A Flash by Any Other Name
Jun. 20th, 2006 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankieBruce & Wally spend some quality time together as the entire League waits for their next move...
Part Thirty-Six: Fear & Love
"If you could have any superpower, what would it be?" Wally winced as Bruce swabbed a particularly deep cut on his leg with antiseptic.
Bruce's insistence.
"I have no need for metahuman abilities."
"Well, duh. You're like, Batman. But if you'd have any one, what would it be? There's gotta be at least one."
Wally crossed his arms and nestled his head in them as Bruce began putting bandages on with careful ministration.
"The ability to manipulate time is tempting, but in my experience, not worth the risk and hassle."
"Yeah. Time travel sucks." Wally had a few flashbacks about pirate cheetahs and being hunted by super-intelligent apes. As if he didn't have enough trouble with them already. "I don't think I'd ever want to use the Treadmill again, not unless I really really had to."
"I read the mission report you and Atom filed."
"Yeah. That time. I mean... there wasn't any other way but... I had to let someone die... to preserve the time stream, I know, but.. I dunno if I could have done it without Atom being there." Wally sighed. "Alright. So no time crap."
"Mm." Bruce began gently rubbing his hands up and down Wally's legs, massaging some of the sore tension away. He took the moment to be thankful they were still alone in his quarters, without all the need for secrecy and prudence, and he could just hang out in his undies. "What would you want?"
"Other than what I can already do?" Wally said with a laugh. "Well... I'd want to fly." He sighed and shifted around a little as Bruce's thumbs began working deeper into his muscles. "You know. I've always wanted to fly. Soar up over everything like a bird. You know... I always thought you could. Until I knew you."
"It's a common misconception."
"But no changing the subject."
"Hh. Well... telepathy would be very useful in my work."
"Yeah. That's what J'onn does. That one time, he just went up to Granny Awfulness and was like, try not to think about what I want to know. That was awesome."
Wally squeaked as Bruce suddenly dug his thumbs deep into the muscles of his butt, hitting unexpectedly sore spots that in concentric circles that strummed over tight spots like tender guitar strings. He didn't realize just how messed up he'd been from running so hard then not being able to.
"Does that hurt?" Bruce murmured.
"A little, in a good way kinda."
"Mm."
The fingers moved up to his spine, where he pushed down hard and he could hear a cracking noises as Wally couldn't help but grunt a little. He felt like he was going to fall asleep as Bruce continued up to his shoulders deftly.
"Y'r awful good at this."
"Comes with the territory."
"Shouldn't we be all saving the world?"
"J'onn will contact us."
"But."
"Wally." Bruce pulled him up to face him and stroked his cheek tenderly. "Wally, I... I'm not good at talking about these things."
"What things?"
There was a long pause, and Bruce clutched at one of Wally's hands with his own.
"How many times have I almost lost you?" Bruce swallowed and frowned deeply. "When we started this, I had... reservations. I've let people in before, close, blinding me to things because I... wanted to know what it was like to be happy."
"You deserve that, Bruce." Wally whispered.
"Perhaps. But what I'm trying to say is... I never thought someone could ever become more important to me than my mission, not again. I thought my chance to feel something other than loss had come and gone. But you..." He sighed stroked his fingers behind Wally's ear as he listened a little speechless. "I'm so afraid of losing again." He whispered.
"I didn't think you were afraid of anything." Wally replied quietly, not really knowing what else to say.
Bruce stood up and looked away, facing Wally's mirror on the wall with his arms crossed. For long moments, he just stared at his reflection without a hint of expression.
"You never asked me about the gun." He finally said, and left a long pause hanging in the air. "I think it would surprise you to know how I feel about guns."
"Well..." Wally wiggled over to the side of the bed. "I know you don't like them."
"It's not just that."
Bruce's voice was heavy with emotion, like he didn't know quite how to say it. He slid off the bed and sat cross-legged at Bruce's feet, leaning his head against his leg.
"So what is it?"
Bruce let out a deep sigh.
"Memories fade with time, become distorted and warped. I shouldn't be able to picture the gun so clearly, but I can. I could describe it to you, every scratch and mar, the exact make and colour, everything. Every year it becomes clearer, more vivid in my mind. Like a nightmare."
Wally wrapped one of his arms around the leather and buckles of Bruce's boots and sighed sadly. Sometimes he felt like he'd give anything to take away those memories, the images that roused him in the night to Bruce's screaming in anguish beside him, dripping with cold sweat and looking for all the world like a lost little boy. It'd only happened a couple times...
But it still happened.
He never had to say what it was, and he didn't have to tell him which gun he was talking about. They'd never discussed it. But Wally knew, like most people did; it was a matter of public record and speculation, especially ever since... Vesper's death.
"I held on to that fear, told myself it kept me cautious, kept me from getting too bold. But... some things have to be let go. So I bought a gun. Such a small, humble word for such an object of horror. Even as a wraith in the night, I could never produce such fear as the threat of a bullet." Bruce laced bare fingers in Wally's hair, but still stared straight ahead at his shadowy reflection. "One of the fears I've been learning to cope with, and face. Even locked away in the evidence warehouse downtown, that gun I bought might as well still be sitting in my home."
Wally played with the laces on Bruce's boots a little. He knew all too well that there wasn't a thing he could say in consolation without it coming out trite and ultimately meaningless.
"I'm scared of things, too." Wally finally said. "Ever since... those times... I can't bear the thought of being... trapped. Used to be I was afraid of running too fast. Now it's just... not being able to." He chewed on his lip a little. "It was all I could do to... distract myself... not panic."
"That you didn't is admirable." Bruce said as he began slowly scratching Wally's scalp and tangling his fingers in his hair. "I could... help you deal with that. After this is done."
Wally wondered what that meant, but didn't ask; merely nodded a little.
"I think we should go check on stuff." Wally said after a drawn-out silence.
He stood up and hugged Bruce tight, until he relaxed and returned the embrace like a long-absent comfort. Bruce put his gauntlets back on and Wally zipped into his own uniform, now with detachable gauntlets he slid on and tested out by gripping and relaxing his fists.
Then Bruce wrapped his arms around him from behind, draping his cape around them both, and leaning his head down over his shoulder. Wally nuzzled his face against Bruce's and smiled, feeling all warm and wrapped up in him.
