Roy doesn't know why he thought Robin would act any differently after his confession. Maybe he was expecting him to be shy or coy or maybe even a little embarrassed, but Robin just flips into a handstand and tumbles off of the roof's ledge, happy and confident as ever. He makes Roy's skin feels too small and his insides squirm. It's probably just a crush, but it makes Roy feel uncomfortable all the same. Which, of course, makes him even more uncomfortable because he never saw himself as the kind of guy to have problem with that kind of thing. Growing up with Ollie he had always suspected that he and Hal had a sort of thing going on when he and Dinah were off again on again, so it's not like this type of thing is new to him, really he never cared before, but the knots in his stomach tell a different story. Maybe it's just because Robin is so much younger than him, maybe it's because he's Batman's partner, maybe it's because Roy held him that night and woke up alone, whatever the reason Roy found it really awkward to be around him anymore.

"Keep up slow poke," Robin jibes a rooftop away and gaining distance, breaking Roy from his thoughts

Roy grunts nonplussed, and lines up another arrow, the surprised look on Robin's face when he zips by is worth the trouble it's going to be to real the line back in.

"Keep up Boy Wonder," Roy teases back and in that moment it's almost easy to forget that the other night happened at all. It's just Roy and Robin hanging out, nothing weird or awkward about it.

"Cheater," Robin yells, though the laugh that punctuates the sentence lets Roy know that he doesn't really mind.

Roy can almost pretend that there isn't this uncomfortable tension between them. Or at least Roy thinks there is because Robin isn't act like there isn't anything out of the ordinary. Like he didn't just drop a bomb shell on Roy and then just leave him to pick up the pieces.

Robin lands next to him in a handspring, leaping up and bowing theatrically for imaginary applause. Roy's hand reaches out to ruffle his hair only to stop half way there, in an aborted motion. Robin isn't exactly his kid brother, but he's the closest thing Roy's ever had to siblings, and now he can't even touch him without second guessing his actions. His hand left hanging awkwardly in the air, making Robin's mouth turn down in annoyance, the first sign he's shown all day of acknowledging what happening between them.

"I didn't tell you so that you could be all weird around me."

Then why did you tell me? He pointedly doesn't ask.

"Well how exactly did you expect me to react?" Roy knows he sounds defensive, but still he can't keep the annoyance out of his voice. Eyebrow raised and mouth one hard line. The worst part is that it's not even Robin's fault. It's Roy's for reacting the way he is.

"I was hoping you wouldn't be a jerk about it," Robin pokes Roy in the chest; mask furrowed furiously his mouth drawn up into a scowl.

Roy feels anger pool in his stomach, hot and heavy, "You still like me now?"

Robin's cheeks flush red and his mouth turns down in embarrassment, a pearl pink outlining the edges of his mask and accentuating his baby fat. Robin barrels into Roy with none of the force of a trained super hero but all the finesse of a pissed off teenage boy, head butting Roy in the stomach. They both crash down onto the rough cement of the roof, Roy chanting a mantra of 'do you still like me now' over and over again, angry for no reason that he can name.

They are a tangle of limbs and elbows, mainly Robin's sharp pointy elbows digging into Roy's skin and muffled curses. Roy ignores the way that he is basically all over Robin and just concentrates on trying to pin him, but Robin is apparently infinitely jointed and keeps slipping out of Roy's grasp up until Robin's head cracks down especially hard on the concrete roof and he curls up on himself as much as he can from underneath Roy.

"Oh shit," he hadn't actually meant to hurt him, Roy feels the anger draining out of him and sink low into his belly where it weighs heavy and feels too much like guilt for him to be comfortable with. Robin grits his teeth and hisses, Roy immediately slips his hand under his head and feels his stomach sink even lower when his fingertips comeback red.

"Jesus Roy, don't you think I have enough stitches?" Which, ow, really hits home because Robin looks so small and pale under him, his forehead barely healing from the other night and bruises still peeping out from under his collar. But then Robin smiles a lopsided (probably concussed) smile and laughs loud and clear and in Roy's ear and he has no idea what's happening but he feels answering laughter bubble up in his chest.

"You dick," Robin lets out a little embarrassing snort at that one, which makes Roy's ribs ache and if he keeps this up any longer he'll get hiccups.

This would be the part where Roy is supposed to apologize, but it catches in his throat and refuses to come out. Swallowing hard he looks at Robin and see the remnants of a blush across his cheek bones and feels like the biggest asshole in the world. Robin was just a kid, just a kid with a crush and when it passes they'll (hopefully) look back on this and laugh.

