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Dick visits the Watchtower for the first time when he's sixteen. It's been orbiting Earth for two years already, but Clark and Bruce are strict with their rules– no superhero stuff until he's sixteen.
Well, he's sixteen now. Which means he gets to start officially training, and he gets to meet his parents' ridiculously famous co-workers. He's known Diana forever, but Bruce was insistent on keeping their identities private, and Clark was adamant about Dick not having anything to do with their super-job until he was sixteen, so he's never met the others.
And the Watchtower is… incredible. It's massive, for one, but the evidence of Bruce's carefully crafted architecture is undeniable, with the sleek hallways and simply decorated, semi-friendly interior. Just below overly professional, above casual workplace. Dick rarely finds himself so impressed by Bruce's work anymore, but he's admittedly upset he wasn't able to see this in person before. He can't wait to rub it in Jason's face.
Knowing his dads, though, he wouldn't be surprised if Jason gets the tour when he turns thirteen. Favoritism.
He's dressed in a suit, an adaptation of the red, yellow, and green training clothes he wears, so his identity is maintained. Bruce and Clark have yet to share their marriage, much less their identities, so Dick had to some training of the mind before he was allowed here so he didn't accidentally expose the HR marriage.
"Everyone," Bruce addresses the room, the group of heroes around the briefing room table far more daunting than Dick expected. "I'd like to introduce you to someone."
Dick waves, suddenly feeling ridiculous in his traffic-colored costume. "Hi, guys."
Diana gives him a warm smile. At least there's that. Clark watches him carefully, encouraging, but Dick can tell he's nervous.
"This is my ward," Bruce gestures to Dick. "He's currently training to work alongside me. You can refer to him as Robin."
Robin. The affectionate nickname from his mother. The knot in Dick's chest loosens a bit.
"Hey," Flash waves. "How old are you?"
Dick glances at Bruce, eyebrows furrowed. Bruce's face doesn't shift. "Robin is a teenager, just like Kid Flash. If that's where you were heading."
Flash nods. "Yeah, I was wondering if he would be joining Donna and Wally."
"When he turns eighteen," Bruce nods. "For now, he is only here to observe. He is not to engage in combat at any point."
"Strict parents?" Green Lantern snorts. You have no idea, Dick wants to stay. Clark's expression flickers.
"Can he meet Wally?" Flash tilts his head. "Wally can get here at any point, if you want."
Dick shrugs at Bruce, who then nods at Flash. "Yes, that would be alright."
Flash pulls out his phone. "He'll be here any moment, then."
—
Dick gets the rest of the tour after that, with Clark showing him all the community spaces around.
"How you feelin'?" Clark asks, and Dick is almost startled by the way his voice changes between the Superman voice, and that classic Midwestern. "About everything."
"Good," Dick nods, glancing around to see if anyone else is around. "It feels weird having to pretend you guys aren't, like, my parents."
"Yeah, it's pretty strange," Clark nods. "I'm trying to convince B to be upfront with the League, but you know how he is."
"Yeah," Dick snorts. "I do."
The zeta tubes down the hall ping, and Dick glances over as Kid Flash steps out. He does look around Dick's age, with his face not covered by the mask reflecting similar youthfulness to Dick's.
"Wally!" Clark calls out, gesturing for him to come over. He's in front of them in a second, so fast it looks like he teleported. "This is Robin. Batman's ward."
"Nice," Wally grins, holding out a hand. "Robin your real name?"
Dick shakes his head, extending his hand in return. His hand gets literally shocked at the touch, which Dick supposes shouldn't be surprising. "No."
"Makes sense," Wally shrugs. "We all know how Batman is."
Clark smiles. Dick just stares at Wally, something about him that doesn't let him look away. "You're Flash's son?"
"Nephew," Wally grins. "I would hate to have Barry for a dad, but he's an alright uncle."
Barry. Dick adds it to the list of names. Bruce has all the identities of all the heroes on file for Dick to access from now on, but Bruce did say he knows the identities of some heroes who haven't exactly shared with the League yet. It's a contingency thing, of course, but Dick has to be careful about what names he says. It's better if he learns it on his own. "Yeah."
He feels awkward all of a sudden, his hand still prickling and his face getting gradually warmer. He's so used to talking to people his age in school, but that's so different. Everyone knows he's Bruce Wayne's kid, and he spent so long avoiding everyone when he first got adopted that he finds himself overcompensating when making friends in high school. But here, he's simply a sidekick-to-be, no matter how much he hates that term, and there's a limit to how honest he can be, for the sake of Bruce and Clark.
