Wally West was my best friend, we met when I was nine and he was twelve. I think I always knew what I felt for him wasn't normal, I cared too much, way more than was acceptable for two bros. It wasn't until he started dating Artemis though that I knew what I felt wasn't just friendship. As I look at him all those feelings come rushing back and I start to doubt my decision to return. Why did I really? For some sense of duty? For some unfinished business? I know what it really is of course, part guilt, part desire, not just for him, but for the comfort of having people who care about you. I'd had friends in Bludhaven, even some boyfriends, but I wasn't looking for attachments, and honestly how close could you really be to someone when they only know half of you? That was the thing about Wally and I, we got each other, we'd known both halves of the other and accepted them. There was always been something about Wally, something special, outside of his ability to outrun sound. It was his sense of humour, his one man mission to never let things get too serious, his incredible intelligence, which combined with his incredible stubbornness led to him barbecuing himself in his garage. It was despite cringeworthy flirting and skirt chasing ways, he had always been there for me when I needed him, anything from a bad day at school, to one of my epic fights with Bruce, he was there. One would think with a friend like that I should have just told him who I was, but it wasn't that simple, because as much as Wally knew about me, there's so much that he doesn't now, or even then. Namely sexuality and how I felt about him. Now I'm back, and god looking at him I feel like no time has passed at all, like I can just give him a look and he'd meet me in my room with junk food and video games, ready for another ill advised all nighter. But that won't happen, it can't, I've been gone for five years, gone without a single word, how can I even begin to explain that? And I'm different, not the same little Robin I had been when I left. No, despite any feelings I might have had for Wally, I will not be telling him I'm back, I won't be telling anyone...except maybe...
"Hiyah, I'm Batgirl," my other best friend Barbra Gordon says sticking her hand out for me to shake.
I slyly look around, noting that no one is standing near us and that Superboy had zetaed somewhere.
"Hi Barbra, I'm Dick."