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Of all the things Wally expected to see when they left the cave, he did not expect to walk into a decrepit study leaving to a surprisingly expensive, well-maintained living room.
Looking at the space around them, he could very easily tell that what was once old money had been reclaimed by the Gothams' very own Bats.
The once extravagant couches looking wore down and cushy in a way that only frequent use could do.
The carpet as well would have once been a vibrant, extravagant design had since been worn down with foot traffic.
As well as every surface being covered with less than rich people things.
Some covered in tech and wires, old nuts and bolts having been tinkered with.
Others held piles and piles of books only to be filled with piles and piles of weapons from guns to knives to what looked suspiciously like a slingshot.
When he looked up towards the ceiling, he could see what may have once been an elegant chandelier now holding ropes and ties to swing off of, followed by periodic hand holds and spaces to grab onto that lead to just about every part of the living room.
Nightwing waltzed right in, clearly comfortable within the space, picking up what looked like a stuffed dog on the floor and set it on the couch before grabbing onto Wally's wrist and dragging him down the hall into what appeared to be a large dining room, with the giant table just as piled with things. From there they finally found themselves in the kitchen with actually a few cleared counters.
Nightwing let go of him then, gesturing to sit at one of the counter island spaces before turning to dig through the fridge himself.
“You really live here?” wally asked dazed, a light tingle still in his wrist from where Nightwing had grabbed.
“Yeah.” was all Nightwing said on the matter before coming back, handing Wally a bottle of water and taking a swig from a bottle of hot sauce like you would a beer.
“Are you able to feel that?” Wally asked, pointing to the bottle.
Nightwing tilted his head to the side in contemplation, biting his bottom lip in a far too endearing way before making a so-so gesture with his hand.
“I don't think I feel things the way you do.” he shrugged while taking another drink of the sauce causing Wally to feel a phantom burn from it.
When he realized that Nightwing wasn't going to add anything else, he rushed to fill the silence, not wanting it to become awkward.
“Do you just fight crime all day?” he blurted out, at a loss for what else to say.
Nightwing shrugged at that
“Only at night. Daylight is for Signal,” he explained simply.
Wally nodded at that, making a note.
“What do you do during the day then?” he asked, wondering how much he can push for info.
Nightwing didn't seem to mind if the slight quirk of his lip was anything to go by.
“Curious one.” he mused Ryley before answering.
“Training, hanging out, that sort of thing.” he shrugged, clearly knowing that wally was pushing for in by how vaguely he answered that.
Wally very deliberately looked past that little smirk on his face and the way it made his heart stutter when Nightwing did so.
Instead turning away and gesturing to the piles of stuff in the kitchen.
“And this?” he asked.
“Mostly red robins, and red hoods, some of the clothes, Batgirl and Spoilers own home improvement projects, Robins… games,” he said, shuttering a little at the last one.
Wally decided he didn't want to know.
What he did want to know was why Nightwing was just surrendering this info now when the league has been pulling teeth to get even the slightest bit of intel.
He had more info in a fifteen-minute conversation than they had collected in days.
He couldn't wait to tell Barry.
“What about you then? What do you do when you're not red?” Nightwing asked, that smirk turning into the tilt of a head, that looked endearingly curious rather than murderously calculating as it had before.
Wally paused for a moment.
It was an expected question, yet it seemed… sincere, in a way that Wally didn't expect him to be.
“I um… I like science, and hanging out with friends. That sort of thing.” he said carefully, not sharing any more than Nightwing had.
“So how big is your family anyways?” he asked, changing the topic away from him.
Nightwings brow crinkled in thought for a moment.
“Eight bats in total,” he said after a moment of thought.
“Is Batman your dad?” Wally mused more in confirmation, not able to imagine what it was like to have that creature as a father.
Though the pensive look on Nightwing's face seemed to say it wasn't that simple.
“Not… originally.” Nightwing said carefully, sending big red letters through Wally's brain saying ‘DO NOT ASK!’
They fell into silence after that, Wally not sure how to continue a conversation and Nightwing seeming to be lost in thought.
They were interrupted a moment later by a slight buzz coming from Nightwings suit.
It seems to have been expected as in an instant he looked down at his arm, reading whatever was there.
