It was just two weeks later that during a battle, Superboy heard the sharp buzzing sound of insects. He turned to face Robin and saw the boy absentmindedly swatting at them as he jumped away from Joker. Superboy charged, mind blank but with rage, and punched. Joker moved his head out of the way quickly, ducking under the fist and continuing towards Robin. Still, Superboy hit his target. He felt the stinger brush across his knuckles as he punched a bee, and it fell to the ground. Suddenly he felt a sharp tug on his shirt and saw that one of the Joker's henchmen, Joan- or maybe it was Punch, he couldn't honestly tell- had latched onto him. Superboy tried to keep his feet planted, but the henchman threw him anyway.
He flew several yards, landing against a brick wall next to Robin. The Boy Wonder looked incredulous. "What the hell just happened?"
Superboy pulled himself to his feet and extended a hand to Robin. "There was a bee, I didn't want it to get you, so I got rid of it."
Robin pulled with Superboy to get to his feet and then smacked him with the back of his hand. "You think a bee is more dangerous than the Joker? Get your head in the game, Superboy!" Superboy frowned, but he leaped back into the action. The two of them paired up and quickly defeated Joan and Punch, shoving them into a brick wall and knocking them unconscious. They turn around and spot Joker. He was fighting hand-to-hand with Artemis and Wally, keeping up easily and at times looking like he wasn't even trying. Robin leaped into action quickly, throwing himself into the fight and landing twice as many hits on the Joker as were landed on him.
Superboy jumped over some boxes and threw his own punches, significantly more effective than the other three's hits. The Joker was quickly beaten, then hog tied and thrown into a police car.
"You know what Superboy, we've gotta get something else to call you. Superboy is just such a mouthful."
Superboy looked thoughtful. "What about… Kon-El?" he had a basic understanding of Kryptonian culture and based his name off of the naming tendencies.
Robin grinned. "That's a good Kryptonian name. And then your Earth name could be Connor!" The little bird looked to the ground, slightly embarrassed. "Of course, only if you like it. Do you? …Like it?"
Superboy grinned. "Connor… I like the sound of that… Connor it is!" Robin started to laugh heartily. Connor joined in chuckling, placing a hand gently onto Robin's shoulder.
The boy groaned loudly, one hand moving to clutch at the sore muscles. Connor immediately quieted, hands hovering over the boy, ready to steady him.
"I'm good, Kon. Just a little bruised and battered from Joan and Punch." Connor's face shifted into protective older brother mode and he scooped Robin up in his arms. He leaped quickly into the bioship and set him down carefully in a chair. It molded to the shape of Robin's back, relieving some of the unwanted pressure on his bruised ribs. Connor stroked Robin's jaw for a moment, peering into Robin's domino mask. After a moment with no response, Connor moved his hands to Robin's shoulders and gently prodded the area with his fingertips. Slowly, gently, Connor moved his hands methodically down Robin's arms, rubbing at the taut muscles and working out the kinks.
Robin didn't make a sound, but the way his eyes began to drift closed and his head lolled backwards, it was evident how pleased he was with the treatment. By the time the bioship landed in Mount Justice, Robin was completely asleep, and Connor was holding him gently in his arms. The Kryptonian walked off the bioship easily and found himself absently walking toward the kitchen. He knew that the security on Robin's bedroom door was far more advanced than he could follow, but he didn't want to wake the Boy Wonder to open a door, and that Robin would not take kindly to waking up in somebody else's bed. So, the only logical option was to sleep on the couch for just that one night and then never speak of it again. So that's what they did. Superboy woke up in the morning to the smell of burning eggs, and Robin was gone.
Connor stood up and opened his mouth, ready to speak to M'gann.
"Hiya Kon, how was the lumpy bumpy couch?"
Connor jumped nearly a foot. He looked up and saw Robin, perched on the back of the couch and grinning widely at him.
"You had it rough, no pillow, no blanket. I, on the other hand, had a quite exceptional experience with the couch." M'gann blushed bright pink and floated quickly out of the room. Connor thought back to how he had been lying on the couch with Robin the night before.
Robin's head had been resting on Connor's bicep, his back pressed to the backrest of the couch, and Connor's other arm had been flung carelessly overtop of the boy. All in all, Robin was fairly well-equipped with a pillow and blanket, while the only source of heat Connor had was the small bundle of spandex and equipment wrapped in his arms.
"Whatever, Boy Wonder. You're a little heating pad." Robin smirked.
"I guess that just means that we're going to have to do it again sometime."
