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“Okay, Walls, chill, you got this“, Wally tried to calm himself down. Popping the collar of his jacket one more time, he took another deep breath, picked up his duffel bag, and then walked up the few steps towards the massive wooden door. It wasn’t the first time that Wally was visiting Dick at home in Wayne Manor, far from it. But today was special. Today was 21 March. Dick’s 17th birthday. His first birthday they were celebrating together as boyfriends. His first birthday since the somewhat accidental reveal of Dick’s secret identity to Wally, curtesy of a particularly nosy (read: horny) Wally West, a particularly interesting article in Spotlight magazine, and a particularly drool-worthy Robin in a particularly sexy leather jacket. It hadn’t been Wally’s finest moment as a closeted / self-denying gay boy, but at least it had led to the one thing that truly mattered, namely Wally and Dick finally getting together as they were always meant to.
The two boys had been in a relationship for almost a year now, and in that time at lot of miraculous things had happened. For one, the public reaction to Dick’s coming out had been overwhelmingly positive. In some way, it was sad that in their current age it was still a ‘thing’ when a celebrity like the son of Bruce Wayne announced that he was gay, and sure enough there had occasional comments from some right-wing trolls on the internet calling him ‘Flying Gayson’ and spreading their usual racist bullshit about Dick. But in general, the response had been overwhelmingly positive, especially when a few months later Dick took part in a charity circus event in Gotham and performed his legendary quadruple somersault in an updated version of his old Flying Graysons costume with the print #FLYINGGAYSON in rainbow colours across his chest. Immediately, Dick was anointed a patron saint of gay twitter and the reel of the stunt became his most popular post on Instagram ever.
Just as miraculous had been the fact that no shit storm whatsoever had been directed at Wally himself, either. Considering the gazillion of fans that Dick had amassed over the years, especially teenage girls, Wally had been very concerned they would start a social media crusade against him, now that he had dared to claim the beloved object of their romantic fantasies for himself. But again, the opposite had been the case, with hashtags such as #protectwallyatallcosts trending soon after the announcement of their relation at the Gotham Pride Ball. In fact several of his posts about struggling through his Physics program at Stanford had gone viral and created quite a few memes on academic twitter.
The biggest surprise of them all, however, had been none other than Bruce Wayne himself. Wally had had nightmares about how the billionaire would respond to the news of Wally dating his only son, especially considering that they were also team mates on the Young Justice squad, but the man had been shockingly calm when Dick and Wally had announced their relationship to him one Sunday afternoon – perhaps because they had already been dating for a month by this point and as had Dick had predicted, there was no such thing as keeping a secret from Batman. The only two conditions Bruce had made was that their relationship would not affect their work as Robin and Kid Flash in the slightest or else they would be taken off the team (both boys in tandem: “of course not!”) and that Dick’s bed room door would always stay open any time Wally was around (Dick: “Bruuuce!” – Bruce: *raises one eyebrow* - Dick: *falls silent*).
As it turned out, Bruce hadn't needed to play the bad cop anyway. As Alfred was pouring the two boys and Bruce some tea that same Sunday afternoon, the butler casually mentioned to Wally, “Master Wallace, did I ever tell you that I once used to work as a Royal Protection Officer to Her Majesty the Queen? It was a most fascinating profession which I treasured dearly. There were many valuable lessons that I learned during my time at Buckingham Palace, for example how many utterly tasteless poisons there are that could be mixed into a cup of tea. Enlightening, isn’t it? I daresay, one might be enjoying one’s afternoon tea one moment, and the next one’s head could be lying on the table completely lifeless. Without even tasting the scones! Such misfortune. Luckily, we do not have those substances in this house. Could you imagine the danger if I accidentally confused labels and some noxious droplets landed in somebody’s tea? After they mistreated a member of this family, for instance? My oh my, what an inconvenience that would be, wouldn’t you agree?”
Wally’s freckled face had gone deadly pale during Alfred’s story, his paper-thin voice merely uttering a weak “Indeed” in response, accompanied by the irrepressible snickering of the black-haired boy next to him and a self-sufficient “Hmm” from Bruce Wayne. From that afternoon onwards, Dick’s anecdotes about Alfred made so much more sense to Wally. Bruce Wayne may be the owner of Wayne Manor on paper. But if Alfred Pennyworth did not have you in his good graces, you would not be setting a foot on the grounds of the Wayne Estate ever again. Point blank period.
Just as he reached the final stair, the massive wooden doors swung open, revealing the stately face of the aforementioned Alfred Pennyworth, dressed in his signature dark suit.
Wally gulped, trying to push the memory of that one afternoon tea out of his mind.
“Master Wallace, I hope our journey to Gotham went well”, the Butler greeted him politely in his neat British accent.
“Oh yeah, thanks”, Wally rumbled somewhat nervously, “Almost no wind, perfect running conditions.” Being too self-conscious for his own, Wally instinctively tried to re-arrange his hair, hoping that his head did not look too messy from several thousand miles of running on speed force. You did not want to look bad in front of Alfred Pennyworth. It was Saturday and since Wally had to work at the lab on the day before, an early run to Gotham, with everything he needed for the weekend stuffed into his bag, had seemed the best option to him.
