my domain

The familiar soft call of your name and a warmer-than-average hand on your shoulder have you stopping in your tracks. Shit! You were so close! The zeta was literally within steps' reach, but Barry Allen was just too goddamn fast.

Mentally bracing yourself, you turn to meet Barry's gaze, face devoid of his cowl, leaving you to read every ounce of concern with perfect clarity.

"Barry," you sigh, traitorous voice already a little wobbly as you valiantly tried to keep the tears at bay.

For Fuck's sake! He hadn't even said anything yet, and already you were crumbling under the weight of his stare.

"Hey, kiddo. Heard you'd hit a bit of a rough patch with Wally, wanna talk about it?"

"No." Though you try to remain strong, to sound disinterested, your traitorous voice cracks, lower lip wobbling pathetically. You maybe could have played it off, if it weren't for the sudden onslaught of tears spilling down your cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart," Barry murmurs, already pulling you in for a hug, one of his hands cupping the back of your head. "Let's get you somewhere more private, yeah?"

Barry doesn't wait for an answer before the world is blurring around you, and within a blink, you're in a different room. It's modest, bare bones, with a small desk and bed, and you realise this must be Barry's room on the watchtower. You doubt he'd ever even used it. Why would he, when he had Iris waiting for him at home?

The thought sends a pang through your chest, a harsh reminder that your once shared space with Wally is now barren of his presence, bereft of his warmth, leaving you cold and alone.

Abruptly, the tears start anew, loud and gut-wrenching sobs filling the silence as Barry pulls you in for another hug.

"Let it out, kiddo." Barry hums, rubbing comforting circles on your back as you soak his shoulder.

"He's such an idiot!" You wail.

"Boys usually are."

"I just don't understand, why would he even—"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask him that, but I know Wally regrets the things he said." At that you pull back a little, an unimpressed scowl covering your face.

"I'm not just taking his side. You're both miserable, and I know Wally's a stupid idiot boy, but do you think maybe there could be a conversation?"

"Only if you're there to back me up." You mumble, averting your gaze from Barry's deadly earnest gaze.

"Course, kiddo." The warmth in his tone nearly makes you cry anew because for as much as you'd missed Wally, you'd nearly missed Barry just as much.

If you're being honest with yourself, you were always going to fold the second Barry turned those big blue eyes of his on you.

As if on cue, the door slides open and a dishevelled Wally stumbles in. There's a brief moment of satisfaction as you notice that Wally looks worse than you do before you betrayal shoots down your spine.

"You set me up!"

"Sorry kiddo, would it help if I said it was only because I missed you?"

Before you can respond, a pair of arms wrap around your waist, as Wally looks up at you like a pitiful puppy as Barry stifles a laugh.

"Please, baby, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't mean it, I'm a mess without you, I can't do this without you. I'll do whatever you want, please—" The words come out rapid fire as mortification floods your veins.

"Oh my God, yes fine! Just get up!" You practically shout, accutely aware of Barry watching the scene.

"Yes! Thank you! I won't let you down!" Wally celebrates like he's been chosen to be team leader instead of you giving his pathetic ass a second chance and it's nearly enough to make you take it back.

But then he looks at you with with such adoration in those wide, watery green eyes of his and you know you never truly stood a chance against him either.

KYLE RAYNER & HAL JORDAN

You were being hunted.

Donna called you paranoid. Kori tried to reassure you that no, Hal Jordan wasn't staring at you ominously across the watchtower, plotting your death. (Though Gar insisted he was, little shithead.)

It only worsened in the week following your fight with Kyle, the feeling of being constantly watched. Everywhere you went, there was suddenly a Green Lantern staring intently.

John, to his credit, did his best to give you space, throwing you somewhat pitiful glances. Likely just checking in on you, a little embarrassing but kinda sweet. Guy just leered but had yet to try and approach you, annoying, but ultimately harmless.

It was Hal who was the problem. Hal, who suddenly stared with the intensity of a horror villain. Hal, who you swore nearly vaulted the table after a mission debrief, in his quest to get to you.

Hal, who was now chasing you through the streets of your hometown, desperately calling your name, "Why are you running?"

"Why are you chasing me?" You yelled back, stopping only momentarily to wave off a few concerned citizens with a strained smile. It's in the midst of one of these reassurances when a large green hand scoops you up and into the air.

"Hal, what the hell! Put me down!"

"No can do, little lady." His voice is a little hysterical, and it's enough to make you stop squirming and really look at him. Hal's normally perfect hair is in disarray, his skin a little paler than usual, and though you can't see his eyes behind the mask, you can practically see the widened, manic irises.

