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Dick tipped his head back, thumb idly rubbing over the flower design on his mug of coffee. “So,” he started, heart beating in his throat, “you want to be my date?”
Next to him, Wally spat his coffee back into his own Daffy Duck mug, sending hot liquid dribbling down his chin and staining his shirt. Patiently, Dick waited for his best friend (and dare he admit it, crush ) to collect himself. “I feel like there’s context there,” Wally eventually said, still wiping at his mouth and staring forlornly down at his ruined shirt.
Dick tipped his head from side to side, “I mean, that’s kind of the entirety of the request. Also, not though. B needs me to try and get close to some businessman who wants to buy out Wayne Theaters, which isn’t that big of a deal but Bruce has to set a precedent and well,” Dick sighed, “long story short, I have to just get a base feel for how he treats people and acts when he thinks B’s not watching and he and his husband are much more likely to be open around ‘Richie’ Wayne and his boyfriend.”
“Wait,” Wally held up a hand, “is this a fancy gala you’re asking me to?” Dick grimaced, but nodded.
“So?”
“Yeah, man,” Wally groaned,” I’ll go. But! You have to provide a suit. Besides, I’ve always wanted to be a trophy boyfriend.”
Dick laughed at Wally’s faux exasperation, “Of course, dear.”
The redhead grinned, wrapping an arm around Dick’s shoulders and pulling the other man close, hopefully unaware of Dick’s heart rate speeding up.
God, why had Dick asked Wally ?
“Looking sharp, Grayson,” Wally whistled appreciatively at Dick as he entered. He was wearing a nice black three-piece, paired with a black dress shirt and a blue tie that matched Dick’s eyes perfectly. The gold of his cufflinks and tie clip matched Wally’s though his had pretty green emeralds set in them while Wally had deep blue sapphires. Wally’s own suit was a nice tan that he had paired with a white dress shirt that he probably wore to graduation and while he didn’t have a vest he thought he still looked pretty nice with his emerald green tie.
He felt like there might be a color theme there.
Dick snorted, “Dude, this is like, the most comfortable suit I’ve been stuffed in for like three years.”
Wally raised an eyebrow, “Does comfortable mean not nice?”
His friend grimaced, “B’s stylist would say so.”
“Well,” Wally started forward, draping himself over Dick’s back, “I think you look pretty damn hot.”
He chuckled at the way Dick melted into him and Wally just knew the man was blushing bright red. Wally had been trying to work up the nerve to ask Dick out for years , this gala had provided the perfect opportunity.
The door to the sitting room they were in opened to reveal Alfred on the other side, “Master Richard, Mister Wallace, are you ready? Master Bruce is waiting by the private doors.”
Wally untangled himself from Dick, grinning at Alfred. “We’ll go there now. Thanks, Alfred,” Dick said, already half out the door, leaving Wally to catch up. Despite being able to move faster than the speed of light Wally still sometimes found himself playing catch up with Dick.
“Hurry up, flasher,” Dick threw over his shoulder.
Wally’s grin widened, muttering, “You got it, boy wonderful.”
Bruce was waiting for them by the large double doors of the private entrance to the western ballroom, tapping away at something on his phone, but he quickly tucked it away somewhere as they approached.
“You both read the report on the Petersons?”
“Yep,” Dick said brightly, lacing his arm through Wally’s and tipping his head into his shoulder, “Richie and his boyfriend, Lacey, will be the perfect sympathetic young adults that James and Michael Peterson can vent their frustrations to.”
Bruce nodded tightly, “Five minutes then you two enter.” He spun on his heel and swept through the double doors, the loud chatter of the attendants of the gala rattling Wally briefly before the doors shut and blessed silence returned.
“I still don’t get why I have to go by Lacey,” Wally wondered after a moment.
“Separation of the public view and you,” Dick said, “it goes a long way. And, it’s easier to get through these things if you have a part you can play up. I mean even Jason has Jace and he’s been to like two of these things so far.”
“Is he here?”
“Nah, utterly hates being Jace so we try and make sure he doesn’t have to.”
Wally checked his watch, “Five minutes are up.”
Dick smirked, pulling one of the doors open and stepping aside, “After you, Lacey.”
