A/N: For once, this was seriously just going to be a oneshot and I was going to leave it alone, but then I got a very nice review from YJFangirl asking me to do a piece from Wally's pov and I just couldn't resist.

Raindrops

Wally was not the protective type.

He never really felt the need to deny those around him the satisfaction of fighting their own battles, as he'd always believed that standing on your own two feet was the only way to become stronger. That's not to say that he wasn't a good friend, not at all. Wally, in his own humble opinion, was the best kind of friend anyone could ask for. He was funny, witty, exceptionally bright when it came to science, and he was always up for something fun. He also knew when to stand up for a buddy or throw a few punches in a fight, but he also knew when to stand back and let things happen.

So, no, Wally did not see himself as the protective type, and he was perfectly content with that. Then along came Richard Grayson.

The two of them had met just a little while after they'd become superheroes in training, and things just seemed to click immediately. Dick could match Wally stride for stride no matter what they did and, annoyingly, often times surpass him in certain things. They shared a love for shooting games and sports, Sudoku puzzles and mystery novels, and whenever the carnival came to one of their towns they'd be nowhere else until it left. The two friends were inseparable, so much so that Wally didn't even notice the shift in him until that one evening.

Wally had just finished an early dinner with his parents and had called Dick to check if they were still on for their normal Friday game night. During the school year when academics and sports teams took up most of their time, Friday nights and Saturdays became sacred hanging out time that both boys looked forward to all throughout the week. On this particular Friday however Wally's enthusiastic greeting over the phone was met with an unusually demure Dick on the other end.

Dick claimed that he had a big test coming up and was swamped with homework, so it'd probably be best if they skipped this week's get together. In the year that Wally had known Dick, no matter what was going on in each other's lives they had never failed to at least see each other once a week, even if they did nothing but sit together and do homework. Being a speedster who could make the trip from Central City to Gotham in no time flat, only extreme weather could keep Wally from seeing his friend. Therefore, a sixth sense that Wally had never felt before suddenly tingled at the off tone of Dick's voice. Something was up, and Dick wasn't telling him what.

Hanging up the phone with a slight pout, Wally stared at the wall for a moment as he decided his next course of action. Something was obviously not right with his friend, and he had just essentially been brushed off. No, Wally was not going to let that go without getting to the bottom of it. Nodding to no one in particular, Wally turned on the spot and hurried to gather what he'd need.

Half an hour later found the young redhead standing outside of the large Wayne manor with a plastic bag in hand and asking the kind butler with eyes that looked far too shrewd for Wally's liking if Dick was around. Alfred invited the boy in and asked him to wait a moment while he went upstairs to fetch Master Grayson. Wally always giggled a little on the inside when he heard Alfred refer to Dick as Master.

As Wally started to rock back and forth on his feet to stave off some of his boredom, quiet footsteps coming down the stairs signaled Dick's appearance. Looking up in his usual excitement, Wally was about to cheerfully inform Dick that whatever illness he had was no big deal when the sight he was met with banished any words from his throat.

Dick, standing with his shoulders slightly hunched in a too large T-shirt and sweats that nearly covered his feet, looked like he'd been mistaken for a boxing bag. There were rapidly darkening bruises dotting his uncovered arms in mottled patches and one just peeking out from the collar of his shirt. The only visible part of Dick's body that seemed untouched was his face, barring the cut that he'd gotten on the right side of his bottom lip, but Wally was almost certain that there were a number more bruises that he couldn't see.

Seeing his best friend, a normally strong and carefree person and superhero, standing in front of him looking like he wished for the ground to swallow him whole, Wally felt something in him violently snap. All of a sudden, Wally wanted nothing more than to be the biggest, most intimidating person ever and make whoever hurt his friend hurt even more. He wanted to be a shadow, always by Dick's side in case anyone dared to try something like this again. A floodgate of all the things that Wally wanted to be in order to make it so that he never, ever had to see Dick like this again gushed forth in the span of an eye blink, and yet in the next blink Wally regained enough of his senses to know that he wasn't any of those things.

So he did the next best thing.

Grabbing Dick's hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze, Wally wasted no time in shucking his shoes and practically skipped the two of them down the hall to the multimedia room, refusing to release his gentle but firm hold on Dick's hand even when there was hesitation on Dick's end. Sitting the other boy down on the couch, Wally shot his perplexed friend a grin as he pulled out a tub of ice-cream from his plastic bag and plopped it down in Dick's lap.

"I thought that you were sick and just didn't want to tell me, so I came over with ice-cream and a Band-Aid to make you feel better." Wally said lightly, even though a tiny part of him was still screaming for the blood of whoever had the nerve to lay a hand on his best friend.

