Night Arrow
Notes: This takes place during that dramatic period Red Arrow takes off once he figures out the whole clone thing and before consoling the problem with Cheshire.
Warning: Potential Season Two spoilers.
Nightwing had had a long day of fighting crime as he retired to his new studio apartment funded by Wayne Enterprises. Since he often worked on his own apart from his interactions with the League, Nightwing found it preferable for him to have his own place to solidify his independence. Mentioning he was going to take such actions to Batman, Bruce doted upon his protege and gifted him with the new apartment. Of course, Nightwing was given no opportunity to object to the gift and he respectfully expressed his gratitude to Batman. Since the place was new, and Nightwing was often busy, he hadn't had much time to furnish his digs; at least it had the basics.
As he sat upon the chair by the door removing his shoes, Nightwing was startled when there was a knock at the large bay window. Looking up quickly he watched as a figure, silhouetted against the sunlight that poured in, enter the window Nightwing had left ajar that morning. He was on the 6th floor after all, and never thought cracking a window would be a problem. Standing quickly and fearlessly approaching the form, Nightwing was surprised as the familiar outline came into focus.
Before him stood Red Arrow, his stance unbalanced and the man looked like the outside world was taking its toll on him. Nightwing had sent messages in whatever way he could to Red Arrow since the man took off on his own to let him know there would always be a place for him if he needed it. Apparently he had received Nightwing's new address but the man in black and blue was surprised Red Arrow had finally taken him up on his offer.
"Roy, long time no see," Nightwing welcomed, his disbelief still clearing.
"Dick, does your offer to allow me a place to stay for the night still stand?" Red Arrow responded, his voice stern.
"Of course," Nightwing answered. "Anytime," he added for emphasis before asking, "You're still caught up in trying to find Speedy?"
"I have to find him, it's my obligation," Red Arrow answered defensively before adding under his breath, "I'm just his cheap knockoff after all." Nightwing had forgotten the intensity of his old friend's devotion to the task but felt the need to sooth him somehow.
"You're the only version of you I've ever known. Your body may be a duplicate, but all of the experience you've had is what makes you you. Even if you find the original there's no way you're going to be that alike and—"
"Look Dick, we'll talk about this later, alright? I'm exhausted," Roy interrupted, sighing and sagging his shoulders to emphasize his state. "Can I get cleaned up or—?"
"Woah, Roy, are you alright?" Nightwing asked quickly as he caught Red Arrow by the shoulders who stumbled forward suddenly. Bringing a hand to his forehead as if the gesture could steady his dizzy vision, Red Arrow leaned his weight against the wall. He hadn't intended to expose the low quality of his health to Nightwing, or even come to the young man for assistance in the first place but Red Arrow was desperate, more so than he cared to admit. "Come on, let's get you a change of clothes and you can sleep here for the night," Nightwing said softly as his fingers grazed tentatively along Red Arrow's arm down to his wrist. As Nightwing raised Red Arrow's arm to pull over his shoulder to help support the man he hesitated at the reaction he received.
"Agh," Red Arrow exclaimed, cringing as he lurched forward in pain. His fatigue caused the rush of sensation to overwhelm him and Red Arrow's vision briefly blanked before Nightwing released his arm.
"You're bleeding," Nightwing said in astonishment. He rounded Red Arrow to find the source of his discomfort and discovered a gash that ran beneath the blood stained hole ripped in the archer's shirt. "We have to get that cleaned up," Nightwing stated as he wrapped an arm around Red Arrow's waist to help support him rather than his bloodied upper back.
"No, I can get it myself," Red Arrow protested but as he began to step forward and recede from Nightwing he quickly fell against the wall again, his legs too weak to support him. He had pushed himself to make it into the safety of Nightwing's place and now that he stood there it was as if all of the strain his body endured the past weeks fell upon him all at once.
"Roy," Nightwing began gently, drawing the auburn-haired man close against his side. "Just let me help you; it's not like you have the strength to deny my help anyway," Nightwing said convincingly with a playful affection in his last few words.