"I'm more important than your mission?" He finally whispered uncertainly.
"I'd give it all up for you, if you asked."
There was a sudden lump in Wally's throat, and he fought off a surge of happy tears. He never imagined that would even be possible before, let alone up to him. Wally also knew he'd never ask that of Bruce; Batman was as much a part of their lives as either of their secret identities, an overwhelming force that he'd never think to quell with a desire.
"I love you, Bruce." Wally looked up into his eyes and smiled even more.
Bruce smiled back like a ray of sun breaking through the clouds, and kissed him softly.
"I love you, Wally." He whispered, then pressed his lips against his forehead reverently.
He held him there for a few more moments, until the need to finally get back to their work returned, and with unspoken acknowledgment, they both let go and put on their other faces.
They walked out of the room without looking at each other, walking in tandem with calculated distance between them through the busy halls up to the control room. Superman was still up there, and turned around to face Bruce as they approached.
"We've just found Diana. She set off the security system in Flash's apartment, it buzzed up here not three minutes ago."
"I'll go." Wally said. "Bring her back, see what's up."
Clark nodded.
"Any word from J'onn?" Bruce asked.
"Not yet, I'd let you know right away if he did. But if you're right, it shouldn't be too much longer."
"Hn."
Wally transported down to his living room, cautiously looking around; but it was all still and quiet. And dark.
His front window had been broken and there was glass on the carpet, making it pretty obvious just how she'd gotten in and set off the Bat alarms.
"Diana?" He peeked around, with the strange familiar feeling of being back here after moving out, as well as a little apprehension; she didn't seem to be in a mood to be reckoned with, according to Bats. "Hello?"
As he walked into his bedroom, the first thing he fixated on was a rumpled looking Amazon sleeping in his bed.
"Flash to Watchtower. I found her; she's asleep. I should be up in a few."
Wally slowly over to the bed and put his hand on her shoulder, shaking it gently.
"Um, Diana?"
"G'way."
She batted at his hand, which he made sure to avoid.
"Wake up Wondie."
He shook her again, and she turned over and blinked at him.
"Wally?"
"Yup."
"Where am I?"
She pushed up on her elbows and kicked off the covers, yawning a little.
"My apartment, actually." He said with a grin.
"Oh. I think I remember now." She rubbed her head, then began fixing her mussed hair. "I fought through the Joker gas by dancing with Pan."
"Pan?"
"The god."
"Oh, yeah. Right." He didn't really have any idea, but figured he could leave the questions to when she woke up a little more. "Listen, we need to get back up to the Watchtower."
"You don't live here anymore." She said distractedly, getting up and walking over to look at a bare nail sticking out of the wall, where a photograph used to hang.
"Uh... not really." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Watchtower, two to beam up!"
Diana looked a little more clear-headed as they materialized on the transporter pad. Bruce was waiting, immediately stepping forward through the crowd forming up there.
"We need to get you to the medical bay."
She nodded and followed, rubbing her head again as they walked over to the elevator.
"So Supes." Wally followed Clark back to the control room, where he sat down and began flipping through the monitor screens. "You talk to Bats?"
"About what, exactly?"
"The uh, Luthor thing. What else?" 'What else indeed.'
"Yes."
"Oh. So, what do you think?"
"When's he ever wrong, right?" Clark replied sounding almost... bitter.
"You know him... Uh, are you alright?"
Clark sighed.
"I'm fine, Wally." This time, Wally could believe the tone. Perhaps he'd just imagined it. "How are you?"
"Skippy." Wally grinned and hopped up on the console, making sure not to hit any buttons that might cause a stream of chaos.
"We're going to hold a meeting in an hour, have you filled out a mission report yet?"
"Oh, uh, not yet. I'll go do that."
Wally went back to his quarters and did just that, then went for a run around the Watchtower to clear his head and ended up in the medical bay.
Bruce was still with Diana; he couldn't hear what they were talking about, so he rapped on the metal door frame and looked in expectantly.
"Hello, Flash." Diana said from her seated position on the bed.
Wally strolled in and grinned at her, hopping up on the bed next to hers.
"How are you feeling?"
"Significantly better. And quite relieved I didn't do anything I'd regret." She gave him a warm smile. "I don't think I'll be quitting my day job for comedy anytime soon."
"Now there's an image. So, Pan?"
She nodded.
"Yes. His chaos overcame the Joker's, but also overcame me. It was a risk, but I didn't see another choice."
Wally only have a vague idea of how Diana's relationship to the gods worked, but he got the gist of it. She could talk to them, and ask them stuff, and they were there to answer her. She was lucky that way.
"Sounds like I missed a lot of excitement down there at stately Wayne Manor." He swung his legs back and forth for a moment, then looked at Bruce, who was looking over a readout on a monitor. "Do any of 'em remember anything useful, do you know?"
"None of them have any recollection of events taking place after they first met Brannock." He tapped his com like someone had just buzzed him. "Go ahead. Hn. I'll be right there." He tapped it again, then looked at Wally. "Steel just got one of Brannock's computers online."
"Was it the one with the green face?"
"Perhaps you should come with me." He turned and nodded at Diana. "Princess."
Wally gave her a wave and followed him out.
They made their way to the workshop, where Steel had Oracle hooked up to his big power source, a generator independent of the Watchtower's systems. Wally knew that from the times he'd come down here to bug him about stuff. Steel would always answer his questions for a while, then shoo him out with the hammer once his patience ran out.
As he walked up to the big computer, her screen flickered to life and she fixated her gaze on Wally.
"I think you guys outta seal off this room for the time being, vents and all." He said, and listened to Steel quickly do just that. "Hi Oracle. Remember me?"
"Your actions led to a shutdown of my systems and an aborting of several command functions."
"Sorry. No hard feelings?"
"That area of my programming has been disabled." She said, looking at him curiously.
Steel and Bats were just watching, monitoring and letting the exchange play out.
"What are your command functions now?"
"Null."
"Oh. So if I asked you some questions, you could answer 'em?"
"Yes."
"Did you make the nano-things that could mind-control people?"
"That was among my commands."
