Hey everyone! It's been a bit of a BM/WW hiatus for me. I was starting to miss it! This was a plot bunny that had been rolling around in my head for awhile and it's finally coming into fruition.
And of course, this story is eventual BMWW because I'm an addict and I can't stop.
A/N: Nothing's mine.
Kapupul. Ghost orchid. Campion. Diana took mental note of each beautiful flower surrounding her. Some names she knew only in Greek. Or Latin. Some of the rarer ones, gifts from unique places on man's world, she knew by common name. But she loved each one individually.
She always took time to herself in the gardens, an easy to decompress after a long day. Earth's beauty was beneficial for the soul, and Diana was thankful for its abundance. Especially when aboard the Watchtower.
The Watchtower gardens were growing at a steady rate. They were at first established due to insistence from Diana herself, accompanied by J'onn. Diana needed a place to reconnect with nature, to be completely vulnerable without the threat of peering Earth eyes; where J'onn simply needed an inner sanctum to meditate. The gardens were the answer. Both Amazonian and Martian had helped fine-tune the area to make it ideal for all those aboard the Watchtower.
And today was no different. Diana took in a deep breath of the clean air and felt tensions in her back release. While humming a song, she sat and listened to a dainty waterfall trickling its way down onto a man-made (and Amazonian-made) brook. The craftsmanship behind it was amazing, and she took pride in it. The tiny waterfalls among the space sustained many of the flowers aboard the space station. Recycled air and water made it's way into compartments that fed biotic and hydrological systems, both helping create ideal temperatures for the many flowers and trees aboard an otherwise flora-less station.
Since she had been banished from Themyscira, Diana often found herself at the gardens. To meditate and pray. To cry. To day-dream. It was necessary for her mental health. Even battle-hardened warriors needed to repair their inner selves.
Diana settled onto a cool marble bench that sat before an assortment of jade vines that were coming into full bloom. She gave a silent thanks to Hera and began to meditate.
A change in the temperature of the room alerted Diana to the presence of another being entering the sanctum. She need not open her eyes, as she did not feel the need. Possibly another League member enjoying the splendor of the garden. However, the other League member had different plans.
"Wondy!" A male voice gasped. "Here you are! I've been looking for you everywhere."
Diana's eyes opened. Sure enough the Scarlet Speedster was right in her personal space. "Wally. I was trying to meditate."
He looked so dejected that Diana immediately regretted her words.
"I'm... I'm sorry Diana. I can talk to you at a better time." He started to slink away like an abandoned puppy.
She sighed. "No, I'm sorry. What can I help you with?"
He started to fidget with his hands. "Actually the more I think about it, the dumber it sounds."
"You can tell me," Diana offered. "Is someone hurt?"
"No! No, it's nothing like that..." He took a seat next to her on the bench. "You see, I have been having anxiety lately. Trouble at work, with Linda, with my aunt. I ... I think I'm overworking myself. Mentally that is. I feel like I need to see a therapist."
Not entirely sure where this was headed, Diana nodded and tried her best to show support. "Okay, that sounds healthy. A therapist would help you how?"
"Well, they're kind of like a brain doctor. Don't know if you have - ... had, anything like that on Themyscira. Like a psychologist or shrink. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself here. I think I need to see what the root of the problem is. I know I need to work it out with myself, but I'm having trouble."
"I see. I'm sorry you're feeling so anxious. I want to help. Do you need me to accompany you to the brain doctor?"
Wally grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, well, yes that would be nice. But what I mean to ask is, you see, the good therapists in Central City are pretty booked up. Plus while my insurance covers it, it doesn't cover it all. It can get pretty expensive." He shrugged. "American health care system, am I right?"
Diana shook her head. "I guess?" She felt bad, she still didn't know the ins and outs of man's world as well as she would have liked.
"Sorry, I'm rambling." He took a deep breath. "Diana what I'm meaning to ask is: would you use the Lasso of Truth on me?"
She did not see that coming. "What?! No!"
