Volte-Face

This is going to be the longest Author's Note I've ever written, for a number of reasons. My thank-you's has extended quite a bit (because a few of you are getting The Great American Novel), and now with this super-alert system I can see everyone who liked this story enough to favorite either it, me, or both, without the usual hassle of clicking the "Stats" button.

If you want to skip this entire section, feel free, although you should skim for your name in bold—I may have something to say to you. But if not, there's a big line with a quote under it which starts the story. You can't miss it.

And so we begin. Thank you…
Xment2bursX- I squealed while writing it… No, that's a lie! I may have been squealing, but I was horribly embarrassed by it and turned red… (giggles)

FlamersRockAndYouKnowIt- Yes, I call this piece of shit a story. And apparently, you call your piece of shit a flame. If you want to be a FlameRising poseur, feel free, but at least stop flaming fics merely because they don't have pairings you like. (You've flamed two other stories of mine, I believe—they were both Speedy-Aqualad. I've gotten an equally-good laugh from all of your idiocy, though, so please continue with it.)

ferretgirl-1124- THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I absolutely cannot express how happy I was to see that you not only read this story, but enjoyed it. Something-or-another of yours actually started my obsession for Garth-Roy and yaoi as a whole. (I can't remember the exact story. I read one, and then the same day I charged through the rest… Well, it was most likely Heat Wave…) Thank you for that, too! And then there's the whole 'inspiration' thing—I checked to see if you'd updated School and Skirts and came across a new Of Archers and Atlanteans, so naturally I clicked it… And firstly, I must say that it was amazing, just like all the others (which I read through, again, so now "Malchik Gay" is stuck in my head!) only more hot-n-sticky, but I nearly couldn't read it because I pretty much fainted when you blamed my fanfic for the level of smexiness. (I pretty much had a conniption fit, truth be told.) And with your little 'go read it!' command, the number of views has doubled, if not tripled, so I also thank you for that! (takes a deep breath) …Okay! That's enough of me being a raving lunatic—let's move on!
P.S. You must update School and Skirts. It's too tempting, the promise of Garth in drag… and wearing bras… and not biting people's knees… So! Although I'm usually a closet-worshipper of fanfics and never review, if you update that fic I'll put my gushing into electronic form as much as possible. Pwease:3

Sugar-Hype-Queen- That's the first time someone's said that about anything I've written… (sniff) Thank you!

Katie Drake- I hope the plot continues at a 'fantastic pace'—this chapter is a sort of lull, though…

Now, more thank-yous! (I told you this was going to be long…!) For adding this story/me to a favorite/alert, I'd like to give my thanks (in no particular order) to…
Aime Atem Itsumo
Xment2bursX
Messenger of Light- I totally blame you for my inability to write on Saturday! I opened an e-mail and saw the alert message, so being stalker-ish I went to your profile and browsed a few things (hehe). And then I got swept up into your Favorites list, and since all of those HP stories seemed appetizing I went and read through a majority of them, stopping only when Silverness's fic made me burst into tears. (stomps on meanie Harry) So, um, I hope you learned your lesson…? xD
ferretgirl-1124
Destiny Lot
Katie Drake
xxxpheonix-girlxxx- You didn't actually put in an alert or anything, but you said that this was a good fanfic in your review for Of Archers and Atlanteans (I'm really creepy sometimes…), so I have to thank you as well. :3

Now that we're past all the not-so-wasted space, I'm going to finally get to the chapter! If I ever have another long comment, I'm so putting at the end of the chapter…

Oh, and excuse any editing mistakes. For some reason, my eyes weren't catching things...

"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
—Robert McCloskey

"You lied to me?"

Garth shrugged in reply to the accusation, expression light but eyes concentrated. "Maybe if you had paid attention in that First Aid course, you would have realized that tight things like gauze only serve to irritate a burn. And how else would I have gotten you to actually sit down and look at me?"

But truth be told, Roy hadn't looked at Garth. The entire time the dark-haired prince had held his arm under cool water—'to stop the burning process'—and toweled it off, Roy hadn't been able to look at his face without feeling guilty. The tinge of red had faded from his face after some time, but he was still overly conscious of the fact that his ears were on fire, vibrant red at the tips. Speedy simply wanted an escape.

Although, he wasn't completely against Aqualad's ministrations. His whole arm tingled at the feeling of Garth's fingers kneading the ointment into his skin. The balm itself was numbing, peppermint, and as both boys breathed in its fumes they relaxed, if only slightly.

"I still find it hard to believe I fell for it," Speedy continued on after an extended pause. His eyes were closed, more to avoid the gaze of his teammate than anything; but after he thought for a second he opened them. "But why did you want to sit me down?"

