The first floor of the manor was flooded and the grounds were a mess of slush. Dick watched from the railing beside the staircase overlooking the entrance hall as Alfred directed various Justice League members in their attempts to bail out all the water before the wedding guests arrived. Superman had originally tried blowing the water out with his super-powered breath, but ended up freezing the water and kind of making things worse. So he was working with a mop now.

Dick called out to Alfred, "Are you sure you don't want my help?"

Alfred huffed in exasperation. "For the hundredth time, sir, no. This is your special day."

"He wouldn't let me help, either," Wally said, tiptoeing through the driest part of the floor with his arms full of sandwiches. Alfred had prepared extra, just in case. Once Wally had come up the stairs, Dick rolled up the sleeves on his overlarge sweater, stole one and munched it down.

"Bruce was up all night chasing after the guy who decided to turn Gotham into a swimming pool," he said, swallowing his last mouthful. "Called himself The Weatherman, of all things. The police confiscated his weather machine and Bruce managed to find and scan the blueprints so he can figure out how it was built."

"Is the Batcave okay?"

Dick nodded. "The water level in the caverns below it rose a bit, but not enough to cause any problems. Gotham itself suffered the worst, especially in places like the Narrows. Jason, Tim and Steph were out there all night getting people to safety."

"Wait. Jason and Tim worked together? Willingly?"

Dick shrugged, the neckline of his sweater slipping down one of his shoulders to reveal more of the white shirt he was wearing underneath. "Desperate times, I guess. They have been getting along better lately."

Wally fixed Dick's sweater. "You look very cosy. And tiny."

Dick flopped the sleeves against Wally's chest. "I can still kick your ass."

"Oh, I know. You'll just look adorable doing it."

"Don't I always?"

Wally pulled Dick against him by the waist, resting his face against his soon-to-be-husband's sleep-tousled hair. "And it's blue. Good day for it."

"It's old and borrowed as well," Dick said against Wally's shoulder. "I stole it from Bruce's closet years ago."

"I wondered where that went," came Bruce's voice. Dick and Wally stepped apart to find him standing at the top of the stairs with a steaming mug in each hand. "Hot chocolate." He passed a cup to Dick and took a few sandwiches off Wally in exchange for the other one.

Dick lifted the cup, between sleeve-covered hands, and sniffed the contents. "You didn't make this yourself, did you? I don't want to die on my wedding day."

"Alfred made it earlier," Bruce replied. "I just warmed it back up."

Dick still waited until Wally took a sip. Wally didn't look grossed-out, so he figured it was safe enough to drink. The warm liquid bloomed heat down his throat and through the rest of his body. The manor was only just starting to warm up; Bruce had checked the safety of the heating system and given the go-ahead to turn it back on only an hour ago.

Dick leaned his elbows against the railing, soaking up the warmth from the mug, as he watched the Leaguers bring in piles of towels. "We should probably figure out where to hold the ceremony. Even if Alfred and his minions work a miracle and get the ground floor dry enough for the reception in the downstairs ballroom, it's still way too wet outside to go with Plan A for the ceremony."

"There's a large sitting room on this floor we could use," Bruce replied. "We'd need to dust it and set up the furniture, but it should be big enough and it overlooks a part of the garden that doesn't look too drowned."

"We can take some of the floral arrangements we meant to use for the reception," Dick suggested. "You know, to make it actually look like a wedding. We've probably got too much anyway." But neither he nor Wally could say no to Alfred in a wedding frenzy, and Bruce had been less than helpful. Probably on purpose. He was just as excited as Alfred, even if he hid it better. Dick and Wally had already freaked Alfred out by choosing not to have a best man or a maid of honour; they just had too many wonderful people to choose from, and it just felt wrong to single one of them out. Kaldur, Roy, Conner, M'gann, Zatanna, Artemis and Barbara were all kicked around as ideas, but ultimately Dick and Wally had decided against the concept as a whole. The sheer lack of a clear winner had made that an easy decision.

"I'll arrange it with Alfred," Bruce said. "You two should start getting ready."

