penguimlover23 - Tumblr blog

penguimlover23 · 7 days ago

Text

Do I Know You? Part 41

Synopsis: You and Wally have a much-needed conversation.

Note: Wally’s here! This was very interesting to write, partially because Wally and Reader kept trying to bicker. There other part was because of how different the relationship dynamics were. Wally knows Reader and Dick on some serious personal levels. Dick and Reader really don’t know each other. Beyond that, there was the whole who knows what about secret identities, what can and can’t they talk about it. It was rough for a minute. But I think I worked it out. Enjoy it!!

Masterlist

Make a request!

It turns out sleeping all day can really screw with your schedule. At least that’s what you told yourself. You didn’t sleep that first night Jason was gone, nor the second. They were spent tossing and turning in the bed that was too large for yourself. You took a warm bath. You read a book. Nothing helped. You managed to get maybe two hours sleep, a conscious napping rest that didn’t really do much.

By the time you did get up on the second day, everyone was gone to work and school or at least you assumed as much. Alfred was in the kitchen when you emerged and offered to make whatever you wanted. The look he gave you when you said a bowl of cereal would be fine felt physically shunning. He told you he made great omelets and so you let him. He was right. He did make great omelets.

After Breakfast, you took to wondering the halls. Your tour with Jason had been enough for you to know your way around but he had rushed you along before you could look at all the décor throughout the house. Wayne Manor was like a mini museum. The only difference being there was no plaques with the things on display.

You were staring at a painting just before lunch when you heard voices. You stood from your spot on the floor and tip toed to peek around the corner. You had thought the manor was empty but on your first peek, you caught sight of Dick. You hadn’t thought about it last night, but you remember Steph telling you he lived in Bludhaven and only came to Gotham in shorts spurts of time. You wonder why he was in Gotham now.

With your back to the wall, you try to listen to the conversation. Is it bad manners? Yes. But you had been left alone for only a little while and the boredom was already poking at the back of your mind. You only manage to catch bits and pieces. Something was missing and it was worrisome. The longer you listened the more the voice with speaking with Dick sounded familiar.

You finally gather the courage to peak further around the corner. Your eyes find ginger hair first before it finds the freckled face you definitely know. You finally step around the corner to fully stare at them.

“Wally?” Your surprised voice echoes slightly. Both men look up at you from where they had been looking at a tablet. Before you can fully blink, you’re hoisted into the air, arms trapped, oxygen squeezed from your lungs.

“I thought you were dead, kid. I’m so happy you’re alive. What happened? Where’s your phone? Why haven’t you contacted anyone?” Wally rapid fires questions as he hugs.

“Air,” You wheeze out, legs kicking uselessly. Your feet meet the ground as he lets you go. Your ribs ease out as you suck in air. Wally doesn’t stop. He checks you over, hands on your shoulders and spinning you slightly to continue checking you over. You tip with dizziness.

“Wallace. Stop.” You demand, blinking away the dizziness. He halts hands still on your shoulders.

“Sorry, kid.” He finally takes a step back as Dick comes to join you both. You have a moment of panic. Wally had definitely used his powers. Your panic ebbs slightly when you remember Dick was Nightwing, a hero like Wally. Robin when Wally was Kid Flash. It was a little odd looking at them, dots slowly connected your two worlds together. Dick must’ve been Wally’s best friend “Rob” from out of the Titans that he used to tell you about.

You smile at Wally. Aside from your whole realization, it was good to see him for the first time in years, “Hi, Wally.”

“Hi, kiddo,” He drags you into a less aggressive hug, “I was worried about you, you know?”

“Wait,” Dick interrupts as wally pulls away from you, “Is this who you’re looking for?”

Wally grins with a nod, “yeah, man,” his face drops into one of thought before he turns back to you, “Why are you at Wayne Manor?”

“Why are you at Wayne Manor? You never told me knew any billionaires.”

“That’s cause its none of your business, dork,” He sticks his tongue out at you.

You scoff at the display, “how mature. You’re literally a father.”

“Who do you think taught them?”

“As entertaining as this is,” Dick interrupts again, “I think we should all sit down and talk.”

