Okay, so I really loved how in JLU Hawkgirl was all big sister/really protective with Wally. And I like YJ, so its a win-win with Motherly!Hawkgirl and Little!YJ!Wally. (And she's Hawkgirl because Hawkwoman sounds weird and I don't like it.)
When Hawkgirl found him, he was huddled under the conference table, crying his eyes out.
Now Shayera had never been an "emotional" person, as in someone who actually gave a damn about morals, ethics, and feelings. No, her motto was, quite literally, "Let's just start punching!".
So looking at the sobbing 10 year old speedster under the table, she didn't really know what the hell to do.
This whole search had started when Flash brought his new sidekick to the Watchtower. The kid had apparently been in the business for two months and Flash's Rouges wanted to adopt him, Lex Luthor was going after his civilian identity, Barry's wife Iris was sick, and he was going off-world with Green Lantern (Jordan, not Stewart). So Barry had no choice but to leave his tiny ginger nephew at the Watchtower.
What's his name? Wally? Yeah, that was it. Wally, was incredibly shy and had stayed latched onto the Scarlet Speedster's leg the whole time Barry was explaining to the other Founders.
Flash had left (not before bone-crushing hugs, hair ruffles, and teary goodbye-promises were exchanged), and Batman scared the shit out of Wally in the first minute.
Wally burst into tears, sped away, and instigated the biggest man-hunt the Leaguers had ever been part of.
Her friends (besides Batman) were practically hysterical. The only Leaguers in the Watchtower at the moment were her, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Vigilante (he was currently unconscious in the med-bay, so not much help).
While the others were running around like metaphorical chickens with their heads cut off, she decided a calmer approach.
Actually searching.
Which brought her back to the current situation.
Shayera stood in the door way of the Meeting Room uncertainly. He was huddled under the table, crying softly.
It was almost painful to watch.
If Wally had notice her in the door way, he didn't call any attention to it. Shayera briskly walked forward and crouched in front of him, and, if it was even possible, he contracted inwards even more.
"Hey. You okay?" She asked, putting a hand on his spandex-ed shoulder. God that thing was bright. And she had though Flash's costume was an eyesore. His yellow uniform switched to red at the hips, then back to yellow for the boots. It was long sleeved, with bright, bright red gloves that went up to his forearms. To complete the look his "cowl"was cut off at the hair line, letting his red hair drape out, wind blown back for his constant running. The thing didn't even have lenses, just three holes, one for each eye, and one leaving the lower half of his face exposed. In addition, he had a pair of red goggles, but those were laying by his feet. He also had freckles. Freckles!
All in all, this kid was adorable. (Even he was so bright.)
"'M f-fine." He said, voice a bit muffled due to his adequate impersonation of a roly-poly.
She frowned. "You don't sound fine."
"I-I want Uncle Barry..."
"Well your Uncle Barry is off-world. So it's me or one of the others."
He looked up at her, with fear in his bright green eyes. "L-like B-batman?"
She nodded. Maybe this kid liked Batman. "Like Batman."
"N-no!" He exclaimed, looking even more terrified. "U-uncle Barry said Batman was evil, and I'm supposed to fight evil! But ifIfightBatmanIwontwinthenI'lldie!"
...Apparently not.
"Look kid, Batman's not gonna hurt you. He's just..." She struggled for the right word. "A bit...harsh."
He sniffed a few times, and Shayera realized with a terrible jolt that he was going to start crying again.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! No crying!" She exclaimed hurriedly. "We can...uh...just wait here? Would you like that?"
Wally looked up at her with a bizarre mix of confusion, gratitude, and...fear? She pushed her worry away, she was, after all, a stranger with armor plated wings, a hawk helmet, and, according to Barry, she radiated intimidation.
"I-if it's not too much t-trouble." He responded hesitantly, scooting over a bit so she and her wings could fit comfortably. She crawled in, ignoring her inner complaints.
They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, before Shayera tried to break the ice.
"...Do you want to talk about it?"
"I miss U-uncle Barry." Was his only response.
She sighed. Time to try a different approach.
Small talk.
"So what do you like to do?"
"...I-I like science,"
Science, huh? She didn't know much of that, but her mace was electric, and that was a type of science...
"What mind of science do you like?" That must have been a good question, because his face brightened considerably. He fixed her with a small, but nonetheless vivid, smile.
"I like them all!" He exclaimed. "But I think I'm really good at Chemistry, cuz that's how I got my powers."
She stared at the tiny redhead. "You got your powers from chemistry."
He smiled at her shyly. "I kinda found my Uncle's notes, he got his powers in an accident." Okay, she knew that. Barry had been in his forensics lab, with his hand on a metal shelf with chemicals on it. Lightning struck through the window, the chemicals spilled on him, he was struck by the lightning, and viola! Super-speed.
"...right." She said, looking at him with a silent prompt to go on.
"It took me a whole year but I got all the chemicals that were on the shelf, and made my own ar-tee-fical-" he stumbled over the word 'artificial' but the grin never faltered. "-lightning! Then I poured the chemicals on me and shocked myself with the fake lightning. Anditwassocooleverythingwentallslow!" He continued to describe his experiment in detailed super speed, a large smile in place, and many exaggerated hand gestures.
"Whoa." Shayera whispered as she stared at the babbling, and considerably less nervous, child sitting I front of her. He must've been a genius!
Then he suddenly stopped, presumably in mid-sentence, his eyes flooded with fear again. "O-oh! I-I'm so sorry!" Why was he apologizing? "I-I'm so rude! I j-just kept talking, and y-you haven't gotten a chance t-to say a-anything, M-mommatoldmeIshouldntberude! Dadalwaysgetsmadatmeforbeingrude!" She opened her mouth to correct him because, she was fine with him doing the talking, but he plowed on, grabbing his hair. "DadsaysthatswhyIdonthaveanyfriendsandthatswhyMomm aleft!"
She clamped her hand over the distraught speedster's mouth. "It's fine." She assured him. "I don't mind you doing the talking."
"Y-you sure?"
"Yes." She confirmed.
"I-I'm not in trouble? Cuz my D-daddy would be r-really mad right n-now." He asked hesitantly.
"I'm not mad." She said, putting a hand on his tiny shoulder. The little boy flinched away at first, sending alarm bells blaring in her head, but then leaned into her touch. "Do you want to come out from under the table now?"
He shook his head quickly, then scooted closer and hugged Shayera. She stiffened. She had just met the kid like five minutes ago and he was hugging her?! She hesitantly returned the hug, absentmindedly running a hand through his unruly orange hair.
"...Y-you remind me of m-my mom," Wally chocked out, his arms tightening around her and clutching fistfuls of her shirt.
A lump formed in her throat, and there was a burning sensation in her eyes. She was fucking crying. She swallowed and held the trembling boy tighter.
"Thanks, I think." She responded, her voice notably hoarser. She was left wondering what had happened to the poor boy's mother, but it didn't seem like the appropriate time to pry.
"I-it's a c-complement."
She held Wally until he cried himself to sleep, and before she knew it, she was asleep too.
Hope you guys liked it! :D