Robin had become more temperamental the first week after Wally left than he had been after the Valentine's Day debacle. Over the course of three months, this only became far worse; Perpetually in a foul mood, even the smallest inconvenience was quickly blown out of proportion.

"Who hid the game controller?"

"No one-"

"Who hid the controller?"

"No one hid the FUCKING CONTROLLER, Robin! YOU had it last!"

"Yeah, and it's NOT where I put it!"

Stepping out from the kitchen, M'gann broke up the two boys with a voice barely above a whisper, her eyes to the ground while her hands absentmindedly picked at the dishrag she was carrying.

"Robin, it is where you left it. It's still in…well, the room."

The three fell silent, knowing exactly which room she was talking about. After Roy left with Wally that day three months ago, Robin began sleep walking; he would wake up to find himself laying down on the dust covered bed spread of his former friend. After the initial shock of it, the room became the only place he was willing to admit he missed Wally. Sometimes he would sit for hours, talking to the walls as if he would hear him and just come vibrating through.

Robin, abandoning his battle with Superboy, quietly excused himself and made his way there. A familiar breeze went past him as he walked down the corridor, a momentary streak of orange passing him by. Knowing better than to second guess himself but worried that his imagination was running away with him, he resisted the urge to call out Kid Flash's name; instead, Robin ran towards the room, throwing open the partially ajar door to find a terrified Wally with his arm reaching under his forgotten bed.

"R-Robin, um, sorry I invited myself in. I should have called or...something. I-I'll just…"

He stood, dusting himself off.

"I'll just leave. Sorry to bother you."

Before Wally could pull the goggles down to his eyes, Robin caught his arm in an attempt to prove to himself that he wasn't going insane. Pain of an intimate kind reflected in the eyes of the taller teen before Robin could register that he was, in a way, harming his friend. Letting him go hastily, Robin began saying what he had meant to say for some time now.

"Kid Flash, I…I just-"

"Robin, stop."

Moving his head to the side, Wally shielded his eyes from Dick with his bangs.

"I don't want your apologies, what's done is done."

"I know, but it was wrong of me to-"

"Robin, no matter how you look at it I'm not really me anymore. I'm a machine version of your friend and I am no replacement."

"But you're still you in there!"

"Am I really?"

He looked at Robin now, his eyes misted over as he fought back tears.

"As far as you know this is all just programming. I'm not trustable anymore."

"Wally, you're more trustworthy and human than most people I know!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't say much, now does it? Just…leave me alone."

Wally went to walk out the door, but Dick was not about to let him slip away. Sliding his sleeve up to reveal his arm cuff computer, he was not ready to give up.

"Don't make me hack your system."

"You wouldn't-"

"You know I would."

For a moment Kid Flash hesitated before his body tensed – he was willing to risk it. As fast as his fingers could fly over the keyboard, Dick stroked in the codes he needed. Wally barely had time realize what was happening before his legs gave in on him and his face collided into the door, effectively closing it and kicking up a cloud of dust as he landed face first on the ground.

"Dude! Why would you do that?"

"I warned you! Now let me get you in a more comfortable position."

Wally's stomach clenched in mild terror as his body began to move outside of his control. Getting up, he jerkily brushed himself off and sat down on the bed beside Dick.

"There, now listen to me, okay? Let me say my piece."

"Why should I?"

"Because I've thought of nothing else but this moment and the last time we spoke. Because whenever I try to sleep anymore I find myself waking up in this empty room wishing you were still here. Because I was a terrible person and hurt the only person I've ever cared about more than my adoptive family."

"Robin…you treated me like a monster – you called me a sentient pile of scrap metal! How can I just forget that and move on? I still have a scar where the new arm had to be sautered on, you know. I still remember the hateful look in your eyes when you told me I wasn't Wally. You may have come to your senses, but it still happened and it hurt. I might forgive you someday, but right now I just need you to leave me alone."

The silence in the room weighed heavy on them both, Robin's barely audible "Okay…" resounding like thunder. Trying to stand and realizing he couldn't, Wally sighed and said, "Look, I need you to give me back my control. I can't sit here with you forever." For an agonizing moment, Wally was afraid he wasn't going to let him leave, but then Robin raised his hand and typed in a few commands. As Wally's mechanical muscles relaxed he rose, not looking back as he slid down his goggles and zoomed away – leaving Robin wondering if he had even been there to begin with.

Looking at the dresser, he found the controller that had led him to the room to begin with. In a half affectionate, half bitter voice Robin whispered under his breath, "Fucking video games."