Chapter 3
WC: 6,971
AN: I just want to make clear the timeline of this here little story. This particular chapter is set after "Bereft" the most recent episode of the show. The previous chapters...well we'll say they're set just a couple of weeks before that, so that puts them in late August based on the show's timeline. I just wanted everyone to be on the same page as me. Sorry about not being clearer sooner.
This of course also means Robin is only 13 years old. While physically he's young, I don't think he is mentally. Yeah he's playful and no doubt a prankster, but I really think he's grown up a lot more than other kids his age. That said, I want all of you to know I have tentative (very tentative) plans for some physicality to the relationship. It's graphicness will depend on all of you (I can do as much or as little as you want). This is just a heads up, but if this story goes for as long as I expect it to, smut could very well be a part of the story.
Thank you for sticking with me through that very long AN. And now as a reward, enjoy the fluffy angst of this chapter.
Robin knew that something was very wrong.
The team was off, and had been for a couple of days now. Things weren't clicking and he was feeling very tense. But no one was saying anything so he couldn't tell if it was just him, or if they all were affected by the change in their team dynamics. Robin wanted to say something about the situation, but there was a problem...
He didn't know what was wrong.
It had been like this since their last mission, when they had been sent to Bialya. Their minds had been hacked and their memories stripped. They had been exposed. Robin was now worried that the person who had been able to erase six months worth of their memories had been able to do something else. But he didn't know what it was. Still, it was the only explanation he could come up with for the way he felt.
Robin had said something to Batman, just more an expression of concern rather than the outright panic he felt over things not feeling right. Batman had said it was no doubt natural after losing his memories like that and his mentor had assured him that Martian Manhunter would be making a visit soon to check the team over. While Miss Martian was skilled, Batman thought it would be best to have an expert make sure everything was alright.
So the team was due to see Megan's uncle in a couple of days and until then the team was confined to Mount Justice, until they checked out. Robin didn't like being cooped up, he wanted to go home and look at his journal entries he kept on the home server back in Gotham, to see if he could figure out the problem without someone having to poke around in his mind. He preferred being the one with all the intel.
But Batman had forbidden him to leave. And now Robin was stuck, with his off balance team. Totally not feeling the aster.
Kaldur seemed alright, but he was still in the infirmary recovering from his severe dehydration, so Robin wasn't sure how fine he was. Artemis appeared to be the same, still haughty and secretive. Superboy was still his stoic, quiet self. Wally was still blusterous and unable to keep his mouth empty of food or lame pick up lines for more than a few seconds. Megan, on the other hand, seemed slightly off to Robin.
When Batman had announced to them that they would be waiting for an evaluation from her uncle she had gotten very defensive, saying she had fixed everything. It just didn't seem like something she would do, talking back to Batman like that. She had always seemed to recognize her inexperience and welcomed people checking her work and testing her skill. Why she would suddenly stand up like that made Robin wonder.
She was the only one among them who had overcome the memory loss and had been able to fight off that freaky, psychic villain. Still, she was probably the most inexperienced of the group so there could still be things that she could have missed fixing in their heads. But Robin wondered if there was more than that. Had that bad guy done more to them than she was letting on and she didn't want anyone to know? Could there be triggers in their heads to make them go all 'dark side'?
Robin wasn't sure. All he did know was that her reaction to Batman saying Martian Manhunter would arrive at the end of the weekend had been out of character. Batman, in true dark knight fashion, had given her one look after her initial outburst and Megan had wisely kept any disagreement at bay. After their debrief she had walked off with a worried look on her face, Superboy at her side with an arm around her waist.
That was another thing that didn't sit quite right with Robin. The relationship between Megan and Superboy. He knew they had been dating for a little while but he only remembered seeing their couply-ness recently. And it made him uncomfortable and Robin wasn't sure why.
He was all for his fellow teammates finding love and having relationships. He knew love was a very powerful tool if used right. His love for his parents had come in handy more than once to give him the extra drive to fight harder so no other kid had to go through what he did. Robin had no problem with relationships. He wanted to have one himself some day.
Robin also knew he didn't like Megan in any kind of romantic way so jealousy wasn't making him feel weird. He only flirted to see KF pout like a four year old and make an even bigger fool of himself as he tried to win Megan's affections. So that wasn't why he felt uncomfortable when seeing the two together.
