Prophecies Fulfilled
Aug. 30th, 2006 07:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankieIn which the tone shifts dramatically... and the first chapter can be largely blamed on this image. I was going to wait a little on posting, but I'm running away for a bit, so... yeah.
There's crack everywhere.
Prophecies Fulfilled
Third serial in the Wally'Verse, following A Flash by Any Other Name and Chronology. So if you haven't read those, you might want to first. If not, the intro has a recap of all the important stuff.
Batman/Flash
Beta by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
merfilly
Introduction
To skip all this and go right to the story, click here.
DCAU is the basis for the canon. However, at this point I've come a long way from where the first story started, a year after the end of JLU.
The first idea for this story came about in comments about a particular set of scans I posted... an idea that grew into a possibility as I worked out how a story could actually work with the biggest crack cliche` of fanfic, mpreg. But do it in a serious story; or as serious as it could possibly get. Over time, I finished A Flash by Any Other Name and began planning its sequel, a journey through time. And I got to thinking about what Wally would actually see in the future, who he'd meet.
Then I started having late-night crack sessions withbatfan_sarah that just solidified it. I had to write this story. A ton of ideas, including character designs, plot bunnies, reinforcement, feedback, etc, came from her. So it's all her fault. ::laughs::
The first chapters much inspired from Young Justice: Sins of Youth, and The Flash #151, and getting crack bunnies fromwachey.
There are other people to blame, but this has been brewing for some time, and the memory can be faulty.
Character Additions
The following characters have been modified from Toonverse versions, or adapted for my universe from comics canon in previous stories:
Bartholemew Henry Allen the second; Impulse. This version of Bart is not exactly like comics... and especially not like Kid Flash Bart. But pretty darn close. At the moment, he's the legal ward of Bruce Wayne, which went into effect after Wally's six-month absence in Chronology that had the League thinking he'd died in battle.
Ibn al Xu'ffasch, aka Jason Thomas; Bruce's son. Born the year he became Batman. Now a teenager, Jason haunted Gotham as a brutal vigilante envious of the life that had been granted Bruce's wards in comparison to his own. He was arrested after kidnapping Bruce, and quickly escaped, and is now at large.
Eel O'Brian; Plastic Man. Bruce's alter-ego, Matches, was pals with Eel, while he was undercover as a mobster. Eel became Plastic Man, and Batman found out... and recruited the criminal with a change of heart to his side in the League.
Wally'Verse Recap
Wally's power level has been altered over the course of Chronology; now, he's much closer to Wally of The Flash vol. 2, after his brush with the Speed Force that gave him a direct connexion to its power. He can enter and exit the Speed Force (with difficulty) and use his speed to travel through time (also with difficulty). However, Wally's trips into the Speed Force of the comics relied on him to have a tether to reality; his true love. This is a romantic idea, for sure, but I felt the need to alter it some. A bit of Max Mercury has been added to my version of Wally, too; he can, like Max, meditate and "commune" with the Speed Force.
But vibrating his molecules through solid objects still makes them explode.
The Shade and Luthor, while presumed dead after the JLU finale Destroyer, are not dead; they are alive and well. The Shade was implicated in the murder Bruce Wayne was framed for, and Luthor has rejoined society and is currently rebuilding his empire.
As previously mentioned, Batman Beyond and Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker are now AU here, as altered over the course of Chronology.
Wally was living at Wayne Manor with Bart, as began in A Flash by Any Other Name; his relationship with Bruce began when Wally was in disguise as Angela Hastings, in drag, at a high society gathering in Gotham. They've separated for almost a month since the end of the last story.
Clark and Bruce had a sexual relationship over the course of Chronology; it ended just before Wally returned from the future, and although Wally has forgiven Bruce for it; after all, he thought he was dead, his relationship both has been strained.
Clark and Wally both took leaves of absence from the League at the end of Chronology, which they have both not returned from just yet.
* * *
When Wally comes back to Wayne Manor, it's under... odd circumstances. And Bruce thought Wally was a flirt before...
Chapter One: The Return of Kid Flash
"Mr. Wayne?"
Bruce pushed the button on his desk's intercom to reply to his secretary's voice, frowning at the confusion in it.
"Yes, Linda?"
"I know you asked me to hold your calls, but I've have someone on the line that insists it's urgent, and needs to speak with you right away."
Bruce sighed, pushing the papers on his desk away from him.
"Put them through."
He lifted the receiver after it rang once.
"Bruce Wayne."
"Hey, listen, it's Ollie."
"Mr. Queen, good to hear from you! Your golf swing any better?"
"This really isn't the time, Bruce. We need you upstairs, right now."
"Ollie, I'm a little..."
"It's urgent, please. He's killin' us up here. Not literally, but someone's going to die if you don't get your pointy ears up here."
"He?"
"Mr. West. Or something like him," he said, and Bruce heard a distant crashing noise in the background. "Please, seriously. Shay says to bring the kid with you, the fast one."
'What in the world is Wally...' Bruce frowned, then raised an eyebrow as he heard Diana's voice shrieking uncharacteristically.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
He hung up the phone, put his papers away, let Linda know he was leaving for the day, and drove home. As Bruce changed into his uniform, he mused; he'd seen Wally, lunch at Grappano's just a couple days ago to catch up. He'd mentioned thinking about returning to full-time duty in a few weeks... so what was he doing up there?
