs inappropriate. I love the way you light up when anyone talks to you. I love those little freckles that are on your noseââ To that, a round of high-pitched awwâs radiated through the roomâBart was pretty sure he heard Jaimeâs voice in that, too. Dick rolled his eyes. ââI could kiss them. All of them. I love being able to hold you like this and knowing I have you.â
Bartâs lip dribbled. Heâd never been one to cryâonly have speed episodes, and he couldnât deny feeling so flustered and touched that he was close to vibrating off the counter. It was hard, heart thrumming in his chest and focusing on the way Dickâs lips moved and hearing the audible words and not counting the glitter spots on his ex-boyfriendâs face.
âDGââ
âImp,â Dick continued, his eyebrow peaked dangerously. He kissed Bart this time; on the top of his ear just the way the brunet loved it. âYouâre the first person that Iâve fallen in love with after four years. And we get each other. Can you justâŠplease stop running away and let me catch you?â
Wow. Wow. Grife.
The brunet sniffled, his hands fisting in the taller teenâs clothes as they rocked back and forth gently, swaying in Dickâs arms. âCan we take turns wearing the dress?â
It was enough for a sweet chuckle to tickle Bartâs ears. âPromise.â
âOkay.â
Dick lowered his head and kissed him.
There were cheers. The way the team acted about Dick and he as a couple was never an exaggerationâthe girls cooed, guys awâed, and there was even cake involved. Artemis threw her arms around both boys, giving twin kisses on the cheeks, followed by Miss Martian and others. Bart never expected for them to gain so much hype, but he spotted Tim, Jaime, and Conner giving Dick cautious looks and appreciative smiles. Cassie pulled him away, one-armed and high-fived him, BB was still confused on the whole Dick-Richard-DG thing. Wally looked as though he wanted to say somethingâbut he held his tongue. Looking at his cousin cautiously, Bart wondered if Dick and he were going to discuss what just happened.
But after Dick tensed, nervously smiling to his best friend and Wally hugged himâplatonicallyâhe relinquished that thought. Dick would tell him if it was a problem.
They would stand by each other, hand-in-hand with a grip too tight because neither boy wanted the other to leave his side. Later that night, with odd festivities still going on and Wally fighting over the Wii with Gar, Bart sat contently on his boyfriendâs lap and played with the skirt of the dress.
âThe teamâs never gonna let you forget this.â Bart grinned quietly and kissed his boyfriend.
Dick sighed in his hair, petting Bartâs hips and moving his legs. His fingers ran down either side of the teen, pressing and unpressing against the dress shirt Bart wore. âItâs worth it if I get to have you.â
Wriggling in his position and ignoring the shouting matches during Mario Kart 8 (something Bart usually loved to play, but he loved sitting in Dickâs lap even more), Bartâs hand pressed tightly on his boyfriendâs inner thigh over the satin material and he moved his butt over Dickâs crotch. âWe should go back to my room and you should take this off.â
Chuckle. Figuresâusually the darker-haired teen shrugged off compliments like that.
âFor real.â Bart climbed his lap and nuzzled his ear against Dickâs. âIâll put on that Sailor Jupiter uniform for you. And forget to wear underwear.â
Dick shivered at the thought, turning a modest shade of pink that put Tim to shame.
Bart smiled. Things were totally back to normal. âRemember. Green makes my eyes pop.â
 xxx
 âOkay.â
Nudge. Bart smiled shamelessly, swaying back and forth with Dick at his side, hands laced together as they enjoyed Chinese food at Happy Harbor. He was drunk with giddiness, a little lightheaded that his second Flash Family Get Together had gone much swimmingly, and had to bite back a giggle whenever Dickâs hand clamped on his thigh. In his defense, Dick had been the one to start the swaying. Who knewâthe great Nightwing was totally able to relax.
At one in the morning after going on a brisk run, two Allens and a pair of best friends stopped by for Chinese food. Wally sat next to Barry, halfway through his dumplings (flawlessly using chopsticks even though Barry had given up halfway through the meal) and his eyes narrowed at the pair.
âSo, you two are together again. For about two weeks now, and I havenât deterred you a bit,â Wally announced as though it was a fact. It was.
âWhich is good,â Barry added, and he scooped a spoonful of fried rice with no interest in eating it. In fact, Grandpa Barry looked between the couple with a smile that said, âI canât find anything wrong with this, and even if I could, Iâm not going to crash it.â
âStop,â Dick murmured to Bartâa little goofy, since a speedster elbow was humming precariously on his lap.
âI get that you two are a couple and everything.â Wally opened his mouth, ushering himself to say more, but then stopped. He sighed. âYou know what? Iâm happy for the both of you, too. Now that Bartâs watched everything of Sailor Moon known to mankindââ
âNot in English!â Bart pointed out. He jabbed his spoon playfully in his cousinâs direction, then squirmed when Dickâs finger poked his belly. âIâve got all the words committed to memory; every last make up! Now English.â
âYouâre going to spend a good amount of time ranting how terrible it is,â Dick commented. His eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully, blue eyes amused. âItâsâŠnot traught.â
âWeâll make it traught,â protested the brunet. He split into a grin and ate the rest of his stir-fry noodles. âWeâll crash the Sailor Mode. And you have to wear a top hat when you do itâand Iâll wear the seifuku! Just the way you like it.â
Before DeeGee had time to blush or Grandpa Barry could process what exactly just the way you like it meant, Wally had banged a fist into the table, grabbing the trioâs attention. He turned green, which was a little offensive but Bart knew he was still adjusting (stomaching) the fact his baby cousin and best friend were a thing.
And, Bart thought, if he played his cards right, then Dick and he would be a long thing.
âOkay,â Wally said again, and he took a swig of his Dr. Pepper. âI get it. You two are together. And Iâm happy to see you two idiotically in bliss togetherâifyoueverhurtmycousin or mybestfriend, blah blah, Iâll kick your butt. Butââ Wally seethed, turning the brightest hue of red. âWhoever is playing footsies with me, can you please stop?â
Dick looked to Bart.
Bart looked to Dick.
Instantly their legs retracted and they glowed guiltily. Flirting, teasing, and touching intimately came easy and crashfully for them. It was only when someone called them out on it that Bart felt like the blushing virgin he was and Dick was trying to reassemble his pretense of a mature teenager-slash-adult.
So, âSorry,â was a unison response, even if they didnât feel guilty about it.
Later, when Bart finished his fifth meal of the day, Barry pulled him aside before Nightwing and he could leave. It was early on a Saturday morning, and in a handful of hours, Young Justiceâs several squads would be assembled for a new mission. He looked to his bewildered grandson, a smile on his face while Wally and Dick chatted about something crash at the other end of the street.
They were cool, by the way. Bart returned his future grandfatherâs smile, rocking on his heels as he remembered only the other day, Dick assured him indirectly-confessing-once-having-feelings-for-his-best-friend hadnât severed a life-long connection. DeeGee was happily relieved and Wally, although thrown off at the thought (seriously? Bart wondered. Dick used to look to Wally like his cousin was his world. NowâŠthose looks were reserved for him) thought very little of it. Bart watched as Wally pushed Dick playfully in the arm.
âSorry that I havenât had time for you lately.â The guilt brimmed in Barryâs tone and he touched Bartâs shoulder affectionately. âBetween the League and getting ready for this pregnancy, I canât believe Iâm saying this, but I forget.â
âTotally cool.â Bart waved his hand, though secretly, his heart fluttered with warmth. âNot very many expecting fathers have to dote on their grandson while expecting a child. Well. Unless youâre old and you still got it. Hmm.â
Barry looked torn between laughing and not knowing what to say. He chuckled a little, patting Bart on the back before throwing himself onto the tiny teen for a hug. Bart hugged back. âIâm glad. But you and I are gonna go on patrol when you get back from your mission. Okay?â
Bart could have run to the Himalayas and shouted âHOORAYâ at the top of his lungs from that comment. He looked to the man with large green eyes, similar to those above him before grinning. âPromise?â
âPromise, Little Bee.â Grinning, Barry ruffled his hair and then gestured to the pair, who seemed to notice grandfather and grandson were speaking and were waiting for the time to go by. âAnd about dating DickâŠIâm happy for you about that too. Iâm glad you found a place for yourself.â
âOh. Um.â A bashful blush rose in Bartâs cheeks and he smiled shyly. He almost wanted to apologize again for acting giddy at the restaurant, but couldnât. They spent the second Flash Family Dinner in glowing warmth, with Wally cracking jokes with both of them, Artemis kissing him on the cheek like an awesome older sister, and the Wests, Garricks, and Allens treating Dick and his relationship as though it was the most casual thing ever. The only time Bart was bummed was when Dick wrestled his hand out of the older teenâs pants. He couldnât help it; saying grace around the table took forever.
âUhâŠwow, I donât know what protocol says for young grandpa and his future grandsonâŠhmm.â Barry rubbed his chin. âPlay nice. And donât hurt him. Make sure he doesnât hurt you. Donât let it interfere with your school work andâŠoh! Be happy.â
Green eyes blinked to the wiser ones above him. Barry patted his shoulders gentle-heartedly, smiling to the younger speedster.
âYouâre a good kid. And I know in the future, your parents probably would have said the same thing.â Combing a hand through blond hair, Barry took a step back and looked to Bart proudly. âIris means a lot to me. As much as Artemis means to Wally and Joan to Jay. SoâŠmaybe itâs Nightwing, maybe itâs not. But itâs good to have an anchor. Something to run back to. You have me, your grandmotherâŠâ
âAnd now I have him,â Bart gathered. Just thinking about it made his chest tingle.