“How is the birthday boy doing?”, he tried to deflect.
“Well, about that…”, a slight shadow fell across Alfred’s usually perfectly composed face, instantly ringing Wally’s alarm bells. “Why don’t you come in first and then we can talk.”
Wally gulped as he stepped over the threshold into the imposing entrance hall of Wayne Manor. What could be so wrong with Dick to make the unshakable Alfred Pennyworth so visibly shaken?
Without words, Alfred offered to take Wally’s jacket and hang it one the coat stand, placing Wally’s duffel bag on the floor next to it. Wally had dressed especially well for this location, putting on not only an orange Henley that perfectly matched his ginger hair, but more importantly the black leather jacket that Dick had gifted him after they’d finally gotten together. Wally knew how much Dick liked seeing him in the jacket, and in a strange way it was also the reason the oblivious boys had finally seen the light and confessed their mutual feelings for one another. On every special occasion since then without fail, Dick and Wally had rocked their leather jackets as a symbol of their relationship. But now, Wally was beginning to wonder whether he had severely misjudged the situation and overdressed.
When he had taken care of Wally’s jacket, Alfred asked, “How would you care for a cup of tea?”
“I’d love one, thank you!”, Wally answered sincerely, knowing very well that Alfred had the most delicious teas on this side of the British Isles.
Wally followed Alfred silently into the kitchen, took a seat at the large table in the centre and waited as Alfred prepared the tea, twiddling his thumps nervously. After a few minutes, Alfred placed a steaming cup of Earl Grey and a small jug of milk in front of him, both of which Wally accepted gratefully. With a satisfied smile, the butler said down opposite of Wally.
Wally added some milk to his tea, gave it a few swirls with his spoon and raised the cup to his lips. Closing his eyes, he took a sip and sighed contentedly. The strong flavour tasted divine to Wally’s lips, giving him some much-needed warmth after the run across the country.
Keeping the warm cup in his hands, Wally finally spoke up. “So, what’s up with Dick? Is something wrong with him?”
“Not exactly. Well, where do I begin?”, Alfred asked out loud, almost more to himself than to Wally, before finally continuing. “When Master Richard revealed his identity to you, did he also tell you about his parents, and why he ended up being adopted by Master Bruce?"
“Not really, but I knew anyway”, Wally squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. “The story’s kind of famous.” It was. If you’d been alive during the last five years, there was no way you hadn’t heard the tragedy of the Flying Graysons and how their unexpectedly orphaned son Dick had been taken in, fairy-tale like, by one of the richest men to ever walk the earth and had become the perhaps most beloved teenager in the country. Still, even after the reveal of Dick’s identity, they had never explicitly talked about Dick’s life at Haly’s Circus, aside from a few anecdotes about Zitka, and now that he thought about it, Wally felt kind of bad about it. Why hadn’t Dick said anything? Had he presumed that he couldn’t be completely open about his past to Wally? A pang of sadness spread in Wally’s chest at the thought that Dick may have felt the need to holds parts of himself – parts that were so integral to the amazing person that he was – back in front of his boyfriend.
“Sadly yes, the tragic story has become quite ubiquitous”, Alfred concurred. “You see, Master Richard spent the first 12 years of his life living in a travelling circus, as you know. A very loving environment that taught him the value and meaning of family. His parents were the two most important people in the world to Master Richard, so as you can imagine, losing them at such an early age came as a complete and very traumatic shock to the poor boy. Since then, Master Bruce and myself have tried our very best to love and care for him and to help him recover from his unspeakable experience, and while he’s made significant process over the years, every now and then there are days when his past catches up with him, and unfortunately Master Richard’s birthday tends to be one of them.”
A frown spread across Wally’s freckled face. “I don’t get it. Shouldn’t he be celebrating? Have fun with you and Bruce and his friends?”
Alfred sighed. But this was not a sigh of exasperation or disappointment, but a sigh of concern for someone that he clearly cared for very very much. “He does not feel like he deserves to.”
Wally still could not understand. “What? Why?” How could somebody, especially someone as wonderful as Dick, feel like they didn’t deserve to celebrate their freaking birthday?!
It took Alfred a few seconds to find the words to say what he wanted to say next, but eventually he did. “Master Richard suffers from survivor’s guilt. He feels guilty for surviving the same incident that killed his parents. Even though there was nothing he could have done to change the course of events, Master Richard feels that since his parents are no longer here, he should not be here either, least of all on the anniversary of his birth."
Wally gasped, feeling like someone had just punched the air out of his lungs. He had to put the tea cup down, lest his hands started shaking.
His team mate.
His best friend.
The love of his life.
Feeling like he didn’t deserve to life. Thinking the world would be a better place without him.
Wally’s eyes began to sting, trying to imagine what Dick had been going through emotionally all this time without ever giving his boyfriend the slightest hint.
