Long time no post, sorry...but here it is, another installment. Not many left.
As always I do not own DC.
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Why does it hurt so much?
Wally blinked.
Ow.
Opening his eyes, they slowly adjusted to the bright light flooding his vision. A sudden flashback to a similar room, bright lights, a man in a white coat cutting into him, the pain lancing through him as he brought down the knife. He gasped for air, the frantic noise of a heart monitor ringing in his ears as he fought to catch his breath.
"Flash!" He felt rough hands on his shoulder, he tried to adjust his vision, but the edges blurred as he tried to catch his breath.
"Wally." Wally felt warm breath by his ear, the comforting sound of Bruce's gravel voice calming him. "Wally, breathe. You're safe. You're on the Watchtower, I've got you."
Wally nodded, swallowing though his mouth was dry as he became aware of his surrounding. He could feel cold air blasting into his nose, so he fought to take it in. Taking deep breaths, he calmed his racing heart to it's normal, faster, rhythm. He saw a worried Dick, Roy, and Jason standing off to the side, ready to call for help should they need to.
Wally plastered a smile on his face, his forehead cool from the sweat that had formed in his panic. He looked around, taking in the hospital room, Bruce straightening, but grabbing a chair to sit close to Wally. Wally grabbed Bruce's gloved hand and squeezed, mostly to reassure himself that he was really there next to Bruce, but also because he could see the rigid set of Bruce's shoulders underneath the black cape.
"I'm good." Wally looked back up to the ceiling, swallowing hard before looking back at his friends and Bruce. "I'm good."
"Are you sure? I could call Richards in here–"
Bruce shook his head, "No, get the doctor on call. Richards is asleep in the conference room and I have a feeling he's going to be out for a while." He said, a pointed look in Jason's direction.
Dick looked surprised, "Really? That's good I suppose. He's been up for most of the last three days, but he was grabbing a coffee when I saw him an hour ago…"
Jason smirked, "I don't think he put in the right kind of sugar."
Roy smacked Jason, hard, on the shoulder, "You DRUGGED the doc?!"
Jason glared at the archer, rubbing his bruising arm, "Hey! I did it for his own good! We can't have Richards keeling over, he's gotta keep Walls alive, alright? Jeez. You act like I kicked a puppy or something…"
Dick just smirked, Wally chuckled as they all focused their attention back on the speedster.
Wally relaxed, his hand still in Bruce's but he loosened his grip. "Can you sit me up?"
Bruce nodded, adjusting the bed, and it's occupant so that Wally was sitting comfortably in the room, he rolled his neck and loosened his shoulders, feeling every twinge of pain in his body as he adjusted in the hospital bed.
He sighed, "Alright. Let me have it."
"Have what?" Jason asked, moving from the doorway to the closest chair, propping his feet on the end of the bed, receiving a glare from Bruce that made him change his mind.
"I've known you all for a long time. You all look ready to jump, so have at it. I know when you guys want to yell at me."
Dick pounced, his hands waving in frustration as he yelled at his friend. "Of all the boneheaded, stupid, rash, STUPID–"
"You already said stupid." Wally quipped, quieting at the death glare he received from four pairs of eyes.
"Yeah, well I think it bears repeating. Wally, you could have died. Then what? We'd be screwed! That's what!" Dick shouted, now standing right next to Wally, the redhead wincing as his best friend continued on his rant, occasionally tuning him out as he watched Roy and Jason nod in agreement over a few things, but most of his attention was on Bruce, who hadn't moved, but his grip on Wally's hand tightened.
"I mean really, Wallace!" Dick was yelling at the air now more than he was at Wally as he paced around the room, arms flailing, "I know you were trying to be a hero, but what you did was completely and utterly unnecessary and idio–"
"Dick." Jason cleared his throat. "As enlightening as your knowledge base of synonyms for 'stupid' is, I think we should leave dark and scary here with Walls." Jason shared a knowing look with Wally, the speedster silently thanking him. "Alone."
Dick just huffed, crossed his arms and stared at Wally for a moment before letting out a sigh and put his hand on Wally's bandaged shoulder. "Fine. But just don't do anything like that again? Okay, Wally?"
Wally just smiled, clasping his friend's hand. "No problem, Dickiebird."
Dick just rolled his eyes, but smiled as the three younger men left the hospital room.
Wally watched them leave, almost reluctant to have the room alone with Bruce. Slowly he turned to look at Bruce, the man silent, but watching him closely.
"Bruce. Before you say anything–" Bruce held up a gloved hand, silencing Wally.
"No. It's my turn and you're going to listen to me." Bruce ground out, his hand falling to his side as he stood from the chair. Bruce removed his cowl, the look in his eyes making Wally nervous.
"What you did was reckless, but I would have done the same thing in your shoes. I understand why you did it, logically you felt it was the best option with your healing abilities under normal circumstances. Luthor had weapons we had trouble beating and you cut off the head of the snake. I understand that." Bruce stated, voice cool, but his eyes told another story altogether. "But illogically, I want to strangle you. I want to toss you in a tower, lock it and throw away the key." His voice was quiet but filled emotion. "I don't care about what the options were, there could have been another one. We could have figured something else out, but you took yourself as the bargaining chip off the table and managed to neutralize the hostile target. I understand as Batman, but as me–as Bruce–I don't ever want to hold you in my arms as you die again."
Wally was dumbfounded, his throat hurt as he listened to Bruce pour out all his anguish. The past few days had been Hell for Wally and Wally knew they had been Hell for Bruce too.
Bruce looked up from the ground, eyes bright with his anger, fear, and love. "Don't ever make me do that again, Wally."
Wally nodded, throat dry as he watched Bruce move closer. Wally grabbed Bruce's gloved hand, holding it close to his chest.
"I can't promise I won't ever be stupid again," Bruce frowned, eyes narrowing into a glare, "But I love you. I will think of something else. I have something to live for Bruce. I won't ever leave that intentionally."
Bruce plopped down into the chair, all the pent up worry and emotions from the day just leaving him knowing Wally was finally safe. Finally home.
Bruce watched Wally's eyelids begin to droop. A small smile escaped his lips before he leaned forward and placed them on Wally's bandaged forehead.
"Rest up. I'll be here when you wake up."
Wally's eyes locked onto Bruce's own, the anxiety in his green gaze sending a sharp pain of concern into Bruce's chest. Bruce reached out, grabbing Wally's hand. Wally squeezed hard.
"Bruce." Wally shut his eyes tight, looking back into Bruce's blue eyes with a more controlled look than a moment before, "You promise? This isn't just a dream?"
Bruce glowered inwardly, wishing like hell he could beat the crap out of the man responsible for Wally being so scared to close his eyes.
"I promise Wally. I will be here when you wake up, this is real."
Wally nodded, letting out a huge sigh, he smiled as he drifted off to sleep, Bruce helping him a bit by pushing the morphine twice so Wally would have some rest.
Leaning back in his chair, Bruce ran a frustrated hand over his masked face, longing to take off the masks and just spend time alone with Wally when one of them wasn't in a hospital bed. His own eyes closed, the soft beeps of the machine lulling him. The chaos of the past 72 hours drained him and he soon stumbled into the darkness after Wally, his thoughts of mischievous smiles and corny jokes, hand still locked with Wally's for his sanity as much as Wally's.
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Yeah! Thanks for reading!