{Unedited}
Keys:
Y/N = Your Name
S/H/N = Superhero Name
Y/W = Your Weapon
~.~.~.~.~.
My eyes watered as I sneezed, a low groan emitting from my throat. It was the third day in a row and I was still sick. At first it seemed like nothing; a few coughs here in there, a mildly sore throat. But it quickly began to grow and eventually I was passing out along with a fever. It wasn't until Batman stood me down from the team that I took a few days off to recover.
"But I'm telling you, I'm fi-" I was caught off-guard by another sneeze, making everyone in the room cringe and take a slight step backwards. I sniffed and rubbed my now red nose.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not," Robin said, crossing his arms. I rolled my eyes in response. We had been relatively close friends since we joined the team. I opened my mouth to protest his comment only to be cut off by Batman.
"(S/H/N), you are too sick to go off on any more missions with the team. It's too dangerous with you nearly passing out each time." I felt small under his uneasy stare and nodded my head.
"Take the rest of the week off then report back once you're better. For now, just head home."
So here I was, third day in a row, lying in my bed surrounded by tissues. My nose was either runny or dry - sometimes both. My throat was rough like sandpaper, occasionally bringing up mucus when I cough. All in all - I was a mess. Both of my parents had left for work almost an hour ago and the only sound was the music erupting from my laptop, accompanying me among the darkness in my room.
Suddenly my phone lit up and began to vibrate. I groaned loudly and slipped it off the dresser, staring into the bright screen. It was from Tim. We'd been friends for almost four years now. And when one of us were gone for half a week, the other would know for sure that something was up. At times I tried to make connections between Tim and Robin, with the way both walked and wrote, and little ways they both used 'um's and 'like's in their sentences.
Where are you? You haven't been to school in 3 days. The message read. I quickly replied, Home. Sick. I was too tired to even begin to explain. I didn't even have time to put my phone down when it went off again. I'm coming over. I began to panic and looked around at the state of my room, realizing that I was wearing the same shirt and pant from the past three days in a row.
There was a knock on my door.
"Don't come in, I'm not pretty yet!" I called out. Tim snickering from behind the door, opening it and gasping at my state.
"You weren't lying when you said you were sick, huh?"
"Why would I lie? You know how much I adore school," I groaned, flopping back on my bed. Tim sat the edge of my bed, obviously trying not to get infected. We sat in silence as music blared lightly from my laptop that was surely going to die from being on for so long.
I threw myself up in a coughing fit, feeling myself gasping for air with every break in between chokes. Tim rushed to my side, rubbing my back. At one point I was sure I was going to throw up, which actually resulted with my coughing fit to subside. A stinging tear had rolled down my cheek as I leaned back against Tim with his arm wrapped around my shoulders, my eyes half shut.
"Kill me now," I croaked, wiping away the tear. Tim chuckled before saying, "and why would that be?"
"Because I feel and look like crap," I sighed, finally allowing my eyes to shut. Tim gently rubbed my arm and rested his chin on my head. The heat radiating from his body began to lull me to sleep and I quickly found myself falling asleep.
"If only I could tell you."
I was still sick the next day. So I was still home again. But after taking a heck load of meds I finally took it upon myself to head back to Mount Justice and get on a mission.
"Guess who's back from the dead!" I exclaimed with a grin as I waltzed through the zeta-tube.
"(S/H/N)? You're back early." M'gann stated, looking me up and down. I nodded and swallowed the mucus that tries to arise in my throat.
"Back and better than ever." I saw Robin appear from around the corner. He looked at me with shock, as if he were expecting me to be away for longer. Nightwing suddenly appeared from behind Robin.
"Oh, you're back," he grinned. "Just in time for the briefing."
Word of mouth had said that a couple of Slade's men were down at Gotham City's port. And we were sent to investigate - covert was the word Nightwing had stressed to us. I was split into team Alpha along with Robin and Impulse. We watched from behind a shipping crate as Slade's men pushed unfamiliar boxes into vans.
"I want one last perimeter check before we head out." The main guard said, nodding head towards the outskirts of the port. The men nodded and clicked their guns, spreading out. One was heading right towards us. Robin was quick to go and knock the guard out but Impulse was quicker. Too quick. The guard had seen him jump out from behind the shipping crate and immediately started firing rounds to alarm others.
"So much for covert," I mumbled under my breath, before taking out my (Y/W) and attacking on-coming guards.