Standing here with Wally, the silence stretching on, Dick doesn't really know what to say, what to ask, how to continue the conversation. Wally's eyes on him have his heart racing, and he can see Clark out of his peripheral, the confused look on his face.
"You have speed powers," Dick blurts, and he feels stupid about it immediately. "I mean, yeah, of course. Just– can I see what you can do?"
He feels so, so stupid. Clark's expression shifts, and Wally's face lights up. "Yeah, of course! I've been learning how to phase, you should see it."
"Yeah, that sounds cool," Dick swallows. "I wonder how that works."
"C'mon, I'll show you," Wally beckons towards the training room, and Dick feels himself following automatically. Damn it, he really has to be less compliant than this. He is absolutely not a follower.
"Okay," Dick clears his throat. "I bet there's a simple scientific explanation for it."
"Yeah, yeah, but that doesn't matter," Wally rolls his eyes.
"Hm, sure," Dick shrugs. "But, okay. Let's see how cool this really is."
Yeah, so smooth, Grayson.
He can feel Clark's gaze on the back of his head, and he has a sense that his dad is seeing right through him. With the way Dick's heart is still racing, he knows Clark can hear it. He knows Clark can tell exactly what the hell is happening with Dick right now, and he's pretty confident Clark understands it far more than Dick does.
That's an issue for later. He just needs to buck the hell up and get his shit together before Wally thinks he's a loser, racing heart be damned. And if Bruce expects him to lead the League one day, he's certainly not letting his first impression be that he's a follower.
"Remember to report back to Batman, Robin," Clark calls after him, and Dick nods.
"Yeah, yeah," he waves off Clark. "Bye, Supes."
—
"Have we ever had 'the talk' with Dick?" Clark frowns, combing his fingers through Bruce's hair. It's well past four in the morning, and Bruce has finally fumbled his way into bed.
"Mmph," Bruce groans. "Clark, you should sleep."
"No, I don't need to sleep," Clark argues. "You're saying that so it doesn't sound like you're tired. But this'll just take a second."
"You always say that," Bruce frowns, but he lifts his head up. "Yes, I made Dick take the Sex-Ed course both in and out of school. You know how heteronormative the school ones are."
"Yeah, yeah," Clark nods. "But not exactly that, I mean the sexuality talk."
Bruce blinks at him. "What?"
"Like, have we made it clear that it's okay for him to love whoever he wants?" Clark chews his lips.
"Clark," Bruce drawls. "We're his gay fathers, if you've forgotten. If you're worried about him not thinking it's okay to like girls–"
"No," Clark flushes. "Stop. You know what I mean."
"I do not," Bruce grumbles. "Why are you so worried about this? I think we've been fairly encouraging of him liking whom he likes."
"I think Dick has a crush on Flash's kid," Clark blurts. Bruce blinks, slowly.
"Wally is Barry's nephew," he replies. Clark frowns.
"You knew?"
"I suspect," Bruce replies, heaving a sigh. "I don't know."
"Well?" Clark tilts his head. "What are your thoughts?"
"I think Dick could do better than anyone in the same family tree as Barry Allen," Bruce grumbles. "But as we've established, we are encouraging parents. He is allowed to like whom he likes."
"Yeah," Clark exhales. "Jeez, I thought I was going crazy."
"Dick asks to go to the Watchtower three times a week now," Bruce rolls his eyes. "Have you ever once seen him pay attention in a briefing?"
"Well–"
"Moreso, did you think I wouldn't see it?" Bruce huffs, leaning back against Clark again. "Conversation over. I'm sleeping now."
"Okay," Clark chuckles. Then, after a second, "Should we talk to him about it?"
"I can't imagine there is anything he would hate more than that," Bruce replies, and his breathing evens out almost instantly, Clark's hand through his hair.
"Fair point," Clark mutters, shifting to pull Bruce closer. "Golly."
—
Wally swings his legs over the ledge of the building, wrinkling his nose at the stench of the Gotham evening. "Jeez, it always smells like shit here."
Dick smiles, sitting cross-legged with the burger wrappers in his lap. "You get used to it eventually. Your delicate sinuses just can't handle it."
"You Gothamites think you're so badass," Wally groans. "Your city smells like garbage, y'know. I don't know what's so badass about that."
"Well, our Rogues are a hell of a lot more evil than yours," Dick rolls his eyes. "All your villains really do is run a sub-5 mile, or whatever."
Wally kicks his thigh. Dick tries not to smile. "Shut up."
"Nah, I don't think I will," Dick snorts. "It's funny when you get all frustrated. It's because you know I'm right."
