Chapter Text
"Lex Luthor is hosting a youth retreat for the most well known and influential people in the world; aristocratic teenagers."
Batman stood in the debriefing room facing Kid Flash and Robin. "Their parents may be in charge now, but every one of the kids on the guest list have trust funds with enough money to buy a small country at least. More than that, most of them will inherit the technology and companies that will shape the world in half a century. Even now these are some of the most powerful people in the world. They’re the ones who will shape the future, and some of them have already started.”
Kid Flash crossed his arms, wondering what kids with the literal weight of the world on their shoulders were like. Rude? Entitled? On the other hand, the team had the weight of the world on their shoulders and Wally got along with them. More or less.
“It will be a gathering of the most valuable hostages in the world to say the very least, and Lex Luthor is involved so chances are something is going to happen and it's going to be bad." Batman paused to make eye contact with Robin and Kid Flash in turn. The latter gulped. "Naturally we need someone there to gather information and more importantly, stop any plans Luthor may have to endanger or threaten these kids. You two are the only option."
Kid Flash frowned, "Wait, how are we the only option?"
Batman didn’t answer and Kid Flash realized why when Robin sighed, drawing Kid Flash’s attention immediately. "Because," he said, removing his mask, "as Dick Grayson, son of Bruce Wayne, I have an invitation. With a plus one I'm guessing. And you're the only option for that plus one because you already know my secret identity."
For possibly the thousandth time KF was distracted from Dick's words by those crystal blue eyes. But he did catch Batman's answering nod.
"You're exactly correct Robin. However, there are... complications, that I need to point out to you both." Batman's words addressed both of them, but he was definitely looking at Kid Flash. "Besides the obvious threat to your secret identities that comes with using them for a mission, there are a multitude of problems that mostly stem from the fact that it's a couples retreat."
Dick choked on air, the first sign of surprise he’d shown so far. "What?"
"The plus one is exclusively reserved for SO's of the invited kids." Batman confirmed.
"If it’s for couples, wouldn't Babs be more suited to this mission?" Kid Flash asked incredulously.
Batman cocked his head and Dick suddenly seemed to find the floor very interesting. After a very pregnant pause, Batman said, "No. Dick Grayson is very publicly gay. His plus one cannot be a girl."
KF stiffened. How had he not pieced it together? He had heard about a young aristocrat coming out as gay when a homophobic reporter had gotten a little to nosey with the 'When are you going to get a girlfriend?' questions, but KF hadn't looked into it enough to see Dick's name or picture.
For a brief moment, Wally entertained the notion that Dick could have been lying. Being a vigilante didn’t leave a lot of room for dating after all. Saying he was gay might have been a lie to get the reporters off his back about dating someone for a moment.
But he dismissed it immediately. Coming out as gay would have been hard for Dick on a lot of different levels. For starters, it would have brought the media down on him like bats from hell.
Assured that Dick was in fact gay and probably not lying or following some sort of plan, KF took a moment to expand his world view to include a gay Robin. A gay Robin that would still never be interested in me, he thought. All he managed was a small, "Oh."
Batman waited another moment for Kid Flash to process that, while Dick pointedly continued not looking at anyone. Finally he addressed Kid Flash, "Because the retreat is for couples, you would have to deal with the implications of becoming an overnight celebrity as Wally West. Namely, you'd have to tell the world you’re queer and deal with the publicity of dating a celebrity. Including interviews, possibly photo shoots, and of course keeping up the guise while at the retreat. Whatever that necessitates." KF definitely heard something in Batman's voice just then. A sort of angry reluctance. It occured to KF that Batman probably really didn't like the idea of his protege being defiled by a boyfriend, fake or not. Wally might have been terrified if he wasn't still in shock.
"However, all that said, the whole thing would blow over pretty quickly,” Batman continued, “In Gotham they'll probably talk about it for a month at the most and everywhere else will forget about it in a week. The reporters will probably only bother you in the time between Dick RSVPing and the retreat, obviously they won't be allowed at the retreat, and naturally we'll stage your very quiet and private break up directly after the retreat. But because of the nature of this mission and the strain it could put on your life as Wally West and your working relationship as Kid Flash and Robin, this mission is strictly if you both choose to accept. I realize there's a lot to think about and the retreat isn't for a week so I'll give you both the night to think about it. Dismissed."
The boys stood there in shock for another ten seconds before Robin composed himself, put his mask back on, and motioned for KF to leave with him.
Once they got out of earshot Robin spoke, "So... what do you think?"
KF shifted uncomfortably, "I think, that I need to think about it more. I'll... have an answer to that by tomorrow. What do you think?"
Robin sighed, "Honestly Wally? I don't know. I guess if you’re up for it, of course I'll take the mission because I can't think of a good reason not to. So... I guess it's up to you."