Garth's brow creased and the circles his thumbs were making on Roy's forearm slowed. "I thought it was obvious."

Eyes still closed, he shook his head.

"I still want to talk to you. Just because you can shirk a conversation once, it doesn't mean I'll drop the subject." His stare suddenly intensified. "And speaking of which, why did you run off so quickly last night? You looked like you got electrocuted, or something."

Speedy inwardly winced; he could still feel that burst shooting into his mind, threading through his veins, a voice in the back of his head whispering kiss him now so compellingly that he nearly gave in. Garth had just been so close, and his vibrant eyes were so livid… the passion behind the expression, even if it was violence rather than infatuation, drove his head to the brink.

But Roy couldn't just… kiss him. Not even in his dreams did he just give in, inhibitions aside, and let the moment take him. It would be wrong—he couldn't do that. At least, not to Garth. He knew him too well and would have to suffer the consequences of having a guilty conscience.

"Speedy, did you fall asleep?"

Jerking his eyes open, the archer shot Garth a look and a sneer. But as soon as their eyes met he looked away again, turning his head down and then closing his eyes.

"Are you going to answer, or are you just going to sit there?"

"What do you think?"

Aqualad let out a submissive sigh. Roy squirmed a bit, the rush of warm air tickling the skin that wasn't coated in goop. "I think you're just going to sit there…"

Speedy grinned.

"…but I wish you wouldn't." Garth sighed again, finally dropping Roy's arm. Screwing the lid on the ointment jar, he continued in a feeble, dejected tone. "I suppose there's nothing wrong with talking to Raven instead of your own teammates about something that's personal. I thought about it, and I can see where you're coming from, with the whole 'if-she-knows-about-me-it's-okay-because-I-don't-have-to-deal-with-her-all-the-time' angle."

Roy watched his movements closely, brow creased. "But…?"

Aqualad stood to put the jar back into the cabinet. "But you said it's a problem about us. Not her, us. I don't understand how talking to her is going to solve—"

"Hold on," Speedy said quickly. "I never said it was a problem."

"It just involves us, then? Speedy, it still doesn't mean you should avoid the topic with everyone who's close to you!" Aqualad leaned back on the counter, shaking his head and staring at the floor. His lips pursed together before he absently bit the lower one.

"What?" Roy finally asked, putting one elbow on the bed's railing.

"Nothing. You're just a very cold person."

"Well, you're just a very blunt person!"

Aqualad stood upright, turning to rifle through the cabinets again. "No, I mean it. You're cold. You don't trust anyone, and that's not fair."

He scoffed. "Fair?"

"I'd willingly tell you my entire background. The twins and Bumblebee would do the same. I'm sure if you asked, anyone from Titans West would tell you theirs, or any of the million other honorary Titans! Even Jinx, bad-witch-turned-good, would politely tell you her background! Sure, it would be dark, and she's probably ashamed of it, but she would still open up to people!"

"And I wouldn't?" Roy guessed, though it wasn't actually a question.

"Not at all." Aqualad pulled a small, clear white instrument from the shelf he was going through and ran water over it for a minute before returning to Roy's side. "Here."

Speedy jerked back when the cold metal prodded between his lips. "What—"

"It's a thermometer," Garth explained, sitting on the bed across from him. "You still look pale; keep it under your tongue, and close your mouth."

Roy rolled his eyes but obeyed regardless while Aqualad charged on with his rant.

"It's not fair that you'd keep things from us. The only things we really know about you are trivial things, like the fact you're obsessive about grooming and always have a comb on you, or your coincidental love for seafood."

"M-mh!" came Roy's indignant grunt.

"Well, fine," he amended, "we know a bit more than that. But do you get my point? I don't think you trust your teammates! How do you think I feel, going into battle knowing that the person I'm fighting with won't depend on me if he makes a mistake?"

The thermometer beeped, and as soon as he yanked it from his mouth Roy smirked; "I thought we were talking about an 'us,' not an 'I' and a 'me.'"

Aqualad tore the device from his hand, ignoring his comment. "You have a fever."

"I bet you're lying again." He turned the screen around, but a clear 101.4 stared back at him. "Well, I don't feel sick…"

"Not yet, you don't. But really, Speedy, couldn't you just talk to one of us?" His eyes turned pleading, and Roy knew without consideration that with that look, Garth could make him do anything. "At least talk to Bee about it. As long as I know you told someone …"

"If I do, will you stop harassing me?"

Garth tipped his head to one side, lightly gnawing on his lip again. "You know, I—"

A shrill ring echoed through the room, amplified by the emptiness. Roy dove for the source, a small cellphone on the counter, but Garth got it first. He flipped it open, reading the caller ID with a smirk. "Raven, huh? And this early in the morning, too…" He pressed a button, holding it to the side of his face. "Hello?"

