There were a lot of fun, interesting things about being a hero.
Decontamination was not one of them.
"So Mal," La'gaan said as he began lathering high-strength antibacterial soap on his hands and awkwardly avoided looking at anyone, "I bet you regret taking up the helmet right now, huh?"
"Are you kidding?" Conner said. He didn't even seem to care that he was naked or make any attempt to hide in the steam, which was quite difficult in the tiny shower room. "Mal's an ex football jock. Group showers are like a sacred part of his culture."
"Who're you callin' a jock?" Mal asked with one cocked eyebrow.
"You. I am calling you a jock. You are, or were, objectively, a jock."
"Grow up, Conner. Oh, wait..."
"My age is an endless source of amusement to you, isn't it?"
"Kon my man, your age is hilarious."
Conner just sighed. "Pass me some soap, would you, Kaldur? I bet you miss your nice private bathroom on the submarine, huh?"
"I miss the bathrooms in Mount Justice," Mal said wistfully. "They may not be private but at least they were big."
"For the last time," Kaldur'ahm said testily, "the destruction of Mount Justice – "
"Was unavoidable. I know, man." Mal laid a comforting hand on Kaldur's shoulder. "Nobody blames you."
"I still can't believe you pulled it off," La'gaan said. "I mean, you had me fooled and we've known each other forever."
Kaldur smiled. "I believe that Nightwing was to thank for most of the convincing. The hardest thing was feigning indifference at the pain and danger my friends were in."
"But everyone's fine now," Conner added. He rinsed the last of the soap out of his hair and hugged his old friend. "Including you. You have no idea how happy I am about that."
"I missed you too, my friends. All of you." Before either of them could react, Mal and La'gaan were drawn into the hug by Kaldur's strong arms.
The speaker in one corner crackled to life and Karen's voice rang out. "If you boys are gonna be finished with your hot steamy group shower anytime soon? The girls would like to get clean."