"Hal... are you okay?" You ask, suddenly a little concerned for his mental state.

"Am I—Am I okay?" He repeated shrilly, reaching out to place his hands on your shoulders, making you freeze as he suddenly leaned in as if to deliver a secret.

"You need to take Kyle back."

"Hal—"

"No, no, listen to me! He's been crashing at my apartment, figured it couldn't be that bad, help him get back on his feet, right?"

"Right?" You agreed, only to instantly feel like you'd chosen wrong.

"Wrong! At first, he was just depressed, you know how sensitive he is, but then I tried to get him to take a shower, and you know what he said? He said he couldn't even shower because it reminded him of you! I don't care what kind of sex life you two had, but the man needs to shower!"

"That's—"

"I'm not finished!" He burst, "He won't stop painting you! Everywhere I turn, there you are! I'm running out of space in my shitty apartment!"

Before you can even think to respond, a secondary green blur appears, knocking Hal away from you and disrupting the construct keeping you afloat.

A scream tears from your throat as you suddenly free-fall, heart hammering frantically against your chest until another pair of arms catches you.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Kyle's voice is frantic, one of his hands cupping your cheek, forcing you to look at him.

"Hurt me? Kyle? What are you— Did you just bulldoze Hal?!" You yell in disbelief, attempting to turn in his arms to find the other Lantern.

"Hurt him?" It's Kyle's turn to be confused, "Why are you concerned about him? He kidnapped you!"

"Hal didn't kidnap me. Why would you even think that?"

"Because it's all over the news—Wait, Hal?"

"Yes, Hal!" An irritated voice snaps, as a scowling Hal Jordan flies toward you and Kyle, "What the hell, man, I'm on your side!"

"Hal?"

"Is there an echo in here or something? Yes Kyle! It's me, Hal, the guy whose couch you've been soaking with your tears for the past week."

"I thought—the news said you'd kidnapped her." Kyle stammered, voice suddenly a little quieter, "I thought maybe Parallax had gotten to you again."

The absurdity of the situation settles over you amidst the stunned silence, and it's not long before the silent giggles you'd attempted to hide erupt into full-blown laughter. Tears slide down your cheeks as you hold your aching side.

"Ok, well, it wasn't that funny." Hal grumps, which of course, makes you laugh harder.

And maybe, you lean a little further into Kyle's touch, a move he accommodates easily. And maybe, you don't hate the way he still feels like home.

ROY HARPER & OLIVER QUEEN

You wake to a persistent knocking on your front door, pulling you from the few hours of sleep you had managed to get. Fury and irritation flood your veins as you wrench the door open with a snarl. "Oh my god, Roy, go home alrea—" You trailed off, blinking at the sight of a dishevelled Oliver Queen instead of the ex-boyfriend you'd been expecting, "—dy"

You go to slam the door closed, but Oliver's faster, jamming his foot in the threshold, only to yelp when you nearly crush the appendage. One of your neighbours even pokes their head out at all the noise, to which you nervously laugh him off before pulling Ollie inside.

"Oliver, what the hell are you doing here?" You seethe, patience already frayed from Roy's constant attempts to contact you, raging from lengthy voice messages, to sleeping outside your door.

"Please take him back." Oliver barely waits a second before he's pleading with you.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, not you too." You sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose.

"Please! I know he can be an idiot sometimes—"

"Wonder who he gets that from?" You murmured, but Oliver ignored you, continuing his pitch.

"But Roy's a good kid, and he loves you! You're the best thing that's ever happened to him!"

"Yeah, and now he's sending you to fight his battles, huh?" You remained unimpressed, even if internally your heart ached with longing for Roy.

"No, Roy doesn't know I'm here; he'd probably kill me for interfering," Oliver admitted, running a hand through his hair before coming to sit next to you on the couch you'd collapsed into.

"Look, I made a lot of mistakes with Roy. Lord knows I haven't always been there for him, but somehow, despite me, he's turned into someone to be proud of. I just, I want you to remember that. To remember how much he loves you. Trughtfully, I think Roy's loved you since before he even realised what love was."

"Oliver..."

"I have to admit part of this is a selfish venture. I've always hoped I could one day officially call you my daughter."

Oliver's words bring tears to your eyes before you can stop them, and the man's face suddenly becomes comically panicked at the sight of your tears.

"Wait, no, if Roy finds out I made you cry, it's game over for me." He fretted.

"I won't tell if you won't." You laugh through the tears.