In a voice laden thick with dismay, Wally finally managed to say, “That’s terrible.”
“It is”, Alfred agreed, patting Wally’s hands sympathetically. “And unfortunately, it is his birthday when it gets particularly bad. I assume it’s because it’s such a family-centric tradition that it just reminds him so much of his loss. He’s just a 17-year-old boy who wishes for nothing more than to be reunited with his parents again and celebrate his special day with them. Who could possibly blame him for that?”
Wally’s furious blinking notwithstanding, the tears that had been gathering in his eyes began to fall softly. Nobody deserved to feel like that, least of all Dick, the happiest person in the world who’d always throw his life on the line for others without a second thought, whether as Dick Grayson or as Robin. “Wow, I just …”, Wally tried, wiping the tears from his cheeks and had some more tea to warm himself up. Then he continued. “I never thought of Rob, I mean Dick, that way. He’s always so cheerful and positive. You’d never think that he’s going through stuff like that.”
A sad smile emerged on Alfred’s face. “Depression comes in many different shapes, Master Wallace. I have raised two young men who both lost their parents far too early, and if there’s one thing that I’ve learnt from that, it’s that you can have the biggest smile and still feel like the loneliest person in the world at the same time. Sadly, those two things do not cancel each other out. Master Richard has attended more therapy sessions over the last five years than most people do in an entire lifetime. He’s trying his best, he really does, but there’s just something about his birthday that rips open his old scars time and time again.”
At the mentioning of scars, Wally panicked. Where was Dick? Was he alone? Shouldn’t someone be with him to make sure he didn’t harm himself?
“Well, where is he now?”, he quickly asked, trying to keep his breath under control.
“He’s in his room. Master Bruce is talking to him”, Alfred reassured him, as if he had read Wally’s mind.
“Okay, good”, Wally calmed down. “Well, I guess, in that case it’s better if I leave.”
“Why?”
“Well, if Dick wants to be alone, I don’t want to intrude upon him. I’m probably the last person he wants to see right now.” Wally couldn’t bring himself to look at Alfred’s face at that last sentence. He felt like he had let Dick down. What good of a boyfriend was he even if he couldn’t even bring Dick to open up to him about his depression?
“What would possibly make you say that?”, Alfred said in a notably confused tone that did make Wally look up.
“I dunno”, Wally struggled to find the words. “I mean I’ve known him for barely a year now. As Dick Grayson, that is”, he quickly corrected himself. “And we’ve never talked about his parents since then. Maybe’s he’s not ready yet to let me see that side of him.”
“Actually, I am not quite so sure about that.”
Now it was Wally’s time to sound confused. “What do you mean?”
"As I said, Master Richard’s birthday has always been a delicate affair. We’ve tried all sorts of activities over the years in the hopes to find the one thing that would cheer him up on this difficult day, but we "never truly succeeded. Arcades, football games, vacations – nothing really worked. Perhaps you’ll have better luck. I understand you have some plans for today?
“Well yeah, I do, it was supposed to be a surprise for Dick, but now I’m not so sure anymore if it’s good idea.”
“Well, may I ask what that idea was?”, Alfred inquired.
Wally hesitated a second, before answering.
“I was going to take him to the Gotham Zoo. My supervisor at Stanford knows a couple of people who work there and arranged for Dick and I to have a private tour of the new elephant compound. I know they are his favourite animals, but if he has survivor’s guilt, it will probably hit way too close to home.”
Alfred stayed silent for a moment, scrutinizing Wally’s freckled face closely and thoughtfully. At last, the hint of a smile crept unto his face and he said, “Now that I think of it, this might be an excellent idea.”
“You do?”, Wally sounded genuinely surprised.
“Indeed. Master Bruce and I always tried to stay away from any activities that might remind him of his life at the circus. But perhaps that’s been our mistake all along. Perhaps a trip to the zoo with you, Master Wallace, right by his side, assuring him that he’s safe and not alone, is exactly what we need to break the nice. To show Master Richard that it is okay to smile and to celebrate and to feel loved, especially on this day.”
Wally still had his doubts. The last thing he wanted to do was make Dick’s already bad mental health even worse. That’s why he asked cautiously, “And if it doesn’t go well?”
“Then you can always return to the Manor and we will deal with the situation together. But for now, I say we will cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Alfred’s confidence somehow sparked a flare of hope in Wally’s chest, too. “You really think this could work?”, he uttered, more optimistically than before.
“Trust me, my boy”, Alfred now responded with a raised eyebrow that reminded Wally a slight bit too much of the Alfred who had subliminally threatened to poison him should he ever break Dick’s heart. He gulped and sipped more tea to keep his nerves at bay, when the butler continued. “Surely I would not let you go out alone with Master Richard on this of all days if I did not think there was some chance of success. Why don’t I let the young masters above know that you’ve arrived, then we can take the next steps.”
With that, Alfred rose up and left the room, presumably heading for the gallery of bed rooms upstairs. With the kitchen all to himself, Wally finished his tea quietly, enjoying the calming effect that it had on him.