Huffing to himself, Wally walked into the ballroom. It was overwhelming to say the least.
People crowded around them almost immediately, eager to greet the Richie Wayne and his new date.
Eventually, they managed to bat most of the people away. Dick was muttering under his breath as they approached the Peterson’s.
There was nothing particularly striking about the couple, just two older white men, one with blond hair, the other a brunet. Honestly, with the way they were so ensconced in their own little world they reminded Wally of his uncle, Barry, and Barry’s best friend, Hal.
Dick might say something weirdly poetic about love that had been with them for so long that it was in their bones, but Wally was more inclined to just say they acted rather devoted to each other.
“You ready, Lacey?” Dick asked, a patented Richie Wayne smile already stretched across his face. Wally ached to be rid of it.
Instead, Wally smiled broadly himself, trying his best to project a somewhat airheaded confidence, “Ready as I can be.”
The next few hours were a whirlwind of carefully asking questions and dancing and plying the Peterson’s with champagne and food until finally the businessman on the two, Michael mentioned that they should be leaving soon.
“You’re a lovely pair,” James smiled kindly. A blush rose on Dick’s cheeks, “Thank you.”
Wally grinned, slipping his arm from Dick’s elbow to around his waist, “That means a lot.”
“Now,” Michael started, “I do hate to say this but Jim and I have got to jet. Early morning tomorrow and all.”
“Of course,” Dick agreed, “have a wonderful evening.”
“You as well.”
Wally’s smile felt like it was breaking his face with how long he held it. Once the couple was out sight Wally let it drop, leaning into the steadiness of Dick.
“Balcony?” Dick asked, voice soft. Wally hummed in agreement.
The air that greeted them couldn’t exactly be called fresh, it was Gotham after all, but the cold was a welcome pinch back to reality and after so many years as Dick’s best friend the scent of Gotham was almost comforting.
They would have to type up a report on the Peterson’s behavior later, though Wally was almost certain the business deal would go through. The couple had been obviously very in love and had been very kind and welcoming. Hopefully, all the other investigations Bruce was surely running for reasons of precedent would turn up similar results.
Dick tugged on Wally’s arm lightly, turning him so they faced each other. “You okay, man?”
Wally sighed in a manner he knew must come off as lovesick. Which with the way Dick’s eyes were glittering in the light of the lanterns that lined the balcony he very much was. God, Dick was gorgeous and smart and funny and so goddamn caring.
“Whenever I look at you,” Wally started and he saw the moment Dick realized what was happening in the widening of his eyes and the grip on his bicep that tightened lightly, “I’m so overwhelmed with how much I adore you.”
“You’re my best friend, Dick, have been for a very long time. I- I know that I’ve had far too many too serious too fast relationships and you’ve had too many not serious enough ones, but if you would have me, I want to date you. I want to be your boyfriend and your best friend and I want you to be mine and I want to communicate and make coffee and have Star Wars marathons and eat sugary cereal at three am because my blood sugar went too low again and-“ Wally stopped, catching his breath.
Dick was staring at him, something like awe in his face.
“I guess,” Wally finally started again, “what I’m trying to say is, will you go on a date with me?”
Dick ducked his head and there was a brief moment of panic for Wally before he realized his best friend was just trying to cover his blush without actually pulling away from Wally.
Finally, Dick looked up, “I would love to.”
Wally stilled, elation bubbling in his chest, but, furthermore, adoration. Dick was, god, Wally didn’t have words to describe just how much Dick was.
Dick smiled warmly, “Can I kiss you?”
Wally smiled back, pulling Dick closer, “Of course.”
Dick’s lips were soft against Wally’s chapped ones and there was just the faintest hint of stubble under Wally’s fingertips when he raised his hand to Dick’s jaw and wow Wally’s brain was malfunctioning at the moment. Dick pulled away and then leant closer again to press his forehead to Wally’s. Wally’s hand slipped to the back of Dick’s neck.
“Date me?”
Dick laughed, white teeth flashing and lips pulling back into something utterly gorgeous, “I feel like you already asked me that.”
“Just have to make sure.”
Dick softened, arms slipping around Wally’s waist, “Of course, dear.”