Another
Summary: Somewhere Dick Grayson would be happy. :YAOI/SLASH::Birdflash:
Author's Note: Based on an image I found on my Tumblr. The image source is wallyinrb. I dunno if that was some fanart to any fic or some prompt or just an image. I really just found that there, noted the source and ran to write the fic. I can't waste any kind of creativity. So, if you find some fic with the same plotline, not my fault! Enjoy!
-/-/-/-/-
"I don't know what to do, dude" Wally complained through the phone. "But I can't get rid of this feeling of being watched. And, honestly, it's freaking me out!
"Wanna me to come over, KF?"
"Nope, Robs. I handle this. I can't explain why, but this seems a lot with your 'watching over', y'know? It's like this stare has the same weight as yours, same touch. The same heat."
"So we'll marry this year or the next?"
"Troll!" and hanged up.
Looked outside the window and was welcomed by the view of a neighbor walking his dog. Searched everywhere. No one. Felt a chill and turned to inside. A man was at the center of the room. He was a little taller than Wally, and didn't seem that strong. He was masked and suited up. A black suit with some blue bird on the chest. Wally could say that was his very best friend over there, except he just talked to him. The man looked kind distraught. He was staring and barely breathing. The most probable outcome was that he was a Dick's clone and just like Conner artificially aged. He could be a Cadmus agent for all that he knew. But he didn't seem dangerous, just very sad.
"Wally" whispered. "Wally."
And he repeated his name for a few times before walk to him and hug him. The redhead fell with the weight over him, felt the other shivering. He was crying, profusely. While repeating his name and hugging him. That was no clone. He could feel.
"Dick?" called him. Which led to more tears. "You're Dick, right? Like, some Dick older version?"
"Yes, Wally. It's me" he backed away a little, looking inside his eyes, peeling the domino. "I did something horrible, forgive me" and hugged him again, sobbing. "I won't let that happen again."
"Dick, dude, I forgive whatever you did. But I'm a little confused here."
Richard Grayson pulled himself away. And waited the redhead stand up.
"Wallace! Are any of those friends of yours here?" his father asked through a small opening of the door.
"It's just Dick, dad" answered tensing up. "Is fine if I'll leave with 'im? Y'now, to Gotham?"
"Great, you and the other freak leave my house!" and slammed the door.
"I forgot how annoying he was" muttered to redhead. He spent another minute frozen, just touching his face. Wally really wanted to say how weird that was, but the painful look on the other's eyes halted him.
"Was?"
"I don't see him since-" shut up and shook his head like he was trying to expel something bad. Knelt before the kid and gently kissed his fingers. "I still can't believe I'm seeing you again, even though you're smaller" entwined their fingers.
"Er, Dick, dude, you're a little creepy" pulled his hand away. "Let's go to the manor, k? Or Uncle B's."
"No. We can go anywhere. Just can't be any hero there, or anyone who could recognize me" Wally backed away.
"Why? Do you want to be alone with me?"
"Yes, I do! But it's nothing of what you thinking. Wally! Please! I came from the future, ok? I'm running out the possibilities here. I shouldn't have come, but I couldn't take it anymore, Walls" took his hands again. "Just me popping out here already changed the past. I don't recall that call earlier. About me watching you. It never happened from when I ca-"
"HOW LONG WILL YOU FREAKS ABUSE FROM MY GOOD WILL?"
"Let's go. Anywhere, k?" Wally held his hand and pulled him to the window. "What is this clothes? Some time machinery?"
"My new cowl" hooked the ceiling downing them both, while holding very carefully the redhead.
"What's wrong with the old one?"
"I am no longer a Robin. So couldn't keep using the cowl" he gave a nostalgic smile, a little hurt. "You hated my new name. You was unable to shorten up like Robs and I still called you KF" touched his cheeks with the knuckles. "KF" touched the foreheads. "KF."
"Dude!" pushed him slowly. "Creepy again. Come on."
They walked side by side to an empty park. Wally hopped on a swing and Dick sat on other. The redhead started to move while the brunette just watched him. It was absurdly weird look at this older version of his friend.