Maybe it was just because his memories weren't quite complete. He probably just didn't remember them getting together and being all smoochy. If he remembered then maybe he wouldn't feel like he was seeing this for the first time.
Or maybe it was because Superboy didn't seem all that enthused.
Superboy appeared to like Megan, and he treated her right. But sometimes Robin would see Superboy lean back from kissing Megan and he would look around like he didn't know where he was or what he was doing. There would be tiny instances when he would look bewildered, like he didn't understand the relationship as much as Robin did and it made him uncomfortable. Robin didn't like seeing that. He just hoped it was because Superboy's memories were still slightly incomplete and he felt like Robin did, that everything was still slightly out of place.
He hoped that was the case. Because then after J'onn came, everything would go back to being normal. And Robin wouldn't feel like his chest was being crushed every time Superboy and Megan kissed.
Superboy dreamed. He didn't like to but he did. Most of the time he dreamt about things he wanted. He dreamt of training with Superman or flying through the clouds. Things that made him even more depressed when he woke up and realized his dreams were not reality. But recently his dreams had been different.
He dream of having sex with someone. He dreamt of kisses and naked bodies and loving caresses. He knew this was normal, something called a 'wet dream.' The problem was, he wasn't dreaming about his girlfriend. Superboy didn't know who he dreamt of. All he did know was that he felt like his dreams were more of a reality than what he was living. The person in his dream felt right...and Megan didn't.
But he liked Megan...he loved her. His mind told him that. She was his girlfriend and she made him happy. He believed that...but he just didn't feel it. And it made him feel more guilty when he was with her. She seemed so happy even though he was thinking things were wrong. And the last thing Superboy wanted to do was to make the person he loved feel sad.
So he would ignore his dreams and ignore his feelings. He would just do what he knew in his head was right. Because if his brain was telling him things were alright, then they must be just fine.
Robin was the first to meet with Martian Manhunter on Sunday afternoon. He was glad because he wanted to know desperately if something was wrong. Yet at the same time he didn't want to do it, the idea of anyone in his head didn't sit well with Robin. He knew he didn't have to worry. J'onn was one of the founding members of the Justice League and already knew of Robin's identity. So if there was anyone he could trust it would be him. Still, Robin didn't like it.
He entered one of the conference rooms in Mount Justice, his eyes immediately landing on J'onn where the Martian sat by the window. There was an empty seat across from him and Robin knew that was his spot. He took a deep breath as Batman closed the door behind him, straightening his shoulders. Robin walked quickly to the seat, sitting down heavily with a light thump. Martian Manhunter smiled at him.
"It is good to see you again Richard," J'onn said softly.
Robin sighed and reached up to remove his sunglasses, slipping them into the front pocket of his sweater. They weren't necessary when he was alone with someone who knew who he was. "Yeah, you too J'onn," he said quietly, leaning back in his seat.
"Batman told me you were the one who expressed concern over the mental stability of the team."
Robin flinched a little at the wording and shrugged. "Not in so many words but yeah. I just don't think your niece fixed everything in our heads. No offence."
"None taken. M'gann is still learning so I do not expect everything to be perfect. I am still proud of what she accomplished in the Bialya desert."
Robin nodded quietly, keeping to himself how he really felt about Megan's actions in the desert. He couldn't forgive her for abandoning their dying leader for her near indestructible boyfriend. It wasn't right. But Robin wasn't going to say anything. Things had worked out so he didn't need to tattle on Megan.
"Are you ready? Please know you can trust me and that I will not look directly at your memories unless absolutely necessary. I am only going into your mind to make sure everything is intact and nothing is damaged, I will not be seeing any details."
Robin sighed and leaned his head back. "Just get this over with," he muttered as he closed his eyes.
There was no verbal response to his words, just a pressure in his mind. It didn't feel like Megan had. Her technique had felt rougher, more inexperienced and invasive. J'onn though, felt true to his word. He was in his head, but not really there. He wasn't in his memories, he was around them, gently brushing them to check if they were fine.
And then J'onn came to a part of his mind that Robin hadn't even realized was there. It was like a locked box, sealed away. He knew without J'onn telling him that that wasn't natural. Robin had places in his head where he kept precious memories and painful ones locked away but it wasn't like this. This wasn't his doing. Even though J'onn was quiet Robin could feel his shock and worry. That didn't make Robin feel any better about that hidden spot that was no doubt keeping some memories at bay.
