[Fanfic:] Triage

[shinju90]

[FanFic] Triage

Author: shinju90 
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Batman/Question, Batman/Wally, Question/Wally (if you kinda tilt your head to the side and squint at it) Question/Huntress
Genre: Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance. Fluff
Disclaimer: I don't own Justice League Unlimited...If I did....Well, there would be some interesting adventures.
Summary:  A short series of drabbles. Wally loves Bruce, Bruce Loves Wally. Vic wonders sometimes why Bruce is determined to use him as a wedge.


Substitute
The whispers followed him through the Watchtower, dimming as he approached and gaining volume as he vanished down the hall. It was nothing new, nothing related to the conspiracy. So he paid them no attention, he knew how rumors worked. He had survived high school well enough, even if it had been awhile. If there was no suspicious activity, no overtly friendly actions all interest in the subject would disperse. In a few weeks no Leaguers would find any interest in stalking the Question to discover if he was really in a secret relationship with Batman.
Vic really didn't think it could be called a relationship though. He smirked under his mask, if some of the League thought they would catch the Bat holding his hand under a table or sneaking their way into a storage closet, they would be severely disappointed. The Batman could not afford distractions such as showing affection. He wouldn't shatter his carefully sculpted persona like that, especially over someone that he felt no real emotional connection with. A curious red blur danced around the corner of this vision, but as Vic turned to acknowledge his presence Flash lost his nerve and disappeared.
The whispers were growing in volume again as Vic to a to-go lunch and headed back to his room, after several weeks of infiltration he was getting close to catching the girl scouts in the act of forming crop circles and his tests on the Peanut Butter Patties were almost finished. He had planned on finishing his work, but as he neared his door his halted and stared, his signs were disturbed, someone was in his room. Only one person on the station knew his code. He changed it every day. As he punched in the key code he wondered about the change of behavior, it was so unusual. He crossed the threshold as soon as the door opened and was enveloped by a cloud of binary gas before it was closed. He managed to drop his lunch on his night stand as his mask was ripped away from his face and lips smashed against lips and Bruce slammed him back against the door, loudly.
"Ngh," Vic winced slightly, Bruce never played nice when he was angry. "People in hallway. Will have heard." Skilled hands were popping the buttons of his vest then moving onto his shirt. Bruce broke contact only long enough to growl into his ear.
"Wanted them too."
The trench and vest hit the floor first. His shirt and tie were not far behind. As Bruce's grip tightened Vic winced, it would definitely bruise. Something must have happened, as lips moved possessively over his throat and hands threaded through red hair Vic pulled away. Bruce grabbed his face and pulled him close but Vic had stop this, had to put an end to it.
"The kid love's you. There's no way you can't know that. You're trying to break his heart aren't you." His voice was laced with anger and accusation. Vic wondered what the kid had said or done to make Bruce this angry. It probably was something harmless. But Bruce's glare was fierce none the less and he yanked the cowl back over this face. As he stalked to the door Vic's eyes followed him and he wondered out loud, "This is breaking you apart too. Why don't you just accept the fact that you care about the kid? Despite popular belief he is an adult and can take care of himself." Fingers froze of the keypad. Then the Bat glared back over his shoulder.
"I can't have something that innocent. He would just end up polluted."



Irresistible

No one refused Bruce Wayne. Not when he was staring at you with frozen ice blue eyes and his hands were tracing circles across your back. Add in the fact that he was the goddamn Batman and he was practically irresistible. The cave was cold and the cries of airborne bats filled the air as they flew out to feast. Vic mildly wondered where Alfred was hiding as Bruce's gaze locked with his. It bordered on predatory, he was about to strike. And when he did Vic's mind went black and he couldn't hold back his moan.

Bruce was losing himself in the charade though. As he was backed up against the Batmobile Vic swore that he called him Wally. The farce needed to end, but as his back met the hood of the vehicle and lips and hands traced over his skin Vic decided that he could postpone the end for just a little longer.



Redheads Only

It had been a painless break, the easiest of both their lives. Mostly because there had been nothing solid holding them together. Bruce simply stopped invading Vic's lunchtime and Vic slept in his own bed. It wasn't long before the first gossip hen approached him with the question.

"So why did Batman dump you?"