“We should leave the common area. They’ll return soon.” Nightwing said, grabbing onto Wally's wrist and beginning to pull him away from the kitchen and dining room, towards a flight of stairs.
Wally tried not to fixate on the hand wrapped around his wrist.
Get it together man! You never freak out about things like this before!
His brain yelled at him, and Wally tried very hard to keep it cool with his next words.
“Would they be mad that you let me out?” he asked, hoping his tone sounded nervously curious and not panicked and stupid.
If they did, Nightwing wouldn't comment.
“No. They would pretend they were to scare you though.” Nightwing said lamely, though Wally did not miss how his hand tightened ever so slightly around his wrist when he did.
When they arrived up the stairs Wally could swear he could hear that signature bird song they all make coming from the ground floor, causing Nightwing to hurry the two of them into a room with Nightwings insignia on the door.
Wally saw why as soon as they were in.
From the blue walls to the workout equipment, the well-loved couch, and the TV in one corner.
They had just gone into Nightwings (very nice) room.
They didn't live in boxes! Awesome!
Check that off his list.
Looking around the room though, Wally noticed one thing.
“Where do you sleep?” he asked, noticing the lack of bed in the area.
Nightwing just pointed up.
Following the movement, Wally could see the netting set up in one corner of the ceiling being covered with a canopy of what could be assumed as blankets and pillows, making it look like one of the safest napping spots Wally could think of.
“That's awesome! Can we go up there?” Wally asked, realizing a moment later what it implied.
The heat immediately rushed to his cheeks as Nightwing gave him that horrible, flirty, shit-eating grin that made Wally's stomach do flips on seeing it.
“I didn't mean- I just- it looks cool and- oh my god… I'll stop talking now,” Wally said, covering his face with his hands as Nightwing, the bastard, laughed at his pain.
“Not today, maybe another time.” Nightwing chuckled as Wally peeked through his fingers enough to catch the wink he sent his way.
Nope. he wasn't playing this just now.
Not a chance.
Not going to see where that goes.
Moved over and sat on the couch as a way to distract that train of thought and began to dig through the stack of DVDs next to him, seeing them all being some sort of family sitcom from the nineties.
“You have full house?” he asked quickly followed by,
“You still use DVDs? Dude, you know you can just stream these right?”
Nightwing sat next to him before answering.
“Family comedies are banned from the common areas, Red Robin gets… fixated on them,” he said slowly.
“I like watching them though, so I hide them here.” he grinned, taking the case from Wally and popping the disk into the player.
“So fixated on being banned?” Wally asked skeptically, though the look Nightwing gave him said there was more to it.
“He… really wanted a family before- before we came around… even now we’re not a conventional family…” Nightwing said, waving one hand around, causing the chains on his wrist to rattle as if to emphasize his point.
“Kinda gets to spiraling if he sees the idealized stuff.” Nightwing shrugged, giving Wally a critical look then.
“Thoughts on the twins?” he asked seriously, causing Wally to snort a little at that.
“Eh, nothing against the actors themselves, but a new child coming along always announces the show is beginning to plummet, even more for two.” Wally shrugged getting a small smile
“Season three then.” Nightwing nodded, turning on the first episode of season three before sitting back and crossing one leg over the other as the intro started.
It wasn’t long into the first episode that Wally glanced over to Nightwing hoping to get a read of some kind on him.
Instead, he just saw the man shifting uncomfortably in his spot, arms crossed, one leg over the other, back on the couch.
Wally began grappling for something he could have done wrong, then he remembered it.
‘Gets uncomfortable after a while
Nightwing was purposefully sitting like that.
Like he thought the way he normally sat would be weird to Wally somehow.
Like he had to stop doing what was comfortable to make Wally comfortable.
Wally didn't like that.
He didn't like someone being uncomfortable to make him feel better.
He dealt with that enough.
Looking back at the TV he shifted himself to where one leg was pulled up on the couch, bent at the knee, and the other leg crossed in between his thigh and abdomen.
A few minutes pass before Nightwing notices.
“Is that comfortable?” he asks Wally.
Wally shrugs.
“Sitting still gets tedious after a while, I move around a lot when I'm relaxing, sit weird too.” he shrugged before turning back to the tv.
The next time he looked over to Nightwing he saw him sitting in a similar position if more… broken?
