Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

    Stars. They dusted across his skin like stars. Each one was a masterpiece on it's own, painted to perfection across a pale canvas. His cheeks were a galaxy with no end in sight. Dick was beyond frustrated as he studied the other boy from across the room, wondering just how long it would take to kiss every beautiful star, how long it would take to map out every last one...

    "Dude, why are you staring at me?" He ducked his head quickly, averting his eyes as he felt an embarrassed warmth rise in his cheeks. He crossed his arms over his chest with a huff.

    "I wasn't staring at you. The world doesn't revolve around you, Wally." Nope. Only his world. There was a long pause. Wally rolled over onto his stomach to face him. He rested his head in his palm.

    "What are you thinking about," he asked.

    ' Whether or not your hair is as soft as it looks. What it would feel like to run my fingers through it while I kissed you senseless. Would our mouths just fit together like puzzle pieces? God, I want to find out... Damn it. '

    "Nothing," he said with a shrug as his stomach worked itself into painful knots. He wanted to punch something. He looked up to find Wally looking at him thoughtfully from where he was slumped comfortably on his bed, his phone now lying discarded on the sheets beside him. It had been a lazy day at Mount Justice. It wasn't something that happened often, so the boys had decided to take advantage of the opportunity, and do absolutely nothing. They had been relaxing in Dick's room for the majority of the afternoon. They were content. Of course that didn't last long.

    A blaring alarm jolted them from their thoughts.

    "Intruder Alert" .

    They exchanged a quick look before they were both bolting out of the room. The only sound in between the ringing shrills of the alarms were the frantic pounding of their feet against the ground. Wally spared another glance at his friend. They were the only ones in the mountain. Kaldur was back in Atlantis with Aquaman and Artemis had taken the opportunity to spend time with her mother. Megan had dragged Conner along with her to visit her uncle. Even Red Tornado was out on official League business. They were alone. He skidded to a stop at the end of the hall, taking hold of the other's arm to stop him in his tracks.

    "Stay here. I'll scout ahead and see what's up," he said quietly. Dick glared at him.

    "Like hell you will," he hissed. He jerked his arm back out of the speedster's grip. Wally crossed his arms and returned his glare.

    "It makes the most logical sense. We have no one else here to back us up. We have no idea what's just come knocking on our front door. I can go find out and be back here in seconds. Then we'll come up with some kind of game plan," he argued. Dick glowered at him. A heavy silence fell over them and Wally could practically see the gears turning in the other's head. Finally Dick gave a long sigh. He hated when Wally was right.

    "Fine," he said. Wally grinned, though it didn't quite reach his eyes as the alarms continued to fill the gaps in between their words. His posture was tense, his eyes wide and alert as he scanned the area around them.

    "Be back in a flash," he said with a grin. And with that he was gone, leaving Dick to anxiously wait for his return, silently counting the seconds that passed.

    Seconds quickly turned into minutes, and Dick was becoming increasingly worried. He glanced down at his watch. Five minutes had passed, and Wally still had yet to come around that corner. The alarm had stopped, leaving only the flashing red lights in the dim hallways. It set him on edge and made his stomach fill with dread. He couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed a birdarang from his utility belt (he never left home without it) and quietly crept forward.

    All the halls were void of anyone; speedster or otherwise. With every step he took, his panic only seemed to grow. He never should've let Wally go alone. They could've come up with some kind of plan. A better plan. They could've found a way out, or found a way to call for backup. They could've done anything that didn't involve them splitting up while they were facing an unknown threat. Now Wally was gone and Robin had no idea what condition he may be in...

    "C'mon, Robin. You've trained alongside Batman . Keep a cool head," he muttered to himself, shaking his head to rid himself of the dark thoughts that plagued him. He was freaking out for no reason. Wally was more than capable of taking care of himself. Finally he made it to the main hangar of the cave. The sight before him made his throat go dry. The room was trashed, like a tornado had swept through. A large dent was set deep in one of the rock face walls, like something very solid had been thrown at it. Cracks ran along the floor, and bits of debris were floating in the chasm of water that took up half the room. A lone figure stood at the center of the chaos, it's form towering and dark as it loomed over something he couldn't see. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and a cold shiver ran down his spine. His legs felt heavy and he became rooted to the spot as his heart raced frantically in his chest. The figure turned to him with glowing white eyes and a grinning maw. He caught a glimpse of yellow and too much red, and lead filled his stomach.

