บท 21: Conversation
The night was young, the sun had just set, and Central City remained monotonous, with vehicles passing by occasionally. Wally was dressed in a mix of casual and formal attire, wearing a jacket with a bit of this and that.
Wally stood outside the restaurant he had reserved, waiting for Jesse. He adjusted the sleeves of his jacket, his foot tapping impatiently, though he tried to keep himself calm. Wally had arrived early, not wanting to leave anything to chance.
It had been a while since they'd had any time alone, and even now, with the world still filled with chaos, he was determined to carve out this moment for them.
When Jesse arrived, Wally's breath hitched slightly. She walked toward him with a warm smile, her auburn hair catching the light of the streetlamps, and for a moment, everything else faded into the background.
"Hey, stranger," she greeted him with a teasing tone.
"Hey, yourself," Wally grinned, stepping closer and offering his arm. "You look amazing."
Jesse blushed softly. "You clean up pretty well too, West."
They entered the restaurant, where Wally had booked a cozy corner table. As they sat down, the warmth between them was undeniable.
For the first few minutes, they chatted casually, talking about everything and nothing—avoiding the heavier topics for now. Jesse told him about her adventures and encounters on Earth-2, while Wally recounted funny moments from his own escapades.
But as the night proceeded, their food arrived, and they exchanged their own personal reviews of the meal and what they thought of it.
Their conversation eventually began to die down, and Wally could feel something weighing on his mind, something more important than the banter they were exchanging. He could similarly notice this from Jesse.
She was returning to Earth-2 tomorrow, meaning they would be worlds apart—literally. A great example of this would be Cisco and Gypsy, who couldn't make it work in the end.
Living on different planets meant that their lives would be literally separate, and creating time for each other would become a daunting task.
After a while, as the plates on their table emptied and the conversation naturally began to come to a halt, Wally finally felt the moment was right.
He leaned forward slightly, his fingers brushing Jesse's hand on the table. "Jesse... there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."
Jesse, hearing this, immediately perked up at his words. Her gaze returned to him, her smile fading at the thought of leaving the next day. "What is it?" she asked.
Wally hesitated for a brief second, unsure of how to start, but he knew he couldn't hold it in any longer. "Have you ever thought about moving to Earth-1... permanently?"
Jesse blinked, clearly surprised by the question, but she initially guessed it was related to her leaving. "You mean... leaving Earth-2?"
"Yeah," Wally nodded, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "I know it's a big decision. But I've been thinking about it a lot, and I can't help but feel like we're always missing moments. Every time you go back to Earth-2, it feels like there's this distance between us. Like we're worlds apart... literally."
"No, no... I've been thinking about it too, but I haven't... given it much thought," she replied with slight hesitation.
Wally studied her expression carefully, feeling a spark of hope at her words. "You've been thinking about it too?"
Jesse nodded slowly, her gaze shifting down to their hands on the table. "Yeah, I mean... it's hard not to. Every time I come back here, it feels like we're just picking up where we left off, but there's always that ticking clock. I know I have to leave again, and it's... it's tough."
Wally leaned in closer, his voice soft but filled with intensity. "It doesn't have to be like that. You don't have to feel like you're constantly leaving. We could build something real here, Jesse. Together."
She sighed, biting her lip as she considered his words. "It's not that simple, Wally. Earth-2 is my home. I've got my responsibilities there, my team. My dad needs me. If I just leave all of that behind, I'd be abandoning them."
"I get it," Wally said quickly, his heart racing. "I'm not asking you to abandon anything. But we can figure this out. You can still help Earth-2. We have so many ways to travel between the Earths now. It's just... I want to be with you, Jesse. Really be with you. Not just when the universe gives us a break from the chaos, but every day."
Jesse's face softened as she looked at him. "I know. I want that too, Wally. But I don't think my dad will be happy about that."
Wally sighed at this, the image of Harry appearing before quickly shrugging it off.
"Come on, Jesse, he obviously won't be happy, but it's for your happiness. He'll eventually come to understand that," Wally said convincingly, but noticing her hesitant expression, he internally sighed. Seems I won't be able to convince her this time, he thought and sighed in defeat.