"Sir?" Alfred came downstairs with a curious look on his face.
"Is Bart upstairs?"
"I believe he is visiting with Master Timothy at the moment."
Bruce nodded, and tapped his com.
"Impulse, suit up and meet me in the cave."
"ButI'mwinning!"
"Now."
He buckled on his utility belt, and Bart was standing in front of him, adjusting his goggles.
"Batman to Watchtower, two to bring up."
A disorienting flash of light, and he was in the control center. Bart had only been here twice before, so he was instantly thrown into... impulsive curiosity, zipping around in a little blur.
Shayera was waiting, looking frazzled.
"Situation?"
She opened her mouth to speak, then they both turned to a yellow and red clad figure that appeared in front of Bruce, thumbed his nose at him, and narrowed his eyes teasingly.
"That."
"Flash?"
"Apparently. We called him in for an assist, and this is what we got."
"I am right here, you know," Wally said, his voice younger, but unmistakably his, looking him over. "And so are you."
He couldn't be more than fifteen years old, thin as a rail, with wild red hair peeking over his cowl.
"Abra found real magic, then ran off again, little shit," he continued, once his eyes were back on Bruce's face.
"Language," Bruce said instinctively, and Wally wrinkled his nose at him and vanished again. "Impulse, could you..."
Perhaps bringing Bart here was a mistake.
Now there were two blurry trails running around, chasing each other, and if Bruce was correct, he was the only one who could see more than just gusts of wind ruffling Hawkgirl's feathers. Not that the connection was yet understood.
He frowned, and calculated Wally's next move, and threw out his arm quickly, grabbing him up kicking and squirming against his chest.
"I think that's enough, Wally."
"Spoilsport."
Wally crossed his arms defiantly across his chest and Bruce threw him under his arm, despite further protestations.
"Magic. Zatanna is still out of communication, but I have another contact I can try," Bruce said.
Shayera nodded and sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
He nodded, and returned to the transporter pad, giving Bart a stern look until he was next to him, and they transported back to the cave.
"Put me down!" Wally cried, pushing against his arm and wiggling some more, "I'm not a kid, damnit!"
"All visual inquiries point to a different conclusion at the moment."
"Bruuuuuce!" Wally paused, then became still. "As much as I love being pressed against your hard, armored body..."
Bruce instantly dropped him and stepped back. It was Wally, but it was also a someone who was certainly not in the body of someone of legal age. Wally snickered at him, then he and Bart vanished.
He pushed back his cowl and rubbed his forehead; he felt a migraine coming on.
Putting in a call to Jason Blood got no reply, and he hoped dearly that it would be returned soon, as he walked upstairs to Alfred standing in the middle of chaos with a bewildered look on his face.
"Just... don't ask," Bruce said.
He reached out and grabbed Wally's shoulder, bringing him to another stop.
"It may be some time before I'm able to find the contact to correct this."
Wally looked up at him and smirked, now wearing some of Bart's clothing, still baggy on his lanky frame, and his own tattered Billy Squire sweatshirt with "Stroke Me" emblazoned across the front.
It couldn't be soon enough. He was giving him an unmistakably flirty look, and Bruce just turned around, walked to his office, and took a quick swig of scotch, then returned to find Bart and Wally gone.
"He expressed a desire to re-acquaint himself with your 'sweet rides' and went to the garage," Alfred said, raising an eyebrow.
"At least it'll keep him out of trouble, for the time being."
Bruce went back to the cave and updated Ollie on the situation, tried Jason again vainly, and began calling up his records on Abra Kadabra.
He hadn't been seen back here since Wally and Palmer returned him to the 25th century in the early days of the League, and had never been seen using actual magic; but his technology had never been shown to be capable of this sort of transformation.
Bruce hated problems he wasn't able to solve directly.
He pricked one ear in the air, and realized it'd been very quiet. Too quiet. He got up, and walked hurriedly to the garage.
As he'd feared, the Jaguar was gone.
"Damn."
Wally knew his fleet just as well as he did, and knew exactly how to bypass the security on his civilian vehicles. Not to mention where the keys were.
At least it wasn't one of the Batmobiles.
Bruce went back to the cave, activated the car's tracer, and watched it whipping around the back roads of Bristol; it was over an hour before it was back on the property and went to meet them in the garage, arms crossed and a displeased look on his face.
The black Jaguar was dusty and caked with dirt around the wheel-wells, but otherwise unharmed.
Wally parked, and got out with a swagger in his step, tossing Bruce the keys with a wink.
"Weren't worried, were ya Bats?"
"I hope you're planning on cleaning that up yourself."
"Oh, totally. Man, your rides are so hot."
In seconds, the Jaguar was wet and clean, and Wally stopped next to the red Lamborghini. He pressed his body against the side, running his fingers along the hood lovingly.
"Don't worry baby, I'll be gentle."
Bruce coughed pointedly, and Bart even raised an eyebrow.
* * *
It became increasingly obvious that there wasn't going to be a solution appearing anytime that night.
Miraculously, Alfred managed to get Wally and Bart to sit still... by preparing a literal banquet for dinner, and insisting they would only be able to eat if they sat down, together. Which included Bruce.
He had an... engagement tonight. A girl named Cindi and a charity gala at the mayor's home. Thankfully, he would be picking her up, not meeting her here. But he also had time for dinner.