    "Wally!" His friend didn't so much as twitch from where he lay sprawled at the figure's feet. It was as if a switch had been flipped inside him. A burning rage coursed through his veins and he lunged forward. He launched his birdarangs, one after another, at the monster that dared to hurt his beloved speedster. He felt a dull sense of satisfaction as one of his blades sunk deep into a glowing pupil. The thing howled with rage as it scrambled back, grasping wildly at the offending weapon. It was coming dangerously close to the water's edge and Dick took his chance. He charged, throwing all his weight forward as he collided with it's chest. It screeched as it was sent crashing in, barely missing Dick with one of its flailing arms. He watched it disappear completely beneath the surface.

    He wasted no time in running to where Wally still lay motionless on the hard ground. His breath caught in his throat as he took in all the damage. He fell forward, ignoring the sharp pain as his knees hit the ground, and reached forward to take his friend's face in shaking hands.

    " Oh god.. . No. Nonononono. " His eyes travelled back down to the gruesome sight that was the speedster's stomach- or what had once been a stomach. Now it was only a gaping hole, pouring blood all over the floor around them. Blood was splattered everywhere. Crimson speckled the cave like sick constellations that had his head spinning and his earlier lunch threatening to come back up. His hands hovered over the ghastly wound, unsure and hesitant. What the hell was he supposed to do?! This wasn't something he could put pressure on to stop the bleeding. This was a hole in his best friend's stomach! These were pieces of him that were supposed to be inside , not writhing at the surface waiting to just spill out.

    "Lovely isn't it? He's my finest masterpiece. Never have I worked with such fine materials." His shoulders stiffen, but he can't bring himself to turn to the source of the voice, his wide eyes fixated on Wally. He's unable to look away, and unable to find his voice to answer.

    "He was so full of energy , raw and unmatched. Like his own little sun, drifting in a space all his own. He was the perfect tool to paint my stars." His eyes travelled down to the large pool of blood soaking into his pants and staining his hands. His eyes traced the scarlet spray. Stars. Wally had always been the stars. And the sun. And the world. He had been his world. And now… His shoulders shook as tears welled up in his eyes.

“He died screaming.” He whipped around, his hand fumbling for his utility belt.

“You bastard,” he screamed. His eyes quickly found the monster. It was crouched at the water's edge, water dripping from the many glowing ridges of it's body. He tensed as it planted its arms on the ground and it's back pulled apart to reveal a smaller figure stepping out.

“Who are you,” Dick demanded. The man wasn't anyone he recognized with slicked back blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His eyes were pinched and his mouth was set in a grim line as he looked over at him. No. He was looking at Wally. The man's shoulders slumped.

“It was… necessary. I did what had to be done,” he said quietly as he stepped forward. Dock growled and threw himself over his friend, careful of his gaping wound. He glared up at the man.

“Stay away from him!” The man's eyes hardened. Suddenly, he was a blur of motion. In the blink of an eye he was gone, along with his monstrous suit.

Dick let out a shaky breath as he leaned back. His head felt like it was going to explode with all his thoughts jumbling together. ‘ I need to contact the team.’ ‘There's another speedster?’ But most of all, ‘ Wally. Wally. Wally!’

“W-Wally?” He got no response. He leaned over him to rest his hands on limp shoulders. He gently shook him.

“C’mon man. Don't do this. You can't do this. You have to wake up! Please! You can't be… you can't be…” He choked out a broken sob as he pressed their foreheads together and held an unresponsive hand tightly in his own.

He froze. Had he just- his eyes traveled down to their hands. He waited on baited breath. There it was again. A single twitch.