J'onn pressed against the box before breaking it open. Robin's body arched as his mind was flooded with memories, all of them rushing through his head until he was nearly overwhelmed. It was like he was in a sea and it went from calm to stormy in an instant. The only thing tethering him down was J'onn calming presence in his mind. They both watched as the memories flashed by, each more revealing than the last.
Robin saw himself in Superboy's arms, held close as the clone knelt in the middle of a deserted street. He saw them holding hands and heard Superboy's confession in his ears. He saw them having a picnic together, going through an aquarium, riding a ferris wheel, and then kissing in the fading light of day. He saw more kisses and gentle embraces. He saw them playing games and eating together. Then he saw them in his room, laying together on his bed. They were kissing intimately, arms around each other's bodies. Moments later they were interrupted by Megan knocking on his door wondering if they wanted cookies.
Suddenly it was over and everything clicked into place for Robin. No wonder things hadn't felt right. He was supposed to be with Superboy, not Megan.
J'onn spent another few moments in his head, making sure everything was back to normal and there weren't any more surprises in his mind. Then Robin felt the pressure in his head lessen and he knew he was alone with his thoughts. He slowly opened his eyes, meeting the distant gaze of Martian Manhunter.
"Well that was...whelming, with an added over. No wonder I was feeling weird. But I don't get why that brainy guy would break me up with Superboy and but him and Megan together. Maybe he's homophobic," Robin said with a quiet laugh, trying to downplay the fact someone besides Kaldur knew of his relationship with Superboy. Now it wouldn't take long for the Bats to figure it out. Maybe he could swear J'onn to secrecy, like doctor/patient confidentiality or something.
"Psimon didn't change your memories," J'onn said softly.
"Uhh...who's Psimon?"
"As you said, the 'brainy guy.'"
"Oh. Well then if he didn't change things, who did?"
"My niece."
Batman frowned as he stood before the conference room door his good friend J'onn and his ward were behind. This routine checkup was taking longer than he expected. He glanced over his shoulder as the rest of the members of the team stood in a line in the hall, all awaiting their turns. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at Miss Martian, who stood at the end of the line fidgeting. Batman could tell she felt guilty, about what he didn't know. But he would find out soon enough.
The door opened and Batman spun his head around to watch as Robin came out, followed by a very worn looking Martian Manhunter. Batman raised an eyebrow as Robin glanced at him once before turning on his heel and dashing down the hall. He opened his mouth to ask something but J'onn made one gesture with his hand and he snapped his mouth shut. Something was very wrong.
His friend walked down the hall, standing over his niece who seemed to cower a bit in his shadow. Things were tensely silent before J'onn began shouting in the Martian language. Batman could say he was competent in speaking it, along with the other 15 languages he knew, but J'onn was speaking so quickly and heatedly that Batman couldn't make out any of the conversation. But Batman could understand body language and he saw that J'onn was upset over something Megan had done, and from the way he was gesturing, it was something she had done to Robin. That made Batman's hackles rise in anger and protectiveness. No one messed with his ward and got away with it.
J'onn seemed to calm down after a few moments, stepping back to rub at his forehead. Batman took that opportunity to walk up to his friend, placing a hand on his shaking shoulder. "What is going on, J'onn?" he asked softly, glancing at the bewildered expressions on the rest of the team's faces.
Martian Manhunter sighed, rubbing at his temple in agitation. "I will give you a full report later. Right now I need to fix all of the damage before it becomes worst," J'onn replied softly, looking Batman in the eye before stepping away.
The Martian put a hand on Superboy's shoulder, guiding the bewildered young man into the conference room even though Kaldur had been next in line. Batman's eyes narrowed at that. He turned his attention to Miss Martian who was quietly wiping at her eyes with her other hand wrapped around her waist. A part of him felt like interrogating her but J'onn seemed to understand the situation so he would wait for his friend's report.
Batman glanced down the hallway where Robin had run down, a part of him desperately wanting to follow and make sure his ward was alright. But he would stay here, to make sure everyone checked out with Martian Manhunter before he went to find his son. There were times Batman wished his duty as a member of the league and supervisor of this team didn't come before his duty as a father to Dick Grayson.
Robin clutched a pillow to his chest as he sat in his darkened room, biting his lips as he remembered. He remembered Superboy's lips on his own, which were incredibly soft for being bullet proof. He remembered the taste of his tongue and the feel on his body, all of which made Robin flush in more than just embarrassment.