Sitting like he should have broken bones at that angle.
Wally was more fascinated than anything but forced it down to watch the Tv.
They ended up getting through three episodes, both of them shifting periodically, somehow ending up right next to one another, both of them hanging upside down from the couch, in various degrees of ‘bent’
At the end of the episode, Wally finally got up.
“Do you have a bathroom?” he asked.
Nightwing nodded, pointing to a door on the other side of the room.
Wally grinned and sprinted over.
He didn't really know what to expect at the other end of a likely zombie's bathroom.
Brains, blood, a shit load of dust?
Might as well rip off the bandaid before he looks nervous to go through in front of someone he kinda wanted to like.
Going through was actually a nice surprise.
Sure there was a layer of dust on the toilet and mirrors, but the bath and shower seemed well used if the obscene amount of shampoo and body wash was anything to go by.
The only thing that really rang of ‘undead zombie’ was the stack of what looked like bloody lock picks in the corner.
There must have been at least twelve different sets.
Walking further to the dusty mirror Wally saw one thing standing out.
A little photo taped to one corner of a man, woman, and little boy.
It looked like a newspaper clipping.
Carefully pulled down the paper and turned it over in his hand to see the writing on the back.
“Mom, dad, and younger me. Before Zucco. They were good parents.”
He immediately felt bad for looking at it.
Putting it back in its spot and putting an end to his snooping.
He had heard about Zucco.
Formerly a crime lord who ran a human trafficking ring seems to have gotten the shit beat out of him being getting murdered in black gate.
It didn't paint a picture that Wally liked.
Looking over again to the stack of lock pick sets Wally realized what they were.
Realized why those chains were still on Nightwings wrists.
Yeah. he didn't like the picture they painted.
Hurrying up to do his business and rushed back out again to sit next to Nightwing on the couch, clicking through seasons.
Wally now found his eyes lingering on the chains, looking bloody and rusted.
Like Nightwing had stopped trying to maintain them, maybe hoping the rust would take care of them for him.
Wally knew he was staring.
He knew he had to stop too.
Nightwing wouldn’t like the sympathy he had to offer.
“I like the setup you have here.” he forced out, moving his eyes to look around the room.
“Really?” Nightwing asked tone brightening at the compliment.
It wasn't endearing.
“Yeah, it’s very you.” he grinned before spotting an empty corner.
“Have you ever thought about a plant there?” he asked, for absolutely no understandable reason.
For some reason, his brain just decided that plants were the way to go.
Of all the things he could imagine Nightwing liking, taking care of a plant wasn't one of them Looking over to Nightwing who looked seriously over at the corner in thought that statement immediately changed.
That was exactly something he could see Nightwing doing.
“I can't buy a plant,” he said finally turning back to wally, catching him off guard.
“What? Why?” he demanded looking at Nightwing in surprise.
“Don't blend in,” he said gesturing to the chains again causing Wally to frown.
“Well, maybe sometime after I'm not hostage anymore we could go out and buy a plant for the corner there, I can even do all the talking.” Wally grinned casually.
Completely casually.
Not a date.
This isn't a date.
Why would he think it would be a date?
What if he said no?
What if he was only being nice cause Wally was gonna forget this later.
What if he hated Wally.
Why was Wally so worried about that?
What did that look mean?
The flat look Nightwing gave him as if asking how stupid Wally was before he spoke.
“Look at your wrist.'' He said finally, Wally did so, glancing down to see that, in fact, the tracking bracelet he thought was there had since vanished, now in Nightwing's hand.
“That's been off since we were in the kitchen.” he shrugged, tossing it to the side.
Wally just blinked stupidly at Nightwing causing him to elaborate.
“I don't like hostages, you aren't one, at least not to me. I don't like people in cages, and I don't like gaps in memories, especially not causing it. You can leave if you want.” he said, same flat tone all the way through and a guarded look on his face.
Wally didn't like that.
Was he being kicked out? He didn't want to leave yet! He still had to see Batman! He still had to see that all the bat kids were well cared for!
He had to make sure that a plant got adopted and was taken care of!
Maybe he could push this a little longer.
“Maybe… I can leave after we get a plant then?” he asked carefully, studying as Nightwing's face went through a series of emotions before he physically jumped one hand shooting up to his chest as he looked away from Wally and… counting?