Wally ran his hand down the back of Dick's sweater. It was soft, and he was so cuddly. Dick leaned back into him, and Wally wrapped his around around him properly.

"We'll go soon," Dick said, tilting his head back to rest on Wally's shoulder. Being so openly affectionate in front of Bruce felt weird on most days, but not today. Today was entirely dedicated to a good helping of PDA in front of people they'd never normally act so coupley around, Bruce and Damian being chief among them. Also Alfred, but the man had accidentally walked in on them enough times that it had kind of ceased to be weird. Which was pretty weird in itself, really.

"We should just get married in our sweaters," Wally sighed, taking a very careful sip of his hot chocolate.

"Yeah, this is so not a day for suits. But I also don't want Alfred to kill me."

Wally groaned. "Fine. Suits it is. But we're getting right back out of them as soon as everyone's gone. I take it our flight's been delayed?"

"Indefinitely," Dick replied. "Our so-called Weatherman hit the airport pretty hard. A lot of equipment was damaged, so it could be a week or more before we can fly. I've already called the hotel and transfer services. The hotel's keeping the honeymoon suite on reserve for now, but if we can't get there within two weeks we'll have to give up the booking. They've got to make their money somehow."

"Nice of them to do even that much," Wally commented.

"Worst case scenario: we go somewhere else." Dick sipped his drink. "I mean, it's not like we're going to get out enough to make much difference where we go anyway. It's a honeymoon, not a safari."

"I think I just heard your mind fall into the gutter." Wally kissed the corner of Dick's jaw. "Want some company down there?"

"Tonight." Dick stepped out of Wally's embrace, draining the last drops of his drink. His cheeks were a little pink. "We wouldn't want to desecrate our own marriage before it's begun, would we?"

Wally snorted. "Didn't we desecrate it a few days ago already?"

"Oh, psh." He pressed his mug into Wally's free hand. "Run that down to the kitchen, dear. I'm gonna get ready far away from you and your devilish charms."

"You started it," Wally called after him as he started for the hallway.

***

Bruce and Alfred had forbidden Dick and Wally from seeing the inside of the sitting room turned wedding chamber before they were due to talk down the aisle. They had originally planned on having three aisles outside, so the wedding party would walk down the middle and then Dick and Wally would come down opposite aisles afterwards, but that wasn't really an option here. This sitting room was tucked away in a corner of the manor, hence why it was rarely used, and as such could only be accessed through one door from the hallway.

"What use is tradition anyway?" Dick said to Bruce as Alfred adjusted his cufflinks for him. "Wally and I are already breaking the mould of the so-called traditional marriage by being the same gender. Somehow I think entering through the same door at the same time is going to be pretty far down on the list of violations if we end up in a fundamentalist's version of hell."

"You're not going to hell," Bruce told him, straightening Dick's bow tie. It didn't really need to be straightened, but he was fighting off tears and clearly needed something to do. Dick hoped Bruce could hold off on the waterworks until the ceremony proper at least. If Bruce lost it, then he probably would too. The wedding hadn't been a big deal before today, really. Not much was going to change. Wally still had to spend time in Central City and Dick was still largely based in Gotham. They were definitely more flexible than, say, Batman and the Flash, but they did occasionally fill in for their mentors if they had injuries or other commitments. With Bruce getting older and already well into middle-age, the possibility of Dick having to take over on a long-term basis loomed ever larger.

But now it was really hitting him that today was about celebrating the love he and Wally had for each other, a bond that transcended petty things such as distance and work commitments. Dick wasn't normally one to take his night work lightly, but it honestly did pale in comparison to spending time with Wally these days. He certainly didn't want to quit, but the idea of spending less time in the field wasn't nearly as unthinkable to him as it used to be. Thinking about it, he wasn't really surprised that Bruce had never been able to hold down a long-term relationship of his own, and not for a lack of interest. Batman always came first for him, and possibly always would. And that meant putting a lover second.

