"I wish I'd see your face below
I wish I'd hear you whispering low
But you don't live downtown no more
And everything must come and go"
– Field Below, Regina Spektor
Miss Martian rolled onto her side, crisp white sheets enveloping her body as her brown eyes snapped open. Ceiling high windows offering panoramic views swamped her
vision, but the morning skies were grey and rain drops were streaming thick and fast down the glass. Frowning, Megan shifted position until she was staring at uninspiring
egg shell. The Martian waited, but it wasn't coming – that bubble of joy that started somewhere in the vicinity of her navel, then floated up into her chest, expanding all the way until it exploded in a riot of colour. With steadily sinking feelings Megan pulled herself out from under the covers. Dragging herself from the room she gently patted down her hair, suddenly very self-conscious that she had spent the night somewhere other than Mount Justice.
Roy shuffled out from his bedroom, eyes half shut with the remnants of his sleep. Rubbing roughly at his eyelids the archer began his early morning ritual of coffee making. As he waited for his peculator to start gurgling, announcing the arrival of freshly made espresso, his thoughts drifted towards Megan. He and the Martian rarely spoke – in fact – he was relatively sure they only exchanged brief hellos. Well, there was that exceedingly embarrassing moment when she caught him with a bottle of scotch, alone in the training room when virtually everyone else was celebrating Kaldur's birthday. The exact conversation remained lost to him but he remembered mentioning one thing. Carl. Shaking his head, Roy poured the brewed coffee into a plain white mug; hot water, milk and sugar followed. Leaning back into the counter top he paused for a moment before taking a sip of the life giving elixir.
"I never really understood humans attraction to coffee..." a quiet voice called out from across the room.
"Trust me, on late night patrols – a hot cup of joe is your best friend." Roy smiled, turning to face Megan. Inexplicably the Martian blushed – glancing down Roy laughed nervously. The female company he was used to keeping were much less bashful when it came to him in his pyjama bottoms.
"Sorry – I forgot..." Roy offered lamely. Quickly changing topic he added, "Would you like some breakfast?"
"If it's not too much trouble," Megan replied, her eyes not quite meeting Roy's.
"No, totally fine," Roy grinned. "Well, it will be so long as I've got something to eat." The archer laughed apologetically before launching himself at the fridge. "Erm, aside from left over Thai, I have eggs. Are you ok with eggs? I'll have you know I scramble well."
"Scramble?" Megan replied, her voice raising in question.
"Right...You must have had scrambled eggs?"
Megan shook her head, her gaze curious as Roy dropped a nob of butter in heavy bottomed pan. Cracking four eggs into a large bowl he quickly whisked them, before adding milk and seasoning. Just as the butter had melted into a golden pool he added the eggs, a gentle hiss following.
"Could you get out some bread?" Roy called out over his shoulder.
"Bread?" Megan questioned.
"Right, for toast."
The Martian nodded before continuing with her assigned task – her eyes firmly glued to the slices of granary. But every so often her gaze drifted to Roy, his hair was deliciously ruffled and unkempt. His flannel trousers hung low, revealing more than Megan thought she should be seeing; firm abdominals and a fiery trail of hair leading down his stomach, only to be swallowed up by the drawstring. Coughing to herself she stared intently at the toaster, just waiting for it pop. The clattering of plates caused her to stare in Roy's direction once more; Roy was reaching up to the top shelf, his back stretched out as his arms moved above his head, each and every defined muscle rippling. Megan stared for what seemed like a full minute, admiring the contours of his well sculpted back before the delicious smell of fresh toast met her nose.
"Toast's ready," the girl called out weakly.
"Excellent," Roy smiled. Taking the perfectly browned pieces of bread he quickly plated up before leading Megan towards his rarely used dining table. Gesturing for her to sit down the two heroes sat down to breakfast together, as the archer forked perfectly cooked eggs into his mouth he tried to think of the last time he'd actually had breakfast with a girl. The red head was drawing blanks – apparently never.
"This is delicious," Megan muttered.