"Yeah, well at least I actually get to fight my Rogues," Wally shoots back, and Dick winces.
"I would if I could," Dick snaps.
"What I don't get," Wally continues. "Is why your parents let you train with Batman, but don't bother letting you go out and actually use your skills. Seems pretty redundant to me."
"My parents are dead," Dick drawls. Technically, it's true. And while it's not entirely aided by any context, Dick is a bit annoyed with Wally.
Wally sits right up, eyes wide. "Oh, shit. I'm sorry, man. I–"
"You didn't know," Dick shrugs, feeling slightly more appeased. "It's fine."
"So, what…" Wally trails off. "Do you live with Batman?"
Dick hesitates. "Yeah."
"Oh," Wally blinks. "He's, like, your guardian now?"
He's a little more than that now, Dick thinks, but it's not worth it to say it out loud. Identity protection, and all. "Yeah."
"Damn," Wally hums. "Didn't take Bats for the fatherly type."
"I have a brother," Dick blurts, because Wally makes him say stupid things, and he's getting tired of not being able to tell someone who is quickly becoming his best friend anything really fundamental about himself. "Not my biological brother, but B also took him in."
Wally's eyes widen again. "Oh shit. Father of two?"
Dick huffs, lips quirking. "Yeah."
"Do you– does Batman…" Wally trails off again. "Wow, this sounds weird to say. Do you guys have a mom?"
"You mean, does Batman have a wife?" Dick drawls, smiling wider now. "No, we don't, and no, he doesn't."
Also technically the truth. Context isn't exactly crucial here.
"What's your brother like?" Wally asks. "Can you talk about him?"
"Uh, yeah," Dick clears his throat. "That's fine, just as long as I don't say too much."
Something flickers across Wally's expression, a look that reads as resigned and… disappointed. Dick might be reading into it. "Right."
"He's younger than me," Dick hums. "He just turned twelve, actually. I call him Jaybird."
"Huh," Wally smiles. "Jaybird and Robin. I'm sensing a theme."
"Yeah," Dick smiles right back. "The little shit is gonna steal the Robin name from me eventually. When I'm eighteen, probably."
"Hah," Wally chuckles sarcastically. "What a dick."
Dick swallows. "Yeah. He's a real ball of sunshine, though. I swear, he's our parents' favorite child."
Wally looks at him for a second. "As in Bats?"
Dick realizes the slip a second too late. "Yeah, Batman's favorite child."
"Huh," Wally hums, and it seems to get past him. Thank God. "That's funny. How come none of us know about him?"
"Batman basically created the term 'work-life balance'," Dick snorts. "You can't tell anyone about Jay, either."
Wally shakes his head. "I won't. I don't want to get slaughtered by the Bat."
"He doesn't kill people," Dick smiles.
"He'd certainly make an exception if I told people about his secret son," Wally holds his hands up.
"Okay, fair," Dick grins.
"What does he think you're doing when you come meet up with me?" Wally asks. Dick tries not to groan.
"I think he knows I'm hanging out with you," Dick hums. "But he keeps track of me, makes sure I don't do anything stupid. And he can trust me with the identity stuff."
"Damn," Wally whistles. "Talk about helicopter parent. Did he install cameras all over Gotham to keep track of you?"
No, he just married a guy with literal out-of-this-world senses. "No, but there's a reason he's dressing me like a traffic light."
Wally laughs. It's unabashed, and loud, and Dick really likes the sound. He decides to ignore that Wally's laughing at his expense. "Y'know, it makes perfect sense now."
Dick rolls his eyes. "Yeah, okay."
"Hey," Wally looks over at him, holding his gaze. Dick swallows.
"What?" Dick grumbles, hating the way his heart races.
"I'm really fucking hungry."
Dick scowls. "You're so annoying, we literally just had burgers."
"I have the metabolism of a speedster!" Wally groans. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Whatever," Dick huffs, heart still racing, almost painfully now. "You can grab food on your way home. I need to get back before B comes to get me."
Wally groans. "Ugh, fine. See you."
"Bye," Dick replies, but Wally's gone before he can even finish the word.
He stares at his hands, the slight tremble matching the nerves jumping around in his stomach. "Fuck, Grayson, get your shit together."
—
"Why are you being so annoying about this?" Dick groans, glaring at Bruce.
"You know how I feel about keeping our lives separate from hero work," Bruce grits his teeth, knife sawing at the steak in front of him.
"This is different," Dick shoots back. "Wally's my best friend. He should be allowed to know."
"He's still a superhero," Bruce replies. "And you can't tell him without exposing the rest of us."