Dick, for his part, was more receptive to flexibility. If he was needed in the field, he would go without batting an eye, but the thought of taking nights off to be with Wally instead wasn't such a terrible thing. He knew his family would call if they needed him. Maybe things would change if he had to take on a bigger role if Bruce was unable to work in the field for any amount of time, but under normal circumstances as Nightwing he felt like he was in a good place now. A place he hadn't been in when he'd been based in Blüdhaven, juggling police work and Nightwing at the same time, because it had been almost impossible to spare time for anything else, including sleep, especially when things got particularly dire with Blockbuster. Dick usually tried not to think about it. That part of his life was over, and a new part had begun.

Damian slipped through the door, carrying the ring pillow. Dick had managed to convince him to be the ring-bearer, but it had taken a lot of begging and a lot of nights patrolling and training and gaming together.

"Grayson," he said. "We have to talk."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I wish to speak with you privately," Damian insisted.

"No more than five minutes," Bruce said, and he and Alfred left the room.

Dick fiddled with the bird-shaped silvery cufflinks. "All right. What's up?"

"Call off the wedding."

Dick tried very hard to not raise an eyebrow. "Why?" Did Damian think there was a security threat? Because he could have easily spoken about it in front of Bruce and Alfred.

"I had hoped you would change your mind about marrying West." Damian glared down at the pair of wedding rings sitting on the pillow in his hands. "I know marriage is a rite of passage into adulthood, and it often involves leaving one's family behind and I--"

"Oh. I see." Dick knelt down to Damian's level, really hoping the kid wouldn't take the move as condescension. "I'm not leaving you, Dami. To tell the truth, I don't think a lot's going to change. Wally and I put our names on a certificate that tells the government we're a couple and we get some legal benefits out of that, but he's still based in Central City and I'm still based in Gotham. We still have to work around our schedules and our families to see each other. Once the planes are flying again, we'll be away for a couple of weeks, but then we'll be back to carry on as normal, okay? And even when we're away, you can still call me. If there's an emergency, like an earthquake or another alien invasion, I'll have Wally run me back to Gotham. No biggie. I love my family, and I love you. I'm not going to abandon you just because I'm marrying the guy I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"West is annoying," Damian grumbled.

"Weren't you just calling me annoying last week? And now you've gone and given the title to Wally. I'm hurt. I thought I was special."

"You are an insufferable oaf, Grayson."

Dick laughed at that, and dared to ruffle Damian's hair a little. "See? Business as usual." Damian cracked the tiniest of smiles. "Okay, but in all seriousness, I'd really like it if you two could try to get along because I love the both of you to pieces and it makes me sad when you fight. He doesn't have to be your favourite person, but could you try? For my sake? Pretty please?"

Damian tutted. "Very well, Grayson. I will attempt to tolerate his presence, provided he takes care of you properly and does not attempt to take our game time away."

"He wouldn't dare. Trust me on that." Dick squeezed his shoulder. "Thank you. Now go join the rest of the bridal party. Bruce and Alfred are probably chomping at the bit while Barry's bouncing off the walls."

Damian left without any further fuss, and Bruce and Alfred came back.

"Everything okay?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah. I think we're good for now."

Alfred ran a brush across Dick's knees. "Honestly, sir. Can you not get through an hour without ruining your suits?"

"Apparently not." Dick was suddenly struck with a memory of his mother cleaning his costumes after he'd snuck into the elephant enclosure for the twelfth time as a kid. She'd left the gentle scolding to his father, but she'd communicated her exasperation through enough sighs for Dick, even at seven years of age, to get the point.

The would've been beside themselves with joy if they'd been here today. And they probably would've brought the rest of the family and the whole circus with them. And 'here' would've been a completely different place, probably just the circus tent or a local chapel in whatever town the circus was currently stopped in.

But, instead, the circus was halfway across the country and his parents, along with his aunt, uncle and cousin, were buried in a cemetery a short drive from the manor.

Bruce silently put his arm around Dick's shoulders while he fought to control the sudden tide of emotion. He pressed his hand against his eyes, but couldn't stop the tears. Damn it. And here he'd thought Bruce would be the one to lose it first, though for completely different reasons.