*****

The timing of your meeting was convenient, just in time for lunch. Alfred had laid quite the spread of food, and you got the feeling that he’d cooked for a speedster before. You forgot how rough it was to watch Wally eat sometimes, his stomach bottomless. Even Dick seemed slightly put off by it.

“Okay,” you start pausing your own eating, “let’s start with something easy. I know Wally because I grew up next door to Barry and Iris.”

You had offered the information in hopes of getting a for sure answer on how Wally and Dick knew each other. Instead, Dick questions you.

“You know Barry Allen?” you watch the tilt of his head, the slight squint of his blue eyes. You don’t think he’s just asking that question, you think there's more. Do you know Barry Allen is the Flash? You’re not just going to give that information away, even if he is Nightwing.

Barry and Wally had been very adamant about you keeping your mouth shut when you revealed that you knew they were superheroes. You hadn’t even told Natalie, and you told her everything. You could keep secrets well when you wanted to.

“Yeah, next door neighbor, CSI at the CCPD. I know Barry Allen,” You don’t mean to, but your tone comes out challenging like your tempting Dick to just ask the question out right, especially since Wally didn’t seem to be trying to hide his speed around either of you.

Wally, to his merit, seems to catch the tension and stops his scarfing down of food to look between you two, “Dick and I meet at a summer camp.”

You look at Wally with pinched brows and you watch a look of realization cross his features. He turns to Dick, “Hey, Dick, would you mind getting that fancy hot sauce that you guys have?”

You think Dick was going to argue if his gnawed lip means anything but eventually, he just shakes his head, “You’re the laziest person I know, Walls.”

“It’s a gift,” Wally calls out as Dick disappears into the kitchen. Wally turns to you with a far more serious face than you expect. He keeps his voice low as he asks, “What do you know about Dick?”

“I can’t tell you what I know unless you tell me what you know.” You whisper back. He rolls his eyes at you.

“You know I can’t just tell you things. We’ve talked about this.”

“Well, I can’t just tell you things because it’s a secret and what if you don’t actually know.”

“Of course, I know. He’s my best friend.”

“Ha, so he is your best friend from the Titans.”

“So, you do know!” He shouts and Dick makes his way back in the dining room with a questioning look and bottle.

“Know what?” He questions as he sits down at the table.

Wally starts talking before you can stop him, “That you’re-”

“A saint for being friends with Wally,” you interrupt, throwing a scathing look at Wally. He raises a brow at you in question. You shake your head. You needed to get Wally alone so you could break down everything you do know and what other people didn’t know. Before anything else can be thrown out there, you ask, “Wally, what are you doing Gotham?”

“Looking for you, kid. You weren’t answering your phone.” He answers with a worried look.

“That’s not weird. You know I haven’t been good about that.” You frown, the subtle guilt that always eats at you when you ignore Wally’s call finding its way into your chest.

“Sure, I don’t care about that. But it was going straight to voicemail which means your phone was dead and you never let your phone die. I thought something bad happened to you.”

“Well, a lot’s happened, okay?” your voice turns defensive before you can stop it. You pick up your fork and poke at your food. Something bad had happened to you but your guilt with Wally gnawed harder, like a reminder that you didn’t deserve his kindness.

“Easy there, sunshine. Nobody’s mad at you.” You hear the tease in his words and, despite the upset you feel, you can’t help but glare at him.

“You know I hate that, Wallace.” You pick up a grape and throw it at him which he easily catches.

“And I hate Wallace but here we are, sunshine.” He pops the grape in his mouth and then two more, “You gonna tell me what you’re doing here now?”

You spare a glance at Dick but he’s already staring at you, this worried pinch that makes you confused. You wonder how much he knows about why you were at the manor, if he was helping Jason with hunting down Black Mask (at least that’s what you assume he’s doing). You turn back to Wally.

“I got kidnapped.”

“You what?” he nearly shouts.

“Oh, calm down. I’m fine, clearly.” You gesture to yourself.

“Is that you hadn’t been to work?”

It’s your turn to nearly shout, “You called my job?”

“Your phone was dead!” Wally defends himself.

“Oh my god, I’m gonna strangle you.” You threaten.

“Like you could catch me, slow poke.”

