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The Watchtower had a remarkable inability to stay quiet.
It wasn't for lack of trying. Every so often, the Justice League scheduled what Batman insisted on calling a "routine briefing," which was really just an excuse to gather everyone in one room before inevitably sending them somewhere dangerous. Most of the League had learned that "routine" usually meant someone was about to ruin their day.
Today, however, actually seemed routine. For once.
Hal Jordan had his boots propped up on the conference table despite Batman's repeated requests not to. Across from him, Oliver Queen was attempting, and failing, to beat Barry Allen at a game on his phone while simultaneously insisting he wasn't competitive.
"I would've won if you weren't a speedster." Oliver groaned.
Barry didn't even glance up. "You said that three rounds ago."
"Because it was true three rounds ago."
"And it's still not an excuse."
"Sure it is."
Hal snorted, spinning lazily in his chair before replying, "It really isn't."
The elevator doors slid open.
"Speak of the devil," Hal muttered.
Wally West strolled into the meeting room without so much as acknowledging the three of them. His attention was fixed entirely on his phone, a grin spreading wider across his face with every tap of the keyboard.
Barry noticed first."...What's with him?"
Hal followed Barry's gaze before a mischievous smile crossed his own face. "Oh, absolutely not."
Wally looked up just in time to catch all three of them staring. "What?"
Hal leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Who're you texting that's got you smiling like an idiot?"
"I always smile," Wally tried to reason.
"Not like that," Ollie cut in. "That's a 'someone just called me handsome' smile."
Barry nodded thoughtfully. "Or a 'someone sent you a heart emoji' smile."
Wally rolled his eyes, sliding into a chair across the table from Barry.
"You guys are unbelievable," Wally grumbled
"So we're right." Barry grinned.
"No."
"Then hand over the phone."
"In your dreams."
Hal pointed an accusing finger.
"He's hiding it," Hal gasped.
"I knew it," Ollie said, dramatically throwing his hands into the air. "You've got a secret girlfriend."
Wally barked out a laugh. "No."
"A boyfriend?" Hal asked.
"No."
Barry frowned and said, "Okay... then why are you blushing?"
"I'm not blushing”, Wally tried to say.
"You are absolutely blushing," Hal goaded.
Wally sighed the long, patient sigh of someone who'd known these idiots for far too many years.
"I'm texting my partner."
The room fell quiet.
Barry blinked. "...Your partner?"
"Yeah."
Hal sat up straighter.
"Hold on," Ollie narrowed his eyes. "Partner... partner?"
"Yep," Wally sighed.
Barry looked genuinely offended. "You're dating someone and you didn't tell me?"
"We wanted to keep it professional," Wally shrugged. "So... we haven't really told anyone."
Silence.
Then Hal spoke. "...Keep it professional. So we know them?"
Wally couldn't suppress the grin this time. "You do."
"How do we know them?" Oliver asked eagerly.
"My partner's in the League."
Three jaws hit the floor.
"Your what is where?"
Before anyone could demand another answer, the doors opened once more. Batman entered first, followed closely by Superman and Wonder Woman.
Without missing a beat, Batman said, "If you're finished gossiping, we have a mission."
Wally leaned back in his chair, still smiling. Hal shot him a look that promised this conversation was far from over.
The mission briefing lasted exactly four minutes before Hal Jordan stopped paying attention. To be fair, the mission itself was painfully straightforward.
Drug ring. Warehouse district. Two recon teams. Gather intel, avoid being seen, return to the Watchtower.
Simple.
Batman stood at the head of the table, one gloved hand resting on the holographic display projecting a map of Star City’s industrial district. Small blue markers blinked over several abandoned warehouses while red circles highlighted the suspected drug distribution sites. Beside him, Wonder Woman studied the map while Superman folded his arms, listening quietly as Batman reviewed the final details.
Most of the League, however, had mentally checked out the second Batman said the words recon mission.
Hal had one boot kicked onto the edge of the table despite several years' worth of Batman silently disapproving of the habit. Barry leaned against the back of a chair beside him, absentmindedly spinning a Flash ring around his finger. Next to them, Ollie rested both elbows on the table, lazily tossing one of Batman's styluses into the air and catching it before it could hit the floor.
Wally sat a few seats away, looking entirely too pleased with himself. The smile hadn't left his face since he'd admitted he was dating someone.
Hal noticed it immediately. "Oh, he's still smiling," he whispered to Barry.
Barry looked over. "...He is."
Ollie narrowed his eyes. "I don't like it."
"What?" Wally asked, finally looking up.
"You've got that look," Hal whisper yelled at him.
"What look?" Wally giggled.
"The one that says you're enjoying the fact that we're suffering." Hal replied.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Liar," Oliver stated.
Batman continued speaking as though none of them had opened their mouths.
"Team One: Flash Sr., Green Lantern, Wonder Woman. You'll infiltrate the eastern warehouse and retrieve a sample of the substance being distributed."
A section of the hologram shifted, zooming into a rusted shipping warehouse tucked between Star City’s docks and the waterfront.
"Team Two: Flash Jr., Green Arrow, Superman. You'll observe the secondary location and monitor conversations between known associates."
Another building illuminated across the map.
"I'll remain on comms from the Watchtower."
Everyone nodded.
Hal raised a hand. "Quick question."
Batman didn't even look at him. "No."
"You don't even know what I was going to ask."
"It wasn't mission related."
Hal frowned. "That's profiling."
A quiet snort escaped Wally before he quickly covered it with a cough. Batman ignored them.
"Maintain radio silence unless necessary. Gather information. Do not engage unless compromised." He paused just long enough for everyone to think the briefing was over.
"And focus on the mission."
His gaze landed squarely on Hal.
Then Barry.
Then Oliver.
All three suddenly found the holographic map incredibly interesting. Wally wasn't even pretending to hide his grin anymore.
- - -
The eastern warehouse sat tucked against Star City’s waterfront, hidden among rows of abandoned shipping containers and rusting cargo cranes that hadn't been used in years. From the outside it looked like every other forgotten building lining the docks, broken windows, peeling paint, and corrugated steel walls stained from decades of rain and saltwater.
Inside, however, the building was anything but abandoned.
