AN Yet another one-shot. These are addicting, but, hey, new pairing!

This takes place during the time skip, about two years after the season one finale. I don't know how the timeline works in DC for here, but Dick has been Nightwing for about three months, Wally and Artemis are still on the Team, and have been dating for a little more than a year. Roy is not a clone because canon is often stupid that way.

Do Roy and Jade have a pairing name? I'm going to call them Red Cat, 'kay, guys?

Disclaimer: I don't own. Yet.

Roy checked his watch. Five minutes until he had to leave. Glancing in the mirror, he adjusted his shirt collar and smoothed down his tan slacks. Tonight had to be perfect.

He picked up the velvet box on the table next to him, stroking its cover and trying to calm the fluttering in his chest. Jade... Jade wasn't going to say yes to just anyone. If he was going to propose, he had to do it right.

Propose. After tracking the assassin for two years, he had finally asked her to date him. At first she laughed in his face and disappeared into a smoke bomb. She was like that.

And then, one day, he realized that they had begun to battle one another on a weekly basis. At exactly seven o'clock every Friday, Cheshire, not Jade, would appear on whatever rooftop he just happened to be on. They would fight for approximately half an hour before she would vanish.

After nearly six months of this pattern, he pinned her to the wall, got right up in her face, and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

She reached up and took off her Cheshire mask, smirking at him triumphantly. "You wanted to date me, didn't you?" Then she mashed her lips against his, wrapping one arm around his waist and digging her fingers through his hair.

After that, they just went out to restaurants and to the movies, except he never got the opportunity to walk her home.

Six months after that, Roy bought a ring. It now lay in a box in his hand, and he was preparing his proposal speech, trying to word it in a way that didn't sound cheesy and halfhearted. Because, honestly, he wasn't half-hearted about this in any way.

As he looked at himself in the dirty mirror, he was about to recite the practiced speech when the doorbell rang. Not half a second later, the door opened, and a familiar voice cried, "We're home!"

"Dick!" Roy shouted, frantically shoving the dark blue velvet box in his back pocket. "I'm busy! Go away!"

"No way, dude!" Wally yelled back. Roy could hear the eighteen-year-old digging through the kitchen cupboards already. "Tonight's our movie night! Remember?"

"I said no movie night! You guys are too old for this! Get out of my apartment!"

"Nuh uh!" Sixteen-year-old Dick shoved his way into Roy's bedroom, stepping over assorted weaponry as he did. "It's our apartment, too! And if you think you're getting out of movie night again, you've got another thing coming, because you've been skipping for like, the past six months, and we really need some bro time together, so you're—whoa."

Roy rolled his eyes as Dick glanced at his unusually nice clothes. "Uh, what're you doing?" he asked finally.

"I'm going out. What does it look like I'm doing?"

Dick picked at Roy's pale blue shirtsleeve and gaped. "Where are you going?"

"Where's who going?" Wally asked from the kitchen. Roy could hear the microwave running, indicating that the speedster was making popcorn.

"Turn off the popcorn!" Dick screamed. "Roy's going out!"

"Augh! Too late! It's already popping! It's okay, I'll eat it anyway!" Wally's flaming mop of hair poked around the doorway. "Now what's this about Roy going somewhere? Oh, hi, Roy."

"He's going out," Dick replied, tossing a meaningful glance at Wally from over his shoulder.

"You guys are talking about me like I'm not even here," Roy snapped, turning back to the mirror with a sigh. He ignored Dick's curious face peeking over his shoulder in the reflection, instead opting to adjust his stiff collar once more.

"Well, maybe if you'd add to the conversation," Dick replied, and then made a stupid face in the mirror. Roy ignored him again. The ebony frowned and continued. "So, where are you going?"

"I told you. Out."

"Out where?"

"Ollie's?" Wally quizzed, peeking over Roy's other shoulder. Roy noted that the other redhead had a piece of popcorn stuck to his forehead. He reached over and flicked it off, nearly laughing at his surprised expression.

"No. Not Ollie's."

