Tumblr prompt requested by xkalisto
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Roy threw himself down onto the lumpy hotel bed half-hazardly, limbs sprawled out around him, face pressed deep within the pillows as Jason shuffled through the balcony doors and kicked his boots off mindlessly to the side, slumping down into the worn recliner.
With weary eyes, the redhead rolled onto his side and stared at him.
"Who even taught you how to shoot? That was horrible Jaybird. I could have died."
The raven haired man glared across at him and sighed.
"Kori caught you. I don't know what the big deal is." He muttered, waving him off.
"Um, yeah, but what if she hadn't? Sometimes it's just you and me bro. What if next time Kori is not there? I will die a painful death because you can't use a bow to save your life. My life. All you had to do was shoot the line and lodge the damn arrow in the tree trunk so I could vacate the plane before dying a horrible fiery death. You lodged it in a branch. A branch Jay. The tree was fifty feet tall and almost four feet wide. How do you even miss?"
"How about next time you keep ahold of your own damn gear and use it yourself." He growled, kicking back with his feet up on the footstool as he narrowed his eyes at the man.
"I was dangling by a single hand. A single hand. Circumstances Jay. Things aren't always in our favor. Seriously, the hell? The thing held my weight for all of four seconds before the branch snapped. I don't fly like you. My life flashed before my eyes."
Jason rolled his eyes and brought a cigarette up to his lips, lighting it without breaking eye contact with the red head, and took a deep drag.
"That was Kori's hair, you ass, not the light."
"It was my life Jay. My horribly depressing life. I am not dying until I have more pleasant memories to add to that film reel. We're fixing this." He insisted, pulling himself upright on the mattress.
"There's nothing to fix Harper!"
Roy stood and crossed his arms over his chest.
"We'll see…"
-x-x-x-x-x-x-
An hour later, off in the woods behind the motel, the pair stood in a small clearing, a modest setup before them courtesy of one persistent, harping, red head.
"Remind me why I'm doing this again?" Jason groaned, drawing the bow strings back, eyes narrowed as he glared at the target some fifty feet away.
"Because you fail at shooting anything that's not a gun or crossbow. I don't understand how you can throw batarangs, knives, and other handheld projectiles, and do so well with other things that require ammo, yet not be able to shoot a standard arrow. It makes no sense." Roy sighed, cocking a hip as Jason adjusted the bow.
"Yeah… well, the old man has issues with Ollie. He didn't exactly make bows and arrows a part of the curriculum because he's a stubborn ass. Yet he showed us how to correctly fire a gun, which he also hates, go figure. As for my other training… people were far more concerned with blades, throwing weapons, and hand to hand combat than they were arrows. It was the people outside of the All-caste that dealt with firearms. Arrows are outdated."
The pout that appeared on Roy's face was rather pathetic, as far as Jason was concerned, and he rolled his eyes yet again at the man.
"Uncommon, for sure, but definitely not outdated…" he whined, crossing his arms, watching as Jason shot off yet another arrow that missed its mark by several inches.
"Admittedly, you get creative with yours, but all the same… outdated, and an unnecessary pain in the ass."
Roy snorted, and shook his head.
"You only think that because you're horrible at it. That one was off by nine inches Jay. Nine. If you were aiming at a person, they'd have gotten you, rather than the other way around."
"Fuck this, we're done Harper…" He hissed, tossing the bow to the ground with a huff. "You stick to your arrows, I'll stick to my bullets, and we'll both be in a happier place, I guarantee it."
The red head could only roll his eyes and step forward, retrieving the weapon from the ground with a shake of his head.
"You're impatient Jay. The bow is not out to get you, and neither am I."
"Bullshit. You're laughing your ass off in that thick head of yours."
"Think what you will Jay, but we're not done until you're less than four inches away from the bullseye." He sighed, shoving the bow back into the Hood's grasp, and spinning him back to face the target by the shoulders. "Now, aim."
A low growl sounded from the younger man before him.
"I fucking have been, assh-"
"Now, now Jay… be nice, I'm only trying to help." He chuckled, assessing the man. "Your stance is off. You're not firing a rifle. You don't have to stand so stiff and lopsided…" he trailed off, placing himself directly behind him.
"What are you-"
"Hush Jay… relax" He sighed, reaching out to place his hands on Jason's hips.
The man tensed, back stiffening as Roy slipped a leg between his own, and used his boot to knock his feet further apart.