Rows of metal shelves stretched toward the ceiling, stacked with unmarked crates and plastic barrels. Portable work lights cast harsh white beams across the warehouse floor, leaving deep shadows between the aisles. Men in heavy work clothes moved pallets back and forth with forklifts while others sealed small plastic bags at long folding tables. The smell of industrial cleaner mixed with chemicals hung thick in the air.
High above them, three Justice Leaguers watched from a network of steel catwalks crisscrossing the ceiling.
Barry crouched behind a support beam, carefully watching the workers below as he adjusted the tiny scanner clipped inside his glove. Beside him, Hal hovered a few inches off the grated walkway, his ring emitting only the faintest green glow to avoid drawing attention. A few yards away, Wonder Woman stood with practiced stillness near one of the support columns, keeping watch over the warehouse entrances.
None of the workers looked up.
"Alright," Hal whispered over the comms. "Let's think this through."
Barry continued scanning a nearby crate without looking at him.
"That's already a dangerous way to start a sentence," Barry sighed.
"Wally said his partner is in the League," Hal continued
"Hal." Barry protested.
"We know them."
"Hal."
"And they've been keeping it professional."
Barry sighed, finally glancing over.
"You realize you're trying to solve your coworker's love life in the middle of a covert operation."
Batman answered through the comm before Hal could. "Barry is correct."
Hal looked mildly offended.
"I wasn't asking," Hal grumbled.
"You were distracting your team." Batman stated.
"I can multitask."
Wonder Woman quietly stepped forward as two workers passed directly beneath the catwalk.
"They're moving the shipment," she murmured.
The three heroes waited silently until the voices faded into the next aisle. Only then did Hal continue.
"Okay. Eliminate everyone who's obviously single."
Barry pinched the bridge of his nose.
"That's... not how detective work works."
"It's exactly how detective work works." Hal replied.
"It absolutely is not." Barry shot back.
Wonder Woman glanced back toward them.
"The sample."
"Oh, right." Barry vanished in a streak of red. A second later he reappeared, now holding a sealed evidence vial containing a small amount of bright blue powder.
"Got it."
Hal nodded approvingly.
"Excellent. Now back to important matters." Hal said, rubbing his hands together in an attempt to be menacing.
Barry groaned. "You mean the drug?"
"No."
"The relationship?"
"Obviously."
Wonder Woman let out a slow breath.
"I suddenly understand Batman's headaches." She sighed.
Across the district, the second warehouse overlooked Star City’s Harbor from the opposite side of the docks.
Unlike the first location, this building showed very little activity from the outside. Only a handful of trucks were parked near the loading bays, and a few armed guards wandered lazily around the perimeter fence. The real action was happening behind the building.
Perched atop the flat rooftop of an adjacent office building, Superman, Wally, and Oliver watched the loading dock below through the cover of several large ventilation units. The late afternoon sun had begun to dip behind Star City’s skyline, casting long shadows across the harbor while orange light reflected off the water below. From their vantage point, they had a perfect view of half a dozen men unloading crates from the back of a semi-truck.
More importantly... They talked.
A lot.
"...Boss wants everything moved before midnight."
"Then tell him to send more people."
"I'm telling you what he told me."
Wally quietly adjusted the tiny directional microphone resting against the rooftop ledge, letting Batman hear every word through the Watchtower's systems.
"Shipment confirmed," Batman's voice crackled through the earpieces. "Continue observing."
"Copy."
The three settled back into silence.
For approximately eight seconds.
Ollie leaned closer to Wally.
"So..." He started.
"No."
"I haven't asked anything yet."
"You were about to."
"I absolutely was."
Superman didn't take his eyes off the loading dock.
"Oliver." Clark said sternly.
"What?"
"We're working."
"I'm whispering."
"You're still talking."
"I can whisper and work."
Wally snorted. "He kinda can."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
Another voice drifted up from below.
"...Boss says nobody touches the blue crates."
Wally immediately keyed his communicator.
"Batman, blue crates are marked priority."
"Copy."
A brief silence settled over the rooftop once more. Ollie lasted even less time this round.
"So... can I at least get a clue?" He whispered at Wally.
"No."
"How long have you two been together?"
"No."
"Do I know them well?"
"You know them."
"That's not the question I asked."
"It's the answer you're getting."
Superman slowly lowered the binoculars from his eyes.
"Oliver." He repeated.
"What?"
"Leave him alone."
"I'm gathering intelligence."
"On your teammate."
"Exactly."
"That is not mission intelligence."
Ollie looked genuinely confused. "It feels important."
"It is not." Superman argued.
"I disagree."
Wally chuckled quietly beside him. "I think Batman agrees with Supes."
As if on cue, Batman's voice came over the comms. "I do."
Ollie threw his hands into the air.
"Does nobody appreciate curiosity?" Oliver asked indignantly.
"No," Batman answered.
Superman smiled just enough for Wally to notice. "I appreciate curiosity."
Ollie perked up. "See?"
Clark continued. "When it's directed toward the mission."
"...Traitor."
Wally had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing loud enough for the men below to hear.
Back on the Watchtower, the mission unfolded across nearly a dozen holographic screens suspended above the main console. Security footage from Star City’s docks occupied the largest display, while thermal imaging, satellite scans, and live audio feeds floated around it in neat rows. Blue lines traced the positions of both League teams as they moved through the warehouse district below.
Batman stood in front of the console with his arms folded behind his back, cape pooling around his boots as he monitored every camera feed simultaneously. The recon itself was going well. Neither team had been spotted. Barry had secured the drug sample. Superman's team had already confirmed a shipment route.
Objectively, it was shaping up to be one of the easiest missions the League had completed in months.
Subjectively...
Batman had spent the last twenty minutes listening to Hal Jordan attempt to solve Wally West's love life over an open communications channel.
"...Okay, but hear me out," Hal's voice crackled through the speakers. "Maybe it's Zatanna."
"No," Barry replied immediately.
"Why are you so confident?"
"Because she would've told me just to see your face when you guessed wrong."
Batman closed his eyes for the briefest moment. The monitor room doors slid open with a quiet hiss. Nightwing stepped inside carrying a mug of coffee in one hand and a tablet tucked beneath the other arm.
