Chapter Text
To say he would do anything for his friend -his best friend- would be an understatement of such enormous size it would surely need its own containment unit. Or its own name. But Dick knew it already had a name: love. And, as the days grew closer and closer to New Years, Dick wasn’t certain he could go through with his promise, and the more a fake mission with Batman seemed like a good excuse to bail.
But… Wally asked him to go with him. Had said he needed him. Who was he to say no?
And if going along on what should have been Wally and Artemis’ romantic getaway helped Wally in some way, then, he would put his own feelings aside. Because, as always, Wally came first.
A snort from behind him pulled him from his thoughts. “Are you really taking that?”
Dick stilled his hands, feeling his Nightwing costume between his fingers. He glanced down at his suitcase then to his side where Wally was leaning on the door frame.
“Dude, you won't need it.” Wally took a few strides then was at Dick’s side, one hand covering Dick’s hand while the other cautiously tugged the costume away.
“What if-”
Wally sighed. “You went over it a million times. Tim is going to cover Bludhaven for a few days. No biggie. And Bats and the brat will be there if needed.”
He let Wally pull the costume out of his hands and stow it away in the closet. “But what if-”
“Shit. I think you need this vacation more than I do.” His hand was a heavy weight on Dick’s shoulder. “Relax. Take the time off- shit, when was the last time you took some time for yourself?”
His mouth opened, ready to say ‘When I spent a week with you when Artemis left’, but he snapped it shut. Because, Wally had asked when he took time for himself. And it would result in an incredulous ‘I said time for yourself’, and, well, Dick promised he would never lie to Wally. ‘It was for myself. I love you, and when you hurt, I hurt.’
Yea, no. Mouth shut, jaw locked. Wally could just infer what he wanted from his silence. And, he didn't need to know he had already packed one costume. Just in case.
A heavy sigh came from behind him. “Hurry up, I'll be in the car.”
After a quick recheck, Dick zipped his suitcase and followed. By the time he exited his apartment, Wally had the car pulled up and the trunk open.
Dick muttered, “Show off,” before shoving his bag next to Wally’s. He still didn't understand why they had to drive. With all their combined resources, their options were limitless; they could take a Javelin, teleporter… shit, he would be perfectly fine with Wally running them there, but no, Wally insisted on driving.
A snort came from the driver's seat as Dick clicked his buckle in place. “Dude, don’t look so happy. Seriously, you don't have to come, I can go by myself.”
His heart sped up as something close to panic set in. He wanted to go, to be there for Wally. Just… “I don’t want you to go alone. But-”
He cringed. But- he would be stuck sharing a room with Wally, probably a stupid romantic one too since he originally booked it for him and Artemis. He let his head fall against the window as Wally put the car in gear. He could do it. He could keep being there for Wally, keep pushing his feelings away, because, well, he would rather not lose Wally as a friend. Maybe they could bounce back if he did let something slip, but there was the lingering ‘what if’- what if Wally kept his distance?
Dick held back a snort of his own. Knowing Wally, he would keep away to force Dick to hang out with, and fall in love with, someone else. And they would both suffer for it.
“Last chance, getting on the highway.”
“Walls, I'm going.”
“You don’t need to come to keep me occupied. I'm fine now. Yes, this was supposed to be a romantic getaway with Artemis, but I'm over it. Fine. More than fine. It's my own fault for booking this a year out. I saw the writing on the wall, dude.”
Dick sighed, his breath fogging the window. “I’m not changing my mind.”
Wally laughed. “Richard Grayson on a vacation. Never thought I'd see it with my own eyes.”
He straightened back up and stuck his tongue out. “I'd rather staycation. Pizza, Netflix, beat some bad guys.”
“Aww, did you just ask me to ‘Netflix and Chill’? I'm touched.” He raised the back of his hand to his forehead in a mock swoon.
Ever thankful for Bruce’s training, Dick kept his blush from spreading. It wasn’t what he meant. And he knew Wally meant nothing by it. But…
Oh, it was going to be a long drive. And an even longer vacation.
Sometime later, hours after they stopped for food, Dick was woken by Wally’s soft gasp of, “Whoa, breathtaking.”
He blinked at the view from his window, which had served as something like a pillow. All that greeted him was a sheer wall of rock. With a slight stretch to ease his muscles after his impromptu nap -and okay, Wally was right, he did need a break- he looked to Wally’s side of the car.
The evening light was hitting Wally’s hair just so, his eyes, focused on the road, reflected the colors of the setting sun. Dick’s eyes traced patterns in the freckles dusted across his face. “Yea, breathtaking.”
Dick blinked again and looked out Wally’s window to the mountain view his friend had been referring to. Yes, it was beautiful. But not breathtaking. He focused back to his friend, finding that view much more appealing.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up.” Wally’s concerned glance was almost too much.
