The Five Stages of Love

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up."

― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones

Stage One: Denial

Robin doesn't love Kid Flash at all.

He doesn't love the way KF is always smiling, always energetic, always happy to make someone else happy.

He doesn't go out of his way to train with Wally, doesn't try to become his sparring partner, definitely doesn't arrive extra early on Mondays when Wally has to change into his uniform in the living room in the .07 seconds before Black Canary arrives.

He doesn't carry a protein bar in his utility belt for KF.

Robin doesn't love Kid Flash at all.

Stage Two: Anger

Richard Grayson is a guy. Richard Grayson is in love with a guy. Richard Grayson is in love with a guy who happens to be his best friend.

Richard Grayson is upset.

Anywhere down the line, something could have happened –he could have been a girl, he could have decided to like a girl, he could have decided to like anyone other than Wally West –and Richard Grayson would have been fine with it.

But no, he was helplessly in love with a stupid redhead with a stupid pit for a stomach and a stupid smile that makes his heart hurt when he sees it and ache when he thinks it might be aimed at someone other than himself.

Richard Grayson hates being a guy.

Richard Grayson hates being in love with a guy.

Richard Grayson hates being in love with Wally West.

Stage Three: Bargaining

When Robin first learned about bargaining, he expected it to be something like "I'll trade you my fries for a chicken nugget." Or maybe Snickers bars for Kit Kats. Or maybe anything more normal than mental thoughts of "if Kid Flash laughs at my joke on semantics, I swear I'll stop DDOSing random websites for the fun of it… for a week."

This is level one bargaining, in the realm of why-is-Robin-cursed-to-love-Wally.

Level two involves pleas to fall in love with someone else instead, namely Zatanna but at this point Robin will settle for Artemis or Batgirl and maybe even inanimate objects.

Level three involves pleas to have Kid Flash maybe, possibly, like him back.

Stage Four: Depression

"This is the fourth batch of cookies you've eaten in an hour, Master Richard."

Robin mumbles through a mouthful of cookie. Cookie always makes everything better. He should just love cookie instead. Cookie would never throw him dashing smiles that are not good for the health of his heart. Cookie would never wear spandex so tight that all its clearly defined muscles are clearly outlined for the world to see and gawk and admire.

"Master Richard?" Robin should feel bad for making Alfred worry. He should also feel bad for eating all the cookies.

"Leave me alone, I'm heartbroken."

It's just hard to feel bad when you're already feeling miserable.

Stage Five: Acceptance

Kid Flash is napping on Robin's shoulder. Well, he was napping on Robin's shoulder until he fell into Robin's lap instead. Robin shrugs, Megan giggles, Artemis takes a photo.

"You two look so cute like that," Artemis coos. Robin is looking at Kid Flash, his hands brushing red hair out of a freckled face, his lips in a trancelike smile. "It looks like you love him or something."

Robin shrugs. "I do."

Artemis drops her camera, Megan lets out a gasp-squeal hybrid.

There's questions, but Robin just keeps shrugging and staring and admiring the beautiful boy in his lap. "I just love him, nothing I can do about it."

Thanks for reading! Please leave feedback, I haven't written in a while and would appreciate reviews/messages.