"Bruce."
Batman gave the slightest nod.
"Duty change."
Nightwing set the mug beside one of the consoles before glancing up at the wall of monitors.
"So... how's recon?"
Batman didn't look away from the screens.
"The mission is progressing." He said calmly.
Nightwing smiled knowingly. "And?"
Batman finally looked at him. "My teammates are idiots."
Dick laughed. "They're still talking about Wally?"
"They have spent twenty-three minutes discussing his relationship."
"...Only twenty-three?"
Batman gave him a look. Dick shrugged innocently.
"I figured it'd take less time for Hal to derail the mission." Nightwing stated.
Another burst of static filled the room.
"...Okay, eliminate everyone who flies." Hal claimed through the comms.
Barry sighed dramatically enough that even through the comms they could hear it. Batman muted Team One's microphones. The silence was immediate.
After another moment he asked, almost casually, "Was the relationship something the two of you intended to hide?"
Dick leaned against the console, folding his arms.
"Not really," Dick started.
Batman waited.
"We just... never brought it up."
"You deliberately avoided mentioning it." Bruce stated.
"We wanted to keep it professional." Dick reasoned.
Batman considered that before replying, "For over a year."
Dick rubbed the back of his neck.
"Okay, that part wasn't intentional."
"What changed?"
"Nothing." Dick grinned. "Honestly, once nobody figured it out, it became kind of funny."
Batman's expression remained perfectly neutral. "It became a game."
"A little." Dick agreed
"You made a bet." Bruce said.
Dick looked genuinely impressed. "...How did you know that?"
Batman simply stared at him.
Dick laughed. "Yeah. We made a bet on who'd accidentally let it slip first."
Almost on cue, Hal's voice echoed through the speakers after Batman unmuted the channel.
"I'm telling you, if it's someone obvious, I'm gonna be furious."
Dick pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. Batman almost looked amused. Almost.
- - -
By the time both teams returned to the Watchtower, Star City had disappeared beneath the curve of the Earth. The debrief was refreshingly short.
Barry handed over the evidence vial while Superman summarized the shipment schedule. Wally filled Batman in on the names he'd overheard, and Wonder Woman confirmed the estimated manpower guarding the operation.
Within ten minutes, the mission was officially complete.
Batman dismissed everyone with his usual, "Good work."
Which, coming from Batman, was practically a standing ovation. The League immediately relaxed. Hal stretched until several joints cracked. Barry was already halfway through a protein bar he'd somehow produced from nowhere. Ollie leaned against the conference table, absentmindedly spinning an arrow between his fingers. Wally was quietly packing up his communicator when the monitor room doors opened.
Nightwing stepped inside. Still dressed in uniform, domino mask resting comfortably over his eyes, he offered the room a casual wave.
"Hey!"
"Wing!" Hal called.
Dick wandered over toward the group.
"Everything go alright?" Nightwing questioned?
Barry and Ollie exchanged identical looks. Perfect. Fresh victim. Ollie pushed off the table.
"Actually..." Ollie started.
Dick immediately became suspicious. "...That 'actually' worries me."
"Wally's dating someone." Hal blurted out.
Dick blinked once. "...He is?"
Barry nodded emphatically. "He admitted it."
"And apparently we've known about this person the whole time," Hal added.
Dick slowly turned toward Wally. "...Seriously?"
Wally looked up from stuffing his communicator into his belt pouch.
"Oh no." Wally said under his breath.
"My oldest friend..." Dick placed a hand dramatically against his chest. "...and you didn't tell me you were dating someone?"
Barry pointed. "See! That's exactly how I felt!"
"You wound me, Wallace."
"I don't have time for this." Wally laughed, continuing to pack up his gear.
"You absolutely have time for this." Hal exclaimed.
"I really don't."
Dick shook his head sadly. "I thought we told each other everything," he said solemnly.
Wally groaned. "You are so annoying."
"I learned from the best."
Before Hal could launch into another round of questioning, Wally was already walking across the room. He grabbed Dick lightly by the forearm.
"We're leaving," he told the group.
"But my feelings—" Nightwing tried to protest.
"We don't have time for your feelings."
"They're very important feelings." Dick pouted.
"Roy's gonna kill us if we're late for Titans dinner." Wally reminded him.
Dick's eyes widened dramatically. "...He's making tacos."
"Exactly."
"We should definitely go." Dick said as he left the room with Wally.
The pair disappeared into the hallway just as the meeting room doors slid shut behind them. They managed to keep straight faces for approximately five seconds. The moment they rounded the corner and were completely out of sight, Wally leaned against the wall and doubled over laughing. Dick wasn't far behind.
"I cannot believe..." Wally wheezed between laughs, "...you actually went with the betrayal angle."
"It was the first thing that came to mind!"
Barry's horrified expression flashed through Dick's memory, sending him into another fit of laughter.
"Oh my god, Barry looked devastated," Dick giggled.
"I know!"
"And Hal..."
"He looked like his whole worldview collapsed."
The two leaned against opposite walls trying, and failing, to catch their breath.
After a minute, Wally finally managed, "We're terrible."
Dick nodded immediately. "Horrible."
"Worth it?"
Dick didn't hesitate. "Absolutely."
They shared another grin before pushing themselves off the wall.
"C'mon," Dick said, "we really are gonna be late."
"And Roy actually will be mad." Wally shuddered at the thought.
- - -
Silence lingered for several seconds after the doors closed. Hal slowly turned toward the others.
"...Did that seem weird to anyone else?"
Barry frowned. "I don't know."
"They've always been close," Superman offered.
"They grew up together," Wonder Woman added.
Ollie narrowed his eyes toward the now-empty doorway. "...Something's off."
"What?" Barry questioned.
"I don't know,"Ollie answered, "but something."
Barry crossed his arms. "You think Nightwing was telling the truth?"
"I think he was acting." Ollie decided.
Hal nodded immediately. "He was definitely acting."
Superman sighed. "I think you three have become far too invested in this."
"We're appropriately invested." Hal reasoned.
"There is no appropriate amount." Superman countered.
"There absolutely is." Ollie claimed.
"There isn't." Wonder Woman laughed.
Barry suddenly snapped his fingers. "Roy."