Wally looked so immediately hurt, Diana scrambled to explain herself.
"Wally, it's not a toy to play with. It's formed from Aphrodite's girdle. Empowered by the fires of Hestia. It's not just not something to mess with."
"No, I get it... I just... It's to help you tell the truth, right? I feel like it will help me cut the BS and just get to the point of what's bothering me. I mean, that's the whole point with therapy. Therapists can't read your mind, but you already know the answer, they just help you get there." Wally sighed and stood up. "But it makes sense that your amazing weapons wouldn't be helpful for your friends."
Diana wasn't sure if his words were trying to guilt her, but, actually, he was right. It could work to help her friends. In fact, it had before. She had known of the lasso even helping her sisters come to clearer understandings and working out truths.
"Sit back down." Diana ordered, and Wally did just so.
Thankfully the lasso was right at her side, on the opposite side from where Wally was sitting. She unhooked it from her belt and held it up. It gleamed and glittered like refined gold.
"It's so beautiful." Wally finally said.
"It really is."
"It's not going to hurt me, is it?"
Diana shook her head. "You may feel warmth, if anything."
She looped the lasso around his chest and tugged gently. It glowed brighter and brighter with every passing second.
"Diana, you're the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. And I mean it. Someday when you least expect it I'm going to kiss you and maybe someday you'll let me... AAHHHHHHH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!"
Diana slipped it off with the flick of her wrist. She had been quite wide-eyed, if not slightly amused. And maybe a tad embarrassed.
"Um, thank you Wally." She smiled. "That was sweet."
"I was not prepared for that."
She laughed and shook her head. "Neither was I."
"Okay, I want to try it again..."
"Maybe don't look at me this time."
Wally was already looking away. "I'm not even going to think about you. No offense."
"None taken." Diana looped the lasso around him again. And again, it glowed. Wally was silent, Diana offered a quiet. "Clear your mind. Focus on what is troubling you the most."
Wally remained quiet for a few more moments before the words tumbled out of his mouth.
"...I'm afraid of committing to Linda, not because I don't love her. I love her. I want to marry her. Because I'm afraid of not being good enough for her. I'm afraid of letting her down. Which in turn will let my job down, my team down. I'm afraid of getting hurt in battle and leaving her alone. So I want to push her away. I want to push my Aunt Iris away because I feel like I would only hurt her. I'm afraid of becoming like my dad, domineering and pushy. He always made me feel worthless. Like I've never been good enough for him. I never want Linda to feel like that. Or my League-mates. I love them all so much. Even Bats."
Diana felt like it was a good stopping point, as she noticed the tears in Wally's eyes. She slipped the lasso off and watched Wally break down into quiet sobs.
She rubbed his back and offered a gentle, "I'm sorry, that was probably too much for you."
Wally managed to compose himself and shook his head. To Diana's surprise he was now smiling. He wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his hand. "Actually, that was great! I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. What we just uncovered would've taken me months. Maybe a year, with a real therapist." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I need to go see Linda."
He stood up. "Diana, I am eternally grateful to you."
Diana shook her head. "It was nothing, I am thankful for your friendship and that I can help you."
He bent down and gave her a quick hug. "Sorry, that stuff about my dad, …that was a bit heavy."
"Please don't apologize, I am glad that you feel comfortable enough with me to share such a fragile moment."
Wally nodded. "Yeah, well... maybe we can do this again next week? Same time?"
"Again?" Diana was surprised. At first she was afraid he wouldn't want to see the lasso ever again.
"Yeah! Your lasso is a life saver! So does next week work, or...?"
Diana knew her Monitor Womb duty would be over around the same time. "Sure. As long as Gorilla Grodd isn't trying to take over Metropolis."
"Thank you! You are the best! I can't wait to tell everyone what just happened!"
"Wait! What!" Diana stood up, but Wally, being the Flash himself, he was long gone.
Diana sat back down and stared at the forgotten jade vines.
"Oh Hera, what have I gotten myself into?"