[closed]

[performance]

WHO: Dick Grayson and Wally West
WHERE: Residence #28 and a local tuxedo rental shop
WHEN: Tuesday, 8/19
WHAT: Dick asks Wally to be his plus one to the charity ball. Tuxedo rental ensues.
WARNINGS: Teenagers, feelings, and very ugly suits.


[ The thing about being a rich kid — even if he isn't rich here, technically — is that parties become almost a part time job. And contrary to popular belief, most of them are very, very, very boring. Dick's been to his share of charity events, and when he heard about the upcoming ball, he didn't stop to think whether he had to go — just assumed it was his duty as the ward of a billionaire to make an appearance. The difference is that for the first time, he's actually allowed to bring a friend.

There's exactly one problem: it had been over a month since he'd stupidly admitted to his feelings for Wally, and there had been complete radio silence on the topic ever since. And while, for the most part, things have been normal between the two of them, the fact remains that it's difficult to platonically ask a friend to a dance, under the circumstances. Sometimes he really hates being a teenager.

It's not a date, he tells himself, even as he makes sure he's wearing his best shirt, the one that matches his eyes, the top button casually undone, his hair down so he looks slightly less hopelessly geeky. He just needs to look confident enough that Wally will realize it's not a date. It's completely sound logic.

One last check in the mirror — he's as good as he's gonna get — and he heads for Wally's room, leaning casually against the doorframe. ]

So hey. Are you doing anything this Friday?

[ Jeez, Grayson, you might as well have brought him flowers. ]

Comments

[runningstart]

[Wally, meanwhile, is in his disgusting hovel of a room -that he hasn't really properly cleaned once since his arrival almost three months ago- in his 'going nowhere today' clothes. Which means he's worn them three days in a row. He's upside-down on his bed, feet on the wall and scrolling through something long and boring-looking on his phone when Dick leans against his door like he's posing for a GQ cover shoot. Wally glances up -down?- at him, considering.]

Mmm. Don't think so, why? [Back to scrolling through his phone. His face is red. He's probably been upside-down a while.]

[performance]

[ That's not a good look for him, Dick thinks. His face is turning the same shade as his hair, and his room looks like a combat zone. Wally West is a tapestry of ridiculousness, but at least Dick's used to it.

More to the point: one bullet dodged. Heart attack averted. So far, so good. ]

There's this fundraiser thing. [ He shrugs, with the tone of someone who attends these things weekly. ] A charity ball. Wanna come?

[runningstart]

[Wally makes a face like there must be something fundamental in that question he'd missed before returning his attention to his phone.] Dude, why would I wanna go to some charity ball?

[performance]

[ Because the alternative is sitting at home on the internet? Because Wally knows how bored he gets at these things all by himself? Because Dick Grayson never gets to hang out with his best friend at home, and that's still a novelty for him? He could list half a dozen perfectly good reasons. ]

All the cocktail shrimp you can eat.

[runningstart]

[...that's a weird note in his voice. Wally turns his attention away from his phone and squints at Dick.]

Why do you wanna go to some charity ball? I thought you hated those things.

[performance]

I still have appearances to keep up here. And I don't hate them.

[ He's definitely said he does on several occasions, but... ]

They're just boring. No one my age ever goes, and if they do, I don't have anything in common with them.

[runningstart]

[That's a dodge.

Wally tries to look Dick in the eye; his focus flicks between each of them before managing a shrug and waking his phone from the standby it had fallen into.]

'Kay well, sure. If you're going I'm going.

[performance]

Really?

[ If you're going, I'm going. That same line that had kickstarted what became the team all those months ago, sent Wally and Kaldur right alongside Robin down into the bowels of Cadmus on a crazy, reckless, somehow successful mission all their own. The thing that had dragged Wally with him into the heart of an alien mothership when he knew there was no going back. Maybe even the same sentiment that had brought Wally here with him, if that kind of thing matters to the universe — and maybe Dick's crazy, but he likes to think it does.