Ollie's head whipped around. "...Roy."
"The Titans," Barry continued, "they tell each other everything."
Ollie was already pulling out his phone.
"If Dick doesn't know..." Barry trailed off.
"Roy definitely does." Oliver finished for him.
Hal leaned over his shoulder. "What are you texting?"
"'Call me after dinner.'" Oliver said.
"...That's it?" Hal seemed appalled.
"I don't want to seem desperate." Oliver shrugged.
Hal stared at him. "We're investigating our coworker's dating life."
"...Fair."
He hit send. Across the room, Wonder Woman quietly looked toward Superman. "They're exhausting."
Clark smiled. "They'll figure it out eventually."
Wonder Woman glanced toward the closed hallway doors. "I sincerely hope not."
- - -
By the time monitor duty rolled around for Hal and Oliver, the Watchtower had settled into its usual evening rhythm. The halls were noticeably quieter than they had been earlier that afternoon. Most of the League had returned to Earth after the debrief, leaving only a handful of heroes behind to keep watch over the planet until the next shift arrived.
The monitor room glowed with the soft blue light of dozens of holographic displays. Satellite feeds floated in neat rows around the room while emergency alerts scrolled lazily across the lower monitors. Hal had been assigned monitor duty. Which meant he had spent the last twenty minutes spinning lazily in Batman's chair until Ollie threatened to tell Bats.
Now he sat with both feet propped on the console instead. Ollie leaned against one of the workstations, absentmindedly flipping a pencil between his fingers as they waited. Neither of them had spoken about the drug ring in at least fifteen minutes.
The investigation that occupied their minds now was significantly less important.
Ollie's phone buzzed against the console. He immediately straightened.
"Finally." He sighed.
Hal swiveled his chair around. "Roy?"
Ollie checked the caller ID before grinning. "Roy."
He answered without hesitation, switching the call to FaceTime. The screen flickered to life.
Roy Harper appeared lounging comfortably across his couch, one arm draped over the back cushions. His apartment looked exactly like Hal expected, gear scattered across the coffee table, recently cleared plates sitting on the counter, television quietly playing something in the background.
"What do you need, old man?" Roy said into the phone.
Ollie rolled his eyes. "I'm barely old enough to qualify as old."
"You complain about your back every time we spar,” Roy defended.
"That happened one time."
"Last week."
Before Ollie could defend himself, Hal leaned toward the screen.
"What do you know about a secret relationship?" Hal asked eagerly.
Roy blinked. "...Why would I know anything about a secret relationship?"
As he answered, his eyes darted briefly toward the other end of the couch. Jason Todd sat there with one boot resting on the coffee table, lazily flipping through channels with the television remote. At the mention of the words secret relationship, he glanced over the top of the couch with immediate suspicion.
"What?" Jason said from his end of the couch.
Roy held up one finger. Please don't talk. Jason raised an eyebrow.
Ollie continued, blissfully unaware. "What do you know about a secret relationship?"
Roy forced a laugh that sounded only slightly strained. "...Why would I know anything about a secret relationship?"
Jason frowned. His eyes moved between Roy and the phone. Roy very subtly shook his head. Jason's eyebrows climbed even higher.
"So..." Ollie continued carefully, "You're not dating Wally?"
Roy stared at him. Then barked out a laugh so loud it startled Jason.
"OH, WHAT THE HELL? NO WAY!"
Ollie nodded. "Okay, okay. That's what I figured."
Roy shook his head. "Why would that be your first guess?"
"It's... been a weird day." Oliver replied.
Hal leaned closer to the phone. "Do you know who he is dating?"
Roy scratched thoughtfully at his chin. "Someone in the League."
Hal groaned. "We know that."
"Well..." Roy shrugged, "...that's all I've got for you."
Jason snorted from the couch. Roy shot him a warning look.
"You're a terrible liar." Jason whispered
Roy kicked him lightly in the shin.
"Shut up."
Ollie sighed dramatically. "So you seriously don't know?"
Roy spread his hands. "I seriously don't know."
Which, technically, wasn't a lie. He didn't know. He knew exactly who. There was a difference.
Hal rubbed a hand over his face. "I can't believe we've hit a dead end."
Roy looked genuinely amused now. "You guys made this into an investigation?"
"You'd be surprised how invested everyone's gotten," Ollie admitted.
"I really wouldn't." Roy laughed, knowing the group of heroes well enough to realize how invested they now were. Roy glanced between Jason and the phone before smiling innocently.
"If I hear anything..." Roy started.
"You'll tell us?" Hal asked excitedly.
"...Sure." Roy said with a roll of his eyes.
Hal nodded approvingly. "Knew we could count on you."
The call disconnected. Silence settled over the monitor room. Ollie slowly lowered the phone.
"...Well."
Hal leaned back in his chair. "We reconvene with Barry tomorrow."
- - -
Three days.
Three whole days had passed since the warehouse mission. Three days of unanswered questions. Three days of absolutely no progress. Which, according to Hal Jordan, officially made this the longest-running investigation in Green Lantern history.
The Watchtower bustled with its usual afternoon rhythm.
Heroes moved through the broad hallways in every direction as shifts changed and patrols rotated. The distant hum of zeta tubes echoed from the transport bay while conversations drifted through the corridors, some discussing mission reports, others making dinner plans before heading back to Earth. Somewhere farther down the hall, Booster Gold could be heard enthusiastically trying to convince Blue Beetle to help him with something neither of them had clearance for.
Near the observation deck, one of the Watchtower's smaller lounge areas overlooked the Earth below through a curved wall of reinforced glass.
Sunlight reflected off the Atlantic Ocean far beneath them, white clouds drifting lazily across continents that looked impossibly peaceful from orbit. The room itself was quiet, furnished with several gray couches arranged around a low coffee table littered with mission files, coffee mugs, and the remains of someone's abandoned lunch.
Barry occupied one end of the couch, shoes kicked off and legs tucked beneath him as he worked through a stack of reports with one hand while balancing a cup of coffee in the other. Every few moments he'd actually read a sentence before his attention wandered back to the conversation.
Hal, on the other hand, hadn't sat down once.