"Do you know what Maxwell Brannock was planning to do?"
"My secondary systems were being utilized to calculate an unknown algorithm, but my resources were needed for other tasks and it was moved out of my programming."
Steel flipped open a monitor on the side of Oracle and began looking typing something with a stern look on his face.
"There's been a recent memory wipe, I'm betting that's why he just left her down there. The other computers were totally empty." He said thoughtfully.
"My redundancy systems prevent a total wipe of my core."
"What's this?" Steel asked, still clicking away.
"Me."
He continued scrolling through the screen, then turned to Batman.
"She's sentient. Look at this. He managed to cut her off from AI programming like I've never seen. It's all adapting as we speak, and look at this." Wally didn't see what he pointed to, but whatever it was made Bruce look surprised.
"Turn it back on."
"Are you sure?"
"If she is indeed sentient, as you say, we have a responsibility to restore her mind."
"Batman, she could be dangerous."
"We'll discuss it." He replied tersely. "Right now, I believe Flash and I have a meeting to attend. Keep me apprised."
"Well, I guess that's my cue. I'll talk to you later, Oracle."
He waved, and couldn't help but feel a growing attachment to her for some reason. As they left, he mulled it over in his mind; why the heck would he like a computer? Huh. Should feel bitter, if anything, but it didn't seem like any of this was her fault.
* * *
A long council meeting. Wally was ready to go circle the globe a few times.
He rehashed everything he knew, they discussed, blah blah blah. He wanted to be doing something, not just talking about it, and it was a little maddening sometimes.
Of course, it was still important and all. Bruce told them all about his theory; Brannock had the Anti-Life Equation, and had been using his talents to rope the tech world and a chunk of the meta population into helping him develop a way to use it. He wasn't attacking the League so much as treating them like an obstacle at every turn.
A big, angry obstacle.
"I believe we have another issue that we need to discuss." Bruce said after a lull. "Oracle. Steel believes she has been separated from her sentient mind."
"So let's keep it that way." Shayera said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Who knows what it's capable of, if everything you've said here is true."
"It is." Wally piped in. "You heard what I said. I mean, why else would he just let us pick her up? I really think he's going to try and take over the Watchtower still. I think he's planning on having her here."
"So what do you think, Flash?" Clark asked.
"Me?" Someone asking for his advise was definitely unexpected. Especially Clark. "Well... I think we should wait. What if she turns out to be some kind of crazy program like Brainiac?"
"That area of her programming may give us an advantage." Bruce replied neutrally.
"Aren't you all about the paranoid caution Bats?" Wally said.
"I have faith in Steel's ability to discount any risks, but if she is indeed a sentient being..."
"You're both right." John cut in quickly.
Wally wondered if that was an argument that just happened, as everyone looked to Clark for a final say. Like Oracle or not, she's ratted him out, and he wasn't convinced there wasn't something else going on here. Channelling Bats when Bruce wasn't even channelling Bats. Huh.
"We'll wait until Steel makes more progress to make a final judgment." Clark said. "Right now there's a significant portion of the League standing by on the Watchtower, for the time being, we wait for J'onn to report back. He should be in eleven hours, if all goes well. We still have other responsibilities for the time being. We're not going to let fear of this man disrupt that."
Which reminded Wally that it'd be almost dark in Gotham again, and Bruce couldn't go out tonight, still laying low.
As the meeting finally ended, Wally walked out of the room and let Bruce catch up to him. They both transported down to the cave, and it was then that he turned to him and cocked his head to one side.
"I want to help with patrol tonight."
Bruce pulled off the cowl and nodded.
"If you believe you're up to it."
"Of course I'm up to it." Wally zipped into Shadow's uniform, everything but the mask, and crossed his arms with a confidant grin. "Besides, maybe I'll run into Catwoman again."
"Again?" Bruce asked as he sat down at the console and began flipping through news channels. "Heh. Just be careful of her."
"What, like everyone else in this city?"
"More. She's... clever."
Wally laughed and hopped up on the console.
"The outfit doesn't hurt, either."
"You'd be surprised."
"Would I now? Hmm... I think you should brief me on all of the dangers of Gotham City." Wally jumped down and landed in front of Bruce's chair, kneeling between his legs and looking up. He ran his hands over Bruce's thighs and licked his lips. "I'm kinda in the mood for a stern lecture."
"That so?"
"Mmmhmmm."
Wally didn't know why he began unbuckling the utility belt like Bruce had taught him to, so it wouldn't try and electrocute him, and he didn't know why he began hitching down the tight fabric that wrinkled in resistance around kevlar lining, also done carefully so he wouldn't get a face full of pepper spray. He just... wanted to, as if driven to.
He looked up and Bruce was looking back down, like there was some unasked question falling off his lips, his eyes dark and hungry.
Wally didn't have any answers for him, so he just began licking the trail of dark hair that vanished underneath the uniform. He hadn't been up to his usual acrobatics, but there was still the moist flavour of sweat; it just made him want more.
Bruce took in a sharp breath and his legs relaxed a little further apart as Wally curved his fingers around the waistband and slid them back and forward again, pulling them down to the tops of his thighs and freeing his ultimate goal; already flushed and erect.
He took off the gauntlets of the dark uniform and wrapped one of his hands around the hot skin, then looked up wickedly as he ran his tongue up the length of the shaft, watching Bruce's face shift further into helpless desire, until he moaned and threw his head back.
Perhaps he'd just wanted to see the power he had over the most dangerous man in the world. Or maybe he wanted give in to the power that ran the other way. Whatever it was, in a silence broken only by Bruce's groans of pleasure, he threw himself into an act he'd never even considered before.
Wally found himself moaning, too, as Bruce's fingers became woven in his hair in a way that sent sparks through his groin. He could feel every pulse of blood and taste every facet of him under his lips, and he reveled in it, never knowing just how intimate it could be.
He wrapped his teeth in his lips and ran them up and down a few times, slicked with saliva, until Bruce was crying out for God and gripping the arm of the chair with white knuckles. He didn't find God, just gently vibrating fingers brushing along behind a wet tongue curling around the head.
"Wally..." Bruce breathed, "I can't..."