"Where?" Dick pressed. "Where else would you go that you're dressing up for the occasion? Some kind of fancy dinner?"

Roy shrugged. "Something like that. Now get out of my apartment."

"It's our apartment, too," Wally argued. "When a bro gets an apartment, he automatically has to share it with his bros, without question. They can come and go as they please. It's part of the bro code. Well, y'know, unless the bro is, like, married, or something. Then there are boundaries."

"Good to know," Roy answered sarcastically. "Get out."

"Come on!" Dick whined. Roy was surprised that the acrobat's voice, now a lot deeper than it was three years ago, was still able to hit such a high pitch. "If you're not going to join us for movie night for the millionth time in a row, you've got to at least tell us why you're skipping."

"Told you. I'm going out."

Wally crossed his arms and huffed, reminding Roy of a spoiled six-year-old. Then his bright green eyes glanced up and brightened in curiosity. "What's in your pocket?"

Faster than Roy could blink, Dick had the box out of his back pocket, and was now examining it. "Hey, it's a jewelry box! What's in it?"

Roy lunged for the box, but Dick stepped slightly to the left and made him run into the wall. Dead silence followed as he opened it.

Dick gave Roy a shocked stare, and then handed the box to Wally. The speedster took a single glance before his eyes bulged, giving Roy the same look as Dick did.

"It's a wedding ring," Roy answered finally, confirming the two younger boys' suspicions. "I'm going out on a date to ask a girl to marry me."

"Why?" Dick managed to croak, making the archer frown. Sure, this was probably a shock to his friends, but they looked... almost upset.

"Because I love her," Roy admitted with a shrug. "That's usually why you ask a girl to marry you."

"But I thought..." Wally's voice trailed off as his eyes travelled back to the silver ornament and its single glittering gemstone. "Why didn't you tell us?"

The question took Roy by surprise. He hadn't really thought about why he didn't tell Wally and Dick, or anyone else for that matter. Jade was an assassin. For Red Arrow, a hero, to be married to Cheshire, a villain, was a territory forbidden. As it was, their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend was already treading thin ice. And here he was, preparing to ask her hand in marriage.

And by marrying her, he would become a criminal by harboring a villain. He didn't want that for any of their children. The League knew everything about him, making it far easier for them to track him than it was to track Jade, and by finding him, they would find her.

She was a villain, but she wanted out of her life of crime. All she needed was a chance to prove herself. No one but Roy was willing to give her that chance. If the League imprisoned her, she would never get that chance. By marrying her and making their union known—to anyone—the League could and would capture her through him.

But if their marriage was secret, she could reform, and he could continue working as Red Arrow. All they needed was to lay low.

So the answer was obvious—don't tell anyone.

But Wally and Dick—that was a different matter. Dick was a Bat, and knew everything. And Wally was the biggest chatterbox of all time. But, despite all of that, they could keep secrets. So why hadn't he told them?

"I didn't want you to judge her. She has a... questionable ancestry."

Wally cocked his head. "Since when do we judge people by their background?" he asked, sounding slightly offended.

Dick rolled his eyes and elbowed the younger redhead in the ribs. "Replay your first meeting with Artemis."

Wally stared at the ceiling before grimacing. "Okay, fine. Point taken."

"See?" Dick grinned suddenly, flopping onto to bed and planting his chin in his hands. "Okay, Roy. Now, we're a little offended that you're planning to marry her and didn't tell us, and who knows how long that's been going on, but you can make it up to us."

"Yeah?"

"Talk about her." Wally smirked.

"Fine. Uh..." Roy thought for a few moments before replying. "She's... really cool. And she's hot. Like, really hot."

"What does she look like?"

"Black hair. Dark brown eyes. She's a little bit Vietnamese."

"Ooh, like Artemis," Dick exclaimed, nudging Wally. "See? The Vietnamese girls go for the redheads."

Wally blushed and shoved Dick off the bed. The ebony giggled in reply, and Wally rolled his eyes before prompting Roy to continue. "What kind of job does she have?"

"I don't know. She has a new one every so often."

