Who: Dick Grayson and Wally West Where: New Orleans, LA (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night) When: 25 January - 13 February What: Red Portal Adventures Rating/Warnings: Low/D for dumbasses Status: Complete
"Argh! Ow! Damn it. That was graceful." The sounds of someone tripping and falling heavily in the dank alleyway echoed in the quiet night. Wally West may have been one of the fastest people alive but that didn’t always equate to being the most graceful. In his defence, he was dropped from a portal that floated nearly ten feet in the air before vanishing to nothing.
“Well, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” He made a quick recovery and stood, taking a good look around his new surroundings. “Looks kind of bleak. The lighting here’s terrible.”
"Nice and gloomy, could be Gotham." Dick replied, landing on his feet without a wobble, agreeing with the bad quality of the lighting. "But it’s too warm… humid." He took a moment to listen, noting traffic noise and the faint pounding bassline from a club or music venue a few streets away. There weren’t any sirens or trains clattering over their raised railroads, no industrial smog either or cloying sea fog. "Not Blüdhaven either."
Taking a step toward the mouth of the alley, and slightly better lighting, Dick gestured for Wally to follow. "Might as well explore seeing as our ride home has vanished."
Wally pulled a face that said he didn’t think it was Gotham - wrong style of architecture. “Is rather sticky.” He agreed about it being warm. He looked around, trying to find more clues as to where they landed. It might have been easier to just run around and discover where they were that way, but Wally didn’t want to risk using his speed if they were somewhere that didn’t have super powers and it alerted authorities.
“I think we’re further south, maybe?” Wally suggested before agreeing to explore. He followed Dick’s lead, easily falling into step with him as they exited the ally. “That music sounds like something that would play at Threshold. Should we check it out? Maybe someone there could tell us where we landed?”
"Yeah, I think you’re right, we’re definitely in a southern state." He was thankful that Wally didn’t just zoom off, not really wanting to be left by himself even for a millisecond. Plus, they had no idea if this place was hero friendly or not. So it was probably best to keep a low profile, who knew how long they’d be stuck there.
"You’re right, that does sound like a nightclub." Dick smiled at his best friend and reached out a hand to take hold of Wally’s. "Promise you won’t run off with some hottie?" He chuckled, trying to make light of the weird situation they’d been thrust into. As they made their way along the street and turned into the next, the nightclub’s glowing sign came into sight and he frowned. Corpus House looked a lot more exclusive than he’d expected and he vaguely recognised the name. Though the puzzle of why he did faded in wake of a more pressing issue. "Think we have enough money to get in?"
Wally didn’t hesitate to take Dick’s hand, grinning back and chuckling at the question. “I’m the one who should be making you promise that. All the hotties swarm in when Dick Grayson enters the building.” Of course, Wally wouldn’t be too mad if Dick went off with someone. It wasn’t as if he was his keeper. Dick was a free bird to fly wherever he wanted.
His head tilted at the sign, not sure if he had heard the name of the place before or not. Maybe it just had a similar name to a place back home. There would be time to ponder that later. Right now, they needed to try and get in the place. “Shame we don’t have platinum cards or a roll of bills we can flash. Maybe we can offer something else?”
Dick snorted at the response, Wally wasn’t wrong, whenever he was out with Bruce at those ridiculous galas when he was younger, he’d always had a swarm of young socialites buzzing around him. But he wouldn’t exactly class them as hotties. "I won’t run off with any if you don’t, deal?" Not that it was a good idea to split up, who knew when a return portal might appear. He refused to believe that they wouldn’t get back.
Joining the short queue to get into the nightclub, Dick pulled his wallet from his pocket and checked his cash. "I have about forty bucks and a card or two, but who knows if they’re going to work here." Looking around at the other patrons in the queue, he noticed a few had weird glass inhalers in their hands and it suddenly clicked where they were. "This is Dylan’s earth." He whispered to Wally, "He has one of those puffers, said it was what ghouls use to inhale vamp blood. It’s like a designer drug here."