Roy sighs deeply and says, "Look I was way out of line, I'm sorry." Rolling off of Robin he flops next to him at an angle, almost close enough to touch shoulders.

The wind blows quietly and brings the smell of rain with it, dark clouds gather overhead and Roy pretends that he isn't trying to look at Robin out of the corner of his eye.

It must not be a subtle as he likes to think because Robin pushes up on his elbows and looks at Roy with a teasing smile, "Yeah, you were." Smirking slightly he adds, "Now do you have it out of your system?"

Which just makes Roy want to sigh again because if Robin's being a brat again then they must be on the right track.

"Shut up," Roy says hitting Robin's inner elbow so he crashes back to the ground. Robin collapses with an oomf, and that strange little cackling laughter. Rain drizzles down from overhead, blown sideways by the building winds. Robin shrugs getting comfortable, and Roy isn't sure if the shoulder pressed up against his is deliberate or not, but the pained noise Robin inadvertently made when his head crashed into the cement flashes through his head and he deliberately says nothing.

A crack of thunder and the sky opens up and falls on them, Roy blinks up surprised as the rain plasters his hair to his forehead, blinded momentarily by the flashing lightening. Robin jumps up and tugs on Roy's wrist, wet cape clinging to his shoulders and arms, "Come on," Robin shouts over the wind, "We can go to one of the nests until it blows over."

Slipping on the wet cement Roy catches himself, awkwardly on the ledge of the roof. Robin doesn't even look back when he dives off the side, flipping twice he spreads his arms and legs out wide and skids down the building walls into the alley, lands on a dumpster and summersaults off. Grumbling, Roy's not entirely sure if Robin is showing off or if that was just what came most natural to him, it wouldn't surprise him if I was just a little of both.

The "nest" is actually just an apartment on the rougher side of town, faded brick walls covered in brightly colored scrawls, and a fire escape so old and rusted that Roy doesn't fully trust it to hold his weight as he tiptoes through the open window after Robin.

The actual room is nicer than the outside would lead to believe. Plush carpet covers most of the ground, a sturdy brown couch and through the half open door Roy can see Robin getting fluffy white towels from a closet in what looks like a decently furnished bedroom, his cape pooled around his feet.

Toeing off his boots, Roy stands awkwardly waiting for some sign of what he should do. Scratching his arm, he winces when his fingers go over tender skin.

"Dude, you bit me?"

Laughing Robin comes out of the room and tosses a towel at Roy's head, "Hey, it was the heat of the moment."

Scrubbing the towel through his hair, Roy shakes his head, "Yeah, sure it was. I'm sure it had nothing with you wanting a piece of all this sexiness." He flexes a muscle to accentuate his point.

Robin laughs like he was hoping he would, smiling Roy sits on the couch and yawns into a stretch.

"You're pretty feisty for a little guy, you know that?" Roy hisses as the stretch pulls on a bruise, "And your elbows should be registered weapons."

Plopping down on the couch Robin peels off his mask, "Trade bat secret," he cups his mouth and whispers, "Lesson One of Bat Training: How to Sharpen Elbows into Weapons. I've been practicing since I was eight." He smirks teasingly at the brag.

It startles Roy to see Robin's eyes again, he had figured it would just be a onetime thing, the surprise must show on his face but Robin doesn't comment.

"I'm sure that must mean that Lesson Two is something along the lines of how to use weapons as silverware?" He says, thinking back to that time he caught Robin eating icream from the carton with a birdarang.

Grabbing the remote Dick turns on the television, the boom of the explosion on the screen lighting up his face and making his eyes shine out in the dark, "I would confirm but then I'd have to kill you." He says tapping his finger to his nose.

Yawning behind his hand again Roy settles down to watch the movie, his eyes growing heavy, "I thought that Bats didn't kill."

Robin slumps onto his shoulder, cracking his neck noisily. "Well maybe just maim you a bit then."

Roy hums sleepily, and yawns using the towel to drape over his lap like a slightly damp blanket.

He drifts off to sleep with his shoulder warm where Robin's head lays on it and the sounds of McClain yelling.

Yippee ki-yay motherfu-

The soft haze of the tv wakes him up, the volume muted Roy watches through half lidded eyes as Spongebob and Patrick laugh over something, Squidward yelling angrily in the background. He sprawled out on the couch, one arm hanging off and the moist towel tangled around his legs.

The spot next to him is cooling rapidly and his arms feel strangely empty.

Sitting up Roy, Roy doesn't know why he was expecting some sort of note of really just something, some sort of goodbye. Anything.

But the only proof he had at all of Robin having been there at all was a cold spot on his chest and an open window.