Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice, DC, or any DC characters, though this storyline is mine. This is SLASH, meaning GAY, so viewer' discretion is advised.
Pairing: JasonToddxRoyHarper
Rating: T
Warnings: Slash and Canon Warping!
Summary: Gemini Verse, a few years in the future. Roy's fallen down a dark drug-filled path, but a surprise meeting with Gotham's Red Hood might be just what he needs to get back on track. Slash! JasonToddxRoyHarper
A/N: As I've stated in my fic, Gemini, I'm a DC fan by proxy, so all my knowledge of the DC universe is from DC Wikia. But this is FANfiction, so I'll be warping the canon anyway… As always, there will be a little bit of background info to this piece from the DC storyline to aid understanding about the characters. Hope it turns out well! This is a spin off to Gemini a few years into the future, the the story isn't totally necessary to read to understand this (though I'd appreciate if you checked it out). There will be a tie in later but I'll probably explain any needed information there.
DC Wikia Background Info:
Roy Harper – After a series of events that basically left Speedy feeling abandoned and alone, Roy's life takes a twist when he develops an addiction to heroine. Though he successfully quits the habit, his future seems to be wracked with misfortune, with him falling in love with Cheshire and having a daughter with her who is eventually killed by the villain, Prometheus. This sends him back to his addiction, and eventually on the road to becoming Arsenal, an anti-hero who carries out his own brand of justice – musch like the Red Hood. He used to work under the Green Arrow, aka Oliver Queen, Star City's billionaire.
Jason Todd – The second Robin, Jason was arrogant and violent, eventually getting killed by the Joker. However, later in the comics, he was revived, via the Lazarus Pit, going on to become an anti-hero like character known as The Red Hood. Not very popular with the rest of the Robins, he's taking crime fighting down a bloody path, murdering the criminals he captures.
Lazarus Pit – Containing an unknown mixture of chemicals, they are able to heal almost any injury and practically bring the dead back to life, however at the price of causing the users to go temporarily insane. In the CW's Smallville, however, a serum of similar naming was concocted that replicated its effects, enabling high speed regeneration, but with the side effects of heightened aggression and addictive tendencies.
Bane – A world class fighter, he uses a super steroid called venom to give his superhuman strength.
Bleeding Red
He needed a hit. He needed one now.
Damnit! Where was Corey with his stuff? He was late. Roy sighed, rubbing his temples in an attempt to dispel an oncoming migraine. Fricken withdrawl symptoms. How had he let himself fall this far? Reduced to nothing more than a common druggie. Grinding his teeth, he reminded himself with ample amounts of disgust. It was all that damn doctor's fault.
Bad things always seemed to happen to good people. For Roy, he'd been fooled into his addiction by none other than the man he was currently waiting on for his next fix. It had only been about four months ago when it happened. Roy had been trying to stop a robbery at a Wayne Industries warehouse in Star City. A group of thugs were trying to get away with lifting and entire shipment of top-of-the-line medical supplies recently developed at the request of the company's head. Seeing as they seemed to be simple hired guns, the mission was supposed to be cake.
He was wrong. Though Roy was usually prepared to handle any situation, thanks to his many trick arrows, he hadn't quite been expecting one of Batman's rogues to show up to the party. Bane, admittedly, wasn't someone he could take down on his own.
In short, Roy had been blindsided. It was just after he'd taken down the first few thugs that the chemically-enhanced muscleman appeared. To his credit, Roy didn't immediately go down. He had avoided most of Bane's crushing blows, shooting off his entire quiver, but to no avail. The giant seemed impervious to anything he threw at him. Eventually, he ran out of ammo and had to go on fighting by hand. Suffice to say, he didn't last very long. Though Roy was extremely proficient in many martial arts, hand to hand combat proved ineffective against the hulking beast. With one unlucky swing, Roy soon found himself crashing full force into a wall of crates, three cracked rips puncturing his lungs, spluttering as the thugs beat a hasty retreat.
He'd thought he was going to die. But he didn't. Instead, he found himself waking up on a medical table deep within a Wayne laboratory, under the care of a doctor with cold, calculating eyes. Apparently, as thanks for trying to protect their products, he'd been given a dose of Lazarus, the very drug the thugs had stolen, which had amazingly brought him back to full health.
"Thought we'd lost you for a while," Corey had explained to him as he came to. "You were looking pretty iffy, so we had to use triple the normal dose of the drug to keep you alive. Glad it all worked out." He laughed coldly.
He was never told of Lazarus' side effects.