âWould have said it at the first family dinner tooâyou know, after getting over my shock.â Smiling firmly, Barry gestured over to the duo, then frowned and wagged his hand. âBut remember! If he breaks your heart, donât even hesitate to tell me. I know all the secret codes to the Batcave, and even if Bruce changes it, Iâm very persistent. Veryââ
 âThanks, Grandpa.â Bart flung his arms over the man and felt his heart swell with love. Disgruntled, Barry rearranged himself before hugging him back.
âAw, who am I kidding,â mused the blonde speedster after an affectionate breath. âYour dadâs probably given you this talk, hasnât he?â
No, Bart didnât say. He nuzzled his head closer to Barry, pretending he hadnât heard the question.
But fatherly love was timeless.
xxx
 âWhat did he say to you?â
Since walking back to the cave, Bart had been cheerier than usual. WellâDick smiled inwardly, watching as Bart unintentionally hummed with each step that he took, swinging their arms joyously since they opted to take the long way back to Mt. Justiceâheâd been that happy since they were a couple again. The taller teen was beginning to wonderâand rejoiceâin the fact Bart didnât seem to have a maximum capacity on his zeal.
It was a strangeâŠreadjustment since they were a couple. A weight lifted off their shoulders after putting everything out in the open; one that Dick hadnât even noticed was there. True, it was a big fat obvious duh that Wallyâs opinion came into play about their relationship, but Dick hoped by now Bart understood they were together. No third entity was going to break them apart this time.
âOh, you know. The Talk that all parents feel they need to give,â Bart chirped. He hopped to the top of his feet and pecked Dick on the cheek.
They tended to do that, even during mission briefings and debriefingsâlazy kisses, holding hands, and groping where it was the least appropriate. Conner had to beat it in his head that he was the leader and molesting his boyfriend should be circumstantial and not become a regular thing.
âHe thinks that youâre my anchor. And I like that thought. Youâre a cool anchor.â Bart rocked on his heels brightly, twisting his flighty footing almost like a ballet dancer as they reached the entrance of the mountain and stuffed nimble fingers in his pockets. âIf you flexed with your Nightwing suit on, the bird would totally look like an anchor. Or a dolphin. Ooh! You could be aquatic!â
âI donât thinkââ
âSeawing!â Bart flapped his arms enthusiastically and circled his boyfriend, creating a tiny tornado at the taller teenâs feet. âYou could squirt water and carry around a TASER!â
âYouâre ridiculous.â Regardless, Dick laughed, even sparing a small giggle as the computer scanned their identities. Once in the middle of the room, Bartâs bubbly eyes sobered, amusement teeming in his irises and a beautiful smile that only made DickâŠhappy. He was really, really happy.
âSo,â Bart said simply, his eyes gleaming.
âSo,â Dick echoed. His hand was taken between two slim onesâa pair that never seemed to have calluses, but were scraped with oil under his fingernails. He wasnât sure Bart even realized it, when the young brunet was able to marvel about cars and machines and the mechanics behind them, that he had the makings to become a fine engineer. It was a subject Wally begrudgingly admitted Bart and he bonded over quite well.
While he was busy marveling how long, oblong and delicate Bartâs fingers appeared to be, he didnât notice his arm slipped to the small of Bartâs back. The tiny teen stepped on his leaderâs blue TOMs and hooked both his arms around Dickâs shoulders. His stomach pressed against Dickâs own, and the look in green eyes was a little more than simply lewd.
It was amazing how Bart managed to flip the switch between bliss and arousal so easily; sometimes even blending the two together in casual conversation. But here, with mischief twinkling in his eyes and ears tingling pink with excitement, Dick knew he managed to keep at the same pace as the boy in front of him.
That in its own, being able to keep up with a speedster, was a talent. Bartâs eyes glimmered with all the heat and heaviness of the world, then contorted, like the little guy was asking himself, what shall I do with this now?
Dick had no problem lowering his head just slightly for Bart to reach his lips. The height difference between them was almost troublesome, but neither one seemed to notice. Bart had a ball comparing it to the height difference between Usagi and Mamoru and seemed to like dangling on limbs. There were certainâŠplaces the taller teen himself liked to reach, ways he liked Bart to straddle him that made this relationship all too pleasant.
He moaned softly, allowing Bart to suck on his lip, and ran his knuckles firmly down the speedsterâs back. Dick took stumbling stepsâcarrying both Bartâs weight and his with their skin pulsing together. Bart clung to him needily, his hands clenching and fisting the front of Dickâs shirt and a sugary croon as his sloppy kisses pressed against the crook of the elder teenâs neck. When Bart pressed a kiss to the juncture of Dickâs neck, lips grazing at that tiny line where his jaw and ear met, Dick elicited a longer, drawn out moan. His hands found either side of Bartâs legs, hiking the teen higher and higher on his body.
When discovering such a pleasant sound, he could feel Bart grinning before the feathery touch of teeth grazed that same wet spot.
âYouâre into it today,â Dick murmured. He caught Bart by the jaw and forced them into a clanging kiss. Bart tittered and undulated against him, fingers padding Dickâs thin v-neck. It was always true that the younger teen made most of the sexual advancesâeven before they were officially dating. Dick didnât know when he would finally take his boyfriend seriously, but he knew that responding to one of these advances (on the rare occasion) meant he was telling Bart to jump and the response was, how high?
While one hand skillfully held Bart in place as they made clumsy steps out of the room, the other searched for bare skin, pulling up Bartâs thin long sleeve and cupping skin. He felt Bart gasp in his mouth, and made effort to grab the brunet by his bare thigh, if only to make him blush. It was one of their favorite past times; seeing who could make whom darker.
Suddenly, between rubbing up against the elder teen and exchanging spit Bart pulled away, leaping off of Dick altogether. His legs buckled, weak and fumbling and cheeks set ablaze. Emerald eyes were of a darker opacity and his breaths were warm. Bartâs hair stood up at different odds and ends, and the overall dazed expression made him nothing short of adorable.
They were lucky to be alone. By some twist of fate every soul in the premises was either knocked out on the couch from a successful move night or had turned to their quarters for the end of the evening. Wally said his goodbyes with Barry after (coincidentally) telling them not to do anything too extreme.
Dick didnât plan to, he promised. It wasnât a lie.
Still, Bartâs lips fumbled breezily and he raised a hand. âHold that thought.â Zip!
A trail of clothes started at Dickâs feet. At first, a neon blue sock that touched his big toe through his own shoes, then a neon orange one. A pair of Reeboks littered the ground, one facing north and the other facing southeast, followed by pantsâ
Which was where Dickâs train of thought began putting two and two together. He hesitatedâthen picked up the laundry one-by-one, deciding that his teammates already had too much of a ball with his love life to begin with. One-by-one he picked up the garments that created a neat trail toward a guest bedroom at the very end of the hall. He tucked the socks in the shoes, slung Bartâs haplessly thrown pants over his shoulder, stuffed the shirt in his arm, then stopped at the foot of the door, where a pair of simple red boxers were on the ground, along with a classy door sign of Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus with the fancy scripture of, DO NOT DISTURB.
 Hum.
Dickâs heart throbbed in his chest. He opened the door (already unlocked; of course) slowly and was greeted graciously. Mood music from before even he was born played in the background. A rainbow assortment of candlesânot necessarily scentedâhung on the dresser, in the closet, at the foot of the bed, etcetera, while various weeds and flowers looking suspiciously from Miss Martianâs flowerbed were strewn onto the duvet.
Of course, tucked sweetly under the duvet, as relaxed as possible even for Dickâs standards was Bart, bare from head-to-toe with a pleasant blush and the slight tent that was very hard to miss.
Clothes still tucked in his arms, Dick closed the door behind him, amusement teeming in his features. âWhatâs this?â
He could have keeled over in cuteness, watching Bartâs lopsided/seductive smile as he bent over. A flush had worked its way from the tips of his cheeks down to his neck. âA romantic mood.â
âYou have birthday candles sitting all across the room and Meganâs flowers at the bed. With the Back to the Future soundtrack playing from Wallyâs iPod.â
Bart shrugged nonchalantly, moving his legs beneath the comforter and leaving much to imagination as he leaned into the bed frame. âStripped before I thought about getting the flowers and the candles and stuffâdidnât think you would appreciate it if I suddenly showed up as the newest Speedster on the channel nine newsâStreak. Plus, Marty McFly is hot!â
âThatâs very considerate of you,â Dick mused.
âIâm a very considerate person,â Bart agreed. He licked his lips, and the duvet dipped low on his torso, pooling at his legs with little curls of brown becoming Dickâs new fixation. âSo. We broke up.â
âWe got back together.â
âAnd that calls for makeup sex.â By now, Bart was grinning like a madman, looking like a cross between horny and an eager scientist that hadnât gotten enough skin in his days. It was almost a walking contradiction, how bluntly Bart just forwarded his question, and suddenly he was twisting under the blanket, his hand dipping to the unknown and the flush raising higher in Bartâs cheeks.
It was hard to find the line between comedic and hotâand also hard to find his voice. Dick stepped closer to the bed. He couldnât deny the growing erection in his pants, or the fact he was suddenly holding those shoes tighter in his hands to keep his heart steady.
âWe havenât had makeup sex yet,â Bart murmured, his voice hoarse and deeper in a way the elder teen hadnât known he could pitch it. He ran a hand up and down his chestâwhere Dick had seen plenty of times on and off the beach in several different contexts. âAnd I hear thatâs the best kind.â
âIs that so?â Unabashed, Dick stared at his boyfriend, that annoying voice inside his head telling him to shut up and tackle. Â
âWellâI donât have much to compare to. None at all. Not even the opposite of makeup sex or like, lazy morning sex, which I hear is good too.â The natural cheeriness rang in his tone, and the bare Bart leaned forward, mewling. âBut I want you to be my first.â
 Dickâs throat constricted. Softly, he managed an, âOh.â
If it was ever possible for a person to look as shy as they were blunt, then Bart managed to do it. He had an extreme caliber of emotions and lay them out without fault. Sitting on the mattress now, fairly confident of his claim yet shoulders tense out of nervousness, Dick was reminded of their kiss in Palo Alto.
