[Third Person Pov]
"Don't you think you were being a bit unfair?" Wally asked, leaning back against the metal railing of the rooftop as the wind tugged at his hair.
Across from him, Speedy didn't even bother to look his way. He drew a zipline arrow in one smooth motion and released it, the projectile slicing cleanly through the night air and striking a distant rooftop several blocks away. "If you're not going to be any help, you can go back and stay with the others."
"Come on, don't be like that," Wally replied, pushing off the railing and stepping closer. He reached out and grabbed Speedy by the arm. "I'm being serious, man. Do you honestly think Danny deserved you going at him like that?"
"He was being arrogant," Speedy scoffed, jerking his arm free with a sharp tug, irritation flashing across his face.
"He was only acting like that because of what you said. You started it. You can't pin everything that happened on him," Wally shot back, frowning as he looked at Speedy with open disapproval.
Speedy ignored him, reaching instead for a compact device on his utility belt. With a press of a button and without another word, he clipped himself in and let it carry him across the gap.
Wally dipped his head and sighed, rocking it side to side in exasperation. Then he tapped into his speed. In a blur of red and yellow lightning, he raced up along the line itself, feet skimming over the cable as though it were solid ground. He skated along it for a brief second before surging ahead, landing beside Speedy just as the archer detached and began retracting the line.
"Real mature, bro," Kid Flash scoffed, zipping past him before stopping directly in front of him. "Now talk to me. I'm not moving from this spot until you do."
Speedy raised a brow, unimpressed. In one swift motion, he ducked low and swept Wally's legs out from under him using his bow as leverage.
"Ugh!" Wally grunted as he hit the rooftop hard.
Speedy scoffed again and continued walking forward, boots scraping lightly against the concrete. Below them, Star City carried on as usual, traffic humming and distant sirens wailing faintly in the background.
"Danny was right. You are a dick," Wally muttered as he pushed himself back onto his feet. "You really think this is how you're going to get into the Justice League?"
That made Speedy stop. His shoulders went rigid, and a snarl twisted across his face as he turned halfway around. "Shut up. What the hell do you know?"
In less than a blink, Wally was in front of him, fist gripping Speedy's collar. "I know enough to tell you that acting like this isn't getting you any closer to your dream."
"It's not just a dream!" Speedy snapped, slapping Wally's hand away with force.
Wally didn't rise to the outburst. He steadied himself and continued, voice firm but not unkind. "The Justice League is a team. Heroes from all over the world working together to make things better. You think they're going to let someone in who can't even handle being part of a smaller team?"
Speedy clenched his jaw, fingers tightening around his bow until his knuckles turned pale. "I don't need to be a team player. I just need to be the best at what I do. Look at Batman. You seriously think a guy like that counts as a team player?"
"That's a weak example and you know it," Kid Flash replied, rolling his eyes. "Batman might not be the most social guy on the planet, but he understands teamwork. He was one of the founders, remember?"
Speedy fell silent, the argument stalling on his tongue.
"You were wrong for going after Danny like that," Wally said, and this time it wasn't a jab, just a simple statement of fact. "Jealousy's not a good look on you, bro. Trust me."
"I'm. Not. Jealous," Speedy snarled through clenched teeth.
"Come on, Speedy, how long have we known each other?" Wally said, resting a hand on Speedy's shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze. His tone softened, losing its earlier edge. "I know you're not a bad person, and I know you didn't mean to take it that far. But you're impatient, and you've always had a bit of a temper."
Speedy's jaw tightened, though he didn't immediately pull away this time.
"The reason you snapped at Danny like that," Wally continued steadily, "is because you want the recognition he's been getting from the League."
"I don't—"
"You think he doesn't deserve it, and you do, right?" Wally cut in, hitting the mark so cleanly that Speedy froze. "You're angry because you feel like you've been grinding for years, training, fighting, pushing yourself nonstop just for a shot at the big leagues. And then this new guy shows up out of nowhere and suddenly he's the one everyone's talking about. Flashy powers, dramatic saves, all eyes on him."
Speedy looked away.
"You feel like all the work you've put in is being overlooked," Wally pressed on. "Like it's being mocked. Like none of it matters because someone else stole the spotlight you've been chasing."
Speedy opened his mouth to argue, but the words caught in his throat. His shoulders lowered slightly as he stared down at the rooftop beneath his boots. After a moment, he muttered, "If you understand it that well, then you have to feel it too. The unfairness of it."
Wally sighed and shook his head. "I don't."
Speedy glanced up at him, surprised.
"Robin's been keeping me in the loop about Danny," Wally explained. "You have to understand something. You're not the only one who works hard. You're not the only one who sacrifices. You're looking at the results, Roy. You're not looking at what those results cost him."
Speedy stayed quiet.
"Danny bleeds and sweats just like we do," Wally continued. "Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening. And it doesn't mean the recognition he's getting isn't earned." He gave Speedy's shoulders one last squeeze before letting his hands fall away.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The wind moved between the buildings, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and nightlife far below.
Speedy finally knocked Wally's hand aside and brushed past him. "You really love hearing yourself talk, don't you?" he muttered, though the bite in his voice had dulled.
Wally raised a brow, then smirked faintly. Speedy's expression was calmer now, the earlier snarl gone. The frustration hadn't disappeared, but it had settled into something sharper, more controlled. Determination still burned in his eyes.
Wally smiled to himself and zipped up beside him, hands clasped casually behind his head. "I just hope you and Danny can get past this hurdle. Honestly, I think you two would make pretty good friends once you stop trying to outdo each other."
"Shut up and focus on the mission," Speedy replied flatly.
"Fine, fine," Wally said with a grin. "So where are we heading?"
"First, we're checking the victims' homes," Speedy answered as he adjusted his bow and prepared to move. "We look for patterns, clues, anything that connects the incidents. If that turns up nothing, we head to the hospital. I've got a contact there. We'll see if any of the victims were turned before they completed their attempts. If they were, we might be able to question them."
Wally frowned slightly. "If that's such a solid lead, why are we saving it for last? Wouldn't the hospital be the logical first stop?"
"Because interrogating someone in that condition is morally questionable," Speedy replied evenly, already aiming his grappling line toward the next rooftop, "So I want to say that as a last resort, I want to explore all of our options carefully."
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