Another little thing I wrote.
Once again huge thanks to Radiations to Beta Read it for me! (and to change Bruce's lines into Bruce-Talk because she's the Bruce to my Wally)
It wasn't often that Wally felt like things were out of control. At least out of control in a way that he needed to actually ask someone else for help. And it wasn't out of pride or anything.
Wally actually liked helping others and teaming up with people. But there was just something about asking someone to help him. He knew how to handle his own problems and because of that, he didn't ask others.
But not today.
People had been coming up to him with requests more and more and he understood that it was convenient to ask him. That people liked asking him because he liked to help and he could do things fast.
The only problem was running out of time now. Sure, he always wanted to do something, anything, so that he wouldn't go crazy but he needed to eat and sleep too.
Lately there hasn't been much of either. And due to the increased activity, his metabolism started to act up, to the point where he could barely keep up with his appetite.
No, he had to admit that he needed help.
Which is why he found himself searching out Bats in the Watchtower. It only took him two minutes before he entered the room where the other man was located and zipped up to him.
"Bats," Wally greeted the other with a small smile. "Do you have a moment?"
Batman looked up at the approaching Speedster and gave a sharp nod, indicating that he was actually busy and that Wally should just go ahead and get done with it.
"I know how this might sound but...is it possible to cut some of my work for the League? It's just that…well I'm…" Wally cleared his throat, embarrassed, now that he actually said his request aloud. He probably sounded like a petulant child.
All he wanted to ask was to cut of some of the requests coming his way, no matter how convenient it might be or that he didn't mind them. Just to get a breather and-
Batman's face was strange. He usually scowled at people or glared at them or didn't really do anything with his face. Which was what Wally had been expecting; some kind of dismissal. But this one was new, like Bruce was kind of...disappointed?
Wally braced himself for whatever might come.
"Flash...everyone needs to do their share in the League. You know as well as I do that we all agreed on this, to split the work evenly between every member. Surely your load has decreased, considering our new batch of new members. It should be far less than we'd initially allocated."
One of Wally's fingers twitched while his face grew hot under his cowl. Less? Less?! Wally was pretty sure that he had never done so much since being a hero as in the last few weeks.
Surely it wasn't in all their interest that he did everyones work?
"But Bats I-"
"No 'buts' Flash. If it's really too much, then we might have to sit down with the others and see what the reason is. As of now however, things are evenly split between members and I know your share of work." Bruce's voice was stern and hard.
The topic was clearly over and Wally was dismissed.
Wally watched as Bats turned back to his work. Despair was clawing in his chest, making it feel tight. But if Bats said everything was equally split then he had to believe it.
Maybe he was just being whiney. Being one of the founders certainly meant more work and he could deal with that. Obviously had to deal with it. There was no way Wally would let the others come together for an unnecessary meeting because he couldn't handle his fair share of work.
Turning away, Wally left the Watchtower. He might as well catch some sleep before the next call came through, which probably was soon.
It was five weeks later when Wally contemplated taking an unannounced vacation. Just something to get away.
The exhaustion was bone deep now and the ever present hunger reaching a point where it was actually painful, instead of just-ignore-it-hungry.
But Wally knew that he just couldn't vanish at this point, people would notice after hours and he really didn't want to face the wrath of a frantic League. At least not the other original Leaguers anyway.
So Wally opted for the second thing he didn't want to face. Bats disappointment.
Finding Bats wasn't any more difficult than the last time and Wally was just glad to catch him alone. He really didn't want anyone else witnessing his failure. Not right away anyway.
Wally took his cowl off, feeling constricted despite the suit being a little loose on his body, and walked up to the table. He nervously placed his hand on it and tapped his fingers against it before stopping immediately.
It wouldn't do to annoy Bats from the beginning.
When he didn't immediately start Bats looked up and studied Wally's face, a frown appearing.
"Wally..?"
For a moment Wally thought he might have heard a concerned undertone from Bats but quickly dismissed it. Bruce was just probably mad that he was bothering him again so soon.
Wally's face became tight, his expression closed up while he blinked several times to will the tears away.
Great. He hadn't even said anything yet and here he was. Already crying.
At this point Bats stood up, his head slightly tilted to the side to assess the situation. He opened his mouth to ask what was going on but got cut off by Wally.
