Making Friends
By: RavenHeart101
Summary: The first time Roy Harper met Richard Grayson he had to save his life. The first time Red Arrow met Robin, Robin made sure to return the favor.
Disclaimer: I really own nothing here. Except maybe a bit of the sass. But I don't even own that.
A: N – Basically I LOVE the idea of Batman and Robin mixing in with the Arrow crew and being a comic nerd that I am I sort of die every time I think of it. I pitched this to my friend Tyler and he demanded I write it. So… Enjoy this silly little thing.
Roy Harper was pretty sure his day couldn't get any worse. He trudged through the rain with his hands stuffed deep in the pockets of his hoody, glaring down at the wet pavement beneath his old sneakers. Mud streaked against the edges of his jeans and he was pretty sure that he hated his life. Hated this stupid city, hated the Queens, and he, especially, hated all of this vigilante shit.
And then there was the problem of him always messing up his relationship. Roy didn't even want to think about that. He was lucky if Thea even wanted to look at him after what he had just pulled. Not that he was sure what he had even messed up. He was pretty sure he had put the glasses in the right place but, according to Thea, they were in the wrong place. Yet again. And had fallen and shattered all over the place. And on a case of good faith – or to simply show he was sorry – Roy had decided to go grab some new ones from the store.
Even if he had totally not done anything wrong.
He glared at the pavement as though it was its fault and stomped a little bit harder in a puddle than was necessary.
Roy stumbled and raised a hand up to his forehead, looking through the sheets of rain at the street in front of him. He waited for the red hand to change white and sprinted across the intersection, nearly slipping and swearing at the car that almost clipped him.
The driver swore at him and Roy resisted flipping him off. He didn't want to risk the chance that Oliver would see him and go all "you're acting irresponsible and letting your anger control you" again. In his stupid mentor voice.
God sometimes Roy wanted to punch that voice out of him.
He wondered if Oliver was aware of how stupid he sounded when he used that voice changer. Or how much like a pedophile his voice dropping that many octaves made him sound. He so didn't sound as cool as he thought he did. Roy chuckled sardonically at the thought of the look Oliver would give him if he were to point that out. He wondered if Felicity would agree with him.
He tripped unceremoniously over the strap of a bag, blinking down at it in confusion before bending down to pick it up. It was a book bag, full of what looked like some very expensive computer equipment.
Roy blinked the rain out of his eyes and tried to listen for anything that wasn't rain and traffic.
And there it was.
It wasn't exactly what he had been expecting, being as loud as it was, but it was enough to get his attention. The noise of a gun going off, Roy jumped and turned towards it. In the alley way stood four figures, two more on huddled onto the ground as though in pain. It was the one that had his front to Roy that he was sure was the owner of the bag, a small teenage boy. Roy couldn't see much about him, aside from the expressive blue eyes.
The other four were big and hulking, tall and strong and obviously around Roy's age. "Hey!" He yelled out to distract them, urging the other boy to make a run for it with his eyes.
The boy didn't move at all. And neither did the others. One of them turned to face him, growling – literally growling – at Roy until he stepped forward.
He was sure they looked very menacing to a lot of people, including the young boy from the frozen way he stood, with their horribly grotesque masks. Actually, now that Roy could see through the rain, they seemed to be masks of dog faces. He rolled his eyes; the criminals in the city were seriously getting out of hand in their lack of creativity.
That didn't make them any less dangerous, though. "Get out of here." One of the men snarled at Roy and Roy raised an eyebrow. Who would have figured thugs in dog masks could speak.
"I think you should let the kid go." Roy nodded towards the kid as he shivered. It only took him a moment and a step closer to realize that the kid didn't have a jacket on. And if he had one on before the rain started and before he was jumped by a group of men in dog masks it must have been torn off his back.
"I think you should clear out." The same Doberman masked man said slowly, as though he thought Roy were stupid.
"Put the gun down and we can all clear out."
"Please stop talking." The boy muttered and Roy was almost caught off guard by the almost lethal look in his eyes. But the look was gone before Roy could even be sure that he saw it, replaced by a fear that was so real that Roy wanted nothing more than to make sure the kid was okay. "Just… they have a gun, and I don't want to provoke them any further."
"Smart kid." One of the goons said with a snort. "You should listen to him."
"What do you want from a kid anyway?" Roy asked.
"Leave." Doberman jerked his body towards him as though that were supposed to scare him.
Roy took a step back unconsciously and held out his empty hands in front of him as a sort of peace offering. "I'm not going anywhere until you let that kid go." He considered whipping out his phone and dialing the police, but he knew they wouldn't get there in time. He thought about calling Oliver, but for what reason? For him to tell Roy to, once again, stop getting involved in every petty street fight? 'Don't let your anger control you, Roy. Think of Thea. Do what Thea would want you to do.' Well Thea wanted him to get some damn new glasses for the club, but what about what Roy wanted to do? Roy wanted to save this kid from these drugged up dog-mask wearing thugs.