“Deal.” Wally agreed, not that he had any plans to run off. And if he did run off he would be picking Dick up and running off with him.
That was a fair point. They had no idea if their money would even work. They could have been on an Earth where something else was the currency. “I got fifty and a coupon for a free slice of pizza.” He offered up, looking around as Dick did.
Wally’s eyes narrowed a little in thought, wondering what the inhalers were. But then Dick spoke up and answered his question, a blink and you miss it grossed out look fluttered over his face. Vamp blood inhaling ghouls. That did not sound like the sort of people they should be mixing around with. But, on the bright side, at least Dick had figured out where they were.
“Did Dylan mention anything else to you that could be handy?” Wally whispered back, wondering if Dick knew anymore that could help them navigate the strange world.
"Just that his city is populated by the undead as well as humans, but he’s the only one in New Orleans that knows about it." The line moved forward, meaning they were next to go inside. The bouncer checked them over, but didn’t seem concerned about them. Obviously their faces were innocent looking. Weirdly, for such a nice looking place, there was no entry fee.
Figuring out the riddle he whispered to Wally as they made their way further into the club, "Vampires own this place, so be careful with your neck." Why charge when you were getting an all you can eat buffet delivered directly to your door. Plus they probably made a ton selling drinks and their readily available drugs.
“Sounds lonely,” Wally mused softly, understanding what it was like to be the only one that knew about things. He had a whole life people didn’t remember when he first came back. Although things turned out alright for Wally in the end. His friends just needed a jumpstart.
Wally leaned in close so he could hear Dick’s whispered words, turning slightly widened eyes toward him. “Right. Okay.” He tried to discreetly adjust the collar of his shirt. “Definitely don’t want to become fast food.”
"Yeah, I’m glad he found someone through the portal, it just sucks that Clint’s been sent who knows where." He just hoped that everyone who’d fallen victim to the red portals had ended up in places that weren’t too dangerous.
Wally’s expression made him chuckle and he bumped his shoulder against his best friend’s. "I’ll protect you if one of them looks snacky." Winding their way to the bar he leaned on the cool marble edge and surveyed the room whilst waiting for a server. "Well, we have shelter until the club closes. I guess we can ask about a decent, low budget hotel if it looks like we’re staying longer than a night. Would you like a drink?"
“Yeah,” Wally agreed solemnly, but he had faith that they’d be able to get back. All of them who had been taken by the red portals to somewhere else.
He let out a little snort of amusement at Dick’s reassurance. Honestly, though, he was grateful they ended up together. After they got to the bar, Wally stood beside Dick, fingers tapping against the bar top. He wasn’t nervous, just a bundle of energy. It was very rare to find Wally West completely still.
“Okay, what are we having?” Wally looked for a drinks menu. It didn’t matter what he drank, his speedster metabolism would just burn off the alcohol in a matter of seconds anyway. But if Dick wanted to have a few to drink, he would make sure to get them somewhere safe.
“Something cool and fruity…" Dick’s feet were already moving in time with the beat of whatever song was playing and he knew they’d end up on the dance floor at some point. Unless a return portal appeared in the meantime of course. "But not red." Something about drinking a red drink in a vampire bar seemed hinky, like maybe another red substance could too easily be slipped into it. He had no desire to become a ghoul.
When the bartender came over he ordered two Mai-Tais, knowing the alcohol wouldn’t affect Wals, but that he’d probably enjoy the flavor. After he paid, he passed Wally his glass and smiled, "Drinks and then dancing?"
Somewhere at the back of his mind he knew that this could be considered a date, albeit an unexpected one. But he didn’t think his best friend’s feelings toward him were quite so confused as his own. So he buried the thought deeper, sipping his drink instead and humming happily at the taste.
“Cool and fruity. Like us!” Wally chirped happily, bumping shoulders with Dick in amusement at his own joke. He agreed on nothing red despite it usually being his favorite color, it was probably wise to stay away from drinks of that color in a vampire bar.