A hand brushed Dick's hair. "I will tell the others you need a few minutes," Alfred said. The door clicked.

"Sorry," Dick murmured, wiping his eyes.

"It's all right," Bruce replied, giving his shoulders a little squeeze. Regardless of how rocky their relationship had gotten at times, Dick was unspeakably glad he was here. There weren't a lot of people who could understand how he was feeling.

Dick sighed, closing his eyes. "I know they're watching. From wherever they are now."

"Of course they are." Bruce had never been particularly clear about his thoughts on religion or life after death, but he still talked to his parents' graves when he visited them, a habit Dick had also picked up, so he had to believe in something. "They're proud of you, Dick."

Dick smiled up at him. "I know. Thank you." He felt better. Still sad, but better. It was probably for the best he and Wally couldn't leave for their honeymoon immediately; he hadn't predicted how much thinking about his birth family would throw him. He'd visit them later today or tomorrow, probably in gumboots. The ground would likely be a slushy mess for days to come.

Alfred poked his head into the room. "Are you ready, sir?"

Dick nodded. "All good, Alfie. Thanks."

Alfred signalled somebody and the music started. It was the sound of an old-fashioned organ, though it was in reality an electronic thing because the room was too small to hold the proper one they'd hired for the occasion. Alfred had practically had a conniption at the revelation.

Dick bounced a little on the spot, ready to get in there. He didn't get to wait in the hallway until most of the wedding party had gone in already. He was ready to burst out of his skin by the time he got into the hallway, where he got his first glimpse of Wally since they'd parted ways to get ready.

Wally tended to look a little out-of-place whenever he wore a suit, but his cheesy grin and sparkling eyes more than made up for it. "Nervous yet?" he asked, lacing his fingers between Dick's.

"Getting there," Dick replied.

Alfred and Iris stepped through the door into the sitting room, leaving Barry and Bruce with the couple. Barry looked like he'd already done his fair share of bawling, so at least Dick wasn't alone in that.

Wally nudged him. "You okay?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah. Just thought about my parents a bit too hard."

Wally ran his thumb over Dick's palm. "We can wait a bit if you need a minute."

Dick shook his head. "I'm okay. I'll visit their graves later and deal with it then. But, right now, let's get married."

Wally barely had enough time to kiss his forehead before Bruce and Barry pushed them through the door and followed them through. This room was wallpapered in a gentle, leafy green that matched perfectly with the white rose arrangements Alfred and Bruce had taken from the ballroom. Dick and Wally headed between two sets of white garden chairs, which had been intended for the outdoors wedding, towards the window, in front of which stood the celebrant.

Upon arriving in front of the celebrant, Bruce touched Dick's shoulder, while on the other side Barry did the same to Wally. They then sat down in the front row, and Dick and Wally turned to face each other.

The celebrant started talking about dearly-beloveds and such, and Dick was kind of listening but he was mostly focused on Wally staring up at him. The angle was barely there, but Dick had held their marginal height distance over Wally's head (heh) since it had happened, so of course he noticed it.

Cassandra, with Tim standing by to help, read the lyrics of a song called I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman like a poem. Alfred had picked it out, since Dick and Wally hadn't had the faintest idea what to choose. It was a simple poem, and Dick found himself tearing up again as he heard Cassandra flow through the words as if she'd been reading her entire life. She had practised, reading and speaking it for hours upon hours until she got it right. And she did. Tim didn't need to say a word.

The celebrant spoke for a little longer, until the time came for Dick and Wally to become involved directly.

"Do you, Wallace Rudolph West, take Richard John Grayson to be your lawfully wedded husband, standing with him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love for as long as you both shall live?"

Wally grinned up at Dick, and said, "I do."

"And do you, Richard John Grayson, take Wallace Rudolph West to be your lawfully wedded husband, standing with him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love for as long as you both shall live?"

Dick returned the grin. "I do."

