MASK OR MENACE IC INBOX

[runningstart]

WALLY WEST
"You've reached the personal voice mail of the Wall-man. The honor is yours! Leave your deets, I'll holla back atcha."
[ BEEP. ]

KID FLASH
"This is the contact for Kid Flash. If it's an emergency, call Robin; he'll know where I am. Otherwise, leave your info and I'll get you back ASAP."
[ BEEP. ]


[ voice | text | email | action ]

( Please specify in tag subject line if the contact is for Wally West or Kid Flash! )

Comments

[performance]

[ There's a pause on Robin's end as well. ]

But you didn't.
Even when other people were willing to go that far for less, you didn't.

[runningstart]

it was just a matter of time

[runningstart]

i always thought i was better than that

[runningstart]

i guess its just a wake up call

[performance]

I've been thinking about this stuff a lot lately.
Do you want to know what I believe?

I don't think most of us are just "better than that" because it's in our nature.
I think doing the right thing is a conscious and intentional set of choices we make every time we go out.

So you had a wake up call. All that means is you woke up.

[runningstart]

i dont know what that means

[runningstart]

if im not as good as i thought i was thats a serious problem robin

[performance]

Wally, I know it's serious. I can't imagine how scary that must be.

Do you think you'd do it again?
After coming to that realization?

1 hour later

[runningstart]

i really dont know

[performance]

Can we talk? In person?
You've got me worried, Walls.

[runningstart]

yeah

im in my lab

[performance]

See you soon.

[ Robin arrives at the cave not too much later. Didn't even bring appeasement snacks this time; too grim. He always walks quietly, out of force of habit, so as he heads in: ]

Knock knock, dude.

[runningstart]

[Wally doesn't look up from his notebook full of formulas, a hand scrunched through his unruly hair. The formulas are probably familiar; it's the same page Wally always stares at when he's thinking about the continuum.] Hey.

[performance]

Hey.

[ He walks up behind Wally's chair, resting his chin atop his friend's head, hands on his shoulders. ]

This stuff again?

[runningstart]

This stuff always, dude. Until I figure it out. [He closes the notebook anyway and pushes it aside with a sigh.] Feel better now that you see me?

[performance]

I always feel better when I see you.

[ Simple and honest, and Wally gets a gentle little headbutt before Robin hugs him from behind. Even as banged up as Robin is (broken nose, bruised ribs, a dozen cuts and scratches from a dozen different fights), even with everything hanging over them after Wally's confession, he feels steadier just being in his presence. He hopes it's the same for Wally, even if Robin can't do much else for him. ]

[runningstart]

[Robin doesn't lay that sort of thing down so openly and easily, so that he's doing it now means an awful lot. Wally reaches up to hold onto Robin's wrists, brow furrowing.]

Even when I bruise your ribs?

[performance]

C'mon, I can't get all bent out of shape every time one of my friends gets a little mind controlled and knocks me around.

[ What does it say about their lives that that's actually true? ]

What about you? All healed already?

[runningstart]

Fit as a fiddle. [Not quite. His rib aches a little, but he's not about to complain about it when he sees Robin limping around the apartment and wincing when he gets up.] I'm telling you dude if I could share this, I would. In a heartbeat.

[performance]

I know you would. I guess I'll just have to take advantage of your space heater powers instead.

[ He tightens that hug a bit, leaning more heavily against Wally's back. ]

... I wish you didn't have to feel this helpless.

[runningstart]

[Wally tilts his head back until it bumps Robin's shoulder, reaching up behind him to link his hands behind Robin's back.] I wish you didn't have to feel this helpless. I know I'm not the only one in this, dude. It sucks for everybody.

[performance]

[ It's an awkward position, but somehow comfortable anyway. He rests his cheek against Wally's hair. ]

It does. But dude, you're allowed to be a little selfish about this. I mean... have you considered that maybe part of the reason things got this bad is because you're holding so much of it in? You're spending so much time trying to take care of other people, hiding things because you're worrying about their reaction, that you're not letting yourself process anything.

[runningstart]

What the heck am I supposed to process? [Wally asks in exasperation, throwing his hands up before clapping them back down.] If you’re talking about the five stages of grief then you can save it. I am not going to counseling for my future death.

[performance]

It'd be one thing if you were ignoring it, Wally, or saying "if it happens, it happens." But you're obviously thinking about it.

[ He waves one hand down at the notebook. ]

[runningstart]

Obviously trying to think of ways to stop it, dude. What else can I do about this? My only other choices are to either have a nervous breakdown or roll over and accept it. [He's bad at that second one. Though the first option is starting to sound appealing.]