Ring Around the Rosie
Summary: The League starts to question Ollie's obsession with his former protege. Meanwhile, Rose attempts to get Ollie off her case. And fails. - Genderbent Roy Harper, slight Roy/Kaldur.
notes: Originally for a fill on the anon meme that sort drifted off into its own...thing.
notes the second: Genderbent Roy Harper is Rose Harper.
prompt: Ollie immediately drags her [Roy] home, kicking and screaming if he has to, in order to provide for the little bundle of Arrow joy while the League begins questioning Ollie's moral fiber.
Alternatively, it is EXACTLY what it looks like. And while loving her hurts because of how prickly she is, Ollie wouldn't change a damn thing about their relationship.
Bonus points if someone stops Ollie from sending 63!Roy red roses. ("But they're her favorite!" "I know but you can't send your barely legal former protoge the most romantic flower.")
Double bonus: Everyone thinks Kal and 63!Roy are a thing. Whether they are or not is up to anon.
Triple Bonus: If Koy happens, Kal spends time worrying about being torn between 63!Roy and Tula and Downtime offers a sigh of relief.
Dinah Lance was having a very peaceful –very alone – Friday evening when her front door was opened and slammed, suddenly, and incessant rambling disrupted the quiet of her evening.
"Can you believe – can you believe her – ungrateful generation," Ollie Queen mumbled as he shed his boots. Every movement he made was overly forceful. "Dinah? Dinah, you won't believe what she did to me today!"
Dinah sighed and closed her book. She gave the cover a longing kiss before setting it down. "By she you're referring to…"
"Rosie. Of course I'm referring to Rosie—who else would I be referring to!" Ollie whined. He trudged forward and plopped into the cushion next to Dinah's, immediately seeking comfort by nuzzling his face into her shoulder.
"Doesn't she hate being called that?"
Ollie never moved his head; "Called what?"
"Rosie."
"No," he answered as if it were obvious, "of course not. She loves being called that. I've been calling her Rosie since she was a kid."
Dinah mmed. "She isn't a kid anymore."
"Yes she is!" Ollie opined, sitting up instantly. He sighed and his face became even more petulant than it was before. "Well, I guess not. But that doesn't give her the excuse to be so mean."
There was a brief pause where Dinah tried to decide if she should ask what was wrong, but she quickly figured Ollie would tell her anyway, regardless of whether she made a point of knowing. "What did she do this time?" Dinah asked, trying not to sound as bored as she was.
Ollie seemed excited to embark on the tale of how "Rosie" had hurt him today. "Artemis," he pouted. "She got mad because I have Artemis as my protégé now. She thinks she's been replaced - which she isn't because I would never do that to her – and, and did you know she changed her name?" There was a large amount of "kicked-puppy" in Ollie's tone. "She said she's going solo, and now she's 'Red Arrow' because that's sooo much better than Speedy." With large, moistened eyes, Ollie turned to her. "Do you think that's better than Speedy?"
There's was really no point in doing this anymore. Dinah gave her most sincere shake of her head. "Of course not, Ollie."
"Thank you!" The archer threw up his hands as if thanking a higher being for having someone on his side. "I have no idea what's gotten into her," and he sounded so damn hurt that Dinah couldn't keep herself from giving him a much needed peck on the cheek.
"It's phase. She just wants to have a little freedom."
"It's a free country!"
"Ollie, that's not what I meant."
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Exactly one week later, Dinah nearly jumped out of her seat in surprise. One second she was eating her dinner in perfect silence and the next there was a large amount of swearing and struggling coming from her front door. And when Dinah stalked to the front room to find out what was going on, she found a very pathetic looking Rose Harper attempting to jab her elbow in Ollie's solar plexus while shouting vulgar things at him. He dodged her without much thought, and upon seeing Dinah took on his 'about to whine' face.
Dinah held up her hand, effectively silencing them both. "What. Is going. On?"
The archers began speaking at once. The result was a lot of indecipherable noise. Dinah had to take a few calming breaths.
"Slower," she instructed. "And one at a time."
Rose glared at Ollie so murderously he sort of shrunk back, giving her enough time to wriggle her collar from his grasp and scoot as far away from him as possible. She turned to Dinah, furious, and jabbed her thumb in Ollie's direction. "Ollie won't leave me alone, and I'm sick of it."
Ollie bristled. "I'm just trying to help you –"
"I don't want your damn help! I'm perfectly fine –"
"If you were perfectly fine, you wouldn't be toting around your boyfriend's kid, now would you?"
"Stay the fuck out of my private life! I don't get why Batman had to even tell you, of all the damn people in the world –"
Dinah cut them both off by planting her hands firmly on Rose's shoulder. "Wait, hold on, did I hear that right?" She narrowed her eyes. "You're pregnant?"
Rather then answer he directly, Rose bared her teeth at Ollie. "Look at what you did! Now she knows."
Dinah lowered her voice, "'She' is still talking to you. Answer me, Rose."
The ginger blew a lock of stray hair from her eyes, averting her gaze. "Yeah. Yeah, I am, but it's okay because Jaden and I have already talked this out—"
"No it's not okay! You're like, ten; you can't have a kid—wait, Jaden? I thought Kaldur was the father."
"…Fuck you Ollie, I'm almost nineteen. And Kal and I aren't together, for the last goddamn time."