Wally was eating more than he ever had as an adult, and was loading up yet another plate of grilled chicken and mashed potatoes. His metabolism was a startling thing; from what data he'd gathered, it economized food with at least 200% better efficiency than the normal human body, with unique energy storage capacity...
"Bats, listen; there's no way I'm goin' back to Central tonight to stay with mom, and I know that's what you're going to say," Wally said, waggling a fork at him. "Is it cool if I crash here tonight?"
"You're always welcome here Wally, you know that."
Wally smiled at him, without a trace of the teasing he'd been perpetually marked with since he'd arrived, and turned back to mixing peas and butter in his potatoes.
He and Bart were talking at speed, like chirping birds, sounds he couldn't decipher as words, breaking into occasional laughter and glances in his direction.
The clock in the hall tolled 7pm, and Bruce got up from the table.
"I'll be gone until later this evening, and then again. Please refrain from more joyriding or destroying the manor, if you could."
Wally winked at him cheekily.
"Where you off to? Hot date?"
"Something like that."
Wally's young face flickered with emotions faster than he could interpret them, settling on a smirk and returning his attention to Bart.
Bruce took a long, cold shower, dressed in a black tuxedo hastily, and met Alfred at the front door, where he held out a long coat and helped him shrug into it. The older man waited until he was driving him into the city to speak up.
"Master Bruce, while I have great faith in your judgment..."
"I'm not going to take advantage of teenage hormones, if that's what you're getting at."
"Very good, sir."
Bruce dearly hoped letting Wally spend the night wouldn't be a disastrous mistake.
He settled his foppish smile on his face when he extended an arm for Cindi at her penthouse in the city, and they drove to the mayor's mansion with some idle gossip; mainly from her. She had a pretty heart-shaped face and red lips, flouncing blonde curls over her shoulders as she prattled about who was sleeping with who, according to the grapevine.
Bruce was relieved when they arrived, and he could begin the slightly less tedious task of greetings and rounds through the throng of Gotham's elite. Cindi remained latched onto his arm, with no end of overtures and 'accidental' calls of attention to her cleavage as it threatened to escape from her blue dress.
"Could excuse me for a moment?" he asked her, gently taking her hand off his ass and giving her a smile as he walked over to a patio and stepped into the early February chill.
He dialed the manor on his cell phone and frowned after nobody picked up. Six rings, seven, eight, and finally Wally's voice answered him.
"Wayne Manor, where the fun never stops and the men are always irresistible!"
"If you insist upon answering the phone, could you at least pretend I occasionally receive calls that are best not started that way?"
"Caller ID man. Checkin' up on us kids?"
"In a manner of speaking."
"We got Alfred playing Monopoly in the back greenhouse, it's cool. Tim's winning."
"Monopoly?"
"Yeah, wasn't down for an Arnold flick. How's the date?"
"Wally..."
"Hey, it's not even like that." There was a pause. "Well, alright, maybe it is."
"We'll talk when you're not being influenced by raging hormones."
"Who, me?" Wally feigned innocence in and a sultry drop his voice and Bruce smirked.
"Goodbye, Wally."
He hung up the phone and chuckled at the all-consuming absurdity of the situation as he walked back inside. It couldn't be fixed soon enough.
"Oh, Brucie!"
Bruce sighed internally as a trio of women flocked to him with roving eyes and slinky hips.
* * *
He was gone longer than he'd anticipated, bidding a disappointed date goodnight with a chaste kiss on the hand and the promise to see her again, but he doubted it'd happen; by the end of the night, her attentions had shifted to a European soccer player that had just joined the Gotham team.
The manor was quiet when he took off his shoes at the door and hung up his coat. Alfred pointed in the front sitting room before walking toward the back of the house, and Bruce padded into the dimly lit doorway.
Wally was curled up on the love seat, sleeping against the cushions and snoring gently.
Bruce sat down next to him, and Wally stirred, shifting over against his chest with a yawn.
"I'm really horny," he murmured.
"I can't help you with that."
"I'm behaving. Watch me behave."
"I'm watching."
Wally snorted.
"The second I get an adult body again, you have to promise me you'll help."
"The very moment."
"No exceptions," Wally said resolutely.
Bruce caught Wally's hand as it settled on his thigh, and he made a little whining noise in response.
"I missed you," he said.
"We should discuss this later, Wally."
"I'm still me."
"More or less."
It didn't take long for Wally to fall back asleep, and Bruce gently moved him back over, settled a blanket over him, and prepared for his patrol.
In between his rounds and a drug bust in the Diamond District with Barbara and Dick, he came home for brief moments, walking through the house silently in uniform, which felt unusual.
Every time, he found Wally sleeping somewhere different with the blanket; his apartment's couch, a chair in the upstairs hall, the pool table in the game room. Never in positions that looked particularly comfortable, but he assumed the stress of what he was going through, even if he hadn't expressed it as such, was making him restless. To say the least.
He was at the foot of Bruce's bed when he came home for the night.
Bruce repressed the urge to stroke his hair, slipping into bed carefully, so as not to disturb him.
He woke up to the feeling of fingers brushing over the soles of his feet, chuckling as it tickled and pulling the leg back reflexively; Wally had pushed back the end of the covers, keeping to foot of the bed with more feigned innocence.