He paced slow circles around the coffee table, hands shoved into the pockets of his leather jacket, occasionally stopping to stare dramatically out at the Earth as though the answer might be written somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
"You know what's bothering me?" Hal asked.
Barry didn't even glance up. "I've got about thirty guesses."
"We've made absolutely no progress."
"We've made negative progress." Barry amended.
Hal spun around. "Exactly!"
The elevator at the end of the lounge slid open with its familiar mechanical hiss. Oliver Queen stepped out adjusting the cuff of an immaculately tailored black tuxedo.
Barry looked up. "...Wow."
Hal blinked. "You clean up nice."
Ollie smirked as he smoothed the front of his jacket. "I have standards."
"You hide them well." Barry said under his breath, eyes now back on his stack of reports.
"Wayne Foundation gala tonight," Ollie explained, loosening the expensive watch sitting beneath his sleeve. "Unfortunately, Bruce insists on hosting at least one event a month where people expect me to wear something without pockets."
Barry gestured toward the emerald green tie hanging neatly against Ollie's shirt. "Gotham?"
"Sadly."
Hal laughed. "Try not to buy another charity."
"I make no promises."
Ollie dropped into the armchair opposite the couch with an exhausted sigh, carefully crossing one leg over the other.
"I've got updates."
Both men straightened immediately. The room suddenly felt less like a lounge and more like detectives gathering around a case file. Barry slid the mission reports aside while Hal abandoned his pacing altogether, leaning both hands against the coffee table.
Ollie folded his arms. "I saw Roy yesterday."
"And?" Hal asked immediately.
"I figured maybe he'd loosen up in person."
Barry nodded. "Reasonable."
"So I asked again."
"What'd he say?" Hal questioned.
Ollie rubbed a hand across his forehead. "He laughed."
Silence.
Barry blinked. "...Just laughed?"
"He laughed..." Ollie pointed toward both of them. "...at me."
Hal tried, and failed, not to smile. "Sorry."
"No you're not." Ollie leaned back in his chair. "Then he looked me dead in the eye and said..."
He lowered his voice, perfectly mimicking Roy. 'Man... you really are oblivious to relationships between heroes.'
The room fell quiet. Barry slowly lowered his coffee.
"...What does that even mean?"
"I've been trying to figure that out for twenty-four hours," Oliver exclaimed.
Hal pointed toward the ceiling. "It means he knows."
Barry frowned. "We already established he knows."
"No." Hal shook his head confidently. "Now we know he knows."
Barry sighed. "I hate that those somehow mean different things."
He then reached for one of the folders on the coffee table before setting it back down. "My turn."
Hal looked up. "You talked to Bart?"
Barry nodded. "I caught him after Young Justice training."
Ollie leaned forward. "And?"
Barry groaned. "He smiled."
"...That's never good," Hal concluded.
"I asked if Wally had told him anything." Another sigh. "He said..." Barry quoted from memory. 'Oh yeah. Everybody on the team knows.'
Hal nearly choked. "What?"
"I asked who," Barry continued, "He smiled. I asked for a hint." Barry shook his head in defeat, "he smiled even more."
Ollie buried his face in one hand. "Of course he did."
Barry nodded. "Then he says… 'We've all been sworn to secrecy.'”
Hal threw his hands into the air. "No!"
Barry wasn't finished. "And then...'We've got bets going on who spills the beans first.'”
Silence. Hal stared blankly out the observation window. "They're screwing with us."
Barry nodded solemnly. "They're absolutely screwing with us."
"They've turned this into a game," Ollie sighed.
"So Young Justice knows." Barry said.
"The Titans know," Oliver added.
"Roy knows," Hal groaned. "And apparently there's gambling involved."
Barry looked between the two of them. "...I think we're literally the last people to find out."
Hal finally flopped onto the couch, grabbing one of the throw pillows as if preparing for a serious strategy session.
"I've questioned half the League."
Barry looked horrified. "...Questioned?"
"I was subtle," Hal reassured.
"You asked Plastic Man if Wally was secretly dating Hawkgirl." Oliver deadpanned.
"...One time."
"You asked Dinah if she'd noticed Wally disappearing after meetings" Barry tacked on.
"That one was subtle."
"It wasn't," Barry grumbled
Hal ignored him. "Point is..."
He counted on his fingers. "Arthur doesn't know. Dinah doesn't know. Terrific doesn't know. Zatanna definitely doesn't know."
Ollie frowned thoughtfully. "So..."
"The League's in the dark," Hal confirmed.
Barry slowly sat forward. "But every younger team knows."
The three exchanged glances. For the first time all week… They'd actually found a pattern.
Hal snapped his fingers. "We've been doing this all wrong."
Barry looked up. "...Go on."
"We stop asking everyone else," Hal decided.
Ollie nodded slowly. "And?"
"We pressure Wally."
Barry blinked. "We've already been asking Wally."
"No," Hal grinned, "We interrogate Wally."
Barry stared. "...That's somehow worse."
Almost as if the universe had impeccable comedic timing, the elevator chimed. The three men turned in unison.
Wally West stepped into the lounge carrying a tablet tucked under one arm and a smoothie in the other hand.
His red uniform was unzipped to the waist after training, the sleeves tied loosely around his hips over a plain black t-shirt. Damp hair clung to his forehead, and despite looking like he'd just finished running a marathon, he somehow still looked entirely relaxed. He didn't notice the three pairs of eyes immediately locking onto him.
Barry whispered, "...Target acquired."
Hal stood. "It's time."
Ollie looked between them. "...Why did that sound like Batman?"
Wally barely made it halfway across the lounge before Hal intercepted him. The speedster stopped, looking from Hal...to Barry...to Ollie...Then back to Hal.
"...Why are all three of you standing like that?" He asked slowly, immediately knowing they were up to something.
"No reason." Hal said, very unconvincingly.
"There is definitely a reason."
Hal smiled far too brightly. "Wallace!"
"Hal," Wally matched his tone warily.
"You doing anything tonight?"
"I was about to hand Batman this report."
"Perfect." Hal clasped his hands together.
"...How is that perfect?"
"Because you're already here," Hal said as if it was obvious.
Wally narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I suddenly don't like this conversation."
Hal casually threw an arm around his shoulders as they started walking toward the monitor room together.
