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Panic is clawing at his heart and what remains of his consciousness. Artemis doesn’t have his speed, or Conner’s resistance, or M’Gann’s shifting abilities—if sword closes in on her any more, she’s dead.
That doesn’t sit very well with Wally.
Dick’s long knocked out, battle proving too much for anyone that wasn’t super-charged with one power or another. Which sucks, if Wally’s being honest, because he knows how to sneak around like the best of them. Conner’s trapped under a ridiculously large piece of debris, and M’Gann left a while ago to check on Kaldur. All of this leaves Wally to, sadly, figure out how to save Artemis on his own in the next ten seconds.
Fine, he thinks, I just need to practice the particle shifting that almost never works. No biggie.
He focuses as hard as he can. Nine seconds. His hands start shaking, then vibrating, and then he’s slowly moving out of the steel cuffs. Seven seconds.
This part, he’s got down-pat.
Wally’s priority isn’t knocking out the villain anymore; he needs to make sure Artemis lives long enough to help them do it. Tapping into his speed, he nudges the sword in a slightly different direction before picking up Artemis and sprinting.
Still seven seconds.
The sword collides with the ground with a deafening sound, sending small rocks flying with the energy bursting out from the shimmering metal.
“Thanks, KF,” Artemis whispers. “We should probably go get Robin though.”
Wally nods, but when his eyes drift over to where their youngest had been, there was nothing there. “I hate it when he does that.”
Conner’s groan can be heard from under the rock, and the slab is moving as if it weighed nothing. Fucking Supers.
A familiar cackle fills the air, and then explosions are going off all around their enemy. Wally uses the cloud of smoke to get as many punches as he can in, but try as both he and Robin might, the sword is not coming out of this guy’s hands.
“Superboy,” Robin shouts, “a little bit of muscle would be great!”
The boulder is flying up and away from them, and Conner is landing a solid punch to their enemy’s jaw. A crack rings out, though based on how unbothered Conner is, it certainly wasn’t his hand that took the damage.
Miss M, Wally shouts, where the hell are you and Aqualad?
Sorry! M’Gann frets. We got caught up trying to fight off some goons. We should be back soon.
Artemis stretches the muscles in her neck, readying her body as she notes the body on the ground beginning to shift. Well, whenever you guys want to help us, we’ll be here. Robin, got any of those bombs left?
Am I Batman’s protégé, Artemis?
Yeah, it was a pretty stupid question. Wally sees that Artemis realizes it. Another series of explosions sounds off, distracting their enemy. Wally kind of wants his cape as a souvenir, but the sword would be so much cooler.
An arrow whizzes by his head, easily encasing this strange, strange man in foam.
“Still don’t believe in magic, Kid Fuckery?”
“You just keep getting more creative, don’t you, Artemis?” He turns to glare at the blonde, without any harshness to it. “Am I not the one who saved your ass?”
“You’re right,” Artemis agrees, “but that was your mistake, because now I just get to torment you endlessly.”
“You are all okay.” Their four heads turn to where Kaldur and M’gann are making their way towards them.
“’Sup,” Dick calls. “You guys missed all the fun.”
M’Gann’s nose scrunches at the sight of the man in the foam. “Doesn’t look like a whole lot of fun to me.”
“It wasn’t,” Artemis mutters miserably. Something in her eyes shifts. “You guys okay?”
Kaldur takes a step towards his team, concern clearly etched into his sharp eyes. “I believe such a question is better directed at you.”
The archer smiles, somehow both cocky and grateful, and shrugs. “I’ve had worse. But I definitely wouldn’t mind going back to the cave.”
“That makes all of us,” Conner sighs. “I forgot I have a paper due tomorrow.”
Oh god, Wally thinks in absolute horror. My biology report.
“If the looks on all of your faces are any indication,” Kaldur says, amusement tightening his throat almost imperceptibly, “then we should head back to the cave so you can all finish up your homework.”
“Why don’t you go to school again?” Robin mutters with a huff.
Kaldur just smiles at him.
There are much worse ways to pull an all-nighter.
It wasn’t a new concept, forgoing a night’s sleep; sometimes a mission demanded it, and while no one enjoyed it, they had practice.
Dick’s in the corner, folded into some horribly awkward-looking position, typing away on his laptop because fuck book reports. Conner is letting his head drop onto M’Gann’s shoulder in a clear show of defeat. The Martian is doing her best to help him, but her geometry homework is obviously worrying her from its place to her left. Artemis is close to ripping her hair out from the geography textbook glaring right back at her, and Wally—well, he’s much better at physics and chemistry.