About 10 minutes later, footsteps announced the imminent arrival of more people in the kitchen. Wally instantly stood up, eager to reunite with his boyfriend. The next second, Alfred re-entered the kitchen, followed by Dick, who wore a pair of faded blue jeans a claret coloured hoodie that was at least one size too large for him. Bruce rounded up the delegation in dark slacks and a black turtle sweater.
When the three got closer, Wally saw that Dick’s eyes were deeply red – he had been crying not too long ago. The mere thought of it broke Wally’s heart.
“Hey Dick!”, he greeted him hesitantly.
“Hi, Wally”, Dick responded, his voice barely more than a whisper.
Wally searched Bruce’s expression for permission of what he was going to do next. He received a subtle nod, and immediately Wally stepped forward and engulfed Dick in the fiercest hug he could muster. It was no trademark Dick Grayson hug, but it was the best that Wally had to offer, and he just hoped against hope that it was enough to let Dick know how truly loved he was.
“Happy birthday”, Wally whispered into Dick’s dark hair, trying to suppress the sob that was threatening to overcome him.
Dick didn’t say anything back, but the arms that wrapped themselves around Wally’s body – hesitantly at first, then urgently as if never wanting to let go again – were all the answer that Wally needed.
Wally didn’t know how long the two boys stood in the kitchen, embracing each other, and he didn’t care. Eventually, they pulled apart, and when Dick noticed Wally’s outfit, a small smile blossomed on his lips. “Sorry for, ehm, not dressing up. I sort of did not feel like it. But you look great.” With a wink, he added, “Love the jacket.”
Wally couldn’t suppress a chucke at the last comment. They were both smiling. This was a promising start.
“Yeah, well thanks”, he responded, and with a nervous smile in the direction of the butler, he confessed, “I was worried that Alfred wouldn’t let me in if I didn’t look my best.”
“Quite right”, Alfred confirmed, the epitome of composed self-satisfaction.
Wally turned to Dick again and said, “And besides, you don’t even need to look all that fancy for what I have planned.
“You’ve planned something?” Trepidation was back on Dick’s face.
“He has”, Alfred answered for him, stepping towards Dick and squeezing his shoulder, “and I assure you, Master Richard, that it will be most enjoyable to you.”
“Well, what do you have planned then?”, Dick asked, slightly more at ease after Alfred’s reassurance.
“Now what kind of boyfriend would I be if I did not make it a surprise?”, Wally dared to smirk, earning a lovingly exasperated eye roll from his boyfriend.
“Alright, Kid Sherlock, you make the rules.”
Now, Wally turned to Bruce Wayne to get the final piece of his plan in order. “Ehm, Mr Wayne”, he started, but was immediately cut off.
“Wally, I believe I’ve told you more than once to call me ‘Bruce’”, the man interrupted him with a smile.
“Okay, sorry, Bruce – would it be okay if I borrowed one of the bicycles from your garage for today? It would make my plans a lot easier. We could take the take bus too, but you know how unreliable public transport in this city is. And I don’t want to use my speed force in Gotham as a civilian, in case someone might see us.”
Bruce smiled warmly at his son’s boyfriend. “Of course, pick whichever one you like.”
“Thank you so much, Mr – Bruce”, Wally bit his tongue.
“Anytime. And thank you for doing this.”
15 minutes later, Dick and Wally were sitting in the saddle of their respective bicycles, Dick’s a bright red and Wally’s a dark blue, ready to go. The sun was coming out behind the clouds, a clear signal that today would be a gorgeous day, the first one of the year. Kind of befitting for the beginning of spring, Wally thought as he looked up towards the sky. He had put on his leather jacket again, not because he’d need it temperature-wise – praise be to his metabolism – but because he knew that it would make Dick happy, and it had. The smile that had spread across the raven-haired boy when Wally had popped the collar of the jacket in the entrance hall of the Manor had spoken volumes.
“So where are we going, Walls?”, Dick now chimed in, ripping Wally out of his daydream.
"I told you Dickie, it’s a birthday surprise. Planned it just for you, so I’m sure as hell not gonna ruin it by blurting it out on the driveway. Just follow me and enjoy the suspense.”
Then he kicked off the ground and started pedalling, having to remind myself to stick to a human pace, rather than a speedster one. Dick followed closely behind him, and in no time, they were off, heading towards Gotham City.
The streets were packed with traffic. It seemed as if everybody in town wanted to make the best out the surprisingly good weather and was going somewhere. Still, Wally had visited Gotham often enough to know where he was going, and so half an hour after they had left behind Wayne Manor the two boys came to a halt outside of the large iron gate that announced their destination.
“We’re going to the zoo?”, Dick asked in a tone that sounded slightly too hesitant for Wally’s liking.
“Yep, we sure are!”, Wally responded, with deliberate cheerfulness in his voice.
Dick bit his tongue, then he looked over at Wally, concern clearly written across his face. “Wally, I love you, and I’m so thankful to you for doing this, but I’m not sure how much Alfred told you about”, he hesitated, but then finished, “my birthday problems.”
