Part two

He chewed gum incessantly. A nervous habit he must have copied from Artemis perhaps. He was not grounded actually, and it wasn't like he didn't love spending time with his long time girlfriend but he thought today he wanted to remember why Wally West was the cliché Kid flirt. Not that he would cheat on Artemis ever, but a little playing around, charming some girl without actually offering anything was what he wanted. Something he would never do with Artemis near.

He trotted to the Ferris wheel line waiting for the round to end. It was currently paused due to technical difficulties so he let his mind relax a bit. He couldn't go around stressing for something he already did. Though the guilt remained. Wally arched his neck upwards in attempt to massage the numbness out of it. His eyes paused at the sparkling stars and lights. Traveled to the tall wheel lighted by rainbow flashes and ended on a booth. He did pause in mid chew when he saw a couple busy in a heated lip lock. Teenagers he thought rolling his eyes and resting them on the line again. His brain processed the faces until then.

He glanced abruptly to the booth where he saw his ex-best friend and ex-girlfriend. The smirk left his face almost immediately. As if they had sensed his stare they pulled away and the ride got to its end. Not in a million years did Wally West think he would be in the middle of a stupid teenage drama like he was now; standing on a waiting line in a Gotham Fair at midnight. Strangely enough he didn't think of the guilt of being there a second after what he saw.

He glanced away angrily tears threatening to leave his eyes. Angry tears, painfully agonizing hurt tears. He walked, slowly moved his feet so they weren't rooted to the ground anymore and decided to go back home.

-o-

"I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse and almost inexistent. "Okay-" She didn't think she would find a voice until words flew out of her mouth by themselves. "I love Wally." She almost sobbed in a raspy tone.

He couldn't help the sting in his heart and the drying of his eyes. The bile was gathering up in his mouth as he tried to keep his poker face. He knew she didn't need to tell him. A bittersweet chuckle left his mouth. "Me too." Artemis finally showed a shocked expression and he laughed sadly relaxed with the change of mood. "In a totally not gay way Ar-te-mis." He said her name softly hinting his guilt in each phrase.

"I will leave now." Artemis said her eyebrows furrowing worriedly. Her fingers twitched and he wanted to hold them in his cold hands, squeeze them and kiss them. She was killing him, he desired to comfort her just as she had tried to do whit him and how did he pay her? Kissing her while she was dating his best friend. Why did he kiss her? He always thought, analyzed and then acted but Artemis just threw off his principles. "Will you come back?" He asked carefully half hoping she would say no, half begging she would say yes. She didn't, she just neared him, a crystalline drop rolled down her cheek making him freeze in place. He did not expect that. Where was his bat training when he needed it?

He flinched slightly when air alerted his body of her proximity. She was close yet far away. He felt her sigh unsteadily. She was crying silently but he heard it so loud in his head. She felt awful. So did he. Suddenly her smooth forehead was pressed against his. He didn't do cuddling or PDA or anything but now, with her he found out he actually liked it. Her little nose was red as he noticed the details in her unable to close his eyes.

She sniffed and he wanted to tuck in the strand of blonde that fell on his cheek. 'How can this tigress be so fragile' His mind asked itself. "Maybe tomorrow Dick." He widened his eyes. She knew? How? Or was she insulting him? He wanted to kiss her again suddenly, and laugh with her because he had promised so. Instead he clenched his eyes. His fists red from pressure as he kept them at his sides. Her light pressure on his forehead was enough then because if he had more he would not control himself and if he had less the pain would be unbearable.

And as quick and intangible as her caress had been it was gone. And he was alone on the cold dawn waiting for a miracle. He wished his best friend wasn't her boyfriend. Then maybe he would ask his advice. "I'm such a dick to you Wally." He joked to no one in particular.

-o-

"She's just an exotic creature you can't contain" Wally thought sadly as he lay on his bed. It was too cold now. And he was usually tepid even in coldest days of December. He couldn't cry since the chill invaded his rigid muscles. Not even his fast metabolism was working. The image of betrayal printed in his subconscious haunting and torturing him.

He stretched a little and even with the numbing cold he didn't make a move to cover himself. He couldn't think clearly anymore his emotions overwhelming him. 'Stay whelmed' he heard a perky voice in his head. 'Great now you invade my mind too you troll.' Wally thought bitterly.

He wanted to hate Dick so much he never wanted to see his face again. He heard tiny pebbles bumping against his window. He contemplated if moving his depressed body was worth it; besides who would throw stones at his window but his 'best bro.'

His eyes that were clenched tight opened lazily but his scowl remained. He slowly popped one eye open first. The little stones kept pounding now accompanied by a faint and almost meek 'psst'. The kid still had the guts to come to his house. Oh wait he didn't know Wally knew. "Great" Wally hissed angrily.