And then he remembered the sight of Superboy kissing Megan the same way he had kissed Robin. He knew it wasn't the clone's fault. It was Megan's. But it still didn't make it hurt any less to realize he had been watching his boyfriend kiss someone else for the past couple of days.
It certainly explained why he had been so uncomfortable around them.
Robin sighed and buried his head into his pillow, squeezing it tighter to his body. He was worried about what would happen now. Martian Manhunter knew about their relationship so it wouldn't be long before Batman found out. That was a conversation Robin had been hoping to avoid for at least the next five years or so. Realistically there was no way he could keep it secret for that long. Still, he had hoped.
And then there was the situation with Megan. Robin wondered what would happen to her. J'onn had looked really upset after he had discovered Megan was the one to change their memories. She was in big trouble. So much so that she might get chopped from the team. That thought made a part of Robin pretty happy, because it meant she wouldn't be around to try and steal his boyfriend anymore. But then another part of him wasn't so thrilled. Megan was a huge asset to their team and she was getting quite skilled. It would be a huge loss to them all if she left. But Robin didn't see this happening any other way. Megan had done something that was near unforgivable.
She had played with their minds and their feelings.
No doubt when Batman finds out he will be furious. Robin swallowed thickly when a part of him internally cackled at the punishment she would receive from his mentor. Nothing less than what she deserved. But those thoughts made Robin feel guilty for wishing pain and suffering on someone who had been a good friend.
Things were different now though, and Robin couldn't say with any amount of certainty whether she was his friend anymore. He sure didn't trust her much, if at all now, after what she did.
Robin was startled from his thoughts when there was a sudden, furious knock on his door. He had barely looked up from his sulking on his bed when the door to his room swished open. His breath caught as the light from the hallway flooded into his darkened room, momentarily blinding him. Before he could adjust to the light the door closed and he was left in the dark once more. Robin blinked his eyes rapidly to readjust to the darkness, taking in the sight of Superboy standing by the door.
The clone had his head down, fists clenched tightly at his side. His whole posture screamed 'discomfort'. Robin swallowed thickly and stayed silent, wondering what was going to happen. Had Superboy's memories been fixed?
Suddenly Superboy moved, instantly at Robin's bedside and kneeling down on the floor, eyes still unable to meet his. Superboy slowly, hesitantly reached out a hand and placed it on Robin's knee. It was the first time they had touched since before the mission. Robin hadn't realized how much he missed it until he felt Superboy's warmth again. He closed his eyes and sighed before releasing the death grip he had on his helpless pillow. Robin placed one of his own hands over Superboy's, rubbing a single finger over the clone's knuckles.
"I'm so sorry," Superboy whispered, his voice deep and grave.
Robin smiled sadly, knowing the young man beside him was apologizing for a multitude of things. "It's not your fault," he replied quietly. "It's her fault. You have nothing to be sorry for."
"But...I cheated on you."
Robin was a little surprised Superboy knew that terminology, considering he hadn't known what dating meant a few weeks ago. But Robin supposed the endless research the clone had no doubt done before their first and so far only date had taught him many things. Including what it meant to be unfaithful.
"She made you do it."
"But I still did it."
"You didn't have a choice. She took that from you."
Superboy gave a frustrated sigh, laying his forehead down on the bed beside Robin's legs. "I know. But I still feel so guilty. And angry...and sad. I hate that I did something so wrong and I couldn't do anything about it."
Robin reached out his other hand and ran it through Superboy's hair, digging his fingers into his scalp. He didn't know what to say in response. Superboy was going to feel guilty for the past few days no matter what he said, and Robin was going to feel upset as well. The situation was so messed up.
They silently stayed where they were for a few minutes, their thoughts running wild as they tried to figure out where to go from here. Robin wanted to reassure Superboy that he still liked him, and still wanted to be his boyfriend. But it was hard to do that. He kept seeing his boyfriend with Megan, the memories playing over and over like a demented picture show, torturing him with feelings of sadness and discontent. It made him really worried that things wouldn't be able to go back to the way they used to be.
A hitch in the breathing beside him broke Robin's train of thought unexpectedly. He looked down, reaching a hand down to brush the side of Superboy's face, worried there was something seriously wrong, besides the obvious. His hand came back wet.
"Superboy," he called softly, disbelievingly.