"We've been spotted, requesting immediate back-up." Robin spoke into his ear piece just as a guard came sprinting at him. I was quick to respond and tripped the guard over, knocking him out once he hit the ground.
"Watch out!" Robin called from behind me. I ducked and watched as Robin's bo-staff swung over my head, knocking over the on-coming guard.
"Thanks," I croaked, letting out a loud cough. It quickly worsened and I leaned on my knees for support, feeling my lungs beginning to weaken.
"(S/H/N)!" Robin called out, quickly wrapping his arms around me before collapsing. He placed a hand on head and his eyes behind his mask widened.
"I need immediate help - (S/H/N) is burning up and need immediate medical attention." So much for covert.
I awoke with a startle, my eyes opening to a white ceiling. I sat up and glanced around the room. I let out a sigh as I recognized the familiar bed sheets of Mount Justice. My head fell back against the pillow as Robin entered the room in his civilian clothing.
"(S/H/N)! Are you okay?" He rushed to my side, taking the seat next to the bed. I nodded wearily, still drowsy over just waking up.
"H-how long was I out." Robin sighed, leaning back, his hand still clasped with mine.
"Thirty-six hours." My eyes widened.
"Thirty-six-"
"Calm down, you haven't missed anything." I still couldn't believe I had been out for so long, even with Robin's attempt to console me.
A slight tension grew thick in the room.
"Why didn't you say that you were still sick?"
"What? What are you-"
"Why didn't you tell us you were still sick?" I was slightly taken aback with Robin's sudden change in attitude.
"I-I didn't think-" Robin stood abruptly from his seat.
"Think what? That you wouldn't pass out? Pass on the sickness? Consequently dismantle the mission?"
I stared as he continued to pace around the room. Watching his hands run through his hair, then cross over his chest, using slight hand gestures. I watched as he would go from one point to another, going the exact same distance and turn in the exact same way and place. I watched as his face grew red with his rant. And it finally came into place.
"T-Tim?" He stopped and looked at me.
"Y-you- what?"
"It's you isn't it." The tension had grown back and Tim turned slightly so he didn't have to look at me face-on.
"How did you know?"
"I've been thinking it over for a while, but now. . . I'm certain," I whispered. Tim sighed, walking over and sitting back down.
"You can't-"
"Tell anyone. I know. I just- How long have you known, Tim? How long have you known who I am?" My voice cracked as I spoke. "W-we don't keep secrets from each other, Tim. You know that." The sound of the machine increased as my heart rate too increased.
"I know, (Y/N), but Batman-"
"So you believe that keeping a secret is worth it, even knowing you could hurt someone? Their feelings? Break their heart?" It was silent once again.
"To be honest, I didn't keep my identity a secret because of Batman," Tim said, looking away. I kept my stare focused on him.
"I did it because I was scared. Scared that if I told you, you would freak out and hate me forever. That we wouldn't be friends. That I wouldn't be able to tell you I- you're the most important person to me." He looked back at me as he spoke, the way he picked at his hands with his nails showing his nerves. I placed a hand on top of his, smiling.
"I understand, just- no more secrets."
Tim smiled at me as he held my hand, his thumb running itself over my knuckles absently. I watched as he did so, glad to know that it was my friend behind those glasses.
"Tim?" I spoke quietly. He hummed in response, still looking down at my hands.
"If I tell you something, do you promise not to freak out?" Tim looked up at me and nodded curiously. I let out a shaky breath and swallowed my nerves, although you could hear how nervous I was with the machines beeping hastily in the background.
"You see the thing is- I've been meaning to tell you- I want to say that- oh my, God, I can't even form a damn sentence right now, Tim, I-" I was cut off by Tim's lips crashing against my own, silencing my stuttering words. My eyes quickly fluttered shut and I wrapped my arms around Tim, bringing him closer.
"How long?" I whispered, Tim's forehead pressed against my own once we pulled away.
"Almost four years." I grinned at Tim's answer.
"Me too."
"Hey, can I take your glasses off?"
"Why? You already know what my eyes look like?"
"I know, I just love staring at them."
". . . Okay, but be careful, they're from Tiffany&Co."
~.~.~.~.~.
Ehhh sorry for the short hiatus I've been sick myself recently which inspired me to write this, haha ((plus Tim is my child - fight me)).
I hope you enjoyed this one-shot and please don't hesitate to send me any submissions!
Chika chika
Izzie