Finally working up the courage, Wally spoke.
"Look, Rob, about before – "
"KF, now really isn't the time for that."
"Then when is? Are you forgetting that after this I will be going back home with Roy? We won't be seeing very much of each other and who's to say this won't be the last chance we get?"
"Because you're going to live forever and we're both young."
"Seriously? That's your argument?"
They looked at one another again, this time with purpose. They both knew whoever looked away first would be submitting themselves to listening. Robin turned from him, muttering, "I don't see how it matters anyways." Wally flashed for a second, his face heating up as he grabbed Dick's arm and forced him to look at him. "Don't you dare say that!" He hissed, his emerald eyes flaring with a rage intensified passion.
"Now you listen to me good, Richard! I am still here; I'm still Wallace – still me! The day you came to me and let me in was the best day of my life before and after everything that has happened. When you found out I was…less than organic and rejected me it killed me a little inside. I had spent the entire time beforehand convincing myself that you would understand – finding the perfect moment to tell you everything. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? Despite that, I couldn't bring myself to throw us away. Do you know why I was there the day you caught me in my old room?"
For the first time since he started talking, Wally stopped to take a breath. His chest was heaving a little as he waited for Dick's reply. Not sure of what to say and afraid it would be the wrong thing, he resigned to shaking his head gently, shadowing his already concealed eyes behind his bangs.
"I came back for my shoe box-"
"Wait – What?"
"Let me finish, Boy Blunder!"
"Whatever, Kid Idiot."
"I came back for my shoe box of souvenirs from all the times we spent together. A pebble from our first date on the mountain trail, a dried flower from the field we kissed for the first time outside of the sick room. Heck, I even still have the pair of boxers I wore the first time we…you know."
Robin was shocked into silence, his eyes wide with disbelief. One thing didn't add up, though.
"Then why did you push me away?"
"Because looking at you made me hurt all over again. Don't you think that every waking second I wonder if it's really me in here or just the closest my Uncle could program me to the real thing? What if I'm fake? What if – with a little hacking – I could be used against my friends, family and even my team? I just…didn't want to face that."
Once again the room fell silent as neither boy knew what to say. Sitting together, Robin reached over and touched Kid Flash's hand – a gesture he returned in full. In the dark, empty room they stayed like that for what felt like hours until their friend and their mentor finally came to bring them home.