“Wally?” The speedster groaned and Dick was spurred into action. He pulled his shirt over his head and wadded it up before hesitantly pressing it against the still sluggishly bleeding wound. His hands were shaking violently and he grit his teeth as he pressed harder, trying to ignore the red that quickly soaked through the fabric.

Green eyes flashed open and met his. They were hazy and pained. The hand in his own clamped down painfully, nails digging into his skin. And suddenly the silence was filled with blood curdling screams that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“Wally, I know it hurts. I’m gonna get you help. I swear, you’ll be okay. Okay? You’re going to be okay. Just breath. Breath with me, okay? In, out. I know it’s hard, but you can do it. Please, just hang on.” He needed to contact someone. Anyone . He couldn’t do this on his own.

“Hold on, Wally. I’ll be right back,” he said as he too the speedster’s hands and rested them on the wadded shirt over his stomach. He hated the thought of leaving him there by himself, but he had to get his communicator. He had to get help. He had to contact the team. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him, wishing, not for the first time, that he had Wally’s super speed. He rushed back to his room and threw open the door. He quickly made his way to the desk pressed against the far wall and rummaged through its drawer until he found the familiar earpiece. He spoke frantically into the comm.

“Is anyone listening?” There was a pause. Every passing second without a response sent his spirits dropping further and further. Finally, a familiar voice interrupted the static.

“”I’m here. Is there a problem, Robin?” He let out the breath he had been holding and ran out of the room.

“Thank god. Kaldur, you need to get to Mount Justice. Now . It’s Wally. He’s hurt really bad. He… H-he’s dying. I don’t know what to do. Kaldur, he’s dying .” His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He knew Wally might not make it, but somehow, saying the words made it more real. His breathing picked up as he grew more panicked.

“Robin, you need to calm down. Help Wally as best you can. Red Tornado and Black Canary are on their way.” Finally, after what felt like forever, he was back in the hangar and at his friend’s side. The other boy hadn’t moved, and he wasn’t sure that made him feel any better. The speedster’s hands were limp and the loosely held article of clothing was by now completely soaked through with blood.

“Take care of him,” Kaldur’s voice said softly. Dick grabbed his bloody shirt and began pressing hard on the wound.

“Easier said than done,” he muttered under his breath as he took in Wally’s deathly pale complexion. The boy’s eyes were closed now and his breathing was labored. Dick knew he didn’t have much time left. He wrapped a hand tightly around Wally’s and tried to ignore how cold the speedster’s flesh felt under his fingers. He reached his other hand up to run shaking fingers through grimy red hair. That obnoxious red hair. Everything about the speedster was obnoxious, and Dick couldn’t imagine a world without him.

“You’re not allowed to die,” he growled, tightening his grip on the limp hand. He thought of the team and how it would never be the same without Wally. Their world could not be robbed of Wally West. It was unacceptable .

    “Black Canary, 13. Red Tornado, 16.” He didn’t look up as the cave announced the arrival of the two leaguers, nor when their footsteps pounded heavily towards where he sat crouched protectively over his friend. A gloved hand rested on his shoulder and he tensed.

    “Robin.” The voice was gentle, but his mind kicked into overdrive and he wrapped his arms around the prone body beneath him. No more. No one was going to hurt Wally ever again. No one .

    “Robin, you need to let us help him.” The voice was firmer now, a note of urgency ringing clearly. Logically, Dick knew he had to let go. Logically, he knew that Black Canary was not another threat bent on hurting his best friend, knew that she would help him. He had to let go. But his body felt numb, unable to uncurl itself from around Wally. Tears were running down his cheeks now, mixing with all the blood beneath him. All. That. Blood .

    “Oh god… I… I c-can’t… I can’t- Please. Please, save him!” He felt hands around his arms and he was carefully pried away from the speedster. A pair of arms wrapped around him, one hand settling on his head as he was pulled close to another warm body. God, Wally had been so cold . Another hand rubbed comforting circles between his shoulder blades.

    “Red Tornado, 16. Kid Flash, B03.” The arms tightened around him.

