“Dude, No.” This was no joke. Despite the same casual phrase that flew out of Wally’s mouth with great frequency and which was typically preceded or followed by a punch line or at the very least, some silly comment, this was not in the same family at all. This was an order. Wally put his hands on hips, stepping in front of Dick and blocking his direct line of sight to the zeta tubes. The look on his face said, Just try it.
“Wal—“ Dick started, but his friend cut him off.
“No way.” A moment passed as Dick stared back at him, feeling torn between what he knew he had to do and what his friend was asking, no, demanding that he do.
“If I don’t go,” he started, but again Wally cut him off.
“Then we’ll be able to work together and save the team.”
Dick sighed heavily. He didn’t like their current situation either, but he wasn’t so naïve to think that Robin and Kid Flash could take down the Light on their own. With the entire Justice League off world, Dick didn’t see much of an option. He could either give himself up in exchange for the team’s safe release as the Light’s contingency had stated, or he and Wally could get themselves killed or captured, and endanger the lives of the rest of their teammates, not to mention the world.
Dick looked apologetically up into his best friend’s eyes, knowing that Wally understood what he knew had to be done, but that he was grasping desperately for another option that didn’t involve offering Dick up on a plate to world’s most evil and twisted individuals.
“What if…” Wally started optimistically, as if he had just thought of a plan, but then his expression dropped and he just stopped talking altogether, his shoulders sagging with his resignation.
“Listen, the team will be with you and you guys can take down the Light and break me out. It’ll be fine,” Dick said with more confidence than he actually felt regarding that statement. He was pretty sure that there was a very specific reason for which the Light would demand his presence and be willing to give up the rest of the team in exchange. A reason that he was willing to bet involved torture, possible physical and/or emotional bait for Batman, and eventually no matter which way it went, death.
“I don’t like it,” Wally said in a hushed voice.
“Neither do I, but we don’t have a choice, Walls,” Dick stepped towards his friend and embraced him.
Wally was quick to bring his arms up to squeeze back, nuzzling his face into Dick’s hair.
“You too,” Dick said back, Robin’s confident grin once again gracing his face, although they both knew it was only for show. He released Wally and stepped around him and into the zeta beam.
As the machine announced Robin’s departure, Wally exhaled a shaky breath. “We’ll get you back in one piece, Dick. I swear.”