Everybody was born with wings. They changed over a person's lifetime, color, shape, and size changing according to how a person lived their life. The only bad thing was that wings could be stolen.
When Dick was a child, Tony Zucco stole his family's wings before killing them. Dick was left in the detention center at Gotham, as his wingless presence was considered a threat to winged children. No one cared for him. He was kept in a section meant for wingless people, but he was the only one there.
Bruce Wayne found the fallen bird, and took him in. Dick always had a blanket hanging around his shoulders, hiding his lack of wings. Bruce didn't mind if he did, but he wished he could find Dick's wings.
There were many ways you could steal wings. You could cut them off, but they would grow back. Besides, the thief always left a mark that got them caught. However, if you stole the feathers, the wings disappeared. The feathers formed a glowing sphere, which could be contained in just about anything. Zucco had stolen Dick's feathers.
As Dick met more people, he found himself shunned. Even when he was merely walking, mothers pull their children away and fathers glared at him. Bruce always pulled Dick to his side, glaring back. Dick was just a child.
Dick learned to fear people. He was extremely shy, hiding behind Bruce or someone he knew when there were strangers nearby. He rarely talked, and always hid his back. If anyone started getting to curious, Dick would end up hiding until they left.
It took months before Bruce got Dick to let him see his back. There was a smooth back, uncommon for them. There were white scars where they'd been stolen, and Dick had clearly been messing with them. There were little red scratches, deliberate in their mission.
Bruce rubbed the scars gently, feeling Dick tremble. He had no idea what it must have been like to lose wings. He'd had his all his life. To be without them, and for years. Dick was so much stronger than he thought.
Bruce decided it would be better for Dick to have someone to relate to. Barry's nephew, Wally, had his wings cut off at the age of seven, so he knew what it was like to lose your wings. Maybe he could help Dick warm up to people.
Dick was on the couch, blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders, nervous. He was always nervous around other people, besides Bruce and Alfred. Maybe Wally was just a bully who forgot how it felt.
Bruce walked in with a redheaded boy behind him. Dick shrank into the couch, pulling the blanket closer. Bruce motioned for the redhead to sit on the couch and knelt down in front of Dick. "It's alright. This is Wally. Barry and I decided it might be a good idea for you to meet him." Dick nodded nervously, biting his lip.
"I'll be outside the door. If he makes a move, call me." Bruce whispered, gently squeezing Dick's shoulder before moving back. Dick watched as Bruce left the room, throat tightening at the fear of being alone.
"I'm Wally." "I'm Dick." "I hear you had your wings stolen." "Feathers." "Sorry. I know they can be…a touchy subject." "You do?" "I had mine cut off by my drunk and abusive father. They've grown back, but I know how it feels to lose them. I thought the bullying would never end." "They bully you too?" "Yeah. I know how it feels. I'm sorry about your wings. I know it doesn't do much, saying sorry, but I am."
"Thanks. I'm…sorry about your dad. I had one, but he was really good. Then I got Bruce." "Did something happen?" "A man named Tony Zucco stole our feathers. The night we were supposed to perform, the lines were sabotaged. They died. Nothing's been the same." Dick closed his eyes, hiding in his blanket. The lost wings stung his back.
"Can I…hug you? I know it's kind of early, and if you don't want, you don't have to, but I know how this feels. They sting, don't they?" "A little, and I don't mind if you do, just be careful." "Will do. If anything I do hurts you or unsettles you, all you have to do is say so." Wally slowly wrapped his arms around Dick, being careful to not touch the place wings were supposed to be.