"Ok, can we just run over everything? You came from the future, screw something up and want my forgiveness. You're not Robin anymore and future made you a big weeping crybaby. And, almost forgot, I'm dead" stopped the swing and looked the other turn away.
"How?"
"'I don't see him since-' add some crying. 'I still callED you.' Dude, you made it easy" sat on his own swing. "Let's pretend I'm not thinking I'm hallucinating. How did-slash-will I die?"
"You were helping to drift away some energy blast with Kid-. I mean, Impulse and Flash, After that Impulse took your cowl" raised a hand to touch his face again, just to confirm he was still there. "The energy escaped and uncharged on less energetic speedster" pulled back his hand and silently wept.
"Was this Impulse faster than me?"
"In your favor, you didn't run for over a year."
"Impossible! I love running! What did happen to me?"
"You retired. Found the right girl and gave up heroism. But at the end you died to save us all. So Wally."
"Who's the girl?"
"Do you really want this spoiler?" Wally muttered a no. "I came here to see you one more time and to beg you, when the time come, don't go. I'll think some plan, I'll handle everything. Trust me" and was knelt in front of him again. "Walls, KF. Please, trust me. I would never put Barry or Bart in danger. I beg you. If you ever cared about me, please, don't go" the redhead hugged him, pained.
"Why were you asking for forgiveness? Was because I died? It looks like I knew what I was doing" felt the other squeeze him.
"It was my fault. I had been failing so many times on that mission, you doubted I could handle. I had almost sent your girl to a certain death. I messed up. I was to blame. But that isn't why I want your forgiveness. It's for not hanging on. It's for coming back to see you. It's for not moving on with my life after you were gone. It's for yelling to Ar- her, because she could move on. And above all, it's for what I came back to" leaned away looking into his eyes. "I know it's selfish. But I cannot agree with you dying without knowing how I feel. I didn't come back to nobly save you, even if I want that more than anything. I came to tell you, I love you. That the little boy you just spoke will spend the rest of the night holding the ear which he listened you speak, like your talk was some sweet exchanged caress" tears he was so hard trying to restrain flowed away on his face. "That he sighs remembering each gesture you did for him. That when he's captured by Joker, or at the end of the Two-Face's gun, he remembers every moment you had together, every laugh, every prank you both pulled. Because he wants you to be that the last thing on his mind. That when it's all over he will call you, just to be sure you too are safe and sound, just to listen to your voice. That he will do that till the moment when you die, vanishing before him. So he will think of you every waking moment, and will dream about you, but now he can't call you to be sure of anything, he can't hear your voi-" at this point his voice faded away to a painful cry. Wally could still discern a: "Sorry I'm so weak."
"Robs loves me?" asked when the other finally calmed down.
"Yes. Depending on him you will die without knowing. And when it's too late he will regret" saw the older bury his head onto his lap. Hesitantly caressed the raven hair and heard him practically purr. "I'm so stupid for let that happen, KF. I need you to save me. I'm not talking about date me or anything" looked inside his eyes. "Not me me, yours me, Robin. I'm not some pervert whom stalks little sixteen years old boys" made an exasperated remark.
"How old are you?"
"Twenty" received a look of reproach and blushed when noticed where the boy was leading.
"Robin is thirteen. THIRTEEN! If by any chance I date him will I be the pervert old man?"
"No! What I meant was- argh!" and buried his face onto Wally's lap again under his soft laugh. "Damn you, I forgot how troll you are" Wally laughed hard finally feeling this was his best friend. "Thirteen... Any news about JLA?" and rose his face again.
"Dude! Will I join JLA? I mean us. Will we join JLA?"
"Can't say, KF. Too much info about future."
"Duuuuuuuude! Say it! I'm dying here with all this suspense. Uncle B sucks with suspense. You're supposed to be my best friend!"
"I am, Kid Idiot! And yes, we will join JLA, well, JLA jr, I got one invitation to JLA after you-" backed away averting his eyes and sitting on the ground. "I denied, though. I couldn't do it without you."