He muttered some nonsense about aglets as he left, which wasn't completely a lie. Alfred and Bruce hadn't been happy to wake up one morning to discover all of their shoes aglets replaced with duct tape. At least he had been considerate enough to tape them, he could have just let them fray. Eventually the questions stopped after some foolish idiot attempted to ask Batman and the whole event was never spoken of around either of them again. Except for one red head.

He always danced around just on the edge of Vic's line of sight. But he stayed patient, he knew Wally would work up the courage soon. Finally one day in the cafeteria the chair beside Vic was yanked out and the Flash flopped into it. Vic tilted his head slightly acknowledging his presence, but he kept facing his papers and watched him from the corner of his eye. He didn't stare, he knew that it unnerved him when he stared.

"So you and Batman huh? I only just heard about it as it ended. Bummer, sorry he dumped you." Flash was vibrating in the chair, it was making a slight buzzing sound against the floor. Vic could see a slight blush just under the edge of his mask, he shouldn't try to lie. He wasn't good at it.

Vic looked up now and scanned the room. No one within hearing distance and no one with super hearing. He leaned over the table and beckoned Flash in close. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a security camera focus on their table and zoom in close. He smirked.

"To tell you the truth," he was leaning closer now, their cheeks were brushing. If they hadn't had masks on his lips would have brushed Flash's ear. "Bruce didn't break up with me." This close Vic could feel the heat and vibrations radiating from him, he was so nervous. "I broke up with him because what we had wasn't a relationship. I was merely a substitute for who he really wanted. Someone he won't let himself have."

Behind the lenses Flash's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What? But who-?" His eyes were drawn to Question's chemically dyed black hair and his shoulders sagged. "Diana?"

Vic grinned, poor naïve kid. He pulled his hat off and took the binary gas can from his pocket. "Not my real color," he said as he sprayed a small section of hair. "And if it was Diana he wanted a substitute for, wouldn't he have found a woman?"

The confusion was obvious on his face at first, but when Vic showed him a lock of red hair realization finally dawned and he smiled. All in that instant Vic realized why Bruce loved him and why he thought he couldn't have him. There was such happiness, such innocence in that smile. It cleansed Vic's sins and left him feeling warmer than he had in a long time.

The sound of the cafeteria doors sliding open distracted them both and Batman stalked through heading straight for their small table. Flash's smile only intensified and he whispered, "Thanks" before vanishing. Batman was furious when Vic stood to greet him.

"What did you tell him?" he demanded. Vic tilted his head as if he was confused. Then he made a show of hiding the red lock under his hat.

"We were making a club. You can't join. Redheads only."



Victim

Flash was missing. Wally West hadn't been home in two days. Vic stared again at the damning headline of the Central City Tribune, POLICE CAPTURE SERIAL RAPIST. VICTIM FLEE'S SCENE. The police had reported that the victim had been a young man with red hair, they had pursued but he had somehow lost them. While they were in squad cars.

It had to have been Wally, at least Bruce was convinced it had been. He had canceled all meetings and was ignoring all calls. Sometime that morning the League had noted that he was somewhere in Asia, searching for the troubled young man that was currently under the Gateway Arch.

He was sprawled in the snow starring up at the swaying monument and the clouds beyond. He sat up as Vic approached curious and cautious all at the same time. He seemed conflicted, the damaged part of his psyche was screaming at him to run from the stranger approaching him. But Wally had always been friendly, it was his nature.

Vic tipped his fedora as he sat in the snow. "So I hear you lost Bruce somewhere in Asia this morning." Recognition dawned and the relax of muscles ready to run was evident.

"Yeah, but he's probably back on the hunt by now." His eye's fell down to the snow as he drew circles with a stick he had found. "He told me he could get me the best help possible to get past this, to get over it. But," he cut jagged lightning bolts through the circles. "I don't want that. He says it would be confidential, but none of that stuff really is. Somehow it would get leaked and then all Central City would know that Wally West was the victim who ran."

With a long drawn out sigh he threw himself back into the snow kicking and thrashing and raising his voice. "I wouldn't be able to stand that! All the pitying glances and the questions. How did you get away? How do you know Bruce Wayne?" He dragged a gloved hand across his eyes. "But it's not just that. I'm scared. People pass me on the street and I want to bolt. People touch Flash all the time, but how can I be the Flash when I'm terrified of the people around me?"

Vic watched the well deserved tantrum and fought to keep his emotions from showing on his face. Wally didn't need pity right now, he needed solutions. He understood why he didn't want Bruce to help him, although there was probably more to it that what he had mentioned. But there were other solutions than Bruce's money, and Hub City was the kind of place where people didn't ask too many questions.