He didn't respond, but wrapped his hand around tighter and took the tip between his lips until he could taste cloying, hot salt and Bruce's fingers tensed sharply in his hair, then slowly relaxed and pulled away.
Wally leaned his head down and caught his breath, brushing his hand across his mouth. After a moment, he shifted the uniform's pants back up and curled up in Bruce's lap, leaning over to breathe in the sweat in his hair.
"My God Wally." Bruce finally said as he began possessively clutching at Wally's thighs.
"Mm, and don't you forget it."
He felt worn out, and his mind began buzzing with everything he had to do, but managed to push it aside in favour of listening to Bruce's heartbeat and playing with the edges of his cape for a long while.
* * *
Wally left Bruce downstairs, once he was in a condition to work again, splashed water on his face, and went to go find Bart. He felt a little guilty for not going to see him right away, but he looked fine as he leaped up and gave Wally a big hug when he went to their apartment. The wave of destruction had missed their end of things entirely, and actually wasn't as bad as he thought it'd be.
There was plastic up in the front windows and the door, and Alfred was still sweeping things up in the hall; but he'd run past at speed and dove into a rapid-fire exchange with Bart.
"I'm so gladyou'reok!" Bart laughed, "I was really worried, and Mr. Wayne was reallyreallyreally worried I could tell!"
"When doesn't he worry, huh?"
Bart told him everything about fighting Clayface and Metallo with a broad grin on his face; Wally was pretty impressed, and let him know as much.
"I couldn't believe it Wally! Then Mr. Wayne took me in his plane and we saw the Joker. I didn't like him a bit, he looked like he wanted to bite my face off!"
"With those teeth? No kidding."
"I could get him, though!"
"Think so, huh?"
Wally laughed and tickled Bart, then raced off before he could fight back, and they chased each other around the manor, through long winding halls and down past a disapproving-looking Alfred. They were careful not make a mess, but the curtains still fluttered in their wake and a few papers on Bruce's desk had to be replaced before the chase resumed.
He snuck Bruce a kiss as they flew through where he was walking out of the kitchen, which was enough for Bart to catch him and send them both skidding into a wall on one of the elaborate carpets. They play wrestled until Wally finally let him win and laughed at him.
"Hungry?"
Wally yawned and they went into the kitchen for a snack; then they were both yawning, and he sat down on a couch in the spared sitting-room, setting the bag of Doritos on the coffee table and telling himself that he was just going close his eyes for a minute. He leaned into the side of the cushions, and when Bart slumped over next to him, he didn't say anything, just felt even more drowsy. The day must have caught up with him already.
He heard Bart start snoring softly, himself dangerously close to nodding off as he heard a pair of footsteps swishing over the carpet.
"What have I done, Alfred?" Bruce asked in a deep, amused tone.
"To reiterate a metaphor of yours, sir, I believe you've adopted a pair of stray cats."
Wally smiled a little as he fell asleep to the sound of Bruce chuckling.
* * *
When he woke back up, it was dark and there were blankets on top of them. It was so quiet he could hear humming from the refrigerator in the kitchen. Wally stretched and picked Bart up, carrying him into his bed and tucking him in. He didn't wake up more than to mumble a few words he couldn't quite catch, then was snoring again.
The clock told him it was almost 4am, so chances were Bruce was still awake. Wally changed into jeans and a sweatshirt that was far too big for him, and tiptoed through the kitchen and down to the cave.
He expected him to be at the computer, but the console was dark and there was nobody there.
"Bruce?"
"Over here."
He followed the voice down to where the "fleet" was parked, and found him fiddling with a computer panel out of one of the Batmobiles.
"Have a nice nap?" Bruce said with a smirk.
"So I was more tired than I thought." He peered over into the hood and began examining the engine with his eyes; it was marvelous, as they all were.
"I'm thinking of designing a new car." Bruce said through the beeping noises of his work. "Or maybe you'd like to do it."
Wally laughed and jumped up on the workbench.
"Oh yeah? That'd be unbearably cool."
"I'd have to approve the design."
"Well, yeah. You didn't get any sleep yet, did you?"
"I got a few hours." He looked up as Wally didn't respond. "Really."
Bruce finished his work and slammed down the hood, then rubbed his hands on a towel.
"I don't think I could get back to sleep." Wally said.
"Mm."
Wally hopped down and sprawled over the hood of the Batmobile like an 80's music video girl, giving Bruce a wink. Bruce crossed his arms and looked at him with another smirk.
"I like your car." Wally said, pulling up the edge of his sweatshirt as if it was an accident and ran his thumb just inside the waistband of his jeans.
"Apparently."
"Are you jealous?"
"Impossibly."
Bruce stepped forward and ran his hands over Wally's skin, working his lips over his collarbone and up his jaw.
"You're awfully... frisky tonight." Bruce said wryly. "And you make a good hood ornament."
"I'll put it on my resume`."
Whatever reply he would have given was stolen away by an alarm sounding at the computer that made Bruce leap up and run the steps with a determined look in his eyes.
"What is it?"
Bruce didn't respond right away, but was bringing up schematics of the Watchtower.
"Two minutes ago Steel's workshop lost containment. We have to assume the entire Watchtower has been compromised." Bruce tapped a button on the console. "Batman to Watchtower, Watchtower respond."
He brought up security feeds and frowned; nobody was talking or looking at each other, but had immediately begun to converge on the control room or the engineering section.
"I was afraid of this." He said tersely, before hitting another series of keys. "Batman to all reserves and personnel on the ground, report."
The replies were few, and most were either groggy or had their hands full with their own missions of one kind or another. The Watchtower had been a full house when they left, and still was, according to the monitors.
"Wally, suit up; wear black."
Part Thirty-Six: Fear & Love
"If you could have any superpower, what would it be?" Wally winced as Bruce swabbed a particularly deep cut on his leg with antiseptic.
Bruce's insistence.
"I have no need for metahuman abilities."
"Well, duh. You're like, Batman. But if you'd have any one, what would it be? There's gotta be at least one."
Wally crossed his arms and nestled his head in them as Bruce began putting bandages on with careful ministration.
"The ability to manipulate time is tempting, but in my experience, not worth the risk and hassle."