Of course there's a- wait what? Wally thought. He was shocked that Robin didn't seem to have any objections to this. He'd expected Rob to be disgusted at having to pretend to be in love with him but... KF shook himself to clear his head. Stop reading so much into it, he told himself. Rob has always been a professional. This is just a mission to him.
Robin clapped him on the back, effectively shaking him out of his thoughts. "I'll see you tomorrow Wally."
Wally hadn't realized they were at the tube already. "Yeah, see you tomorrow."
He found himself surprisingly reluctant to leave, but he did.
***
After a rushed dinner and shower, even by his standards, Wally found himself finally alone with time to think in his room.
Sorting through his thoughts proved... difficult. Sorting through his emotions was like running in a hurricane- without super speed.
Wally took a deep breath. In. Out. In. Out. Chill it West. One thing at a time. That in mind, Wally chose to focus on the technicalities first.
Wally was bisexual. He'd known that for a while. He'd realised somewhere between finding out that checking out a guy’s ass was not something that 'everybody does' and falling hard for his very male teammate. He'd come to terms with it pretty easily. He was bi. It was just another word that described him. Fast. Hungry. Handsome. Smart. Kid Flash. Wally West. Bisexual.
It was that easy.
But telling people was another thing altogether. So far he hadn't really had a sufficient reason. He'd only ever dated girls. And it wasn't that he was ashamed of being bi or anything, he just knew that it was a difficult subject to handle and he had to tell people in the right way to avoid... uncomfortable situations.
Maybe this mission was exactly the opportunity he’d been waiting for. It was a reason to say something without it being awkward or out of the blue.
And because he wasn’t out to anyone, it would make sense that none of his friends knew he was dating Dick Grayson.
So the coming out thing wasn't a problem.
Besides, what better way to come out than on the arm of a smoking hot rich guy who was utterly devoted to you. Wally smiled faintly, if they did this, he would make sure Dick played a very devoted boyfriend.
Which brought him to the next point. The press. Batman had been right of course, the press would forget Wally in a week. And frankly, one week of pretending to be dating Dick for reporters and cameras did not sound bad at all. Come to think of it, it actually sounded kind of nice.
In conclusion, Wally had no reason to say no.
Except his feelings.
If he took this mission it would involve hand holding, hugging, dopey in love smiles, and a whole fake story about how they got together. And he might even have to kiss Dick. They were supposed to be teenagers in love after all.
Wally gulped. The thought of that was terrifying.
It wasn't that he didn't want to. He wanted to. God did he want to. Sometimes he wanted to kiss Robin so much it hurt. But... what he was worried about was after the mission. After he'd gotten to be Dick's boyfriend, after he'd kissed Dick, how was Wally supposed to go back to being ‘just friends’. Idly fantasising about something that would never happen was one thing, but actually having it and then it never happening again? Could Wally do that?
Who knows, maybe kissing him and being his boyfriend for a week or two will finally shake this three year long crush. Wally argued with himself. But really, what were the odds of that?
Wally shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts. What am I doing? There's nothing physically holding me back from this mission. I'm protecting a bunch of very powerful kids. That's what this is. It's my duty as Kid Flash to do this. I can't let my feelings for Dick get in the way of a mission.
That decided it. Tomorrow Wally would go tell Batman and Robin that he would do the mission.
As the saying went, better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Wally was pretty sure it was about your love dying but it seemed applicable to this situation too.
He drifted off to sleep with that thought, dreams full of crystal blue eyes that always seemed just out of reach.
***
Dick was ashamed and guilty and oh so hopeful.
He was pretty sure he'd never looked forward to a mission more.
He’d been harboring a crush on Wally since... he wasn't even sure. It had happened so slowly and then on a mission about two years ago Wally had been KO'd and Robin had feared the worst. It had to have been less than ten minutes that Dick had feared Wally was dead, but it had been enough to show him that he couldn't live without Wally. He'd known his feelings were deep, but that's when he'd realized they weren't platonic.
So yeah. Dick was hopeful. He was hopeful that Wally would accept the mission and that he'd get to let loose for a week. If he wanted to take Wally's hand, he'd be able to. He'd get to smile lovingly at his... friend... and brush his fiery hair out of his face and maybe even kiss him. For like, two weeks.
Naturally the down side to that was once the mission ended they'd have to go back to being just friends again, but Dick could handle that. He knew he could. He just wanted to have Wally once. Just to feel what it was like. Then he could go back to pretending he wasn't hopelessly in love with his best friend. Dick just needed to feel that once, and he could die a happy man. Which, in his profession, would probably happen sooner rather than later.
And all of that was why he felt ashamed and guilty.
He had to be the most selfish person on the planet to be having these thoughts. It was a mission! If Wally accepted it was only because he was doing his job. He didn't even like guys. All of these thoughts and images in Dick's head were betrayals to his friend. This whole thing felt like Dick taking advantage of Wally.
So, Dick's guilt successfully trampled his hope and he wasn't looking forward to seeing Wally half as much as he usually did.