Sick Bird.

18. Masks.

"Can I go now, BC?"

Dinah looked at the thirteen year old with a knowing smile. "Yes, you can go Robin. But be careful, alright?"

Robin nodded in response and jumped off the bed and onto his feet, grabbing the stand with the oxygen mask and making his way to the door. He didn't say anything back.

Black Canary watched him leave, briefly missing how his relieved expression had changed to that of despair.

The boy wonder walked down the hall to the living room where his friends were still waiting patiently for his return.

He forced an easygoing smile onto his face before entering the room. As expected, everyone's gazes immediately focused on him when he entered and he almost let the smile slip from his face.

Wally was up and at his best friend's side in a few quick seconds.

"Howdiditgo? Areyouokay? Whatdidshesay?"

"KF, slow down."

"Sorry dude..what did she say?"

The bird's grip on the stand tightened slightly as his unnoticeably forced smile widened. "Well turns out that I'm going to be okay...within two weeks that is..."

The team seemed to brighten up immediately. "Really? You're going to be okay?"

"According to BC, yeah. The worst this illness can do is permenantly damage some things, but to avoid that, I just have to use the oxygen mask when neccesary and avoid putting pressure on my heart." Robin said, tilting his head with the reassuring grin still plastered onto his face.

Wally's shoulders slacked slightly as his posture relaxed, a look of relief on his face.

Roy, on the other hand, clenched his fists tightly a he averted his gaze to the floor. His expression had changed to that of anger. What he was mad at? He didn't know.

Not Black Canary, no. She had good reason to lie, but...this felt wrong.

Not just the lying, but...everything.

Robin, the energetic little bird who's always jumping around the place, full of...life.

It's hard to believe that he is...dying.

Hard to believe...maybe that's why Roy hadn't really felt anything after Batman told him the kid was on his deathbed.

He hadn't felt anything...he'd just...he...felt nothing.

Robin was like a little brother to him. He loved the kid very much.

So...wasn't he supposed to sob uncontrollably? Shake or wail or something? After hearing news like that?

He guessed this was shock. That was it. Yeah. All he's felt so far...is anger, but...nothing else.

"Roy?"

The archer snapped his head back up to see Robin standing in front of him, a concerned look on his face. "You okay?"

Red Arrow forced a smile onto his face,"I'm fine. I'm just...relieved."