“Are you okay?” Wally asked worriedly.
Did he trigger something?
Oh shit, what did he do?
“No-i… yeah… yeah we can go plant shopping,” he said looking back at Wally, a grin beginning to spread.
“One second,” he said, getting up and going to what Wally thought was the closet, leaving him there alone as Wally pointedly sat on the couch, not snooping, cause that is what gets you uninvited from returning as a voluntary hostage again.
Nightwing came back out a moment later in black pants and hoodie as well as black gloves, sunglasses on his eyes, and a blue beanie over his hair.
“Covers blood and the suit.” he shrugged, answering Wally's questions before he voiced them.
“Okay! Did you get your wallet? Cause I don't have one.” Wally joked happily.
Nightwing just smiled at him before tossing a roll of clothes his way.
“What's this for?” he asked.
Nightwing looked him up and down as if it was obvious and- oh… yeah.
The suit was kinda bright he supposed, but the way Nightwing was looking at him seemed… more than that.
Wally hurried to the bathroom to get changed then, on top of forcing himself to get it together.
He was here building a relationship the league wasn't able to! That's it! He’s making a new friend! He shouldn't be so frazzled by it! He was never this frazzled when talking to girls, why did one blood-covered boy have to change that.
Cool. calm. And collected.
Wally hurried to get the hoodie and pants on over his suit, a little snug on him, but manageable for what they were.
Coming back out, exchanging his hood for a pair of sunglasses, courtesy of Nightwing.
With a nod of approval from the other, they were out, down the stairs of the still empty living room and down a doorway that led into some kind of underground tunnel that led up to an abandoned storefront in the shopping district with an unlocked back entrance.
“Plants?” Wally asked when they stepped out onto the street.
“Plants,” Nightwing confirmed as they began walking.
“Any idea what you want?” Wally asked as Nightwing led in the direction of a store he knew of.
“Low sun, easy maintenance,” Nightwing said slowly.
“Gotcha.” Wally nodded, letting them fall into easy silence then.
It was then that he first noticed what Nightwing meant by not being able to go out shopping.
Everyone on the street seemed to shoot him an odd look before moving away quickly.
It was the way he walked, Wally realized.
Like one too many bones had been broken that he was still walking on.
All too stilted and practiced, putting too much effort into standing straight for him to be able to walk normally.
It stung to watch someone who worked so hard to protect his city get more and more insecure when walking through that city.
Wally didn't like that.
He wanted Nightwing to be able to enjoy his outing in Gotham, even if it was just to a plant store.
Once they arrived Wally saw a sticker in the window that he couldn't help but ask about.
“Poison ivy approved?”
“Yeah, she's…. Kinda villain, kinda hero, she protects the plant shops that she deems ethical and doing good work. Don't go to any shop that doesn't have that sticker. They’re trash.” Nightwing explained hands tucked tightly into his pockets when they walked in.
Wally nodded at that, about to ask another question when the sales assistant came up and introduced herself, saying she would be happy to help.
Wally smiled back as they began wandering around, Wally told her what they were looking for, figuring she knew more about plants than they did.
“Well, if you're looking for a good beginner plant then we always would recommend the Pathos, super easy, only needs watering about every two to three weeks or so, and is great in low light, though we do recommend one of our sun lamps here so they are still able to get some of that nutrients,” She offered brightly.
“How do you tell it needs to be watered?” Nightwing asked, his voice different than normal, sounding more like a Gotham accent, with still just a little off.
The woman stared curiously at him, what with that corpse look he seemed to be wearing so well.
“Well if you're ever unsure of the water, you can always just stick your finger in the soil like so, if it's a little damp then it's alright though if it seems a bit dry it usually could use some good water,” she explained happily.
Nightwing nodded, and Wally saw him about to reach out to copy her movement when Wally saw it.
One of those stupid chain links had slipped free of his sleeve!
That was not something either of them wanted to explain.
Before either of them could notice though, Wally took Nightwings hand into his, pressing close so the chain was caught between the two of them, the woman none the wiser.
Perks of being a speedster.
Nightwing looked at him surprised for a moment before remembering himself.
“That will work,” he said in the same accent, still just a hair-off normal.