"I hate feeling like this," Superboy growled, lifting his head from its bent position. The clone's face was tear streaked, his eyes red and puffy around the edges. Robin's eyes widened at the sight. Superboy was crying. His boyfriend was crying. Robin's chest felt tight with emotion. Superboy was just as upset as he was about the situation, maybe even more so.
That, more than any mental pep talk, made Robin feel like things would be okay.
Superboy was staring up at him. His eyes were so vulnerable and sad, and Robin hated seeing him like that. Robin reached out his hands, placing them on either side of Superboy's face. He smiled softly down at his boyfriend before he leaned in. Robin slowly closed his eyes as their lips touched. It felt just like it had the first time they had done it. It felt sweet and new. Robin sighed and tilted his head, searching for that perfect angle that made kissing feel so good.
Superboy was frozen, lips and body unmoving as Robin initiated their first kiss in days. Then suddenly Robin was wrapped up in a fierce embrace, cradled tightly against Superboy's hard body. His boyfriend climbed onto the bed as Robin clamored into his lap. His arms snaked around Superboy's thick neck, guiding their kiss. And act they were still both novice to.
Robin mashed his lips against Superboy's, desperate to feel close to his boyfriend again. It was messy and near painful, but Robin didn't stop, he couldn't. He wanted to remind both Superboy and himself with this kiss, why they were supposed to be together.
As they made out, Robin forgot about Megan kissing his boyfriend, he forgot about her changing their memories, and he forgot about all of the painful feelings he had been experiencing. Robin forced himself to forget about the past and to ignore what might happen in the future. Instead he just breathed in Superboy's scent and absorbed the feeling of their embrace.
This, right now, was the most important thing in Robin's world.
"M'gann tampered with some of her team member's memories and redirected some of their feelings."
"She did what?"
"I am just as upset as you are Bruce," J'onn said softly.
His old friend and colleague sighed loudly, leaning back in his chair and rubbing at his face. After a moment he removed his cowl, revealing the handsome face of Bruce Wayne. They were alone in the conference room after J'onn had seen each of the members of Young Justice, excluding his niece. M'gann's memories did not need to be fixed.
"Give me all the details," Bruce said after a few moments, running a tired hand through his hair. J'onn would offer to give him a mental massage later to soothe his nerves, the man looked like he needed it.
J'onn placed his fingertips together, turning in his seat to look out the window. Richard had begged J'onn before they had left the room earlier that he not tell Bruce the details. J'onn very much wanted to honor the boy's wishes, but in this case he could not. The damage his niece had done was terrible, and Bruce needed to know everything. Mostly because he was the supervisor of this team, but also because he was Richard's father.
"M'gann has what you would call a 'crush' on Superboy. She has liked him for a while even though he seems to not feel the same," J'onn started, knowing it was because of this that his niece had done what she had. "When everyone lost their memories, Superboy's was the most severe, as he did not have any memories from six months ago. When M'gann was restoring everyone's memories she started with the most important, mainly the memories pertaining to the mission. That was right in line with Martian protocol for memory loss.
"Later, though, when she was restoring Superboy's memories she saw an...opportunity. He had feelings of deep love inside of him. She didn't have much time because she was battling Psimon. But she did take the time to direct those feelings at herself. She assumed at the time that his feelings were for her, but they were suppressed. So she opened him up.
"Per protocol she waited until they were out of danger before working one on one with all of them to restore the rest of their memories. M'gann did this while they were traveling home. To make the experience easier she put everyone in a deep trance so they wouldn't fight her mental probing. Again this is in line with Martian protocol."
"So what went wrong," his friend asked softly, his voice grave. The man knew something was seriously wrong. He always knew.
"M'gann realized that she had been wrong in her assumption that Superboy's genuine feelings of love had been for her. But instead of changing what she had done, directing his feelings toward herself, she changed his memories. She locked away his memories of being with the person he loves and placed false knowledge of a relationship with her.
"But she couldn't stop there. Once she changed Superboy's memories she had to change the memories of the person he loved and anyone else who knew about the relationship."
J'onn watched as Bruce closed his eyes, taking a long deep breath before fixing his penetrating blue gaze with his. Sometimes J'onn wondered if Bruce was a little telepathic, because he made anyone who saw that gaze feel like he was reading everything that was going through their mind.
"So what you're saying is, Superboy was in a relationship with someone on this team and Miss Martian didn't like that so she suppressed memories and changed feelings so she would be happy."