He kicked off his shoes, then climbed onto the bed, which dipped under his weight. Bart made room for him, allowing his leader at his side, and reached in for a welcomed kiss. Padding his fingers on the base of the speedsterâs neck, Dick teased hair before pulling away, mind semi-fuzzy. Green eyes blinked curiously.
âNo,â the elder teen repeated, and this time he was confident when he found his voice. Before Bartâs ears could get any redderâmortified or angered or some combination of the twoâDick pulled Bart into his lapâbareness and all, and felt a little sadisticâespecially since Bart looked closed to crying all over again.
âYou donât want me.â
âI want you.â Dick kissed Bartâs bangs, then stroked chocolate hair between his fingers. A pout formed across Bartâs face and he squirmedâDick had to offer a quiet apology, knowing friction was a powerful enemy and, well, he couldnât seem to stop moving. âBut I want both of us to be ready when we have sex.â
A pointed look overtook Bartâs demeanor and he wriggled in Dickâs lap as if to do something. âIâm ready!â
âIâm not.â Sex could hurt; especially with a person who claimed they were emotionally ready when they clearly werenât. In no way would Dick risk finding out if Bart was a masochist. Being on the receiving end of Bartâs glare of disbelief embarrassed him, but Dick was truthful. His cheeks were red and hands curled over Bartâs waist. âWhen we have sex, IâŠwant to make you feel good. Amazing.â Thoroughly taken so even hyper-accelerated healing couldnât hide away a good night of sex.
(He had a feeling if Tim looked at his thought process nowâor hell, even Wally, he would wake up mysteriously in Cuba with a lethal-looking rash.)
As Bart started shivering, Dick grabbed the comforter and draped it over his boyfriendâs shoulders. Brown eyebrows knitted together, still unconvinced. âWhat about that kiss?â
Dick shrugged nonchalantlyâit was a good kiss. However, it did not change the fact that theyâd been together for two weeksâthree, counting the week they were together after Bartâs accident. Without Bart constantly at his side, it was surreal remembering that they were together, and there was no denying theyâd become a couple quickly. He wanted to savor every moment, to make sure every slow moment was carved in his boyfriendâs head. âForeplay.â
âUghhâŠyouâre good at foreplay. Terribly good at it. And like, good with words because everything you say just sound like youâre about to sex me or something. Which is good.â Green eyes darted everywhere, the flush still evident in his cheeks, and he shuddered again. âYou suck.â
Dick looked down Bartâs torso, unconsciously licking his lips. Maybe not penetration, butâŠâIs that why youâre still hard?â
âYou make me very, very hard.â Bartâs voice was between a scold and a whineânot necessarily the typical naughtiness one would find in that sentence. However when it came to Bart, it usually had that affect on Dick.
âOkay,â the elder teen said. He threw Bart back onto the bed, allowing the shorter teenâs hair to mesh against the pillow, pinned him down, and proceeded with an enthusiastic kiss.
Bart wiggled free, making noises of surprise and eyes glossing in stun. He moved his head, eyebrow arched. âOkay?â
âIâm not going to fuck you,â Dick announcedâmaybe a little louder than he was comfortable with, and he silently wished there was a more eloquent way to say that to his very naked fifteen-year-old boyfriend as an equally horny eighteen-year-old. However, Bart thought nothing of it, only whimpering as Dick dipped low and wetly kissed his collarbone. âButââ He rolled his hips against Bart, the tips of his fingers grazing up Bartâs inner thigh and tickling sensitive skin. He grinned like an eager kid as Bart gasped and murmured softly, âthat doesnât mean I donât want to make you feel good.â
âOhâŠ,â Bart managed, which morphed into a moan as Dickâs hand rubbed his nipple. âOhââ
âSo, whatâs the score, Imp?â Dick grinned despite himself, his hand running firmly on the path beneath Bartâs navel before grabbing hold of a fervent erection. He kissed the space behind Bartâs ear, squeezing affectionately and pushing apart Bartâs legs for good measure. âIf I rememberâŠwe werenât even dating yet and somehowââ
âY-You came in my hand,â Bart finished wantonly, flushed to a tee. He wriggled, gasping and writhing as Dick dared move at an agonizingly slow pace with kisses on his bare torso.
âHmm?â Dick crooned, and he moaned himself as Bartâs hands clawed his shirt.
âW-We wereâŠw-were stargazing a-and then we made out andâŠand I slipped my hand in your trunks while you were giving me thâŠthat hickey a-andââ Bartâs breath hitched.
âUhuh,â chirped the older teen. He rolled his hips, moving harder.
âAnd th-thenâŠthere was the h-hospital bâoh my god, DickâahâŠâ
xxx
 A few hours later, Dick patted Kleenex tissues on the wet spots of Bartâs torso, arm pooled for Bart to lie on. Hands roamed his chest languidlyâsimply touching and pressing and prodding to actually feel another person rather than to ask for another round. Speedsters had a very small refractory period. Who knew. Bartâs eyes were half open, body like jelly in the elder teenâs grasp. Dick had the manners to grab boxers for the both of them, then threw the tissue wads in the nearby waste basket.
He kissed Bart serenely, and chuckled quietly when Bart murmured crash in his hair.
âThat was good,â he said, words half slurred.
âThank you.â Smiling shamelessly, Dick leaned in, locking blue eyes to green.
âThat was very good,â Bart echoed, and his hands found their way on Dickâs hipbone. They smushed together, belly-to-belly. He breathed in the musky scent of sex and buried his nose in bare skin. âLike. Wow. Grife. Crash. I love you.â
âI love you too.â The elder teen swooped down and grabbed his boyfriend in a kiss. He meant it. He loved Bart. Neither one bothered to mention it was the first time theyâd said it directly. The look in Bartâs eyes were worth a thousand more I-love-yous until he lost his voice, and every time those three words were spoken, they would only carry more meaning.
A hand pressed against Dickâs chest, firm and sweet, and touched his pulse. The smile was lazy, tied with brightness and warmth that heated Dick to the toes.
âYou sir, are a very good masturbatory device,â Bart crooned, faking a British accent.
Smiling coyly, the drowsy leader didnât protest when Bart regained part of his energy and lay on top of him. âIs that even a word?â
âPlease! Youâre the king of words.â Bartâs hands strummed his chest, still feeling and searching. There was the way he looked to Dick, with green eyes shining and head raised high that took Dickâs breath away all over again. Suddenly, it softened, and Bart leaned forward, chest-to-chest with him. Their noses touched, the sheen of their gazes bouncing off each other. âHi.â
âHi.â Dick ran a hand across Bartâs tan back and threw the sweaty duvet above them. He smiled, gaze fixated on the younger teen.
âYouâŠâ a brunet eyebrow stretched hesitantly. âYou think we can last this time?â
Dick strained his neck, pressing a soft kiss to his belovedâs face. Once planted, he stared into green eyes firmly and readjusted himself. âI know itâs better not to think about it. And that Iâd crash the mode with you any day.â
There hadnât been a good time to mention it earlier; how Dick managed to catch part of the conversation Bart had with his cousin weeks ago. The way Bart shined despite all oddsâŠthat was what fascinated him. Just like the family he had in the future, Dick wanted to be part of it. He wanted to be Bartâs anchor, keep him together, and know that he had more than just family to run to.
He was never the best at words. Being put in a dress made him puke out his feelings like he was a thirteen-year-old kid all over again.
Green eyes glittered as though instantly reassured. Bobbing his head up and down, he pressed his chin to Dickâs chest, ears bashfully pink. âRight. Sorry. Speedster jitters. AndwhenIgetspeedsterjittersIgetâI like you. I really like you. Likeââ
The door opened. Of all the times Dick forgot to recite a lockdown code, Blue Beetle barged into the room, furious. âBART! Did you eat all of my Chicken Whizees agaââ
Blink. Blink.
âIâm going to walk out of this room now,â said the Hispanic teen slowly, his accent suddenly becoming thicker, âand forget I saw this.â SLAM.
The door slowly opened again.
âUh, andâSuperboy says itâs time for the mission.â
âWeâll be there in fifteen minutes,â Dick assured.
âUh. Right.â The door slammed again, the whir of Blue Beetleâs wings buzzing in the hall and a cry of, âNo! Thatâs weird, but they are not a threat! No they arenât! No theyâ!â
Once the voice faded away, the couple was left in their own ministrations. Bart rocked on his boyfriendâs torso before falling to his back and whistling. âI should buy him some more Chicken Whizees.â
A laugh illuminated from the back of the elder teenâs throat. âI like you too, Bart.â He held Bart close, this time tangling fingers in his hair and squeezing tightly. âAnd Iâm here for you. Right where I should be.â
A grin matched his own. In a blur of sparkle and red, Dick found a mask pressed to his face, with black Kevlar thrown in his direction. Impulse stared him in the face, goggles in all with arms at his side. âHow long do you think itâll take before the team knows?â
âFive seconds.â
âYikes.â Bart kissed him happily, held a âVâ to his forehead, and grinned. âCâmon, Tuxedo Mask! Weâve got a beetle to shut up!â
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Title:Â How to Win a Nightwing (Track 5: Good to You)Â
Rating:Â Â T+
Pairing:Â Bart Allen x Dick Grayson; Nightwing x Impulse; ImpWing teehee
Series:Â Young Justice
Genre:Â Comedy, Romance, general teen angstÂ
Summary: Bart wants Dick Grayson as a friend. As a special friend. As, the Tuxedo Mask to his Sailor Moon! Plus Fondue! And, well. Dick wantsâŠto pretend none of this is happening. Fortunately, Nightwingâs on the job.Â
Notes:Â Â A purple orgasm is a drink at sonic. câ:
Alternate Reading Places:Â AO3|FF.net
Track 5: Good To You
Heâd never told them this when they were younger, but date night was usually something Zee and he tried to avoid when it came to the other couple. It wasnât that he didnât love having Wally or Artemis aroundâit was when he had Artemis and Wally that he would sometimes worry.
