"The Reds," Roy Harper said plainly. "That's what you want to call us?"
Jason Todd simply nodded in confirmation. "You're Red Arrow, I'm Red Hood, we may as well start branding ourselves as a team."
Roy shifted uncomfortably at the edge of the bed, glancing back at Jason who had refused to move himself from beneath the large blanket until it was absolutely necessary. It was raining in Star City, ruining what had been an almost perfect weekend. The two returned recently from a trip to Hawaii that went terribly wrong, visiting Oliver and his wife Dinah out near the beach was a more chaotic event than any Crisis the old timer would carry on about.
Instead of dying in some crazy explosion on the sun, like Clark Kent, the original Superman. Or whatever the hell actually happened to Bruce, which there were too many rumors to even note here, Ollie retired peacefully with his wife, and they settled down on a beautiful beach in Hawaii. Roy mused, while visiting, that he always assumed Queen would end up assassinated while Mayor of Star City, that was not the case, obviously, but it started a whole argument that got far too out of hand, and then they left.
This disappointed the Red Arrow, as he was primarily going to seek some sort of blessing for his and Jason's relationship. He received this, sort of, but it wasn't as rewarding as he hoped. Jason and Roy were still married even before they left Hawaii, but Roy's and Oliver's relationship continued to be shaky, as if Oliver couldn't see his partner as someone beyond a child, or an addict.
Jason was helpful as always, which still seemed bizarre. He was far more brooding than any of Bruce's other "children", but he revealed a tenderness to Roy that was enlightening. And the last thing Roy wanted to do was hurt his feelings.
"It makes us sound like Soviets..." Roy answered, as honestly as he could. "And I don't think that's a healthy brand for an american team."
"Well, what would you prefer?" Jason asked defensively.
"What about something like a Dynamic Duo," Roy suggested.
"That's retarded."
"Thanks," Roy said flatly.
Finally, Jason decided to sit up in the bed, putting his bare back against the wall closest to him. There was a sudden shock down his spine as the chill of the wall cooled his back after being buried under such a thick comforter. Jason scratched his head and yawned loudly.
"Well, I guess we don't have to call ourselves anything," Jason stated.
Roy frowned. "I think building a team is awesome, I would just prefer something like... Outsiders, maybe?"
Jason stopped himself from instantly knocking it down and pondered the suggestion. "I like it!"
"See? I knew we could find something that clicked for us," Roy said.
"Batman abandoned me, and Ollie kicked you out of the family, it's perfect," Jason said bluntly.
"Nice way to keep old wounds closed, Jason," Roy snapped.
"Sorry, but you know what I mean," Jason said apologetically, to which Roy casually nodded.
After a moment of silence while Jason started to dress, Roy stood to his feet and straightened out the sheets on their bed so they didn't look so messy. Harper then approached Jason and gave him a careful kiss on his cheek, the Red Hood had not shaved in some time and it was seeming like he never would again.
"I'll get breakfast ready," Roy said.
Jason laid his hand softly on Roy's shoulder. "Please don't, you'll force me to eat cereal again," Jason pleaded.
"I meant I'll actually cook," Roy corrected.
"So did I," Jason noted.
Roy narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "You know I'm, like, actually trained to kill people, right?"
Jason laughed. "What, with those arrows? Come on!" he teased.
The young red headed archer placed a careful, deliberate punch to the center of Jason's abdomen, a warning shot, which led to Jason clutching his stomach while groaning and laughing at the same time.
"I'll make breakfast," Jason said. "Some waffles and scrambled eggs?"
"Yeah, sure," Roy moaned playfully.
Jason kissed Roy and then headed off to the kitchen while thunder started to roll along the sky. Roy proceeded to the window in their bedroom to observe the apparently worsening weather "It's getting bad out there," Roy shouted.
But the storm had came to an end. The dark clouds still hung overhead, but the last drop of rain had already fallen. The lights in the sky were not of warring flashes of lightning, no what he was witnessing were literal holes opening in the sky, from which massive ships emerged. An invasion.
"Jason!" Roy shouted as an explosion rocked their apartment, a massive wave that left most of the block vaporized and in disarray, half of the couple's home was gone in a flash.
"JASON!" Roy yelled in fear.
The kitchen was gone.
To be continued...