“Oh yeah. Definitely.” He took his drink with a nod of thanks, sipping it and approving of the flavor. “Do you think they take requests?” Not that it mattered if they didn’t, Wally would dance to anything. He just loved to be moving. Even in his sleep, Wally moved.
Finishing his drink, Wally put the empty glass back on the bar and it was quickly cleared away by a bartender. He waited until Dick was finished before taking his best friend’s hands and dragging him out to the dancefloor. Not that it took much effort to drag Dick out there. Given the surroundings and number of people on the dancefloor, Wally kept a hand on his dance partner, moving close and to the rhythm of the song.
Chuckling at the comparison, he had to agree. Their team back home had certainly thought they were froot loops -and called them so- on more than a couple of occasions. But that was their dynamic always had been and likely always would. Dick smiled as his suggestion was easily accepted, not that he doubted it would be. Wals liked to move, hated standing still and dancing was a good way to channel that ever buzzing energy his friend carried.
"Probably, plenty of DJs do. Guess we'll have to ask and find out. But I'm not sure what year it is here, best not ask for anything too recent, just in case."
Dick followed easily as Wally led him out to dance, already moving to the beat as his bff drew him in closer (so as not to lose him in the crowd, and no other reason, he told himself). A happy little grin came to his face as the song cross faded into one he recognised and he bounced on his toes hand fitting against Wally's shoulder as the whole crowd of dancers shifted and moved around them.
“Okay, fair call.” Wally agreed about putting in a request. Not that there was much in the way of recent stuff he listened to. Being stuck in a speed force time warp meant his tastes were all over the place. But there were classics.
He recognised the grin on Dick’s face - a matching one appearing on his own. Dick’s energy was always infectious. It made him the best team leader. It also made him a brilliant partner. Dance partner, that is. After all, Wally was firmly in the friend zone. Right? Right.
Gazing down slightly at Dick - not too far down, Wally was only an inch or so taller - Wally smiled, trying to ignore that it felt right to have his best friend in his arms as they danced. It always felt that way. When they went out together in Gotham, Central or Bludhaven. To now, in New Orleans. In a club where ordering a Bloody Mary at the bar meant a whole different thing.
“Maybe we should ask around about accommodation?” Wally asked almost suddenly, trying to avoid the path his mind was taking. It was the drink. Definitely the drink. Never mind that it burnt off before he even finished it. Dick was his best friend. That he had feelings for. No big deal.
Somewhere in the very back of his mind, the little thought he’d tried so hard to bury was busying its way back to the surface. He couldn’t help but feel something as Wally held him securely, body moving in perfect sync with his own. They may just be dancing, but if their rhythm was this good here he could only assume it would be incredible elsewhere.
And that was dangerous.
Wally was his best friend, his teammate, his roomie, and— as far as he knew— straight, with the biggest love for Linda Park that Dick had ever witnessed. Dick really didn’t want to mess things up by making everything awkward between them. That smile though… and the way Wally looked at him sometimes made him wonder.
Which was also dangerous.
"Yeah, yeah, we should. Before it’s too late to check in." Dick agreed quickly, glad of the distraction from his thoughts. Reaching up, he made sure Wally’s collar was turned up as far as it would go, "Split up and meet at the bar in ten?"
***
It turned out the best quality low budget hotel was across the city from the nightclub, but with a speedster as your travel companion, that wasn’t much of an issue. Dick had tried his luck with the credit card he had in his wallet and miraculously, it had worked. "I think the first thing I want to do is shower." Dick mused as he slid the keycard into the lock and opened the door. Stepping into the room, he automatically looked for entry points, Bat training always active. The bathroom was small with a single shower, but that didn’t matter too much, so long as it worked. The window was regular sized, with a safety feature that didn’t allow it to open further than ten centimetres. And the bed was… a double.
"Ha, they must’ve thought we were a couple." Dick’s grin was a little too practised, "Uh, d’you want to share? I don’t mind, all of my brothers have ended up sneaking in to share with me over the years. Which, I guess, is only fair, seeing as I did it to B."