J'onn took a deep breath, knowing from his friend's tone that he was seriously angry. He could only imagine how he'll feel when he finds out who Superboy is in a relationship with. "Yes, that is correct," he replied softly.
"So all of the team's memories were changed?"
"No. Wallace and Artemis were mostly unaffected. M'gann placed assumptions in their minds, making them believe my niece and Superboy were in a relationship, but she did not need to change their memories. Neither knew about Superboy's feelings."
"So that leaves Aqualad and Robin," Bruce said slowly, the wheels in his head turning a mile a minute as he figured out the possibilities.
"Yes. Kaldur's memories were affected. Next to Superboy though, Robin had the most damage." J'onn let that statement hang in the air, knowing the man sitting across from him would figure out the subtle details he was saying.
Bruce was quiet for a while, a hand on his chin as he thought. J'onn waited patiently, knowing there was a lot his friend would need to process. It had come as a shock when he had seen Robin's memories and felt his feelings. For one so young he was experiencing things many people never got to in their entire lives. But it was even more overwhelming when J'onn had fixed Superboy. Superboy's feelings were so genuine and pure. His memories were extremely vivid, which no doubt had to do with the fact that the boy had so few memories to begin with. He felt so strongly for Robin and the feeling was reciprocated. J'onn would need to explain that to Bruce before the man got to thinking this was a phase the two were going through, because it wasn't. This was something very real.
"So Superboy is in love with Robin," Bruce finally said, his voice monotonous, not divulging the no doubt stormy feelings he was experiencing.
"Yes. The feeling is mutual. Robin's anxiety was because deep down he realized the relationship he was seeing wasn't right," J'onn replied smoothly and calmly.
Bruce ran a finger over the bridge of his nose, a sure sign he was getting frustrated. "How strong are their feelings?"
"They are equally genuine. Something I wouldn't expect from a thirteen year old boy and a six month old clone."
His friend sighed loudly, in defeat. He gave a nod before finally looking at J'onn, his face serious. "Very well. I will go discuss with them the... etiquette of having a relationship while being a hero. The much more pressing matter is what to do with Miss Martian. She has committed a grave injustice to this team by tampering not only with their memories, but their emotions. What would you suggest be done?"
It was J'onn's turn to sigh. He was so disappointed in M'gann. She had such potential, and such love for Earth that he thought it was a good idea to bring her here. But maybe he had been wrong. She was using her abilities for selfish reasons now. If Robin hadn't voiced his concern over the situation, they might have never caught it. Or at least not until it was too late and the damage was irreversible. There was only one thing to be done though.
"I will need to take her back to Mars," J'onn said, heart sinking at the thoughts of what her parents will say. "Since the crime she committed was done using Martian abilities, she needs to be dealt with by our laws."
"Will she come back," Bruce asked slowly.
"I'm not sure," J'onn answered honestly. "I hope so. She is young and made a childish though serious mistake. I think with time and more training she'll see that. If she does return, will she be able to return to the team?"
"I'm inclined to say yes. But if it comes to that it will be up to everyone on this team to decide, especially Robin and Superboy. If they don't want her on the team then she won't be. But if they are willing to forgive and forget she will be welcome. A Martian is an asset to any team."
J'onn smiled at the subtle compliment and nodded in understanding. "Very well. I'll take M'gann immediately. I'll contact you when we reach Mars and she had been evaluated by the elders."
Bruce nodded before standing up. J'onn followed suit. His friend slid his cowl back onto his head, hiding away his piercing blue eyes. "You take care of Miss Martian. I will explain the situation to the team and then talk to Robin and Superboy. Travel safely my friend."
Batman placed a hand on his shoulder and J'onn smiled softly, returning the gesture. Then they left the room, splitting ways in the hall. J'onn headed towards his niece's room while Batman strode toward the living area where he had told everyone else to gather. He knew though, that Superboy and Robin would be absent. Their anxiousness to see one another again had been very strong so J'onn expected them to be off on their own. Reaffirming their young, tentative bond.
In all of the studies Superboy had conducted to become the perfect boyfriend there were some phrases he read that never quite made sense. For instance; "disco-stick", "blowing a kiss", and "knight in shining armor". But there was one phrase he was starting to understand. It went something along the lines of "everything else just melts away".