You shake your head at him, a smile working its way across your lips. You hadn’t realized how much you’d missed this, the teasing and camaraderie of someone who knows you. You think that’s why you feel so comfortable at the manor. Because the entire Wayne family teases and talks to you like they’ve known you forever. After your self-enforced years of solitude, it was much more comforting than you thought it would be.

“Okay,” Wally starts, still eating, “You were kidnapped. That’s awful and we will be coming back to that at a later time. How’d you manage to snag a guest room at Wayne Manor?”

You appreciate Wally asking you directly, but you don’t actually get to answer. Dick decides his comment is more important.

“She’s not staying in a guest room, right? You’re in Jason’s room, aren’t you?”

You settle death threatening stare at Dick. You watch his eyes widen and he quickly mutters out an apology.

“You’re staying in Jason’s room. As in Jason Todd?” Wally asks. Neither you nor Dick answer him. He says your name sternly, something you could only call his dad voice, “Why are in staying Jason’s room?”

“Cause their dating,” Evidently the glare you had given Dick earlier wasn’t good enough. He’s not even looking at you this time, set on cutting something on his plate.

“Dick, I would appreciate it if you stopped talking, please.” You say flatly. He meets your eye and promptly apologizes again.

“Your dating Jason Todd?” the Wally asks the question is strange, a mix of disbelief and disappointment all at once. You don’t like it.

“First of all, watch the tone. Anyone would be lucky to date him. Second of all, no. I am not dating Jason.”

“You’re not?” Dick straightens in his seat, eyes wide with surprise.

“No, we are not. We’re friends.” Friends who make out sometimes and never talk about what needs to be talked about.

“Are you sleeping with him?” Wally’s stopping eating, arms crossed with all the aura of a disappointed dad and passive aggressive older brother.

“Okay, that seems a little personal.”

“Are you?”

“Just sleeping in the same bed.”

“I don’t trust him.” He says flatly.

“Wally!” you huff in upset, but Dick is quick to defend his brother

“Dude, he’s not the same person he was five years ago. He’s changed.”

Your brows pinch at Dick’s words and Wally jumps right back.

“After the shit he pulled with Gotham and your entire family, I don’t want her to be at risk. I don’t trust him.”

There’s something you’re missing you realize. A few chapters of Jason’s life that you know nothing about. You struck once again about how you don’t really know Jason as well as you thought you did.

Before the conversation can get out of hand, you interrupt, standing from your seat, “Its really not up to you, Wally.”

You step away from the table and get a step away from the dining room door before the world turns blurry, your insides turn squeamish for a moment and then everything settles. It’s sunny wherever you now stand, toes wiggling in sand. Wally stands across from you with his hands on his hips.

“We need to talk.”

“Where are we?” you ask in annoyance.

“Florida. Now tell me everything that’s going on and what you know.”

You sigh before turning away from him to walk closer to the ocean in front of you.

“Kid, I brought you out here because you weren’t going to talk in front of Dick. I’m right, aren’t I?” He follows after you.

“Yes,” you plop down on the sand, pulling your knees in Wally sits down next to you.

“You know Dick’s Nightwing. Who else?” he asks quietly.

“Jason’s Red Hood.” You pause. It felt strange to say it out loud, “and I think Damian might be Robin.”

“That’s it?”

“What?” You turn your head to look at him.

He shrugs, “nothing, I just figured you’d know more by now.”

You laugh quietly before looking back out at the sea.

“I’ve gotten kidnapped three times since I moved to Gotham.”

“I told you to go anywhere else but Gotham,” Wally huffs. You ignore his statement to continue.

“The last two times were kind of Jason’s fault. Not on purpose,” you add before he can argue about Jason, “It just ‘cause he is Red Hood. I didn’t know at the time.”

You pause, listening to the wave as you try to calm your nerves down. Wally surprisingly sits in the quiet with you for a moment.

“None of them know that you know, do they?” He asks and you sigh.

“I don’t know.” You admit.

“And your relationship with Jason? Are you really not dating?”

“I don’t know.” You hate the way your words come out an air of weakness. Then you add, “We kiss sometimes but we just haven’t talked things out.”

“I don’t trust him. You should come back to Central City.” Your surprised, he doesn’t comment on your kissing.