"I can't do it anymore! I know you said everyone has to do their share but I can't. I'm sorry but I tried and I can't." Wally tried to recognize if he was truly like this immature person that he felt to be right now.
But there wasn't even any energy left to try to talk normally. Instead he could hear his own voice wavering, cracking at certain moments, while tears gathered in his eyes. His face was likely red from embarrassment and defeat.
"I do everything as soon as it comes up but I need a break, Bruce. I need a break so badly that I'm ready to fling myself into the sun with GL's help just to get some rest!"
For a moment he actually needed to catch his breath, his feelings twisting around in his stomach and making him feel sick, despite not having eaten in a little while.
"W-"
"No! I can't! Ican'tIcan'tIcan't!," Wally gasped out, feeling a bit like he was running out of air, while the tears actually rolled down his cheeks and his hands curled into fists. His whole body was tense to the point of almost snapping.
"I need to sleep, Bruce, I need to eat! i get it that it's easy for me to do stuff but party preparations?! Cleaning peoples stuff? Doing their fair share of League work just because it's faster when I do it and I like to help? I can't do this anymore…" Wally's voice lost strength towards the end and he fell silent.
He leveled his gaze to Bats feet while awaiting his judgement for not being able to do his work. The disappointment.
The silence hung between them, Bruce probably trying to decide how to deal with an unwilling Speedster.
Though Wally had mused about it those past few weeks but he hadn't come up with anything. At least, he couldn't imagine what Bruce would say.
Maybe he would get the harshest of all Batglares. Which was probably the most gentle of all options.
"Wally," Bruce started again and came a step closer, staring at Wally's face who didn't look up.
With one hand, Bruce took Wally's chin between his fingers and lifted the other's face, tilting it left and right with controlled and slow motions.
Whatever he was looking for, he didn't seem to happy by finding it. If Bruce's scowl was anything to go by.
"What do you mean when you say you get no rest? Other people's work?"
Was Bruce serious?! Of course he was but Wally wasn't sure he heard right. Maybe he had already collapsed and was hallucinating.
"I meant what I said. People call me all the time. And I get that everyone knows that I like to help and that I'm too freaking stupid to say no but you said everyone's...you said everyone's got to do their work and..apparently I can't do mine."
He must look pathetic. With his red face and wet cheeks and red rimmed eyes. His tousled hair and haggard appearance. With-
"Why do people call you Wally? Since when? Who said that that's okay? When I said everyone needs to do their fair share of work I meant the work Superman and I delegate. One of us makes a plan and the other approves of it, nothing else needs to be done by you." Bruce's voice was almost gentle, while the hand on Wally's chin let him go and moved over a cheek, through his hair. Wally stilled, and only then did Bruce pull away and take a step back.
"Your communicator," Bruce demanded then and held open his gloved hand, waiting.
Confused, Wally just stared at it before fishing for the earpiece in his cowl. With a practiced motion he removed the communicator and placed it in the offered hand. "But what-"
"Let me handle any requests coming your way. You're going to be off duty for a whole week as Bruce Wayne will request your aid as a mechanic in Gotham. I'll inform Alfred that you're staying for a few nights."
Just like that. Apparently it was that easy to solve his problems.
Wally stared with a dumb expression at Bruce. It took him a moment to actually form words, since this was so far off anything he had imagined would happen.
What?
"I...uh...I mean...Bruce? You don't...you don't need to let me sleep at your place. It's actually…," Wally cleared his throat, nervously. "It's, uh, already enough that you're giving me a week off. You really don't-"
"No. You're staying, eating, and sleeping as much as you require. Alfred complains about me not eating anything anyway. Perhaps you'll serve as a distraction."
Logically, Wally knew that Bruce had humor and could be funny, but to hear an actual joke- at least Wally was pretty sure this was a joke - was just super weird.
Slowly, he looked at the floor again, glad that he had gone to Bats again. Relieved. Tension left his body and he could feel his exhaustion even more so.
He was just ready to fall into a bed and sleep for days.
"Thank you," he muttered and closed his eyes, his shoulders dropping low.
The hand on his shoulder made Wally open them just as fast again, his gaze meeting Bruce's.
"I'm...sorry." Bruce paused, holding Wally's gaze. "For not listening before."
Wally answered with a small smile, that after the smallest moment - Bruce returned.