As they got older, what Dick dealt with instead was Wally denying requests for one of them to join the team on a mission no matter how dire. There were incidences that drove Wally to the point where any time the word âmissionâ or âdutyâ was mentioned, he would glare and scowl.
Bart had been the one to change that.
With this fifteen-year-old speedster zipping across the states without a care in the world, enjoying everything that had to do with having a set of grandparents (two in this world), a group of friends, and being able to run kilometers without worry, Wallyâs envy could be seen across the country. Dick had been the one constantly reassuring the elder speedster he was not replacedâbut of course, Kid Flash reared his head only minutes later.
When Dick asked, Artemis admitted she didnât mind. Wally lookedâŠhappy, for the first time in years. For the first time since quitting being Kid Flash.
âYou wonât even know Iâm here,â the redhead assured as he dropped his duffle bag onto the couch. âI have to study for finals anyway.â
âIâll be at the Batcave,â Dick admitted. His living space was in the middle of being packed for his move to Bludhaven in a few short weeks. Heâd meant to months ago before Batman and the other five leaguers unexpectedly went on the big mission, but Gotham felt safer with the teen trio here.
âBats is coming back today, right?â Wally grinned broadly, despite himself and the situation. âConnerâs been buzzing about it to me. Wellâyou know, in the only way he can.â
âConnerâs speaking to you?â Dick held his breath at that mention. He hadnât meant for it to come off as bitter as it sounded.
âWellâyeah.â A red eyebrow darted in the air as the ex-speedster dug for his textbooks. âI mean, heâs like you. He knows when a bro comes before family.â
Dick decided best not to mention how close Conner and Bart really were. After theyâd broken up, Conner sported a bigger frown around the cave than he usually did. His best friend and his little-brother figure werenât happy anymore.
Unfortunately, Wally didnât share those same views.
This was where they were now, with Dick convinced his refrigerator would be empty by the end of the night and that Wally wouldnât be leaving anytime soon.
âDude, you okay?â the voice broke through his thoughts before he had the chance to catch them. For the first time all night, Wallyâs face contorted into concern instead of excitement. Green eyes looked to his younger best friend, careful andâŠoddly, a little more like himself.
Dick hated the way his heart suddenly folded. âYeah, man. IâmâIâm crash.â
xxx
  Despite his word, the next place Nightwing found himself was on the fire escape with a cell phone in hand. He perched against the ladder, gloves covered in grime and grease. At the angle he sat, red hair was easily in the corner of his eye. Wally busied himself on the couch, the more-than-perky enthusiasm replaced with seriousness as he delved into his books.
Dick waited one ring. Two rings, then the person on the other end finally picked up. âSo heâs with you?â
 âGlad to know youâre on top of things,â Dick murmured hoarsely. He made his descent, leaping onto another building when he was sure green eyes were watching him, then stood on the roof of Floâs Diner and Eatery.
Artemis laughed quietlyâsweet but tired, and naturally Dick gave into his need to smile. Only slightly, though.
They had a sweet relationship; she and him. It had something to do with the only two teen heroes lacking in superpowers when they started out, and morphed into a tight brother-sister bond. After enough time, Artemisâs presence simply felt like another layer; another entity to Dick he would rather die than risk losing instead of just a comrade.
âIâm sorry,â was not what Dick expected to hear, but the apology was sincere in the blondeâs tone.
âWhat happened?â Dick asked. He stood tall and looked into the outskirts until he saw WayneTech. Blood pulsed through his cheeks. âHe showed up at the cave dressed like Kid Flash and was holding a bouquet of flowers.â
âHe must have eaten the chocolates,â she quipped.
âArty.â
âNothing. Relax, weâre fine. IâŠâ Artemis held her breath. âWe had a fight. I mean, I hopped onto the ImpWing love boat like the rest of the world. Then your little boyfriendââ
 âHeâs,â Dick held his breath, ânot my boyfriendââ
âThen your little boyfriend tried to break the fight up and said he straightened everything out. I know you, I know Wally, I know Barry. I know when the kid is lying his ass off.â Artemis snorted. âAnyway, he convinced Wally everything was tight, that you âchose Wally over himâ and said youâd accept him at any time.â
âFace it,â Artemis cut him off flatly, âthatâs just how much the kid likes you.â
 Later that night, left only to his thoughts, Nightwing found himself swinging from rooftop-to-rooftop in order to keep himself busy. He almost fell on an old lady, who smiled wearily in his presence and poked him with her crooked umbrella.
Dwelling had been something he tried desperately to avoid since he was a kid. At eighteen, after almost a decade of work at Batmanâs side, he knew how hard it could be. HowâŠBruce and he would still entered the Batcave with a foul taste in their mouths thinking of the death in their family, and how they promised themselves to look at Tim as a new light.
Trying to separate work and emotions was a notion he hated.
But in this situation, Nightwing mused as he landed on the rooftop of a Dunkinâ Donuts, there was not an official mission involved. Andâhe shivered. Yeah. There were things Bart worried about, the way his eyes shuddered and expression dulled with fear at the mention of certain things, but that wasnât what attracted him to Bart.
Reallyâno matter what façade and the front Bart put up, there was no denying the joy in his face for being in this decade. His eyes brimmed with happiness, even when he knew Wally wanted to hit him over the head, and his lips curled into a mischievous grin. His infectious laughter made Dickâs chest swell with giddiness.
He tried not to dwell. Didnât, whenever Zatanna and he broke up. Forced himself not to, when he realized those feelings for Wally and knew that he never made a move.
Splaying his hand against the plaster beneath him, Dick inhaled the scent of dust, burning neon lights, and a faint smell of musty coffee. To his surprise on a night like this, not very many criminals decided to do something stupid. He would even guess that plenty crooks were growing bored without the pee-your-pants Dark Knight looming over the city. Half the creeps in Gotham would get some sick joy out of screwing with Batman.
Shuddering, he decided not to delve in those thoughts. Besidesâthe knot in his stomach made it hard to breathe. Between controlling Wally and understanding Bart, Dick wasnât sure where he stood. He was tired of looking at a teammate with hollow eyes and an empty smile. AndâŠnot looking forward to come home that night and see the eagerness in another set of green eyes over a sickeningly pleasant grin.
Dick stood there for ages, mounted to the edge of Dunkinâ Donuts roof and staring off to the building of Gotham Academy.
He really must have been feeling the mode. The next thing the poor acrobat found himself doing was reminiscing on his times there. Artemis had give him a hard punch in the nose when she found out heâd been the dorky kid trailing her at school for so long. She was also the final reason for Babs to pick up on crime-fightingâwhich was also a good punch in the arm. They punched him often. Still punched him often.
Still, memories like that felt like theyâd happened ages ago. Itâd only been a year since he graduated from Gotham Academy and the feeling of joy that used to captivate his entire worldâŠfelt small. Too small to see. Too small to remember that it was once there and very much concrete.
That was the feeling of growing up too soon. He wondered what age Bart was, when that happened to him, too.
âI could really use a good dose of aster right now.â With a heavy sigh, Dick fell back onto the rooftop and allowed his sight to be given up to the stars.
âMaster Richard?â Alfredâs voice echoed with a hint of mechanism.
Against his comm..-link, Dick pressed an infinitesimal smile. âYeah, Alfy?â
âIf you are done brooding, I would like to tell you that Robin and Impulse require your assistance at Gotham Academy.â Hm. Go figure.
âYouâve got it, buddy.â
xxx
 Dick recalled a few days ago Robin volunteering for a mission involving Gotham Academy and the mysterious illnesses of students. He was about to volunteer an assist, but the scheming look in Timâs eyes told him to do otherwise. Tim had a brilliantly meticulous way to do things with stunning execution. Whatever heâd concocted for the night, Dick was wholeheartedly willing to find out.
Anyone who could find out the identity of the original Batman and Robin, have the balls to put on that suit, and could hold up his own in a paintball fight was good on Dickâs list. Plus, he didnât eat out Dickâs fridge like Wally did.
Creeping along the walls didnât last long. Once Nightwing got within a hundred yards of the campus, he noticed the sparkly gold banner hanging outside the main building that clearly said: GOTHAM ACADEMY PROM, 2016.
The pavement quaked and trembled from something sounding distinctly like the Cupid Shuffle. Nightwing would have amused himself with the thought of Robin actually dancing, but never had the chance. Teenagers streamed out of the gymnasium in mass hysteria, adorning classy tuxedos, some slacks, and all assortments of ball gowns that made Dick cringe.
âRobin,â he said into his comm.-link. âI am at your location. Where are yoâ?â
A corner of the gymnasium rooftop explodedâprobably from a grenade. That would be where.
Instead of fretting about stealth and sneaking into the situation, Nightwing launched himself into a full-out run. He grabbed his grappling gun and climbed the side of the gymnasium. Through the gaping hole, he could see tables and chairs that had been flipped over through panicked partygoers. The three disco balls the school would set up were now reduced to one and a half, with the third one rolling about on the other side of the gymnasium.