    “Wally’s being taken to the Watchtower. They’ll take care of him,” Black Canary said quietly. Dick distantly felt himself nod as he stared past her shoulder to where his friend had just disappeared, in the arms of a robot. The team would be arriving soon. They’d all want to see Wally… and Flash. The Flash would be wanting to see his partner. How was Dick possibly going to explain to everyone that it had been him who failed to protect their beloved speedster? He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will back the hot tears. How much was he going to cry in one day?

    “Wally,” he whimpered as he finally returned the hug, wrapping his arms tightly around the other hero. He had to be okay. The world needed Wally West.

Chapter Text

Wally groaned. His eyelids felt like cement as he struggled to open them. He blinked a few times before the blur above him finally came into focus. He smiled weakly.

“Hey, Rob,” he rasped. Dick sighed in relief as he slumped back in his chair next to the hospital bed. He rested his hand in Wally’s upturned palm.

“Hey. How are you feeling?”

“Like I was hit by a couple trains.” He chuckled to himself. His friend didn’t look as amused. Wally sighed and took a moment to take in his surroundings. He was in the Watchtower infirmary. Blankets had been pulled up to his chest and he was hooked up to a number of beeping machines. He eyed the IV in his arm  with detached interest. It was probably pumping a constant stream of painkillers into him so his body wouldn’t just burn through them. He sighed.

“How bad is it?” There was a pause. He felt the grip on his hand tighten.

“Well, your body has healed most of your minor injuries, but there was still a lot of damage. Several ribs were broken and they’re in the process of healing. You had a fractured radius, but that’s nearly healed too.” Another pause.

“Your stomach was torn wide open, Wally. The only reason you’re alive right now is because your healing was just enough to knit your guts back together.” Dick swallowed thickly and pressed the palm of his hand to his face. Wally had almost died. They’d had to put him back together, piece by mangled piece. He would never forget the hopelessness he felt during those long hours he waited outside the operating room, wondering if he was going to have to bury his best friend.

He glanced over at his friend. Wally had gone unnaturally quiet. His eyes were distant and unseeing, like he wasn’t fully there anymore. Dick frowned.

“Wally? Are you okay?” He rubbed his thumb over the back of the speedster’s hand. Wally blinked before giving him a weary smile.

“Sorry. Zoned out,” he said quietly. He looked down at his blanket clad stomach and sighed. Then, with all the strength he could muster, he struggled into a sitting position, wincing at the tugging sensation on his skin.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing? You shouldn’t be moving so much. Not yet.” Dick reached out to grab his shoulders and help him back down onto the bed, but Wally intercepted him and grabbed his wrists. Dick knew he could’ve easily broken free. Wally’s hands were trembling and he was still weak from his injury. The fatigue was clearly showing in the bags under his eyes. But there was something else there that gave him pause. Something desperate and panicked. That look didn’t belong on his friend’s face.

“ Please . I need to see.” Wally’s voice cracked. Dick withdrew from the speedster’s grasp. He sunk back in his chair with a defeated sigh.

“It’s all bandaged up. You’ll have to wait till they come back to give you new ones.” Something flashed in Wally’s eyes; something he couldn’t quite place. Wally huffed out a shaky breath as he carefully lowered himself back into the bed. He turned his face into the pillow, refusing to meet his friend’s eyes.

“C-can I… Can I just- I need some time alone. Please?” Dick hated how broken he sounded. Wally West was always so happy , full of life and excitement.

“Okay. Just call if you need anything, okay? I won’t be far.” Wally laughed.

“I know. Thanks,” he said as he watched his friend stand up and make his way to the door. Dick paused in the doorway.

“The Flash was away on a mission for the League, but he’s on his way. Just thought you’d want to know.” Then he was gone.

The sudden crushing silence in the room almost made Wally regret asking him to leave, but he needed the space. He needed the alone time to think. His mind was a mess of blurry images and burning pain. As much as he didn’t want to, he needed to sort it all out. He eyed the door across the room and waited a few moments to make sure no one would be coming in. When no one walked in he took a deep breath and turned his attention to the bathroom.

