Author's Note: Huh, few reviews last time. Thanks to those who did respond. Be sure to spread the word about this fic.
Bored321, I admit that I don't really like Red Arrow's characterization in the cartoon, he was just so...whiny! And he pushed away his friends so easily when he didn't get into the Justice League and left their mentors like he did, forgetting that they are either minors or depend on their mentors. And him saying that they weren't in his league when talking to Cheshire and THEN calling Aqualad for help really irritated me (I guess calling Aqualad was meant to show him swallowing his pride and showing character development).
Hope you enjoy this short chapter.
Disclaimer: Did we ever see Red Arrow dress up for Halloween? If not, all rights to Young Justice belong to DC Comics and Cartoon Network.
He took a deep breath and released it. Oliver had left for some gala and dumped him at Wally's home. It wasn't fair! He was sixteen, why did he have to get stuck with babysitting duties? Sure, the police could handle crime back home and he wanted to spend the day doing something other than beating up idiots in ridiculous outfits all of the time, but Roy really thought that this was ridiculous.
But when he knocked on the door and was greeted by a nervous-looking man that looked like Wally's dad, Roy started wondering if Ollie deliberately left him with a potential training exercise instead. He could see it; the panic on the man's face, the bags under his eyes, the small boy running around the house and talking so fast that his voice sounded high-pitched.
Yep. Ollie definitely gave him special training under the guise of trick-or-treating.
So that's where Roy was now; dressed in a smaller version – no, not miniature! – of Green Arrow's outfit, with his trick arrows and bow just in case something happened. Almost vibrating by his side was a thirteen-year old dressed as Superman with carrot-top hair.
"Don't let Wally eat any candy." Wally's father said in a stern voice, Wally huffed in the background. His father gave him a 'Please, do what I say so we can sleep a bit easier tonight' look on his face and looked back at Roy. "He's supposed to eat his energy bars once every half-hour, his uncle said they would help Wally get through the night without starving. Any questions?"
"…why does he have to eat every half hour if candy's out of the question?" Roy quickly realized that it was a stupid thing to ask, since he had an idea of what the answer was.
Wally's father responded in a monotone voice, as if he had given the explanation before. "The candy has too much sugar, the energy bars don't. While they don't provide satisfactory flavor, and won't supplement for a meal, they have enough calories and nutrients back into them to compensate for energy burnt from power usage. Wally –"
Wally stood in attention.
"Don't give your babysitter a hard time and keep your phone on you in case of an emergency. And remember; no 'you-know-what' unless there's no other option. Got it?"
Wally nodded and began grumbling when his father kissed him on the forehead and told him to stay safe. Roy snickered, but his stomach still quivered at the sight. He almost wanted to ask Mr. West if he could get a kiss on the forehead too, but shook that thought aside. It would be very weird outside on context. Besides, he was almost an adult. Roy needed to assert his maturity by showing independence whenever he could.
Wally's neighborhood turned out to be pretty rambunctious during the one time of the year. Roy was seeing children running around onto the street without a care, knocking on doors at random, screaming the tradition 'TRICK-OR-TREAT!', regardless of who answered. Compared to the attitude demonstrated back in Star City, where kids secluded themselves to only their neighborhood – even if it meant a smaller haul – Keystone City looked and acted like they never heard of the word, crime.
"Hey, do I know you?" Roy heard someone behind him while Wally was rewarded with two large chocolate bars in one house. He turned to see who was talking to him and nearly gulped when he saw the glare. The woman dressed in an ill-fitting – and rather revealing – Wonder Woman outfit looked at Roy as though he had just committed murder, robbery and stole from an old lady.
Roy looked around to see if she was directing her glare at someone else and sighed when he saw that it wasn't the case. "Is there a problem, miss?"
Ollie would have given him a thumbs up for remembering those drilled-in manners required for the monthly gala.
"Do you know anyone by the name of Oliver Queen?" The glare intensified.
"Who hasn't?" Roy looked back at Wally and was almost thankful that he wanted Roy to get something from the house he was at – no bag with him, but it would give him an excuse to get away from the crazy lady looking at him.
He started heading towards the house Wally directed him towards when he heard the woman speaking again, but this time, it was to Wally.
"Do you know who you're with, young man?"
"My…friend?"
"He looks exactly like the ward to that womanizer!" The woman's voice grew louder with each word. "That brat's been living with a pervert! Acting like women are props! I bet he's screwed around with some hooker his guardian brought into the house."
"Hey, where'd you get those arrows?" Roy ignored the man at the door and made his way back to where Wally was, backing away from the woman who was starting to spew anything she could think that started with 'that nasty Queen-womanizer' to simply ranting about men. A small crowd was forming and a few people were beginning to step in between the Wonder Woman-wannabe and Wally, trying to diffuse the situation.
"Leave him alone." Roy said coldly, taking a hold of Wally's hand and pulling the boy behind him. He felt a sharp SLAP! across his face a moment later.
"What're you gonna do about it, brat?!" The woman was screaming in face. "You gonna hit a woman? Think that'll make you look tough? That's rich, coming from some brat raised by a playb –"
Roy's fist met the woman's face and she went down for a moment. As she lunged towards him again, Roy sidestepped her and grabbed one arm and twisted it, forcing her to the ground again.
"LET ME GO!" The woman screeched. "YOU'RE HURTING A DEFENSELESS WOMAN!"
Roy bit down on his lip and snarled. "Okay, first off, you. Hit. Me. First. And second; so?!"
"Just like a man to –" The woman started screaming when Roy began twisting the arm further.
"Leave my friend alone, go home, and rethink your life." Roy whispered harshly.
"Call a therapist, too." Wally muttered behind him. "I think you need one."
When Wally told his parents what had happened later that night, they almost forbade him from interacting with Roy any further. Barry Allen – Roy snorted, amused that the Flash's real name was Barry – pointed out that Roy defended Wally from some crazed woman. Wally's father countered, saying that Roy drew attention to Wally in the first place, but gave in when Wally said that the woman started it and that it wasn't Roy's fault.
Roy ended up meeting up with Wally on the weekends afterwards, giving Wally tips on how to flirt and not let someone push you around. Wally showed off his favorite games and snacks and almost went into shock when Roy took him to the beach for the first time.
And Ollie was hounded by reporters who were following rumors that someone that looked a lot like his ward was seen in Keystone City, attacking a well-known 'feminist' after she struck him.
Author's Note: I am so sorry for the long absence. Last year of college is keeping me busy from doing lengthy chapters. I hope this Halloween update along with a better Roy chapter is good compensation. The fics I read (I do enjoy them) where Roy hangs out with Dick and Wally never brings up the idea that the ward of a celebrity might be recognized by someone else in another city.
As always, I appreciate requests that don't have Robin as a focus. The Team deserves so much attention. And be sure to check out the fic's page on TV Tropes. It needs some love.
In the writing world, I will see you.
Happy Halloween!