As Dick mumbled something about him not being sick, Wally waved it off as he turned on the humongous television that took up half a wall and began to rifle through the video drawer in search of his friend's secret favorite Disney movie. Glancing over his shoulder as he said something about eating ice-cream and watching Disney, Wally was pleased to see the embarrassed but happy blush on Dick's cheeks as he sat where Wally had left him. Looking like a child in his large clothing and sitting cross-legged with a tub of ice-cream in the middle of them, Dick had never before looked more deserving a hug.

Getting the movie started, Wally then joined his friend on the couch and before long the two of them were digging into the chocolate ice-cream with the spoons Alfred had thoughtfully brought in and snuggling together under a large blanket. Friday night had never consisted of anything that didn't involve yelling at a videogame, but Wally found that he really didn't mind this. He even quite enjoyed watching Cinderella meet her prince charming and show up her evil stepsisters.

All night Wally had the burning desire to ask Dick what had happened, but he held his tongue with a grace that usually belonged to an older person. Dick was hurt and Wally being there was making it better, and that was all that Wally needed to know. For now.

When the movie was over and it was time for Wally to leave, as the two friends stood in the entry hall of the manor Wally pulled out the box of Flash Band-Aids that he had brought with him and stuck one to Dick's left cheek. Confused, bewildered eyes asked Wally a dozen questions that a slightly parted mouth failed to. Not knowing what to say quite yet, Wally simply offered a smile before saying goodbye.

That box of bright red Band-Aids with Flash symbols on them gained a permanent spot on Wally's nightstand from that night on, and any time he got one of those calls from Dick he'd take one out and place it in his pocket before heading out. When those Friday nights happened things would be different, and yet somehow not. Dick would be beat up, sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally, but they were still Dick and Wally and they were still the best of friends. And somehow, inexplicably, it seemed as if all Wally had to do to make Dick feel better was be there.

Sometimes in the middle of whichever movie they were watching Wally would glance over and see silent tears rolling down Dick's face, like drops of rain sliding down a window pane, and Wally would feel his throat tighten at the sight. Words were fickle little devils and always fled at times like these, leaving Wally with nothing but a warm hug and tentative nuzzle to comfort with.

Somehow, it always seemed to work. Wally would always wonder why as he lay awake in his bed later that night.

As Dick and Wally grew, both as teenagers and as superheroes, they found themselves as a part of their very first superhero team and facing all of the challenges that accompanied being on a team side by side. Thankfully, Dick's school life seemed to have quieted down in the way of bullies, but it was only to be replaced by bullying on a much larger scale. Because of the danger that was always present during missions, Kid Flash would always try to keep a subtle eye on his younger friend. Even though he knew without a doubt that Robin was more than capable of holding his own he still wanted to be ready in case he ever needed to cover his friend's back.

Some nights when the team staggered back to their headquarters after a trying mission, it was obvious that none of them were heading home to crash. Their mentors had foreseen such missions that would leave them drained beyond reason and had a room for each of them fixed up with the reopening of Mount Justice. Incoherent words of a job well done and bids of goodnight were exchanged before most of the team dragged themselves to bed or the shower. Robin was not among that number.

Kid Flash would hang back as he watched his best friend shuffle himself to the kitchen, sometimes holding an injured arm and sometimes with his suit in shreds. He would watch silently as a chair was pulled out and domino masked eyes winced slightly at the scraping sound. And then Robin would sit himself heavily down before closing his eyes and leaning his head back, and then he would do nothing but breathe. Steadily, as if meditating, the young vigilante of Gotham would breathe. In, and out. In…and out.

As Kid Flash watched from just outside the kitchen door, he would find his own breaths evening out to match Robin's until they were breathing in sync. In, and out. For a long few minutes their lungs worked as if they were one, slowly bringing them down from the adrenaline rush that the mission pumped into them. Eventually, with his eyes still closed, Robin would slowly move his arms to remove his gear, starting with his cape and ending with his mask until everything was on the floor and he sat there as Dick Grayson once again.

Some nights Kid Flash had to help him, on the nights when the fights had battered Robin sore to the point where simply moving his arms pained him. Robin never flinched on those nights when Kid Flash's hands would rest on his shoulders from behind to carefully remove his cape, and why would he. The sun and moon were never without each other, and neither were Dick and Wally.

Once Robin was ungeared, whether by his own hand or Kid Flash's, Kid Flash would then pull out his own chair across the table from Robin's and ungear himself, removing goggles and gloves to join Robin's on the floor. With the gear gone it was just Dick and Wally left sitting at the table, tired and sore but still able to offer a small smile of reassurance to the other that they were going to be okay.

If they had the energy they would talk, if they didn't they would just sit for a while together in silence. If they talked, it was about anything, sometimes it was normal frivolous stuff if they were on the cusp of sleep and sometimes it was the kind of deep stuff that was only ever admitted to one's self in the dark. They shared the deep dark secrets of the night with each other at that kitchen table, bringing out every insecurity and worry to the light and exposing themselves to each other.

