[closed] a welcome reprieve from emotional agony

[performance]

WHO: DICK GRAYSON (codename birdbrain) and WALLY WEST (codename kidiot)
WHERE: Maurtia Falls, PA
WHEN: July 31st, NIGHTTIME
WHAT: Crimefighting and shenanigans.
WARNINGS: Nerds.

[ July had been a mess, but at least it's almost over. To celebrate that fact (and his newly-healed leg, and his friends' safe return home, and hopefully the end of everything awful for at least a little while) Robin had invited-slash-dragged Kid Flash out on patrol, just the two of them, somewhere far away from Heropa.

Huge, dark clouds hang heavy in the sky. There's no storm yet, but the air feels like lightning. Or maybe it's just the two of them— ]

Check it out!

[ Robin whoops as he leaps the gap between buildings, executing a neat (if completely pointless) midair somersault. ]

Comments

[performance]

Yeah, yeah. Help me hogtie these goons, will you?

[ Robin's already getting out his makeshift cuffs — good old zip tie ingenuity. He hands Wally a couple. ]

Jeez, I really wanted to try 26, [ he adds in a mock-pout, but his heart's racing and his cheeks are pink with exhilaration and he can't wipe the grin off his face. Tonight's turning out awesome. ]

[runningstart]

I feel like 26 is going to end up with me playing big frog most of the time, [Wally points out, tying up goons three and four. He glances up, sees Robin grinning and can't help but grin back.]

Y'know, we haven't gone on patrol together in a while, before this place. It's always been missions and mentors.

[performance]

Yeah, for now. I'll get that growth spurt soon, dude, and we can trade off frog duty all you want.

[ He feels Wally's eyes on him and looks up, something almost sweet in his grin before it spreads, cocky again. ]

... We've gotten way better, huh? No more tripping over each other.

[runningstart]

I could still trip over you if you're feeling nostalgic. [wally shoves over one of the guys on the ground to keep his face out of a growing puddle of water and zip ties his hands.] You're short enough, wouldn't be too hard.

[performance]

Yeah, right. Enjoy it while it lasts, speedbump.

[ Robin drags the last of the robbers under the awning of the building so they don't get rained on too hard, even though they probably don't deserve it. ]

Okay, c'mere. I'm making this an official thing, starting now. Gonna scrapbook it.

[ He slings his arm around Wally's shoulders, grinning widely, holding up his comm with the tied-up thugs behind them. It's super-selfie time. ]

[runningstart]

[Wally grins and bounces over; Robin slings his arm around his shoulders and he strikes a strongman's pose.] This is totally exploitation and I don't even care. Say cheese, fellas!

[Right as Robin snaps the pictures, the sirens wail above the increasingly loud rainfall and Wally tugs on Robin's arm.] C'mon, I'm getting soaked and I'm starving. Let's go find somewhere to wait this out!

[performance]

I saw an all-night diner a few blocks east of here! Is it tacky to go in costume? And do we care?

[ Robin grabs the corner of his cape and holds it up like an umbrella for Wally to duck under, but he only has seconds to do it before Robin's cackling and taking off down the sidewalk. ]

[runningstart]

[For a second Wally wonders if he should actually let Robin hold his cape over their heads like an umbrella the whole way, but then the little shit takes off into the rain and Wally howls as the sky dumps buckets onto his head.

So, of course, Wally catches up to Robin, grabs him and throws him over his shoulder as he goes tearing through the city and kicking up a spraying wake of water behind them.]

[performance]

Hey!

[ Robin squawks indignantly. He wasn't soaked before, but now his face is wet and his hair is dripping and his cape's lying wet across his back. ]

[runningstart]

[Yeah and now his cape is flapping up to slap wetly over his head with a damp swack sound. About then KF realizes he doesn't know where they're going anyway so he skids to a halt, ducks under a storefront awning and drops Robin unceremoniously to his feet.]

Punk.

[performance]

[ It turns out there's really no dignified way to remove the bottom half of a rain-soaked cape from the top of one's head, but Robin does his very best anyway, fixing Wally with the flattest, least impressed look possible. ]

My way was dryer.

[runningstart]

For you, maybe, [Wally snorts as he scrubs his fingers through his hair to squeeze water out of it.]

[performance]

I offered to share!

[ Robin shakes his dripping cape with both hands by way of explanation, looking not unlike a wet flappy baby bird who's just learning to fly. ]

[runningstart]

I made an executive decision to make it more fun. [KF grabs Robin's cape and wrings it out for him. There. No harm done.]

[performance]

[ Robin just sighs and rolls his eyes and lets Wally manhandle his costume. ]

So where are we eating? Because you overshot my idea by like eight blocks.

[runningstart]

You can't really stop this machine once it gets going. [Wally peers out at the storm just at the edge of the awning.] What is it with us getting stuck in the rain, anyway? I feel like I'm in a teen drama.

[performance]

[ ... Of all the stupid things to bring up. Robin's stomach feels a little like it's trying to backflip right out of the conversation, and the tips of his ears go warm. Aren't they supposed to be ignoring that entire night? Wasn't that kind of the unspoken agreement there? ]

Nah. We'd be arguing over something way more important than where to get dinner.

[runningstart]

[Yes there was and yes they were but Wally's mouth ran ahead and now he's turning red too, looking away and back down the street like there's something of interest over there. He rubs the back of his neck.]

Yeah. You're right. Um. Maybe we can find a Subway, there's some of those open twenty-four hours, right?

[performance]

Yeah, but before you drag me halfway across the city looking for one...

[ He rubs the back of his neck, too, before he realizes he's doing it, disguises it as squeezing some of the water out of the back of his hair, and then pulls out his comm. ]

We should probably figure out where we're going.

[runningstart]

[Robin can handle that, then.] You see what I mean about this place, though? That wasn't just some smash and grab by a couple guys desperate for a buck. That was organized, seven guys, two vehicles. This city has got to have a mob problem, black market, something.

[performance]

You're right, dude. This whole city just screams shady. I'd know.

[runningstart]

Getting that Gotham vibe? [This city isn't exactly Wally's favorite caliber, but at least it's not Heropa. And at least it snows in the winter.]

[performance]

Little bit. Gotham Lite. Diet Gotham.

[ He grins, glancing up from the map on his communicator. ]

Seriously, do you know how long it's been since I got to take out mob flunkies? I was getting homesick.

[runningstart]

Well, I mean...why not move here, then? There's military housing. Just a matter of packing up our stuff. [kf darling could you possibly look or sound more suspicious rn]

[performance]

[ NO HE COULD NOT ]

Wha— where'd that come from?