"The couple has chosen to write their own vows," the celebrant said.

Wally started his first, squeezing Dick's hands. "From the moment we met, I knew you'd be a huge part of my life. You were this tiny, tiny little grouch, trying so hard to be like Bruce. Well, that's what I thought anyway, up until I realised you'd stuck a kick me sign on my back without me noticing." The room tittered, Dick among them. He remembered that. Wally had said something that annoyed him enough to stop trying to be taken seriously. "Once Barry stopped laughing at me and I got over being one-upped by an eleven-year-old, I knew we'd have to meet again. Things haven't always been easy between us, but I'm glad you're here with me to start this new chapter of our lives, and I promise I will always be there for you through everything we could possibly face."

Then it was Dick's turn. "I'd already been living in Gotham for a few years before we met, and I'd had some time to come to terms with everything that had changed after I lost my family. Sorry to bring down the mood," he said as an aside. "I didn't have a lot of friends. Public memory of how I'd come to live with Bruce was only just fading, so people were still a bit weird around me. You weren't. You called me short and ran away when I threatened to punch you, and then came back laughing at the top of your lungs like you thought you were the funniest person in the world. So of course I had to one-up you with the kick me sign. You brought a lot of joy and laughter into my life that had been hard to come by, living in this house. I've been in love with you since we were kids, and I swear to always be by your side no matter what this world throws at us."

"May I have the rings?" said the celebrant. Damian stepped forward with the pillow. "Wallace and Richard's rings signify the bond of love forged between their hearts. Wallace, repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token of my love."

"I give you this ring as a token of my love," Wally repeated, sliding the wedding ring onto Dick's finger.

"Richard, repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token of my love."

Dick repeated the words for himself, sliding the ring onto Wally's finger. His hands shook a little. His heart was going to explode.

"By the power invested in me," said the celebrant, "I now pronounce you married. You may now kiss each other."

Dick and Wally didn't have to be told twice. Wally pulled him in by the waist, and Dick pulled Wally the rest of the way by the shoulders. Their lips met to applause. And rice. Dick brushed some out of Wally's hair as everybody filed down to the ballroom. They'd decided to have the reception open to a larger group, particularly the media, though Bruce had sent word down to the various companies releasing them of that responsibility in favour of reporting on the weather damage. Dick wasn't sure many would take him up on that, though.

It would take some time for the reception to start properly, so Dick and Wally took a few minutes to themselves in their room after promising Alfred they'd be down in five minutes.

Dick sat on the edge of the bed, chuckling a little when some rice dislodged from his hair and fell on the floor. Oh, Alfred was going to love that.

"So you're definitely okay?" Wally asked him, sitting down beside him. "We didn't have time to really talk things out before the ceremony."

"I am," Dick replied. "Did you want to visit the cemetery with me later? I wanna introduce you as my husband."

"Of course, babe," Wally said gently, leaning into him until their heads were pressed together. Dick smiled and closed his eyes, just letting himself enjoy the moment. Despite everything that had gone wrong, this was definitely right. Marrying Wally had been right.

"Did you hear Cassandra read that poem?" Dick asked after a while.

"I did. I was there."

Dick elbowed him, laughing way louder than the situation really warranted, but joy was spilling out of him everywhere and he just couldn't help it. "She was great. I'm so proud of her. And Damian. I mean, you know he's a little possessive of me sometimes but he took today like a champ."

"I'm just waiting for the fallout," Wally replied. "Sorry."

"I'll see what I can do," Dick promised. "I talked to him earlier so I've got a feel for the situation. As long as I'm around here enough, he'll be okay. So we don't get to run away together once the honeymoon's over, 'kay?"

"Well, darn. There go my plans for your birthday."

Dick chuckled and peppered Wally's cheek with kisses. His heart was going to jump straight out of his body and float up into the sky at this rate.

Wally caught Dick by the chin, and pecked him on the lips. "Well, Mr Grayson-West, I think we should start heading down to the reception."

Dick kissed him back. "In a minute. I'm not done kissing you."