Taking some effort the red headed managed to crawl out the bed and force the window open. Tiny snowflakes crusted his window and fell on the ebony spot that distinguished from the floor. Dick lifted his head and Wally blanched at how tired and dead his friend looked.

'Wow? Guilt must be eating him up.' Wally thought for a moment. The boy below the window lifted a brown paper bag towards the red headed one. His dark lashes covered with frozen tears, stained cheeks and damp hair. With a smooth show off swing of his hands he leaped on a tree root and perfectly jumped inside the window giving Wally seconds to step aside.

Snow covered his carpet as Dick brushed his boots and jacket off. The subtleness in his manners had slipped apparently because he made no motion to cover his eyes. Green eyes scanned the boy now accommodated in his bed sighing heavily through a constipated and red nose.

"Thought I pass by and bring you a treat, you know since you're grounded" "Cool" Wally snapped suddenly. Dick flinched at his tone uncharacteristic emotions seemed to be flowing through untamable. Wally narrowed his eyes deciding to confront "So how was your date with Artemis." It was a statement that effectively snapped the convalescent bird boy back to his detective and sagacious mode.

He perceived his undertone too. Catching up and reading faces were his thing after all. "How did you know?" "I asked you to make it up for me didn't I Richard." The sarcasm and poison leaving his mouth effortlessly. The boy on bed slowly moved his feet off the bed to sit and stare at him. He knew better to be careful with his best friend's temper.

Wally crossed his arms ignoring the furious whistle of the wind from the open window. "I'm sorry" He breathed out after watching the look in Dick's eyes. "No, you're right." The smaller boy interrupted before Wally could continue.

"I- I'm the worst brother to exist. I don't deserve you Wally." He paused to lick his dry lips. "I kissed her, and I enjoyed it… I'm afraid of myself Wally I'm so sorry." His voice cracked a bit before saying "I- I think I like her too much." Wally realized he didn't want this confirmation. It was one thing watching afar, but when the words left Robin's mouth they were like daggers stabbing over and over.

"Oh." Was the one unintelligent sound that slipped through the awkward silence. Richard brushed a hand through his humid locks and watched as his brother sat beside him on the bed. "A-are we going to be… okay?" Robin whispered almost innocently. "I don't want that to happen again." Wally stated his tone harsh and bitter. It was logical he would be hurt. "I will ask her to move in with me, we're going to college, and I hope distance helps this." He rubbed his knees with his callused hands eyeing Dick's reaction. No emotion faced his visage. He was shocked.

"Bros?" Robin finally answered. "Before Hoes." Wally smirked and the thick air around them seemed to slowly calm down. "Now how about we look at that apology treat you brought."

"Only if you let me stay today, it's kind of late."

"This is totally turning into a sleep over." Wally shrieked happily completely oblivious to the sad look his friend kept masking with his jokes.

-o-

"Girl, you're moving in with a horny eighteen year old college boy?" Raquel practically yelled as she patted Artemis in approval. "Oh my gosh Raquel, you're making her blush, though you seriously have some explaining to do." Zatanna insinuated maliciously. Artemis simply laughed graciously at her friend's words. They all had history with Mr. Grayson.

She just hoped Megan wouldn't bring up the 'missing her and the team job' now. She wasn't one of Grayson's exes, in any case she's like his sister or so she thought three weeks ago. This rambling thoughts brought her back to the problem at point. She couldn't get him off her mind.

She tried everything but his beautiful steel blue depths of orbs ghosted in her dreams instead of joyous apple green. And his chapped lips sometimes made hers tingle. She felt terrible, so when Wally said they should quit the job sometime and live together she didn't hesitate. Maybe her motives were guilt and lack of courage but what the hell, she was too confused. Wally was her rock back then, he loved her for who she was and kept balance. Richard was just her best friend who appeared to have trusted her all the way knowing she had defective bonds and bad origins.

Megan, Zatanna and Raquel were in the kitchen when he passed by. He obviously had to be polite and say goodbye to the team's archer. He would not fight by her side anymore. He would not see her at school either. He would not steal glances at her and blame it on his increasing hormones. So when he neared the blonde cascade of hair he jumped the couch and landed beside her. He kissed her cheek wetly and whispered 'I love you…' "When you scowl" He added cheekily before joining the party that kept laughing in the kitchen.

Artemis placed a hand on her cheek. Somehow she heard his confession too serious. She felt warm spread on her face and frowned. She didn't realize her thoughts made her do faces. At least he didn't lose his childhood self. Artemis smiled and forced her head on lovely freckles to peck and cozy embraces her boyfriend would give to comfort. Perhaps to forget-

An: nothing to say but enjoy. Have a nice night or day and GBY-