A/N: Here it is guys (I just know you've all been waiting with baited breath!), read, relax, review!
Only Human
Chapter 8
"Flash, you are in my way." The Scarlet Speedster almost dropped his newest snack at the sound of the rasping voice. He hadn't expected to hear that for a while yet, least of all while he was loitering around the corridors in between emergencies. That voice, though, could scare a rock.
"Bats! God, you could warn a person!" he squinted at the dark outline that managed to find the only shadows in the entire Tower. "I thought that you were stuck in the infirmary."
"The infirmary is for the infirm." growled the Bat as the swept past the stilled superhero.
"Well, yeah," retorted the Flash as he turned around, "but-" he was talking to an empty hallway. 'And I'm supposed to be the fastest man alive.' He thought sarcastically 'Maybe guano face does have superpowers after all. He seems to be his own charming self again.' This thought was encouraged by no small bit of relief. If the Bat had been holding out on them then perhaps his inaction had not caused quite as much damage as originally believed. In any case, the other man's scathing tone did a lot to alleviate any excess guilt. Still something had struck him as off about the Bat. Maybe he'd talk to J'honn about it. Yea, that was a good idea, the Martian had watch duty about now and pestering him about the truth of the Bat's abilities would be something fun to do if nothing else. Maybe the green leaguer would beat Superman's standing record for the longest length of time it had taken any member to tell him to shut up.
1…1
One corner away from Flash the Batman was losing the battle to remain upright. Quietly he suppressed a growl at his own weakness. He detested weakness, especially in himself. In others it was something to be dealt with, exploited, confronted. In him, it was intolerable. In something as akin to desperation as he would allow himself to become he envisioned his pain compartmentalized, boxed away, under lock and key, then he shoved the entire affair deep into the dark reassess of his mind where fluttering shapes and blood stained pearls would keep it in good company.
Opening his eyes he found himself on the ground, supported on one side by the cold metal of the wall. He didn't think he had been there long. As he stood he noted absently that collapsing had not been the best idea as far as his injuries were concerned, but he quickly filed that observation away with the other things he did not feel it important to acknowledge at that time. The hanger was that way, just a few turns passed this sections cafeteria, which would no doubt need to be restocked seeing as the Flash had come from this direction. That kid really annoyed him sometimes.
1…1
"Hey J'onn! J'hooonn? You in here?" called the Flash as he entered the immense hub, control, and monitoring station that was essentially the heart of the Watchtower. "Come on, I just wanna talk!"
"Have you not a city to care for?" came the resigned voice of the long suffering J'onn J'onzz. He already knew that nothing would stop the Flash when he wished to 'chat'. Well, nothing short of the Batman's stern presence. Obviously that was not going to save the Martian this night.
"Well, yea, but I already ran a few laps around it and figured I'd hitch a ride up here for a bit. Besides," he shifted, as uncomfortable as the Martian had ever seen him, "I wanted to see how Bats was doing. I'm glad he's up and grumpy and stuff you know? But now I'm thinking that you and Sups have been holding out on us. I mean the guy practically got blown up and then was buried by debris and now he's walking' around! Exactly what kind of powers-" but the Martian was no longer listening, he was staring at the scrolling readouts coming directly from the infirmary. According to this, the Batman was still asleep. But the Flash implied, had said…
"Flash, are you saying you have seen the Batman out of the infirmary today?" J'onn interrupted rather abruptly.
"Um, yea. I was kind of surprised actually, even asked him about it, but you know Bats he just said," here the speedster effected a mockingly deep voice "'infirmaries are for the infirm' then he just walked off. Kinda curt, but then I try not to take that too personal any more." Once again the Martian had stopped listening; he was carefully reviewing some of his data. Yes, there it was- a slight variation that happened again, and again. And again. As if in a loop. Of course.
"Where did you encounter the Batman? This is very important."
"Down by the cafeteria, I kinda assumed he was hungry, you know what they say about hospital food…"
"Flash. You stay here and monitor, I am needed elsewhere." The hanger was on the same level.
'Darn,' thought Flash inanely as he watched the Martian depart and wondered just where he was going. 'Another couple of minutes ad he would have had Sups' record in the dust.'
A/N: Woot! I could defiantly get used to writing Flash, he's so…fun! Anyway, please drop a line guys!
Special thanks to Saibachick, thevigilante15, Capt. Incredible, and Valandil for reviewing last chapter- it means a lot guys. Next chapter coming soon!