There was a second of silence, and then an explosion so loud that Speedy could hear it. "RAVEN, AQUALAD HAS HIS PHONE! HE HAS HIS PHONE!"

"Beast Boy?" Garth chuckled. "I don't have his phone; we're just in the same room, and I—"

"THEY'RE IN THE SAME ROOM, RAVEN! THE SAME ROOM!"

Roy grabbed the phone away from the startled Atlantean. "Listen, you little dipshit—"

"Speedy?" It was Raven's voice now. "Beast Boy found out."

There were still shouts in the background from the changeling, but Roy ignored them. "What do you mean?"

"He was in my room during out little talk. He was a"—she paused, and Roy heard a twak and a male whimper—"a spider on my wall, apparently."

"He—wait, what?" Roy stood, kicking a wheeled cart as he paced the length of the Infirmary. Every heartbeat was quicker than the previous one. His pulse hammered angrily through his veins, shortening his breath, making his blood catch fire. "You mean, he was listening? He knows?"

"GAY, GAY, GA—" Another twak silenced the background song. Roy wished to every deity that Garth hadn't heard.

As if she needed to spell it out, Raven sighed and murmured a simple, "Yes."

"What's going on?" Aqualad asked as Roy turned to pace the other way. His angular features were set in a worried frown, all previous emotions gone. "Speedy, what is she saying?"

"Fuck," Roy groaned, sinking onto the third bed. "And here I thought we'd be safe in your room, out of the way. No one would be there, no one would interrupt—"

"Did you and Raven—?"

"He wants to talk to you now," Raven continued in what was nearly a monotone voice. Roy swallowed nervously, his face flushed with a cold sweat; Garth heard the gulp and his expression contorted further.

"Speedy—"

"Now? Over the phone?"

Garth caught the anxious glance Roy threw at him and felt his stomach clench. A new sensation gripped his body, like he was falling from some high zenith into a bottomless hole. "Speedy…?"

"No, not over the phone. But he's been up all night, thinking about it—I guess he's in shock. He wants you to come here."

Roy shook his head. "I can't."

Both Raven and Garth kept silent, giving Speedy time to actually think. On one hand, it would be a waste of time to go all the way out to Titans West. He would miss any emergency calls his own Tower received, and Bee would probably grill him for leaving so unexpectedly. Plus, the rides there and back were always so boring.

On the other hand, Beast Boy might get too excited and tell someone. It would also get Roy away from the Tower, which meant he'd be free of not only going on emergency calls, but also free of Aqualad. He wouldn't have to deal with You have a fever! and You should talk to Bee! sort of remarks. And if he did go, he could always have another meeting with Raven.

"Well, it's your—"

"Raven, I think I might actually come." He glanced at the clock. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you," she answered, and then the line clicked and buzzed.

Roy folded the phone, slipping it into his pocket—Garth was never going to answer it for him again. He was lucky Beast Boy had contained himself while the Atlantean was on the line.

"Speedy…?" Aqualad's voice cracked hoarsely between the syllables. "What's going on?"

Roy looked at him for the first time in minutes and found himself shaken by the distress written into his teammate's face. He couldn't find his voice; his throat felt abruptly raw. A nail of guilt rammed into his skull for causing an expression like that, and once again he felt powerless against those bleak, violet eyes.

"Calm down!" Roy finally laughed, forcing himself to be cheery. "Don't go into convulsions—it's nothing big! The kid just overheard our conversation last night and wanted to me to clarify some things."

If anything, Aqualad's expression grew even more distorted. "Speedy, Beast Boy freaked out on the phone! And he called your cell, not your team pager—but it's not even seven o'clock! Try to tell me again that it's 'nothing big!'"

Roy rose from the table, walking closer to Garth. Compliant smile pasted in place of his lips, he grabbed the Atlantean's shoulder, shaking it a little. "It," he said. "Is nothing. Big. Now, I'll be back in about an hour—hopefully less—and when I get back you can doctor my so-called fever and continue scrutinizing my conversations with Raven all you like. Agreed?"

Aqualad let out a gloomy breath. "Agreed, I suppose. Does your arm still hurt?"

"Nope." The redhead straightened, heading toward the door. "And I don't feel sick, either!"

As a sidenote, that quote is probably my favorite, perhaps only topped by another that I'll end up using in these chapters. (I think.)

Also, anonymous reviews are allowed now! I'm sorry if you were attempting to review before—I didn't know it was possible to block them…!

I'd like to set up a game. (Insert random idea here!) I'll ask a question, and the first to get it right in their review will be able to set the deadline for the following chapter. Sound slightly amusing?

Question: What kind of weapon hangs below Carnifax's fireplace? (Hint: Not a firearm.)