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Dick crossed his arms, annoyed at just how late Wally always seemed to be.
“Sorry I’m late I…. whoa… new outfit?”
“You thought he just… unfired me?”
Wally grimaced and pushed his goggles into his hair, “I mean I’d hoped so. We haven't heard from you in weeks, dude, I'm just glad to hear you're alive.”
Dick huffed, “I have a mission I could use some help with, and thanks to the Bat, no team to help me, you game?”
Wally's eyebrows smooshed together and he reached for his phone, “I could call them.”
“Everyone would get into trouble, and I'd definitely get put on house arrest.” Dick glanced down at the warehouse below.
“Oh, gee thanks, I can get in trouble for you?” Wally was only half sarcastic, but he threw an arm around Dick’s shoulders. Dick tried not to tense up, but if Wally noticed, he didn’t budge, “what’s the mission, man?”
“Freeze and Captain Cold have an exchange happening here, tonight. Since it’s your home turf, you won’t get in trouble for busting it.”
Wally grinned, “aw, shoulda known you wouldn’t leave me out to dry.”
Never, Dick promised silently, “not tonight,” he jabbed Wally’s ribs and gestured to the warehouse below, “I knew you’d be running late so I gave you a ten minute buffer.”
“You wound me. To think I missed you, Rob...”
"Nightwing,” he cut Wally off and grimaced, “if word gets out that Robin is up to… anything, I’m screwed. As far as B know’s, I’m in bed pouting like a child.”
“Yikes…" Wally pulled his arm back and followed Dick's gaze to the warehouse window. "Is that the hero from the story Superman used to tell us?”
“Yeah," Dick almost smiled. Clark had even helped him get his hands on the body armor this time around.
“Aw, does that make me your Flamebird?”
“Whatever gets you to punch a few villains for me.” Dick turned towards the entrance, hoping Wally didn't see his cheeks turn pink. The last thing he needed was a comparison to a romance between the two of them.
Wally laughed and pulled his arm back, “alright, but let’s make it quick, Artemis and I have a coffee date in the morning.”
Dick nodded and tried not to let that hang over the evening.
He may have hit Mr. Freeze a bit too hard, and he definitely broke one too many noses, but if Wally noticed anything, he kept his mouth shut. Before the cops could arrive, Dick took off, leaving Wally to take all the credit for the capture.
Dick wouldn't admit it to anyone, but being back in action, especially as Wally's partner, made his heart leap. As he landed a solid punch on Mr. Freeze's helmet, cracking it open with a soft his, he smiled for the first time in a while.
Dick woke up to a selfie from Wally. He and Artemis in a booth at a café in Gotham. One that he’d shown Wally back when they were still kids. It stung a little, and Dick closed his phone, leaving Wally on read for the first time in ages.
At sixteen, Dick Grayson had come to three very important conclusions. He was very in love with his best friend. His best friend was very in love with someone else. He was not going to let petty family drama stop him from doing what he did best.
When Bruce did finally learn about Nightwing's emergence in Blüdhaven, it was because Nightwing didn’t hold back. He never killed, but very few of his villains… his victims would ever be repeat offenders.