"Yeah. Time travel sucks." Wally had a few flashbacks about pirate cheetahs and being hunted by super-intelligent apes. As if he didn't have enough trouble with them already. "I don't think I'd ever want to use the Treadmill again, not unless I really really had to."
"I read the mission report you and Atom filed."
"Yeah. That time. I mean... there wasn't any other way but... I had to let someone die... to preserve the time stream, I know, but.. I dunno if I could have done it without Atom being there." Wally sighed. "Alright. So no time crap."
"Mm." Bruce began gently rubbing his hands up and down Wally's legs, massaging some of the sore tension away. He took the moment to be thankful they were still alone in his quarters, without all the need for secrecy and prudence, and he could just hang out in his undies. "What would you want?"
"Other than what I can already do?" Wally said with a laugh. "Well... I'd want to fly." He sighed and shifted around a little as Bruce's thumbs began working deeper into his muscles. "You know. I've always wanted to fly. Soar up over everything like a bird. You know... I always thought you could. Until I knew you."
"It's a common misconception."
"But no changing the subject."
"Hh. Well... telepathy would be very useful in my work."
"Yeah. That's what J'onn does. That one time, he just went up to Granny Awfulness and was like, try not to think about what I want to know. That was awesome."
Wally squeaked as Bruce suddenly dug his thumbs deep into the muscles of his butt, hitting unexpectedly sore spots that in concentric circles that strummed over tight spots like tender guitar strings. He didn't realize just how messed up he'd been from running so hard then not being able to.
"Does that hurt?" Bruce murmured.
"A little, in a good way kinda."
"Mm."
The fingers moved up to his spine, where he pushed down hard and he could hear a cracking noises as Wally couldn't help but grunt a little. He felt like he was going to fall asleep as Bruce continued up to his shoulders deftly.
"Y'r awful good at this."
"Comes with the territory."
"Shouldn't we be all saving the world?"
"J'onn will contact us."
"But."
"Wally." Bruce pulled him up to face him and stroked his cheek tenderly. "Wally, I... I'm not good at talking about these things."
"What things?"
There was a long pause, and Bruce clutched at one of Wally's hands with his own.
"How many times have I almost lost you?" Bruce swallowed and frowned deeply. "When we started this, I had... reservations. I've let people in before, close, blinding me to things because I... wanted to know what it was like to be happy."
"You deserve that, Bruce." Wally whispered.
"Perhaps. But what I'm trying to say is... I never thought someone could ever become more important to me than my mission, not again. I thought my chance to feel something other than loss had come and gone. But you..." He sighed stroked his fingers behind Wally's ear as he listened a little speechless. "I'm so afraid of losing again." He whispered.
"I didn't think you were afraid of anything." Wally replied quietly, not really knowing what else to say.
Bruce stood up and looked away, facing Wally's mirror on the wall with his arms crossed. For long moments, he just stared at his reflection without a hint of expression.
"You never asked me about the gun." He finally said, and left a long pause hanging in the air. "I think it would surprise you to know how I feel about guns."
"Well..." Wally wiggled over to the side of the bed. "I know you don't like them."
"It's not just that."
Bruce's voice was heavy with emotion, like he didn't know quite how to say it. He slid off the bed and sat cross-legged at Bruce's feet, leaning his head against his leg.
"So what is it?"
Bruce let out a deep sigh.
"Memories fade with time, become distorted and warped. I shouldn't be able to picture the gun so clearly, but I can. I could describe it to you, every scratch and mar, the exact make and colour, everything. Every year it becomes clearer, more vivid in my mind. Like a nightmare."
Wally wrapped one of his arms around the leather and buckles of Bruce's boots and sighed sadly. Sometimes he felt like he'd give anything to take away those memories, the images that roused him in the night to Bruce's screaming in anguish beside him, dripping with cold sweat and looking for all the world like a lost little boy. It'd only happened a couple times...
But it still happened.
He never had to say what it was, and he didn't have to tell him which gun he was talking about. They'd never discussed it. But Wally knew, like most people did; it was a matter of public record and speculation, especially ever since... Vesper's death.
"I held on to that fear, told myself it kept me cautious, kept me from getting too bold. But... some things have to be let go. So I bought a gun. Such a small, humble word for such an object of horror. Even as a wraith in the night, I could never produce such fear as the threat of a bullet." Bruce laced bare fingers in Wally's hair, but still stared straight ahead at his shadowy reflection. "One of the fears I've been learning to cope with, and face. Even locked away in the evidence warehouse downtown, that gun I bought might as well still be sitting in my home."
Wally played with the laces on Bruce's boots a little. He knew all too well that there wasn't a thing he could say in consolation without it coming out trite and ultimately meaningless.
"I'm scared of things, too." Wally finally said. "Ever since... those times... I can't bear the thought of being... trapped. Used to be I was afraid of running too fast. Now it's just... not being able to." He chewed on his lip a little. "It was all I could do to... distract myself... not panic."
"That you didn't is admirable." Bruce said as he began slowly scratching Wally's scalp and tangling his fingers in his hair. "I could... help you deal with that. After this is done."
Wally wondered what that meant, but didn't ask; merely nodded a little.
"I think we should go check on stuff." Wally said after a drawn-out silence.
He stood up and hugged Bruce tight, until he relaxed and returned the embrace like a long-absent comfort. Bruce put his gauntlets back on and Wally zipped into his own uniform, now with detachable gauntlets he slid on and tested out by gripping and relaxing his fists.
Then Bruce wrapped his arms around him from behind, draping his cape around them both, and leaning his head down over his shoulder. Wally nuzzled his face against Bruce's and smiled, feeling all warm and wrapped up in him.
"I'm more important than your mission?" He finally whispered uncertainly.
"I'd give it all up for you, if you asked."
There was a sudden lump in Wally's throat, and he fought off a surge of happy tears. He never imagined that would even be possible before, let alone up to him. Wally also knew he'd never ask that of Bruce; Batman was as much a part of their lives as either of their secret identities, an overwhelming force that he'd never think to quell with a desire.
"I love you, Bruce." Wally looked up into his eyes and smiled even more.
Bruce smiled back like a ray of sun breaking through the clouds, and kissed him softly.
"I love you, Wally." He whispered, then pressed his lips against his forehead reverently.