Then he ran out the door in a gust, returning with the breakfast tray Alfred had no doubt prepared, setting it next to Bruce and returning to the foot of the bed, cross-legged in his Flash-print pajama pants that were too big on him, and a flannel shirt that made him look even skinnier.
If he hadn't seen the way he was eating, he'd have thought it was terribly unhealthy.
"Breakfast in bed. Do I get a reward?"
"You're not having anything?" Bruce asked, ignoring the question as he began sipping on the coffee.
"Ate just now. And read the paper. There's a terrible picture of you on page nine."
"Is there?"
"Yeah. You look like you're strung out or something. Better be careful, people might think you're a big druggie."
"Over one photograph on page nine?"
"Hey, I've watched Entertainment Tonight, I know how these things are."
"Hn."
Irritatingly true. The paper appeared at his side, and Wally flitted around the room, trying to find something to wear, showering, brushing his teeth, stealing pieces of bacon from Bruce's plate, and combing his hair as he looked out the window as Bruce pretended to read it.
"You're right," he said, as Wally played with the part in his hair, then stopped and looked at him curiously.
"I am?"
"It's a terrible picture."
Wally laughed, decided on a pair of Bart's jeans belted tight, trying to find a way to settle them on his hips, and Bruce frowned at how distinct his ribs were.
"Were you really that thin?"
Wally poked at the angular top of his pelvis and shrugged.
"Yeah. Still not bad though, right?" he said, flexing his arm with a smirk.
He flitted around again, and was wearing a black Slayer t-shirt over a long-sleeved grey thermal undershirt, all the playing he'd done with his hair ruffled by his movements. He paused, then jumped up on his bureau and stared at Bruce, holding one knee against his chest with the other leg dangling.
"Alfred wouldn't buy me beer last night."
"Remind me to give him a raise."
"You can fix me, right?"
There was a pause, as Bruce considered the various options open to him.
"Not personally. Jason Blood owes me a favor."
"Is his white streak real, or just a fashion statement?"
Bruce looked up at him and rolled his eyes, then flipped to the Business section, which he paid more attention than a mere scan. The bare sole of Wally's dangling foot began vibrating against the wood after a few pages, and he glanced back up.
Wally licked his lips thoughtfully as he continued just looking at him; Bruce returned his gaze to the paper.
"If you want something to do, the Batmobile needs some realignment."
"Current one?"
"Mm."
"Been a problem long?"
"Not so much a problem. Just could use it."
"The shocks still a little stiff?"
"Perpetually."
"I'll see what I can do."
With that, he was gone, and Bruce sighed.
* * *
According to Alfred, Wally hadn't been up from the garage all day, even to eat. But had been easily convinced to when it was brought to him, doubtless frequently, if he knew anything about his butler's diligence.
Bruce was happy to have given him a distraction.
He walked down the stairs to the underground garage, and heard Wally's voice drifting up about halfway down, and he paused to listen.
A radio was playing classic rock, and he was alternating between singing along and talking to whichever car he was working on.
"Come on, come on, budge for daddy, I know you want to baby. It'll be easier if you don't fight... oh, that's it, that's a good girl."
Bruce smirked and continued along his way, to the sight of Wally's bare feet sticking out from under the front of the silver Lexus.
"Keeping busy?"
There was a thud and a groan, as Wally apparently hit his head on something.
"Ow. Yes. Torn CV boot. You should be paying more attention to this kinda stuff. Isn't that right sweetheart?"
"Sweetheart?"
"Not you."
"I gathered that."
Bruce leaned against the workbench and watched a piece of rubber bounce out from under the car; doubtless the part at fault.
"Can you hand me the silicon spray? I need some... lubrication."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then picked the canister off the bench next to him and bent down next to Wally's feet, peering under the car and reaching under with it. Wally had a floodlight on the ground next to him pointed up as he ran his hands over the axel with a look of concentration on his face.
"Wouldn't the lift have been easier?"
"I'm fitting better these days."
Wally fixed a pair of goggles over his eyes and began spraying, and Bruce ducked back up and leaned against the car next to him. He slid around a little, with the hissing noise of his work, until he pulled himself out and put the goggles up on his forehead.
They regarded each other.
"Been at this all day?" Bruce asked.
"Yeah. Little this and that, nothing big." Wally shrugged. "It's not like I can do much else."
"That's not entirely true."
"Unless you're finally giving in to my charm... what, just go back to being Kid Flash for a day?" Wally squinted at him a little.
"Stranger things have happened. And it's still daylight."
Wally looked down, then jumped up a little to wrap his arms around Bruce, squeezing him tight with his legs dangling just a little off the floor. Bruce hugged him back, smelling the grease and oil on his clothes.
"I really have missed you," Wally said.
Then he let go, landing on the floor, looking down at where he'd been working. They he looked up at Bruce and smiled playfully, reappearing in the Kid Flash costume.
"Only one that fit?"
Wally laughed and shook his head.
"I always loved it. Missed it, as much as I love wearing Barry's colors," he said, smirking and posing a bit. "And yours."
"It's been a while."
Wally laughed again, then was gone.
There's crack everywhere.
Prophecies Fulfilled
Third serial in the Wally'Verse, following A Flash by Any Other Name and Chronology. So if you haven't read those, you might want to first. If not, the intro has a recap of all the important stuff.
Batman/Flash
Beta by
merfillyIntroduction
To skip all this and go right to the story, click here.