“What is your problem with him? He’s a good person.”

“He killed people, not to make Gotham better but to make a statement. That’s not a good person.”

“So have I! that doesn’t make me a bad person. I’m trying to be better. He’s trying to be better that’s what matters.” Your chest aches with anxiety, both from the argument and what you admitted.

“The car accident wasn’t your fault.” He’s quick to try and comfort you, “You didn’t kill anyone.”

“Except that I did, Wally. I’m not even talking about the car accident.” You pause to stare at your hands. It had been months. Most of the time you could ignore it, the heavy thoughts, flashes of things you wish you could forget. The worst was your hands. You could still feel it, the blood, hot and sticky.

“Kid, you gotta talk to me. You know I won’t judge or throw you under the bus. Let me help.” He grasps your hand, squeezing too tight with the affection of family.

The dam breaks easily after that. Through tears, you lay everything out for Wally. Scarecrow, Jason coming through your window as Red Hood, Penguin, Ted Jackson, and Black Mask. You tell him how you figured it out, Dick and Jason and Damian. Quietly you tell him how much you’ve been struggling, how much of safe space Jason has become even though your disaster of a life was because of him.

“He’s important, Wally. He feels right. I can’t just change that.”

Wally sits surprisingly still and listens to every word like it was his job. There was some relief in getting it all of your chest. You knew it was weighing you down, but you hadn’t realized how much.

“Have you told Jason any of this?” he finally asks you after a beat.

“What part?” you snort because you just spiled all your life secrets.

“The way you feel. I know you said you’d kissed, which I do not approve by the way, but that doesn’t mean you’ve talked about your feelings. Does he feel the same way?”

“I think so, I really do. It just that everything is so complicated right now. There hasn’t really been a good moment.” You shrug.

“How long have you been sharing a bed?”

“Wally,” you say his name in a deadpanned voice. His hands shoot up in a defensive position.

“Just trying to keep an eye on you. I don’t think your ready for a kid.”

“Wally!” You smack his shoulder, skin burning from the implication. He just laughs at you.

He pushes himself up to stand and offers you a hand, “let me buy you an ice cream.”

“Trying to trick me into think this was a good experience?” you ask as you let him pull you up. He surprises you by dragging you into a tight hug.

“It was a good experience. I’m proud of you, kid. I know that the last few years have been rough. Your strong to keep going and your brave for telling me what’s been going on. You are a good person.” He tells you and you get a little teary.

“Don’t be such a sap, Wallace.” You wipe at your eyes as you pull away.

“You first.” He shoves you and you roll your eyes.

“Extra toppings.” You state as you walk towards the boardwalk.

“As many as you want, loser.” You huff at him, full of affection. You didn’t feel so wound up anymore, body settling slightly. You still needed to talk to Jason, if this conversation with Wally told you anything but for now you enjoy your time with your old friend.

****

Dick was only in a mild panic. You were gone, Wally taking you somewhere. Jason had given him one job: Keep an eye on you and you gone! He blew up Wally’s phone for an hour before the speedster responded with a random beach town in Florida. He guesses he shouldn’t feel too worried. If anything to do with Black Mask happened, Wally could get you out of there quick.

However, Dick wasn’t supposed to let you leave the Manor. He was supposed to keep where you’d would be safe, and every variable could be accounted for (Dick decided Jason was a control freak like their father). Aside from all of that, He thinks you know. You and Wally were extremely suspicious when he came back with the hot sauce that Wally never even touched.

‘So, you do know!’ Is what Wally had said, and he’s pretty sure Wally was also going to say ‘that you’re Nightwing’ before you had interrupted him. Jason had actually given him two jobs: keep you safe and don’t let you know that he was Nightwing. Jason was going to kill him. That all there was to it. He was a dead man and neither you or Wally cared if the laughter meant anything.

He meets you two in the foyer, damp clothes and sand stuck to your skin. Your eyes twinkle when you spot him and you quickly offer him a container.

“For running off on short notice. Wally says it’s your favorite.”

He stares down through the clear lid, “You left to get ice cream.”

“And to talk. Sorry, it was a little too personal for your ears, Dick.” You apologize.

