maskormenacelogs | [CLOSED]

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[CLOSED]

WHO: Dick, Artemis, and Wally
WHERE: Downtown Heropa.
WHEN: 7/12, nighttime.
WHAT: Robin's emotional turmoil culiminates in the world's stupidest injury. Stupid teenage dramatics to follow.
WARNINGS: References to a broken bone? And probably yelling.

[ It's 10:20 PM, and it's finally stopped raining that particular variety of Florida rain that's not so much like a drizzle as like the sky's just up and poured a bucket of water on your head. It's wet and it's too warm and there's still lightning flashing off in the distance, and Robin's just made the stupidest mistake of his career.

Okay, so no one realistically-fake-died, and nothing exploded. Which is a plus, considering his track record. But breaking a leg in a fall from a third story roof has to be — without any hyperbole — the most embarrassing thing he's done in his entire life.

He could make a lot of excuses: he's not used to the weather, the railing was slick, he hadn't checked his equipment, the terrain's unfamiliar, he's distracted and emotionally compromised. He doesn't have his team. Every single one is terrible, even if they're all true.

For several excruciating minutes, while he waits for the painkillers to work their magic, Robin debates his options. An ambulance would attract attention. He's pretty sure he couldn't hobble all the way to the hospital like this, even if there was one within the city limits. Maybe the ground will swallow him up right along with his shame and he won't have to admit that any of this ever happened.

It doesn't.

Out of reasonable options, he sends off a text with his coordinates to Artemis, who, logically, is the person on their team most likely to know how to deal with injuries:
SOS.
Achey breaky leg.
Please don't ask.

And moments later, a text to Wally with the same coordinates:
Need a ride to the hospital.
If you're not married to SB's couch now.
Faster is better.

It takes a minute for him to realize the gravity of his possible mistake. If they find a way to fight over this, too... well, maybe yelling makes bones knit faster. ]

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[Wally looks at Robin; he makes a pretty sad sight, still kind of waterlogged with his mask off, cape hanging limply from a nearby IV stand and leg casted and propped up in a chair while it sets.]

She'll be okay.

[It's too close to what he said in the alley, even if his tone's completely different. He hurries to amend it.]

She knows it's not personal. You just- [It's not about you, Wally.

And now he gets it. Finally, he gets it.] -uh, just talk to her, I mean. She'll be okay with it. She's...good at forgiving people.

[ Robin gives Wally a long, long look. He's torn between being glad that they made up or talked or don't hate each other anymore, at least, whatever Wally's trying hard not to say, and just... flatly, tiredly jealous again that now he's the one who's out of the loop.

... He should be grateful. He'll try to be, when he's feeling less pathetic. ]

You can go get the doctor.

[ He slides his mask back on. ]

[There's that weird tone in Robin's voice again, the one he's not used to hearing and it makes Wally scowl. He remembers their conversation they had in the rain and hey, now's as good a time as any to conclude it.]

Okay, what is going on with you? Is this really just about you feeling guilty?

... I don't know what you're talking about.

Oh no you don't, I'm the king of not knowing what someone else is talking about. [Wally drags over the doctor's stool and puts it right in front of Robin, folding his arms and staring. It might be unfair of him, but Robin has a broken leg and can't escape this room without going through Wally, and with Artemis outside nobody is going to be coming in until they go get her.

Rob's gonna explain himself or he's going to live the rest of his life in this hospital room.]

[ You certainly are, Wally.

Robin stares back at him, affronted and disbelieving, his pulse slowly elevating as he realizes he's well and truly stuck. ]

You're— you're really doing this here? Now?

If your leg hurts, I can get you more painkillers. They're right over there. [Wally stares right back at him, knowing full well that Robin's leg can't possibly hurt too bad.]

My leg's fine. Look, it's nothing, okay? It's just— this stupid thing I'm going through, and I have to deal with it myself, because—

[ He lets out a shaky exhale, his fingers flexing and unflexing with nothing else to fidget with. ]

... because it isn't fair to anyone else. So I can handle this.

See, I would take that explanation if it wasn't totally and utterly wrong. [KF props his foot up on the edge of the bed, arms still folded as he fixes Robin with a steady look.]

Did something happen when I was here last time? Did we fight? Because last time I checked we didn't keep secrets from each other, not us.

[ Something in Dick's chest twists painfully. It's not fair. It's not fair for him to say something like that when all he's ever tried to do, the whole reason he's keeping all these feelings, all this insecurity, all this jealousy bottled up is because their friendship matters more to him than anything. ]

It's not like that.