Wally looked deep into Dick’s blue eyes, trying to convey as much compassion and reassurance as he possible could, and said, “He told me enough, Dickie, and I want you to know that it will be alright. We’re not just going to the zoo, we’ll be doing something very special, something that I am sure you will love.” Looking around to make sure no one could hear them, he added more quietly, “And if you don’t, if you feel uncomfortable at any point, you can always tell me, and I’ll get you out of there faster than you can say ‘Kid Flash’.”
“Okay, thank you”, Dick answered softly, a small smile adorning his face. Wally leaned over to Dick’s bike and landed a quick but affirming kiss on his lips.
Once they’d found a parking station for their bicycles, Dick and Wally walked over to the ticket booth, a little red-brick structure behind the main gate which also served as a souvenir shop. A middle-aged woman with dark skin and large curly hair stood outside the booth, wearing the green polo shirts that all staff members of the zoo wore. When the two boys got closer, she spotted them and with an instant smile on her face closed the distance between them.
“Hi, welcome to Gotham Zoo! My name is Cassie. You must be Wally?”, she said in a friendly voice, holding out her hand.
“Yes I am, nice to meet you, Cassie”, he reciprocated somewhat surprised, shaking her hand.
Then she turned towards Dick. “And you must be Dick Grayson, of course. An honour to meet you.”
“Thank you, Cassie, the honour is all mine”, he responded as they shook hands, ever the perfect Alfred-Pennyworth-raised gentleman.
“Ehm, no offense, but just out of curiosity”, Wally inquired, “how did you know who I was?”
“Oh, my little niece is obsessed with you”, Cassie explained with a chuckle. “She wants to major in the natural sciences later too, and she follows your Instagram religiously.”
That reveal took Wally slightly aback. Whenever he was on his own with Dick, he tended to forget that his boyfriend was the most famous teenager in the world and that by dating him Wally had become a celebrity in his own right too. He still wasn’t quite sure what he thought about that particular side effect of his relationship with Dick, but if it meant that his science posts reached an audience that they never would have otherwise and may even inspire some of his followers, then who was Wally to complain about being famous?
Noticing Wally’s reaction, Cassie quickly added, “Also, my boss told me to look for a young man with ginger hair and lots of freckles, which narrows it down. That, and having the most famous teenager in the world as his plus-one.” All three of them burst into laughter at that.
“A teenager who, as I understand, turned 17 today”, she then said, once more directed towards Dick.
“Yeah well,” Dick mumbled embarrassed, looking at the ground and scratching the back of his dark-haired head.
“Well happy birthday, Dick! I’m sure you’ll be having the most wonderful time today”, Cassie announced cheerfully, only increasing the blush on Dick’s face.
“I’m sure I will”, Dick finally said when he was able to look at Cassie again, “but knowing what I’m getting myself into would definitely help with that.”
This made Cassie turn towards Wally. “You’re the master mind behind all this, so it’s your call.”
Wally hesitated a moment, looking into Dick’s eyes and still seeing a flicker of insecurity and nervousness there. Feeling the need to take that insecurity away for good, Wally decided it was time to show his cards.
“Okay, well I was going to wait until we were inside but if it makes it any easier for you, I’ll just tell you now. Today, Cassie will be giving you and me a personal tour of the new elephant compound that they just built. It’s not open to the public yet, so we’ll have all the time in the world to get to know the animals ourselves without anybody else looking. I know that elephants mean a lot to you and I thought that – oompfhˮ
Wally was cut off when Dick stepped closer to him, cupped his hands around Wally’s head and pressed both of their lips together. Wally felt like his heart had just skipped a beat. After a few seconds, Dick pulled away, slightly out of breath, and whispered with a trembling voice, “I love you so much, Wally. Thank you. This sounds absolutely amazing.”
“I’m glad”, Wally sighed relieved, feeling a weight being lifted off his chest. “But you sure it doesn’t … I dunno … hit too close to home? Especially today?”
“It does, in a way. But maybe ‘home’ is exactly what I need right now. Especially today.”
Wally smiled and pressed another kiss on Dick’s lips. Then he took Dick’s right hand in his left, and turned towards Cassie, saying “Lead the way!”
“Alright, follow me, boys”, she announced excitedly.
As Cassie led them through the zoo, Wally made a mental list of all their enclosures they’d have to visit if there was time after the elephant tour. It was still early, but the zoo was already pretty crowded, and the excitement of the many children visiting the zoo with their families was infectious.
To be honest, Wally wasn’t the greatest animal lover. A nasty run-in with the neighbour’s dog as a toddler had left some mental scars on him that had still hadn’t quite healed. Nevertheless, even he had to admit that being here was awesome. The way that Dick’s eyes were shining brightly in the morning sun gave Wally hope that Dick felt the same. He squeezed Dick’s hand and got a happy smile from his birthday boyfriend in return.