Delivery

Wally was asleep in Vic's guest room. In the morning he was going to begin attending a week long rape victims clinic. It was a no questions clinic and he knew that it had already helped many people here in Hub. He just hoped that they could help Wally.

He had left the door slightly ajar and Vic could hear him thrashing and crying out in his sleep. He thought about going to wake him up. But reasoned that if Wally woke from a nightmare scared to find a stranger looming over him, he would probably bolt. So instead Vic sat on his couch, staring at the door and waited.

After about an hour of glancing at his watch there was finally a slight knock at the door. He opened it to the most miserable looking delivery boy he had ever seen. It might have been because he was laden with six large pizzas. But it was probably because the restaurant he worked for guaranteed a thirty minute delivery and he had taken an hour.

He didn't mention the fact that he had been detoured because of road construction, he didn't beg, which raised Vic's opinion of him. Taking pity on the boy he paid for half the bill and sent him on his way. Then he dragged the kitchen table into the living room, turned on the overhead fan and opened the pizza boxes. It didn't take Wally long to wake from his nightmares to the call of his stomach.

Pillow Talk

The soft knock at the door roused Vic from the half sleep that he had slipped into. Raising himself up on an elbow he called for Wally to come in. He shuffled in quietly, bringing with him a pillow from the guest room. He was fidgeting and looked as if he hadn't had a good nights sleep in a while. "Um, Vic do you mind if I sleep with you tonight?" When Vic raised an eyebrow at the question Wally blushed and stuttered. "I didn't mean it that way! I just meant like, sleep NEXT to you." He hugged the pillow tighter, "It's just that, I never slept well alone before and now I keep having nightmares and no stuffed B-" he stopped suddenly. As if realizing what he was about to say would be extremely embarrassing. "No stuffed teddy bear to keep me company. So can I? Sleep in here with you?"

As he beckoned the kid over and made room on the other side of the bed Vic tried to remember if he had ever been compared to a teddy bear before. He was fairly certain that he hadn't. Wally sighed contented as he wormed his way into the warmth under the covers. Vic couldn't help but grin at the smile that split the younger mans face.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Vic asked, "What if I grab a hold of you while we're asleep. Would you be okay waking up like that?" Wally stopped rubbing his face against the pillow and looked up. His hair was mussed, standing on one side of his head and flat on the other. The looks of sheer bliss on his face only added to the warmth that Vic felt enveloping his chest.

"Yeah it'll be okay. The clinic has really been helping. I have a private session with a shrink everyday, then we have a group session which is the really cool part!" Vic raised the other eyebrow, talking about extreme emotional trauma in front of a group? Wasn't really his idea of cool, but if it helped Wally that was all that mattered. "The first day that we went, when we came in they gave us all Mardi Gras masks and told us to choose an alias that made us feel strong or happy. It was really neat. My mask was red and yellow isn't that hilarious?"

Wally was hugging the pillow that he had brought from the guest room and Vic wondered if he really did sleep with a stuffed something at home. "We went around the circle that first day and told everybody our alias that we had chosen. I didn't feel so bad for mine when I heard that there were like, three people that had chosen Superman." Vic smirked as Wally's skin began to flush.

He rolled over onto his side before asking, "So are there any other Batmen in the group?" He could hear Wally snickering behind the pillow.

"Nope, I think everyone else is to scared that he will find them and bring them in for copyright infringement." Then he looked over his pillow mask, "There's a woman in the group who wanted to be called Flash. She asked if we could switch masks." He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "It was so weird, here I am struggling to get over this and suddenly someone comes into the picture who is trying to as well, and she finds ME as her strength to get over it." His eyes started to flutter, his words slowed and slowly he began to sink into the depths of sleep, with a final murmur of, "I think I'm ready to see Bruce."

Vic smiled, then he slowly pulled Wally close, holding him against his chest. His lips brushed against soft red hair and gently laid a kiss on his forehead. Wally didn't seem to realize it, but he was the strength for more than one person in the world. Then he whispered a question, "Where did you get the stuffed Batman doll Wally?" In his sleepy daze it never occurred to Wally not to answer, so he did.

"Crane machine, got one for each of the founders. It was empty of all the Batman dolls the second day they put it out, Bruce is a master at the crane machine."