Once again, silence prevailed, and Wally, noticing that Jesse had no intention of saying anything, gulped in defeat as he swallowed his anticipation.
"Uh... don't worry, we don't have to worry about that for now. We'll make it work," Wally replied, hoping to salvage the situation.
But it seemed the situation was too complicated at the moment to handle. Maybe it could be postponed, but now it seemed that the progress they'd made had regressed once again.
"I... I think we should return to S.T.A.R. Labs. They might need us," Wally suggested, getting up from his seat.
Afterward, he handled the bill, exiting the restaurant before quickly returning to S.T.A.R. Labs. But upon arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs, there was nothing major going on, and afterward, they separated to do their own things, their situation visibly strained.
"Did you notice anything off about them?" Caitlin asked, furrowing her brow.
"No, but all I know is that I need to get my love donut, and fast," Cisco said as he took a bite of the donut in his hand. He received a smack on the shoulder before Caitlin offered him some comfort, though it did little to alleviate it.
Wally quickly returned home, feeling slightly down. Upon returning to the house, he was met with Joe, who invited him to dinner, but having eaten, he kindly declined, earning a glance from Iris and Joe as they wondered when a speedster ever rejected more food.
As Wally headed up to his room, the weight of the evening still lingered heavily on his shoulders. He closed the door behind him, letting out a long breath, feeling the pressure of the conversation with Jesse settle deeper.
The uncertainty gnawed at him. He wanted to be with her, truly, but the reality of their separate lives—across dimensions—was more daunting than he'd expected. What went wrong this time around? he thought, questioning himself.
Flopping onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. It wasn't just about him and Jesse anymore. Earth-1 needed him, Earth-2 needed her, and the idea of either of them abandoning their responsibilities was an unbearable thought. He couldn't ask her to give up her life, but the thought of their time together slipping away was unbearable.
Wally's phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, seeing a text from Barry.
He put his phone down and rolled onto his side, trying to clear his mind. But the night's events replayed over and over—Jesse's hesitant expression, the momentary hope he'd felt when she admitted she'd thought about it too, and then the crushing reality that followed.
A knock at the door broke through his thoughts. It opened slightly, and Joe peeked his head in.
"Hey, sport. Got a minute?" Joe asked softly.
Wally sat up, nodding. "Yeah, sure."
Joe stepped in, closing the door behind him, and sat on the edge of the bed. He glanced at the ground littered with books, but he ignored it. Wally was a speedster, after all. He didn't say anything for a moment, just studying Wally's face. "I know something's eating at you."
Wally rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like he could open up to his dad. "Yeah... It's Jesse. We talked about, you know... the future."
Joe's eyes softened with understanding. "That's never an easy conversation."
"No, it's not," Wally admitted. "I don't know what to do, Joe. I asked her to think about staying on Earth-1, but... her life is on Earth-2. I get it. But I also don't want to keep doing this, where we're together for a little while, then apart for who knows how long."
Joe nodded slowly, the fatherly wisdom he'd always carried evident in his demeanor. "You've got a tough road ahead, Wally. Relationships are hard enough when you're in the same city, let alone different worlds."
Wally chuckled dryly. "Yeah, that's kind of the problem."
"But," Joe added, "if anyone can figure it out, it's you and Jesse. You're both smart. You both care about each other. You'll find a way—whether it's traveling back and forth or coming to a decision later on. Don't rush it."
Wally listened, appreciating Joe's words but still feeling the weight of uncertainty. "What if we can't make it work?"
Joe rested a hand on Wally's shoulder. "Then you'll know you tried your best. But from what I've seen, you're not giving up that easy. Just take it one step at a time."
Wally nodded, feeling a little better, though the doubts still lingered. "Thanks, Joe. I needed that."
Joe smiled warmly and stood up. "Anytime. Now, try to get some rest. It'll all look a little clearer in the morning."
As Joe left the room, Wally lay back down, letting the quiet settle in again. He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but for now, he took Joe's advice. He'd figure it out one step at a time.
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