A/N: Another one inspired by a prompt, provided by an anonymous tumblr user. I don't usually bother sharing the prompt here, but I felt like I should be congratulated from turning "birdflash sharing a bed for the first time" into Failsafe angst. Because what we need in this fandom is more angst, clearly :P
Dick and Wally had had their fair share of nightmares over the years. It was something one came to accept as a side-effect of becoming a hero. They had never been a serious problem for Wally until after the team's psychic training exercise went wrong.
It was strange how, despite the team having barely said a word to each other since it happened, they all ended up coming together in the living area day after day after day… only to sit there in silence. Sometimes M'gann would try to cook, but it was rare for her to complete any of the meals she started.
Dick was hunched stiffly over the counter beside Wally, his dark sunglasses doing nothing to hide his pallor and the bruise-like shadows under his eyes. Wally almost wanted to reach out and touch him, but even looking at the younger boy was painful after what they'd been through. Heat dashed over Wally's skin almost like they were back inside that alien ship and he flinched so violently that he nearly fell off his stool.
Black Canary's therapy sessions came and went. Wally felt no different afterwards, but he caught a glimpse of Dick after his. The boy looked exhausted, but the tension of the previous days seemed to have eased somewhat, enough that he no longer felt like there was an invisible barrier between them.
"Rob!" Wally caught up with him. Dick managed a small, albeit tired, smile.
"Hey, KF."
"You sticking around?"
"Yeah, I guess." Dick rubbed one of his eyes beneath his glasses. "B's been a little overbearing since the… yeah."
Silence.
Wally rubbed the back of his neck. "So, uh, did you want to play video games or something?"
"Not really," Dick murmured. "I'm kind of tired, and your arm's still in a cast. Maybe another time?"
"Yeah. Okay." Wally watched as Dick headed off in the direction of his quarters. That could've gone worse, he supposed, even as disappointment flooded his insides. It would've been nice to get his mind off things for a while, and it looked like Dick could have benefited from that, too. But, hey, at least the world hadn't ended. That was always a bonus.
Wally tried playing games by himself for a while, despite the cast on his arm, but his heart wasn't in it. He ended up going to bed early. Like Dick, he was sleeping at Mount Justice for the time being because of overbearing parents. He just couldn't really bring himself to act normal around them when he knew that Barry had told them what had happened. It had been hard enough to put on a brave face in front of Black Canary.
Wally lay awake, staring blindly in the general direction of his ceiling. Black Canary had probably been right about his reaction to Artemis' death, but it didn't mean anything, really. M'gann had been upset about it, too. It wasn't like Artemis was the only person Wally had felt weirdly connected to anyway. He'd followed Dick to the depths of hell and… argh, shit's complicated. He should just stop thinking about it before he made his head hurt.
His communicator beeped on the table beside his bed. Wally groaned and shoved the thing in his ear. "What?"
"It's me," said Dick. "Did I wake you?"
"No. Can't sleep."
"Me neither. Can I come in?"
Wally rolled his eyes. "You're right outside the door ready to break in, aren't you?"
"I don't think it counts as breaking in when you told me your passcode ages ago."
"How do you know I haven't changed it?"
"You do remember who you're talking to, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. Get in here already."
The door slid open after a moment and Dick stepped inside. He hadn't bothered putting on his sunglasses or changing out of the t-shirt and sweatpants he slept in. To be fair, though, it was well after midnight and everybody else was probably asleep… or at least pretending they were, much like Wally had been.
"Are you just going to keep standing there?" Wally said irritably. It was an ungodly hour and the fact he hadn't slept well the past few days was really starting to get to him.
"Shut up," Dick muttered, closing the door and leaving them in darkness. Wally could just make out his shape as he padded over to the bed. "Shove over."
"Dude, what?"
"Don't be an ass. It's cold."
"Fine." Wally scooted back towards the wall to make room for Dick, who climbed in under the covers beside him.
"Relax. I'm not going to steal your virtue."
Wally sighed. "Why are you here?"
"Because if I have to spend one more night staring at the ceiling, going over every decision I made in the simulation, I am going to lose my mind." Dick punched the pillow into a more comfortable position.
"What'd my pillow ever do to you?"
Dick laughed bitterly. "Typical. You can't handle a serious conversation so you change the subject."
"That's not fair," Wally complained. "We've had plenty of serious conversations."
"I…" Dick grunted and shoved his face into the pillow, muffling his next words a little. "I know. Sorry."
"Apology accepted."
"Do you think about the simulation?"
Wally so didn't want to talk about this, but with Dick already in a bad mood there was no way he could avoid it. "A bit. It was pretty rough in there. Um… what's bothering you about it specifically?"
Dick made a noise that was probably supposed to be a growl, but since his voice was so high it was kind of hard to tell. "I already went over this with Black Canary."
"Hey, you brought it up. Just saying. Please don't hit me."
"I'm not going to hit you. Not tonight, anyway." Dick rolled over onto his back, kicking the bedcovers a little more violently than was required. "I just… I don't think I want to be in charge anymore."
"That's a good thing, right? I mean, assuming you'd automatically be made leader back when this whole team started was pretty cocky and, may I add, annoying."
"I promised I wouldn't hit you. Don't test me." Dick wouldn't stop squirming. Wally wouldn't be surprised if he was always like this in bed… in a non-sexual way. "Growing up with Batman, I always thought I'd end up being a leader… a good leader."
"I thought you did a pretty good job in the simulation," Wally said. "I mean, given the circumstances and everything."
"I hated it," Dick admitted. "All of it. Don't tell me they were necessary. I know that already. It doesn't make it any easier. If being a leader means having to sacrifice my friends—to sacrifice you—I don't want that responsibility."
"That's probably a good thing," Wally tried to assure him. "Kaldur never really wanted to be our leader, either. We chose him. And he's done a good job."
Dick made a small, non-committal noise in his throat. "If you say so. Anyway, that's it. That's my great ball of angst that's keeping me up at night. So, uh, is there anything you need to get off your chest?"
"I think I might be in love with two people at once," Wally admitted. And you're one of them, he wanted to add, but didn't.
Dick snorted. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
"Oh, hey, you hear that sound? That's the sound of my heart breaking."
"There is no sound, Wally."
Wally put his hand over Dick's mouth. "Shhh, listen. Eugh!" Dick had licked his fingers. "Dude!"
"What did you expect me to do, Wally? You should know better."
"Yeah, I should." Wally yawned so widely that he felt his jaw crack. "So, you're staying here all night?"
"That's the plan."
"How's that going to work? Should be create a dividing line of no homo, or—"
"I think I'm secure enough in my masculinity to snuggle with my best friend." As if to demonstrate, Dick wriggled closer and put his head on Wally's shoulder. "Now, how about we try to get some sleep."
Wally snaked his arm around and petted the top of Dick's head. "Sure, why not?"
Wally had doubted he'd be able to get to sleep with the little acrobat cuddled up next to him, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy. Both boys awoke the next morning, refreshed and happier than they'd felt in a long time.