“You do that, I need to get some food into me.” Wally responded as Dick opened the door. He had no problem with letting Dick have first shower. His stomach grumbled a little in agreement.
First port of call for Wally was the kitchenette, stealing the singularly packaged complimentary cookies and munching away. He didn’t even notice the rest of the room until at least three of the cookies were inhaled. It was, for lack of a better word, cosy. But it was a roof over their heads, so Wally saw no problem with it.
Until he spotted the bed. The double bed.
“Haha, yeah. No idea where they got that idea.” He chuckled in a slightly exaggerated manner, hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck awkwardly. “What? Oh, yeah, it’s fine. It’s just a bed. For sleeping. Be like a slumber party.”
"Exactly, like a slumber party." Dick nodded, wondering slightly about the awkwardness which had come over his friend. It’s not like they didn’t invade each other’s space on the regular, though maybe bed sharing was a bigger deal. "Choose a side and I’ll be out in a few."
Disappearing into the bathroom gave him time to think and the shower did wonders to clear his head of any lingering thoughts from the club. This wasn’t a date and their sleeping together would actually be sleeping. Everything was fine. No need to freak out about one bed, he was perfectly capable of sticking to his own side and if it was really so big a deal for Wals, they could build a pillow wall.
Towelling off his hair, he emerged from the little room in his boxer shorts and offered a much more relaxed smile to his friend. "It’s a nice shower."
Wally had been thinking a lot about what Superman had told him about putting in the effort and building a new life. At first he had thought that meant making more of an effort with Linda, but that had been a no starter. Then one word began to stick out for him. New. It wasn’t about Linda at all. But rather, building something new for himself. Living his life. Perhaps even doing things completely different.
Landing in a new world was completely different. Two new worlds, technically, but who was counting? Point of the matter was, Wally had been starting to see things differently. Feel things differently. And one of those things was his best friend. Dick Grayson.
While Dick was in the shower, Wally picked a side of the bed, kicked his shoes off and put his feet up. He didn’t bother changing, figuring he would just strip completely when he had his own shower. A little mantra of just because he felt things didn’t mean Dick reciprocated played on a loop in his head.
“Hope you didn’t use all the hot water.” Wally teased, getting his groove back a little. He swung his legs back over the side of the bed and moved toward the bathroom, brushing past Dick as the path to the bathroom wasn’t exactly the roomiest. “Won’t be long. I picked my side.”
"I think I left you a few litres." Dick chuckled, circling around to the opposite side of the bed and slipping under the covers. It wasn't until he'd settled down with his head on the pillow that he realised how worn out he felt. Not just from the dancing and late hour, but from the tension he'd been carrying since falling through that red portal. He didn't like the uncertainty that had been thrust upon them. Would they make it back to the Avengers' world? Or could they fall from this one back into their own? Or maybe they'd be stuck here.
He supposed they could always seek out Dylan and offer to work with him. Wally was right, it had to be lonely being the only one who knew about all the other beings living in New Orleans. The Paranormal Detective could probably use a hand or two. Looking across the room when he heard the bathroom door open, he tried not to let his gaze rake over his best friend's form, but was only partially successful. Wriggling over a little closer to the mattress edge as Wally joined him, he made sure there was plenty of space between them. "Just in case I sleep-fight or something." He gave a half laugh after the explanation, "Hopefully I won't."
The shower settled him. The hot water hitting his back and shoulders relieved the tension he felt. As soon as he was out and dried off with a towel, Wally was back to his playful self.
“That’s better.” He exited the bathroom with a sigh, missing the way Dick was looking at him. “There’s something about being in a vampire club and being looked at like you’re on the menu that really makes a guy tense, you know?” It was an excuse for his awkward behaviour. A flimsy one but Wally was sticking to it.
