Legacies: A Young Justice one-shot/drabble collection

Temptation
He knows he is strong enough, but sometimes, knowing is not enough.
Word Count: 1,024
Pairings: None
Rating: T
Notes: There is one use of the 'f' word here.
Also, the three may be slightly OOC, but given the circumstances, I hope it is acceptable. A quick background for this: I'm using Roy's backstory-ish from the comics, although he doesn't get into drugs until...after his break up with Donna, I think. However, I really wanted to touch upon this here and I don't know why. It ended a lot more...unexpectedly than I had planned. I think that's all I wanted to say.

Disclaimer: See chapter one

The first time he almost gave in was after he was supposed to part of the League, the day he graduated, the day he was to be considered Green Arrow's partner, not sidekick. He had come back to his apartment and broken almost everything that could be thrown and shattered and just made into pieces that would make it impossible to fix. And all that was done in a fit of his rage.

The needle and the liquid sat calmly on his coffee table, offering him a chance to let go of that anger and just feel pure bliss. At least, that was what Roy's friend had said when he'd given it to the archer.

He had left to go on patrol on his own for the first time that night, if only to wash away the pain, the hurt and to stay away from that temptation.

It was harder the second time.

The second time was after the Roquette incident. Not that he'd tell this to anyone, but Roy was going to say yes if they had asked him to be on that mission with them. He'd been more than willing to. Until he had seen Artemis. The sting of being replaced so easily and so quickly by an amateur was absolutely nothing compared to his silent rage. Not part of him wanted to associate himself with Ollie or the 'Young Justice' after that.

He's been on his bed, just staring at nothing, his homework strewn around him when he remembered it. He'd tucked it away in some obscure corner of his room, but it was calling to him, so, so loudly. The call was just so freaking intense that he wondered how it hadn't burned a hole in his door yet. And Roy knew that he was a lot close to breaking this time.

But somehow, and he still has no idea how, he managed. And he researched Artemis' background to distract himself. Because if he didn't do something to occupy himself, then that voice in the back of his head, beckoning him, he knew it would win.

And he was sure that the prize wasn't as good as his friend said it was.

Right now, well, they say third time's the charm, and Roy is still wondering if it's good or bad for him. Because that needle is so damn close to his skin and his heart's beating so fast in anticipation, and his mind is still thinking, how the fuck is this supposed to be right and am I really doing the right thing? He can't even remember why the hell he decided to pull out the drugs anyway, but all he knows is that he's so damn close to piercing his skin-

And suddenly the needle is gone and he's been knocked back out of his chair and there's a pair of angry blue eyes glaring at him joined later by a pair of green eyes that are just as angry. Part of Roy is relieved that they stopped him but another part of him is…..angered and he can't explain why and it scares him deep down because this is Dick and Wally. These are his two best friends and he has never seen them as mad as he has now and what was he about to do?

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING ROY?" Of course it's Wally in his face first; he's always been the more emotional one out of the three of them. And his temper is just as bad as Roy's and they know it, but that doesn't stop either of them from yelling at each other.

"What do you mean, Wally?" Roy is surprised that his voice is so calm because that silent rage is building up and he's not sure how long he can hold onto it anymore. He pushes himself up and picks himself up off the floor, but even his obvious height advantage and his age don't make Wally back down. Of course not; the boy has seen just as much as Roy has in terms of battle and the archer knows that some of the speedsters' rouges are big.

Wally narrows his eyes at Roy and there is ice in his voice when he speaks. "You know exactly what I mean and don't you dare even try to say otherwise."

"Any particular reason you were about to shoot up heroin?" Dick's voice asks and the disappointment is so…palpable in the boys' voice that Roy suddenly feels drained and even Wally loses some of his vigor.

"I-I" Roy falters and sinks to his chair, his face in his hands as he realizes just what he was about to do and he still can't remember the reason why he was going to do it and why can't he just remember? "I don't know. I wasn't thinking."

"Exactly." Wally's voice is a hiss and Roy sees his friend clench and unclench his fists. Behind the venom, the archer can hear the disappointment, can hear the anger, but most importantly, can hear the fear. "You weren't thinking!"

Dick, ever so calm, lets more emotion into his voice and it scares the crap out of Roy. "…you know what this does to people, Roy. Why?"

Just that simple question is enough to break him. He doesn't know why, can't explain it and even if he did know, there's no way they would understand. Because even he doesn't. "I. Don't. KNOW." And then suddenly everything comes pouring out: the first time he wanted to use it, the second time, how he felt about being replaced and cast aside, all the hopes he had for becoming seen as an actual hero and…..

"I was supposed to be strong enough." He whispers.

And there is nothing, not ever, that Dick or Wally can say to comfort him. Because while they may have gotten rid of the drugs, they haven't even come close to getting Roy to face the real demons and that's the crux of it all. So they just stand there alongside their friend.

Because he is strong enough. Roy just needs Dick and Wally as reminders.

Review?

.chary