CloeTheTealSnake has been missing my Birdflash stuff so I thought I'd post this earlier than I was going to so say thank you 

Pining is difficult for everyone. That's how pining works. Pining is made even more difficult when you don't really understand your more complex emotions. That's the situation Dick was in. He had a major crush on his teammate and he didn't even know it! The feelings of complete admiration weren't always there. Mostly because he didn't have many feelings aside from the main ones in the beginning. They really kicked in with one small act of kindness. A simple hand on the shoulder, an assuring smile and a pun about chemistry. He stared into their emerald eyes and felt completely smitten. His face heated up and he had the strong urge to lean into the touch. Unfortunately, he was so used to being rigid that he could only manage a small cackle. That seemed to be enough for the ginger who laughed at their own joke.

From then on Dick began getting weird symptoms. He wanted to constantly be around Wally. No matter what. Even if it was an inconvenience to everyone else. He also got this horrid pit in his stomach whenever he saw Wally go off with anyone else other than him or family members. There wasn't a name he could put to it but it was definitely there. When they spent time together, he wanted to just reach out and touch him. They'd accidentally brushed hands whilst walking once and it sent a rush through his system. The feeling was indescribable and he kept doing it every now and then to get another hit. Then there was a feeling he truly didn't know. It happened every time he caught a glimpse of the ginger shirtless. His face would burn up and he couldn't help but stare until someone reminded him about the ten-second rule on watching people. They'd always do it with a laugh but he never got why. There wasn't something funny about him staring at the other's chiseled abs and beautifully defined biceps. Even Wally seemed to laugh when he caught him staring. Was it a funny thing to do? Did they know the feelings he was having? He wanted to ask someone, anyone, to explain what these were. Why he needed to hear Wally talk about his day at school even though it didn't affect him. Why he had to lean into every small touch they had. Why his face was burning up so much. He wanted to ask a teammate but whenever he opened his mouth to he would choke up like his body was screaming at him to keep it a secret. He knew he shouldn't keep it quiet. Bruce made sure that he documented all his new feelings in order for him to understand. Dick snapped his fingers. Of course. He could just ask Bruce what these feelings were. Best off too. If it was some illness or other, telling one of his teammates first would only end in chaos. They seemed to get so worked up when even the slightest thing was wrong with him. One time he got back from a mission and they were running around like he was on his death bed when he was only stabbed once! Yes, Bruce was the best person to go to.

Said mentor was sitting at the Batcomputer alone and checking up on the mission logs. He knew they were completed but he was a bit of a control freak over how he liked it set out. Dick gulped and walked over, taking a seat next to him. Bruce knew immediately that this was a sign of him wanting to talk and stopped his work. He turned to the younger who looked visibly nervous with a curious look. "What's up chum?" he asked. There was an underlying tone of worry in his voice which was to be expected. This wasn't one of the days where they had their scheduled talks on emotions and the like and Dick didn't normally come to him outside of those days. "I have these feelings and I'm not quite sure what they are. It's been going on for eight months, two weeks and three days now," he explained. Bruce nodded, giving him his undivided attention. 

"Alright. Can you explain what the feelings make you do and who they're towards if anyone?"

"I want to be with a person all the time. I don't like when they talk to other people in the same way they talk to me. It makes my stomach and chest hurt like no way I've felt before. Then when we touch, I wish we touched more. And I can't stop staring at them, even though I know the rule I keep staring like I could for hours," he listed. "I could listen for hours and not even think twice about it. My face burns with nearly every interaction. Do you know what it is? Am I getting sick? It's been a long time, I wouldn't be surprised if I've mistaken the illness for an emotion." Bruce shook his head, lifting up his hand to stop him from listing any more possibilities for what it must be. He held Dick's hands in his own to stop their shaking, which their owner didn't know about until now, and spoke in a calm voice. "This isn't an illness Dick. This is a crush. Judging by the length of you having these feelings, it's a very serious crush at that," he enlightened him. Dick tilted his head in confusion and squinted his eyes.

"I don't know what a crush is."

"A crush is where you like someone romantically and would like to date them." For the 100th time when thinking about those feelings, Dick's face heated up. He shook his head vigorously. 

"No, that can't be right. A crush is so simple." Bruce chuckled earnestly. 

"Denial is a part of it I'm afraid. You have a crush. Now tell me, who's the lucky girl?"

It was then when Dick took away his hands and held them to his chest. Oh. He was supposed to like a girl. He should've known that this wouldn't be that simple. There was yet another thing that wasn't normal about him. Even something like a crush just highlighted his imperfections. His shoulders slumped as he dwelled on his thoughts. That was until Bruce took his hands again to gain his attention. There was a kind understanding smile on his face. "Tell me what you're thinking."

"Is it supposed to be a girl?" He shakes his head, his understanding soft smile maintained. 