Maggie Smith was disappointed, today had been the final day of the clinic in Hub City and Batman hadn't been there. Over the week she and the man who had chosen to use the darkest member of the Justice League as his strength had helped each other a lot. She had hoped that they would be able to stay friends after the clinic, but her hopes had been dashed when he didn't show up for the unmasking. She would be returning to Central City today, her week long medical leave was up and she was expected back at work in the morning.

As stood outside her hotel attempting to hail a cab she noticed the figures in the alleyways and shivered. Hub City was notorious for its gang violence and crime rate. Just she had decided to go back into the hotel and call the cab service when she heard a familiar voice at her ear.

"Excuse me Miss, You wouldn't happen to be heading towards the Twin Cities now would you?" She recognized the voice and turned.

"Batman!"

But her eyes widened as she saw a vision in red. The alleyways became cleared in an instant and the Flash winked at her, "Not quite Miss! But almost. So are you needing a ride? Cause I'm heading that way myself." Maggie was dumbstruck, all she could do was nod as the Flash hoisted her into his arms and ran both of them home.


Don't Hesitate

The perimeter around Wayne Manor was completely monitored. Every rat that scurried, every bird that flew inside was recorded in a log. Nothing could get near the front door without tripping some sort of sensor. So when the doorbell began incessantly ringing without an sort of alarm, Alfred Pennyworth was rather perplexed. But after a quick glance at the monitor showing the front entrance he realized that it was nothing to worry about. The alarms hadn't been tripped because the redhead ringing the doorbell had been moving too fast for them to register that he had ever been there.

He wiped his hands on his apron before taking it off and hanging it on the back of a chair. Exiting the kitchen he made his way to the front door, only to find Bruce already there, staring through the peek hole. Alfred allowed himself a small smile at the sight before he cleared his throat and asked, "Master Bruce, will we be answering the door? Or will Master Wallace have to wait on the steps?"

Bruce didn't jump, he hadn't been able to sneak up on him for quite a few years now. Stepping away from the door, "I'll be in the library." And with that he was gone. Alfred watched him disappear down the hallway before he opened the door to the slightly bouncing Wally West.

"Hi Jeeves," Alfred didn't glare, but his gaze was disapproving. Wally's shoulders sunk a little. "Oh, sorry. Alfred. Um," he ran a hand trough his messy wind tossed hair. "Is Bruce here? " More fidgeting, more fidgeting than usual. It appeared that he was nervous about this visit. The hand swept through the hair again, very nervous. "I've been dodging him for the last week, but I really need to talk to him." Alfred stepped aside and he stepped into the foyer looking everywhere at once. Alfred smiled, no matter how many times he came through the door he was always amazed by the manor.

"Master Bruce is in the library. I trust you remember where that is? Will you be joining us for dinner?"

The mention of food made Wally's stomach growl. Alfred could only assume that his last meal had been at least over an hour ago. "That would be great, but I don't know for sure. It all depends on Bruce." Then he was gone, a red blur disappearing down the hallway to the library. Making his way back to the kitchen to finish cooking dinner Alfred turned his attention to the monitor in the library. It wasn't technically spying, he was supposed to watch the monitors anyway.

The door closed behind Wally with a quiet click and he slowly stepped into the center of the room. Bruce was by the grandfather clock that concealed the entrance to the cave. If he had been anyone else Wally would have been sure he was standing there so he had an escape route. But this was Bruce Wayne, Batman. He didn't run from anything. Wally snickered mentally as the vision of Batman running from Flash crossed his mind, a thought bubble appearing over Batman's head. "I'm not running! It's a tactical retreat!"

"Hey Bats." His head turned slightly. Was he not going to look at him? "I'm sorry that I kept running from you," he crumbled inwards a little, was he that angry at him that he couldn't even look at him? "I just needed some time you know? I was really scared and a little ashamed that something like that could happen to me." The muscles across his back tensed and Wally could see his hands clenching in fists so tight that the knuckles were turning white. "But I got some help and I confronted the issue and it's not a problem anymore."

"Of course it's still a problem!"

Wally hadn't expected the outburst. He hadn't expected Bruce to yell at him, reject him yes. But yelling was uncalled for. His shoulders were completely sagging by now Bruce had locked him in his icy gaze. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you before now, but so much has happened and I wasn't confident enough. But I think I'm ready to tell you now and I don't want to give myself a chance to second guess myself." He took a deep breath, Bruce was facing him head on now, his face was unreadable.