“Wonderful! If you wanna pick out the right one and bring it up with a pot I'll be happy to repot it for you.” she grinned heading towards the counter as she seemed to be setting up the potting soil.
Neither of them moved to let go of one another, too worried the chain would jingle down extra loudly when they did.
So they picked out a plant and a pot before heading up to the counter for Nightwing to pay, his other hand thankfully staying fully intact.
Leaving the shop Nightwing was finally able to slip into an ally to fix himself, leaving Wally a little disappointed at not having an excuse to hold on anymore.
He didn't need an excuse though.
It was fine.
Not like he could even feel them holding hands, they both wore gloves.
Nightwing popped back a moment later.
“Sorry about whipping that out.” he grinned, causing Wally to blush.
He was not allowed to do that! Not while Wally was clearly having a crisis over here!
“U-um yeah… no worries…” Wally stammered hoping Nightwing didn't catch the way his voice cracked.
He just smirked back before beginning to walk towards a food truck, leaving Wally there with the plant until Nightwing turned around, seemed to roll his eyes, then come back and grab onto his hand and began dragging him up to the food truck.
“Worse than robin.” Wally heard him grumble as they approached the vendor, Wally ordered twelve tacos and Nightwing ordered, and I quit ‘three of whatever will make me think I'm still alive.’
The vendor just laughed, thinking it was a joke, and put him down for the spiciest tacos they had.
Once receiving their food the two of them went to one of the tables nearby to eat.
“So what are you gonna name it?” Wally asked after he had inhaled the first three tacos.
Nightwing hummed for a moment, tilting his head to the side as he did so in thought.
“Batplant.” he decided as if giving the most regal name ever to be spoken.
Wally snorted at that.
“Does it need a mask too? We’re exposing its secret identity here.” Wally jokes.
“No, she's still in her origin story.” Nightwing shrugged taking another bite of his stupidly poisoned tacos, stopping momentarily to slip the chain link back in place.
“Ya know you could like… tape them to your arm or something.” Wally offered carefully, knowing that they were a sore subject.
“Tred it, feel them too much that way. Don't like it.” Nightwing said, not looking up from his food.
Wally huffed a little. He could get it, it just… was annoying to think about. Having something that you didn't decide to have so permanently fused onto your skin. That would suck.
Looking out on the street an idea came.
“What if they looked intentional?” he asked finally.
Nightwing looked up, one brow quirked.
“Like, what if they looked like a statement piece of jewelry rather than just the. Add a few smaller bracelets, maybe a ring or two, they just sorta blend in as that.” Wally offered.
“Kinda hard to make that look normal,” Nightwing said, and fair. Caked in blood and rust it was kinda hard to see any sort of metal under them.
“Nothing a good scrub and fresh coat of spray paint can’t do.” Wally brushed off with a wave.
“Only if you want to, though,” he added quickly.
Nightwing kept eating for a bit before nodding.
“Okay… what did you have in mind?” he asked after a bit, causing Wally to grin.
“so, again, we just clean them off a bit, make it look like a statement piece, then for your hoodies we get some of those patches that are like ‘i’m disabled mug me and your an asshole’ and stuff, people would look at that and just think you have a condition for your walking, then the bracelets just look like normal bracelets, maybe like they're covering up an old scar or something,” he explained and Nightwing nodded a little.
“Why not, worth a shot.” he agreed with a small smile etched on his face that just shouldn't be so endearing damnnit!
They ended up going to the costume store a few blocks down and picking out most of the jewelry along with a can of silver spray paint. Stopping by a grocery store as well for some vinegar, baking soda, and a pack of toothbrushes, by the end of it, carrying two bags and bat plant was a little harder than Wally would have liked, but he managed back through the tunnels and out to the same entryway as before, hurrying upstairs so Nightwing didn't have to run into his siblings as they moved over an end table to get to work.
Started by soaking them in the vinegar baking soda mixture that he insisted didn't hurt just to see what came up on its own.
Turns out not a lot, though as Wally scrubbed a bit more it started coming loose like a shell slowly popping off.
Wally did not notice how they were basically holding hands again and instead focused on how Nightwing was giving running commentary on how stupid the Fuller house, revamp series was.
“I get that the Olsen twins didn't want to go back. But like, did they have to keep talking about that? They couldn't just say that she died, and have a little drama?”
