Chapter Four: What They Don't Know

Speedy

We got home via a taxi and then a boat, but throughout the trip I couldn't shake the feeling that, last night, someone had been in the hallway, watching me through the window. Thinking about it now, it seems stupid… Trying to kiss him when he was asleep? What would that have accomplished? One-sided awkwardness whenever I saw him next, I'm sure. It would make me feel even worse—forcing him to burn himself and then stealing a kiss when he couldn't even stop me.

"Speedy?" he asked as we walked through the front door of the East Tower. About to freeze in my tracks, I remembered myself and forced my feet to continued moving. After a minute or two of waiting for a reply, he said again, "Speedy?"

Hesitantly, I looked at him. "Yeah?" My steady voice betrayed my real thoughts.

"You looked out of it for a second there. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be fine. The smoke-in-the-lungs things will go away in about a week and I'm planning on visiting Raven for the burns." After we got into the elevator, another period of soundlessness ensued. Or until a thought came to him, at least. "Are you okay?"

I nodded just as the doors opened again. "I'm fine."

"Bee?" he asked, almost disregarding my reply. "You here?" He stepped through the threshold into the hall, then continued down to the main room after knocking on Bumblebee's door. He crept through the doors noiselessly and then leaned over the back of the couch. Smiling, he turned back to at me. "She's asleep!" he hissed, pointing to what must have been her.

Apparently, she wasn't asleep for long. A mumble came from below him. "Aqualad? You're back?" I saw her sit up straight and rub her eyes. "I must've fallen asleep on the couch… How are you?"

"So-so," he answered with a grin. I knew it was just to make Bee happy, but… God, I wish he could smile at me like that.

"Speedy, you've been quiet," she commented, snapping me out of my trance. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, he's been like that for a while. Just give him some alone time, I guess," he said with a laugh. "Anyway, this uniform is seriously not doing anything for my burns. They're small, yes, but… They're like you, I guess, Bee!"

"What?" she raised a brow.

"They're small, but they're killer! What I was going to say, though, is that I'm heading over to Titans Base to see if Raven can heal them, so I'm going to go change."

With that, he walked out into the hallway again, passing me as he did. It took all my strength to keep my eyes on the floor and not on him. As soon as I the door slid shut behind him, I clenched my fists for only a second before releasing them and forcing myself to relax.

"I'm going to go clean up," Bee said suddenly, rising to her feet. My eyes snapped to her as she walked up to me. "You should do the same and then figure out what your deal is."

"What?" I wondered, a feeling of dread seeping into my mind. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged loosely, although her eyes narrowed. "I don't know. You're acting… odd. Did something happen between you and-"

"No," I interrupted. "I'm just out of it. A little too tired, maybe."

Bumblebee nodded with an expression that displayed her doubt clearly. "Sure. You're just tired. See you in a few, then." And then she, too, walked out of the room.

I dropped my head. She doesn't know, I told myself. She doesn't, she doesn't, she doesn't…