Robin stood in the middle at a stand-off with Scarescrow.
Before even twitching, Dick had his eyes glued onto the situation. The first rule of being a bat meant standing aside in case the second bat already had a plan. Second ruleâalways have a plan. And right now, even with the newest member of their family, Nightwing knew better than to overlook the circumstance. Timâs stance was tense, but from what he could tell, they were talking.
From behind Scarecrow, a blur had picked up around the obnoxious ornament, which suddenly hovered three feet above the air in a tiny tornado. That had to be Bart.
With the music so loud he doubted Scarecrow could hear. Impulse skidded to a stop, and the disco ball torpedoed in the crookâs direction. (There was something off in the way Bart held himself together, but Nightwingâs attention remained on the situation, his stomach clenching in uneasiness.)
Scarecrow howled, being hit over the head by a disco ball going 300mps, and it gave Robin time to butt the man with his bo stick. A hit to the jaw and Scarecrow doubled back, tripped over Bartâs high heel, then falling to the ground with a groan.
Nightwingâs heart padded gently in his chest. He took in the sight, examining every aspect of the gym with careful detail. It wasnât until a minute passed that his stomach finally settled in the right place, relieved.
âGood job, Rob.â The words echoed to no one in particular.
Then the trick move happened. Scarecrowâs entire body reanimated, and he struck to his feet, arms elongated to slap around Impulseâa syringe in one claw. Robin shouted something at the top of his lungs, but Nightwing was faster.
He flung a batarang in Scarecrowâs direction, watched from the corny of his eye as it exploded into ice around their foe, and landed at a crouch. Scarecrow cried in agony as the ice climbed his skin, and in a matter of seconds there was nothing left but a sculpture.
âNightwing!â Impulse shouâŠted.
This time, knowing that Scarecrow wasnât going to surprise attack either of the younger teens, Nightwing was able to get a better look at Impulseâwho at this very moment, Dick wasnât quite sure how he managed to identify the speedster asâŠImpulse.
Imp wore a dress. Not necessarily a modest one, either. ThoughâŠnot necessarily the type of sexy that one usually regarded if they decided to use the wordâŠâsexy.â  Dickâs throat went dry, taking in the scene quite numbly. âUm.â
He looked like a fairy. While Dick admittedly was no stranger to crossdressing for a mission, heâd never seen something soâŠridiculous. Only Bart would be wearing a sparkly purple dress fit for a fairy princess. His skirt reminded the Young Justice leader of a five-year-old little girlâsâlarge and abrasive so it was impossible to fit through a door, with sequins and glitter sewn into a dazzling material. The bodice was presumably tight around Bartâs torso, thick and tight over a feminine figure he didnât actually have, with a sea green sheer around his shoulders.
A brown wig adorned Bartâs head, matching the shade of his natural hair perfectly and tapering down one of the speedsterâs shoulders in an ocean of ringletsâgreen and purple glitter splashed all over it. His makeup was ridiculousâparticularly, whether it was outrageously amazing or horrific, Dick wasnât quite sure. Multi-colored eyeliner adorned his green eyes, with hot-pink eye-lashes, a caked, sanguine blush and ruby red lipstick.
It was a matter of more than a few seconds before the shock wore off on Dickâs face. He wasnât quite sure what kind of sound was coming from the back of his throat.
Hot pink eyelashes blinked half a dozen times, and ruby red lipsticks spread into a cheerful grin. There was a smudge of lipstick on Bartâs teeth. âOh, do you like it? Robin let me do it!â
The moment he said that, Dick whirled his head to his successor, mouth still wide and an eyebrow arched.
Unfortunately for him, Tim was doing the same thing, seeming less amused as his current partner in crime. He crossed his arms, and unlike Impulse, was dressed properly in his uniformâsave the bowtie. âScarecrow was feeding the student body and teachers with fear gas in order to drive them insane. He planned to turn Gotham Academy into his new storage facility for his hallucinogen, and release the chemical tonight at the prom.â
Once regaining control over the situation, Nightwing nodded. Well. Not actually in control. âGood work.â
âUntil the end,â Robin replied grimly. His lips tightened into a frown and he coiled his hands into fists. âWe were careless and thought he was knocked unconscious. Impulse and I would have been goners if you hadnât shown up.â
Just from the tone of his voice, Dick knew Robin would be dwelling on this for a while. He placed a hand on Timâs shoulder. âHey. No one is blaming you for it. You did good work just now, and there are three of us that have your back. Me, Batman, and Batgirl.â He was just glad to come before something terrible happened.
Bart tittered, hooking arms enthusiastically with his partner. âFour, if you count me, Robby!â
This was a Kodak moment. Bart, the Speedster Fairy Princess, was going arm-in-arm with the most serious Robin known to mankind. Dick had to stifle his own laughter. Still looking unconvinced, Tim looked to both parties before sighing.
âOkay. Youâre right.â
âNaturally,â Nightwing hummed. He steadily walked over and handcuffed Scarecrow before informing Alfred to call the GCPD. All the while, Bart seemed to be babbling and zipping around the place as a hyperactive child given too much caffeine. Dick would have been lying if he said the actions didnât amuse him. He looked to the teens expectantly, gesturing to the pretty one. âSoâŠdo you want to give an explanation for this?â
Tim twitched. âNot. Really.â
Bart grinned and twirled in his dress. A cloud of glitter shimmered in his path. âI wanted to go in the same dress as Princess Serenity, but Tim said it would be too gaudy.â
This time, Dick did laugh. A sweet one that hurt his chest from too much amusement. âReally now?â
âIt was for an undercover mission,â Robin defended quickly. âAnd BartâBartâŠdecided he wanted to wear a dress.â That last part disappeared into a mumble.
âHe rejected the first ten designs, then promised heâd take the last one so long as I didnât make him sit through another fashion show.â Bart grinned charmingly. Bits of sparkles stuck to his lips. âDresses are crash! Why donât guys wear them all the time here?â
Help, said Timâs face.
âI donât know,â Dick mused. He crossed is arms, giving Bart another look-over. He may have been wrong, but in his presence, Bart glowed brighter. Â He wore lace pantyhose, which matched the color of his hot pink eyelashes with some weird floral design, and something that appeared to be a pair of go-go boots from the eighties. âDid you do your own makeup?â
âStephanie helped a little bit.â Bart beamed.
âSteph?â
âRobinâs girlfriendââ
âSheâs not my girlfriend,â Tim interrupted. He pressed a hand to his face, cheeks suddenly becoming redder than his uniform.
âYeah, she is,â the pair said in unison.
âHahaha,â Dick snickeredâ
Police sirens whirred through the campus of the school, sounding and squealing off the walls. Looking to Tim immediately, they both nodded and grabbed their grappling gun. What Nightwing didnât expect was for Robin to shove Impulse in his direction, sparkles and all.
Scatterbrained, Impulse raised an eyebrow under his curls. âWhatâs going oââ
âPolice are coming,â Dick said immediately. He strapped a hand around Bartâs waistâŠonce he found it, beneath sequins and itchy lacy material. Hiking Bart onto one of his boots, Nightwing tied a hand over his gun and let it fly.
Bartâs hands found themselves tugging on his Kevlar. âBut I can justââ
âNo time.â Dick made sure to grab Timâs eyes, a frown on his face. If he thought the Robin didnât catch his eye, he was wrong.
They rendezvoused on one of the buildings meant for sophomores. Police cars surrounded the campus, focused vitally at the scene of the crime and gathering teenagers that had witness or endured the incident. Usually, Nightwing had no problem speaking with Commissioner Gordon. However, with a disco ball for a boyfriâspeedster in one hand, and the propaganda regarding vigilantes as aliens, it was also becoming harder to stay in plain sight and be trusted by the public.
That was where they were now, watching one Commissioner Gordon look to the sky and search for the Bats that gifted him with the villain in question until the man silently mouthed âthank youâ beneath the moon. They all watched in silence. Even Bart.
âIsâŠthat Oracleâs dad?â he asked tentatively. The trio had crumbled into a crouching position in order to avoid policemen.
âBatgirlâs,â both Nightwing and Robin mumbled. Judging by the lack of reaction from Robin, Dick had a feeling Tim had gotten used to Impâs occasional outbursts of the future. From the corner of his eye, he saw a tiny smile quirk across Bartâs lipsâsimple and happy.
They stood up, dusting off the dirt from the front of their uniform. Impulse snickered.
âYou have glitter all over you,â he chirped, then promptly zipped around the teenager. Bart stopped after the third examination, then latched onto Nightwingâs back. âIncluding your butt.â
âI donât think you climbing on me helps the situation.â Grinning, Dick jerked and heard a relevant squeal to his left. âYou wanna get it off?â
âIs that such a good idea?â
âI thought you were a good judge of butts.â
âIâm a very good judge of butts.â
Another audible laugh tingled in Dickâs throat. This time, he maneuvered them, hands secure on Bartâs legs as the speedster now clung to him from the front. Dick inhaled the terrible scent of too much hairspray and Bath & Body Worksâs Japanese Cherry Blossom, and still, couldnât help his spout of laughter. Somewhere in it, he was pretty sure he snorted.
To his benefit, Bart wasnât one to be easily stricken down. He joined Dick in a fit of laughter, giggling in his ear. âSo, do you like my makeup?â
âI think,â Dick sighed, close to tears, âI like you better with pants.â
Heâd walked straight into that one. Green eyes glinted mischievously, looking the slightest bit evil under the moonlight. Bartâs legs tightened around his leaderâs hips and a heavy smile fell across his ruby-colored lips. âYou so sure about that?â
No, Dick didnât say. From the corner of his eye, he could see Tim giving him the usual baffled look whenever Impulse was the subject matter. It looked like a mix between wanting to rip the ex-Robinâs head off and wanting to disappear from the face of the planet as soon as possible. For Timâs sake, and remembering this behavior was probably not suited post-breakup, he let himself ease into reality. The smile faded just slightly, in time with Bartâs as he remembered the uneasiness in their situation too.