"You can trust him!" Dick scowls.
"I trust everyone in the League," Bruce says calmly. "Otherwise they wouldn't be a part of it. But there's a difference between trusting someone and placing the responsibility of keeping your identity a secret in their hands."
"Diana knows," Dick argues, chest tightening. Clark looks at him softly, nudging his foot under the table. An ally, of sorts. Tim stares between the two of them.
"Don't compare Diana to Wally, you know they're different," Bruce frowns.
"I should be able to tell my best friend my name," Dick's voice wavers.
"You mean, your boyfriend," Tim snarks.
"Shut up," Dick scowls. "This isn't a joke, Tim."
"But you like him," Tim replies. "That's why you wanna tell him."
"Kiddo, leave him alone," Clark says quietly, ruffling Tim's hair. "It isn't about that."
"Yeah," Dick says, voice sounding hollow to his own ears. "I mean, Clark trusted you with his secret after you knew him, for like, a month. I've known Walls for over years."
"That's different, and you know that, too," Bruce replies. "I figured it out."
Dick opens his mouth, but doesn't say anything for a moment. "Just– please. Please let me tell him."
"Hey, champ," Clark softens. "B and I will talk about it, okay? Just let us figure it out."
Bruce doesn't say anything, but Dick isn't imagining the way his shoulders slump in surrender.
"Okay," Dick swallows.
"Does that mean I can tell my friends?" Tim pipes up.
"No," the other three say immediately. Tim deflates.
"Fine, whatever," he scowls. "Not like I care."
—
"Hey, Rob," Wally appears next to him, hair tousled from the wind. "What's up?"
Dick swallows, forcing his nerves down. Even now he wears the blue and black, that nickname sticks around all the time. It's not like Wally has anything else to call him. "I, uh."
"What?" Wally's face scrunches, and Dick can see the concern that forms almost immediately. "Everything okay?"
"Batman said I could tell you about me," Dick blurts out. Not very eloquently. Wally freezes.
"Like, your name?" He replies. "Your real name?"
"Yeah," Dick shrugs, trying to feel more casual about this than he knows he does.
"Oh, shit," Wally curses. "How the hell did you convince him?"
"It, uh," Dick hesitates. "Depends on if you can keep a secret."
Wally pauses. "I'm not so sure about that. How big of a secret are we talking?"
"Huge," Dick replies. "Like. Really big."
Wally raises an eyebrow. "That's what–"
"I'm serious," Dick groans. "Can you keep it or not?"
"You'll tell me everything if I can?" Wally tilts his head. Dick nods. "Okay, then yes."
"Batman and Superman are married, they're my dads, and Batman is Bruce Wayne," Dick says.
Wally stares at him. "You're bullshitting me. Shut the fuck up."
"No, I'm serious," Dick swallows. "They've been together for years, and they're married. And Bruce Wayne is Batman."
"Holy," Wally exhales. "Fucking shit. Hal's gonna flip his shit."
"You can't say–"
"I know, I know, secret," Wally nods. "But when he finds out, he will flip."
"Yeah," Dick nods. "Absolutely."
"Okay," Wally says slowly. "And?"
"And what?" Dick frowns. Wally raises an eyebrow.
"What's your name, dipshit?"
"Dick."
"I'm a dick for asking you–"
"No," Dick scowls, face burning. "My name is Dick. Well. It's actually Richard, but no one calls me that."
Wally stares at him. "Y'know, that's actually the most interesting of everything you just told me."
"Asshole," Dick huffs, shoving him.
"What, that's your middle name?" Wally grins, and Dick hates him so much.
"Shut the fuck up," Dick groans. "You're such a–"
"Dick?"
"Wally fucking West–"
"Okay, okay!" Wally surrenders, hands in the air as he grins. "I'll stop."
Dick huffs, dragging a hand over his face.
"So," Wally continues.
"Oh, God, what now?" Dick rolls his eyes. Wally just stares at him.
"You gonna take off your cowl, or what?" Wally raises his eyebrow. "You've gotta finish the whole identity reveal sequence, dude."
And, suddenly, Dick's stomach drops. Because he knows he isn't ugly, but there was a… barrier before. The knowledge that Dick's face wouldn't make Wally's heart pound the same way seeing Wally's face for the first time did for Dick, simply because Dick didn't have to show him his face. He didn't have to consider whether Wally felt the same confusing, jumbled feelings he did, because Wally didn't see all of him.
But now the barrier will be gone. And Dick doesn't know what the hell he's gonna see on Wally's face if he takes off the mask.
