[After about four days of attempting to dial Rob's stupid number, he gets voicemail, of course. He almost hangs up and just doesn't bother leaving a message because suddenly he doesn't want to do this anymore, but it needs to be done. It's needed to be done for, like, a week. So. Here goes.]
[So Rob's going to pretend it hasn't taken him an embarrassingly long time to call Wally back, and he's also going to pretend that he's not so nervous he thinks he's going to be sick. No, it'll be fine. Talking it over with Steph did help, but this...what was he even going to say.]
Hey, uh...sorry about taking so long to-, I mean, I got your message an-...yeah.
[Yeah, ngl, when Rob calls back, Wally nearly has a heart attack. Mostly because it's been so long he kind of forgot he called in the first place. But then Rob's face is on the screen and he almost wants to say "no, nevermind, it's all good," but... they need to talk. Even if it's going to be painfully awkward.]
Uh... yeah. I just... [Come on, Wally, take a deep breath, get it out and over with.]
I wanted to apologize. For everything. Especially that right hook. I shouldn't have let it all get to me like it did, but... I did. So... yeah. Sorry. You're just... you're my best friend. And I don't want that to change over some stupid fight.
[And he'll leave it at that for the moment, because he doesn't want to cheapen the apology with a huge "but."]
[Yeah, awkward doesn't even begin to cut it, but he listens. He listens because he knows he's been a douche and that everything is basically his fault, and even if Wally's the one apologizing Robin is definitely...yeah. After the whole ordeal with finding out about Bruce, he doesn't have the emotional capacity to stay made and/or stubborn at Wally.]
No, dude, it's fine. It's basically my fault, anyway. I just...that tournament really got to me. Which is stupid, because it got to everyone, but just the fact that something I worked so hard at was just gone...
But you're right, it shouldn't change because of a fight. You're my best friend and I shouldn't have treated you like crap.
I'm just... [No, Robin, stop. This isn't about you. Even if he wants to talk about how lost he feels right about now, and how he wonders if it's even worth it anymore, but he's not even sure if that's worth mentioning.]
[This is going much better than expected, and he already feels, like, ten times better by actually having this conversation, despite his anxiety about it earlier.]
Dude, we were both pretty horrible. I mean, I punched you in the face.
But... we're good, right?
[Then his voice gets a little softer, because he catches that pause, the way Robin is avoiding talking about something else. And as slow as he is sometimes, Bruce just left, and obviously Rob isn't taking it well, especially not with everything that's been going on-and that only makes Wally feel worse about this whole thing.]
And you know I'm still here if you, you know... need me.
And you had a nice hook. [and he kind of chuckles at that.] Besides, I got you pretty good in return.
But yeah, we're good. [and then Wally gets a nice little smile, right before it fades again at his change. Way to hide your feelings, Rob. Batman would be so proud...]
[That gets a decent laugh out of him.] Yeah, seriously, remind me never to pick a fight with the Boy Wonder ever again. You would've kicked my ass if Conner hadn't dragged us apart.
So, yeah, let's not do that again. Cause I mean, not gonna lie, the last three and a half weeks sucked.
[And he's really starting to feel the bro again, which is awesome, but now, you know, they have to talk about Bruce. Because Robin is not fine. So Wally's grin fades, replaced with something more serious.]
Heard from Steph.
You... don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.
Yeah, good thing he was there, because I was actually about to get chalant with you.
[Wally definitely has a nice little Robin!smirk back momentarily, before the topic changes and he drops it for a I'm-trying-not-to-be-emotional look instead.]
There's not much to talk about. Just wanted to keep you informed. He left me his Mareep. [His eyes kind of dart down to where the ball is on his belt.]
[Then he sighs, and there's a slightly elongated pause as he tries to word what he wants to say without sounding totally harsh. There's... not really a nice way of saying it, though.]
Did you really expect him to stick around even that long?
[Yeah, no, definitely no nice way of saying it. And Robin definitely cringes a bit at the question, because it's true. He shouldn't have expected him to stay as long as he did.]
[ROBIN used SADFACE. It's SUPER EFFECTIVE! SENSITIVE WALLY GET!]
Look, I know-well, no, I guess the problem is I don't know-how hard this must be, but... even after everything, I can promise you I'm not going anywhere. I'm always going to be your best friend, and I'll always be here for you-no matter what.
Hey.
We... need to talk.
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Hey, uh...sorry about taking so long to-, I mean, I got your message an-...yeah.
[Good start, Robin. Good job.]
Still need to talk?
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Uh... yeah. I just... [Come on, Wally, take a deep breath, get it out and over with.]
I wanted to apologize. For everything. Especially that right hook. I shouldn't have let it all get to me like it did, but... I did. So... yeah. Sorry. You're just... you're my best friend. And I don't want that to change over some stupid fight.
[And he'll leave it at that for the moment, because he doesn't want to cheapen the apology with a huge "but."]
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No, dude, it's fine. It's basically my fault, anyway. I just...that tournament really got to me. Which is stupid, because it got to everyone, but just the fact that something I worked so hard at was just gone...
But you're right, it shouldn't change because of a fight. You're my best friend and I shouldn't have treated you like crap.
I'm just... [No, Robin, stop. This isn't about you. Even if he wants to talk about how lost he feels right about now, and how he wonders if it's even worth it anymore, but he's not even sure if that's worth mentioning.]
I'm sorry.
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Dude, we were both pretty horrible. I mean, I punched you in the face.
But... we're good, right?
[Then his voice gets a little softer, because he catches that pause, the way Robin is avoiding talking about something else. And as slow as he is sometimes, Bruce just left, and obviously Rob isn't taking it well, especially not with everything that's been going on-and that only makes Wally feel worse about this whole thing.]
And you know I'm still here if you, you know... need me.
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But yeah, we're good. [and then Wally gets a nice little smile, right before it fades again at his change. Way to hide your feelings, Rob. Batman would be so proud...]
It's nothing, I'm fine. [pause]
You heard Bruce disappeared, right?
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So, yeah, let's not do that again. Cause I mean, not gonna lie, the last three and a half weeks sucked.
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Heard from Steph.
You... don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.
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[Wally definitely has a nice little Robin!smirk back momentarily, before the topic changes and he drops it for a I'm-trying-not-to-be-emotional look instead.]
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There's not much to talk about. Just wanted to keep you informed. He left me his Mareep. [His eyes kind of dart down to where the ball is on his belt.]
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Did you really expect him to stick around even that long?
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I guess not. I mean... yeah. No. I didn't.
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Look, I know-well, no, I guess the problem is I don't know-how hard this must be, but... even after everything, I can promise you I'm not going anywhere. I'm always going to be your best friend, and I'll always be here for you-no matter what.
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Don't make me serenade you with "You've Got a Friend in Me."
Because I will.
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