[ There's a desperate tremor in his voice. How can he make him understand? ]

I am getting real tired of hearing that and being expected to just let it go. [Wally's gloves squeak over his biceps against the material of his uniform.]

Fine. You really want to know? Fine. But you're not gonna feel better.

All that stuff you said before, after we left Artemis back there— well, you're not the only one who's jealous, all right? But it's worse than just that. And that's why I didn't tell you. And it's not because of you, or because I don't think you deserve to know, it's just—

[ He knew it would be like this. He knew it'd be like opening a floodgate, and once he'd started, he wouldn't be able to stop. Too much pressure for too long, and it has to go somewhere. ]

I'm scared, okay? I'm scared you'll outrun me or something, like you'll find someone who's just as good as me in all the ways that matter but they won't be such a mess, they won't have so much to hide, they won't have all this baggage. And it's not like I think you'll ditch me, you're too good for that, but we just— we won't hang out all the time anymore, and eventually we won't hang out at all, and we'll only see each other on missions and maybe not even then, and... A-and that's dumb, right? I know it is, but it's like— I can't— I can't handle the idea of you feeling like that about someone who isn't me, trusting them with everything and having stupid inside jokes with them and buying them stuff and calling them in the middle of the night.

[ And he's looking right at Wally as he says all of it, like even if this is the last thing he wants to be doing, he owes Wally that much, at least. ]

I know that's not fair, and I know it's messed up, and I didn't want to tell you because what kind of friend does that make me? What kind of person? Right? And part of it, this whole fight with Artemis, everything that's happened with you guys — all I've tried to do is get you two together again, even though we're fighting all the time now and I can't stand it. It's gotten in the way of us being friends. But I care about you, both of you, and I should want whatever makes you happy, a-and... and I do, and that's why I've never said any of this. But it doesn't make me happy. And I hate that.

... And I guess part of this— part of it's just that I like you. As in... I like you. Like you like girls. So I'm putting that on the table, too, because — because I'd rather you know than you think I don't trust you.

[ It's too raw. He feels like he's just carved himself open, like everything ugly and painful inside him is on display and now it's Wally's chance to walk. But at least Wally knows. At least he's ripped himself open, and now he can't explode. It's a small comfort.

Finally, with an exhale that doesn't seem to have nearly enough breath in it, he looks down at his hands. ]

So that's everything.

[He was doing good. He really was; he was holding his tongue -"I am not jealous of you and Artemis-!"- and he was keeping still, he was making eye contact even when Robin couldn't (even though it's hard to tell with that mask) and he was listening, really taking it in. Getting frustrated with it because it's more of Robin talking about him like he's so great ("you're too good for that") and usually Wally loves that, likes it when the praise gets piled on but this is different because Robin's using the same breath to call himself a mess, and who could like that?

But he was still doing good. He was still trying his hardest not to overreact (or even just react) and give Robin time to say everything, because when it comes out with him it comes out all at once or not at all, so he gives him a minute like he did when Robin first told him who he was (and that was a veritable flood of emotion too, that night). His jaw sets but he listens. His brows scrunch together but he listens. He jiggles his leg anxiously and makes the bed shake but he listens, god damn it, and he's gonna hear the whole thing if it kills him-

"I like you."

...what?

"Like you like girls."

And the rest of what Robin says gets lost in the roaring in Wally's ears, because even though his body is the stillest its been in weeks it suddenly feels like everything inside of him is moving way too fast.]

Huh?

[Wally's too shocked to be embarrassed of sounding dumb.

Robin likes him.

Dick Grayson, the motherfucking Boy Wonder, likes him.

It's like those cartoons where the coyote gets stuck on glue, and no matter how far he stretches or how fast he tries to run away, he goes sproinging right back. Wally's thoughts are the coyote and Robin likes me is the glue.]

You...you like me? Like me?

Edited 2014-07-14 20:10 (UTC)

[ Of course that's what Wally gets stuck on.

Robin feels a hot flush creeping up the back of his neck, and his stomach feels sort of like it's trying to escape Earth's gravity, and it figures, it just figures that when he finally got it together (or possibly lost it) enough to say it, he can't even flee out a third story window afterwards. Of course, he never would have said it otherwise, so it's sort of a moot point.

He manages to drag his gaze back up to meet Wally's somehow, and he's sort of wishing he wasn't wearing the mask, but at the same time... ]

Yeah, Wally. I like you.

