eight, "food for the softies"
Artemis and Wally followed Richard down a grand staircase, through a hallway and to a giant kitchen. "Are you guys hungry?" Richard asked, pulling out ingredients from the cupboards.
"I'm always hungry," Wally answered, making Artemis laugh and agree.
"What are you making? Should everyone else come down too?" The blonde questioned, sitting down at the island, Wally following suit whilst Richard donned an apron.
"Sure. I'll buzz them." He walked over to a small machine hanging on the wall beside the fridge. Artemis had mistaken it for a thermometer, but it was really some kind of intercom speaker with several different buttons.
Richard pressed one of the buttons, waiting a second before speaking. "I'm making Brânzoaicâ. Come down to the main kitchen."
"Roger that." Two voices called at the same moment, a little fuzzy but easy to tell it was Damian and Jason. Tim's voice came as well, getting cut off after saying 'roger'.
"You're making what? Bran-zoe-uh-ca? What's that?" Artemis asked, confusingly watching Richard get cheese out of the gargantuan refrigerator.
"Brun-zoy-ka." Wally corrected, "At least, that's the best I can pronounce it."
"Brânzoaicâ, actually." The ebony laughed, his accent showing through, even after he'd finished pronouncing the food's name. "And it's because you guys can't pronounce certain sounds, just as I can't say certain sounds."
Wally rolled his eyes sarcastically, smiling at his boyfriend, whom was now making dough. "Where are you from, again?" The blonde asked, just as the rest of the team entered the kitchen, followed by Richard's brothers.
"Oh, no. Don't make Dick tell you his whole backstory. You'll be stuck here for hours," Jason laughed, grabbing a cookie from underneath a small device to keep them warm.
"No more!" Richard slapped his hand away, righting himself as the younger pouted. "And I'm from Romania."
"Where's your accent?" Conner asked. "I thought Europeans sounded different?"
"Don't worry, it's there. Buried underneath this fake American accent," He winked, earning an eye roll from both Jason and Damian. "Screw off, eh?" He told Jason, putting on a Scottish accent.
Everyone laughed, even Jason, who groaned immediately afterword. Bruce has forced them to be on their best behaviours, and he was surprised they'd made it this far. But now that Bruce was gone...
"So how long did you live in Romania?" Kaldur asked, watching as Richard rolled out a dough ball.
"Up until I was nine, though I travelled the world a lot during those years." The ebony laughed, setting the dough in a bowl. "Wally, could you..?"
"No problem," The redhead smiled, rubbing his hands together as he stared the ball down.
"What's he doing?" M'gann asked Jason, very confused as Wally zipped around the room.
"Creating heat to make the dough rise faster, it's a weird technique but it's good if you want bread immediately," Jason laughed, "Which Wally normally does."
"It also gives it an... electric feel," Tim jazzed his hands, "At least that's how I explain the flavour. And it's cool to think that Dick didn't come from here, that he's from a whole 'nother world."
Everyone on the team looked at M'gann.
"Seems cool," She laughed.
-
He wouldn't fail ever again.
He wiggled his toes, stepping forward and readying himself, until-
"Please don't."
Superman walked over to him slowly, putting his arms out as if he were walking blindfolded.
"Please, let me. I don't want this anymore. I want to be with them again." He whispered, Clarke wouldn't have heard it if not for his hearing capabilities.
"Wally will be sad. Bruce will be sad. What are we going to tell your brothers?" Superman took a step so that he was right beside the boy.
"Stop it. STOP IT!" Tears swam down his face. "Even if you don't let me jump off I'll just slit my wrists when I get home. All I want is this to be over, can't I just have that? Haven't I done enough good in the world to be rewarded this?"
Superman flinched throughout the argument, but calmly stepped forward. "Exactly. You've done so much good, imagine what it would be like if you were just... gone."
He teetered, but didn't get down. "I don't care. I'm sorry. Tell my brothers I tried, but it's a terrible world. Tell Bruce I'm sorry I was a disappointment, but Jason's ready. Tell..." The ebony started to choke on tears. "Tell Wally I love him, and he deserves to be happy."
And with that, he jumped... again.
-
The oven dinged and Richard popped up with excitement. Everyone had gathered in the living room whilst the Brânzoaicâ was cooking, after being awed at Wally rising the dough automatically. Artemis was half-asleep on the couch, Jason had gone to his room, Timmy and Damian were arguing, and the rest of the team were playing Crazy 8's on the groupchat.
"I'll go get it!" The ebony sang, walking to the kitchen.
"I'll help!" Wally jumped up, dashing after the other.
"What a gentleman,"Richard laughed, entering the kitchen after Wally bowed dramatically.