Initially Superboy had thought that was a very morbid way to think about love. Why would anyone want something to melt away just because you're with your lover? But now, he understands.
As he sat on Robin's bed, in his darkened room with the boy in his lap, Superboy understood that phrase. They were kissing, rather fervently, and nothing else seemed to matter. His ears were always tuned into every little sound. He barely got a moment's peace until he passed out each night from exhaustion. But at the moment, he wasn't hearing anything except the sounds Robin made, their shared breath, and their synchronized heartbeats. Every other sound was insignificant. They just seemed to 'melt' away the longer Superboy had Robin in his arms.
His hands trailed down his boyfriend's back, settling over his bottom which rested on Superboy's outstretched thighs. For some reason he liked to squeeze this part of Robin's body. It made Superboy feel very possessive and lusty, while it made Robin give the softest of whimpers. Robin's hands were in his hair, tugging at the strands to direct their kiss.
Superboy really liked kissing. He was thankful he hadn't kissed Megan that much over the past few days, because he wanted to still be just as inexperienced as Robin was so they could continue to learn together. Superboy, though, did appreciate that because he had kissed Megan, it made him enjoy and savor Robin's kisses even more. His boyfriend was much more enthusiastic and aggressive than Megan had been.
Robin suddenly pulled his head back, his neck arching as he gasped in ragged breaths. Superboy's line of sight was drawn to that pale length of flesh. He saw Robin's pulse beating while he heard it echo in his ears. It made him want to do something he had read about. 'Necking'? For once an appropriate name that actually described the action rather well. Superboy still didn't understand why a kiss with tongue was called 'Frenching'.
He leaned his head down, pressing his lips against Robin's neck. Superboy tilted his head a bit so when he opened his eyes he was looking over Robin's shoulder at the door to the room. But he wasn't doing much looking at the moment. Superboy closed his eyes, slowly peeking his tongue out to lap at the smooth skin of Robin's lower neck. There was a salty flavor, his sweat, with an added dark taste, like unsweetened cacao. Superboy liked the flavor.
Robin moaned softly against him. His boyfriend's hands were tightly grasping the back of his shirt, rhythmically clenching with each swipe of his tongue. Superboy started sucking at the spot, pulling deeper sounds from the boy in his arms. He squeezed the bottom he still held tightly in his hands as he gently bit at Robin's neck. Superboy really, really liked this. He liked making Robin feel good, because it made him feel good too.
And then...Superboy felt it. A dark, foreboding presence.
Superboy's eyes snapped opened and he looked to the door, where a man cloaked in black stood. He was frozen in fear, lips and hands still attached inappropriately to Robin's young body. His eyes met a piercing white gaze, the very air around the man seeming to cackle with rage. Everything had truly melted away if Superboy hadn't heard Batman enter the room, let alone approach it. The two of them silently stared at one another, neither of them moving.
And then Batman's right eye twitched.
Superboy immediately lifted his lips from Robin's neck, his eyes never leaving the Dark Knight's penetrating gaze. He gulped subtly. Robin squirmed in his lap, clutching at Superboy's back hard when he stopped his ministrations. "Superboy," Robin whined, rocking his hips so his rear end settled more heavily in his hands. "Don't stop."
Batman's right eye twitched again.
Superboy immediately removed his hands from Robin's derriere. He held his arms up like he was at gun point. Which considering who this man was, it was likely Superboy was at gun point without even knowing it. The man could have implanted something in his body that could make his genitals explode with just the push of a button. It wouldn't surprise him.
Robin leaned back to glare at Superboy, his hands now resting on his shoulders. "Hey, what's your deal. I thought things were going really good," to emphasize his point Robin rocked his hips again.
Batman's right eye twitched in response.
Superboy lifted his hands further away from Robin, leaning back from his boyfriend. Robin glared at him for a moment longer before he frowned. He seemed to realize Superboy wasn't looking directly at him. The boy in his lap froze, no doubt realization and the menacing presence behind him sinking in. Robin slowly turned his head, the action reminiscent of one of those horror movies Kid Flash liked so much that had lots of screaming and lots of fake blood.
Robin leap from Superboy's lap when he saw his mentor standing in front of the closed door. Again, how had the Dark Knight gotten in without either of them noticing? Superboy figured it was a 'Batman' thing. Or everything must have truly melted away as they made out.
