Losing

A.N.: Hey, no reviews on the last chapter. Did I do something wrong? Please let me know.

If it wasn't clear before, Dick left the mansion while he was mulling over leaving the mansion. Sort of like when you use your phone in your room for a while, and when you look up, you get disoriented. Enjoy!

"Alfred, have you seen Dick?" Bruce asked, almost casually, as he walked into the kitchen.

"I ordered him to get some sleep, sir. He should be in his room." Alfred flipped one of the pancakes on the griddle.

"He's not there, now. I just checked."

"Perhaps he went into the parlor or back to his apartment?"

"He's not there, either, and his phone is still in his room. His headphones and mask are there too." Bruce glanced at the clock, which told him he was already late for work, and shook his head, making up his mind.

"Keep an eye out for him. Search the house if you need to. If you still can't find him, call Wally and get him to look around town."

Bruce grabbed a blueberry pancake to eat in the car, and then left a rather worried Alfred behind.

BREAKLINE

Going outside had been a stupid decision, Dick concluded. Every single light burned his eyes until he could barely see anything else, and the sound that had once been white noise of the daily grind now ground into his ears like nails on a chalkboard. The noises really got under his skin and made him clench his fists. The much faster beating of his heart didn't help matters.

And the smells. He'd never noticed the way everything smelled, before, and now he couldn't ignore it if he tried.

Even worse was the fact that there were no more good smells in the city. Hot dog venders reeked of sweat, yeast, and disgustingly oily water. Flowers were sharp instead of subtle, and every woman's perfume made him want to gag as he passed them.

But, he decided, trees were tolerable enough. So, he claimed a spot on a wooden bench in a shaded area, watching as the first few yellow leaves began to fall from the tree branches and wishing for a cooler day.

Half an hour passed, and it had only gotten hotter. More people began to spill onto the streets, making the noise in his ears even worse, and raising his heart rate further.

Something rushed past him, making him cough as he caught its scent in the breeze.

"Dude!" he exclaimed, edging away from the man at his side. "Take a shower, once in a while!"

Wally chuckled and gave his friend a light shove. Dick smiled and tried not to breathe.

"So, what gives? I heard you got out of the superhero game. I didn't think you'd leave so soon, if ever."

"Yeah," Dick agreed. He cleared his throat. "Unforeseen circumstances."

"Circumstances like…"

"A diagnosis. I'm sick."

"Sick like, deathly sick?" Dick shook his head.

"No, I'll live. But I can't fight in my condition, at least not now."

"You'll get back at it," the ginger replied, sighing as he relaxed against the back of the bench. "You won't let something like this stop you."

Dick smiled at the simple ease the speedster spoke with.

"Thanks, man." He wiped some sweat off of his brow. "Aren't you hot in that?" His friend was wearing a zipped jacket and jeans, whereas he himself was wearing nothing but a t shirt, sweatpants, and some sneakers.

"No, it's only, like, 50 degrees out. Are you hot?" Dick nodded, rubbing his temples to ward off the headache blooming in his skull. The smells and sounds were really getting to him.

"I'd better get home," he said. Wally smiled like that had been some secret goal of his.

Dick got up, and immediately doubled over in pain, biting out a curse and wondering why he didn't notice this earlier.

He was changing. In public.

He felt Wally pull one of his arms over his shoulder, trying to keep him from hitting the ground.

"What's wrong?" he asked immediately. Dick couldn't see his face; his eyes were squeezed shut.

"You need to get me out of here," he replied breathlessly. Already he could feel his bones fighting crunch into position, and he focused hard on keeping them where they were.

"Where?" Wally asked, holding his friend's head so as to look him in the eyes. Dick flinched.

"I don't care! Just get me out of the way!" Wally didn't need to be told twice.

He picked up the brunette in a bridal-style hold and rushed him to a back-alley at the edge of the inner city, where he gingerly placed him on the ground in the disgusting place.

"How can I he-"

"Get out," Dick snarled, fighting to keep his voice steady. He could feel himself shaking with effort. He heard Wally draw in a breath.

Dick, with no lack of pain, raised his head and opened his eyes to glare at his best friend, who stepped back at the mere sight of him and his glowing eyes.

"Get. Away. From me." This time, he outright growled around the fangs filling his mouth. And not just a figurative growl; he literally made the most inhuman sound he'd ever made.

The older took a step back, before vanishing into thin air with a light breeze. Dick dropped his head.

Focus, he told himself. Just breathe. With this, there were just three problems.

Inhale through nose: alcohol and stale pee.

Exhale through mouth: The taste of alcohol and stale pee.

Hold breath: increase stress and encourage the transformation.

It didn't help, either way. Each breath brought a fresh wave of stench.

Somewhere – probably near the city center, but not nearly far enough for him – gunshots went off, and there were people screaming.

He clamped his hands over his ears to block out the sound, but that didn't do much good.

His ears still rang like nails on a chalkboard, making him clench his jaw so hard that he could almost feel a tooth crack.

Dick cursed again, half-opening his eyes and seeing only about half of the alley. He tried to ignore the scent of seat radiating off him as he wiped a tear from his furry face and the dark tunnel closed around him.

A.N.: I promise; I'll start the next chapter soon, ok? Speaking of, what do you want to see happen? Should Wally Go after Dick or go tell Alfred? Should Dick terrorize the city, or run off to the mansion? Thank you for your time, and GOD BLESS!