Dick heard him before he saw wally. It was a sound that once comforted him but the steps were angry and hostile. It was a day after mount justice was blown up but he knew better Wally was worried about artemis, he was too. Artemis and kaldur had the weight and fate of the entire world on their shoulders if this mission failed who knew how long the human race would last under the reaches control.
Wally was shaking with anger when he walked through the door, he'd be mad too if his best friend sent the girl he loved on a possibly deadly mission, oh wait he knew the pain because he loved artemis he understood how it felt to be terrified for her safety.
"What happened" Wally snarled, his face contorted a bit and nightwing sighed
"It was necessary" he said as he set down the cup on the table.
"It better of been spill"
"aqua lad needed to find away to help us rescue lagoon boy, he'd all ready inserted the micro scopic tag into lagoon boys blood stream, and used the raid on the cave to pass on necessary information a flash drive with among other things tracking software that can track down lagoon boy" he was trying to explain it but wally just wasn't having it.
"like that's all he did"
"wally he had to make it look good"
"he took three more hostages!" "and we'll rescue them when we rescue lagoon boy"
That only made him madder he grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to him so he could see the anger and worrie fighting in his eyes "dick he blew up the cave! You guys almost died"
"No, that's all on the flash drive too, he gave us enough time to get out. But we got stuck in the debris field. He had to blow it up to secure his spot with the light"
"that's what "killing" artemis was suppose to do!" his heart sped up at her name and he tried to swallow the lump in his throat . "I guess it didn't convince them" " you guess he blew up the cave!"
"the cave was just, was just a place look im sorry that you lost your souvenirs-"
"are you serios!" wallu pushed him down into the chair behind him before continuing " i don't care about the souvenirs, im worried about artemis's safety. But you wouldn't understand would you! You were the one who sent her on that death mission" wally spat. Before wally could blink nightwing had jumped to his feet
"I don't understand! Do you know how worried I am about her! I don't think you can even rap your head around how much it killed me to send her on that mission wally. I haven't got any sleep because I cant help but worry. Im the one who has that burden over my head, im the one whod have to live with the guilt if anything was to happen to her" he was screaming tears were streaming down his face.
the look on wallys face was one of surprise his voice was tender as he spoke but still enraged "you're in love with her, aren't you?!"
Night wing stood rigid eyes closed as he flashed back to the first time he met her, he was thirteen and the only one who believed in her. He then was transported to her first day and Gotham academy she was awkward and didn't really look like she belonged in the school uniform but like always she looked beautiful. 'we'll laugh about this someday' rang out in his head he could remember the picture perfectly eyes wide in surprise her hair in her signature ponytail…
He didn't know how long he stood there before looking up at his best friend . His throat was dry and voice raspy as he replied " yes" wallys eyes darkened warning him to stop there but he didn't " you don't understand, I loved her before you did, automatically when she joined the team, remember I defended her when you doubted her. But I never went after her because I realized that you liked her so I backed off, I knew that she was happy with her and I thought ' well id rather be happy with you then missrable with me" at this point dick was crying hed never told anyone this no one knew he harbored feelings for the archer all these years " so I backed off I, dated other girls even but it never worked because i..i didn't like them as much as I did artemis. It became easier to deal with after you guys quit but.. when aqua lad called and said he needed help with the mission I called her I knew she was the best choice for the roll of an assassin. You would think after five years I wouldn't lover anymore. But I did im sorry wally…" I looked up at him, looked him in the eyes
" why didn't you tell me, im supposed to be your best friend" he whispered
" because she was happy and I would never risk that" it was the truth he loved her enough to leave her be. Friendship was enough but it still killed him inside.