After about 10 minutes, they came to a sudden halt, the rest of the tree-flanked pathway ahead cordoned off and guarded by a security officer. Cassie showed the man her staff ID but from the way that he smiled when he saw her, the two of them clearly knew each other. He opened the cords for them and let them through. “Thanks, Steve”, Cassie said and lead them onward.
The path bent a few more corners, before coming to a close in front of a wide wooden fence. The sight behind the fence was awe-inspiring.
To Wally’s layman gaze, it was the largest enclosure he had ever seen, reaching as far as his eyes could see. Lots of trees and ponds of various sizes filled the grass-covered ground, giving you the feeling that you genuinely were in some blend of African wetlands and grasslands.
But the most awe-inspiring detail were the animals themselves. No less than three elephants stood relatively close to the fence, two grown ones and a smaller one. Dick had always used the word ‘majestic’ to describe his favourite animals, and now that Wally could see them in person, he saw that it was indeed the perfect word for them. They truly were majestic. Large, gentle, and serene.
“Are you ready?”, Cassie asked by the time they reached the fence.
“Yes, we are”, Dick instantly answered for both of them, sending a smile across Wally’s face.
The three of them walked over to the right-hand side of the fence, where there were two buckets – one filled with water, the other with fruits and vegetables - as well as small display integrated into the outer side of the fence. Cassie pulled out her ID, held it against the display and small gap in the fence swung open, letting Dick and Wally step through. Cassie grabbed the buckets and joined the two boys on the other side, the door automatically closing behind her as she did so.
Once, she'd put down the buckets, she announced happily, “Dick, Wally, I’d like to introduce you to our two largest denizens here at Gotham Zoo. This is Mabel”, she pointed towards the large elephant on the left, “and this is Hank”. She nodded towards the large one on the right. “And the little shy one behind them is Micah. We still have a couple more, but they seem to be way back relaxing over the there in the shade.” She directed her hands towards the far end of the enclosure where indeed a couple of elephants could be seen resting in a shaded pond.
“How old are they?”, Dick asked, a sense of wonder unmistakable in his voice.
“Mabel and Hank are both in their early 20. Still relatively young for elephants, who can have lifespans all the way up to 60 and 70 years old in the wild. Unfortunately, statistically speaking, zoo elephants have a much shorter lifespan, often not even making it into their 20s. But we are trying our best to create the best conditions for them and buck the trend. So far, it's been going well. None of our animals have displayed any of the stereotypical behaviours that have been recorded elsewhere, so fingers crossed. Little Micah is not even two, though. Gotham born and raised. Naturally he’s been the sweetheart of all the keepers here. Although his mother is quite protective of him and keeps a firm eye on him at all times.
“As all mothers should”, Dick spoke softly.
“Agreed”, Cassie smiled at him.
“Can I … ”, Dick hesitated, almost like he couldn’t believe this was genuinely happening. “Can I move closer to them?”
“Of course! This is your birthday present after all. Oh and”, Cassie reached down and handed him the buckets, “Why don’t you take these with you? Micah loves a little snack in-between.”
Wally watched fondly as Dick grabbed the buckets, clearly excited like a little boy on Christmas eve, and slowly walked over the elephant family, careful not to startle them. When he reached them, he sat the buckets down and started feeding the large animals, making it obvious that he had done this many times before in the past.
As he continued watching Dick, who eventually sat down on the floor cross-legged, Wally couldn’t help but wonder at the size and quality of this sanctuary. “Correct me if I'm wrong, but this sanctuary looks pretty much finished to me. Why isn’t it yet open to the public?”
“Management still hasn’t decided yet on a few details like access hours to the sanctuary and numbers of visitors allowed at the fence and so on”, Cassie explained in response. “They are concerned for the animal’s well-being. Elephants are very emotionally intelligent creatures, much more empathic than you’d think. We don’t want to harm them by simply putting them on display like that, especially with little Micah to take care of. Everything needs to be very carefully considered, so management’s trying not to rush things and instead put the animals first, and honestly, I’m really glad about that.”
“I see. It’s just … this is magnificent. And huge”, Wally exclaimed in awe.
Cassie chuckled at that. “Haha, yeah, it is. Building an elephant enclosure is always a matter of size. Basically, the bigger the better. To make the environment as authentic as possible for the animals. Once this is open, it will be the largest elephant sanctuary of any zoo in the country. Rumour has it that it was sponsored by an anonymous philanthropist from Gotham, but we have no idea who. Whoever it is, they must have a pretty healthy bank account and a genuine love for elephants.”
Well I’ll be damned, Wally wanted to laugh. He would wager a good guess as to who that anonymous philanthropist might be, and had a feeling that tonight’s dinner might reveal more about that. He wouldn't be surprised if Bruce had even forgotten about the project. Heck, when you have as much money as Bruce Wayne, Wally thought, you probably don't even notice when a few million dollars get transferred to Gotham Zoo. Knowing Dick's dad, he likely hadn't even told Dick about this, so as not to bring back ghosts from Dick's past. Instead, Bruce had simply acted out of the hope that one day - whenever he was ready - his son might be able to appreciate his deed. It seemed that day had come earlier than anticipated.