Wally hummed in response.
“Would Red Robin like that?” he asked, joking a little Nightwing snort.
“He would hate it.” Nightwing shrugged as Wally continued scrubbing and looking down at the metal and not that one tuft of hair that seemed fluffier than the rest, or the way he seemed to be lighting up when talking about something he enjoyed, or that little smile on his face that was all around too soft to be there yet looked so nice!
Ugh! Why couldn't he just be definitely straight and be done here?!
Why did emotions have to be complicated?
Keeping his gaze fixed firmly down in concentration the entire time so he didn't notice anything all too attractive about the zombie boy in front of him till he finally admitted he couldn't get any more off and would need to go to spray paint.
At least all the blood was gone leaving mostly just rust as Wally put on a mask Nightwing lent him to spray paint the chains that Nightwing assured would look great.
How dare he be supportive of Wally when he was so nervous.
Wally could already see little drops of blood-forming around the band.
“Does that ever like- stop?” he asked after a moment if nothing else to stall.
“A bit, only when I don't drink liquid for a while.” he shrugged.
Wally nodded, not wanting to push too far there, and instead took an encouraging breath before spraying them silver, careful to make it all look uniform and nice, and not like costume store spray paint as Nightwing held the towels in place around his arms as Wally had insisted.
By the time he was done, they were left to just sit there waiting for them to dry. Nightwing couldn't stop looking at them either with something like… joy?
“They look nice,” he said after a while.
“Good.” Wally beamed at that.
Even if it was just to make Wally feel good. Just having Nightwing say that sent something warm through his chest.
“Seriously i- I really appreciate it,” he said with a small smile growing, meeting Wally's eye before a buzzing came from his suit again.
Nightwing carefully looked at it, though the metal was mostly dry now.
He deflated as he read.
“You have to leave soon,” he said, sounding… upset?
“Oh- i- yeah, for sure…” Wally agreed easily, hoping he didn't sound upset.
In all honesty, he was having fun. He didn't really want to go.
“Your team is worried about you.” Nightwing elaborated snapping reality back to Wally.
“Oh yeah, and um… metas in Gotham, all that…'' he sighed realizing this couldn't last.
Nightwing paused then.
“Well… only in costume really,” he said slowly.
“Maybe if… we met up just to…” he trailed off trying to think of something.
“Get tacos from the one truck that's spicy enough for you?” Wally offered to earn a big grin from Nightwing as he helped Wally to his feet.
“Yeah. exactly.” he smiled wide, and god dammit sharp teeth shouldn't look so adorable!
“I would like that.” Wally beamed back before stepping a little closer.
“Can i… get your contact?” he asked carefully.
Nightwing opened his mouth to answer before his wrist buzzed again causing Wally to deflate.
Nightwing just grinned wider though, reaching into a hidden pocket and pulling out a burner phone, handing it to Wally.
“Here, this is my contact. Info in it.” he grinned, stepping even closer as Wally took the phone as Nightwing rested one arm over Wally's shoulder, whispering “be careful out there.”
Wally mimicked the action as he leaned in closer.
“Why?” he grinned as Nightwing got closer.
“Pretty thing like you can get eaten alive out there.” he hummed as Wally couldn't take it anymore, finally leaning in and connecting their lips together as he felt Nightwings hand grip onto the back of his suit before leaning in.
His cold soft lips holding a burning hot to them that Wally couldn't help but laugh internally at as they pulled away, Nightwing smiling at him before loosening his grip.
“Text me.” he grinned and wally laughed, closing his eyes to go in for another before he felt something yanking in his gut as if pulling him away Wally felt Nightwing leaving his grasp as his back smacked against the floor, leaving him winded and out of breath.
Opening his eyes again to see the bright lights of the watch tower being overshadowed by the slight tingle still on his lips and the burner phone still clutched in his hand.
“Wally!” he heard Barry shout, rushing over and pulling Wally into a sitting position as he began patting him down for any sign of injury.
“Wally? What happened?” Barry demanded, clutching wally close as he dissected him to everything down to the fraying stitch in his suit.
Wally couldn't help but blush as his grin grew at the reminder.
“I got his contact…” he said to himself more than anything.
There was no way he was handing this over either.
He couldn't wait to text him!