Thirty Days (A Birdflash Fanfiction)

Day 2: Cuddling Somewhere

The whole team was feeling a little flat tonight. Coming down from the hallucinations brought on by Scarecrow's fear gas could do that. M'gann had dredged up some cookies Wally hadn't eaten yet, but since nobody really felt up to eating them, Wally ended up eating them all by himself anyway. Both Dick and Artemis had smacked his hand away when he tried offering them one.

The team slowly drifted out of the sitting room. Dick showed no signs of moving, instead staring blankly at the television static, sunglasses slipping down his nose.

"Did you... want to watch something?" Wally asked him.

"No." Dick's voice came out strained, and barely more than a whisper. Wally couldn't blame him; he wasn't feeling too great himself. At least the cookies had made him feel a little better. Of course, that could just be a temporary sugar rush.

"Did you, uh, want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Okay, that's cool," Wally said, deliberately trying to keep his voice light. "So, you staying over tonight?"

Dick shrugged. "I guess." Batman had gone back out to follow the Scarecrow's trail. The Team had gotten close to apprehending him, but had been overwhelmed by the fear gas before they could get their hands on him. Wally—Kid Flash—had been the first to wake, owing to his metabolism, at which point he noticed Robin had gotten as far as pulling out the antidote before being overcome. Kid Flash dosed him first; Robin had more experience treating exposure to the gas than he did. At least, that's how Kid Flash had rationalised it at the time and it totally had nothing to do with what he'd seen before the gas wore off, no siree.

"Everyone's gone," said Wally. "You can take off the glasses if you want."

Dick ignored him. Wally melted against the couch with a sigh. The team had kept it together well enough until they'd suffered through the debriefing and collectively fell into the living area. Then the cookies came out and Wally spent a few minutes eating his feelings until everyone gathered the energy to get up and go to bed, except for him and Dick.

"You can go to bed, you know," Dick said quietly.

"You first."

Dick's laugh died after a single ha. "Not fucking likely."

"Such language! What would Alfred say?"

"Wally, I will hit you."

"Is that the way to treat your saviour?"

"Call yourself that again, and yes."

Okay, humour wasn't working. Well, it had been worth a try. Wally turned off the TV; the static was starting to bother him. Dick sagged bonelessly against the back of the couch, mirroring Wally's position. Wally scooted closer.

"You look like you could use a hug."

"Whatever. I don't care." Dick didn't react when Wally slung an arm over his shoulders, so Wally tugged him closer. He was all shivery. Wally gave him a squeeze, which prompted him to bury his face in Wally's sweater. He kicked off his shoes and all but climbed into Wally's lap.

"Oh! Uh. Okay." Wally must have found the cuddle button. Not that he was complaining. After seeing Dick, among other people, disappear in Wally's dream world, maybe this was exactly what he needed. What they both needed.

Over time, Dick's shivers subsided.