Soon after leaving the lab, Roy'd begun to feel queasy. Restless. Irritated. Angry. Concerned, he went back to Wayne Industries, to find the doctor and some much needed help. Doing so further entangled him in the man's trap.
Corey had initially blown him off saying that his body was just reacting badly to the medicine. It could be fixed easily with another few doses. He'd given him more drugs and sent Roy on his way. However, a few days later, the symptoms returned. This time around, when he went back to see the doctor, his dose of drugs came with a price. Corey had demanded cold, hard cash.
Initially, he'd refused, resolved to quit what he realized was a forced addiction. That didn't work. The entire time it felt like his insides were trying to tear their way out of his body. Don't get him wrong, Roy could handle the pain. It wasn't because the withdrawal symptoms were beating him that he'd turned back to the needle. It was because Corey found him.
He had tracked Roy down to his apartment and saw him withering on the floor in pain. Then he explained his options. Lazarus was a mixture of highly potent toxins that, when stirred together, somehow shocked the human body into a regenerative state. However, once sufficient levels of these chemicals dropped within the patient, the toxins became volatile again. They would kill Roy in a week if he didn't keep taking it at regular intervals. That was all the reason his chemical battered mind needed for him to pay up. The relief he got when he stuck the needle in his arm was pure euphoria. That was the beginning of his and Corey's junkie-supplier relationship.
Pretty soon, though, Roy didn't want to quit. Lazarus, he discovered, was able to heal any and all wounds, enabling him to be a better hero on top of giving him increased energy and stamina. He'd never felt more alive than when he took that drug.
However, Lazarus had also done a remarkable job at ruining his life. Oliver soon discovered his addiction and instead of trying to get him help, the Green Arrow disowned him as his ward. Cut off from cash, Roy had to resort to thievery in order to get the money for his drugs. Once the League had discovered this, they'd blacklisted him as a hero, cutting off all contact with him.
So here he found himself, waiting on his supplier in the dark alleys of West Gotham, like a common criminal. It was a full forty-five minutes before someone arrived, though it wasn't the someone he expected.
A dark laugh filled the air. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? A little bit far from Star City now aren't we, Speedy?" Whirling to the side, bow at ready, Roy saw a figure step partway out of some shadows.
"It's Red Arrow," he snapped unconsciously, but then inwardly groaned. His migraine was no longer oncoming. It was here and had bought real estate up in Roy's head. He hoped whoever he was speaking to didn't see his hands start to shake on his weapon. Feigning control, he barked out a command. "Show yourself!"
The figure let out another chuckle. "So the druggie's telling me what to do now, eh?" Nevertheless, the man in question conceded, moving forward, into the light. Clad in what appeared to be a red biker's mask, a black leather jacket, and grey jeans, his appearance took Roy a bit by surprise. Obviously, from the red skull-like emblem on his chest and twin guns by his side, the man was not just some alleyway thug. He could be mistaken for an amateur superhero or super villain with his looks, Roy just wasn't sure which.
"Happy now, Robin Hood?" the man asked playfully, smirking behind his helmet.
Roy growled. That comment was just so original and never failed to tick him off. Now that he thought about it, everything about this guy, from the way he cocked his head to the side to how he crossed his arms as he leant back against the grimy alley wall infuriated him. But that could just be the drug, or lack thereof, talking. "Where's Corey?" he bit out, as the two began to circle around each other, like wolves stalking prey.
The man ignored his question. "What? Not even gonna ask my name?" he took a step forward, but stopped when Roy knocked a second arrow onto his bow, reminding him that his company was armed. Holding up his hands, Motorcycle Mask backed off a pace. "They call me Hood. Red Hood. You may have heard of me?"
Roy frowned. The name did sound familiar… Like he'd heard it in passing, but he wasn't sure. So he repeated his question, this time with a demand. "Stop playing around," the young hero hissed. "Tell me where Corey is or I'll fill that stoplight of a helmet with holes."
Turning serious, Red Hood dropped his hands. "Locked up," he replied. Roy's eyebrows shot forward. The man let out a dark chuckle. "With a few broken limbs!" he added gleefully, cackling madly.
"What?" Roy asked surprised, but more out of concern for himself than the doctor man. How was he ever gonna get a fix now?
Another laugh. "He was stealing from Wayne Industries and trying to start his own drug empire," Hood explained casually. "He got what he deserved."
Roy gritted his teeth. His head was starting to ache. He needed another hit now, and this fool just made things a lot more complicated. Hood seemed to notice his discomfort, as his laughter stopped abruptly. Once again, he stepped forward.
"Oh?" the man asked. "Is baby not feeling well?"