"Feet need to been in line with your shoulders, and even. Not so close together, and not drawn forward or back." He murmured, slipping his hands upward from hips to shoulders, where he began kneading the taut flesh. "You're still too tense Jay, relax, you're frustrated, and I get that, but it will get you nowhere at the moment."
Jason could only sigh as Roy's hands slid to his neck and worked the tension away, loosening his shoulders and back in the process, enough so that red head hummed in approval before moving on to positioning his arms.
"Bow towards the ground. Never 'load' your arrow upright…"
Jay narrowed his eyes as he slid the string into the nock, and moved the arrow to rest within the groove upon the bow.
Roy gave a soft sigh and pried the hand holding the arrow away slowly, plucking the string away.
"You're also placing this wrong..." He chuckled, rolling the arrow within his hand. "One vane away from the bow, not two."
"Well excuse me…" He grumbled a light flush tinting his cheeks. "but how the fuck would I know it makes a damned difference?"
"Well… now you do, so remember that." He laughed, nuzzling the crook of Jason's neck, causing the man suck in a sharp breath as stubble scratched against the bare flesh.
"Harper…"
"Shh, Jay." He snickered, hands moving once more. "Now, let's try this again…raise and draw your bow. One continuous motion. Keep you bow arm straight, arrow parallel to you line of sight… you should be able to look straight down the length of it."
"I know that Roy…"
"Sure you do. Humor me, and do that a few more times, then we'll move on."
Jason clenched his jaw and bit his tongue to keep from tearing into the man as he repeatedly went throughout the motions. It was only after the fifth or sixth time that Roy stopped him, a smug grin planted on his face, one that Jason wanted to plant his fist in.
"What?"
"You're not consistent with your reference point. Every shot is going to be different because you're not paying attention to where your hand is. Pick a spot, and stick to it. Knowing you, I'd suggest your ear…"
"Why is that?" he snorted, leering at the man out of the corner of his eye.
"Just do it Jay."
With a sigh, Jason followed through with the motions, several times, and when Roy did not comment nor move to stop him, he smirked. Without warning he kicked out a leg, wedging it behind Roy's, and knocked the man's knees forward, forcing him to the ground.
"Jay! What the hell… what are you-" And the red head tapered off into a yelp as Jason's boot came at his head.
He only just barely managed to dodge it, before it knocked him senseless, and Jason quickly collected himself and fired at the target whilst he was too busy cowering at the man's feet.
Afterwards, Jason looked smug, far too much so for his comfort, and Roy hesitantly pulled his arms away from his head and pushed himself somewhat off the ground.
"Jay… the fuck was that?!" he snarled, smacking the man on his thigh with the back of a hand. "Sure, I was pissing you off, but all in good fun! No need to take my damned head off for it!" he huffed, hoisting himself back up onto his knees by the loop of the man's belt. "You're such an ass…"
Jason only cackled, and nodded towards the target, hands on his hips with a wide grin spread across his face.
"Ah, but you see, I was getting bored… and decided this little exercise needed a bit more flair." He smirked, grabbing a fistful of Roy's hair. "Exhibit A…"
With a twist of his wrist, Roy gasped, head forced towards the target, and he reached up frantically to dislodge Jason's gloved hand from the ginger strands.
Only… he couldn't help but start laughing hysterically.
"I thought it was a nice touch. Didn't have no apples lyin' around, so I made due. Impressed?"
Roy could only laugh, hand still wrapped around Jason's belt, as he pulled himself up on his feet and pressed his face into the man's shoulder.
"Jason… my hat… you- you ass!" he chortled, clutching at his stomach as he turned his head slightly to gaze back across at the target.
The arrow was still inches away from the center of the target, but it had gone straight through the center of his hat, and he shook his head as the laughter died down.
"Well?" Jay pressed, nudging him with an elbow.
"How in god's name did you still manage to miss so badly yet hit my hat dead on? You're unbelievable, you know that? This is ridiculous. No technique whatsoever." He sighed, whining as he leaned into the man.
The suddenly, he was tilting off to the side, and trying to regain his balance as Jason dropped to his knees before him, a lewd grin upon his face.
"Technique? I'll show you technique Harper… and while I'm at it, you can add this to your list of pleasant memories, because I'm about to blow your mind..."
Needless to say, all thoughts of arrows soon left his mind… and it was he who had his hand fisted in Jason's hair soon after.