He held him there for a few more moments, until the need to finally get back to their work returned, and with unspoken acknowledgment, they both let go and put on their other faces.
They walked out of the room without looking at each other, walking in tandem with calculated distance between them through the busy halls up to the control room. Superman was still up there, and turned around to face Bruce as they approached.
"We've just found Diana. She set off the security system in Flash's apartment, it buzzed up here not three minutes ago."
"I'll go." Wally said. "Bring her back, see what's up."
Clark nodded.
"Any word from J'onn?" Bruce asked.
"Not yet, I'd let you know right away if he did. But if you're right, it shouldn't be too much longer."
"Hn."
Wally transported down to his living room, cautiously looking around; but it was all still and quiet. And dark.
His front window had been broken and there was glass on the carpet, making it pretty obvious just how she'd gotten in and set off the Bat alarms.
"Diana?" He peeked around, with the strange familiar feeling of being back here after moving out, as well as a little apprehension; she didn't seem to be in a mood to be reckoned with, according to Bats. "Hello?"
As he walked into his bedroom, the first thing he fixated on was a rumpled looking Amazon sleeping in his bed.
"Flash to Watchtower. I found her; she's asleep. I should be up in a few."
Wally slowly over to the bed and put his hand on her shoulder, shaking it gently.
"Um, Diana?"
"G'way."
She batted at his hand, which he made sure to avoid.
"Wake up Wondie."
He shook her again, and she turned over and blinked at him.
"Wally?"
"Yup."
"Where am I?"
She pushed up on her elbows and kicked off the covers, yawning a little.
"My apartment, actually." He said with a grin.
"Oh. I think I remember now." She rubbed her head, then began fixing her mussed hair. "I fought through the Joker gas by dancing with Pan."
"Pan?"
"The god."
"Oh, yeah. Right." He didn't really have any idea, but figured he could leave the questions to when she woke up a little more. "Listen, we need to get back up to the Watchtower."
"You don't live here anymore." She said distractedly, getting up and walking over to look at a bare nail sticking out of the wall, where a photograph used to hang.
"Uh... not really." He put a hand on her shoulder. "Watchtower, two to beam up!"
Diana looked a little more clear-headed as they materialized on the transporter pad. Bruce was waiting, immediately stepping forward through the crowd forming up there.
"We need to get you to the medical bay."
She nodded and followed, rubbing her head again as they walked over to the elevator.
"So Supes." Wally followed Clark back to the control room, where he sat down and began flipping through the monitor screens. "You talk to Bats?"
"About what, exactly?"
"The uh, Luthor thing. What else?" 'What else indeed.'
"Yes."
"Oh. So, what do you think?"
"When's he ever wrong, right?" Clark replied sounding almost... bitter.
"You know him... Uh, are you alright?"
Clark sighed.
"I'm fine, Wally." This time, Wally could believe the tone. Perhaps he'd just imagined it. "How are you?"
"Skippy." Wally grinned and hopped up on the console, making sure not to hit any buttons that might cause a stream of chaos.
"We're going to hold a meeting in an hour, have you filled out a mission report yet?"
"Oh, uh, not yet. I'll go do that."
Wally went back to his quarters and did just that, then went for a run around the Watchtower to clear his head and ended up in the medical bay.
Bruce was still with Diana; he couldn't hear what they were talking about, so he rapped on the metal door frame and looked in expectantly.
"Hello, Flash." Diana said from her seated position on the bed.
Wally strolled in and grinned at her, hopping up on the bed next to hers.
"How are you feeling?"
"Significantly better. And quite relieved I didn't do anything I'd regret." She gave him a warm smile. "I don't think I'll be quitting my day job for comedy anytime soon."
"Now there's an image. So, Pan?"
She nodded.
"Yes. His chaos overcame the Joker's, but also overcame me. It was a risk, but I didn't see another choice."
Wally only have a vague idea of how Diana's relationship to the gods worked, but he got the gist of it. She could talk to them, and ask them stuff, and they were there to answer her. She was lucky that way.
"Sounds like I missed a lot of excitement down there at stately Wayne Manor." He swung his legs back and forth for a moment, then looked at Bruce, who was looking over a readout on a monitor. "Do any of 'em remember anything useful, do you know?"
"None of them have any recollection of events taking place after they first met Brannock." He tapped his com like someone had just buzzed him. "Go ahead. Hn. I'll be right there." He tapped it again, then looked at Wally. "Steel just got one of Brannock's computers online."
"Was it the one with the green face?"
"Perhaps you should come with me." He turned and nodded at Diana. "Princess."
Wally gave her a wave and followed him out.
They made their way to the workshop, where Steel had Oracle hooked up to his big power source, a generator independent of the Watchtower's systems. Wally knew that from the times he'd come down here to bug him about stuff. Steel would always answer his questions for a while, then shoo him out with the hammer once his patience ran out.
As he walked up to the big computer, her screen flickered to life and she fixated her gaze on Wally.
"I think you guys outta seal off this room for the time being, vents and all." He said, and listened to Steel quickly do just that. "Hi Oracle. Remember me?"
"Your actions led to a shutdown of my systems and an aborting of several command functions."
"Sorry. No hard feelings?"
"That area of my programming has been disabled." She said, looking at him curiously.
Steel and Bats were just watching, monitoring and letting the exchange play out.
"What are your command functions now?"
"Null."
"Oh. So if I asked you some questions, you could answer 'em?"
"Yes."
"Did you make the nano-things that could mind-control people?"
"That was among my commands."
"Do you know what Maxwell Brannock was planning to do?"
"My secondary systems were being utilized to calculate an unknown algorithm, but my resources were needed for other tasks and it was moved out of my programming."
Steel flipped open a monitor on the side of Oracle and began looking typing something with a stern look on his face.
"There's been a recent memory wipe, I'm betting that's why he just left her down there. The other computers were totally empty." He said thoughtfully.
"My redundancy systems prevent a total wipe of my core."
"What's this?" Steel asked, still clicking away.
"Me."
He continued scrolling through the screen, then turned to Batman.
"She's sentient. Look at this. He managed to cut her off from AI programming like I've never seen. It's all adapting as we speak, and look at this." Wally didn't see what he pointed to, but whatever it was made Bruce look surprised.
