With Morality Like a Polynomial

Cause I Was Only A Kid When I Fell- I

"Oh my god did you see her face?"

"I know, dude it was-"

"I thought she was gonna skewer you or something, just, arrow to the heart, dead. No more Wally West."

"Honestly? I wouldn't have been surprised, dude, I thought she was gonna suddenly gain heat vision and just turn me into ash."

Dick snorted, shoulders shaking as he laughed. Wally took a long sip of his milkshake, practically inhaling half of it.

"Dude, if you do that again-"

"Oh no I've learnt my lesson."

"Really?" Dick snickered, "something got through your thick skull? Wow Artemis really has changed you."

Wally gave an affronted gasp, leaning back into the seat of the booth, "how dare you suggest such a thing."

Dick only rolled his eyes before turning to his own milkshake, "I said what I said."

"I'm insulted," Wally said, "I think I should leave, check please."

Dick only snorted again, "jeez, drama queen, it's not like I insulted your colour scheme."

"Again."

"Again," Dick smirked.

Dick turned his head as he heard someone clear their throat loudly from across the diner, he grimaced a little when he zoned back into the conversation.

"we're being very loud," he said.

Wally rolled his eyes, "they're not paying attention."

"I just don't want to be kicked out of another diner," Dick drawled, "I have lost access to two places in as many months. Because of you."

Wally stuck his tongue out, "live a little boy wonder."

"I do plenty of living at night. I would rather chill the fuck out for once. Take a nap."

"you're fourteen," Wally played with the straw in his milkshake, "quit talking like you're thirty five."

Dick snorted, "you try living up to Bruce's training standards without growing some cynicism."

"Yeah well-"

Wally was cut off by the sound of his phone going off. It was a very familiar text tone, the one set specifically for his mother.

Wally checked the message, his lips pursing and shoulders tensing. He then tucked it away, immediately trying to cover up the emotion before Dick could notice.

"You need to leave?"

"Yeah," Wally sighed.

Dick just nodded, taking their now empty milkshake glasses up to the counter where he could pay for their food and drinks. Then he and Wally made their way out of the diner.

Wally kicked at a rock as they walked together, "I just wish she'd stop worrying, you know?"

Dick gave him a sympathetic smile. Under normal circumstances he would, but the worry Bruce had for him wasn't the same as what Wally had with his parents. That was all helicopter parenting and mental abuse and all kinds of other messy things Dick didn't know how to touch. He couldn't get involved, but he could help Wally from the outside.

"This corner?" Wally checked, even though he knew he was right. The two came to a pause at the place Alfred usually picked Dick up from when he visited central.

"Nah, I'm gonna head on to the beam," Dick said, "I'll see you at the mountain next week?"

"Yeah," Wally said, trying for a smile but already emotionally exhausted by the idea of going home.