Red Arrow, indeed too tired to deny his friend's assistance, allowed Nightwing to support him with an arm about his waist and a palm flush against his chest. Their sides pressed together, it was awkward coordinating their steps as their hips bumped into each other and Red Arrow let some of his weight fall on Nightwing. It felt nice to lean against his old friend and though Red Arrow feigned irritation to mask this relief, Nightwing was too concerned to noticed either.
The bathroom which they entered was lavish despite the sparse furnishings throughout the rest of the new studio apartment Nightwing had acquired. Smoothly sliding back the door of a large walk in shower Nightwing helped Red Arrow sit on the cold, raised tile seat before kneeling in front of him. Red Arrow leaned against the tile wall, his spine and feet aching as the stress of standing was taken off of them and Nightwing gingerly took his mask in his hands. Revealing blue eyes, which fell wearily upon Nightwing's face, Roy sighed in defiance. He was so stubborn but lost interest in arguing, distracted by the hands which began to unzip the front of Roy's shirt. Careful not to move too much, Roy slipped his good arm from the shirt as Nightwing rose to help him out of it.
Nightwing applied soap gingerly to the wound across Roy's upper back. It looked like a harsh road rash, dirt caked in with scabbing blood and torn flesh as Nightwing's fingertips blended the mix. Though the soap didn't irritate his wound, Roy winced as Nightwing's attention awarded him a raw burning sensation though it was subtle and his psychological relief far outweighed his physical discomfort. Allowing the soap to saturate the wound, Nightwing assisted Roy in removing his pants, leaving the man in boxer briefs. As Nightwing's hand rested on the knob to turn on the shower Roy spoke up and he hesitated.
"Aren't you going to take off that suit?" Roy asked Nightwing, who only just remember he was still in his black attire.
"Oh, right," Nightwing said before stepping out of the shower to remove his clothes. As he stripped down, Roy made the effort to remove his underwear as well, sparing himself the embarrassment of requiring help for such a task. Noticing Roy's nudity Dick followed suit, realizing being concerned about being naked was trivial and juvenile. After all, sharing a locker room as young members of the Justice League this was nothing unusual. As Dick turned on the shower and the hot water fell over them, Roy slid to the floor to just lay on the vast expanse of tile. Dick turned to eye Roy curiously as he basked in the fantastic sensation of a functioning shower with hot water. Smiling, Dick joined him, laying down beneath the broad spray of water next to Roy.
Though Dick was aware Roy was laying on his wounded back he tried not to mother the man and he looked over to read his ex-teammate's expression. A little surprised to find Roy's eyes closed, Dick was certain the relaxed, naked man was falling asleep and he let him for a while.
For many minutes Dick lay beneath the hot torrent of water until his chest began to feel tight with the intake of hot air.
"Roy," he called quietly, "You probably shouldn't sleep like that."
"I'm not asleep," Roy breathed, his exhaustion apparent in his tone. "Haven't been able to sleep in days," he admitted, his eyes still closed as if keeping even his eyelids lifted was too much effort.
Then Dick took a chance. He lifted himself, rolling over to holding himself over Roy who looked up at him with unenthusiastic bewilderment. Dick took a bottle in his hand, pouring the soap into his palm then distributing it by rubbing his hands together. Without hesitating, as if this was normal, Dick's hands gripped Roy's shoulders as he began to simultaneously wash and massage the man's tense body.
When Roy only closed his eyes again, grunting without expressing any real protest, because damn that felt nice, Dick continued to his arms, hands, chest and lower. Taking his time, Dick pressed his fingers roughly into Roy's skin to penetrate his tense muscles, occasionally causing the redhead to inhale sharply at the release of tension. He avoided Roy's genitals for obvious reasons, kneading thick thighs, a little surprised as Roy made little grunts of discomfort over the particular area and his breathing picked up. Dick kept moving to avoid the situation seeming too intimate and as solely a gesture of concern before finally reaching Roy's feet. He dug the pad of his thumbs into Roy's arch who sobbed as his aching body finally relaxed in full. Dick continued as Roy's relief encouraged him to maintain the task at hand.