[ Emphasizing both words, just so he gets the picture. No confusion. Just honesty.

And he uses his real name, because. ]

Oh.

[He's just barely sixteen now Robin, what else is he supposed to get stuck on.

But Robin says it again, uses his real name and everything and KF just kind of sits there feeling like he's just been levitated via M'gann's powers. He can feel his face heating up, because geez of course he's gonna blush when his best friend-

When Robin-]

I-

[WHAT DOES HE EVEN SAY?!]

I didn't...

[HIM? REALLY??]

So in Georgia, when you- when you said someone likes me-

That... was me. Not being stealthy. And you not picking up signals. Yeah.

[ His insides are all quivery and he wonders if this is how normal people feel when they do what he does every day. He can launch himself off skyscrapers and do quadruple backflips without blinking, but somehow this is what's doing him in. He's trying to stay impassive here, look mature and cool and like he has it together despite the way he just spilled his guts. But he feels his cheek twitch and he knows it's probably not working, even if Wally's too busy changing color to match his hair to notice. ]

You don't— you don't have to say anything. And it's okay if you don't feel the same. Or— if you want to talk later—

[ He should probably just stop talking. ]

Edited 2014-07-14 20:45 (UTC)

Yeah, [Wally breathes out quickly, grateful for the option.] I mean- I just-

Just give me time to think. About this. [Wally finally unlocks from his frozen position, lifting his hands to rub at his face. His fingers bump into his goggles still strapped to his head.] And- all that other stuff, about me abandoning you for someone shinier, that's BS. That's complete BS and- and the thought's never entered my head, dude. You aren't replaceable, by anybody. Ever.

[And because Robin had spent the most time worrying over that, KF elaborates.] It's- people aren't that simple, you can't just stack up characteristics you like and measure them up against each other. Y'know? Ignoring the fact that there's maybe four people in the world who can do all the stuff you do and you work for one of them, and the other two are probably Russian spies or something, that's not how it works. And I'm not- [Uncomfortable again.] I'm not some...like, whatever's going on with me and Artemis, it's not...it's not like I'm gonna ditch you for her, dude. You're my best friend.

[Wally drops his hands, giving Robin a somewhat despairing look.] I don't even get why you'd think you aren't. Was it something I did? 'Cause I crashed on SB's couch, or because- [Wally takes a deep breath-] -because I won't get it? Since I, y'know, since I have powers...?

[ Okay. So Wally's not running. Which means at least he can relax, even if his heart hasn't gotten the memo yet. ]

It's not your powers, dude. And it's nothing you did wrong. Even if I do want you to come home. It's... it's a lot of things.

[ The words are hard again, like he got all of them out at once. Like his quota for the month. Maybe his whole life. ]

I've been here for three months, and you've been the only constant thing in my life since I got here, you know? And even if we'd been kidnapped, and stuff was serious, it... it was okay. I liked it. Having you around all the time. But then I went back home, and— and then everything got more complicated. And I realized how fragile our team is. And if even Batman can forget me, then... being your best friend, that's all I have left, and...

[ He bites down hard on the inside of his cheek, folding his hands tightly in his lap and looking out the window at the dark sky. ]

... like I said, I just got scared.

...are you kidding me?

[Wally drops his hands, sitting up straight. He even looks a little angry.]

You think we're fragile?

... well?

[ Robin shrugs, a little helplessly. ]

Up until a week ago, you two were all the team I had. So... physically, no, but emotionally... kinda?

So because there's been a couple bumps, that makes us fragile? [Wally shoves himself up, taking a few steps back. He begins to pace.] We both ran ourselves ragged when you disappeared, and we both came running tonight, and she- Artemis took a bus to get here even though I was here, to make sure you'd be okay and you think she's- that we're fragile?

It's been more than a couple bumps, dude! I'm glad you guys both have my back, and I'm glad she came even though you're here, but— come on, we're a team! We shouldn't have to say even though!

[ But the righteous anger in Wally's voice is actually comforting. Like despite everything, Wally's fighting for this, too. So he pushes back. Prove me wrong. ]

I hate to break it to you Rob, but teams fight! Not everybody can be the well-oiled, dark and brooding machine that you and Batman are- for crying out loud, I had a fight with the Flash three weeks before I showed up here! Fighting with someone is proof you actually give a crap about what they think!

That's what I've been trying to tell you!

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