"What part of two arrows in your head don't you understand?" Roy barked. "Stay where you are."
This time, Hood ignored his words, continuing to advance. "I'm sorry," he said with false sincerity. Roy stepped back. "But what arrows?"
In an instant the young hero found his weapons on the ground and himself thrust up against cold brick, Hood's right forearm pressed against his windpipe and body pinning him to a wall.
"Too weak to fight back? I understand. Lazarus is pretty tough on a guy's system," his captor said, mockingly. "And the high it gives is just so temporary, so short. That's what you get for buying into an imitation. It's nothing like the real thing." Head tilted slightly at an angle and body language screaming with amusement, Hood suddenly stopped, thoughtful. "But you wouldn't know what the real thing is, now would you? How about I give you a taste?"
With a snap, the Red Hood's helmet was on the ground, face revealed. Roy's jaw dropped, shocked. Before him was a man roughly two years younger than himself, no more than eighteen at the most. With jet black hair highlighted by an odd tuff of silver atop sharp features that ended in a strong jawbone and a maddening smirk, Hood's appearance stopped him dead. He was very handsome. Seeing Roy's reaction, the man's grin widened. Even with the crimson red domino mask shielding his identity, Roy was sure he could see a flash of lust sprint across the man's eyes. He shuddered unconsciously.
Leaning up, Hood whispered in his ear. "Let me show you what the real Lazarus is like."
In an instant, Roy found himself with a warm set of lips pressed fiercely against his own. Gasping in surprise, he sputtered, pushing at the man's chest. Unfortunately for him, his reaction gave Hood the opportunity to slide his tongue down Roy's throat.
From then on, all thoughts stopped.
This kid's kiss… It was a thousand times more intoxicating than any high he'd ever experienced while on Corey's drugs. He let out an involuntary moan as Hood's tongue prodded at his own, and after a few minutes, began to respond fervently. Roy felt Hood smile into his lips.
The elder hero couldn't figure out why he was reacting this way; he'd never wanted to kiss another man before. Maybe Hood was a meta, and he was under his spell… Either way, all Roy knew was that he felt good, leading him to turn his rational side away.
That rational side probably would have been pretty embarrassed that, moments later, Roy blacked out from the kiss.
REDHOODREDARROW
Roy woke up stiff on the ground, propped up against the dirty alley wall. What… What had just happened?
It all came back to him in a flash. That man. That kiss. That tongue.
Blushing at the memory, Roy couldn't help feeling but feel like a bit like a whore. He'd submitted to his captor's will almost from the moment the man's lips touched his. Granted, it had felt really good…
Looking around, Roy had yet to find a trace of the man that had unwittingly claimed his mouth only moments before. He did, however, catch sight of his bow, quiver, and – was that his mask? – in a neat pile a few feet before him. Hands flying to his face, Roy bit back a groan. Hood had pulled a low blow. Stealing a glance at his secret identity was the equivalent of snapping shots of him naked in the world of tights and spandex.
Going to gather his things, a flash of white drew his eye. A note? Moving into the light of a nearby streetlamp, Roy held up the paper to read.
Wow, man, you kiss like a slut. Pleasure meeting you, though. We'll have to do it again sometime.
~Your New Addiction
Red Hood
Roy frowned. New addiction? What was that supposed to mean?
It wasn't until about two day later that he found out.
The pains had returned, though he couldn't recall when they had gone away in the first place. He hadn't had a hit since before Corey got arrested. Regardless, he needed more drugs, but with his supplier currently behind bars, he had no one to turn to. It was then that Hood's note made sense. It was after their first encounter that his symptoms had stopped. He didn't know how or why, but whatever Hood did had worked. Roy had to find him again. Apparently, though the character in question had expected Roy's reaction. He hadn't even been in Gotham ten minutes before the masked character found him, cornering him once again in an alley.
"So you've returned," he said, helmet gone, staring Roy straight in the eye. Scowling, the archer nodded.
"Well?" Hood asked, amusedly, "What are you waiting for? Come here." Stepping forward, the man invaded Roy's space, moving to pull him in for a kiss, but the redhead cut him off.
"Cut the crap," he said quietly, "Just give me whatever you did last time we met and I'll be on my way."
Hood tilted his head to the side, feigning curiosity. "You think I gave you something? Like what? A drug?"
Roy gritted his teeth. "Obviously." He wasn't stupid. Roy knew Hood had done something to him. Their kiss… it wasn't natural! He probably had used some kind of super aphrodisiac on him when he wasn't looking because there was no way in hell a simple kiss could feel that good. And if Roy thought about it, it would fit Hood's character profile. He'd done research on the man as soon as he got back to Star City and was surprised by the results. Hood was one manipulative bastard with an array of skills and smarts probably only second to those of the Batfamily themselves.