"Does she know, I don't know, martial arts?"

"Uh, yeah. A little. That's a little bit of the reason why I was first attracted to her."

"Where does she live?"

"She grew up in Gotham, for the most part, but now she lives kind of all over."

"Ooh, she gets cold feet?"

"Uh..."

"Kidding!" Wally tossed a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it between his teeth. "What's her name?"

"Jade."

"Jade. Just Jade? No last name?"

"Harper, maybe," the archer teased.

"No, I mean, aw, you know what I mean! What's her last name right now?"

Roy took a deep breath before answering. "Nguyen."

Dead silence.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean, like, Jade Nguyen, as in, the Jade Nguyen? Cheshire?"

"Yeah. Cheshire."

Wally choked on his popcorn, and Dick had to slap him on the back to get him to breathe again.

"So let me get this straight," Wally began when he could breathe again. "You're dating Jade Nguyen, AKA Cheshire, a member of the League of Shadows, and one of the most wanted assassins on the planet?"

"Uh... yeah."

"And you want to ask her to marry you?"

"I said that. Look, guys, I know it doesn't make a lot of sense to you guys, but—"

"Gee, YA THINK?!"

"It's like, when I see her, I forget who she is. I just look at her, and I see who she is underneath. You know, I don't see an assassin. I don't see her as dangerous. I see... beneath the mask, I guess. She's like, kind of fire and brimstone, and she never lets me get away with anything. And I love her for it."

Wally scowled and looked away. "In a weird way, I understand exactly what you're saying," he admitted. "She's kind of a... spitfire, I guess."

"Yeah. Yeah, that. A spitfire."

Wally nodded. "She loves you for the mess you are and doesn't care what anyone else sees. She knows you'd be lost without her, and that she'd be lost without you."

Dick ruined the moment by socking Wally in the arm. "Dude, really? Watch romantic comedies much?"

"Hey!"

"So you're in love with her?" Dick asked, ignoring the speedster. "For real? You're really, truly in love with her?"

"I know I am."

Dick shrugged. "Then I guess I don't have anything else to say. If you really love her, then I guess it doesn't matter who she is. Y'know, just so long as she doesn't try to kill you in your sleep or something. That would be bad."

"Duh."

Wally picked up the box with the ring still inside and examined it. "You know, I must admit, Roy. You have excellent taste in jewelry. But, like, are you really going to get down on one knee or something? Chesh—I mean, Jade doesn't seem like the kind of person to appreciate that very much. I think she'd expect something more, I dunno, exciting."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Well, what do you expect, a parade or something? Since I moved out of Ollie's house, I'm not exactly a billionaire anymore."

Wally shrugged. "Then do what you think is best." He stood up, dragging Dick up by the elbow as he did. "Come on, Dick. Roy's probably late for his date already."

"Yeah. Wouldn't want that." Dick threw one arm over the archer's shoulders, grinning like a banshee. "Good luck, bro."

"Yep," Wally agreed, popping the P, and slapping Roy on the back. "I wish you both the best."

"Thanks," the older redhead replied, grinning and trying to dispel the sudden nervousness in his stomach.

Dick seemed to sense it, though. "Hey, don't worry! If she loves you even half as much as you love her, she'll be thrilled to say yes!"

"Dude, yeah!" Wally exclaimed. "Also, text us and let us know what she says!"

"Yes! Let us know!" Dick pulled Wally out of the room and left the apartment. "Bye! Good luck!"

"Kudos, dude!"

Wally closed the door behind the two teens, and then turned to Dick with an incredulous expression on his face. "Dude, he really thought we didn't know!"

"Told you! Here he thought he was keeping some big, important secret that no one knows. And he's almost right. Just you, me, Bats, and GA know."

"Wait, GA knows?"

"I think."

"Who told him?"

"No one."

"And how would he find out on his own? He's not Batman. He has zero detective skills."

"Wait, you don't think he knows?"

"I doubt that he does."

"Cool."

"So... should we tell him?"

"No. That's Roy's responsibility."