"Sounds like a deal to me."

Of course, Roy chooses that exact moment to crawl through your window, blasting Haddaway's What Is Love' through a shitty speaker.

DICK GRAYSON & BRUCE WAYNE

Of all the places you'd ever thought you'd meet your end, an elevator had never made the list. You'd forever curse yourself for allowing Batman to corner you like this, but in your defence, you hadn't expected him to launch through the closing doors like a missile as you frantically shoved the 'close door' button.

Batman hits the emergency stop button without a word, and your stomach sinks. He really is going to kill you. You broke his son's heart, and now he's here to enact parental vengeance on behalf of his beloved eldest son.

He reaches toward you, and you, highly trained vigilante that you are, freeze like a deer in headlights. Batman's hands clasp firmly on your shoulder, eyes wide behind the cowl as he looks at you with the intensity of 1000 suns. "Please take my son back."

You blink, flabbergasted as the words sink in, the dread in your gut morphing into something near incredulous. Batman, the Dark Knight, terror of Gotham and scourge to petty criminals and villains alike, was begging.

Barreling over your confused silence, he keeps going, "He got a haircut. It looks atrocious. I'm told this is a result of extreme emotional distress caused by your breakup."

Were you hallucinating? Was this some sort of alternate reality? Too dazed to even begin to formulate a response, you simply blink, gaping like a fish.

"I don't know what he did, but I'm sure it was stupid, and I will personally ensure it never happens again."

"I don't think—"

The elevator moves, and the doors fling open as a concerned-looking Superman peers inside, "You two ok?"

"Fine." Batman saunters out, not even sparing you a backward glance, no indication of the near manic energy he'd just unleashed upon you.

"Sweetheart?!" Nightwing barrels past Superman, reaching for you instinctively, only to freeze at the last second.

Despite yourself, fondness fills your heart at the sight of him, even as you cup your hand to your mouth to hide the gasp.

It truly was a horrendous haircut.

MICHAEL CARTER & J'ONN J'ONZZ

You could safely say that you liked most of your colleagues, closer to friends, really, on the Justice League. Even Guy Gardner had squirmed his way into your heart, though he still tended to piss you off most days of the week.

J'onn, though, had always secretly been your favourite. Not a fact you hid from him, it would be pretty difficult to, given his set of powers, but more so, Bea and Tora didn't pout over it.

So it wasn't exactly a surprise when J'onn sought you out almost as soon as you boarded the watchtower after a personal weekend away. What was a surprise, however, was the slight furrow to his brow and the palatable concern that seemed to be floating off him in waves.

"J'onn, is everything ok?" You mentally asked, unsure if this was a conversation to be had around prying ears.

J'onns' telepathy had never bothered you the way it still did for many others, likely what had contributed so greatly to your close friendship over the years.

"Yes, I am fine, Booster, however..." He trailed off, an interesting experience during a telepathic conversation.

"Oh, you heard about the breakup then?" You outwardly cringed before projecting a sense of gratitude that he'd thought to check up on you.

"Yes, I... heard. Loudly." J'onn spoke, horror threatening to overwhelm you as he realised his meaning. "I've done my best to maintain his, and your, privacy, but he is quite...sad."

A polite way of putting pathetic.

"Are you talking about the boss? He's been crying into tubs of ice cream all weekend."

"Skeets!" You scolded the little robot, gaze swivelling to see if there were any eavesdroppers.

"You wanna see videos?" Skeets buzzed, almost excitedly.

Yes.

"No! Skeets, that's horrible!" You tried to maintain the outraged facade, but one look from J'onn let you know your performance was weak at best.

"Not even the one where he compares your smile to the 'dawn's morning rays, chasing away the frost and bitterness of the night?'"

That's— "He said that?" You fiddle nervously with your necklace, something you just now realise Michael had bought for you.

"You dumping him has created a poet, it seems."

"What," you cough, pretending to be nonchalant, "what else has he said?"

"That you were his only reason for living and he couldn't bear to face the cold, cruel world without you."

"What?" You gasp, "Skeets, that's legitimately concerning!" Hurriedly pushing past the now seemingly callous little robot. Suddenly desperate to see the man you never stopped loving.

"Too far?" Skeets questioned the Martian as they both watched you frantically scurry to find Michael. Neither seemed too concerned.

"Not if it stops the constant barrage of sadness against my mental shields, my little friend." J'onn hummed with a commiserating glance at his unintentional companion to Michael's misery.

"Wait, I need to film this!" Skeets suddenly flew after you, leaving J'onn alone in blessed silence.