“It's fine.” Shit, he was slipping. “I didn’t mean to pass out on you. Do you want me to take a turn driving?”
Wally raised an eyebrow, his eyes never leaving the road. “No thanks, dude. I've seen how you drive and I want a relaxing trip.”
“Whatever, we'd be there by now if now if I was driving. Seriously, what is it with speedsters and driving the speed limit?”
“I'm going 10 over.”
“Too slow.” Dick sassed while he stretched a little more, relaxing at the familiar banter. “I know Barry taught you to drive, but seriously, he drives more carefully than Alfred.”
“A car doesn't have the same movement range as when I'm running. It's not-”
“Slooooooooooow.” Dick smirked.
“I'll show you slow.”
“Wait, Wally, no!” Dick cringed as Wally slowed, pulling into the slower lane behind a Buick.
Wally feigned innocence, giving Dick a smile full of teeth. “Just going the speed limit.”
“Walls…” It was good to have Wally back. Back from the speed force, back from his post breakup lethargy. Back to him; back home.
“Our exit is coming up,” Wally offered as explanation.
“I'd be there already.” Dick studied his friend for a few moments until the quiet of the vehicle and his own curiosity got the better of him. “You never answered my question last night.”
For a few seconds, Dick was afraid the only response he would get was white knuckles squeezing the steering wheel. Then, Wally relaxed his hold and sighed. He didn't take his eyes from the road, didn’t look over his way.
“Dick, I- it's too much.”
“I'm not asking you to come back.” He ran a hand through his hair, absentmindedly thinking he could use a hair cut. “Just, once a week, or twice a month or something. You're one of the first, one of the originals, having you around would help morale. Not to mention, the kids could stand to have someone different kick their asses during training now and then.”
He chanced a glance Wally’s direction, his grip on the wheel had tightened again, his face tinged red.
“Fuck. Damnit. Don't you start guilting me.”
The angry undertone took Dick by surprise. “Wally I-”
“Shut up.”
Both of his eyebrows shot up at that. “I’m sorry.” He stared straight ahead as Wally took their exit off the highway and onto a smaller state road. To keep himself from talking more until Wally was ready, he busied himself with studying the view of the mountains as well as the small businesses along the side of the road.
After a few more miles Wally sighed. “I guess I’m not as over it as I thought.”
“Shit, Walls… I didn’t think- shit.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re not… look, I never told you everything Artemis said while she tried to convince me to rejoin the team. But, she said some pretty mean things while trying to guilt me into it…”
When Wally first told him Artemis left, he wanted to hurt her. Not physically, no. But he wanted her to see how much pain she caused, how much destruction. He stayed at Wally’s side, kept him busy with video games or projects, forced him to eat- which didn't take too much cajoling, thankfully. It wasn’t until a few weeks passed, and Wally began to come back to himself, that Dick wondered if he had a chance. Before the Reach, before Wally disappeared, Artemis had Wally’s heart. By the time he realized his own heart would speed up when Wally touched his arm wasn't something that happened for everyone, or that the longing he felt when Wally was away tugged at his heart too much- it had been too late. Artemis was there.
Then, again, she was there when Wally came back to them. Even then, Dick knew it wouldn't last. Yet, he kept his opinion to himself, let his best friend be happy. And now… now he didn't know what to do.
“I’m sorry.” It hadn’t been on purpose, he would never intentionally hurt Wally, he knew that right? “Walls… It’s not going to hurt our friendship, is it? That I’m still…”
“What?” Wally gave him a sharp look. “Nothing- nothing- will ever hurt our friendship. We’ve been friends since forever, what, over ten years? Like hell I’m going to give that up because you keep running out on pizza night because some jackass with a half baked plan is holding hostages.”
“It was one time,” Dick muttered. Despite Wally’s insistence, he knew it would cause a rift, eventually. It would happen gradually. They would eventually grow apart, Wally would make non-hero friends, have the normal life he wanted. And Dick would let him move on, let him be happy, he wouldn’t let Wally miss out because of his own choices.
“Hey, knock of the bat-brood.”
Dick ignored the jab. “Please, think about it?” He pulled their bag of trail mix out of the center console. “Some consideration, that’s all I ask. And if you go once and it’s too much, I’ll never pester you again.”
“Fine. I’ll think about it.” He reached over for a handful of the snack. “I just… I wanted things to go back to normal. Like they were before the invasion. Before…” He trailed off- but Dick could read between the lines: ‘Before I disappeared for over three years’.
“How much longer?”
He could visibly see Wally relax at the subject change. “Probably another hour.”
“Sloooooooooooow.”
A peanut hit the side of his head and bounced to floor. “Deal with it.”