"Right," Dick replies, mouth dry. He reaches up, peels the mask off with ease. Because it's that easy, that thin of a fabric that kept him five feet from Wally. Emotionally.
Wally just… stares at him, for a second. Squints his eyes like he doesn't really understand what he's seeing, gaze shifting like he's trying to take it all in. "Dude, you're like… not ugly."
Dick scowls. "Why the hell would I be ugly?"
"Well, you were just so damn insistent on the mask!" Wally yelps.
"I had to be," Dick snaps. "And it covers, like, barely a third of my face."
"Yeah, yeah," Wally huffs, a slight rosiness to his cheeks. "But it's a hell of a difference, actually."
Dick hums, glaring out at the sky. His stomach is turning, and his chest is tight, and he fucking hates this. He hates having a crush, hates not knowing how Wally feels, and he certainly doesn't know what would happen if he leaned over and kissed him right now.
"So, your dads," Wally blurts. Dick stares at him. "They're gay?"
"Obviously," Dick scowls, face burning. "They're married."
"And what about you?" Wally chuckles, but it sounds forced. "I mean, did you inherit the gay gene?"
"That's not how it works, dumbass," Dick huffs. "Even if I was biologically related to them, which I'm not, it's not something you inherit."
"Right," Wally replies. "I knew that, I was just–"
"I'm non-discriminating," Dick cuts him off. "If that's what you were wondering."
"Oh," Wally nods. "Yeah. Um, yeah."
"Yeah," Dick drawls. "But I didn't inherit it."
"I know," Wally grumbles, face red. Dick thinks it looks cute on him. "I was making a joke."
"It wasn't funny," Dick comments.
"Yeah, I got that," Wally snaps at him, and Dick stares at him.
"Uh, dude," Dick frowns. "You have a problem with that?"
Wally whips his head to look at him. "Hell, no! That's not–"
"What is it, then?" Dick frowns. "You're clearly bothered about something."
"I'm trying to say," Wally huffs. "Is that I'm gay, too. I like dudes. Dudes are hot. Whatever. However you wanna say it."
Dick stares at him. "Wow, really took you a second."
"Shut up," Wally groans. "I've never said it out loud before."
"Oh," Dick replies. "Well, thanks for telling me."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Wally huffs, eyes darting around before settling on Dick. "I'm trying to tell you I like you, but you're being such a dick–"
"Well, that is my– what?"
Wally cuts of the rest of whatever Dick was gonna say, pressing his mouth against Dick's. It's tentative, and barely more than a brush of lips, but Dick feels his brain stop immediately.
Wally pulls away, and his hair is spiky. Like he's been electrocuted. "Did I just spark you?"
Dick stares at him, then processes the feeling of his own hair sticking out. "Uh. Yeah? I didn't really feel it."
"Oh," Wally swallows. "That's–"
Dick cuts him off this time, snaking a hand around the back of Wally's neck and kissing him a lot firmer. "Shut up, West."
"Yup, got it, understood," Wally exhales, leaning into his touch. He kisses him back with more fervor, but Dick almost chuckles at the obvious effort he puts into not shocking them this time around.
Dick may feel a little spike of electricity here and there, but he doesn't say anything. He just keeps kissing him, because, frankly… why would he ever stop?
—
"You're bullshitting me," Barry stares at Wally. "You knew this whole time?"
"Not the whole time," Wally waves a hand. "I've known for a few years, but I was sworn to secrecy. He told me their names, and that Supes and Bats are married. I went over to their house for dinner. Met his siblings, too."
"And why didn't you tell me any of this?" Barry yelps. "Why did you get to know and not me?"
"Are you dating a Bat?" Wally raises an eyebrow. "And it was a huge secret, Dick made me promise–"
"You and Nightwing are dating?"
"Yeah, keep up–"
"Wallace Rudolph West."
"Dude," Wally huffs. "Chill. I couldn't tell you because then I would have to tell you everything else. But you know now."
"Holy shit," Barry exhales. "Does that mean me and Batman are kinda family? And I suspected-"
"Never say that around him or he'll kill you," Wally frowns. "It took me long enough to win him over."
"Jesus, you're dating Nightwing," Barry exhales. "I didn't even know you liked dudes."
"Does it matter?" Wally flops on the couch next to him, tossing him a controller.
"Not as much as the fact that you're dating Nightwing! For how long?"
"Four years," Wally yawns.
"Four years-"
"You didn't know, too bad so sad. Now log on, please. You're taking eons."
"Forgive me for being surprised that–"
"Don't care, log on."
"Ugh. Fine. Whatever. But you're not getting any money from the betting pool, cheater."