Unlike Tim, however, Bartâs gaze was fixated on another corner of the building. Through just his mask alone, Dick could barely make out the blurred black figure that sped around campus and onto the rooftop. Nightwingâs heart sank, and Impulse grew amazingly quiet.
âHey!â Kid Flash slowed down as he hopped onto the top of the roof. Green eyes scanned the three of them, stopping particularly on Bart. âIsâŠeveryone okay?â
âWhat are you doing here?â Dick arched an eyebrow.
It shouldnât have annoyed him as much as it did as KF smiled and pointed thumb to himself. âI got your message asking for Impulse and Robinâs coordinates, then you didnât say anything again. Called Alfy, and he told me you were at Gotham Academy. Had to scour the whole campus before I finally found you.â
Right. All audio messages relayed through the comm.-link circled back to Dickâs apartment, just in case one of the Bats or even a leaguer was restrained or held captive during one of their missions. Still, that didnât answer Dickâs main question. âAnd you just happened to have your uniform on you.â
A red eyebrow cocked in the air, gaze narrowing sequentially to Nightwing. âI was wearing it when you and I met up.â Ah. Another set of green eyes suddenly stared very closely to the dark-haired leaderâtoo close for comfort. âI figured Iâd take it with me just in case you got in trouble. You knowâspeedster back up since Iâm crashing at your place.â
âCrash,â Dick repeated. Though the double-meaning in the word let him see the discouraged look on Bartâs face from the corner of his eye.
Bart pulled out of Dickâs arms, standing on his own two feet and gripping Tim by the shoulder. Wally, Bart, and he hadnât been in the same room together since the night Bart broke up with him. It wasnât calming his nerves having Tim stand nearby.
Silence.
âSoâŠâ Wally made gestures with his hands, looking at his ridiculously-dressed cousin thrice over, then to Tim, then to Dick again. The way the redheadâs eyebrows contorted, Dick wondered if his irritation about this circumstance between the cousins was finally obvious. âWhereâŠis my cousin, exactly?â
âYouâre looking at him,â Tim voiced. He shook his armâprobably to shake his friend off, but Bart wouldnât budge. Looking at him now, Dick couldnât decipher the expression on the younger speedsterâs face. Sadness? Detachment? Whatever it was, Dickâs chest clenched.
Wally blinked, staring t the âgirlâ in front of himâfrom the glittery brown hair to the sparkly sequined bodice, lacey neon pantyhose and go-go boots. âOh,â he said simply. ThenââOh! Bart!â Had he not been feeling so sick, Dick would have found the reaction hilarious. Kid Flashâs face twitched back and forth between Robin and his cousin, eyebrows high beneath his hairline and mouth ajar. âBart?â
âHe wanted to wear a dress,â Dick said simply.
âPrincess Serenity,â Bart agreed solemnly. âI had the gems for my hair, but Tim said no.â
Dick bit the inside of his mouth to hold back a snigger. Bart must have sensed thisâhis eyes seemed a little brighter.
âSoâŠthis was the alternative?â Kid Flash gestured to his cousin, still blinking wryly and in disbelief. Robin had clearly given up on a proper explanation, simply sighing and staying put. âYou two dating or something?â He made gestures between Bart and Tim.
Another blink. Dick felt his jaw slacking, watching the pure folly in Wallyâs expression like it was the most casual question in the world. He could tell both Tim and Bart were taking in his expression carefully. Bart answered.
âNo. But we were planning on having a movie night.â He tugged on one of his ringlets, green eyes twinkling under the stars. âI say we get another mani-pedi.â
âNo,â Tim spoke idly.
âAwwww.â
âYou two already argue like youâre an old married couple.â Wally clicked his tongue, amused, then ran a hand through his hair. His attention turned to the gaping hole in the gymnasium and the firemen and policemen who were rolling out the disco balls and excavating the school for any fear bombs. A laugh tingled in his throat. âShould have figured the distress call would have traced back to this school, man. Always does.â
Despite the swelling frustration and annoyance in Dickâs chest, he allowed himself to relax. Only enough to remember the same things Wally was as he examined the damage. âYeah. Youâre right, arenât you?â
âRemember when Professor Ivo and Amazo were the ones in the gymnasium?â
âAnd Superboy demolished half my school?â Dick snorted. Of course he did. It had taken a month before the news stopped talking about it. For some reason, reported the perky news lady, Bruce Wayne offered a generous donation plus a bonus in order to make repairs. Despite the leaderâs insistence that it wasnât a big deal, Superboy still felt bad for contributing to the wreckage of the school.
Wally sniggered, kicking at a rock. âI used to come up every day when I was still in high school to steal your fries.â
âEven then youâd get mad if I didnât bring a doggy bag back to the cave for you.â Dickâs eyes fell onto Tim and Bart, who stood idly by and were trying their best to go unnoticed. He wasnât sure why Bart hadnât simply swept Tim up and left for another crazy Friday night adventure.
Instead, the said speedster rocked on his gogo boots. âSoâŠyouâre staying with DeeGee for the time being?â
The redhead blinked. ââDeeGeeâ?â
âDick.â
âOh! Uh, yeah.â Rubbing the back of his neck, a sheepish look fell across Wallyâs face. The older pair exchanged looksâone strangely calm and the other oddly finicky. Suddenly Wally refused to make eye contact with the other speedster, and found interest in a stain on his boot. âAt least until Artemis cools down. She was pretty backwards about the situationâfinds it pretty ridiculous that Wing would choose me overâŠyou know, anyone.â
He rolled his eyes for emphasis, clearly trying to make a joke out of the situation. He also didnât succeed.
It caught both of them off guard when Tim spoke up. âDick isnât one to make tough decisions without weighing the consequences. Heâd go with the one that he felt made the most senseâor try to delay it.â
âThe one that Iâd have my heart in,â Dick muttered in agreement. He looked down to the corner of his eye and saw Bartâs eyebrows furrow. Theyâd yet to talk about the lie Bart told Artemis and Wally in order to force Dick and his best friend together. And by now, Bart should have understood just how strongly the elder teen felt for him. Anyone would. The whole team certainly felt the need to meddle.
StillâBart tucked his hands behind him and drew a breath. âYou should probably talk to her then. Ilikeher.â
This time, those beautiful green eyes refused to look his leader in the face. His hands were fisted tightly into the sides of his dress, like Bart was trying hard not to say the wrong thing. Dick took pity on himâsort of. He placed a firm hand on Bartâs shoulder, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by other parties, and squeezed it tightly. It would have felt more natural to pull Bart into his own weight and place a hand over his hips. âBartâs right. Make sure she knows that we donât want to be the reason why you two are arguing.â
âUh. Right.â Beneath his mask, Wallyâs eyes were glued to the quiet gesture Dick had made, a peculiar look on his face. Shaking his head, he looked back to his cousin and straightened up. âSince youâre here though, you and I should talk. Alone.â
The idea made Bartâs eyes widen, bewildered. It looked silly with his hot pink eyelashes and glitter, but then the pair zipped off to the other side of the building, caught up in their mumblings.
The first thing to happen was the sparkly whirlwind Bart surrounded himself in. In a few short seconds, Fairy Princess Impulse had changed into regular Impulse, the gogo boots, wig, and dress hanging neatly on a set of hangers. He looked back to normal, save the hot pink eyelashes and makeup so gaudy that Dick could still see it beneath the speedsterâs goggles. Bart and Wally spoke quietly to one another, sometimes nodding and once or twice, even looking back to Nightwing and Robin.
âYou really donât see it, do you?â Timâs voice snapped Dick out of his thoughts.
Giving his successor his full attention, Dick shrugged half-heartedly. âApparently I light up whenever Iâm around him. Weâre miserable without each other.â His throat constricted, voice losing its vigor. âYouâve told me that. Soâs BabsâŠeven Alfred, and the team, butâŠâ He wasnât going to do anything if Bart was this scared.
Bart knew Dick wanted to be with him. And Dick was pretty sure Bart wanted to be with him, too. However, until Bart felt secure enough about their situation, Dick knew nothing was going to come out of it. Heâd force himself to be content with their current situation, no matter how much it was killing him.
âWhen you two talk,â Tim said quietly, âitâs like the rest of the world disappears around you.â
That made Dickâs throat clench. âOh.â
âYouâre crazy, you know. Thinking that letting him do this is okay.â
âI know.â
âAnd heâs crazy for letting you get away like that,â Tim also said simply. âBut he gets upset whenever I mention it.â
A short breath came from the back of Dickâs throat. If he had pockets, he would have hunched his shoulders and stuffed his hands in them like a preteen again. Instead, he smiled quietly and touched shoulders with the new Robin. âThanks for being so supportive.â
It made him happy to get a smile out of the other teen. Robin rubbed his arm, then arched an eyebrow under his mask. âI also think youâre crazy for thinking he looks sexy in that dress.â
Blink. âBut I neverââ He lost that argument there when Robinâs expression remained stiff and only somewhat amused. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Dick rubbed his neck and looked in a different direction, deciding that the bird perched on the schoolâs Old Time bell was a lot more interesting than this conversation. It wasnât his fault that the lacey pantyhose were complimentary to Bartâs assâŠets. âOh-kay. Awkward Robin-to-Robin bonding is over.â
Finally the conversation on the other end of the building came to a close. Bart and Wally finished up before sauntering to the other pair at a human speed. Wally looked to Dick, confirming they were done.
