Prompt Post - Part Ten
I am REALLY, REALLY SORRY about taking so long, guys, and about not being around much recently. I've been busier than I have in a while, and it just kept slipping my mind between uni applications and volunteering and all sorts- for some reason I thought we were much further off a new post.
If there is anything I haven't responded to, as of now, I'm ( Read more... )
5)The Date
“Hold still, kid. I can’t do this right unless you quit squirming.”
“But how can I keep still. I’m going to the dance with Kendra Lyle! Kendra Lyle, Uncle Barry! She’s like the prettiest and most popular girl in our entire school! She’s a dream come true! We’re gonna dance and hold hands and…” Wally was red up to his ears when he said, “and maybe kiss.”
Barry chuckled.
Wally had been going on and on about this Kendra Lyle ever since the school year started. How pretty she was, how smart she was, everything an eighth grader would want in a girl.
When they’d first heard about the dance, Wally had told everybody how he was going to ask Kendra to the dance. That had gone on for about a week.
Whenever Barry would see Wally for that week, he’d ask him, “So did you ask her yet?”
Wally would just smile and say, “All in good time, Uncle Barry, all in good time.”
And apparently the kid knew how to play his cards right since just this afternoon he came barging into Uncle Barry’s and Aunt Iris’s house and exclaimed, “She said, ‘Yes’!”
While Wally had gone off to go get changed into his nicer clothes, Barry had looked at Iris with a glint in his eye and said, “Wish I could have been as smooth a talker as Wally when I was in eighth grade. No way was any girl going to go out with me.”
Iris had laughed and said, “Oh come on. You were pretty smooth. How did you ask me out on our first date again?”
Iris was teasing him. He knew it.
Barry shook his head. “I got you a rose and said, ‘Roses are cute. But Irises are cuter…’”
She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Laughing she said, “And to a high school girl that was a pretty slick come on.”
Barry kissed her and said, “No it wasn’t.”
Currently, Barry was trying to help Wally tie his tie but the kid kept squirming and he just wasn’t cooperating.
“Okay, kid, if you don’t stop moving around then I’m making you do this yourself and you can go to the dance with this perfect girl with a crooked tie.”
Wally stopped squirming after that instead he just had to run his mouth.
“Should I get her flowers? Girls like flowers, right? You always get flowers for Aunt Iris when you two fight. Should I get her flowers? We haven’t fought or anything? What if she’s allergic and then she had an allergic reaction to it and then it’d be all my fault? Better not get her flowers. But what if she’s expecting flowers? And then I don’t get her flowers and look like a gigantic jerk? Maybe I should get her flowers. Should I get her flowers?”
Barry laughed and said, “Listen, kiddo, whatever you I’m sure that she’s just happy to go to this dance with you. Don’t ruin the night by thinking about little stuff like that. Now maybe if all goes well this kind of thing will happen again. Then after you guys talk you’ll be able to get her something she’d appreciate. Alright, kid?”
Wally seemed to take in that piece of information while scratching his chin. “Yeah, okay. That sounds like a really good idea, Uncle Barry.”
When Barry finally finished with Wally’s tie, he stepped back and said, “You look good, Wally.”
Wally turned to look in the mirror and combed a hand through his hair. “I know, right?” Wally asked.
Iris laughed and checked the time. Then she gasped and said, “Wally you better start heading over now or else you’ll be late.”
“Okay!” Wally sped to the door and waved to his aunt and uncle and said, “See you guys later!”
As soon as the kid was gone, Barry leered at Iris and said, “Now that the kid is gone…”
Iris raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Barry grinned and said, “Well, y’know I thought we could do something we don’t normally do…”
Iris smiled and said, “Cool. I’ll break out the cookie dough ice cream and you can go rent me some romantic comedies. Then we can cuddle on the couch while you give me a foot rub.”
Before Barry could protest, Iris walked off.
“Not exactly what I had in mind…” Barry mumbled to himself.
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Barry and Iris instantly sat up and started asking him questions.
“How was it?” “You guys have fun?” “How many slow dances did you guys get to dance to?” and a slew of other questions.
Wally had just looked at them and smiled and said a weak, “Yeah, no, it was fun… I’m just really tired so uh, I’m gonna go to bed.”
Barry had been a little taken aback and from the look on
Iris’s face he could tell that she was worried too.
“Well,” Barry said, “alright, kid. If you’re sure. Good night.”
“Sure,” Wally said with a smile, “Good night, Uncle Barry. Night, Aunt Iris.”
“Night, Wally,” Iris said.
After Wally trudged up the stairs, Barry and Iris shared a meaningful look.
“Something happened,” Iris said.
“Yeah, I know but what?” Barry said.
Barry looked toward the stairs. “Should we go ask him about it?”
Iris shook her head. “No… I don’t know… Maybe you should go talk to him.”
Barry nodded and said, “Okay.” He started to go toward the stairs but then thought better of it and went into the kitchen first. He grabbed an extra pint of ice cream and a spoon. Barry thought maybe it’d be easier for a teenager/speedster to talk if he had a snack. Then he made his way up the stairs and toward their guest room which had recently become Wally’s home away from home.
The door was closed. Barry knocked and only got a stifled, “Yeah?” in answer.
“Hey, kid. Can I come in? Iris and I got some ice cream. You want some?”
There was a pause and then Wally said, “Er, no that’s okay…”
That made Barry worried. What speedster said no to ice cream and was completely fine? “I’m coming in, kid.”
