"Admit it," Roy's nose flared as his 'friend's' words dripped with smug joviality, a tone that was becoming more and more common by the day, "You liked it."

"And how many times do I have to get through your skull that I. Did. Not," Roy replied, taking a loud, drawn-out sip of the diner's coffee. Watery with too much cream, but it would suffice for the time being. It would at least help Roy cope with the approaching headache that would assuredly come the longer he stood in Eduardo's company.

"C'mon, the girls obviously enjoyed it," Eduardo countered, "Even Wonder Girl seemed to be into it. Didn't you - "

"She kissed me on the cheek once," he clenched his fists, afraid he might do something stupid. Again, "And no, nothing ever happened after that because she decided she preferred an uppity twit over a boy with issues. I don't see how this is supposed to help our situation, regardless."

"And I keep saying there's no situation to discuss," while his voice sounded nonchalant, it hinted at a weary anger that Roy was accustomed to whenever they spoke of the issue at hand. He hadn't point it out yet. It might become leverage later on, "We just tell them it was nothing and move on with our lives."

"I highly doubt we can tell them it was nothing when you deliberately jumped into my arms and I kissed you on sight," oh yeah, the headache was here, the memory of last Thursday night flashing over his eyes. The adrenaline from defeating the remnants of the Injustice League mixed with the relief that his best friend was alive and well…

"Arsenal! Ese, we did it!" Eduardo exclaimed, the distance between them closed with a quick teleportation. A moment later and the boy's arms and legs were strapped onto Roy's shoulders and waist. The immediate weight caused Roy to stagger and fall to the floor, Eduardo's laughter ringing in his ears. It was intoxicating, the sound of his voice and the feel of Ed's body against his. For a second more, Roy kept frozen, warmth rushing into his cheeks and pooling over his stomach. Every part of his body screamed for him to do something, to push away his friend and control the urges building up inside.

He didn't listen. Instead, he grabbed Eduardo by his scarf and gruffly pressed his lips onto his, enjoying the brief shock swarming over the other boy before he gave in and leaned into the kiss. It tasted like grimy salt and dirt, but that was besides the point. They had won and Roy would be damned if he didn't get his reward.

"Holy shit, when did you two get together?" Tye yelled from the other side of the grassy field, his astonishment apparent from one hundred yards away.

And just like that they were off each other, acting as if they had caught the Bubonic Plague. It was too late, however. All the boys were staring wide-eye and most of the girls were giggling. Only Asami seemed to be unfazed, shrugging and mumbling something that sounded like, "About time."

Since then, the others would not shut up about it. Tye kept texting one or the other every hour or so, asking them when and how and why. Jade called Roy up to offer "advice" and Virgil continued to post pictures of couples kissing on their facebook walls. It got to the point where Roy and Eduardo needed to sit down and talk about it, something neither really wanted to do.

"So we got caught up in the heat of the moment," Eduardo said in-between bites of ham and eggs, "It probably won't happen again."

"Probably isn't good enough for their stupid little team," Roy sighed, crossing his arms, "You know that."

"Why isn't probably good enough?" his friend quirked a brow, eyes flickering curiously, "If I remember correctly, you're the one who kissed me."

"You practically latched onto me like a leech and kissed me back!" Roy hissed, "I hardly see how this is all my fault."

"Is that what you think I am? A leech?" Eduardo asked coolly, "Never suspected you thought so little of me, Harper."

That was new. He hadn't called him Harper in awhile, "You know that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you think of me?" Eduardo pushed his plate to the middle of the table, his eyes still locked onto Roy's, "Because if you believe you can just brush off that you kissed me in front of everyone we know and act like it never happened, you're terribly mistaken."

"What…what's that supposed to mean?" Roy's throat tightened at the young man's words, his heartbeat quickening the longer Ed's stare held. He wasn't really…he didn't want…

"Exactly what it's supposed to mean," Eduardo stood up from his seat, slamming a twenty dollar bill onto the table. Two swift steps later and Roy found Ed's hand wrapped around his, jerking him forward, "If you want me, you're going to act like it. And if you don't, you can stay the hell away from me until you can be a better friend."

They walked out of the diner with hands still held, Eduardo leading him back to Roy's one-bedroom apartment. For what seemed like the first time in his life, Roy was rendered speechless, his eyes glued to the sight of their hands squished together. Was this what he wanted with Ed? A hand to hold, a room to share?

Well, I'm about to find out, aren't I? Roy thought as he continued to gape, the satisfied smile lingering on Ed's lips going unnoticed.