"Turn it back on."
"Are you sure?"
"If she is indeed sentient, as you say, we have a responsibility to restore her mind."
"Batman, she could be dangerous."
"We'll discuss it." He replied tersely. "Right now, I believe Flash and I have a meeting to attend. Keep me apprised."
"Well, I guess that's my cue. I'll talk to you later, Oracle."
He waved, and couldn't help but feel a growing attachment to her for some reason. As they left, he mulled it over in his mind; why the heck would he like a computer? Huh. Should feel bitter, if anything, but it didn't seem like any of this was her fault.
* * *
A long council meeting. Wally was ready to go circle the globe a few times.
He rehashed everything he knew, they discussed, blah blah blah. He wanted to be doing something, not just talking about it, and it was a little maddening sometimes.
Of course, it was still important and all. Bruce told them all about his theory; Brannock had the Anti-Life Equation, and had been using his talents to rope the tech world and a chunk of the meta population into helping him develop a way to use it. He wasn't attacking the League so much as treating them like an obstacle at every turn.
A big, angry obstacle.
"I believe we have another issue that we need to discuss." Bruce said after a lull. "Oracle. Steel believes she has been separated from her sentient mind."
"So let's keep it that way." Shayera said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Who knows what it's capable of, if everything you've said here is true."
"It is." Wally piped in. "You heard what I said. I mean, why else would he just let us pick her up? I really think he's going to try and take over the Watchtower still. I think he's planning on having her here."
"So what do you think, Flash?" Clark asked.
"Me?" Someone asking for his advise was definitely unexpected. Especially Clark. "Well... I think we should wait. What if she turns out to be some kind of crazy program like Brainiac?"
"That area of her programming may give us an advantage." Bruce replied neutrally.
"Aren't you all about the paranoid caution Bats?" Wally said.
"I have faith in Steel's ability to discount any risks, but if she is indeed a sentient being..."
"You're both right." John cut in quickly.
Wally wondered if that was an argument that just happened, as everyone looked to Clark for a final say. Like Oracle or not, she's ratted him out, and he wasn't convinced there wasn't something else going on here. Channelling Bats when Bruce wasn't even channelling Bats. Huh.
"We'll wait until Steel makes more progress to make a final judgment." Clark said. "Right now there's a significant portion of the League standing by on the Watchtower, for the time being, we wait for J'onn to report back. He should be in eleven hours, if all goes well. We still have other responsibilities for the time being. We're not going to let fear of this man disrupt that."
Which reminded Wally that it'd be almost dark in Gotham again, and Bruce couldn't go out tonight, still laying low.
As the meeting finally ended, Wally walked out of the room and let Bruce catch up to him. They both transported down to the cave, and it was then that he turned to him and cocked his head to one side.
"I want to help with patrol tonight."
Bruce pulled off the cowl and nodded.
"If you believe you're up to it."
"Of course I'm up to it." Wally zipped into Shadow's uniform, everything but the mask, and crossed his arms with a confidant grin. "Besides, maybe I'll run into Catwoman again."
"Again?" Bruce asked as he sat down at the console and began flipping through news channels. "Heh. Just be careful of her."
"What, like everyone else in this city?"
"More. She's... clever."
Wally laughed and hopped up on the console.
"The outfit doesn't hurt, either."
"You'd be surprised."
"Would I now? Hmm... I think you should brief me on all of the dangers of Gotham City." Wally jumped down and landed in front of Bruce's chair, kneeling between his legs and looking up. He ran his hands over Bruce's thighs and licked his lips. "I'm kinda in the mood for a stern lecture."
"That so?"
"Mmmhmmm."
Wally didn't know why he began unbuckling the utility belt like Bruce had taught him to, so it wouldn't try and electrocute him, and he didn't know why he began hitching down the tight fabric that wrinkled in resistance around kevlar lining, also done carefully so he wouldn't get a face full of pepper spray. He just... wanted to, as if driven to.
He looked up and Bruce was looking back down, like there was some unasked question falling off his lips, his eyes dark and hungry.
Wally didn't have any answers for him, so he just began licking the trail of dark hair that vanished underneath the uniform. He hadn't been up to his usual acrobatics, but there was still the moist flavour of sweat; it just made him want more.
Bruce took in a sharp breath and his legs relaxed a little further apart as Wally curved his fingers around the waistband and slid them back and forward again, pulling them down to the tops of his thighs and freeing his ultimate goal; already flushed and erect.
He took off the gauntlets of the dark uniform and wrapped one of his hands around the hot skin, then looked up wickedly as he ran his tongue up the length of the shaft, watching Bruce's face shift further into helpless desire, until he moaned and threw his head back.
Perhaps he'd just wanted to see the power he had over the most dangerous man in the world. Or maybe he wanted give in to the power that ran the other way. Whatever it was, in a silence broken only by Bruce's groans of pleasure, he threw himself into an act he'd never even considered before.
Wally found himself moaning, too, as Bruce's fingers became woven in his hair in a way that sent sparks through his groin. He could feel every pulse of blood and taste every facet of him under his lips, and he reveled in it, never knowing just how intimate it could be.
He wrapped his teeth in his lips and ran them up and down a few times, slicked with saliva, until Bruce was crying out for God and gripping the arm of the chair with white knuckles. He didn't find God, just gently vibrating fingers brushing along behind a wet tongue curling around the head.
"Wally..." Bruce breathed, "I can't..."
He didn't respond, but wrapped his hand around tighter and took the tip between his lips until he could taste cloying, hot salt and Bruce's fingers tensed sharply in his hair, then slowly relaxed and pulled away.
Wally leaned his head down and caught his breath, brushing his hand across his mouth. After a moment, he shifted the uniform's pants back up and curled up in Bruce's lap, leaning over to breathe in the sweat in his hair.
"My God Wally." Bruce finally said as he began possessively clutching at Wally's thighs.
"Mm, and don't you forget it."
He felt worn out, and his mind began buzzing with everything he had to do, but managed to push it aside in favour of listening to Bruce's heartbeat and playing with the edges of his cape for a long while.