"One thing I can cook," Roy laughed, his green eyes bright.
"Teach me?" Megan questioned, her voice hopeful.
"If your team mates don't kill be before hand, sure – its a date."
"Why would they kill you?" Megan frowned, she was fairly certain none of Young Justice would cross the line and kill the archer, no matter what he'd done.
"I should have gone straight back with you... told them that you were fine."
"Roy!" Megan admonished, rising to her feet. "You didn't tell them? We're going back – now."
The archer took in an almighty breath, just about ready to defend himself. But instead he swallowed back his retort, he didn't want to ruin it, whatever it was
Having contacted Mount Justice and then insisting that Roy accompany her back to the base, the two teens arrived to find a welcoming party assembled in the rec room – waiting for them, or more strictly Megan. Roy shifted where he stood, uneasy. His Red Arrow uniform on, quiver at his back; every bit of both his figurative and physical armour were in place, but he was still on edge. It was probably because Superboy was giving him the stink eye from across the room, for someone that had been silent about his feelings for Megan, he sure wasn't extending the same courtesy to Roy.
"You should have brought Megan back here..." Kaldur finally spoke up, the Atalantean was awkward, unsure if he should or even could, discipline Roy.
"She was a little shaky," Roy shrugged, doing his utmost to remain cool. "I thought it would be easier to let her crash."
"Not your call to make." Kaldur countered, his voice growing harder.
"Look – you didn't see her. She was freaked out..."
"You let her get hurt?" This time it was Superboy who spoke, anger interlacing his words.
"Yes..." Roy blurted out before Megan could say anything. His eyes darting briefly towards the Martian before staring back at Superboy.
"Then you should have called us in, I'm invulnerable – I would have protected her. What are you? Some idiot with a bow and arrow."
"Hey!" Artemis called out, "Not that I'm disagreeing with the idiot part. Just don't dismiss his weapon, mine's the same and its saved your ass, remember?"
"I messed up but she's fine, there's no harm done." Roy interjected, balling his hand into a fist.
"No harm done – you just said she was freaking out. That's exactly like you, just trying to pass everything off. Never admitting that you might possibly be wrong." Superboy countered. Kaldur was no longer concerned with disciplining, he was more worried they were going to have a full blown fight on their hands.
"Superboy, you don't know anything about me..." Red Arrow spat, his clenched fist shaking.
"Dinah talks about you," Superboy countered, a strange smile playing across his lips.
"What the hell does Black Canary know!" Roy exclaimed, trying to remain calm, trying to push down the thoughts of betrayal.
"You couldn't get over the fact that Ollie left you behind – that he didn't want you any more."
Roy's hand was suddenly rock steady, "Don't even go there Superboy."
"You actually think you can stop me?" Superboy queried, incredulous.
Roy allowed himself a smirk before his hand reached for his quiver; quickly notching an arrow his forehead creased into a frown.
"You might be pretty near invulnerable, but believe me... A pound of C-4 exploding in your face is gonna hurt."
"Roy!" Robin jumped forward, a restraining hand flying to Red Arrow's shoulder.
"Back. Off. Grayson." the archer growled, shrugging off the Boy Wonder, his eyes never leaving those of Superboy. Instead his right arm pulled further back on the bow string as if to emphasise his point.
"It wont even scratch me." Superboy growled, his blue eyes narrowed.
"You'll forgive me if I test your word..."
"Stop. Both of you." It wasn't Kaldur, it wasn't Robin. It was Megan and she looked pissed. "Roy didn't let me get hurt, I was the idiot. He was just trying to save me the embarrassment. And all of you need to stop talking like I'm not here, I'm not a something to fight over. So just stop... please." The Martian shook her head before brushing past all those assembled towards her bedroom, Artemis hot on her heels.
A/N: Ok - so I went and did it, a multi chaptered fic for your (hopeful) delectation. This chap is a little short this but I hope its ok. RE Superboy and Roy - there are some latent issues here that provoked their reactions. They're not both complete jerks. Anyway, hope you liked it and let me know :)