"For some people, it is because that's what they're attracted to but for others, it's just boys, or both, or neither. Some lie in between and people are attracted to them too. There's nothing completely normal about love because it's an abstract concept," he explained clearly. His steady comforting tone let Dick relax and let out a sigh of relief. "I shouldn't have assumed, that's on me. Would you like to tell me who it is?"

"Wally." Bruce grinned at him. "What?"

"I'm just glad it's a hero. Makes it much easier to blame their sudden disappearance on a villain." Dick tutted and squeezed his hands with a smile. "Would you like some help asking him to be your boyfriend?"

"Yes but how can I be sure he likes me back?" he inquired. He knew that social rules dictated that once rejected by their friend, they rarely remained friends with that person. There were so few relationships he was able to have that he just couldn't lose one of them. Especially with Wally. He'd lose the whole team's friendship since he'd only make missions awkward. He could make a real mess of things. "Does he display some of the same behaviours you have?" Bruce asked.

Thinking back, Wally had. Dick had noticed his glances from across the room whilst he changed and the light blush that covered his face when he realized he'd been caught. There were times when he'd purposefully sit a little closer than anyone else would when they were on the couch together. When he gave a compliment to someone, he'd look back at him with a hopeful glance. With this new context, those compliments and bonding moments that he considered a bromance were more likely attempts at developing a romance. "Yes, if memory serves me right," he answered.

"Then all you have to worry about is the method of asking him to be your boyfriend."

"And once I ask, will these feelings go away?" Bruce chuckled again at his naivety. He knew he shouldn't but this was so innocent. This nearly fifteen-year-old boy was less informed than a middle schooler on how crushes worked. How Wally was going to deal with him would be interesting to see. "They'll only intensify." Dick hummed and smiled to himself faintly. His smiles were never that big unless he was super happy. As happy as someone winning the lottery. 

"I don't mind that. They're not entirely awful. Although I could do without the burning sensation."

"That's blushing and I don't doubt that you'll be blushing a lot more when you're with him. Speaking of, here's how I'd do it if I were you..."

Nervously, Dick walked up to Wally's bedroom door at the Mountain. Behind his back was a box of chocolates and flowers. Bruce said to give either but he thought giving both would be better. Two good things are better than one good thing. He memorized what he was supposed to say but he was getting this awful feeling like his heart was trying to burst through his chest. Nerves weren't something he was used to and for just a moment he thought he'd been poisoned. Then he remembered Bruce describing this feeling as a branch from having a crush. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It opened immediately and Wally zipped to stand in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a grin. "Hey Dick, did you need something?" he asked. Dick stared at him. He looked fresh out the shower and yet he still looked amazing. Most people just looked like drowned rats but Wally looked like a Greek God. It was then he noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. Just jeans. Part of him thought this was on purpose, a way to impress him perhaps, but he tried to rationalize it. He was probably caught off guard by the sudden knock and didn't have time to put his shirt on. Then again, he was a speedster. He could've had it on in a flash. "Staring again?" Wally's sing-song tone brought him back to reality and allowed him to realize his face was once again burning. 

"I uhm. Here," he stated, showing the two gifts. Wally chuckled and took them. There was a light dusting of pink across his face, beautifully highlighting his freckles. 

"Thanks, dude."

"Uhm." Dick shut his eyes and tried to concentrate on his words. "I would like to court you," he said quickly so much so that they came out in a jumbled mess. Yet Wally seemed to know what he said. Speedsters probably talked like that all the time so it made sense. "Court me? Are you from the nineteenth century or something?" he joked. Dick bit his lip and cast his eyes to the ground. He knew it. He'd messed it up. Why did he have to suck at everything human? He was supposed to be good at this. Maybe being a Talon was the only part of him he knew how to do. Even then he didn't do it next. "That wasn't a no."

Dick's eyes shot up to meet the ginger's emerald ones. He stared at him wide-eyed, earning a warm smile from the older. "But was it a yes?" he asked timidly. Why was he so scared? He'd faced off against the biggest villains in the world yet asking someone out was making him want to run in the opposite direction and hide away forever. Wally coughed awkwardly and nodded. "YEah," he replied, his voice breaking. They stared at each other for a moment. 

"Uhm is this the bit where we kiss?" Dick asked.

"What?"

"Well the guide to asking someone out ends with a kiss but it looked much more natural on the YouTube video-" he was cut off by a soft kiss on his lips. He fought off the instinct to murder the person who suddenly touched him, as he always did at the slight touch of another person, and leaned into the kiss.

"Canary! Wally and Dick are being gay in the hallway!" Artemis yelled. In an instant the hero was there, almost falling over to get there before the kiss ended. She managed to catch the end of it before they pulled away from one another. Once parted Dick let out a love-struck cackle. "Clip that computer! Clip it!" Canary exclaimed.

"Clip saved."

That clip of him cackling was added to the folder with his first smile, his first joke and his first chuckle. 

hehe get ready for the angst bitches...