But there’s something so homey about it that Wally doesn’t mind.
“Hold on.” All eyes turn to Dick. “Some of us are clearly better at subjects than others, right? So, this one time, let’s just help each other out.”
“I do not believe that that is a desirable approach, Dick—”
“Kaldur, you’re managed to pick up on Earth’s geography better than any of us. Don’t you want Artemis to finally get a good night’s sleep?”
Kaldur looks a little offended. “Are you using the care I have for my friends against me?”
“I don’t know,” Dick lilts, “am I?” He turns to M’Gann with a charming grin. “I could get that geometry done in, like, ten minutes.”
“But there’s twenty questions!”
“Your point?”
Wally feels his mouth moving before he can stop it. “I’ve… read that book before, dude. If you want me to help you finish it.”
Artemis hums as she sets down her pen. “I’ve always been awesome at essays. I could teach you how to do it really well, Conner.”
“You know what?” M’Gann floats over to Wally, hands outstretched. “I got this biology report.”
“This,” Kaldur stresses, “is a bad idea.”
“Kal.” Wally shrugs when he gets an unimpressed look from their leader. “We’re a team. This is what we do, off the battlefield and on it.”
“We’re also supposed to demonstrate adequate levels of self discipline. This is the exact opposite of that.”
“We were saving the world!” Robin cries dramatically.
Kaldur rolls his eyes. “An exaggeration.”
“You don’t know that.” Wally claps his hands together in a pleading motion. “Please, oh great leader? Imagine how much more useful we’ll be to you when we’re rested tomorrow?”
Looking somewhat like a father being pestered by his children to go on a road trip, Kaldur sighs with a pinch to his nose. “Alright. We will help each other with the work, and then we will sleep.”
They don’t actually end up going to sleep.
None of them really have it in them to head home—or at least, the ones that could go decide to stay put.
“This was not a part of the deal,” Kaldur mutters, sitting on the couch in the main room.
“Sure,” Wally agrees, “but what’s better team bonding than watching a great movie together?”
“You think The Incredibles is a great movie?” Artemis lets out a short laugh. “I always knew you were six.”
Dick gives an offended gasp. “This movie is a classic, and so help me Artemis I will make you watch it.”
“Kid Mouth just wants to watch it so he can root for Dash.”
“He has super speed! Right next to Uncle Barry, that kid was my role model!”
Of course, there are three team members who have absolutely no clue as to what’s going on in front of them, but they don’t mind. It’s nice to see something so friendly.
They’re all absurdly tangled up on the couch, a few minutes later.
Their cuddling habit started not too long ago, after a mission gone wrong. Dick had too many broken bones and patches of discoloured skin for his friends’ liking, and the night ended with Dick revealing his name and his past, much to his own shock.
“I… trust all of you, so much,” he whispered to Wally that night, when the rest of the team had gone to kitchen for a quick meal.
“I’m glad. That’s kind of a necessity, you know, doing what we do.”
“You know what I mean.”
And, looking at his friend now, he does. He sees how open Dick is with the rest of the team, line of his shoulders fluid and unworried with his sunglasses completely forgotten somewhere. Dick’s genuine laugh rings out so much more often, and Wally sees him smile and lean into his friends without much inhibition. Conner has made the same progress too, though a touch less physically affectionate.
Wally is dragged back to the moment when the introduction to the movie booms from the speakers. He absentmindedly places his hand on Dick’s ankle, rubbing small circles into the skin out of habit. Conner, the only person who isn’t bothered by how hot Wally runs, sits squished next him and rolls his eyes as Dick’s hip digs into his leg. M’Gann is leaning her head onto Kaldur’s shoulder, also trapping Artemis against the couch with her calf. They’re precariously placed, but none of them have the intention of moving.
Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl are a hair’s breadth away on screen, and Conner is the first to open his mouth. “Is this what they think we do?”
Dick smirks and nods with passion. “If you mean the general population who enjoys and-or writes these movies, then yes, they think we get up to steamy romances in out spare time.”
“I do not understand,” Kaldur admits. “Why do they believe such things when all they see us do is fight monsters?”
“Imagination,” Wally answers round a mouthful of popcorn. “It gets better though, so shut your pie holes.”
“Our… what?”
Suddenly he remembers how not-human half of his team is. “Just shush.”