“And you had to go to Florida for it?” He gives a Wally a disgruntled look. There was no use in trying to act like Wally wasn’t a speedster. You knew, clearly. Though he watches you tense at the comment.

“We could’ve gone to California, but Florida was closer. I thought you’d appreciate at least that.” Wally jokes and he watches your shoulders ease down.

“So, How do you know about Wally’s powers?” he stares you down. Your mouth opens then closes again. Wally answers for you.

“I think that’s a good conversation for much later but let’s just say it involved a lot of stalking. She was obsessed with me.” His hands settle on your shoulders only to push you back and forth as you roll your eyes.

“Oh my god, Wally. Go away.” You groan. Dick smiles. He could see why Wally had been so worried when he’d called. It was clear that you two were like family. What a small world. He doesn’t know how Jason managed to find the one civilian in Gotham City that knows about the Flash and proceeded to make what seems to be the most complicated relationship he’s seen in a while.

“You two missed dinner. Alfred put leftovers in the fridge.”

“Lame. I need to get back to Central. Important business to attend too.” Wally nods looking a little glum. It makes Dick squint. Wally never turns down food.

“I think I’m going to go to bed. I feel exhausted.” If your words aren’t convincing enough, a hand comes up to cover your yawn.

Wally drags you into a tight hug before you wander off up the stairs. Dick expects a quick goodbye from Wally before zipping odd to what he assumes is an emergency. Instead, Wally watches you disappear up the stairs before turning back to Dick.

“Tell me more about the Black Mask thing. Are there files I can read?” Wally asks. Dicks brows lift in surprise.

“There are but Jason’s taking care of it, man. You don’t have to worry about it.” Dick reassures him but Wally just pulls him more into the manor to one of the entrances to the cave. Wally could run them there in less then three seconds so when Wally takes the time to slow down and talk, Dick listens.

“She’s the little sister I never wanted, Dick, but that just makes her more of family and she had been alone for years. I appreciate what Jason’s done for her because despite the shit she’s going through, she actually seems happy, but she’s not safe anymore. I’m going to help. Jason and I need to have a talk anyways. If he has an issue with me helping, we can chat about it then.”

Dick nods, “So they’re not dating?”

That had been the last thing he had learned before Wally whisked you off to Florida. Honestly, he was a little surprised by the statement. Back when he first met you civilian wise, drunk at the brunch, he already thought you and Jason were dating. He thought you two wanted to keep it to yourselves a little longer. After the news got around that you were moved into the manor and Jason’s room of all places, he figured it was a manner of days before you admitted it to the family. But you got defensive about it with him and Wally, he wonders if you told Wally something different when you were alone.

His conversation with Jason was just as confusing. Jason was in love with you, and he liked kissing you and talking to you and existing around you. Jason told him that your relationship was complicated, but Dick had meant his words at the time, there’s nothing complicated about that. His baby brother was in love and that’s what mattered.

“They haven’t ‘talked about it’ whatever that means,” Wally huffs as they climb down the stairs to the cave. It made Dick laugh because he could tell, beyond his beliefs of who Jason was, that Wally wasn’t happy you were in a situationship.

Additional note: I love Wally being a protective older brother. I’m still contemplating whether or not to have Dick ask Wally if she knows. Overall, though, Wally will be making more appearances, and we should have Jason back next chapter (hopefully I don’t get distracted by him again). Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think!

Tag List: @little-miss-naill, @nikilolo787, @joonunivrs, @uzxotic, @qardasngan, @stormz369, @g4bbi3xx, @iwatobiswimbros, @the-lonely-flute, @elz-xo, @gone-batty-fics, @princessesgarden, @notfckincreative, @love-theangel, @feyres-fireheart, @penguimlover23, @herodedicatedblog, @dearghostling, @automaticplant, @alma-ru3, @13fresh, @anuttellaa, @nekotaetae, @redsakura101, @sleepy-head1, @aejabba, @asteria33, @princessbl0ss0m, @sinnamon-bunn, @wholelottalove05, @invinciblewaffles, @mischief-somehow-managed, @4rachn3, @thy-crimson-king, @lou-diaries, @imdeloulou

114 notes · View notes