performance | IC CONTACT - MASK OR MENACE

What? I just— [ He struggles for a moment, thrown off by the question. ] I-I don't want you getting in trouble. That's all.

I'm always running around back home without a costume, dude. Outside school, running home, to zeta tubes... [Wally folds his arms and stops. Bugs buzz in the background as the heat swells around them. Sweat dampens the back of Wally's tank between his shoulders.] So is it 'cause I'm with you that it's a problem?

[ Wally isn't the problem, but it's awfully hard to make it sound that way. He clenches and unclenches his fists a few times, eyes slipping down to Wally's bare, freckled shoulders (he's gonna get a sunburn, Dick thinks idly) before he looks down at the concrete of the sidewalk, feeling vaguely ashamed. Called out. ]

I guess... it's an added risk.

[Wally looks down and scuffs a sneaker against the sidewalk. He looks up at Dick uneasily, then away.] I can't separate it like you can, dude. I can't be Wally or KF.

I know. I like that about you.

So...what do you wanna do about this?

Honestly? I have no idea.

[ But he feels strange having this conversation standing in the middle of the sidewalk, so he keeps walking, urging Wally to follow his lead. ]

... But, I probably don't have to be too worried about it. You're right about that part. I know I'm a little bit famous back home, but probably no one here knows who Dick Grayson is, right? I mean, aside from— aside from the people who do. [ Gotham rogues have to ruin everything. ]

[Wally follows Dick, even lowers his voice and leans in close so Dick can hear him. He's not careful with his own ID, but Dick's?] If Bats shows up though...

[ Does Wally mean that it puts Batman's ID at risk? Or— that he'll have to find out that Wally knows who Robin is? Either way, it's... it's not good, and it's not the first time he's thought about it. But it isn't Wally's place to worry. It's Dick's choice. Dick's mistake. ]

That's between me and him. [ And he doesn't like thinking about how Bruce will handle things when — when, not if — he finds out, whether he'll be angry or hurt that Dick broke his trust on behalf of Wally, or think that Robin was careless with his ID when he hasn't been, he's tried so hard... ]

I've got this. I've been doing it for years. And... it's not like I'm the only short kid with black hair around, right? You can be friends with two of those.

[ He hopes. ]

[Something sours in his stomach at the idea, and Wally doesn't want to suggest it -really doesn't- but if being on a team for a few months has taught him anything, it's that communication is key. ...not that Wally's ever had a particularly hard time with airing his grievances.]

...would it be better if I moved out?

No!

[ Dick grabs Wally's wrist — an impulsive, unconscious gesture — and he feels his cheeks heat up a little at how childish that must have looked. Still, his hand lingers there for a moment before he draws it back, thrown off balance by the thought of Wally leaving him behind again. ]

Please don't. You being here — it's been awesome. [ a hopefully-reassuring smile] Unbelievably awesome. If you wanna find another place, that's fine, but— but if you're going, I'm going.

[Dick's reaction is extreme and by the look on his face, he knows it. Wally doesn't often see Dick's composure crack -though it happens more often when he's not actively wearing his 'Robin' persona- and he knows, after a second, what brought it on. It's not about Wally moving out, or not entirely.]

I'm not going anywhere, Dick. [It's an unfair promise to make because apparently he did go somewhere, and something happened to him and he forgot, but he makes it anyway. That's kind of what Flashes do.]

Don't move out.

[ Dick repeats it like it's final, like it's his decision, drawing his shoulders back and trying to recompose himself. He knows it's not a promise Wally can make, but he wants so badly to believe it. ]

I won't. [It's immediate, not because Robin ordered it but because Wally didn't want to anyway. He watches Dick pull his shoulders back and smiles to himself, reaching over to mess up his hair and shove him a little.] Geez. Make a guy feel like a captive, why don't you?

[ He ducks his head away from Wally's hand and laughs, his carefully combed-back hair going astray, and he shoves back gently. ]

So the Stockholm Syndrome hasn't kicked in yet?

[lookin' a little robin-y there, dick]

I've had that for years. It just lies dormant and then flares back up whenever somebody kidnaps me, like arthritis.

Pretty soon you won't even wanna go home.

[ He tries to comb his hair back into place, but a few pesky strands keep falling into his eyes. ]

[Wally knows how Dick meant it, but it makes him think something else and he'd rather just not...yeah. Not right now.

But hey, a distraction.] Aww. Let me get that for you. [Wally spits into his hand and reaches for Robin's head.]

Eew, dude, gross, no!

[ He dodges most of it, anyway, and squirms away, starting off down the sidewalk at a jog. ]

Hey, come back! I'm just trying to help you out! [SPITS INTO HAND AGAIN AND CHASES]

[ cue yakety sax ]

Were you bitten by a radioactive grandma or something?

This is how my mom always did it! I'm nesting. [Wally gets bored of it soon enough and wipes his hand on his tank. The gas station is right there, and inside of it are his Skittles so that's enough tomfoolery for now.] Okay get your camera ready.

I'm soooo not your baby bird.

[ He follows, fiddling with camera settings while Wally buys inadvisable amounts of candy. ]

[Wally scoffs as he heads inside, and scoffs again when he comes back out five minutes later, just for good measure. He's got a bag full of Skittles.] C'mon, we should get a good backdrop for this. What do you think, a park? A police station?

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

1/2

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action