Wally doesn’t even flinch when Conner reaches into his bowl of popcorn, because, well, he’s learned to enjoy sharing his food. It was a weird thing to realize, but as long as it isn’t taking away from what he actually needs as a speedster, he’s happy to nourish his team. Whatever that means on a subconscious level, he can’t bring himself to really care.
“This child, with the forcefield abilities.” Kaldur’s brows draw together for a moment. “She is quite moody.”
Artemis laughs lightly; Wally would call it a giggle, but he’d be skinned alive for it. “Hearing the word ‘moody’ from Kaldur has made my year.”
“I second that.” Dick adjusts himself, effectively disrupting everyone else’s comfort. “Hey, you guys agreed to his.”
“I did not sign up for your bony ass digging into my legs, but here we are.”
“Love you too, Wally.”
“What the hell are you doing, Bob!?”
“I did not expect Conner to be this invested…” Dick mutters, with no shortage of fondness lightening his tone.
“Same,” Artemis agrees, “but I like it.”
“Earth movies are definitely an experience.” M’gann smiles, pressing her head a little more into Kaldur’s shoulder as fatigue weighs down her eyelids. “We need to sleep after this, though.”
“Didn’t take you for the grandma type, M’Gann,” Dick taunts.
“It’s five in the morning, Dick.” The Martian huffs, a little petulant. “Not everyone’s a night owl like you.”
“You could have called me a robin or a bat, and you picked owl. Nice move.”
Kaldur lets out a short breath in a rare display of annoyance. “Can you both keep it down? I would like to see how this family intends on making it out of the facility.”
“Whatever you need, Kaldur.”
Half an hour later, and the only ones awake are Wally and Conner. Dick, despite his promise to be the one to stay awake, ended up crashing first. Artemis followed suit, before Kaldur and M’gann burrowed closer to each other and fell asleep.
“This… is amazing.”
Wally fights down the urge to jump, simply turning his head to look at Conner. “You won’t be saying that when Dick is cutting off the circulation to your legs.” He playfully narrows his eyes. “Or is that under your list of powers?’
Conner cracks a small smile, gently shaking his head. “It seems like yesterday that I was stuck in that damned pod. And yet, here I am, with you guys. It’s… a little surreal, if I’m being honest.”
Wally hums, because yeah, he gets it. Every person on—and off—his couch means the world to him and a lot of times, he doesn’t know how to put that into words. He stares up at the ceiling before responding. “I think that’s just how it is, y’know? When you care a lot about someone. Some people, in this case.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you guys. You know, for saving me and all that.”
“There’s nothing to thank. We wouldn’t be the team we are without you.” Conner doesn’t respond to that, so Wally turns to him once more. “You know that, right?”
“I… think I do.”
“Conner, listen to me when I say this.” Wally shifts as much as he can towards Conner without rousing Dick. “Apart from the fact that it’s science, you matter to this team.”
“Science?”
“The Butterfly Effect, Con. Every single choice made has an effect, no matter how small.” He smiles blindingly at Conner. “And I can safely say, for everyone on this team, that you have a very large, very positive effect on us. You’ve come a long way. We’re all really proud of you.”
And maybe Conner has some tears in his eyes, but Wally isn’t going to say anything about it. Not now, anyway. “Thank you, Wally. Really.”
“Of course.” Wally’s eyes drift to Conner’s shoulder. “You mind? I’m a little tired.”
A smirk-smile twitches at Conner’s lips as he nods. “Sure. Just don’t expect it too often.”
Only Batman’s arrival at the cave manages to wake them.
Dick, the light sleeper that he is, jumps a little at the jarring voice of the computer. Wally slowly rises, horrible kink in his neck from the even worse decision to lean his head on Conner’s shoulder. Artemis is going to have even worse cramps, though, so he counts that as a win for himself.
“What the hell is this?”
“Um,” Dick meeps, “am I allowed to say ‘nothing’?”
“Up. Now.”
“Batman, it’s not a big deal—”
“Not a big deal?” If anyone managed to stay asleep, it’s officially no longer an option. Artemis tries to contain her groan, but a small bit of her discomfort leaks out. M’Gann places a hand gently on her shoulder in comfort. “It isn’t a big deal that the six of you let no one know of your whereabouts?”
“It’s not like we went to a bar or something,” Dick reasons. That’s true, Wally supposes, but it’s not like he would say it to Bruce’s face. “We stayed in the cave, which, to your logic, should be the safest place of all, right?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Bruce pushes.
“We’re not regular kids. We’re fully capable of taking care of ourselves.”