âSo whatâs up?â Dick crossed his arms.
Wally shrugged. âThe boys are gonna grab a movie on the other side of the country. Something about a cooler IMAX theatre or something. I wanted to know how everyone was doing in Central City andâŠwell, thatâs it.â He looked between Bart and Dick again, his expression contorting thoughtfully.
Consequently, Bart patted his makeup-covered face, collecting glitter as he did so. âSomething on my face? â
Wally made a face. âIâm not going to answer that.â
âOkay then. Bye cousin,â Bart chirped. He turned to Dick, expression tapering faintly. Dick could feel the pain as it hovered in Bartâs eyes. âBye, DG.â
Gulping, Dick barely regarded the hand on his shoulder, nor Timâs own awkward salute, as Bart supported Timâs weight and dashed off. He waited until they were out of seeing distance before he muttered a goodbye of his own.
The hand on his shoulder movedâbarely enough to get the teenâs attention. Wally leaned in, concern mixing across his face. âYou okay, man?â
No, Dick didnât say. âYeah.â
âGood. YouâŠstill have glitter all over your ass, dude.â
xxx
 âWhereâs Robin?â Batman asked that night. He was already in the Batcave getting reacquainted with the data the remaining Leaguers and the team had gathered while the Six had been away.
âWelcome back.â It would be like Bruce, Nightwing mused lightly, to know when he entered the cave. He made mental notes to challenge the security system and one day surprise his old mentor. That would be a good challenge for when he was bored. âHeâs out with one of the new rookies on the team.â
âOh?â
âBart Allen. Flashâs grandson from the future. He goes by Impulse.â When the light padding of the keyboard stopped, Nightwing waltzed toward the Dark Knight, who was now pulling up all known files of âBartholomew Henry Allen the Second.â âYouâve missed a lot.â
âI can see that.â The computer began to pull up a compilation of pictures of Bartânews clippings of a speedster out in Central City and other various places, some family pictures andâand one of Dick and Bart.
He hadnât even known the picture had been taken. They lay there as a couple in Bartâs hospital bed, an unmasked Dickâs head tucked in Bartâs shoulder and a hand strapped protectively over the brunetâs torso. Bart was contentâmaybe even drooling a little on Dickâs ear, and had his free leg curled around one of the elder teenâs. Someone (Batgirl) had snuck into the medical wing sometime the day after Bart received his cast to take this picture, then (Babs) had put it in the database.
This time, Batman turned around, his tone of voice reminding Dick dimly of when he was a kid. âShould I ask?â
And just like a kid, Dick hardly shrugged. âI canât guarantee Iâll answer.â
âDoes Barry know?â
âHe approved.â
That elicited a grunt or two. Bruce simply returned to catching upon data. âJust donât hurt the kid or let it interfere with your work. Okay?â
He was sure that the Worldâs Greatest Detective had deduced what happened in the situation. OrâŠtherelackof, considering they were barely together for even a week. Realizing that, Nightwing only nodded, then leaned in to help his mentor. âSo, this is what weâve gathered about the Kroloteansâhere, and hereâŠâ
xxx
The next time he saw Bart hadnât been very far from the Scarecrow incident. Dick had taken the matters into his own handsâwhen it came to Artemis and Wally, that was. He called Artemis, who was enjoying a Girlâs Night with the girls from the team and begged that she let the matter between Bart and him be dropped. As expected, Artemis only laughed in his faceâand so did a few other girls. Dick realized Dignity was going to be a faraway friend until everyone calmed down on the matter of Bart and him.
After only one night with Wally, he didnât have the willpower to keep his frustration hidden. He missed Bart. He missed being with Bart, being able to keep his heart in one place and actually get excited to see someone and know they could be together. But he wasnât going to force Bart into a relationship. For them to be together again, Bart needed to be the one who made that decision.
Hopefully it sounded less gushy whenever he said it over the phone. Nevertheless, the voices at the other end had grown quiet. Artemis didnât like it, but she agreed for their sake.
After three days, that was. According to Artemis, if Dick was stupid enough to believe he couldnât get Bart back, then he could spare a few days with Wallyâsomething he didnât tell the redhead. That being beside the point, Wally was finally back at home and the following Saturday, Dick came over to force the couple to get along.
So far after five minutes, the house was still intact. Dick hovered in the kitchen, assisting Wally as he prepared dinner for the three of them that night, and Artemis sat casually on a kitchen stool doing some homework. As far as everything went, Dick couldnât see anything wrong. Other than the fact they barely talked to each other.
âYou twoâŠagreed to disagree on thisâŠright?â Unsure, the teen looked between both his best friends, a grimace on his face. Artemis looked up, then shrugged.
âSure,â Wally said finally. âBabe, did you get the green onions?â
âThe fridge is full for the day,â Artemis confirmed, still invested in her homework. She set her pencil down, rested her head in a hand, then eyed Dick. âYou know, the school year is ending soon. You took a year off to focus on crime-fighting. You really sure youâre not gonna try it in the fall?â
âIf I do, it wonât be an ultimatum.â Dick smiled at the arched eyebrow given from a redhead, then leaned against the counter. Dick Grayson: Also known as Nightwingâthe first Robin, the leader of Young Justice, and the right hand to the Dark Knight. Not to mention part-time college student.
âYou invest so much time in the team and being Nightwing, bro. If it werenât for these visits, Iâd think you never had personal life.â Wally stirred the makings of what was starting to look like fried rice and poked it with a pair of chopsticks.
âHe did have one.â
âAw, babeâplease donât start.â
Dick sighed audibly, and luckily that was the end of the conversation. Artemis tutted, then returned to her school work. Wally, heâd understood as the week was coming to the end, was becoming aware just how personally Dick taken the break up. Bartâs name tended to come up like jabbing a wound every time Dick was present. Wallyâs face scrunched and he passed a weird look whenever that happened.
Faintly, Dick wondered exactly what Artemis had done to her boyfriend in the few days the couple had reunited. He had a feeling it wasnât pretty.
âSorry,â grumbled the very same couple.
Lacking the energy to summon a response, Dick simply leaned back in his position. He was suddenly less hungry than he was a moment ago.
WOOSH
At the next instant, the door burst open with a hyperactive blur zipping around the living room, the island counterâthen halted into Bart in front of Artemis. Bartâs lips were graced with a grin, a spoonful of fried rice in one hand and a corsage in another.
âHey!â Wally scowled.
âCould use a little more soy sauce.â Licking his lips, Bart stuffed the spoon in his mouth and turned to Artemis. âDo I look okay?â
She nodded, pushing her textbook and notebook away with a smile. A look of approval passed over her eyes and she readjusted the front of Bartâs blazer. âYou look spiffy, cutie.â
âSpiffy and cute. Spute!â Bart chirped wildly. When Dick caught his eye, the expression wavered, and he turned around to get a better look at his leader. Considering what Dick had seen Bart wear only a week before, he actually chuckled. Nice and prim, Bart wore a black tuxedo fitted to his height along with a bowtie that matched the color of his corsage. The only thing even slightly out of place was the Wizard of Oz button pin on the collar of his dress shirt.
âYou look nice,â Dick said before Bart could ask.
The way Bart glowed was worth it. âOf course I do. Iâm spute.â
âDecided not to go undercover as the girl this time?â the older teen mused, a smile coiling over his lips. It kind of just happened that way. Any time Bart came close, he just couldnât help a grin.
âShe looked prettier in the dress,â Bart assured. âAndâŠactually, Iâm taking Cissie to prom.â
Dickâs smile dropped.
âWait, what?â Wally broke into the scene, putting both the chopsticks and spatula down in order to get a better ear in the conversation. He blinked multiple times, the amazement unhidden on his face. âCissie. You mean sweet little Cissie who lives the floor down with her lunatic mother?â
âCissieâs sixteen,â Artemis pointed out wryly. She eyed Dick, but there was no pityâjust a strange mix of amusement and interest then looked back to Bart, who seemed ignorant about the elder teenâs reaction. âSheâs perfectly armed and ready to go out on a date with Bart.â
âArmed,â repeated the redhead, deadpanned.
âArmed.â The blonde nodded and admired her boyfriendâs cousin in his tuxedo. âYou even combed your hair back. It looksâŠfunny.â
Fumbling into a smile, Bart mussed and shook a hand through his hair until it looked tousled and unrulyâlike it normally did after the kid ran across the country. He rocked on his feet. âShe calls me Scarecrow. Isnât that funny? Since, you knowâwe went up against Scarecrow and all, even though there werenât any crows around him? Hey! Why donât they make Scaredoves? I bet they poop on as many cars as crows doâ?â
âDoes she call you Scarecrow,â Wally interrupted warily, âbecause you donât have a brain when you talk?â
Bartâs rhythm of speech froze at that point. He arched an eyebrow inquisitively, almost wondering if it were an insult, then he grinned. âWell, it was either that or Toto. I canât fit inside a basket.â He looked around to all three of them, clearly pleased with himself until those emerald green eyes met blue.
âArmed!â Wally continued. âWhat do you mean by armed?â He was promptly ignored.
A small smile etched across Dickâs lips, tight and uncomfortable. âBetter a Scarecrow than the Tinman, I guess.â
The brunet hummed. âWhy?â
âBecause you already have too much heart.â
The stun on Bartâs face was worth the line. Replacing the silliness and whim from his demeanor was a look of surprise, brown eyebrows peaked between their hairline. Slowly, a blush painted its way across Bartâs face, and his entire stature slackened. Watching this, Dick only smiled; wry and honest.
