Oh my glob, gaiz. I actually posted something that wasn't just smut.

I must be ill.

Next update will be the conclusion, and they'll exchange notes and whatnot.

In the meantime, you know what webcomics you guys should read? Oglaf and Starfighter. Oglaf is one of the funniest things on the internet (that isn't cats) and Starfighter is beautiful art and smut and rainbows WITH AN ACTUAL PLOTLINE. LIKE ASDFGHJKL GUYS A PLOTLINE! (Don't let the first few pages fool you - it's just amazingness after about page 5.

Is anyone else placing inter-family bets on who'll win the presidential election? Just mine? Okaythensorry ._.

Anyway, I need to stop distracting myself.

READ ON AND REVIEW IF YOU BELIEVE IN UNICORNS.

The black throat of Robin's tunic hid every veined blossom of mouth-shaped bruises.

Love bites.

In truth, Wally didn't know why he had such an opposition to the term. It was a teensy bit cute to think of Zatanna and Dick calling them that, fooling around when Batman thought he was training, blushing and fumbling with necklines and bodies.

Although, simultaneously, the idea blew a bubble in his gut that he couldn't quite digest. A mark on Dick, a mark of territory, that meant he belonged to someone other than Wally. (Did he feel the same way?) It would have been easier if the phrase involving that horrible "L" word hadn't been mentioned—heat of the moment or not—because now Wally couldn't get it out of his head. "Hickey" was easy. It wasn't binding. It meant you were rough and a little on the playful side and maybe even with dashes of angry.

The other name meant emotion. That's what they had though, wasn't it?

History.

Trust.

Friendship.

He'd had two days to think about it, which would be nothing if the average speedster didn't have a hundred thoughts a minute running—sprinting—through his mind. And the more it did, the more it unravelled. The more it unravelled, the more open it was. The boy he originally thought he wanted pure friendship with was now more appealing than ever. Everything seemed clearer – his feelings were obvious. Having had spent so much time worrying about his bro, he hadn't really considered more than that.

Until now.

Like he could read the thoughts being tossed around inside the seventeen-year-old's head not unlike the flap of a hummingbird's wings, the second-youngest of the Team turned away from Artemis with a laugh. It echoed in Wally's ears as he spun around, reddening as if Dick had caught him staring.

He dashed towards his room, the same way he did when his mum asked him to do the dishes. No way in freakin' hell was he gonna let whatever sick god of luck there was up in the clouds even get a chance to entertain the idea of letting him get busted watching Robin. Well, more specifically, watching Robin fight – in a uniform that didn't exactly leave a lot to the imagination, too.

Wally—after years of geting to super-up into the Kid Flash outfit alongside Dick—knew the order of dressing when the adopted son of a billionaire transformed into the crime-fighting partner of Batman.

Jock first.

Armour pads on shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles and crotch next.

Costume, cape and mask last.

A light throbbing alerted him to the dangers of his thoughts. Dick mostly naked and wriggling into tight things and adjusting himself under them wasn't particularly helpful for his... situation.

There was a split second where he considered tossing off in the bathroom. Sometimes he preferred the Mountain to home, simply because he had a toilet and shower all to himself. That meant he could "treat" himself a hundred times over, stay under the hot water for as long as he wanted. At least, until Dick showed up.

At least, if Dick showed up.

God, why couldn't he be like Megan? Why couldn't he just slip into that genius brain and read the opinions of his best friend? Like maybe what the hell was he going to do about the I-made-out-with-a-guy-and-now-I-have-to-talk-about-it thing?

He reached into his jeans to adjust himself, and his dick calmed itself down soon enough with a mild discomfort. The very last thing he needed to add onto his big pile of oh-my-fuck was jerking off to thoughts of his almost-completely-straight friend.

Possibly almost-completely-straight.

Wally's heart felt hallow at the idea;

Was Dick really interested in any kind of relationship with Wally other than platonic?

He didn't like that thought. Not because he didn't like Dick. Not because he didn't want to kiss those pink lips again and pull him close.

Just because the fact that his hope—the reason he held his breath—could be false.

It was as simple as that.

Maybe Dick just wanted to blow off steam. The guy was only fifteen, after all. Zatanna hadn't been able to do it, and there'd been no-one else in-between her and... them. Wally had to admit that the whole reason they'd gone further than they would have—should have—was because it felt good.

And then there was Artemis.

Artemis, with her beautiful, silky hair – sharp, cunning eyes – full, pouty lips – round, perfect breasts. Could he really be with a boy, let alone anyone other than her? He still thought about her when he, um, showed himself some love, which said a lot about whether or not he was completely over it.

Nevertheless, he had promised the truth.

So Wally sat down.

He picked up a pen and tore off a page of refill.

And he began to write.

.

"Black Canary?"