DCAU is the basis for the canon. However, at this point I've come a long way from where the first story started, a year after the end of JLU.
The first idea for this story came about in comments about a particular set of scans I posted... an idea that grew into a possibility as I worked out how a story could actually work with the biggest crack cliche` of fanfic, mpreg. But do it in a serious story; or as serious as it could possibly get. Over time, I finished A Flash by Any Other Name and began planning its sequel, a journey through time. And I got to thinking about what Wally would actually see in the future, who he'd meet.
Then I started having late-night crack sessions with
batfan_sarah that just solidified it. I had to write this story. A ton of ideas, including character designs, plot bunnies, reinforcement, feedback, etc, came from her. So it's all her fault. ::laughs::The first chapters much inspired from Young Justice: Sins of Youth, and The Flash #151, and getting crack bunnies from
wachey.There are other people to blame, but this has been brewing for some time, and the memory can be faulty.
Character Additions
The following characters have been modified from Toonverse versions, or adapted for my universe from comics canon in previous stories:
Bartholemew Henry Allen the second; Impulse. This version of Bart is not exactly like comics... and especially not like Kid Flash Bart. But pretty darn close. At the moment, he's the legal ward of Bruce Wayne, which went into effect after Wally's six-month absence in Chronology that had the League thinking he'd died in battle.
Ibn al Xu'ffasch, aka Jason Thomas; Bruce's son. Born the year he became Batman. Now a teenager, Jason haunted Gotham as a brutal vigilante envious of the life that had been granted Bruce's wards in comparison to his own. He was arrested after kidnapping Bruce, and quickly escaped, and is now at large.
Eel O'Brian; Plastic Man. Bruce's alter-ego, Matches, was pals with Eel, while he was undercover as a mobster. Eel became Plastic Man, and Batman found out... and recruited the criminal with a change of heart to his side in the League.
Wally'Verse Recap
Wally's power level has been altered over the course of Chronology; now, he's much closer to Wally of The Flash vol. 2, after his brush with the Speed Force that gave him a direct connexion to its power. He can enter and exit the Speed Force (with difficulty) and use his speed to travel through time (also with difficulty). However, Wally's trips into the Speed Force of the comics relied on him to have a tether to reality; his true love. This is a romantic idea, for sure, but I felt the need to alter it some. A bit of Max Mercury has been added to my version of Wally, too; he can, like Max, meditate and "commune" with the Speed Force.
But vibrating his molecules through solid objects still makes them explode.
The Shade and Luthor, while presumed dead after the JLU finale Destroyer, are not dead; they are alive and well. The Shade was implicated in the murder Bruce Wayne was framed for, and Luthor has rejoined society and is currently rebuilding his empire.
As previously mentioned, Batman Beyond and Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker are now AU here, as altered over the course of Chronology.
Wally was living at Wayne Manor with Bart, as began in A Flash by Any Other Name; his relationship with Bruce began when Wally was in disguise as Angela Hastings, in drag, at a high society gathering in Gotham. They've separated for almost a month since the end of the last story.
Clark and Bruce had a sexual relationship over the course of Chronology; it ended just before Wally returned from the future, and although Wally has forgiven Bruce for it; after all, he thought he was dead, his relationship both has been strained.
Clark and Wally both took leaves of absence from the League at the end of Chronology, which they have both not returned from just yet.
When Wally comes back to Wayne Manor, it's under... odd circumstances. And Bruce thought Wally was a flirt before...
Chapter One: The Return of Kid Flash
"Mr. Wayne?"
Bruce pushed the button on his desk's intercom to reply to his secretary's voice, frowning at the confusion in it.
"Yes, Linda?"
"I know you asked me to hold your calls, but I've have someone on the line that insists it's urgent, and needs to speak with you right away."
Bruce sighed, pushing the papers on his desk away from him.
"Put them through."
He lifted the receiver after it rang once.
"Bruce Wayne."
"Hey, listen, it's Ollie."
"Mr. Queen, good to hear from you! Your golf swing any better?"
"This really isn't the time, Bruce. We need you upstairs, right now."
"Ollie, I'm a little..."
"It's urgent, please. He's killin' us up here. Not literally, but someone's going to die if you don't get your pointy ears up here."
"He?"
"Mr. West. Or something like him," he said, and Bruce heard a distant crashing noise in the background. "Please, seriously. Shay says to bring the kid with you, the fast one."
'What in the world is Wally...' Bruce frowned, then raised an eyebrow as he heard Diana's voice shrieking uncharacteristically.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
He hung up the phone, put his papers away, let Linda know he was leaving for the day, and drove home. As Bruce changed into his uniform, he mused; he'd seen Wally, lunch at Grappano's just a couple days ago to catch up. He'd mentioned thinking about returning to full-time duty in a few weeks... so what was he doing up there?
"Sir?" Alfred came downstairs with a curious look on his face.
"Is Bart upstairs?"
"I believe he is visiting with Master Timothy at the moment."
Bruce nodded, and tapped his com.
"Impulse, suit up and meet me in the cave."
"ButI'mwinning!"
"Now."
He buckled on his utility belt, and Bart was standing in front of him, adjusting his goggles.
"Batman to Watchtower, two to bring up."
A disorienting flash of light, and he was in the control center. Bart had only been here twice before, so he was instantly thrown into... impulsive curiosity, zipping around in a little blur.
Shayera was waiting, looking frazzled.
