Getting to know you

Calming down: Wally

Dick screamed as he shot up, sweat streaming down his body. Tears joined the mix, his harsh breathing the only sound in the room. He curled up and sobbed, hating the nightmare.

The nightmare was a result of Markus, and the mental damage he did to Dick. It was part of why he didn't sleep often. No one knew why Markus had taken as much of a toll on Dick, but he had, and Dick was suffering. Three weeks had passed since Jason tried to pep talk him, and he was slowly getting worse.

Dick grabbed his phone and dialed Wally's number, tears still rolling down his face. Wally picked up after three rings. "Dick? Are you alright?" "Another one. I needed someone to talk to."

"I'm on my way." "Thanks, Walls." "It's no problem, babe." Wally ended the call, and Dick sighed. Thirty seconds later, and Wally was sitting next to him. He wrapped a blanket around Dick and kissed his forehead.

"Talk to me. What happened in the dream?" "M-Markus captured me again. I couldn't move, I couldn't talk, I couldn't do anything. Then, I couldn't breathe. I felt crushed, like I couldn't force myself to breathe. Markus came in again, with a gun. Just as he's about to fire, I wake up."

Wally pulled Dick to his chest and gently shushed him. "He's not going to hurt you anymore." Dick sighed and snuggled into Wally. "I love you." "I love you too, babe. Now get some sleep. I'll wake you if you start having another nightmare."

Dick shook his head. "Once I wake up from the nightmares, my brain won't let me go to sleep." Wally sighed. "At least tell me how you've been. Jason told me about your eating and sleeping problems." Dick frowned. "They're pretty bad. Thanks to the stupid Court, I've been told I can't eat unless Master has told me I can, and sleep is a nightmare. Literally. Because they punished us if we messed up, my mind is telling me I need to feel pain. Jason's taken my knives, until he finds a 'solution'." Dick sighed.

Wally rubbed Dick's back. "Has he been getting closer?" "No. He tried ending it himself. It didn't work. I haven't eaten in almost a week, and I haven't slept for two weeks before today." Dick admitted, guilt in his voice.

"It's not your fault, babe. It's the Court, and its messed up beliefs. Trust me, it's not your fault." Wally gently kissed Dick's forehead, soft lips lightly touching Dick's forehead. "It's hard to believe that sometimes."

"Trust me, it's going to be ok. I'm not going to let them hurt you like this again, ok? No one will. And I get to see that beautiful smile of yours on your healthy body, which is well fed and well rested." Dick smiled. "Thanks Walls." "It's no problem. Feel up for trying to sleep now?" Dick shrugged. "I don't know."

"How about this? We'll try, and if you can't go to sleep, then we won't bother with it. Not for now. We'll eat something in the morning, it doesn't have to be big, but we'll eat. Then, we can spend as much time together as you need." "Don't you have college?" "School year ended about a month ago, remember? You went to my graduation."

Dick blushed. "Sorry. I-I shouldn't have forgotten that. I'm a horrible boyfriend." "No, you're not. You're scared, and you're hurt. You're still hurting. Don't worry about it. Just you and me tomorrow, ok?" Dick nodded.

Wally smiled. "There we go. It'll be ok. Trust me. I'm going to help your through this, all the way." Dick sighed. "Thank you, Wally." "It's no problem, babe. No problem at all."