"So..." Hal started, "I've got monitor duty tonight."
"Mhm."
"And..." Hal continued.
"I feel like there's a catch." Wally grimaced.
"...there's a new movie."
Wally blinked. "...Okay?"
"My pilot buddies are all back in town." Hal sighed, "we've been trying to get together for months."
"So you want me to cover your shift," Wally confirmed.
Hal pointed enthusiastically. "Exactly!"
Wally smiled apologetically. "I normally would."
Hal's face lit up. "...But?"
"I've got a date."
Everything stopped. Barry froze halfway through taking a sip of coffee. Ollie's eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline.
Hal slowly lowered his arm. "...A date."
Wally nodded. "My partner and I have plans."
"What kind of plans?" Ollie asked a little too quickly.
Wally shrugged. "I'm honestly not even sure."
The three stared.
"...You don't know?" Barry asked, confusion evident on his face.
"My partner knows, but I don’t really know what the night entails.."
Barry frowned. "So you're just... showing up?"
"Pretty much." Wally glanced down at the watch on his wrist. "I just know I have to be back on Earth by seven."
"That's oddly specific," Hal muttered.
"It starts early," Wally replied. "Apparently we're expected to make an appearance."
Barry tilted his head."An appearance?"
Wally nodded. "Yeah. Some fancy charity thing."
He rolled his eyes affectionately. "I'll probably spend half the night in a suit."
Hal visibly winced. "Oof."
"So," Wally continued with a grin, "if I skipped out to cover your monitor shift..."
He made a slicing motion across his throat. "...I'd be dead."
Ollie laughed. "Fair enough."
Wally adjusted the tablet under his arm. "Maybe next time, Hal."
Hal sighed dramatically. "I suppose I'll shoulder this burden."
"So brave," Wally commended.
"I know."
Wally patted him on the shoulder before heading toward Batman's office. "Have fun staring at monitors."
"You have fun..." Hal paused. "...doing... fancy... date things."
"I plan to," Wally grinned.
With one last amused smile, Wally disappeared around the corner. The lounge fell silent.
Barry was the first to speak. "...Fancy charity event."
Hal nodded thoughtfully. "...Suit...Back on Earth by seven."
Ollie shrugged."Could be anything."
Another silence.
Then Barry sighed. "...We still need to figure out who he's meeting."
Hal pointed toward Wally's now-empty hallway. "That's our only lead."
Ollie looked down at his tuxedo jacket as he adjusted one of the cuffs. "I should probably head to Gotham soon."
Hal and Barry sighed, claiming that they should take over their assigned monitor duty as well. Promising to come up with a plan to interrogate Wally soon, the two groups parted ways.
- - -
Wayne Manor looked nothing like it did on the rare occasions Oliver had visited for League business.
Gone were the tactical displays, emergency briefings, and hurried conversations about world-ending threats. In their place stood towering crystal chandeliers that cast warm golden light across the ballroom. A string quartet played softly near the grand staircase while waitstaff drifted effortlessly through the crowd carrying silver trays filled with champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres.
The ballroom buzzed with conversation. Gotham's politicians mingled with CEOs and philanthropists. Reporters lingered near the entrance hoping to catch photos of prominent guests, while members of the Wayne Foundation moved between tables making sure every donor felt welcomed.
Oliver Queen smiled politely at a city councilman whose name he'd forgotten almost immediately. This was the part of being rich he disliked. Smiling. Nodding. Pretending to care about tax incentives.
At least Bruce always picked a worthwhile charity. Above the globe, Hal and Barry had the easy job. They got to sit in the Watchtower. Oliver had to wear cufflinks. His phone buzzed quietly in his pocket.
Hal.
Oliver glanced around before ducking into the edge of the ballroom near one of the marble columns.
"You two still trying to stalk Wally?" he whispered into the call.
Barry answered immediately through the speaker. "We prefer 'observe discreetly.'"
"That's somehow worse."
Before anyone could continue, Oliver's eyes drifted across the room. His entire body froze.
"...Guys."
"What?" Hal asked.
"...He's here."
Silence.
"...Who's here?" Barry questioned.
"Wally." Oliver said, matter of factly.
Barry nearly shouted. "What?!"
"I have eyes on him."
Hal laughed. "I thought you were at a Gotham charity gala."
"I AM," Oliver assured.
Oliver carefully peeked around the column again. "I'm looking right at him."
Sure enough, three tables away sat Wally West. For once, the speedster looked almost uncomfortable. His usual casual clothes had been replaced with a sharply tailored black tuxedo, a dark blue pocket square tucked neatly into the jacket. His hair was actually combed for once, though a few stubborn strands had already escaped.
He laughed quietly at something someone beside him had said. Unfortunately, from Oliver's angle the person beside him was completely blocked by an elaborate floral centerpiece nearly three feet tall.
"I can't see who he's with," Oliver muttered.
Barry was already spiraling. "He's on a date at a charity gala?"
"I told you!"
Hal leaned closer to the communicator. "Wait..."
"What?" Oliver whispered.
"Wally said his partner's in the League."
"...Yeah?" Barry said, confused on where he was going with this.
"...They're at a Wayne gala."
Barry slowly pieced it together.
"...We have multiple rich people in the League?" Hal finally said.
"I don't know!" Oliver whispered harshly.
Hal ignored him. "Ollie."
"What?"
"Look around."
"I am looking around." Oliver said with a roll of his eyes.
"Do you recognize anybody?"
Oliver scanned the room. Politicians. Socialites. Business executives. Bruce Wayne chatting with donors. Lucius Fox speaking with members of the Foundation. Several Gotham detectives. A handful of celebrities.
"...No!" Oliver groaned into the phone.
"What do you mean no?" Barry laughed.
"I don't recognize any heroes!"
Barry frowned. "You sure?"
"I THINK I WOULD NOTICE IF SUPERMAN WAS EATING DINNER!"
Hal snorted. "You know what I meant."
"I DON'T!"
Before anyone could respond, the soft music faded. A spotlight illuminated the stage. Bruce Wayne stepped confidently to the podium, accepting a round of applause from the ballroom.
Oliver sighed. "Damn it."
"What?" Barry hurriedly asked.
"Speech."
