Wally's room was lit only by the blue glow of his digital clock. As 11:46 slowly crept onto 11:47 Wally heard a knock on his door. It was quiet yet loud enough to wake him from his light slumber. Still half-asleep, and partly lazy, he groaned out, "It's open."
The door slowly opened, a dark figure stepping into the room. Wally heard the door shut and rolled over to see who the late night visitor was. Dick's body and face looked blue in the glow. Confused, wondering why the bird would want to talk to him to late at night, Wally propped himself up onto his elbows.
"What's the matter?" Dick ignored the question or pretended to not have heard it as he approached Wally's bed and sat on the floor just beside it, his back pressed against the mattress. Wally waited but Dick still didn't say anything.
Wally sighed and slowly let himself down onto the floor next to Dick, bringing most of the comforter with him. They sat in silence. Wally watched as the number seven on his alarm clock turned into an eight, nine, zero and then eventually a three. He turned his head and looked at Dick. His shoulders were hunched, his sunglasses on the tip of his nose. Wally could tell something was wrong, something was upsetting his best friend. But Wally knew better. Dick would tell him when he was ready.
The number three on the clock slowly etched into a number seven. For the most part Wally's mind had began to wonder onto other things—like the calculus homework he was neglecting and if today was Saturday or Sunday. He still didn't know which day of the week it was when Dick finally spoke.
"I don't want to be him."
Wally was more than thoroughly confused, "What—"
"I don't want to be the Batman." Oh.
"What? Nobody said you have—"
"I know but... I always thought that I'd grow up and take over the mantle and become him. That people would expect me to. That's what I wanted but now... I just can't be Batman." Dick finally turned his head to look at Wally but Wally didn't say anything, he let Dick continue, "I'm nothing like him. I don't have his drive, his motivation, I don't—"
"Dick, I think it's a good thing you're nothing like him." Said bird scoffed at the remark, "I'm serious. You're better than him. You can kick a lot of ass without having a stick up yours." Dick's snorted. At least Wally could still get him to laugh. Some what. Now was not the time for jokes, however, although he was sincere with his words. Wally pulled the comforter down from the bed and threw half of it over Dick's shoulders.
"Look, nobody expects you to become him but you. If you don't want to become him then don't." Dick gave a slight nod and leaned against Wally, his head against the ginger's shoulder.