But as Dick raised his eyes again, he noticed that Roy's body wasn't just relaxed, it was aroused. He hesitated, deciding whether he should ignore Roy's excitement and pass it off. Swallowing back the slight anxiety that rose within him at his decision, Dick figured the best way to help Roy was for him to get some sleep. Moving back up, crawling above Roy's body, Dick took the young man's erection in his fist.
"What are you—" Roy exhaled, not expecting that much contact as Dick began to stroke him.
"I'm helping you relax," Dick said as if this was just protocol to help out his friend in a time of need. "You said you couldn't sleep," Dick rationalized. "So I'll wear your body and mind down until you don't have a choice but to sleep." Sometimes physical exhaustion wasn't enough until sexual needs were met as well.
Roy made a slightly disgusted noise at submitting to such attention, but did not make any attempts to push Dick away. It had been a long time for him and in a way he really did need this, though not for any psychological relief. It had just been such a long time since he'd seen Cheshire and Roy was too absorbed in finding Speedy to bother tending to his own needs.
Dick continued to stroke Roy. It was a dangerous advance, but Dick was pleased he was allowed to continue, not so much so that he could help Roy, but for his own gratification as well. It had been a while for himself too, and Roy was a nice body to touch even if he was a defiant jerk at times. Dick let himself grow hard, maintaining a distance so that Roy wouldn't notice his own physical reaction.
"If it bothers you then don't look, think of someone else," Dick suggested as he lowered his face, taking the head of Roy's cock in his mouth. Beneath him Roy hissed and Dick feared some kind of disgusted retaliation, but instead the archer's member twitched between his lips, never softening. Dick moved then, bobbing his head as one hand gripped Roy's base with an iron grip and the other fondled his balls. His hand moved lower, fingers brushing along Roy's as Dick's mouth and other hand on his cock distracted the man from the wandering hand.
Dick could tell by the gentle ministrations of Roy's hips that the man quickly advanced toward release. Nudging his wet middle finger to Roy's tight pucker, Dick pressed into him, the intrusion causing the auburn haired man to gasp. He sounded as though he may protest or even hit Dick, but as that fingertip rubbed his sensitive insides Roy was reduced to a puddle of pleasure. Groaning aloud against his will with the intensity of his physical sensations, Roy came hard in Dick's mouth, spurting in bursts as the finger within him stroked and stroked.
Finally Roy's loud gasps of pleasure subsided and Dick removed his finger and mouth. Roy didn't need to know that Dick savored his taste, it intensified his own arousal, and he watched as the fall of water from the shower head washed away the remnants of their encounter. Barely able to open his eyes, Roy only glanced as Dick rose to turn off the water then quickly wrapped a towel tightly around his own waist to conceal his arousal. He knelt to help Roy to his feet.
They walked clumsily to the bedroom, Roy somehow heavier than he had been when he'd first come in through the window. Dick fumbled with a towel, struggling to dry Roy who also tried to dry himself with some difficulty. Dick helped Roy sit on the edge of his large bed.
"Sit up," Dick instructed as Roy began to slump. He quickly tended to Roy's wound, coating the damp tissue in ointment then bandaging it before gently guiding the man to lay down. Roy gripped the comforter in one hand, doubling it back over himself as Dick left the room without another word. Admittedly, Roy would have the best sleep he'd had in months thanks to Dick that evening.
Dick went into his living room and lay back on the couch, jerking off before falling asleep.
When the next morning came there was no sign of Roy in the apartment and Dick just sighed. He knew Roy wouldn't stay longer than he needed, but still Dick's disappointment ate at him a little. It was silly for him to want more, but Dick new Roy wasn't the one; in fact he still hadn't found someone to really maintain a relationship with. It was such a human need but easy enough to distract himself and put on his suit to become Nightwing. He was a patient man and people needed him, it was perhaps easier to sacrifice himself for the good of those he protected than it should have been.
Notes: This was intended to become longer but is a one shot for now since it may be quite a while before I finish the idea with all of the others preceding it. Thanks for reading.