"Situation?"
She opened her mouth to speak, then they both turned to a yellow and red clad figure that appeared in front of Bruce, thumbed his nose at him, and narrowed his eyes teasingly.
"That."
"Flash?"
"Apparently. We called him in for an assist, and this is what we got."
"I am right here, you know," Wally said, his voice younger, but unmistakably his, looking him over. "And so are you."
He couldn't be more than fifteen years old, thin as a rail, with wild red hair peeking over his cowl.
"Abra found real magic, then ran off again, little shit," he continued, once his eyes were back on Bruce's face.
"Language," Bruce said instinctively, and Wally wrinkled his nose at him and vanished again. "Impulse, could you..."
Perhaps bringing Bart here was a mistake.
Now there were two blurry trails running around, chasing each other, and if Bruce was correct, he was the only one who could see more than just gusts of wind ruffling Hawkgirl's feathers. Not that the connection was yet understood.
He frowned, and calculated Wally's next move, and threw out his arm quickly, grabbing him up kicking and squirming against his chest.
"I think that's enough, Wally."
"Spoilsport."
Wally crossed his arms defiantly across his chest and Bruce threw him under his arm, despite further protestations.
"Magic. Zatanna is still out of communication, but I have another contact I can try," Bruce said.
Shayera nodded and sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
He nodded, and returned to the transporter pad, giving Bart a stern look until he was next to him, and they transported back to the cave.
"Put me down!" Wally cried, pushing against his arm and wiggling some more, "I'm not a kid, damnit!"
"All visual inquiries point to a different conclusion at the moment."
"Bruuuuuce!" Wally paused, then became still. "As much as I love being pressed against your hard, armored body..."
Bruce instantly dropped him and stepped back. It was Wally, but it was also a someone who was certainly not in the body of someone of legal age. Wally snickered at him, then he and Bart vanished.
He pushed back his cowl and rubbed his forehead; he felt a migraine coming on.
Putting in a call to Jason Blood got no reply, and he hoped dearly that it would be returned soon, as he walked upstairs to Alfred standing in the middle of chaos with a bewildered look on his face.
"Just... don't ask," Bruce said.
He reached out and grabbed Wally's shoulder, bringing him to another stop.
"It may be some time before I'm able to find the contact to correct this."
Wally looked up at him and smirked, now wearing some of Bart's clothing, still baggy on his lanky frame, and his own tattered Billy Squire sweatshirt with "Stroke Me" emblazoned across the front.
It couldn't be soon enough. He was giving him an unmistakably flirty look, and Bruce just turned around, walked to his office, and took a quick swig of scotch, then returned to find Bart and Wally gone.
"He expressed a desire to re-acquaint himself with your 'sweet rides' and went to the garage," Alfred said, raising an eyebrow.
"At least it'll keep him out of trouble, for the time being."
Bruce went back to the cave and updated Ollie on the situation, tried Jason again vainly, and began calling up his records on Abra Kadabra.
He hadn't been seen back here since Wally and Palmer returned him to the 25th century in the early days of the League, and had never been seen using actual magic; but his technology had never been shown to be capable of this sort of transformation.
Bruce hated problems he wasn't able to solve directly.
He pricked one ear in the air, and realized it'd been very quiet. Too quiet. He got up, and walked hurriedly to the garage.
As he'd feared, the Jaguar was gone.
"Damn."
Wally knew his fleet just as well as he did, and knew exactly how to bypass the security on his civilian vehicles. Not to mention where the keys were.
At least it wasn't one of the Batmobiles.
Bruce went back to the cave, activated the car's tracer, and watched it whipping around the back roads of Bristol; it was over an hour before it was back on the property and went to meet them in the garage, arms crossed and a displeased look on his face.
The black Jaguar was dusty and caked with dirt around the wheel-wells, but otherwise unharmed.
Wally parked, and got out with a swagger in his step, tossing Bruce the keys with a wink.
"Weren't worried, were ya Bats?"
"I hope you're planning on cleaning that up yourself."
"Oh, totally. Man, your rides are so hot."
In seconds, the Jaguar was wet and clean, and Wally stopped next to the red Lamborghini. He pressed his body against the side, running his fingers along the hood lovingly.
"Don't worry baby, I'll be gentle."
Bruce coughed pointedly, and Bart even raised an eyebrow.
It became increasingly obvious that there wasn't going to be a solution appearing anytime that night.
Miraculously, Alfred managed to get Wally and Bart to sit still... by preparing a literal banquet for dinner, and insisting they would only be able to eat if they sat down, together. Which included Bruce.
He had an... engagement tonight. A girl named Cindi and a charity gala at the mayor's home. Thankfully, he would be picking her up, not meeting her here. But he also had time for dinner.
Wally was eating more than he ever had as an adult, and was loading up yet another plate of grilled chicken and mashed potatoes. His metabolism was a startling thing; from what data he'd gathered, it economized food with at least 200% better efficiency than the normal human body, with unique energy storage capacity...
"Bats, listen; there's no way I'm goin' back to Central tonight to stay with mom, and I know that's what you're going to say," Wally said, waggling a fork at him. "Is it cool if I crash here tonight?"
"You're always welcome here Wally, you know that."
Wally smiled at him, without a trace of the teasing he'd been perpetually marked with since he'd arrived, and turned back to mixing peas and butter in his potatoes.
