Controlled (TTGO Birdflash Fanfic)

Chapter Seven

A bang rings throughout the crowded tent as two performers fall to the ground. A boy stands still and watches. His fate is sealed.

Robin gets to the town's pier and rests his arms upon the guard rails. It's noon. Kids are walking with ice cream cones in hand and couples are being lovey covey on the benches.

The beast attacks are almost like a routine. Hide from the beast, wait for a hero, and then come out when they win. It's almost like there isn't a single person who fears a bad ending.

The lone hero stands at the pier for hours as everyone slowly leaves and the dock becomes bare. There is no one there to fill the silence. Only the waves and the wind can fill his ears.

He hears footsteps approach him. As if he had expected it, Robin said the stranger's name.

"Wally."

"Heh, who else would it be?"

Kid Flash stops and stands beside his old friend.

"You come here to try and convince me to like you again?"

"Guilty as charged."

"Then go ahead."

The silence comes back for a bit.

"I was forced to leave you. Flash and Batman had gotten into some sort of argument and of course they had to involve us."

He continues.

"He told me you wanted nothing more than to see me dead. Said that you never really cared about me..."

"And you believed him?"

"Had no other choice. He'd never let me ask you personally and as a kid... believing in something was all I had."

"Do you still think I hate you?"

"You said you did, but I don't think you hated me then."

"I only said that because you upset me."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's my fault. Isn't it?"

"What's your fault?"

"The incident. The one that caused my entire life to change. The one that put me in the control of him."

"You're not really blaming yourself for their death, are you?"

"If only I.... If only I wasn't so stupid. I could've saved them."

"There was no way. Even if you tried, you couldn't reach them in time. That isn't your fault. You know that just as well as I do, Richard."

Tears begin to fall from Robin's eyes.

"It's almost like... it doesn't... it doesn't matter who we say we are...."

"What are you talking about?"

"They're always going to tell us who we are.... I'll always be boy wonder and you'll always be kid flash. We can never be anything more than side kicks..."

Kid Flash rests his hand upon Robin's.

"That isn't true. We can't be afraid of them anymore."

"I try so hard to be independent... why am I still afraid of him? Why am I still afraid of that room..."

"What room?"

Robin goes silent.

"There's a reason I was hesitant to go into the bat cave."

"Yeah, you always said that there were more fun things to do."

"That was a lie."

"Then what's the truth?"

"Anytime we'd make a mess, he'd put me in my room for hours at a time. It was so dark and cold."

Kid Flash stumbled back.

"Why did you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry."

"Worry?! I wouldn't be worried if we stopped! If we stopped that wouldn't have happened!"

"You'd still know that he did that to me! You would always think about it!"

"Well now it's even worse! It's my fault he did that to you!"

"Don't say that!"

"You say that like it's a lie! If it isn't my fault, then whose fault is it?! It's certainly not yours!"

The two stared at each other. Kid Flash slowly walked closer.

He put his hands on Robin's face. His gloves collecting his friend's tears.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"Why do you say that?"

"We're here. This is now and that was then. Here we're okay. At this exact moment, no one is hurting us and no one can hurt us."

Robin wrapped his arms around Kid Flash's waist.

"Do you promise?"

"It's not a promise for me to make. It's the facts. The facts cannot be broken."

Kid Flash pulled away and gently lifted the mask off of Robin's face.

"I always loved your eyes. You should show them more."

Robin smiled.

"You think?"

"I know. They're like the ocean. A beautiful deep blue."

Robin leaned in and gave Kid Flash a small peck on the cheek. He then lifted up his yellow mask.

"Well you should show your freckles more. They're cute."

Before the fast hero could let out a word, the other disappeared.

Kid Flash put his mask back on.

"What a dork."