Notes: The team as shown in season 2 and season 3 have a tendency of hiding things for the greater good from Superboy who was omitted in both of their grand conspiracies. Luckily in the later seasons, Season 2 Conner is mature enough to let this pass. But I wondered what would happen if they tried it on the more volatile boy of season 1.

timeline wise: This is post Downtime

All We Know Of Love

Chapter One: Best intentions

Something's changed.

Superboy is not quite sure what.

Normally the team would come and go, leaving himself and M'gann alone in the mountain for days at a time. But lately it felt like they were practically living in the base beside them.

Not that Superboy minds, it's nice to have his friends around more often. It keeps his mind busy from thinking of Superman like he normally did.

Missions lately were far and few between, so Wally and Robin had dragged the whole team into game nights, sleepovers, and other assorted activities in the name of team building.

At nearly midnight, they were currently in a B movie marathon playing in some obscure channel that Wally loved. Artemis' is scrolling through her phone beside the coffee table while Kaldur went off to make more popcorn. Robin and Wally sitting on the love seats guarding a treasure trove of junk food.

"You're missing it," Wally yells at the archer throwing a handful of chips towards her.

"I'm not a fan of zombies," Artemis declares. "Give me giant robots any day."

"Not ninjas?" Wally teases. "I mean you did confuse me for your ninja boyfriend after all."

"Shut up."

Beside him on the couch, M'gann watches the screen with rapt attention between the cracks of her finger, covering her face every time a cheap scare occurs. It amazes Superboy how such a cheap tricks could get such a reaction out of her when she manages to face the worst supervillains on the planet with determination.

Before he can ponder the duality of his teammate some more, the screen filled with undead is replaced with the face of a reporter, declaring breaking news.

"It seemed like just another day in Metropolis when Superman came to save the city from the chaos of the Cyborg Superman, former astronaut, Hank Henshaw."

The screen is filled with chaotic phone footage of Superman fighting his cyborg double.

Cyborg Superman manages to get the best of the man of steel through the use of a strange green rock.

Before things can get worse, a second fighter slams the cyborg half way through the city.

He understands immediately why this was breaking news as the second fighter appears from the wreckage, flying towards a beaming Superman.

The blonde girl fits perfectly beside Superman—not like Superboy. She wears his colors,—not like Superboy. She has a cape, and she has a large wide smile as the cameras surround her. Her floating feels like a mockery for the boy who continuously lost to gravity.

Superboy is only vaguely aware of the fact he stood up from the couch.

"I'm pleased to meet you," the girl chirps. Superman, proud and affectionate behindt her. A expression he had never seen ever directed his way. "I'm Supergirl."

And just like that Superboy feels his world collapse around him.

The girl is his age—she can fly. She's perfect—he was broken. She's Superman's—he wasn't.

Robin shuts off the television before he can take drink in more of her.

"Superboy..." someone says, but Superboy isn't quite sure who. His eyes transfixed on the blank screen where that girl stood. Hoping it's just a bad dream.

After what feels like a eternity, he manages to pull his gaze away and turn his attention towards his teammates. There is to his surprise, no shock or curiosity at the existence of the new kryptonian.

All he sees surrounding him is pity and concern.

Oh.

Realization hits him like a hammer.

The odd behavior of his team is immediately explained. They knew about supergirl already.

He was the one out of the loop.

M'gann is the first to try to approach him and he slaps her hand away from him. She knew, he repeats to himself mentally like a mantra. She knew. She knew. She knew.

They all did.

The glow of the past few weeks darken with betrayal as he realizes they were just humoring him. Keeping him occupied so he didn't bother anyone as Superman bonded with his real partner.

"Stay away," he barks out with more venom than he thought he as possible. His face stricken. M'gann seizes as though she were struck. And the other rest take a step back. "You knew about her and you didn't tell me?

Kaldur, the peacemaker returns from the kitchen, popcorn in hand. "It's a bit more complicated than that, Superboy."

Superboy glares.

"How long?" he asks, already knowing the answer.

"A few weeks," Wally confirms. "That's when Supergirl landed on earth."

She was a real kryptonian. Not like him. Not a weapon. Not like him.

She was a real girl.

"That's half my life," Superboy whispers. His body rigidly straight. "You didn't think all those times you told me that Superman would come around. Just wait. That I deserved to know he had another super kid in the wings? That he just had a problem with me?"

Every word he says feels worse than the last and it's all he can do to not cry as the truth is spoken.

A voice that sounds suspiciously like Desmond purrs. Liars. You thought they were your friends? Silly boy. Weapons don't have friends. Just people who use them.

"We wanted to tell you the right way," Artemis says, getting into a standing position l. "Black Canary asked us not to. And we didn't want to get you upset. We just wanted to tell you the right way."

"Congrats on that," he says with a humorless laugh.

"It was for your own good," Robin says and immediately claps his hand over his mouth. Regret evident on his face.

But it was too late.

"My own good!?" He snaps, his voice cracking from hysteria. "I'm so glad I have you all here telling me what I need to know and what's for my own good. I thought I was a real boy. Someone who got to choose. Silly me, I thought I was free. Seems all I did was trade my pod at Cadmus for this fucking mountain!"

They speak but it feels as though the world has gone silent, he can't hear them. His body moves on autopilot, placing his communicator on the table. He turns around to head to the zeta tubes, and places the first coordinates that come to mind as the light envelopes him.

Anywhere was better than here.

Here's my first story in this fandom after a few years. Read a bunch of Superfam fics and got in the mood for some Conner whump.