He and Bart were talking at speed, like chirping birds, sounds he couldn't decipher as words, breaking into occasional laughter and glances in his direction.
The clock in the hall tolled 7pm, and Bruce got up from the table.
"I'll be gone until later this evening, and then again. Please refrain from more joyriding or destroying the manor, if you could."
Wally winked at him cheekily.
"Where you off to? Hot date?"
"Something like that."
Wally's young face flickered with emotions faster than he could interpret them, settling on a smirk and returning his attention to Bart.
Bruce took a long, cold shower, dressed in a black tuxedo hastily, and met Alfred at the front door, where he held out a long coat and helped him shrug into it. The older man waited until he was driving him into the city to speak up.
"Master Bruce, while I have great faith in your judgment..."
"I'm not going to take advantage of teenage hormones, if that's what you're getting at."
"Very good, sir."
Bruce dearly hoped letting Wally spend the night wouldn't be a disastrous mistake.
He settled his foppish smile on his face when he extended an arm for Cindi at her penthouse in the city, and they drove to the mayor's mansion with some idle gossip; mainly from her. She had a pretty heart-shaped face and red lips, flouncing blonde curls over her shoulders as she prattled about who was sleeping with who, according to the grapevine.
Bruce was relieved when they arrived, and he could begin the slightly less tedious task of greetings and rounds through the throng of Gotham's elite. Cindi remained latched onto his arm, with no end of overtures and 'accidental' calls of attention to her cleavage as it threatened to escape from her blue dress.
"Could excuse me for a moment?" he asked her, gently taking her hand off his ass and giving her a smile as he walked over to a patio and stepped into the early February chill.
He dialed the manor on his cell phone and frowned after nobody picked up. Six rings, seven, eight, and finally Wally's voice answered him.
"Wayne Manor, where the fun never stops and the men are always irresistible!"
"If you insist upon answering the phone, could you at least pretend I occasionally receive calls that are best not started that way?"
"Caller ID man. Checkin' up on us kids?"
"In a manner of speaking."
"We got Alfred playing Monopoly in the back greenhouse, it's cool. Tim's winning."
"Monopoly?"
"Yeah, wasn't down for an Arnold flick. How's the date?"
"Wally..."
"Hey, it's not even like that." There was a pause. "Well, alright, maybe it is."
"We'll talk when you're not being influenced by raging hormones."
"Who, me?" Wally feigned innocence in and a sultry drop his voice and Bruce smirked.
"Goodbye, Wally."
He hung up the phone and chuckled at the all-consuming absurdity of the situation as he walked back inside. It couldn't be fixed soon enough.
"Oh, Brucie!"
Bruce sighed internally as a trio of women flocked to him with roving eyes and slinky hips.
He was gone longer than he'd anticipated, bidding a disappointed date goodnight with a chaste kiss on the hand and the promise to see her again, but he doubted it'd happen; by the end of the night, her attentions had shifted to a European soccer player that had just joined the Gotham team.
The manor was quiet when he took off his shoes at the door and hung up his coat. Alfred pointed in the front sitting room before walking toward the back of the house, and Bruce padded into the dimly lit doorway.
Wally was curled up on the love seat, sleeping against the cushions and snoring gently.
Bruce sat down next to him, and Wally stirred, shifting over against his chest with a yawn.
"I'm really horny," he murmured.
"I can't help you with that."
"I'm behaving. Watch me behave."
"I'm watching."
Wally snorted.
"The second I get an adult body again, you have to promise me you'll help."
"The very moment."
"No exceptions," Wally said resolutely.
Bruce caught Wally's hand as it settled on his thigh, and he made a little whining noise in response.
"I missed you," he said.
"We should discuss this later, Wally."
"I'm still me."
"More or less."
It didn't take long for Wally to fall back asleep, and Bruce gently moved him back over, settled a blanket over him, and prepared for his patrol.
In between his rounds and a drug bust in the Diamond District with Barbara and Dick, he came home for brief moments, walking through the house silently in uniform, which felt unusual.
Every time, he found Wally sleeping somewhere different with the blanket; his apartment's couch, a chair in the upstairs hall, the pool table in the game room. Never in positions that looked particularly comfortable, but he assumed the stress of what he was going through, even if he hadn't expressed it as such, was making him restless. To say the least.
He was at the foot of Bruce's bed when he came home for the night.
Bruce repressed the urge to stroke his hair, slipping into bed carefully, so as not to disturb him.
He woke up to the feeling of fingers brushing over the soles of his feet, chuckling as it tickled and pulling the leg back reflexively; Wally had pushed back the end of the covers, keeping to foot of the bed with more feigned innocence.
Then he ran out the door in a gust, returning with the breakfast tray Alfred had no doubt prepared, setting it next to Bruce and returning to the foot of the bed, cross-legged in his Flash-print pajama pants that were too big on him, and a flannel shirt that made him look even skinnier.
If he hadn't seen the way he was eating, he'd have thought it was terribly unhealthy.
"Breakfast in bed. Do I get a reward?"
"You're not having anything?" Bruce asked, ignoring the question as he began sipping on the coffee.
"Ate just now. And read the paper. There's a terrible picture of you on page nine."
"Is there?"
"Yeah. You look like you're strung out or something. Better be careful, people might think you're a big druggie."
"Over one photograph on page nine?"
