Years And Years (Birdflash)

Hospitals smell weird

"Hello, Ma'am. We're here to see Darren Walsh," Wally says over the counter to the receptionist in Gotham General. Her ID badge reads Louise. She looks up tiredly at him, "It's family o-"

She sees Dick standing behind Wally and stops in her tracks, "You're-"

"A good friend of his," Dick says, "Could we please see him?"

Louise nods, "Of course." She passes a clipboard and a pen over the desk, "Just sign in here. I'll get the room number for you."

Louise turns to her computer and searches it. Dick and Wally take turns signing their name and writing the date and time. Louise tells them the floor and room number. They thank her and go towards the lifts.

"Is there anywhere you can't get into with just your face?" Wally says.

"Clubs. No point in getting a fake ID when everyone knows you," Dick says as the doors of the lift slide shut. Wally presses the button.

"You wouldn't pass for twenty one anyway."

Dick shoves him a little, "Shut up."

They make it up to the third floor and as they make their way through the corridors Wally quickly works himself up, "What if he doesn't want to see me?"

He turns the envelope he's holding over and over nervously. Dick has power walk in order to keep up with him. Wally almost collides with a nurse.

"Slow down Walls. It'll be fine. I'm sure he'll appreciate you coming all the way from Keystone to see him."

"Sorry," they slow to a halt outside the hospital room, "Should I go in first? Should we go in together?"

"Well...I think you should go in first. I'll be right outside the door, okay? Just call me in."

Wally nods and takes a deep breath. He walks in. Darren is lying in the bed reading a physics textbook. Wally has the same one. Darren looks up and his brown eyes widen. His left eye is surrounded by black and blue. He puts his book down.

"Holy shit. Wally West, is that you? Or is the medication making me see things?"

"It's really me. Hi."

"Did...did you come all this way-"

"To see you, yeah. I heard about what happened."

Darren nods, "If Batman and Robin hadn't saved my ass I'd probably be pushing up daisies by now," he gestures to the chair beside the bed, "Sit down."

Wally sits.

"You look good," Darren says.

"You...well you look like shit, man."

Darren laughs, then winces, "Ow, my ribs."

"I just don't understand how someone could do something like that."

"Well it's Gotham. Shit like this happens a lot here, so I'm told. And I'm gay."

They're both silent for a few moments.

"So am I."

"I figured."

"My...my dad kicked me out that night."

"I figured that too. You moved in with your aunt right? The one you spent your summers with."

"Iris, yeah. She's been really supportive. So has her husband, Barry."