"I love you! I know that you don't feel anything for me, no matter what Question says. I know that you don't want to have to deal with me. I know that you think I'm stupid and immature and weak and a hassle." Bruce was in front of him with speed that Wally didn't know he possessed, he thought about moving, but it didn't look like Bruce was planning on hitting him so he let himself be caught.

"I'm not angry with you because of what happened. Yes your immature, but you are not weak and you are never a hassle when it counts." His eyes were screaming an emotion, but Wally couldn't place it. When Bruce made to step back Wally caught his arm and held him in place.

"That doesn't make sense! Why are you angry then?"

The emotions in his eyes burned, his eyes lowered, his eyebrows furrowed deep lines appearing between them. What was it? "It should never have happened. I should have stopped it." Wally's eyes widened, guilt? Bruce was feeling guilty?

"That silly," Bruce raised his gaze to meet Wally's, there was a soft smile on his lips. "Even if you kept watch over me twenty-four seven there is no way that you could have gotten from Gotham to Central City in time. I mean, it's not like you're the Fastest Man alive." The smile was radiating warmth and Bruce couldn't take his eyes off it. "That's my title remember."

He wanted it, he wanted that warmth. But he had been denying it for so long. "I can't, everything I touch gets polluted." He hadn't realized he had said it out loud until Wally replied.

"Contrary to popular belief I am an adult who is capable of making decisions. You can't pollute me any worse than anyone else."

Those words broke the dam, heat spread through him and he could feel Wally's warm breath on his cheek. He closed the distance between their lips, only to pause. Could he really let himself have this? This chance for something good?

Wally's eyes were closed, his breath smelled like mocha.

"Please, don't hesitate now."

Bruce closed the distance.

Alfred smiled as he turned the monitor off. They needed their privacy now. Returning his attention to the oven he realized that since Master Wally would definitely be staying for dinner he needed to add quite a bit more to the menu.


Content

Wally grinned as he stretched, arching his back and gently brushing the skin of his hip against Bruce. Who groaned in response and pulled him close. Content to the point of almost purring Wally placed his head in its new pillow, in the curve of Bruce's neck just underneath his jaw. Bruce twitched as the air from the ceiling fans swept across their sweat soaked skin. Earlier those fans had been pleasant but now they simply created a cold breeze. Glaring accusingly at the remote on the beside table Bruce opted for simply pulling the comforter tighter around them.

Wally hadn't stopped smiling. His arms searched to find their perfect place around Bruce and the smile never left his face. Eventually sleep claimed him and Bruce smiled himself, even in sleep Wally's beautiful smile remained as he made soft happy noises. Bruce closed his eyes and allowed himself to be content for the moment and soon he to had been claimed.

Reclining on her couch Helena thought of how to best pose her question, then decided that straightforward was the best decision. She was tracing the marks that she had left on his neck and shoulders when she finally asked, "So, how was it?"

He tilted his face towards he and she wondered what sort of expression he was making behind that mask. Eventually he made a slight questioning noise and she pounced, literally. "You don't know what I'm talking about?" she asked as she straddled his hips and traced his jaw line. His ears moved. The tips of her fingers felt heat. She grinned. "I," she was purring as this point, whispering into his ear, "am talking about you," she dragged her fingers down his chest for emphasis. "You having sex with Batman." Tension gathered in his shoulders. He was nervous bout this? How cute.

Lowering herself to what she estimated to be his eye level she looked him straight in the eyes. "So, which of us was better?" The tension flooded from his shoulders and his ears twitched again. The shadows playing across his mask shifted and she was ninety-nine percent certain that he was smiling.

"You, of course."

She grinned, "Are you sure? I've had a few late night talks with Catwoman you know. The way she tells is Batman is the one and true god." He chuckled. A low sound originating from the back of his throat and wrapped his arms around her pulling her close.

"But he didn't respect me the next morning."

She stared for a minute, her face almost as blank as his as she processed the sentence and wondered if he was joking. His ears twitch again and she laughed, it didn't take long for him to join her. They stretched out together on the couch and Helena wondered about the kid, she had seen a red streak through Gotham earlier, but it was gone when she blinked.

"So now he's with the kid?"

Q nodded and tilted his head as if in thought, then he chuckled. Helena poked him viciously until he shared the joke. "Flash used to sleep with a stuffed Batman doll, couldn't fall asleep unless he was holding it." Helena started to laugh as the joke set in. "And now he has the real thing."

End