The Red Hood was a Gotham antihero known for his rough treatment of criminals. He was one of the lesser known vigilantes of the city, but rumored to be a brilliant mastermind who, despite his lack of publicity, manipulated gangs and the criminal underworld in a way that somehow led to lower crime rates. Hood was a man of mystery and intelligence, dangerous because he wasn't afraid to kill.
Hood laughed, snapping Roy out of his thoughts. "Look, kid," he said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. Roy tensed. "I didn't dose you with anything but the sweet taste of my lips."
Roy huffed in disbelief. It wasn't possible, he told himself again. Roy had tested his blood as soon as the idea that he might have been dosed crossed his mind and was surprised by the results. All traces of Lazarus were gone from his system. It had to be the work of a drug, despite the fact that Roy couldn't find a hint of any foreign substance in his body. Given his current withdrawal symptoms, coupled with the words of the note, Roy figured that he'd been switched off Lazarus for whatever Hood had pumped into his veins. Same game, different scenario. However, his frustrations regarding the matter could wait, as Roy was hit by a wave of nausea. At the moment, it was a wonder he was even standing. His body hurt all over and his vision was starting to blur.
"Fuck off," Roy hissed acidly. "And you're really not in any position to be calling me kid, I'm older then you are. Now stop playing around and give me whatever you did the other night!"
Guh. He really shouldn't have screamed. It hurt his head and his world was beginning to spin.
Hood's expression softened. "Come here."
With that, Hood made to kiss Roy again, bringing him into the confines of his arms as he did, but this time the archer didn't resist. He couldn't, he didn't have the energy.
Hood's lips hit him like a breath of fresh air laced with hallucinogens. As soon as they made contact with his own, Roy was sent on an instant high, bodily pains momentarily blasted from his mind as he melted into the touch. But this was not to last as, as soon as it began, it ended, Hood pulling away leaving the young hero gasping for breath and wanting, craving, more. Even worse, his pains weren't completely gone, though they had receded to a dull throbbing, something he could ignore if necessary.
The Red Hood's face was grim. "It's not drugs."
Roy just stared at him, trying to regain composure, before making a face and wiping his mouth on his arm, as if it would erase any evidence of how much that kiss actually helped.
"You probably just dosed your lips with whatever you used before our meeting," he mumbled unconvincingly.
Again, Hood laughed, though this time it didn't contain any of the mocking humor it had before. "Let me tell you a little thing about what you were taking before you got a piece of this," he gestured towards himself, "Lazarus?"
Roy looked at him suspiciously.
"Lazarus was a cheap imitation of something more potent, more powerful, than any little shot could ever hope to replicate," he said. "The real stuff your little scientist was trying to imitate comes from deep within the Earth, wrapped up in little holes in the ground called Lazarus Pits." Hood smirked. "I took a dip in one of those magic pools once. It changed me. Altered my energy structure or something. Still within his grip, Roy could do nothing as Hood leaned in close to his face and whispered against his lips. "You can feel it, right? That something about me is just a little off. I bet you're symptoms are getting better already, just from being around me, taking in my Lazarus aura."
Roy involuntarily shuddered. He hated to admit it, but what he said was true. He was feeling better, more and more so with every passing moment. It was… disconcerting to say the least.
"Anyhow," Hood continued, back to teasing Roy. "From now on, if you want to get any relief from your pains, you and me are gonna have to do the dirty. And from the looks of that grimace on your face, a little peck ain't gonna cut it. Whaddaya say?"
Roy looked up at him hesitantly. Was he really going to make out with this guy just for a fix? The toxic chemicals were out of his system so he wasn't in any danger, but…
Hood released him and backpedaled a few steps as Roy tried to muster a reply. However, as he did so, his symptoms started to return, and the Red Arrow struggled to think. Finally, after a few moments of deliberation, Roy nodded.
"Fantastic." Hood said smiling again, and then lips were on lips, tongues wrestling inside of mouths, and Roy's head in the stars.
Xxx
A/N: Oh gawd, I am such a perv… Man! Hope that wasn't too awkward to read. So… Like it? Want more? I'll probably add to this after I finish up with Gemini, which I updated Saturday, so check it out! Anyway, Gemini isn't close to being done at the moment, but this story doesn't really tie into it until later so… It's all good! Add an alert, submit a review, do something so I know this fic was read!
REVIEW!