Dick’s high-pitched laugh as Micah kept tickling Dick’s face with his trunk caught both of their attention. Looking at the 17-year-old and the joy that he exuded, you’d never guess what kind of darkness he was battling on the inside.
“Your boyfriend is really with good with them”, Cassie commented, audibly impressed by Dick. “I haven’t seen anyone create a bond with Micah so quickly, and Mabel being so relaxed about it.”
“Dick used to be around elephants all the time as a kid, he grew up in a circus”, Wally explained.
Cassie’s eyes widened momentarily; clearly, she had forgotten that particular part of Dick Grayson’s legend and now felt bad about it. “Oh god, of course, I’m so sorry.”
“No worries,” Wally placated her. “Apparently, there was this one elephant, Zitka, who was Dick’s best friend there. He was already riding on her back before he could walk. She’s living in a sanctuary in California now, and every time Dick goes to visit, she trumpets like crazy the second she sees him…” A fond smile blossomed on Wally’s face as remembered the affection with which Dick had spoken about Zitka and how that same affection now shone through in his interaction with this elephant family. “Dick always seemed to have a special connection to elephants. I think their kind gentleness pulled him in and gave him some sense of …” Wally struggled to find the right word.
“Peace?”, Cassie offered, a knowinig smile on her face.
“Yeah”, Wally agreed, looking at her and seeing that she knew exactly what he was getting at. “Peace.”
“I can see that”, she added, looking back at Dick.
At that point, Dick called over his shoulder at the two of them. “Wally, come closer, you gotta meet Micah, he’s the sweetest little boy!”
“I don’t know, I’m not that good with animals”, he hesitated nervously.
“Trust me, you’ll love it!”
Wally had relied on Dick trusting him in coming here, so now it was Wally’s turn to trust Dick back. Taking a breath, he walked over to Dick and knelt beside him. Then he tentatively reached out his right hand and let it rest on Micah’s trunk.
“Wow”, Wally muttered lowly, completely in awe at the sensation. Micah’s skin felt rough and wrinkled, but at the same time warm and vibrant with energy. It was an astounding feeling.
“See, I told you you’d love it”, Dick smiled beside him
“I can see now why you've always been so fond of elephants.”
They kept sitting there for a few minutes, bathing in the calm presence of the majestic animals while Wally had to endure the occasional inspection from Mabel’s trunk.
Eventually, Dick grabbed Wally’s hands and turned towards him. “Wally … I … thank you. I had no idea that I needed this but it turns I did.”
“Anytime. Happy birthday, Dick. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Wally.”
With mutual smiles, they leaned into each other, closed their eyes and kissed. They kept their mouths pressed against each other for a few seconds until –
SPLASH!!!!
A fountain of water shot right into the side of Wally’s face followed by a loud and audibly enraged trumpet sound. When Wally’s wet face slightly spun to his right, he found Micah’s trunk gesturing wildly in front of him.
With a barely suppressible laugh, Cassie walked over to them and joked, “Keep your hands tight on your boyfriend, Wally. Looks like you just got some jealous competition for our elephant whisperer over here.”
When Wally finally managed to look at Dick again, his cheeks still wet from Micah’s jealousy fit, Dick collapsed on his back and broke into the loudest guffaw he had ever heard from the acrobat, and started snickering as well. Dick’s laughter only stopped when his face was suddenly poked by an expectant Micah’s trunk.
***
Dick and Wally stayed in the enclosure for another hour, with Cassie leading them around and young Micah on their, or rather on Dick’s, heels. Eventually, when it was time to say goodbye, the three elephants all hugged Dick with their trunks one after the other, and the boy promised to come back as soon as possible. Wally stuck to simply petting their trunks farewell, but took the fact that he managed to stay dry this time as an improvement.
Outside the enclosure, Cassie gave them her personal number, to make contacting her easier. “Call me whenever you want, okay? We’re always looking for summer interns, maybe that could be something for you, Dick.” The way that Dick beamed at that suggestion told Wally that Cassie would definitely be getting a phone call, and sooner rather than later at that.
After the tour of the elephant enclosure, Dick and Wally spent rest of the afternoon at the zoo trying to catch a glimpse of all their other animals living there, too. Luckily, not many people recognized Dick that day and the ones that did were extremely polite in asking for his signature or a photo, so despite the zoo being so packed, it felt like Dick and Wally were spending a private day by themselves. Much to his own surprise, Wally turned out to be absolutely fascinated by the wildcats, especially the lions. When they got to the leopards, Dick giggled, “Look, Walls, they are almost as freckled as you”, promptly earning an elbow from Wally to his ribs in retaliation.
By the time they returned to the entrance booth, the sun was already beginning to set. “Before we go back", Dick asked Wally as they unlocked their bicycles, "could we make a detour to the harbour and stop at Elsa’s Parlour? They have the best ice cream in all of Gotham, I promise!”