"Yeah. If he can actually ask, that is."

As it turned out, all through the couple's dinner, Roy never once reached for the box in his back pocket. On several occasions, he nearly did, but something always told him to wait. So he waited.

The date ended, Jade disappeared into the shadows, and Roy returned to his apartment with the ring still in its box. And then it hit him.

He quickly changed into his Red Arrow uniform, threw his bow and his quiver over his shoulder, and raced out to the rooftop. Almost at once, Cheshire, wearing her signature cat mask, appeared from behind him.

"Well, hello, Speedy," she purred, drawing one sai from its hiding place. "What's the matter? Can't you live without me?"

As he had done so many times before, Red Arrow drew an arrow and fit it to his bow, pulling back the string with practiced ease. Almost predictably, Cheshire shot toward him, sai moving from left to right in a smooth slicing motion. Red Arrow fired the blunt-tipped, red-shafted projectile, and the approaching assassin easily dodged to the left, causing it to clang into the ventilation shaft behind her. She leapt into the air, legs curled underneath her, sai pointed toward the archer, and the opposite arm tucked against her chest.

Red Arrow shifted backwards, and Cheshire missed, landing in the empty space before blocking the heavy bow coming toward her face with the pronged blade.

"I've been thinking," Red Arrow replied, as casually as if he were having a conversation with her over tea. "And I've concluded that the answer to that question is obvious."

Cheshire's eyes narrowed behind the mask as she fell backwards into a crouching position. Red Arrow sent three iron-tipped arrows toward her, the kind that could do real damage, but she flipped into the air with a twist, avoiding them all. "If it's so obvious," she snarled, drawing the other sai, "then why don't I see the answer?"

"Because I haven't told you," the archer declared with a smirk. In reply, the assassin's eyes narrowed even father before she lunged again, this time nicking the wooden frame of his bow as he tried to block the strike.

"Then do share," she hissed, not bothering to remove her weapon from his bow, opting instead to use the close proximity to get up in his face and stare him in the eye.

"The answer is no."

"No?" she growled. "No, what?"

His movements were swift and instant. Wrapping his left arm around her waist, he lifted her off the ground, pinning her arms to her sides with the other arm, and backing her into the brick wall. An iron arrow slammed into the wall next to her head, forced into the brick by nothing but Red Arrow's sheer strength. Despite herself, Cheshire glanced over to look at it.

Hanging from its shaft by a scarlet thread was a silver ring.

"No, I cannot live without you," Red Arrow breathed, releasing her arms and backing up a few steps. "And that's why I'm here."

Cheshire stared from the ring to the archer and back. There was very little that surprised her. It came from experience. But staring at the diamond ring and the man who offered it to her, she could hardly breathe through her shock.

Spontaneously, Red Arrow removed his mask, something he had never done before her. Roy Harper and Red Arrow were two different entities, and he had always planned to keep it that way. Taking off his mask, his one barrier between the two individuals, indicated his complete and total faith in her. He was showing her that no matter who he was, Roy Harper, or Red Arrow, he would be hers.

Cheshire slowly took off her own mask, knowing that it did nothing to hide her shock. Now Jade stared at Roy, her dark eyes meeting his pale blue in nothing short of an explosion. Without looking, she reached out and snapped the thread holding the ring to the arrow, and then held it out to Roy.

"Aren't you going to put it on for me?"

The corner of Roy's mouth quirked upward slightly, and he moved forward and slipped the ring from her hand. She offered him her left hand, and he held it gently and slid the small disk around her third finger.

She smiled, and Roy's heart fluttered to see the soft, sweet expression in her eyes. Then she moved forward, resting one hand on his broad chest, and stood on tiptoe, brushing her left cheek against the right side of his neck.

"And I," she whispered, "can't live without you." Slowly, she pressed her lips against his, closing her eyes as fireworks went off in her mind.

"I love you," Roy murmured into her slightly opened mouth.

She hummed softly before replying, "I love you, too."

A/N Never really focused on this pairing much before. I think I like it.

Let me know what you think!