The door slid open, barely a breath of sound in his face.

"Robin – I haven't seen you in a while." Her hair waved and moved with her like the calm waters Bruce liked to sail in when he held boat parties. "What can I do for you?"

Robin hadn't been there since a couple of weeks after the simulation that went terribly wrong, but nothing had changed. It was like the room had been frozen for two years. Just waiting for him.

"I-I was wondering if you had an hour sometime. Whenever you're free." He leant against the doorframe. "I really need someone to talk to."

Canary's gaze followed him. People said Robin and Batman weren't at all alike.

Those people were wrong.

Behind their physical masks, emotional ones had formed and moulded into their skin. It had to be intentional, the way he was acting right now – he had to be letting the guard down on purpose. Things were bad. She didn't need to beat him to the floor (or try) and rip off that domino barrier to see as much.

"I've got patrol at five," she smiled. "Take a seat."

She didn't miss the way he hurried, avoiding her eyes like she possessed Superman's lasers.

"You can't take notes," he interjected just as the blonde woman picked up her clipboard. "I've turned off the security cameras, too – no physical trace of this session can be left, okay? Don't tell Batman, either."

"Robin, what you're asking is highly unorthodox. There shouldn't be anything that can't be on tape, and I'm the only one who has access to them, anyway."

"Dinah, I'm begging you," the boy pleaded.

She bit her lip.

"Alright," she finally murmured.

The word was relief to his chest.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Five seconds passed.

"Robin?"

"I just want to say first that I like girls. I mean Zatanna's cute. M'gann's pretty. Art is hot. But Wally..." Chewing his soft lip, Dick directed his sight at the carpet. "He's something else entirely."

"Ah." Everything clicked. Sexuality and the confusion surrounding it had been what brought Artemis in just a month ago. It was normal for any teenager to become curious or attracted to one of the same gender and become ashamed of it. "So you have a crush on Wally and you're not sure if you should tell him because he's a boy, too?"

"I wish it was that simple. The thing is Wally already knows... sorta..." the teen replied nervously. "See, Art broke up with him and he came round to mine. Y'know, for comfort and stuff. We got cosy..."

It had been a while since she was so young as to use this vague wording, so it took a few seconds for Dinah to catch onto their meaning.

"Oh, I get it. You got intimate," she said blankly.

Robin held up his hands. "We didn't do it or anything – it was just kissing and a little bit more, but now it's awkward and he won't talk to me. I can't get him out of my head."

Her plump lips pursed. "This seems a bit immature, even for Wally. Are you sure he's said nothing to you? No texts, emails, messages on Facebook...?"

"We talked once."

"...and...?"

The uncomfortable training of his unseen eyes on the floor made her voice soften.

"Robin, you can tell me."

"He looked so angry," Dick spat. Vision was a privilege he treasured through a watery, misted glaze. "Like he was just completely disgusted with me and the things we did. It's not all my fault, you know? He was just as into it as I was."

Black Canary's brows arched in worry. "Would you mind telling me exactly what happened?"

Yes, yes he would. "We talked about Artemis, sexualities, our friendship – conversational stuff. I kissed Wally first, as a joke. He asked me if it was any good, I shrugged, he kissed me harder, then jumped back and apologized."

"Is that it?" She wasn't surprised, but was more curious anything as to why this had driven such a wedge between the two boys.

Robin hesitated, shook his head. "Wally asked if I wanted to go again and I agreed."

"Why?"

"I guess I liked the idea of anyone having feelings for me other than platonic, even if they were just sexual ones provoked by a break-up." He smiled a sad little smile that didn't belong on his adorable face. "Plus, I hadn't been kissed or held or touched like that in a long, long time."

She nodded understandingly.

"And then what happened?"

"We made out, and he... uh... ah, jeez, screw it – he gave me a handjob, I sucked him off, we slept in the same bed, and when I woke up he was gone," Robin admitted in a rush of words that tripped and tumbled over each other.

The intense burn of a blush filled Black Canary's face, but a blush was not apparent on the surface due to the wonders of make-up.

"Oh."

"Yeah." He swallowed deeply, sight clearing, and finally convinced himself to look up. "Does that make me a freak? I'd noticed boys before, but it's really only Wally who makes me feel like when I'm around girls."

"It definitely does not make you a freak, Robin." Her tone was so soft and reassuring that he just nodded. "Listen, a lot of teenagers your age will be going through the same confusion, the same situations, and the same questions. It might turn out that you're bisexual or pansexual or maybe you're straight with only a slight attraction to boys, but it doesn't affect who you are."

"So then what do I do?" There was a pause. "What do I say? We promised we'd both write down how we feel and exchange notes in a few days. Should I tell him the truth?"

"He's your best friend, Robin. What do you think you should do?"

Robin snorted, rising from the chair. "Touché."