“Alright. Let’s get this over with,” he mumbled to himself as he pushed himself up so that he was once again sitting up. He looked down at the IV still in his arm and yanked it out, wiping away the bit of blood that collected at the injection point. Then he carefully slung his feet over the side of the bed. He shivered when he felt the cold floor under his bare feet. His arms and legs shook as he clutched to the side of the bed for support. He squeezed his eyes shut against the wave of nausea that hit him, nearly knocking him off his feet. When it finally faded, he took his first slow steps forward. After what felt like forever, he made it to the bathroom. 

He shut the door carefully, clicking the lock behind him, and leaned over the counter to stare at himself in the mirror. He didn’t like what he found. He looked… dead . He had dark bags under his eyes, like bruises. His hair was limp and snarled where it framed his face. His eyes were dull and lifeless, his skin pale and sickly looking. He took a long shuddering breath that shook his whole body as he eyed the hem of his shirt. He gripped the edge of his shirt tight and yanked it up over his head. He stared at the bandages wrapped tightly around his torso before tearing at them, pulling them away from his skin. He looked down at them before tossing them aside. He looked up and froze. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. His whole torso was covered in bruises, a mess of blacks and blues and purples. The worst was around his ribs, where his skin was swollen and dark. It was a gruesome sight, but his eyes were drawn to his stomach. Extending from the bottom of his sternum to just below his navel was a dark line of stitches. The skin around them was red and inflamed. He blanched and leaned over the sink as he felt something thick crawling up his throat. He clutched his abdomen as he threw up. Tears collected at the corners of his eyes as a pulsing pain ripped through his insides. He bit his lip as he choked back a scream.

‘This can’t be happening!’ It felt like his body was being ripped apart. Black dots danced across his vision as he sank to his knees. He coughed violently and the world began to spin. He squeezed his eyes shut against another wave of agony. He dropped onto his side and curled in on himself.

“Someone help me,” he whimpered. He didn’t know how long he laid there until he finally heard muffled voices outside the door. He was too far gone to understand what they were saying. The doorknob jiggled and the world finally faded to black.

Chapter Text

When Dick finally managed to kick open the bathroom door, his heart nearly stopped.

“Wally!” He rushed past the now open door and crashed to his knees at his friend’s side. The speedster was slumped unceremoniously on the floor, back pressed against the base of the sink. Sweat glistened on his skin and plastered his hair to his forehead. His breathing sounded wet and ragged, his chest rising and falling in quick, jerky motions. Blood dribbled down his chin. Dick’s hands hovered over his friend, unsure of what to do.

“Somebody help! I need help in here,” he shouted. Panic gripped him as his eyes roamed over Wally’s bare torso, taking in the too-fresh stitches and the dark purple that mottled his pale skin. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the frantic footsteps of League members rushing in.

“Damn it, Wally.”

When Wally woke up the second time that day, his head was throbbing and his whole body was aching. He sighed. Was this going to become a regular occurrence?

“Wally?” He turned his head to find the source of the voice.

“Hey, Barry.” His uncle leaned forward in his seat, as he smiled tiredly. The older speedster looked exhausted. His eyes were red and puffy, and his face was drawn tight with worry.

“Hey, kid.” He reached forward and grabbed his nephew’s hand, holding it close to his chest as he felt a steady pulse beneath his skin. He was here. He was okay.

“You had us all worried. Your aunt’s working herself into quite a frenzy back home.” Wally felt a twinge of guilt as he imagined his aunt back on Earth worried sick about him, unable to come up to the Watchtower to see him. He bit at his lip and clenched his free hand. He cleared his throat.

“And my mom and dad?” He already knew the answer. Barry gave him a sad look.

“They… They’re just happy you’re alive.” Wally let out a breathy laugh and shook his head. Right.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. Barry’s eyes softened.

“Hey now, none of that. This isn’t your fault. I should’ve been there. I’m sorry, Wally. None of this should’ve happened.” Barry’s grip on his hand tightened as he thought of the hours he sat at his nephew’s bedside, unable to do anything but wait for him to wake up. Those few hours had stretched out into an eternity for the speedster. He’d never seen Wally look so small, like the world was going to swallow him whole. Like any moment, Wally would be taken from them.

