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Dick tucked his chin into his scarf, grateful at Bruce's insistence. At the time, he had sighed and rolled his eyes in exasperation as Bruce literally stopped him in his tracks, unwound it from his own neck, and with the same care and precision as when he was nine wrapped the cashmere scarf around Dick's neck and tucked it into his coat.
"Thanks, B," he had said with a wry smile.
And Bruce had nodded, leaving his hand on Dick's shoulder for a long moment. "Have fun tonight," was all he said.
It was fun. Commandeering the Lake House with the old Titans in civilian mode was always a good time. Vic got to come down from the Watchtower and feel grounded and human again. Garth and Donna perched themselves on a couple of stumps and picked up their never-ending conversation about mythological connections from around the world. (Korean mermaids was new.) And the only time Wally seemed to actually enjoy being still was when he was watching a fire.
Dick stepped up next to his friend and nudged Wally's shoulder. "Lost in thought?"
Wally gave him a half-grin. "Nah, sounds treacherous. I'll leave that to you, buddy."
Dick snorted. "Thanks."
"Anytime." Wally rocked back on his heels, rolling his shoulders. "Want to share what you're brooding about over here in the shadows?"
"Walls, we are literally standing next to a bonfire. There are cloudy days with less light than this."
"Do not make me call Roy, man."
Vic chuckled low. "I like how we use Roy as a threatening big brother for Dick."
Garth nodded. "It is fun."
Donna held up her phone. "I'm already calling him, actually."
"Guys," Dick whined. "You're worse than my siblings."
"Yo, Donna—" a muffled explosion "—what's up? Sorry I'm missing bonfire night." Roy sounded if not out of breath then at least on his way.
"Dick's brooding and avoiding it," Vic shouted.
"Hey," Dick protested weakly. "I'm not brooding."
Roy laughed. "He's not brooding. He's on Bat-default."
"As you land dwellers say, spill," Garth said archly.
"I wanted to tell you guys first." Dick tilted his head back and watched the smoke drift to the night sky. "I'm going to propose to Barbara."
There was a moment of silence, and the thwing of an arrow being fired, and then Donna cheered. "Finally!"
Vic smiled, the human half of his face creasing into a million wrinkles. "Alright, man. About time."
"Nice," Roy grunted.
"My friend!" Garth swept him into an octopus hug.
"She hasn't said yes yet," Dick laughed, returning the hug fiercely. "I just got the ring today."
"Dibs on being your photographer," Donna said seriously.
"I want you to be one of my groomswomen," Dick protested. "I want all of you—" Dick paused to look at Wally, then frowned. "Where did he go?"
"What the hell?" Donna shot up into the air, slowly turning. "He's coming!"
Wally skidded to a stop, lightning crackling almost as bright as his grin. "I stole champagne from your dad's fridge." He held up two bottles, still frosty.
"Oh, totally acceptable," Donna replied. "Stealing from Batman is always the correct decision." Garth and Vic nodded in agreement.
"Donna," Dick tried to go for reproachful but failed.
"Nah, true facts, man." Vic held his hand out for one of the bottles. "It's like a fun puzzle for him. I've seen him try to track shit down and the amount of times it eventually leads back to Tim is terrifying."
"Tim is such a little shit," Dick said fondly.
"Yeah, that kid kinda scares me," Wally added, unwinding the cap of the bottle still in his hands. "We need to make sure he never gets an Atlantean friend, Garth. Gotta have at least one team not connected to him."
A loud explosion made Donna's phone speaker crackle. "Roy? You still alive?" Donna asked tentatively.
"Fuuuuuck, do not tell Jason about this," Roy ordered. "And yeah, we should always mooch off of B if we get the chance."
"Do you need help, man?" Wally asked, brow furrowed. "I can be in Star in like three seconds."
There was a thump like a body slamming into a wall. "Not actually in Star at the moment. Roy growled. "Would you assholes just stay down?"
The light on Vic's cybertronic eye lit up. "Dude, why are you in St. Petersburg?"
"Taking care of a Bratva problem for Ollie."
"Cool, hate that!" Wally ran his free hand through his hair. "Offer still stands."
"Actually," Vic coughed. "You still aren't allowed in Russia, man. Sorry."
"One time!"
Dick laughed, exchanging a joyful look with Donna. "I love you guys."
"We love you too, Rob," came Roy's quiet response. "Now I'm gonna finish blowing shit up here so I can come home and start planning a bachelor party. Cool? Bye."
"Bye, Speedy," Dick called out.
Wally squinted at the dark phone. "I just wanna go check on him, real quick."
"No," came the chorused response.
"If he gets shot it's on you guys," Wally huffed. He tried to cross his arms but the champagne bottle got in the way.
"It's on Oliver," Donna countered. "Now can we please get back to celebrating?" She stole the bottle from his hand and popped the cork. Vic did the same.
The spray of champagne crackled against the flames of the bonfire as Dick roared with his friends, celebrating life, forgetting for a moment that he was twenty-seven and not sixteen, madly in love with Barbara Gordon still and again.