And that was the end of Dinah's relaxing evening.
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The members of the League, for the first time ever, were utterly silent despite being in the same room together. Save for two of course, but no one expected Ollie and Rose to be quiet, so they weren't part of the tally.
Flash cast a side-glance at the bickering mentor and mentee. "That's so…weird," he said, finally breaking the silence.
"And somewhat worrying."
Dinah sent a sharp glare at Wonder Woman; she raised her eyebrow in return, and Dinah rolled her eyes. "You are all seeing this in a very wrong way…"
While speaking, Dinah's gaze was drawn by the sight of a bundle of flowers in Ollie's hand and the ginger that kept denying them. Without listening to the "I told you sos" from the both Wonder Woman and Batman, she stomped toward Ollie, throwing up her hands as she went.
"For the love of God, Ollie, you can't just give her roses –"
"But they're her favorite!"
"They're also the most romantic flower—she's barely eighteen, and I don't care how much she likes them, you just don't do that!"
As she spoke, Dinah yanked the flowers away from Ollie and shucked them into the trash. She grabbed Rose's wrist and began dragging the girl out of the room, despite Ollie's cries of protest. Just before walking out the door, Black Canary gave a hand motion not unlike one saying 'okay, fine, you can talk to him now, just don't make him cry' at the other League members.
"What was that about, Dinah – "
"Don't worry about it, Rose."
"But I –"
"Don't worry about it, Rose."
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The lump of Rose's belly was growing rounder and rounder. She was officially banned from any and all crime fighting. Lounging around the cave was as close as she would ever get to the action.
The Team had just returned from yet another mission without her. Rose immediately dragged Kaldur into his room and drilled him for every detail.
It was hours later when she finally noted the tiredness in his eyes, obviously from physical exhaustion, but something else to. With even thinking of it Rose took his hand and squeezed. "Sorry," she said gruffly. "I just miss the action. Are you okay?"
"I am fine…" Kaldur said slowly, tensing at her touch. He stared at their joined hands for some time. "Our mission was very slow, and I had too much time to think. My thoughts went in a direction I did not expect them to go…"
"Tula?"
Kaldur hesitated, but gave a slight nod.
Rose rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. "Well, if you want to take your mind off of her, I have some news that will seriously surprise you."
Kaldur looked at her expectantly.
Rose opened her mouth. She closed it. She gritted her teeth and tried again.
"The League thinks Ollie is in love with me…"
One second passed, then two, then a minute, and Kaldur still made no reaction. Rose was beginning to worry when the Atlantean moved as if he'd been suddenly turned on; he removed his hand and cupped her face, staring into her eyes and then crashing their lips together. Rose froze for all of two seconds, then she too leaned into the kiss and went with it.
Kaldur was the one to pull away. He pressed his forward against hers. "I take it that you have not made our relationship public?"
Rose glanced briefly at her stomach."I was waiting for the right time."
"…The League presuming your mentor of being attracted to you was not the right time?"
"I was waiting for…the other right time…?"
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Incoming Call from ROSE HARPER.
"Rosie? Rosie, are you okay?"
"Ollie, stop calling me that –"
"What's wrong? Did your water break? I'll be right there – "
"No! Jesus, Ollie I still have four months! That's not what I called about. I just thought you should know that… uh, well I'."
"What?"
"I said… I'm in a… relationship with Kaldur…"
"…"
"…Hello?"
"What was the point of that?"
"…of what?"
"Calling me to tell me what I already knew?"
"What you already – for the love of fuck—we weren't a thing before. Of forget it. Thanks Ollie."
"You're welcome, Rosie."
CLICK.
"…Kids these days."
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Ollie knew for a fact that Rose had never looked so terrified in her life. But now she was looking at him with tears in her eyes and her lower lip was shaking dangerously. One hand was clutching his and the other on her stomach. Her expression just made driving all the more nerve racking for him.
"Rosie, you're gonna be okay," he said softly, giving her hand a squeeze.
Tears squeezed out of her eyes. "Jaden's not here."
"Did you want him to be?"
"No. Well…yes. I guess. This is his problem, after all." Her face contorted as another contraction took place. "Fuck, can you dr-drive any faster?"
"Trying to. Listen, Rosie, I'm sorry if I come across as strong sometimes. I'm honestly just trying to be the best I can for you—"
"I know that Ollie." Rose shut her eyes and tried to focus on breathing. "I know that because you make it really fucking obvious." Tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry I've been so ungrateful, and that people take it that wrong way."
"You're not ungrateful."
Rose, despite her pain, managed to give a dubious look. Ollie laughed. "Okay, maybe a little ungrateful. But it's okay. I know you just go to cactus-mode by default, and that you're not as prickly and awful as you think you are."
Rose still looked doubtful. "Do you mean that?"
"Of course."
"…Thanks."
Ollie jerked the car to a stop and gently helped Rose out of the car. He kissed her forehead as they staggered to the hospitable doors. "You're going to do great, Rosie."
"You don't know that. What…what if it dies? What if Kal decides he actually can't handle playing daddy to a kid that's not his—"
"That's not going to happen. Just trust me."
Rose stayed silent for a long time. Finally she sighed and leaned against, suddenly too tired to keep standing on her own.
"Okay. I trust you."