Not even Wally said a word to this scene.
âHave a fun time,â Dick murmured. Undeterred, he reached over and kissed Bart sweetly on the cheek.
In return, Bartâs eyes had widenedâbeautiful, wistful, and very much taken offguard. His body phased in and out as a blur, hand nearly dropping the corsage. When he snapped out of his daze, he stumbled toward the door, nearly tripping over the Crock-West canine. âI um. IâŠI-I better get going.â
Wally and Artemis quietly said their goodbyes, watching silently as the speedster disappeared through the front door and descended down the stairs.
âIf it helps,â Artemis iterated once they were sure Bart wasnât coming back, âShe confessed to Bart once that she used to have a die-hard crush on the first Robin.â
âIt helps,â Dick assured.
After monitoring the pair for most of the night, Dick decided to give it a rest. Artemis was a little too emotionally invested with making sure he was okay, and Wally had taken to staring at his popcorn and making sure no kernel went unpopped. Gathering the things he brought, Dick walked over to the door and said goodbye.
âBye,â Artemis said.
âSee you.â Wally waved.
With a half-hearted smile, Dick waved back and exited through the door. To find Bart stargazing by himself.
He stopped for a moment, taking in the scene and wondering if heâd been duped. Dick had already shut the door. Artemis was in the middle of Skyping her mother when he left, and Wallyâwell, any speedster with food in front of them would be distracted for the next ten minutes.
Bart didnât seem to notice him.
Hesitating, he stared at the brunet carefully from the back, whose head tilted upward and allowed the stars to blanket him. Then, Dick crept forward and settled quietly next to the speedster. âHey.â
Green eyes blinked, animating under the moonlight. They focused onto the taller teen, then were accompanied by a weary smile. Bart had the same look on his face that he did all those months ago when they were stargazing on the beach of Mount Justice. âHey, DeeGee.â
âFun night?â It was wistful and wondrousâbeautiful. Dick leaned back on the steps and emitted a creak beneath him.
âCrash.â Nodding casually, the speedster gestured to the backyard where for the first time, Dick noticed someone was handling a bow and arrow against ten targets. Evidently Cissie, she was built like an agile athlete with blond curls pulled back into a complicated hairdo and wore a sparkly red dress. âCissieâs a fun date. Shot an arrow at the cake I was eating while we were at the prom.â
âSo are you two still hanging out?â
âNo.â Bart shook his head and fumbled with his fingers. Pink accentuated his cheeks and he shrugged. âI just like stargazing whenever Iâm on top of Artemis and Wallyâs staircase. Sâwhy I come here so often.â
That made a lot of sense. Looking to the sky above them, Dick felt his nerves disappear along with Bartâs. âYouâŠlike watching them because they havenât changed very much in forty years. Am I right?â
From the corner of his eye, he could see green looking impressed and sweet. âYeah,â Bart breathed. His hands curled into his knees and he leaned against the railing. Secretly, Dick wished that Bart would lean against him.
He decided to ask the obvious question.
âYou and IâŠâ Dick bit the inside of his mouth, watching Bart tense. âI know itâs been a month since we broke up. AndâŠwe didnât go out very long, butâŠI kind of had the impression that you liked guys.â
Bartâs expression was suddenly more alert. He blinkedâonce, twice, three times, four timesââWhat?!â
âUhâŠâ Dick wasnât quite sure how to be any clearer than that.
âGrife, thereâs still gender identity in this decade? Sheesh!â Bart threw his hands in the air, suddenly standing to his feet. He crossed his arms, a pout coming to his face before he looked back to Dick, hilariously scowling. âFirst Tim tells me Iâm weird for wearing a dress, even though I go shopping with Grandma Iris all the time for baby clothes for Aunt Dawn-who-isnât-born yet, and now I canât like who I want?â
âBartâBart.â Dick grabbed Bart by the arm, unsure whether he should be amused or confused. He stared at the teen, blue eyes teeming with perplexity. âDidnât youâŠask Cissie out because you liked her?â
âHuh?â Green eyes blinked so fast that Dick actually lost count. Bart shrugged, waving his hand as though he were swatting a bug. âOhâwell, yeah. Butjustasafriend. I was trying to subtly bring up the fact she could totally go as a crash superhero named Arrowette, only I apparently suck at subtle, so she really just laughed and petted me on the head. Whatâs with people and petting me on the head? Iâm not a cat.â
Other people probably would have gotten lost trying to understand the first ten words that tumbled out of Bartâs mouth. Dick, on the other hand, could have made a living catching every word that Bart said. He studied the younger teen, watching the pout firmly on his face.
Bart caught that. Somewhere between propositions, arcade games, and Chinese food, he managed to remember when he rambled about something completely unorthodox. Looking Dick in the eye, his stance withered and he leaned against the stairs, shoulders hunched.
âI like guys,â Bart confessed. âBut I like girls, too. In my timeâŠit doesnât matter who you love. You have the modest people who are just too shy to admit it and the stupid people who think itâs a âcool trend.â ButâŠâ His face fell. âWhen you spend a lot of time aloneâŠjust you and this gambit time machine, you take whatever love you can get. ItâsâŠitâs desperate, but itâs love.â
Dickâs expression tightened. Even if theyâd only dated for a short amount of time, he was able to get a few details out of his once-boyfriend. Those details, he hatedâand he was glad Bart had come here. He needed it.
To his surprise, Bart hadnât finished talking. He picked up his expression, a coyness to it as he looked Dick in the eye, and a ghost of a smile against his lips. âGuess that was why I was glad when I found you. Even when I thought I was doing it for different reasonsâŠyou were serious. Grounded. Youâre a real charmer, DeeGee. It was the best week of my life.â
âIt doesnât have to be just a week.â
âYes. It did.â
âBartââ
âDickââ
âNo. Bart.â This time, he wasnât going to let Bart get away from him. He didnât want to stay with Bart, knowing that the fragile teen would be scared of him and what had happened to his family, but he didnât want Bart to run away without understanding just how hard he would fight for him. It wouldnât be fair. âYou keep talking about how it was just this simple week. I told you. I wanted more. More with you. I wouldnât have asked to be with you otherwise. Not if I wasnât so sure.â
He would never start a relationshipânot without knowing for sure that heâd fallen in love with that person. Or would fall.
Even broken up, Tim was rightâthey still acted like a couple. Still exchanged glances, like a couple, and still wanted to be at each otherâs side.
He could see Bartâs resolve crumbling in green eyes. They dwindled between guilt and pain before finally closing shut. He spoke in a miniscule voiceâso small and so broken. âI just canât, Dick. IâŠâ His eyes opened, and he looked over the older teenâs shoulder.
Dick turned around.
Wally stood there, bewildered, and holding a bag of trash to take out. Dammit. Bart had taken it as a cue to leaveâa gust of wind slapping against Dick, and the teenager had whirred down the staircase and through the streets until he was long gone. Dick cursed.
âSorry,â was all Wally managed. To his surprise, the redhead didnât sound the slightest bit angry. Just surprised. âI thought you already leftâwas gonna take the trash outâŠbefore, you know. The house started smelling bad.â
âItâs fine,â muttered the teenager. They both knew it wasnât. Pressing a hand to his face, Dick looked down to Cissie, whoâd stopped momentarily to watch the blur of speedster pass by, unidentified.
âSorry,â his best friend said again. Silence passed between them, Wally still standing at the foot of the door and Dick leaning against the railing. With a small plop, the trash bag was set aside, door shut with a rickety squeak, and Wally positioned himself closer to his best friend, eyebrows knitting together. âYouâŠreally liked him, didnât you?â
Dick peeked through one of his fingers. What he saw surprised him: an uncertain and twitchy Wally. Debating on a proper response, Dick took in a breath and nodded solidly.
âYouâŠwerenât the one to break up with him either. That was a lie,â Wally speculated. âBart actually broke up with you.â
Nod.
âBecause of me. Because you and I fought.â
Silence. Dick looked away, turning around so that he could see the route Bart had taken to escape. His chest ached, and he did best to just close his eyes. âHe did it becauseâŠyou and I werenât friends in the future. And it scared him. Bart thought doing thatâdoing all of thisâŠwould fix our friendship.â
âOh.â Wally joined Dick, leaning over the stairs and watching the large backyard where Cissie practiced. He laced his hands together, eerily quiet for quite some time. When Dick finally felt calm enough to return home, he started to descend downward, but Wallyâs voice stopped him. âIâm an idiot then, arenât I?â
The teen froze.
He turned around to see his best friend staring at him, a wrinkle between his eyebrows and lips twisted into a grimace. Wallyâs eyes focused onto Dickâs and he sighedâheavy, but not angry. âYou and he had a thing going, and it was none of my business. It wasâŠnever my business, and you didnât do it to replace me.â
Finally, he got it. Dickâs throat dried and his hands clenched into fists. âThisâŠwas never to replace you. Youâre my best friend. People kept warning me about how you would feel about this but I fell for him anyway.â Hard.
Wally seemed to take the words to heart. He slumped to the wooden floor next to the trash can and ran a hand through his hair. âIâm a douche.â
Standing there, self-conscious, Dick wasnât sure what to do. He was terseâstill annoyed over his experience with Bart, but right now Wally looked like the one that could use a hug. Which was seriously messed up at the moment. âIâm not going to respond to that.â
Suddenly, Wally jolted up, his entire expression changing into a grin. âOkay. Letâs do it then.â
Dick blinked. âDoâŠwhat?â
âGet you two back together.â Excitement teemed across the redheadâs face and he opened the door quickly to stick his head in.
âWallyââ
âArtemis! Grab your coat! Weâre gonna get Bart and Dick back together!â