It was okay though, because it was just the two of them, and because it was the two of them. They were each other's best friends of countless sleepovers, numerous scrapes and bumps, and tribulations of the like that no normal teen their age should have seen. They had gone miles with each other, and would go miles and miles more. This little act that many shied away from, this act of letting the other see all the hidden bruises, it was just right.

Wally wouldn't trade it for anything, nights like that. Even when he felt like following the others to his room and disappearing in the abyss of sleep, he would always turn his body towards the kitchen and follow his friend, his moon. It was only on those nights that Wally gained a little bit more of Dick that no one else had.

Eventually they went to bed, once they were too exhausted for any more words. They would clumsily gather their gear from the floor, sometimes grabbing the other's glove by accident but not caring until the next morning, and then make their slow way to their rooms where they would say goodnight. Some nights, when a rare storm lashed against the windows as Wally changed into his sleeping clothes, a quiet knock on Wally's door would make him open it up to reveal a sheepish Dick Grayson clutching his pillow to his chest.

It had rained the night that Dick's parents died, and every night after when it rained Dick's sleep was plagued with nightmares, causing him to climb into bed with Bruce for comfort. At Mount Justice, however, Dick turned to Wally, and Wally had never once turned him away. As the two teens positioned themselves on the narrow bed and Wally cuddled (heaven forbid he ever use that word outside of his head to describe what he was doing) his friend close, Wally would sometimes wonder why it all felt so natural.

As the rain pounded harmlessly away against the window, Wally figured that maybe he didn't need a reason why.

Wally didn't like summer too much, and out of all of the seasons summer and winter were probably his least favorite. Winter brought below freezing temperatures, icy winds, and snow drifts that made running impossible. Summer was hot and muggy, making the air feel like thick soup at times and making it so that all Wally felt like doing was lying on a block of ice until the season was over.

Summer, however, brought with it poker nights. Wally enjoyed poker nights, as everyone on the team would kick back and act like normal teenagers without a care in the world besides having a good time. They'd crack open ice cold bottles of root beer and ginger ale before dishing out chips and cards as they sat around the kitchen table that had been designated as the card table just for these nights. As the team played they would chat about whatever was going on in their lives outside of missions and laugh with each other as if they hadn't seen each other trying to stem their own blood from gushing out of wounds.

Wally loved poker nights, but most of all Wally loved peeking his eyes above his cards to glance at his best friend sitting directly across from him. With his dark shades covering his eyes, Dick was as competitive in cards as he was in everything else that he did, and Wally couldn't ever get his fill of watching the younger teen enjoying himself with abandon surrounded by their close friends.

Sadly, this night found a noticeable absence of Dick at the table, as he had been called away to Gotham a few hours before. Dick's absence had, on the other hand, made it so that Wally had no equal in his apparent luck with the cards and he was doing quite well for himself with his towering stack of chips. Artemis never failed to duke it out with him until the bitter end, and he ended up profiting.

As he threw his chip into the pot to start the fifth round, Wally had a feeling that he wouldn't be without Dick for much longer. Aqualad had opened a window before they'd started their game, and the speedster could now feel the noticeable difference in the air wafting sluggishly into the kitchen. Estimating five minutes tops until the rain hit, Wally began to make a mental note to grab the coffee before leaving.

Sure enough, just as Aqualad let out a resigned huff and folded his hand the sky that had become increasingly dark decided to open up and bestow the earth with a showering of cool water. Taking that as his cue to action, Wally announced his fold of quite a nice looking hand before getting up and starting the coffee pot.

Hurrying to his room, Wally quickly slipped into his skintight super suit before glancing out of his window. With a quiet curse at the rain that was falling at an increasing rate, Kid Flash ran back to the kitchen to pour the ready coffee into a black thermos that the rest of the team knew not to touch and add in the cream and sugar. He had just enough time to catch sight of a knowing look from Superboy before he sped into the entry, grabbed an umbrella, and then left.

Robin, when Kid Flash caught sight of him sitting dejectedly atop Gotham's library, looked thoroughly drenched and not at all amused with the weather. Kid Flash knew a great many things about his best friend, and one of those things was that Robin hated the rain with a passion hot enough to scorch anyone who dared to bring it to attention. Grinning to himself, Kid Flash let himself imagine Robin melting people with his glare as he opened the umbrella and joined his friend.

They were both soaked to their skin and shivering ever so slightly despite it still being a hot summer night, but they still huddled comfortably beside each other under that black umbrella as Robin sipped his coffee. As Kid Flash held the umbrella over them and watched the frown and shadows lift from Robin's face, he hardly even noticed the wet hair sticking to his neck as the other teen laid his head on his shoulder. All he could see was Dick's blue eyes hidden beneath Robin's mask and all he could register was the mingled scents of warm coffee and sweet smelling shampoo.

"I love the rain." Robin suddenly murmured, making Kid Flash quirk an eyebrow that Robin could not see. Robin, without a doubt, did not like the rain. Which could only mean that…

"Nah, you just love me."