"You have to hang up?" Hal pouted into the phone.
"I can't exactly investigate during Bruce's annual thank-you speech."
Hal laughed. "Call us if anything happens."
"I will."
The phone clicked off.
"Good evening, everyone." Bruce smiled warmly as the applause settled. "I want to thank each of you for taking the time to join us tonight..."
Oliver listened with half an ear. He'd heard enough Bruce Wayne speeches over the years to know the rhythm. Thank the donors. Talk about the Foundation. Highlight the charity. Promise another successful year. Oliver's attention remained firmly fixed three tables away.
Every time he tried to casually glance toward Wally, someone stood up. A waiter crossed his line of sight. Another guest leaned into conversation. The enormous floral arrangement continued to block whoever occupied the seat beside Wally.
"Come on..." Oliver muttered quietly.
Just one look. That was all he needed.Nearly an hour later, dinner finally came to an end. Guests rose from their seats, conversations instantly filling the ballroom once again.
Finally.
Oliver casually adjusted his jacket and began weaving through the crowd. Not too fast. Not too obvious. Just another billionaire making the rounds.
Wally still hadn't noticed him. Perfect. Twenty feet. Fifteen. Ten. The floral centerpiece no longer blocked his view.
Finally...Oliver could see the man sitting beside Wally. Dark hair. Perfectly tailored tuxedo. Broad shoulders. Probably around Wally's age. His back faced Oliver completely.
Before Oliver could get close enough to see his face the man leaned over. Pressed a quick kiss against Wally's temple. Said something that made the speedster smile. Then stood.
"Excuse me," he said quietly. "I'll be right back."
He disappeared into the sea of guests before Oliver caught anything more than the back of his head.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
Almost on cue, Wally turned around. Their eyes met immediately. A slow grin spread across Wally's face.
"Fancy seeing you here, old man."
Oliver crossed his arms. "You knew I'd be here."
"Maybe," Wally laughed.
"You absolutely knew."
"I had a pretty good guess."
“So,” Oliver gestured toward the now-empty chair. "...Who are you here with?"
Wally smiled innocently. "A date."
"I gathered that." Oliver rolled his eyes. "So tell me who."
"No."
"Wally."
"Nope."
"Wallace."
"Still no."
Oliver took another step closer. "I'm running out of patience."
Before Wally could answer, a shout was heard behind them.
"Oliver!"
Both men turned.
Bruce Wayne approached with a champagne glass in hand and an easy smile.
"Bruce." Oliver grimaced, disappointed to have his conversation interrupted.
"I didn't realize you made it tonight," Bruce exclaimed, "Glad you came."
Bruce smiled warmly before glancing toward Wally. "Oh! I see you've met Wallace!"
Oliver blinked. "...Wallace?"
Bruce laughed. "He's practically family at this point."
Oliver looked between the two. "...Really?"
"Oh yes," Bruce nodded enthusiastically. "Richard insisted I save seats for them tonight."
Oliver frowned. "...Richard?"
"My oldest,” Bruce gestured toward the now-empty chair beside Wally. "They've become inseparable lately."
Oliver's brain stalled.
"They're good for each other,” Bruce continued.
Before Oliver could process any of that, a familiar voice interrupted.
"Dad."
Oliver turned. The same dark-haired man from moments earlier approached, now close enough to finally see. Young. Well-dressed. Polite smile.
"Alfred says it's time."
Bruce sighed dramatically. "He worries too much."
"He really doesn't."
The young man smiled apologetically at Oliver. "Sorry to interrupt."
Oliver shook his hand automatically. "Oliver Queen."
"Richard."
The handshake lasted barely a second before Richard turned back toward Bruce.
"C'mon." He laughed, "I promised Alfred we'd get you upstairs before you started donating the furniture."
Bruce chuckled. "Fair."
Richard gently steered Bruce away. Wally stepped in behind them. As he passed Oliver he paused just long enough to meet his eyes. Smirk. Wink.
Then he followed the Waynes out of the ballroom.
Oliver stood frozen. "...Richard Wayne?"
His brain had somehow left the gala with even more questions than he'd arrived with.
- - -
By the time Oliver stepped off the zeta tube, the Watchtower had settled into its nighttime routine.
The corridors were noticeably quieter than they had been that afternoon. Most of the League had returned home after patrol, leaving only a handful of heroes scattered throughout the station. The soft hum of machinery echoed through otherwise empty hallways while Earth rotated silently beyond the observation windows.
Oliver didn't even bother taking off his tuxedo jacket. He walked with purpose toward the monitor room.
Inside, Hal and Barry had transformed Batman's workspace into something resembling an FBI investigation.
The largest monitor displayed the Wayne Foundation guest list. Another screen contained headshots pulled from various business websites. A third had somehow become a spreadsheet. Barry sat cross-legged in Batman's chair, surrounded by empty coffee cups. Hal stood in front of the monitors, laser pointer in hand.
"...We're losing perspective,” Barry sighed.
"We're gaining perspective," Hal said decisively.
"No, we're definitely losing it."
The doors slid open. Oliver stepped inside. Both heroes looked up immediately.
"...Well?" Hal urged. "Did you figure it out?"
Oliver dropped into the nearest chair. For several long seconds he simply stared at the ceiling.
"It's Richard Wayne."
Silence.
Barry blinked. "...What?"
"Richard Wayne." Olive groaned, "the oldest Wayne kid."
Hal frowned. "...Bruce Wayne's son?"
Oliver nodded. "Bruce introduced him."
Barry slowly sat forward. "...Holy shit."
“Okay…” Hal immediately turned back toward the monitors. "...New question."
He pointed dramatically at the guest list. "What hero is Richard Wayne?"
Silence.
Barry looked at Oliver. "...Did Bruce say?"
"No."
"Did Wally say?"
"No."
"Did Richard say?"
"...Of course not."
“So…” Hal began pacing. "We know Wally's dating Richard Wayne."
"Correct." Stated Oliver, who was now looking at the ground between his feet.
"And Richard Wayne is somehow connected to the League," Hal mused.
"Apparently."
Barry rubbed both hands over his face. "...I feel like we've solved absolutely nothing."
