Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or DC comics, the fic is for pleasure
Robin/Speedy Slash, PG
Title: "Moving Targets"
THEME: 7. Interest or (crying for you one last time)
Speedy focused on pulling the bow back. He had been at this for what seemed like ages and the weight of his quiver against his back told him exactly how many arrows he had left. The moving targets danced all around him and he forced himself to concentrate. If he concentrated each shot would mean more and he would actually walk away from the simulation with arrows left in the quiver. He didn't know why he constantly continued to practice. He had worked through every course that the practice range was capable of producing a dozen times over and he knew exactly when and where a new enemy would pop up.
The first rule of superheroing, never fall into patterns because the villains are never predictable, just like regular life is never predictable. He could walk through these routines in his sleep and come out without a scratch and a couple more arrows to spare each time. If only he had that kind of control in other parts of his life. He would have given anything to know in advance when he would get to spend a quiet moment alone with Dick or predict how long he would be alone with his boyfriend before someone interrupted them.
Life wasn't the practice range though and he wouldn't know in advance that the target sniping him in the upper corner of the range would fire 5 rounds at 3 second intervals before retreating to find cover. He also wouldn't know that it would come out 47 seconds later and repeat the process unless he put an arrow through it the first time.
He released another arrow and watched in satisfaction as it hit the intended target just as a second target passed behind it. That effectively ended the simulation and he shifted his quiver off his shoulder as he walked towards the exit of the practice range. Aqualad and Bumblebee were waiting for him as he stepped into the hallway.
"That was your best time for that course yet. Congratulations." The archer gave the Atlantean the requisite high five as Bee spoke. Speedy heard the words but his mind couldn't help but wonder as Bee continued to talk. He had heard most of her critiques before and right now he didn't want to listen to them again. He wondered what Robin would have said about his results, whether the other boy would congratulate him or criticize him or actually give him that small smile that Dick set aside especially for him. Thoughts of that smile brought to mind memories of the last time he and Dick had actually seen each other.
"Speedy are you listening to me?" He nodded slightly. "Then what did I say?" He sighed again and listed off the list of complaints she had given him over a hundred times. He wasn't changing his fighting style for her. He had already told her that but she still insisted on complaining about the same things over and over again. She said she wanted to make him a better team player but Speedy had never been a real team player, not even when he had been under Green Arrow's wing. His mentor had eventually given up critiquing his style and regulated himself to being happy that his ward's tactics got the job done. Speedy cared about his friends and he would always be there to help them in battle but he wasn't going to change himself to suit their vision of what he should be.
"Are we done for the day?" He asked when he had finished speaking and Bee had thrown her arms in the air and walked off in a huff. He was tired, and even half listening to Bee had given him a headache. All he really wanted was to relax against Dick's chest while the other boy ran his hand through his hair, like they had done the last time they had been together. But since he didn't even know when he would see his boyfriend again what he wanted didn't really matter all that much. He heard Bee scream quietly in frustration when he asked his question and took that to mean that yes they were finished for the day. He waved to Aqualad and took off for his room.
He finally reached the safety of his room and once he entered and locked the door he walked over to the bed and dropped onto it. He really should shower but he was just too tired and if he laid there long enough he could almost remember what it had felt like to have Dick lying beside him. The last visit from the Titans West team had been fun and emotionally taxing for both of them. It had been particularly memorable for Speedy though. The way they had crept around the tower at night to see each other had been a game that they had both found themselves enjoying and despising.
The best part of that visit had been the night that Robin had found him practicing alone in the archery range at 3 in the morning. He remembered being so frustrated by the fact that even with Dick just down the hall they still couldn't be together like he wanted them to be. Dick had found him and knowing why he was upset had done the one thing he knew he could do that would break the ice between them. He had joined him. It was the first time Dick had ever shown an interest in using a bow and even though the dark-haired boy had received some training with the weapon from Batman his ability had been nowhere near Roy's own. His initial pulls had been disjointed and jerky and even though the arrows hit the target they were no where near accurate. It had brought a smile to Roy's face to watch him try though. Dick, for his part, had been both bothered and amused enough my his own failure to give Roy 'that' smile, the one that sent shivers down the archer's spine.
Eventually he had taken pity on Dick and decided to help him. Roy squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face against his pillow as he remembered how close together they had been during that whole experience. He had shown the other boy exactly how to stand and how to hold the bow and when Dick had pulled the weapon he had even adjusted the angle that he held his elbow so that the arrow would fly straighter when it was released. The first arrow had hit the target with considerably better accuracy and the two of them had stayed close, enjoying the 'innocent' physical contact because they could and they wanted to. By the time they had finished Dick was a much better shot and Roy had gotten to spend nearly two hours with the two things he loved most in his life.
Dick had left soon after that and Roy took the time to put their weapons away before he headed to his room only to find that Dick had slipped in before him. He had been pleasantly surprised and definitely not one to complain as he had curled up beside Dick on the bed and finally fallen asleep to the feeling of Dick's fingers in his hair.
With an aggravated sigh Roy pushed the memories of that night away. As much as he wanted Dick to be beside him he wasn't and the world was unpredictable which meant that Roy had no idea how long it would be before Dick was by his side again.
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