“I don’t know who you think you are, Dick, but when my s--you don't come home, and don't even have the common courtesy to text me where you are when you could very well be captured by some drugged-up lunatic, I have every right to be worried.”
Wally wants to vibrate right out of here.
“I…” Dick looks away, shame weighing down every bone in his body. “I’m sorry.”
“Good. Don’t do it again.” Bruce’s mask-covered glare turns in Wally’s direction. “As for your parents, Wally, I let them know that you spent the night at the manor. The same goes for you, Artemis.”
“They called?” Wally asks, completely bewildered.
“No.” Bruce looks awkward and out of place, if only for a nanosecond. “I just felt it was a good proactive measure to let them know you were safe.”
Wally makes a noncommittal noise.
Bruce stands straighter to address them all once more. “Look, Team, I have zero problems with how you all wish to spend your time. Really, I think this is good for your team bonding. But I, as well as your mentors, would like an update after you come back from a mission.”
Conner’s become a rigid and uncomfortable. Wally nudges him a little in hopes of brightening his spirits, but it seems his acceptance of physical contact has run dry. He stands slowly, as to not hit Artemis on accident, and stalks to his room. M’Gann leads Artemis and Kaldur out not long after, leaving Wally and Dick alone in the room with Bruce.
“Bruce, I really am sorry…”
“It doesn’t matter now. It’s done. Just don’t do it again.” Bruce’s head turns ever-so-slightly in Wally’s direction. “At least I know you were with trustworthy people.” He turns back to Dick with an indistinguishable sigh. “You should get ready for school. You have to be there in ten minutes. Use the Zeta Tube.”
“Shit,” Dick curses. “Artemis! We gotta go!”
“Coming!”
M’Gann and Conner walk out in their school clothes soon after, and the bubble that Wally hoped he could continue to spend his time in bursts.
Wally nearly rips his hair out when he sees a book report in place of his biology assignment. Luckily, he catches it before he actually makes it to first period, so, against all sanity and judgement, he speeds his way over to M’Gann.
Yo, M’Gann, he calls once he knows he’s in range. I need my homework.
Yeah… I noticed that. You think we’ll be able to swap it all in time?
Have you met me, gorgeous?
Something irritated comes from Conner. Just get me my essay, Kid Flirt.
Always a pleasure, Con. You won’t even know you were missing the paper.
M’Gann meets him at the front doors, biology report in-hand. “Thank you so much, Wally. There’s no major rush. Conner needs it for fourth, I can hand it in at the end of the day.”
Wally smiles warmly at her, shaking his head. “We got sidetracked last night. And this morning. We just have the means to avoid the ‘my dog ate my homework’ excuse.”
Tilting her head in genuine confusion, the Martian makes a contemplative sound. “Does that not work?”
“Oh, Megan…”
That sounds weird, coming from you, M’Gann concurs.
Agreed. I’ll see you soon?
M’Gann nods minutely. Bye. Don’t get caught!
“Wally!” Dick and Artemis run over to him, clearly panicked and run a little ragged. “Homework, now!”
“Artemis, I don’t have yours, remember? Kaldur did it.” He gives the blonde a forced smile. “What I do need is Conner’s essay.” Reaching into his backpack, Wally pulls out the book report. “On the other hand, here you go, Dick.”
“Oh thank god,” Dick mutters. One look at Artemis sours his mood. “You can’t get to Kal in time?”
“I mean, I can? But I don’t know where he is.”
Artemis bites her lip. “He said something about training with Canary, today.”
“Well, then,” Wally begins, “I’ll be back with that homework before you can even count to ten.”
“Barry could do it in five.”
“Sticks and stones, may break my bones, dear Artemis.” Wally gives a lopsided salute. “But words can never hurt me.”
True to his words, he’s back with Artemis’ work before she can start to talk to Dick.
“This homework swap was the worst idea we’ve ever had,” she complains.
“Nothing is worse than when Wally tried to fit that entire bag of marshmallows In his mouth.” Dick turns to Artemis with a dead-serious look. “Nothing.”
“Well, it was very nice to get verbally abused by you preppy kids,” Wally sighs, “I have to go back to my shit-hole school. You know, the ones the government pays for.”
“Bye, Wally.”
Artemis and Dick both give him genuine smiles—no matter how teasing and sinister Artemis’ may seem—so Wally takes it as his sign to leave. Conner nods appreciatively when he finally has his work in his hands.
He’s in his seat, hair only a little mussed with his biology report sitting neatly in front of him, like nothing was ever awry.