We're Stardust, You and I | BIRDFLASH

And yes I lied, because the whiskey made me

The wind whistled against the windows of Dick's room. It was almost drowned out by the humming of some random radio tune they had heard earlier in the day.

Dick was walking around, always searching for some random item that he misplaced while Wally stood, looking around at the various personal items and photos that decorated the space. Dick's room had a warm, lived-in feel, with shelves filled with books and memorabilia. The once neatly made bed sat against one wall, and a desk cluttered with papers and gadgets occupied another corner.

He glanced at the photos taped above the dresser. There was a picture of Dick and Bruce Wayne grinning side by side, Dick appearing to be maybe in his early teens with a gold medal around his neck.

"That was my first gymnastics competition," Dick said, noticing Wally's gaze. He made his way over, offering out his hand. "Is this cologne too much?"

He leaned towards it and shrugged. It honestly smelled like every other cologne that Dick wore. Wally then pointed to a drawing that seemed to be a sketch of a cat. "Damian?" he asked. He recalled Dick briefly mentioning all of his siblings' hobbies.

"Yeah. I save every drawing he gives me. If you saw the fridge back at my place, it's covered in his artwork," Dick replied with a fond smile.

Wally continued to look around, his eyes landing on a particular photo that caught his attention. It showed a group of teenagers, all dressed in casual fashion. One he guessed was Dick by dark hair and shades, but something odd about the photo was that none of the teens were showing any identifiable features. One had stark blonde hair, another was a tall and built young man with dark hair, and three other teens had their features mostly obscured by hats, hoodies, or sunglasses. One with a hoodie pulled up seemed familiar, as did the girl with auburn hair and an engaging smile. In the center, there was a boy with glasses over his freckles and a beanie pulled low over his head.

Wally's heart skipped a beat. There was something about that boy in the beanie that felt almost too familiar, a tug at the edges of his memory.

"Old friend group?" Wally asked, his voice trying to sound casual.

Dick, who had been rifling through his closet, looked over and saw which photo Wally was referring to. "Yeah, after school club thing," he said, tugging on Wally's arm to divert his attention elsewhere. "You need to start getting ready."

Wally complied, understanding the unsaid boundaries and topics best left undiscussed. But the image of the boy with the beanie stayed with him, an itch at the back of his mind. It looked so familiar, yet he couldn't place it.

He stared at Dick's back as he turned around to face the mirror to tighten his tie. Wally's eyes drifted down, familiarity was a bitch.

He slowly began taking off his shirt and grabbing the hanger for his suit. He weighed his internal debate gently and decided that a casual conversation would be a good idea. "Dick, why didn't you tell me you were from Bludhaven from the start?" Wally questioned, stray clues and coincidences starting to drift closer and closer until a vague picture began to form.

Dick stared at him through the reflection of the mirror, probably contemplating the question in his head. Wally didn't understand what made it so hard to answer in the first place. "I'm sorry," Dick said. "I know I have this problem with keeping people outside of my family at arm's reach. I was just really nervous about you. I still am."

Wally paused. The fuck? "Excuse me?" He asked aloud.

"People close to me, people I care about, they get hurt. Being affiliated with Gotham and Bludhaven has that effect. I make enemies in my line of work." He said, not fully looking away from his tie.