Conner

Conner wasn't human. He was a Kryptonian. But even then, he wasn't like a Kryptonian. Conner was a clone who grew up in a pod for a few months that rapidly aged him to his teen years.

So he never experienced having a 'normal' childhood, or a childhood at all, and never got that precious time to learn how to interact with other people. Thankfully being part of Young Justice was helping him with that.

"Come on Supey, let's spar!" That impish voice called out.

(And if it means helping him figure out that mere humans can beat him, besides Black Canary of course, then so be it.)

Conner turned his head from the static playing on the T.V to see Robin grin at him.

He furrowed his eyebrows once the words fully registered in his mind.

"You sure about that?" He asked.

Even if the younger (technically older than Conner) teen was wearing his uniform (which he was), Conner was afraid of hurting him. Robin was just so small. So fragile. Much like his name sake, Robin could be oh so easily broken.

(A terrified part of Conner thinks that if the League never managed to get rid of his trigger word, then… then who knows what they would make him do. And who they even were. He just hopes that now there was even less of a chance for him to betray his friends.)

A familiar grin stretched on Robin's face.

Robin wasn't going to let this go was he.

The gloved hand didn't really latched onto his wrist, but even he knew that Robin was using a gentle grip. And then he let himself be lead over to the sparing area.

"So do we start this whenever or…?" Conner asked. Sometimes a spar starts out of the blue with Robin, or there's a countdown. It's hard to tell with Robin as this could very well be a spontaneous decision.

Well, as spontaneous as when he actually wants to spar with someone. (This was the second time Robin has spared with him.)

(Conner thinks that Robin was sort of strange, but what did he know? He's just a clone that didn't grow up out in the real world. But that doesn't stop the fondness that grew for the small, fragile, bird boy that cackles whenever his pranks go right.)

Robin just slides his hand from Conner's wrist, and Conner had a feeling that it might be a surprise attack.

The younger teen just goes to one side and begins a few stretches. A small warmup, and Conner was getting the feeling he should do that too.

He was rewarded with a smile that looked an awful lot like pride. But pride in what? Conner actually doing a warmup?

Once the two were done, Robin let his cape fall around him, and then, Conner knew, that the sparing began.

Throw out a fist and immediately Robin dodged it. Of course it went on like that, Conner trying to land a hit on Robin, and the small bird practically dancing around it. He would deflect anything too close for comfort with expertise. It was almost as if Robin was simply just redirecting Conner's limbs.

And then Conner was surprised by a kick. That surprise was his undoing as Robin sideswept that same leg under his own, making Conner crash down.

They hadn't put that machine on, so no buzzer rang out for everyone to hear of Superboy's failure.

But then Robin came up to him and said, "you gotta stop being so hesitant dude."

Conner's eyes snapped open wide, (he didn't notice they were even closed in the first place), and he just stared at the boy wonder above him.

"… what?" His brain finally decided to blurt out.

It doesn't take x-ray vision to figure out that Robin was rolling his eyes. But fondly.

He held his hand out for Conner to take. Conner himself paused for a moment, but he ultimately grabbed Robin's hand. Gently.

He let himself be pulled up.

"You're being way too hesitant when we spar. I kinda noticed when you fight Artemis, Kid Flash, and Ms. M." Robin seemingly stopped for a moment. "And like, the last time we spared."

The super boy just blinked at the boy wonder.

"Okay, I can kinda understand being a little more hesitant with Ms. M and I'm like pretty sure you two are dating at this point," Conner did not nearly choked on his own spit, "but you're more… gung ho? When it comes to sparing with Aqualad. And out of all of us he's the one with enhanced strength besides you. Kid Flash has his healing factor, but besides being able to run fast that's it. If it weren't for that then he's just like Artemis and me. Humans. And we're not that durable as say, you, and I appreciate the effort to try to pull back." This was when Robin began to take a deep breath.

And that was when Conner had to interrupt him.

"I'm not!"

Robin… did not look impressed. But he did rose an eyebrow, somehow, from underneath his mask. "You're not what?"

"I'm not hesitant, I mean." He clarified.

(Sometimes he hates talking to Robin. Because it's like he's talking to someone way older than him, and it's technically true, because right now Conner should be a freaking baby but he isn't and he's a sixteen year old talking to a thirteen year old. And right then, it felt like Conner was talking to someone older than even sixteen.)

Robin exhaled softly through his nose. "Listen Conner, I get it, you're getting to control your powers, but you can't just let this get to you when you're fighting someone without powers. You remember what happened with Black Canary."

He absolutely could not hold back that wince.

"Just as there's heroes without powers, there's villains with no powers too. And just as we have to be creative, they do too. And you can't hesitate with them or else they'll win." A black gloved hand reached to settle down on a tense arm. "You have to be serious, asses the situation and try to find a balance with your strength. Treat us as your equals and those on the field as someone to be cautious about. We're your teammates, Conner. Let us help you find that balance."

Even with all of his enhanced senses, the world hushed to something less of a whisper around them.

(Conner kind of hates this. Aqualad is the leader but then Robin would sometimes do something like this and make Conner think that Robin should be the leader of their team and then Robin is back to his little troll self.)

It was as if the world wanted him to listen to Robin, and Robin alone.

Budump.

Bu-budump.

Budump.

Bu-budump.

Budump.

Swallowing nothing with a dry mouth wasn't fun. And neither was the, mostly, one sided conversation.

"Okay." He finally settled on. (If only to end the talk.)

A smile grew on Robin's face as Conner gave in. Robin knew he won and Robin will make sure of it that Conner follows through.

Once again was Robin's hand sliding away from Conner, and then the (not so fragile) bird walked away. Only to be swallowed up by the darkness of the cave that Conner and Megan lived in.

.

.

Conner wasn't human. He was a Kryptonian. But even then, he wasn't like a Kryptonian. Conner was a clone who grew up in a pod for a few months that rapidly aged him to his teen years.

But during that time in the pod, he was taught things. And never in his time in the pod, or outside of it, really taught him if it was normal or not to hear two hearts coming from someone.

(Conner thinks that maybe it's not normal, and that maybe, just maybe, Robin isn't as human as everyone says. Including Robin himself.)