Robin stood in front of his mentor, wringing his hands together and looking very anxious. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, seeming to try and find the right words to say to the furious man. Robin didn't find them, though. Superboy still sat on Robin's bed, hands in the air, hoping he wouldn't be mutilated.
And then Batman sighed.
The man took a long, deep breath, raising a hand to rub at his nose. "It's too late to deal with this. There's still patrolling to do and I have a board meeting in the morning. So for now you both are off the hook," Batman said tiredly. Superboy had never seen him tired before.
Robin let out a breath and Superboy slowly lowered his hands at the man's words.
"But," Batman continued with a growl that had Robin stiffening up and Superboy shooting his hands into the air again. "We will be talking about this...situation. Later. Right now though both of you need to get some sleep...in your own rooms. J'onn said the best medicine for your minds will be a good night's sleep."
"Um...Batman?" Robin spoke up softly.
"Gotham! Now," Batman replied quickly with a glare.
Robin gave a huff of frustration but he nodded in compliance. His boyfriend turned to pick up his sunglasses from his night stand. Robin paused before leaving and gave Superboy a small smile. He brought one hand to his lips. Robin kissed his finger tips and then held his hand out, palm up and blew softly. Superboy quirked an eyebrow at the action. It took him a moment before he realized what his boyfriend was doing. He was 'blowing him a kiss'. So that's how that worked.
Superboy smiled back and Robin gave a little giggle, sweeping past his mentor to open the door and leave the room. The bright light from the hallway cast a shadow over Batman so that he was just a silhouette now. A terrifying, menacing silhouette. The Dark Knight stood glaring at Superboy for a few more moments after Robin had left before he was gone with a swish of his black cape.
Now Superboy was alone in his boyfriend's room. He let his hands fall to his sides, looking around the room for a moment. His eyes landed on Robin's pillow. Superboy took a moment to glance back at the open doorway before reaching out and grabbing the pillow. He then stood and left the room, Robin's pillow clutched tightly in one hand.
He didn't see anyone on his way to his room for which Superboy was thankful. It would be embarrassing to explain why he was carrying a pillow around that had the Bat signal stitched onto the fabric. When he got to his room Superboy didn't turn on the lights. He just closed the door, kicked off his boots and took off his pants and shirt. While wearing nothing at all he climbed into his bed, curling under his S-Shield printed blankets.
Superboy brought Robin's pillow up to his nose and inhaled, smelling his boyfriend's shampoo, his sweat, and his natural dark body odor. He curled his body around the small pillow, letting out a soft sigh. Superboy drifted peacefully to sleep with his face nuzzled against his boyfriend's wonderful smelling pillow.
AN: Yay, twitching Batman eye. XD
That made me way too happy. But other than that, not too much going on here
Now let me say that I don't hate Megan. Yes I admit she annoys me, I don't like an alien acting so human. I think it would be better if she were a little more different. Like her uncle. Anyone else notice how cutely awkward he was when he came to visit? I want that from Megan. But instead she's a green valley girl. Not good for all those feminists out there. Thank goodness for Artemis.
But still, just because I don't hate her doesn't mean I feel bad for rolling with this plot device. I have been thinking about it after I saw 'Bereft' before I had even started this story, so it seemed fitting I add it. Anyone else pissed she left Aqualad for dead? She frustrates me.
Anywho, I'm thinking next chapter we'll see everyone's reactions to the relationship. Not to mention some Big Bad Daddy Bat lecture. Yay! Oh and I totally have a perfect 'Robin' word that I'll hopefully use next chapter. Wish I could take credit but I heard it while watching TV. And my first reaction was "It's Robin!"
Teehee. So moving on.
Big thanks to: swirlhearty23, BlackMarionette, Dark-Angel-Princess 01, Saikado Mai, bluejay, Tiger Lily Roar, ben4kevin, monkeydluffynaruto, Zuvios Gemini, Obsessedwriter92, Dizasteriffic, Animelover210, Onshuu and Shigatsu, and my two anonymous reviewers Kiara and izzy bikoukishi. Thank you all for your reviews and encouraging words. Just hearing from you guys that you like what I'm doing is really inspiring.
Thanks for sticking with me through two very long ANs, but I felt these things needed to be said before we all get too deep into this story.
TTFN
P.S. - Let us all bemoan the fact that Cartoon Network sucks and is making us wait even longer for the next new episode. No new date set, but it definitely won't be in June. Curse them *shakes an angry fist* Check out my profile for the link to the info.