“Lead the way, birthday bird”, Wally smiled. Before they pedalled off, though, he sent a quick text to Bruce to let him know that everything was okay and that they’d be back in about an hour.
The excursion to the harbour turned out to be only a small detour on their way back – but boy, was it worth it. Wally enjoyed two scoops of the best chocolate ice cream he had ever tasted, while Dick opted for a mix of strawberry and Stracciatella instead. Sitting beside one another on a bench by the harbour, they watched as the sun set over the Gotham bay, painting the water in a warm, almost golden colour, its rays reflected beautifully in the peaceful. Neither of them said anything, but they didn’t need to. The way that Dick let his head rest against Wally’s leather-clad shoulder told him that this day, against all odds, had been a success. For once, Dick was happy on his birthday, and that’s all that mattered.
Half an hour later, they had just stored away their bicycles in the garage of Wayne Manor and were about to walk over to its large door, when Wally felt Dick tugging his hand and holding him back.
“Thank you so much, Walls, this has been the most amazing day. I’d never thought I could feel so happy on this day, but … I did, and it was all your doing. So thank for gifting me this day.” Despite the growing darkness around them, Dick was practically glowing with happiness, and it made Wally’s heart melt.
“Never mind me. I’m just so glad and relieved to see you smile”, he answered, squeezing Dick’s hands.
“Actually, before we go in”, Dick then said, “there’s one more thing that I’d like to do, and I’d be grateful if you were by my side for it.”
“Of course, what is it?”, Wally wanted to know, clueless what Dick had in mind.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see.”
Dick then led them all the way around the Manor and even past the gardens towards what Wally could eventually recognize even in the dark as the outline of the Wayne Family memorial, a large, abstractly shaped monument on a raised platform, in front of which loomed an arrangement of small grave stones. The entire installation was embedded in an immaculately trimmed frame of shrubs.
Dick stopped at the first grave stone in the front line – the most recent grave that had been dug.
The marble stone read the names “Mary Grayson” and “John Grayson”, together with the dates of their births and deaths. Between their names, the shape of a small robin spreading its wings had been engraved.
“Dick, are you sure this is a good idea?”, Wally asked carefully. Wally could feel himself already getting choked up, so he couldn’t even imagine what had to be going on inside his boyfriend.
Dick turned around and squeezed Wally’s hands. “I appreciate your concern, but I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Okay, I’ll be right behind you if it gets too much.” When Dick let go of Wally’s hands and took a step forward, Wally stayed behind, to give Dick some privacy. Still he could hear his soft words in the quiet of the evening.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. Sorry for being so late. I know that I usually visit you way earlier than this on my birthdays, but this year was different. This year, I got to spend it with my boyfriend, Wally. Remember, I told you about him several months ago? Ginger hair, lots of freckles, cute as a button?”, Dick threw a grin over his shoulder at Wally who couldn’t help but chuckle. Then he turned back towards his parents and spoke on. “Anyway, he had planned the most amazing day for me. We went to the zoo and got to meet an elephant family, and it felt just like the old days, just like … home. I wish you could have been there to see it, but …” For a moment Dick got choked up, but before Wally could console him, the younger boy continued. “I know you were watching us and were with us. In spirit. Anyways, I still miss you like crazy, but I also felt happy today. You always told me how your little Robin was born on the first day of Spring, and today it finally did feel like spring after all this time.”
Wally couldn’t tell in the growing darkness if Dick was crying or not, but he could feel his own tears rolling down his face freely.
“I wanted you to know, and I also wanted you to introduce to the man who was behind all this.”
At that point, Wally was shocked to see Dick reach out his hand towards him, inviting him to step closer. Embarrassed at himself, he quickly wiped his face and took the spot next to Dick, grabbing his hand tightly.
“Mom, Dad – this is Wally. I love him so much, and I’m sure you would have loved him too.”
Dick gave Wally’s hand an encouraging squeeze, letting him know that it was his turn to speak, so in spite of his nerves, he did.
“It’s an honour to meet you, Mr and Mrs Grayson. I love your son with all my heart. You’ve raised an amazing young man and I promise that I’ll keep him happy for the rest of my life, just like he deserves.”
Taking Wally’s other hand in his, Dick turned to ginger boy towards him and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. When they pulled apart, Wally said, “Thank you for this. For introducing me to your parents. It means a lot.”
“I’m sure it means a lot to them, too”, Dick smiled, before glancing at the grave stone again.
A buzz in the inside pocket of his leather jacket alerted Wally to a new text message. He sighed. “That’s probably your dad, wondering where we are. I guess it’s time we head back inside. Don’t want to risk my guest rights at the Manor by delaying Alfred’s dinner.”
“Just one more thing”, Dick halted him.
Letting go of Wally’s hands, Dick knelt down in front of the grave stone, touched his lips with his right hand and then placed his fingers on space of the engraved robin between his parents’ names. Then, he heard Dick speak in a voice that sounded soft and tender, but not sad.
“Dey, Dat, me voliv tume.”
Wally didn’t need to speak Romani to know what Dick’s words meant.