His heart beats a little faster. ]

Dude. It'll be fun. We'll make it fun.

[runningstart]

Make it fun like we made the haunted house fun? Because I'm pretty sure that'll get you kicked out of high society. [Wally grins to himself and puts his feet back on the wall.]

[performance]

Maybe, [ Dick says, tossing himself onto the bed next to Wally, making him bounce a little. ] But what a way to go.

[runningstart]

[Wally sneaks a glance at Robin, like he's not gonna notice. ...did he comb his hair?] You've been hanging out with me sans mask a lot more often lately.

[performance]

... I guess so. But we're roommates, right? And I mean, you're Dick Grayson's best friend, too, even if no one knows it.

[ His smirk softens into something more genuine, and Dick draws one of his knees up, looking down at Wally. ]

We never get to hang out outside of missions back home, so... I'm enjoying it while it lasts. Is that too un-Robin of me?

[runningstart]

So what if it is? You're not just Robin, right? [Wally kicks his foot against Dick's knee and switches over to Fruit Ninja on his phone.]

[performance]

Exactly.

[ Dick thumps his fist lightly against Wally's shin. It had never really been an issue before — it was just a simple fact of his very odd life that he couldn't do normal best friend things with Wally. The stuff that didn't involve risking their lives. Granted, the life-risking stuff was the best part, but they couldn't have sleepovers, couldn't go bowling or hang out at an arcade or whatever normal kids do, couldn't invite him over for dinner or video games, couldn't invite him to his birthday party because his birthday was classified information. Couldn't even tell Wally his name, if he hadn't broken the Most Important Rule.

But now that the other stuff is actually an option, something within his reach, just waiting for him to grab it... what's a kid supposed to do? ]

So, I kinda want you to be part of the non-Robin stuff, too.

[runningstart]

Including charity balls? [Wally's not thrilled about the prospect of mingling with a bunch of adults who like to show off their money, but he can't deny that he's curious. Dick can tell him stuff, and back home he can see on the news a little bit what his life is like, but he doesn't get to share any of that with him. They can't really associate with each other outside of work, really.

Wally can't help but think that however strange it is for him to live a dual life, it must be three times as weird for Robin.]

[performance]

Including charity balls. At least once. [ His grin goes sly, his voice playful. ] We can rent tuxes and play James Bond.

[runningstart]

Dude we're cooler than James Bond, any day. He'd probably cut off an arm to get half the tech we get to play with. [wait a second there was something in that he's not sure about] -did you say rent tuxes?

[performance]

I mean, unless you own one. [ He glances around Wally's disaster area of a bedroom. ]

[runningstart]

Yeah, no. I don't even own a dress shirt. [Like Wally would waste his money on that.] But sure, fine. Whatever. I can rent a tux, no problem. Is there a theme or something?

[performance]

It's for the promotion of ImPort-civilian relations, and specifically to help fund an ImPort training facility. But the theme is "give us money," so you can probably just wear whatever makes you look wealthy.

I'll help you out.

[runningstart]

Oh- dude, I know about the training facility! I totally volunteered to become the mascot and got shot down. Apparently I'm too intimidatingly pretty.

[performance]

Oh yeah. That's the only reasonable explanation.

[ It's probably also why Wally's getting punched in the leg again. ]

[runningstart]

No no, I'm serious! I talked with the dude and everything. Yeah, it was uh...whatshisface. Some guy. [wow wally a+ detective work] Anyway sure yeah, I'll go. I'll even wear the monkey suit. [does conner know that term, conner should know that term]

[performance]

Good, great, but go back to the part where some guy told you you were too cute to be a mascot and you don't remember his name.

[ Sorry, but he's not ready to let this go, Wally. ]

[runningstart]

Okay well we were actually competing over who was more attractive -he lost- and he just wouldn't admit it, so that was the conclusion I drew. [naturally] Too cute for mascot.