Wally felt his heart clench painfully as he watched Barry. He reached down and rested a hand on his stomach, clutching tightly at the blanket that covered him. He couldn’t see his wound, but he could feel it. He could feel the stitches tugging at his skin with every movement he made. He could feel the heaviness as his body continued to sluggishly heal. He should’ve been for careful. He should’ve called for backup instead of thinking they could handle it by themselves. He shouldn’t have rushed in. It was all his fault . He’d been dumb, and he’d been literally torn apart. His breathing picked up. He had never felt such pain . It had been burning and all consuming.

“Wally, breath. You need to stay calm, okay? I’m right here. No one will ever hurt you again,” he promised, his voice steely. He wouldn’t let anyone get near his nephew again. He gave his hand a quick squeeze as Wally slowly settled down. The younger speedster groaned as he pressed his hand against his eyes.

“Shit.” Barry frowned and shoved his shoulder teasingly.

“Language.” Wally chuckled. He opened his mouth to retort when the door to the infirmary slammed open, banging loudly against the wall. He watched with wide eyes as Dick came stomping in, his piercing blue eyes quickly finding his. Shit .

“You’re an idiot! You know that? A fucking idiot!!” Barry looked back at him, startled. He hadn’t changed out of his uniform after arriving at the Watchtower. There he was, sitting as the Flash, without his mask. Dick froze.

“Y-you…” His eyes went hard, fists shaking at his sides.

“Get away from him,” he shouted as he lunged forward. Before Barry could react, Dick was crashing into him, sending him sprawling away from the bed. His chair clattered to the floor. Dick straddled him, raising his fists to strike.

“Dick, no! Stop! What are you doing,” Wally cried as he sat up. Dick ignored him and lashed out, hitting Barry square in the jaw. That seemed to be enough to snap the speedster back to his senses. He scowled, reaching up to grab the teen’s wrists in a steel grip.

“Let go of me! I’ll kill you! I will kill you!!” Dick squirmed in his hold, trying to break free.

“What’s going on in here?” Batman rushed in, Black Canary and Red Tornado close at his heels. He ran over to them, tearing his charge away from Barry. Dick tried lunging out of his grasp, but he held firm.

“Dick, get ahold of yourself,” Batman growled, the whites of his cowl narrowing in warning. Dick ignored him, fighting even harder against him.

“Someone grab him! He’s the one who attacked Wally,” he cried out desperately. Barry tensed, eyes going wide.

“W-what,” he rasped. This only seemed to make the boy angrier.

“Don’t play dumb!” Black Canary quickly stepped forward, glaring at everyone in the room.

“Enough,” she commanded, the authority ringing clear in her voice. Everyone went still.

“Robin, explain,” she said in a clipped tone.

“That’s the bastard that came out of the glowing suit,” he hissed. He was shaking with rage. Barry stumbled back, his face pale. He pressed a gloved hand to his temple.

“N-no. That can’t be right. There… there has to be a mistake. I couldn’t have…” Black Canary rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder as Batman carefully let go of his sidekick, shooting him a warning glare.

“We’re going to figure this out,” he said calmly. He turned to the three other Leaguers.

“Meeting. Now.” He turned to Dick.

“Stay here with Wally,” he said briskly. Both boys glared at him.

“Hey, no way! We’re going to. Whatever it was, it attacked me . I have a right to be there. So does Rob,” Wally protested. They all glanced over at Barry. His mouth was set in a firm line. He nodded.

“They need to be there,” he decided. He dashed to Wally’s side and quietly helped him out of bed. Dick eyed them carefully as he positioned himself next to his friend protectively.

“I’ve got him,” he said coolly as he wrapped a steadying hand around the younger speedster’s slender waist. Barry frowned, his eyes flashing sadly as he retreated. Wally sighed, but didn’t say a word. His mind was too far away as he thought of his would-be killer. Conflicting emotions warred at the back of his skull, making his head pound painfully. This was all too much.

“Let’s go.”