The monitor room doors slid open again. Booster Gold and Aquaman stepped inside to relieve them of monitor duty.
Booster looked around the room. "...Why is Batman's computer covered in photos of rich people?"
Hal pointed toward the door. "Long story."
Booster wisely chose not to ask another question.
- - -
Monthly League meetings were, without exception, boring. Which meant everyone showed up early to socialize.
The conference room slowly filled as heroes trickled in from the zeta tubes carrying coffee, tablets, and unfinished breakfasts. Conversations bounced around the room while chairs scraped across the floor and mission reports changed hands.
Hal, Barry, and Oliver had intentionally claimed three seats near the entrance. Not because they wanted a good view of Batman's briefing. Because they wanted to see who Wally walked in with.
Barry glanced toward the door for what had to be the twentieth time. "...Maybe Richard's coming."
Hal shook his head. "If he's League..."
"...he'd have to be somebody we know," Oliver frowned thoughtfully.
"...Unless he's magic." Hal finished.
Barry looked over. "...Why do you keep saying magic?"
"I've run out of ideas."
Meanwhile, Wally had quietly walked into the room. Nobody noticed. He set his coffee down. Pulled out a chair. Sat directly beside Barry. Opened his tablet.
Only after nearly thirty seconds did Barry finally turn.
"...OH!"
Hal and Oliver whipped around. All three immediately leaned toward him.
Barry whisper-shouted, "RICHARD FUCKING WAYNE!"
Wally blinked innocently.
"...Morning?"
Before anyone else could speak Batman cleared his throat. The room instantly fell silent.
"If everyone is settled..." He looked briefly toward the empty chair near the end of the table. "We'll begin early."
"Nightwing is finishing a training exercise with Young Justice and won't be joining today's meeting." Batman folded his hands behind his back. "So everyone currently present is accounted for."
Forty-five minutes later the meeting finally adjourned.
Mission reports disappeared into folders. Coffee cups were collected. Heroes slowly filtered toward the exits, conversations immediately springing back to life. Wally made it exactly three steps. Then Hal grabbed one arm. Barry took the other. Oliver blocked the doorway.
"...Guys?" Wally began.
"We have questions." Oliver said.
"I figured."
Barry leaned in. "Richard Wayne."
Wally smiled. "What about him?"
"Everything." Hal said as he shook Wally’s arm.
"That's a broad question."
"It deserves a broad answer." Barry urged.
Wally opened his mouth only to stop when a familiar gloved hand rested lightly on his shoulder.
Batman.
He'd appeared so quietly none of them had noticed. His attention remained entirely on Wally.
"Are you and Nightwing still planning on coming to family dinner tonight?"
For the first time all week Wally hesitated. Just for a fraction of a second.
"...Yes, sir." Wally said, breaking out of Hal and Barry’s grip to turn and face Batman, "we'll be there."
Batman nodded once. "Six-thirty."
"Yes, sir."
Batman turned to leave. Then—
"...Hey."
Everyone froze. Oliver looked between them.
"...What the fuck?" He stated.
Batman slowly looked back.
Barry pointed at Wally. "You..." Then at Batman. "...Family dinner?"
Hal's eyes were already widening. "...Nightwing?"
Wally closed his eyes. "...Aw, man."
The room became very quiet.
"YOU'RE DATING NIGHTWING?!" Barry shouted.
“… WAIT,” Oliver looked between the two of them. "Nightwing is Richard Wayne?"
Wally sighed. "...He usually just goes by Dick Grayson."
Hal stopped breathing. "...Hold on."
He looked toward Batman. Then Bruce Wayne suddenly flashed through his mind.
Family dinner.
Richard Wayne.
Wayne Manor.
Bruce.
Batman.
Hal slowly pointed. "...Wait..."
Oliver beat him to it. "...Are you trying to tell me Batman is Bruce Wayne?"
Batman met his stare. Completely expressionless. "...Hello, Oliver."
A beat.
"It was nice of you to finally figure it out."
Oliver pointed accusingly at Wally. "Oh..." Then at Batman. "...You little shits."
Before anyone could recover the conference room doors slid open. Nightwing practically skipped inside carrying a thick case file beneath one arm. Still in uniform.
Still somehow full of energy despite apparently finishing Young Justice training only minutes earlier.
He immediately noticed the frozen expressions surrounding Wally. "...Soooo."
He slung an arm comfortably around Wally's shoulders. "I'm guessing they figured it out."
Wally nodded. "Yep."
"...All of it?"
"...Yep."
Dick looked toward Batman. "...Including B?"
"Yep."
"...Finally."
He looked back toward Wally. "Who slipped?"
Wally pointed toward Batman. "...Would you believe me if I said Bruce?"
Dick stared. "...Seriously?"
"He asked if we were still coming to dinner."
Dick slowly looked toward Batman. Then back toward Wally. "...They literally saw us together at the gala."
"They hadn't connected Richard Wayne to Nightwing." Wally laughed.
Dick pinched the bridge of his nose. "...Unbelievable."
Batman had already resumed walking toward the exit. Without looking back, he simply said,
"Don't forget dinner."
"Six-thirty!" Dick and Wally answered in perfect unison.
Batman gave the smallest nod and disappeared into the hallway. Silence settled over the room.
Barry spoke first. "...I can't believe Bruce Wayne is Batman."
Hal looked at Wally. "...I can't believe you're dating a Wayne."
Oliver blinked. "...I can't believe Batman is a dad."
Dick looked at Wally. "...They're taking this surprisingly well."
Wally nodded. "Give it a minute."
The three detectives remained completely frozen. Still processing. Still rebooting.
Dick smiled. "Well..." He adjusted the case file beneath his arm. "This has been fun."
Wally grinned. "But we've got family dinner."
Dick waved cheerfully. "Okayyyyyy, byeeeeee!"
With that, the pair walked out side by side, shoulders bumping as they disappeared down the hallway, laughing before the conference room doors had even finished sliding shut behind them.
The three remaining heroes stood in complete silence.
Barry finally looked at Hal. "...We spent a week investigating the wrong secret."
Hal sighed. "...Yeah."
Oliver rubbed both hands over his face.
"...Batman has family dinners."
No one had a response to that. It somehow remained the most shocking revelation of all.