He flopped on his side of the bed, still for a few seconds before rolling onto his side and resting his head on his hand. He watched Dick inch closer to the edge. “Dude, you’d have to catch me to sleep-fight me. I sleep-run.” Wally gave an apologetic look. “Sorry in advance for the bruises.”
"Yeah, I know, I was expecting to be nibbled at any moment." Dick chuckled, rolling onto his side to face his best friend. Tucking his hands under the pillow he grinned at the sleep-running comment. Remembering seeing Wals do just that while they were at Titans Tower and he'd had to wake the speedster for a mission.
"Ditto on that apology. Hopefully they'll be unnecessary." A sigh slipped past his lips before he could stop it and he gave a tiny smile. "We'll figure out a plan in the morning, but I'm glad you're with me. G'night, Wals."
***
Surprisingly, Wally was awake first the following morning. He felt well rested and warm and… cuddled? He opened his eyes, looking at Dick who appeared to be still sleeping and was snuggled into his chest. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t invaded each other’s space before, but this time felt different. It felt like Dick belonged there. It felt right.
Unfortunately, Wally’s stomach chose that moment to growl, ruining the serene moment with a gurgling protest. “Quiet you.” Wally spoke to his stomach, voice a low hiss so he didn’t wake Dick. “Can’t you give me five minutes to enjoy this?”
Dick was drawn toward waking by the soft murmur of Wally's voice, feeling the words through his best friend's chest as well as hearing them. He wasn't quite alert enough to stop himself from snuggling closer with an incredibly content sigh. He was warm, comfortable and safe. Curled up against his speedster, he felt completely at home, despite being in another different universe.
"Someone wants breakfast," he chuckled sleepily, giving Wally's noisy tummy a pat. "Three more minutes and then I'll move. Too comfy."
As Dick snuggled closer, Wally moved his hand up and down his back in a soothing manner. It felt like they had always woken up together in each other's arms. And Wally wanted to continue waking up together. That is, if Dick was agreeable.
Deciding to throw caution into the wind, Wally watched Dick for a reaction. “What if I don’t want you to move? What if I wanted to wake up like this every morning?”
The slow strokes up and down his back were doing nothing to help him toward full wakefulness. In fact they just made him even more reluctant to move. This felt right, Wally and him, seeing in the new day, together. Dick could sense something was on his friend's mind, you didn't grow up with someone and not know when something was bothering them. (Especially not when the world's greatest detective was your mentor.)
Looking up at the questions, a slow smile spread across his lips. "That'd be okay with me. More than okay. I want to wake up with you too."
A mirroring smile appeared on Wally’s face, pleased with Dick’s response. The nerves he felt the previous night were forgotten with the positive answer. “What about kissing? You okay with that too?” He asked, bolstered in confidence at having his feelings seemingly returned. Despite the question and boost in confidence, Wally didn’t act on it without Dick’s consent.
"Hmmm," Dick feigned deep thought for a few moments, then shimmied a little further up the bed so he could see Wally’s face clearly. "Yes, I’d be okay with that too." His gaze flicked to Wals’ mouth, then back to those lovely green eyes. "By which I mean you should kiss me, now."
Wally grinned, leaning in closer so their noses bumped. “Now?” He murmured hotly against Dick’s lips. “If you insist.” He closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly and kissed his best friend. Boyfriend? Best friend and boyfriend? Dick was incredible enough that he could be both.
Pulling back a little so he could assess Dick’s reaction, Wally looked at him with renewed awe. “Does this mean last night was a date? Or should we have a do over?”
"Now." Dick repeated, as their lips brushed with the words, his eyes slid closed as the distance between them shrank to nothing and he kissed back. A dizzy rush of adrenaline going straight to his head. When he looked at Wally, it was with a slightly dazed expression, but a happy one.
"Last night was a decent first date, but we'll have an official one back in New York." He giggled, "Maybe if we're lucky we'll be back before Valentine's day."
As if on cue a swirl of red grew into existence in the corner of the room. Painting the walls with splashes of light. Dick had just enough wits about him to grab his things before the portal sucked them in.