"Why? It was an amazing chance!"
"If you're going, I'm going" muttered to him locking their eyes together. "Then, if you're not going, I won't. I'm still searching where you went, I don't know how to follow you now, KF."
"No! Don't cry, you jerk!" he came down and hugged him. "Don't follow me! I don't know what happened, how I died or why I died. I don't know what I was feeling that time but I never would want you to go with me. Stop crying! Or I'll cry too" and tightened his arms around him.
"You didn't remember me" whispered to the redhead in his arms. "When you died. You said Artemis would kill you and you parents would be mad. You asked Barry to give your farewells but never left anything particular to me. Why, Wally? I devoted my whole life to you, why didn't you leave anything to me? No farewell, nothing" Wally memorized the name Dick slipped. He squeezed the crying man.
"If you're going, I'm going" answered in his ears. "If there was something to be said would be this, Robs. But I wouldn't want you to come with me on this. I never will want you to die just so we'll be together. So knowing where I was going you couldn't follow me, I probably didn't know what to say." Dick screamed and squeezed him back sobbing. "You're my best friend, I would never forget you. We're a team, you and I. Partners for life. Wait, that came out wrong. Screw that. We are partners for life! Don't doubt I spare a thought of you at the end. I don't know how much I loved this Artemis, she possibly was the last on my mind, but I would never forget all we had. Like the time we ripped Batman's cape and he punished you with that cowl that only pants it had was that green briefs" Dick cackled recalling. "Or when we traded all the sugar of the house and Uncle B had his coffee salted. But briefs still wins. Nothing will overcome briefs. I think you inherited your trolling from Br-" Dick kissed him.
It was just a light brush of the lips but Wally deepened, gently biting the lower lip grabbing the raven hair. That seemed at same time madness and so right. Felt being pushed away. While organizing his own thoughts, started to hear some repeated beeping. Faced the man whom looked at him sadly. Grayson kissed him fast and desperate before fully breaking apart.
"I need to go, KF" answered to his confused look. "Thanks. For hearing me, and for the kiss. I know you didn't want it, but, thanks. Don't let me lose you without confessing. I can live with being unrequited. Just make me confess" closed his eyes as was involved by a white light. "Farewell" and was gone.
Wally stood at the park, looking to where the man was before the zetabeam take him. He didn't knew how to react. If he should panic, or call his Robin, or run to him. He was scarred and confused. It wasn't everyday someone from the future would pop out just because he missed you because you were dead. Robin was twenty years old, Wally's death seemed recent. So how long does he still have? Six, seven years? At least his father would be happy. Closed his eyes, letting some tears flow. Almost had a heart attack when his phone rung.
"Where are you, KF?" the thirteen years old Robin made to his ears.
"At the park, nearby my house."
"At the park? You got someone watching you and you go to the park?" heard the hook being shot. Soon after Robin was in front of him.
The boy noticed his tears and choked. Drew his escrimas and began to look for the guilty for those tears.
"He's already gone" said softly, raising his own body and calming him down. "He was- I don't think I can tell you. But I'm fine. Just, little touchy feeling. Just that."
"You can't tell? Did he threaten you? Who did this? TELL ME!"
"There was no threatening. I'm just keeping a secret that isn't mine to share."
"I don't know who was here but he's dangerous. He got my private number and tell me something nobody knows. He can be telepath. Maybe he eluded you. I'm taking you back to the cave with me" Wally laughed when things clicked in his mind.
"Did he send you something? A text, perhaps?"
"How did you-?"
"I should know he got a plan B" and took other boy's cellphone. Unlock the screen and opened the texting app, even with the younger trying to stop him. There it was. Unknown number, no subject, 'Just confess to him!' "He's right. Just confess."
"You don't even know what this is about!" complained taking back his phone.
"You came from the future, said I was dead and you regretted me dying without you confessing your love. Just say it, Robs" he halted while deleting the text and faced him.
"What?"
"You heard me, I'm so not repeating."
"You die? You-" choked while staring to nowhere. Wally hugged him and felt him burst in tears. "When in the future? How? Where?"