When he opened the door, he found Wally lying face first on the bed with his face firmly planted in the pillow. Which also set off some alarms in Barry’s head.
“Hey, kid… There’s something wrong if you say no to ice cream. What is it?”
Wally sat up but wouldn’t look at his uncle. “Nothing,” he said, “Just tired.” He grinned haphazardly and it didn’t reach his eyes. “Y’know from all the dancing and stuff.”
Barry sat next to Wally on the bed still holding the ice cream and the spoon. “Yeah?” he asked. “So everything went according to plan?” Barry watched Wally from the corner of his eye to gauge his response.
Wally just shrugged and said, “Well, more or less…”
Barry shook his head. If everything did go according to plan Wally wouldn’t have stopped talking about it. He would’ve told anybody who would stick around to listen to the amazing night he had with this Kendra even if he was tired and falling asleep on his feet.
“Kid… if something happened, talking about it will help…”
Wally scoffed. “Right. Talking to you about will make me look like even less of a loser… who can’t even…” Wally trailed off then turned his head as far away as he possibly could from Barry. “Who can’t even… keep a date to save his life…”
Barry sighed and wrapped an arm around Wally’s shoulder. He rubbed and patted Wally’s arm trying to convey some comfort. Apparently something happened at the dance where this Kendra was concerned.
It was after Wally leaned into Barry’s half-hug when he let out one lonely dry sob and then furiously rubbed at his eyes. “What’s wrong with me?” Wally asked.
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Wally let out a sigh or a scoff or a mix of the two either way it was a sound of disbelief.
Barry didn’t like Wally selling himself short. “No, kid, listen to me. I don’t know what happened tonight but whatever happened you need to know that you’re a great kid but sometimes there will be people who are crazy and that just… they don’t appreciate you or like your sense of humor or whatever but you know that there will be more people who will. There’ll be people who think you’re the best thing since sliced bread and y’know… I’m one of them. Wally, I’m so glad that you’re in my life and I love you. I mean me and Iris and your mom we all love you. And one day you’ll meet the right person and they’ll love you just as much as we do. So don’t get all bent out of shape over one person…”
Barry hardly knew what he was saying but he hoped that he reached Wally on some level. And apparently he did when Wally looked up at him with eyes shining asking, “You think so?”
Barry smiled and said, “Sure do, kid.”
He was rewarded with Wally wrapping his arms around Barry’s neck and pulling him in for an awkward but welcome hug and saying, “Thanks, Uncle Barry.”
Barry just hugged him back and said, “Anytime, kid, anytime.”
After awhile Wally pulled back and said, “I think I’ll have that ice cream now.”
Barry was all too happy to give it to him.
The next morning they got a call from someone named Kendra. Barry could only guess she was the source of Wally’s melancholy last night. It was a good thing that Iris had answered the phone because Barry couldn’t keep his frustration and anger at her to himself when he found out who was on the other line.
But Iris had handed the phone over to Wally saying that Kendra wanted to apologize for last night and that it had been a big misunderstanding.
And before Barry could share with Wally where he could tell that girl to put her apology and her misunderstanding, Iris caught him by the ear and led him up to their bedroom so that Wally could have some privacy.
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Poor Wally, having his heart crushed after getting so worked up and excited about the dance. I just wanted to hug him the entire time. That, and kill that girl for doing that to him. No one messes with my bb! and gets away with it.
When Wally said "What's wrong with me?" my heart broke. He just sounded so vulnerable and insecure that I couldn't help but want to comfort him and tell him that there's nothing wrong with him. I completely agree with everything that Barry said about Wally being amazing and that he'll find somebody who will love Wally for him in the future. And he does! He finds Linda!
The last line made me laugh so hard! I can't believe how angry Barry was to almost suggest something like that. That girl was lucky that Barry didn't answer the phone alright. Because if he did, then I feel like he would make the girl cry.
All hail family love! This really shows how great the relationship between Barry and Wally is; they have the best platonic relationship in all of DC history. Batman and Robin have nothing on these two. I just love reading these types of stories because it always warms my heart to see how well they interact with one another. Also, nice touch on the Barry/Iris bit. When she suggested they watch a movie after Barry was trying to...you know...I nearly died laughing. Well, at least he still had a good time XD
I'm both so happy and sad at the same time, lol. I'm so glad that you managed to write this fill in such a way that my heart is calling out. Yet, it's the fact that this is so awesome that's making me sad to see it go. I know all good things must come to an end, but I just can't help but wish it wouldn't X'D
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I feel like "What's wrong with me?" is kind of (sadly) a common sentiment among adolescents even for super heroes like Wally. And yes! Linda definitely knows sexy when she sees it. :D
Barry is overprotective Daddy!Flash. He gets mad when people don't treat his baby right.
I know. Wally and Barry is the best kind of platonic love but I don't know. I like Dick and Damian platonic stuff too... I don't know if I could pick...
XD Barry and Iris. They're the best.
Don't worry. There's still one more part. Which might take awhile again... But by... Friday. I will have it done by Friday!
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Exactly. Love Daddy!Flash's overprotectiveness. Especially when he goes overboard. I pity the fool who doesn't treat Wally right.
I don't really know all that much about Dick and Damian's relationship. I've heard that Dick is a great father figure when he becomes Batman, but I'm still going to have to go with the Flashes. Well, Wally and Barry. I heard that Wally and Bart didn't get along so well at first.
Yes, they're my canon OTP!
That's alright. I can wait :)
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you story is great! cant wait for the next!
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