"I can't have it on my conscience that I left you guys alone with a kid threatening to kill him." Roy shrugged uselessly as though that explained the whole situation.
He wasn't even sure why he was bothering to explain himself to them. He had never done anything like that before, so why start now? Roy was usually the punch and deal with the consequences later kind of guy.
Only Oliver had apparently taught him something so he didn't do that as much anymore. Don't let the anger control you. Roy would certainly harness some of that anger if he had to. "Trust me," The kid spoke through gritted teeth. "It won't be on your conscience."
Roy quite possibly thought the kid was insane. But he wasn't walking away. "How about you put the gun down, Corgi."
The man holding the gun made an insulted growl. "Just kill him."
Doberman flung himself towards him and Roy was ready. This was his element. He could beat up people all day.
He punched and kicked and threw the guy into the dumpster, ready for the next one even as he pounced. Roy shook him off his back and threw him into a wall, stepping forward to deliver a nice timed blow but he was knocked over by a body flinging into his own. He dropped to the ground and braced his fall with his hands, flipping out from under the body on top of him.
The gun went off once more and Roy looked up in worry as the man holding the gun – the Corgi mask showing the space between his nose and chin – glared at the boy who was panting slightly.
Roy blinked down at the body next to him, at the knocked out man in the Pitbull mask. "What the hell?" He asked no one in particular.
"He's the one who tripped." The boy shrugged uselessly, his eyes wide as he looked at the gun as it shook in the man's hand.
"Just give me the money, kid!" Corgi yelled.
"Do you really think I'm allowed to walk around with three thousand dollars in my back pocket?!" The kid shook his head as though Corgi had some serious plugs loose.
Which was entirely possible, Roy thought to himself.
"You're Wayne's kid."
"I'm his ward not is kid." The kid rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you'd think you would get the difference by now."
Did this kid have a death wish? Roy was pretty sure he had a death wish. "What do you need the money for?"
"Just hold me for ransom." The kid shrugged as though it was a simple solution.
Corgi even looked at him like he was crazy. "What?"
"Bruce would totally give you the money if you held me for ransom." The kid continued like neither of them had spoken. "I'm insured for kidnapping and everything."
"Shut up." Roy said desperately, his eyes staring at the kid with what he was sure was a look that showed just how insane he thought he was.
Who in the world was actually insured for kidnapping? "Sorry we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Richard Grayson." Roy was sure he had heard the name somewhere. "This is my favorite kidnapping thug, Corgi."
The man snarled and jabbed his gun at him once more. "Shut up!"
Grayson took a step back and his back hit the brick wall behind him. He looked up, as though hoping for something to fall down onto him to help him out. Only nothing fell but rain. And nothing was above him but a black railing.
"Come on I haven't even gotten my rescuer's name." Grayson subtly shifted to the side and Roy had no idea what he was doing but he could see Corgi's finger twitching over the trigger again. And he was sure the man would actually shoot at him that time.
"And you won't." Corgi snarled in typical villain fashion before putting more pressure on the trigger.
Roy surged forward and jerked his hand upwards, the bullet only grazing the boy's hand as he reached out to grab onto something. He fell down with a swear and cradled it to his chest, watching as Roy struggled with Corgi. He jammed his elbow down, into Corgi's neck and grabbed the gun from his hand, smacking it against his forehead so that the man fell to the wet pavement out cold.
Roy stood for a moment, catching his breath in the cold rain before rushing over to kneel beside the shivering boy as he kneeled on the ground. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, his hand resting heavily on Grayson's shoulder.
"I'm fine." The boy smiled stiffly up at him, hugging his hand to his chest and letting Roy pull him to his feet.
He came to about Roy's shoulder, his hair a wet black mop a top his head. There was something almost exotic about his features, but Roy wasn't focused on that, more worried about the blood that dripped through his fingers. And concerned with not crushing the boy's shoulder under his palm. And concerned with keeping him from getting shock. He quickly shrugged off his sweat shirt, draping it over his shoulders and pushing him out of the alley. "I never got your name." The boy said through chattering teeth as Roy shouldered his backpack, pushing him into the nearest restaurant to call for help.
"Roy." He introduced himself.
The boy smiled up at him, as though his hand were simply a scratch and Roy was possibly the greatest being he had ever met in his life. His blue eyes twinkled with a mysterious humor. "It's definitely a pleasure to meet you, Roy."
Was he hitting on him? He might be hitting on him. Not that it wasn't flattering or anything, but Roy had a girlfriend and Grayson looked to be about ten under this light. "You too, Grayson."
"I'll be sure to tell Bruce all about your heroics." Grayson winked at him and huddled into his sweatshirt just a little bit more.
Roy felt a tug at the corners of his lips even though he wasn't sure why. "You do that, kid."
Red Arrow was pretty sure his night couldn't get worse.