"Hey, I've watched Entertainment Tonight, I know how these things are."
"Hn."
Irritatingly true. The paper appeared at his side, and Wally flitted around the room, trying to find something to wear, showering, brushing his teeth, stealing pieces of bacon from Bruce's plate, and combing his hair as he looked out the window as Bruce pretended to read it.
"You're right," he said, as Wally played with the part in his hair, then stopped and looked at him curiously.
"I am?"
"It's a terrible picture."
Wally laughed, decided on a pair of Bart's jeans belted tight, trying to find a way to settle them on his hips, and Bruce frowned at how distinct his ribs were.
"Were you really that thin?"
Wally poked at the angular top of his pelvis and shrugged.
"Yeah. Still not bad though, right?" he said, flexing his arm with a smirk.
He flitted around again, and was wearing a black Slayer t-shirt over a long-sleeved grey thermal undershirt, all the playing he'd done with his hair ruffled by his movements. He paused, then jumped up on his bureau and stared at Bruce, holding one knee against his chest with the other leg dangling.
"Alfred wouldn't buy me beer last night."
"Remind me to give him a raise."
"You can fix me, right?"
There was a pause, as Bruce considered the various options open to him.
"Not personally. Jason Blood owes me a favor."
"Is his white streak real, or just a fashion statement?"
Bruce looked up at him and rolled his eyes, then flipped to the Business section, which he paid more attention than a mere scan. The bare sole of Wally's dangling foot began vibrating against the wood after a few pages, and he glanced back up.
Wally licked his lips thoughtfully as he continued just looking at him; Bruce returned his gaze to the paper.
"If you want something to do, the Batmobile needs some realignment."
"Current one?"
"Mm."
"Been a problem long?"
"Not so much a problem. Just could use it."
"The shocks still a little stiff?"
"Perpetually."
"I'll see what I can do."
With that, he was gone, and Bruce sighed.
According to Alfred, Wally hadn't been up from the garage all day, even to eat. But had been easily convinced to when it was brought to him, doubtless frequently, if he knew anything about his butler's diligence.
Bruce was happy to have given him a distraction.
He walked down the stairs to the underground garage, and heard Wally's voice drifting up about halfway down, and he paused to listen.
A radio was playing classic rock, and he was alternating between singing along and talking to whichever car he was working on.
"Come on, come on, budge for daddy, I know you want to baby. It'll be easier if you don't fight... oh, that's it, that's a good girl."
Bruce smirked and continued along his way, to the sight of Wally's bare feet sticking out from under the front of the silver Lexus.
"Keeping busy?"
There was a thud and a groan, as Wally apparently hit his head on something.
"Ow. Yes. Torn CV boot. You should be paying more attention to this kinda stuff. Isn't that right sweetheart?"
"Sweetheart?"
"Not you."
"I gathered that."
Bruce leaned against the workbench and watched a piece of rubber bounce out from under the car; doubtless the part at fault.
"Can you hand me the silicon spray? I need some... lubrication."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then picked the canister off the bench next to him and bent down next to Wally's feet, peering under the car and reaching under with it. Wally had a floodlight on the ground next to him pointed up as he ran his hands over the axel with a look of concentration on his face.
"Wouldn't the lift have been easier?"
"I'm fitting better these days."
Wally fixed a pair of goggles over his eyes and began spraying, and Bruce ducked back up and leaned against the car next to him. He slid around a little, with the hissing noise of his work, until he pulled himself out and put the goggles up on his forehead.
They regarded each other.
"Been at this all day?" Bruce asked.
"Yeah. Little this and that, nothing big." Wally shrugged. "It's not like I can do much else."
"That's not entirely true."
"Unless you're finally giving in to my charm... what, just go back to being Kid Flash for a day?" Wally squinted at him a little.
"Stranger things have happened. And it's still daylight."
Wally looked down, then jumped up a little to wrap his arms around Bruce, squeezing him tight with his legs dangling just a little off the floor. Bruce hugged him back, smelling the grease and oil on his clothes.
"I really have missed you," Wally said.
Then he let go, landing on the floor, looking down at where he'd been working. They he looked up at Bruce and smiled playfully, reappearing in the Kid Flash costume.
"Only one that fit?"
Wally laughed and shook his head.
"I always loved it. Missed it, as much as I love wearing Barry's colors," he said, smirking and posing a bit. "And yours."
"It's been a while."
Wally laughed again, then was gone.
YES!
on 2006-08-31 12:25 am (UTC)Please keep up with the excellent work.
Re: YES!
on 2006-08-31 05:10 am (UTC)I'm definitely having a lot of fun with this, and it's good to know someone else is too.
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on 2006-08-31 04:05 am (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-31 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-31 11:10 am (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-31 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-31 06:28 pm (UTC)Thanks for updating!
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on 2006-08-31 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-31 11:07 pm (UTC)you are SO evil, why do i keep reading?!
oh wait, it's because you're a fucking genius.
*luffs*
PS
smeeeeeeeexxxxxx...
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on 2006-08-31 11:12 pm (UTC)Being an evil genius I think I can run with. XD
(sex is coming, oh yes... very soon...)
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on 2006-09-01 11:16 pm (UTC)I love this, I love this, I love this, how did I miss these oh god that's just so much fun!
And I feel horribly sorry for Bruce. Which is odd for me.
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on 2006-09-01 11:54 pm (UTC)