* * *
Wally left Bruce downstairs, once he was in a condition to work again, splashed water on his face, and went to go find Bart. He felt a little guilty for not going to see him right away, but he looked fine as he leaped up and gave Wally a big hug when he went to their apartment. The wave of destruction had missed their end of things entirely, and actually wasn't as bad as he thought it'd be.
There was plastic up in the front windows and the door, and Alfred was still sweeping things up in the hall; but he'd run past at speed and dove into a rapid-fire exchange with Bart.
"I'm so gladyou'reok!" Bart laughed, "I was really worried, and Mr. Wayne was reallyreallyreally worried I could tell!"
"When doesn't he worry, huh?"
Bart told him everything about fighting Clayface and Metallo with a broad grin on his face; Wally was pretty impressed, and let him know as much.
"I couldn't believe it Wally! Then Mr. Wayne took me in his plane and we saw the Joker. I didn't like him a bit, he looked like he wanted to bite my face off!"
"With those teeth? No kidding."
"I could get him, though!"
"Think so, huh?"
Wally laughed and tickled Bart, then raced off before he could fight back, and they chased each other around the manor, through long winding halls and down past a disapproving-looking Alfred. They were careful not make a mess, but the curtains still fluttered in their wake and a few papers on Bruce's desk had to be replaced before the chase resumed.
He snuck Bruce a kiss as they flew through where he was walking out of the kitchen, which was enough for Bart to catch him and send them both skidding into a wall on one of the elaborate carpets. They play wrestled until Wally finally let him win and laughed at him.
"Hungry?"
Wally yawned and they went into the kitchen for a snack; then they were both yawning, and he sat down on a couch in the spared sitting-room, setting the bag of Doritos on the coffee table and telling himself that he was just going close his eyes for a minute. He leaned into the side of the cushions, and when Bart slumped over next to him, he didn't say anything, just felt even more drowsy. The day must have caught up with him already.
He heard Bart start snoring softly, himself dangerously close to nodding off as he heard a pair of footsteps swishing over the carpet.
"What have I done, Alfred?" Bruce asked in a deep, amused tone.
"To reiterate a metaphor of yours, sir, I believe you've adopted a pair of stray cats."
Wally smiled a little as he fell asleep to the sound of Bruce chuckling.
* * *
When he woke back up, it was dark and there were blankets on top of them. It was so quiet he could hear humming from the refrigerator in the kitchen. Wally stretched and picked Bart up, carrying him into his bed and tucking him in. He didn't wake up more than to mumble a few words he couldn't quite catch, then was snoring again.
The clock told him it was almost 4am, so chances were Bruce was still awake. Wally changed into jeans and a sweatshirt that was far too big for him, and tiptoed through the kitchen and down to the cave.
He expected him to be at the computer, but the console was dark and there was nobody there.
"Bruce?"
"Over here."
He followed the voice down to where the "fleet" was parked, and found him fiddling with a computer panel out of one of the Batmobiles.
"Have a nice nap?" Bruce said with a smirk.
"So I was more tired than I thought." He peered over into the hood and began examining the engine with his eyes; it was marvelous, as they all were.
"I'm thinking of designing a new car." Bruce said through the beeping noises of his work. "Or maybe you'd like to do it."
Wally laughed and jumped up on the workbench.
"Oh yeah? That'd be unbearably cool."
"I'd have to approve the design."
"Well, yeah. You didn't get any sleep yet, did you?"
"I got a few hours." He looked up as Wally didn't respond. "Really."
Bruce finished his work and slammed down the hood, then rubbed his hands on a towel.
"I don't think I could get back to sleep." Wally said.
"Mm."
Wally hopped down and sprawled over the hood of the Batmobile like an 80's music video girl, giving Bruce a wink. Bruce crossed his arms and looked at him with another smirk.
"I like your car." Wally said, pulling up the edge of his sweatshirt as if it was an accident and ran his thumb just inside the waistband of his jeans.
"Apparently."
"Are you jealous?"
"Impossibly."
Bruce stepped forward and ran his hands over Wally's skin, working his lips over his collarbone and up his jaw.
"You're awfully... frisky tonight." Bruce said wryly. "And you make a good hood ornament."
"I'll put it on my resume`."
Whatever reply he would have given was stolen away by an alarm sounding at the computer that made Bruce leap up and run the steps with a determined look in his eyes.
"What is it?"
Bruce didn't respond right away, but was bringing up schematics of the Watchtower.
"Two minutes ago Steel's workshop lost containment. We have to assume the entire Watchtower has been compromised." Bruce tapped a button on the console. "Batman to Watchtower, Watchtower respond."
He brought up security feeds and frowned; nobody was talking or looking at each other, but had immediately begun to converge on the control room or the engineering section.
"I was afraid of this." He said tersely, before hitting another series of keys. "Batman to all reserves and personnel on the ground, report."
The replies were few, and most were either groggy or had their hands full with their own missions of one kind or another. The Watchtower had been a full house when they left, and still was, according to the monitors.
"Wally, suit up; wear black."
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on 2006-06-20 04:25 am (UTC)I loved it. You totally rock.
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on 2006-06-20 06:49 am (UTC)This one's gonna leave a mark.
I love this story so much!
:D
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on 2006-06-20 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-06-21 01:21 am (UTC)He's my darling.
:)
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on 2006-06-20 10:15 am (UTC)In the meantime...GREAT CHAPTER!! I love it!
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on 2006-06-20 01:03 pm (UTC)"I'll put it on my resume`."
Too much chuckling going on while I was reading this chapter. Even though most of it probably wasn't as much humor or sarcasm as I thought it was.
"Wally, suit up; wear black."
How I wish there was a picture of him in his black suit... *sniff*sniff* I bet he looks really sexy. I can't wait for the next chapter. The WatchTower has been compromised and as always thing will get hellish before they get better.
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on 2006-06-20 04:58 pm (UTC)I think I'm going to do some art of Wally in the black costume tonight... if I can find a scanner? Different issue altogether. I just lurrve it. :D
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on 2006-06-20 02:35 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-06-20 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-06-20 06:46 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-06-21 10:52 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-06-24 10:05 pm (UTC)SQUEEEEEEEE!
Yeah, that's all. My brain is too filled with general joy to give you anything coherent.
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on 2006-06-26 10:59 pm (UTC)