"I didn't asked for details. You know how you are about details."
"WALLACE! This isn't time to joke around. I got to stop this! I got to-"
"Confess. It was all he- you asked me. That I take this confession from you. And to not die, but that was obvious" teased. Robin pushed him.
"I can't care about my feeling when you can die anytime. I got to prevent this. I cannot allow this to happen! I can't lose you, Wally!" the redhead hugged him. Caressing the top of his head. "Wa-Walls, I-I can't."
"I know, you came from the future because you couldn't. But I don't think we need to worry about this right now. All can change now we know. And it seems I died because I was too slow. I just need to be faster" pulled his face and looked to his masked eyes. The feeling running through his body told him Dick was looking back. "Now confess. I promised you, or will promise you, that I would make you confess. My you. Now, say it."
Felt Robin shivering in his grip, saw him blush and trying to turn his face away. But Wally still kept his face in a hold. He sighed submissive and cleared his tears. Peeled off his domino mask slowly, locking the blue into the green.
"I love you, Wally" the redhead felt a chill down his spine.
"That I already know, now labor that confession" received a punch on his side.
"I love you, what else d'you want me to say? How silly I became when you said earlier how you could recognize my 'watching'? Or how I drum around my cell when going to bed begging to not call you by accident because all my body wants is hear your voice before sleeping? Or when we playing I just stop to look to your concentrated face, the way you bite your lower lip trying to beat me? Or how I love that even with me not looking to the screen you just can't? And your frustrated face when you lose. Just too cute. Or how I love your smile when it enlighten your face? That one you gave everytime Barry compliments you, or you get some souvenir. Or-"
"Fine! I got it! I'm kinda embarrassed here, Robs. I though you had a crush on me, not an abyss."
"Or when you're as red as your hair?"
"Enough, alright?" and covered his face with the hands flustered. "And I'm not as red as my hair!"
"Yes, you are. Even your hand is red. It's so cute!" he gave out a soft laugh. "You don't need to love me back. Just allow me by your side. Let me go wherever you're going" pulled his hands looking inside his eyes "with you."
"That I can't allow. I don't know how will be when I die. Not 'if', Robs, 'when'" the younger choked and sobbed again. "Ah, come on! Stop crying! You really wanna make me cry tonight! Look at me. In the future I didn't leave you any message of good bye. So I'm telling you right now while we got time, k?" he nodded. "Don't follow me. Don't come along, Don't search for me. Don't come back to the past. I'm gone and I don't want you stuck to a dead. I want you to move on, that you go alone. I know you can do it. I want your feelings for me being a happy memory, not you punishment. That you remember all the good things we did together, but not only our good things. I want you to live your life. To love somebody else and be happy" he shook his head in denial. "Yes. I want you to have a new best friend, and create good memories with them. You so adorable everyone will love you. I don't want you to refuse joining JLA because I'm not there. Instead, I want you to accept because I can't be there, I want you to do this for both of us. And if it gets too hard take a break, come to the park or other place where we've been together. Remember me and cry. But never stop living your own life."
"Wally..."
"If I die without telling you anything remember this words" and kissed him. "About your confession, now. I want to try. I want to give 'us' a chance. I can't promise you the world. But I can't stand the 'what if'" Robin smile still touching the lips and kissed him back.
-/-/-/-/-
Back to the Batcave, Dick Grayson cast a sad look to his father and the Flash. Both of them watching his every moves. He sat on a chair and waited for them to unload their question over him. He answered each one about his physical health but ignored all about his emotional and mental state. Bart just looked sadly at him from the corner where he was sitting and gave him a pained smile. The boy knew how it felt travel to the past and change nothing. He explained to Nightwing when he asked about time travel. "You will make no difference. I came from a future where I never came back to the past. When I arrived in the past I created a new Earth with a new future. I saved the future of that Earth but mine is still doomed. I never tried to go back to future because I never wanted. This new future isn't mine and my future isn't one to come back to. At least, you can see Wally again."
All he could think was that at another Earth one Richard Grayson would be happy.