Just a little something, the team learns a bit about their fav little bird! Set place in season one, before Zatanna…
Names and Fears
Mount Justice TV room
"So why Artemis? I mean, you could have basically picked any superhero name you wanted to, but you kept your own name?" Wally questioned as he snacked on a candy bar, looking from his seat on the couch to the blond archer across on the other sofa.
"It just is," the young hero snapped back glaring at the red haired speedster in contempt for trying to start a conversation when she was doing just fine in the blissful quiet.
"I kinda want to know too," the green martian spoke up, looking at the blond cautiously, waiting to be snapped at. The archer softened her gaze when she looked at her closes person to a friend, then she signed, letting her shoulder's sag as she gazed off.
"It just fit already," she said quietly glancing around the room. Superboy was watching the static TV, but he was listening, though not really caring. Aqualad was listening in with his usual calmness and care. Wally was watching with a slight smirk, glad she had answered his question. And Robin was typing away at his wrist computer, although much he was intently listening completely interested in the conversation, which was something unusual for him.
"I mean, Artemis is the greek goddess of the hunt, it made perfect since really, for me to keep my name as a female archer," Artemis said with a shrug, glancing at M'gann who nodded with a grin before turning to her other teammates.
"How did you get your na-" the martian began looking at Wally before pausing with a pensive frown, "Hello Megan! Well I guess really all of us just got our names from our mentors," she said trailing off looking at the other sidekicks in the room, "OH! But Robin, what about you?" She asked with excitement.
The Boy Wonder looked up like he had just started listening in, and with a smirk said, "Which one?"
"What do yo-?" the redheaded martian began looking at the little bird in confusion, but was interrupted by Wally who let out a barked laughter.
"Oh you mean like Boy Blunder? I can tell you where he got that one! Or maybe-" but the speedster was silenced by the glare he could feel coming off his sunglass covered friend's eyes.
"Boy Wonder," he spit the words at his best friend still glaring, "And if you really must know it's because I simply like Robins," the boy said lying through his teeth. At this Superboy looked up in slight confusion, he didn't think the boy would simply name himself after his favorite animal.
"But dude that's not even your favorite animal," Wally said in confusion looking at the young acrobat, who, if possible, was glaring even harder at the speedster. Kid Flash quickly took in the Boy Wonder's clinched hands and anger and back tracked, "Um, I mean they are totally your favorite animal, ya favorite animal ever!" He cried the last part out in a strangled manner as he received a full on Robinglare.
"Hey! I shared, now it's your turn," Artemis said in anger, only getting a Robinglare sent in her direction that made her cringe into the couch she was stationed on.
"Robin, my friend, Artemis does indeed have a point. We know that you can not tell us your secret identity, but it would be nice to share," the Atlantian team leader calmly stated, although not meeting Robin's shades for fear of the Robinglare.
Glancing around, the young acrobat saw M'gann looking at him curiously and his heart melted a little at her innocence and he decided to go out on a limb and trust them.
"It was a nickname my mother gave me," he said softly, looking at the wall across the room from him. His mind going back to his circus day, "I was her little robin," he whispered his voice almost cracking from emotion that his team would never be able to detect.
"Why a robin?" Aqualad asked in slight confusion.
"Because I flew like a robin," the little bird stated and at everyone's confused looks he glanced around, silently seeing the hidden cameras in the room, "Oh to hell with it," he grumbled, shoving his hands into the air, middle figure pointed to the cameras. "That one's for you Bats," he growled out.
Looking as the team became even more confused, "My mother used to call me a robin because I was an acrobat in a circus. My whole family was, but my mother always told me I could fly like a little robin, we even nicknamed the platform I rested on 'Robin's Nest'." The team listened, although only Wally understood how much Robin was opening up, how much the boy was trusting them. Wally locked eyes with his best friend and smiled a bittersweet smile.
"So what, is Batman's favorite animal bats or something?" Superboy growled out, adding his two cents to the conversation.
"No," the boy wonder snorted, slightly distracted from the previous conversation, not really realizing what he was saying, "He's afraid of them." The little bird turned back to his computer, but looked up after a few moments when he heard the silence in the room. He was met with everyones' faces holding complete shock, even Wally's. Thinking back, the young acrobat realized his mistake and grimaced, not looking at the security cameras.
"The Goddamn Batman is afraid of bats?" Wally all but yelled out doubling over in laughter and he was joined with a giggling Artemis, not believing her ears.
"It's not like that!" Robin called out in anger, "Its not like being afraid of the dark, this is a controlled fear. He's in total and utter control at all times and he manipulates that fear he has. He makes thugs feel his fear," Robin growled out glaring at the team, thoroughly upset with himself for opening up.
"Why is he afraid of bats?" the martian asked, trying to distract Robin from his anger.
"Bad experience," the little bird growled out, about to stalk out of the room.
"I am afraid of not being of help to my king," the Atlantian spoke up looking directly into the young acrobat's shades, sharing and trying to get the young bird to stay.
Robin looked at the gilled boy for a second before, resting back in his seat. "I'm afraid of falling," the boy wonder said quietly.
"You fall all the time," the boy of steel deadpanned, not understanding the young acrobat.
"I fly, just like my mother said. I'm in control at all times," the boy stated.
"I'm afraid of losing my only earth friends," the green martian spoke up.
"I'm afraid of going back to a pod," Superboy growled out, clenching his fists at the memory.
"I'm afraid of Uncle Barry being disappointed in me."
"I'm afraid of my dad coming back," the blond archer chocked out, looking at the ground.
Noticing Artemis' obvious discomfort, Robin spoke up, letting everything go for once and for all, "My greatest fear is losing everything, again."
The team, even Artemis, looked up sharply at the again.
The Boy Wonder didn't look at any of them, instead softly continuing, "I've never spoken to anyone about it, not anyone my age. Because I know death, and once you know death how can you ever come back?" he looked at the team, tears shinning in his eyes hidden to everyone.
"Once you lose everyone and everything, once you travel to hell and back, how can you ever really talk about it?" the Boy Wonder broke then, he felt the tears streaming down his face and felt the sobs build up in his chest. A warm arm wrapped around his shoulder and looked up to see the green eyes of his best friend. Words were not needed to be spoken between the two.
"Thank you, Robin," Kaldur said softly, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. M'gann came over to the young bird and hugged him tightly, murmuring into his ear. Artemis came over and wrapped her hand around Robin's other shoulder, smiling a sorrow filled smile at the little bird that had gone through so much. Superboy nodded to the young vigilante, finally understanding the young bird a little more.
Just something I had to get down that I had in my head!
And hey those of you following my Meeting Robin story, I am so so sorry, but I'm having a lil bit of writers block, but the next chapter in that should be up by Friday… I think
Review, and if you love Robin one shots check out my page!