His coms were down and Green Arrow was busy fighting some assassins three streets down. Which left Red Arrow standing guard over them all on the roof tops, firing off arrows whenever one of the assassins got a step too close to someone innocent. He cocks his bow and shoots once more, watching one of them go down as he tries to step into a crowded alley.
He doesn't stop to think about what it means that the people barely even spare a glance anymore.
They're not even in their city; he wants to shout at Green Arrow. They're in the wrong damn city and they're crossing a territory that isn't their own. Sometimes Red Arrow got tired of Green Arrow ignoring him all the damn time. Sometimes Red Arrow was sick of being the 'sidekick'.
Who coined that term, anyway? Why couldn't they use the term 'partners'? Sure it was a bit synonymous with romantic relationships at the moment, but police officers used it, and so did detectives and so, dare he say it, did Batman and his… Robin.
That was another problem Red Arrow had. Robin. The existence of him was so… out there. Red Arrow wouldn't go as far as to call it dumb, but Robin was just a kid. A twelve year old kid. Who in their right mind would allow a kid to fight crime as a vigilante?
Not that Red Arrow considered himself dumb enough to ask Batman such a question, he was pretty sure the Bat could squish him with just a glare. And Red Arrow had met him once before. That had been scary enough as was.
A crunch of gravel made Red Arrow turn, his bow and arrow poised at the ready. In front of him stood a figure clad in black, a gun in hand and muscles bulging. Great. Just what he needed. "Shit." He muttered. "Don't know if you guys can hear me but my cover's been blown." He said softly into the coms.
The only answer he got was crackling static through the ear piece. He cursed again and tightened his grip on the quiver.
The figure didn't say anything, just lunged towards him. Red Arrow let one fly, but it missed by less than an inch. The figure fired and Red Arrow ducked out of the way of the bullet at the last second. It was a question of speed between the two of them, but Red Arrow got his hood knocked off and his bow tossed over the edge of the building after thirty seconds. He barreled towards the figure, grabbing him around the waist but the figure didn't go down, flipping them so that Roy's back hit the roof instead.
He felt the air whoosh out of his lungs and stared down at the barrel of the gun in something a kin to fear.
He wasn't trained to take on someone who was part of the League of Assassins.
But apparently someone else was, because something silver clanged into the assassin's hand and distracted him enough to get a boot to the face. A black boot, whose heal looked dangerously painful as it collided with the assassin's jaw.
Red Arrow blinked up at the black and red figure as the assassin spun up onto his knees.
Had he really just been saved… by Robin?
The thought made him want to laugh. Loudly.
Instead Red Arrow pushed himself upwards and ran at the assassin. "Stay out of this, kid." He yelled over his shoulder.
He didn't miss the way Robin's eyes rolled behind his domino mask, or the way his gloved fingers reached out to grab something from his belt as the assassin threw himself towards the edge of the roof.
Red Arrow grabbed onto him at the last second, but the figure kicked out, his foot catching Red Arrow's nose so hard it broke, blood pooling onto his top lip and down his chin.
"Stay out of this, Harper." Robin mocked with a slight cackle, jumping off the roof after the assassin. Red Arrow swore for two reasons, one because the kid had just thrown himself off a roof, and another because he somehow knew who Red Arrow was. He scrambled to the edge, praying he wasn't going to be greeted by the sight of a dead Robin on the pavement fourteen stories down, only to see him almost… flying, from clothes line to lamp post and swinging down to land at a graceful fall on the ground.
He took off running after the thug and Red Arrow scrambled to look for a visual of Green Arrow.
Only to have his eyes settle on a black blur fighting alongside him.
"Come join in on the fun, Roy." An almost childish voice beckoned him from his com and Red Arrow jumped at the sound.
A slow smirk appeared on his face and he grabbed hold of the grappling hook that seemingly shot from nowhere, shooting it to the clothesline Robin had performed a very impressive aerial feet from and attempting to replicate it. He stumbled as he hit the pavement, rolling and landing on his back. "I'll give that landing a five for effort." He looked around himself, but still he saw nothing. "Down Tawning and take a left." Red Arrow propped to his feet and started to sprint. "Don't over exert yourself, old man, there will be plenty for you when you get here. Bat's honor."
"Anyone told you that you talk too much, kid?" Red Arrow panted through the com.
"What can I say, I like the sound of my voice."
"Aren't you supposed to be brooding and dark?"
"Stereotypes of the bane of my existence." Robin laughed and sounded just a tad bit winded. "Take your time, Harper, I can always handle this guy all juiced on Venom and the League training all on my own." He grunted. "Easy peasey."
"Hold your horses, kid," Red Arrow increased his speed with a small smile. "I'm almost there."
"We're even now, by the way." Robin piped up after a few seconds.
"Even?"
"Even."
A: N - Hem hem, so... thoughts? Expect more crossovers for these two fandoms from me?
