Alright...Choir's done until January. I don't have to go back to school until January and I still need to read Crime and Punishment and memorize a poem for AP Lit. Oof...darn procrastination. Oh well. This was like the last chapter in teh effect it got rewritten a few times.
Uh...I guess the character that'll be 'introduced/featured' in this is a device to show a softer side to the underworld of Gotham - because I feel that not all of the people in Gotham's harder places (the working girls and low level junkies and whatnot) are really all bad; they have shitty luck is all. Besides, we all know they see and hear things even Batman can't and are therefore useful allies (Ooh! Sherlock reference!). So anyway, if you don't understand that little part there's the explination.
Snow was falling softly gently to the ground in Gotham when Conner landing on the slightly slick rooftop. It was slightly horrifying when his feet slipped but he tried to ignore the strangely human feeling of helplessness. He'd been hopping from one rooftop to another for hours, his search leading nowhere. November had come and gone and now the city was filled to the brim with Christmas Carolers and Santas ringing for donations to Salvation Army and the like. There were screaming kids whose screeching laughter echoed throughout the city as snow fell on their cheeks and melted into their hair like crystals.
Winter was the perfect time for Freeze to run about loose he knew but he didn't dare say anything about the fact that he wasn't using the opportune time to run amok. No…Someone else was running loose and Conner wasn't sure he liked this person very much. Their hired guns were good considering everything too; they'd managed to sneak into some big gala the police had been holding – what with Christmas on the way – knocked out most of the recipients with gas and disappeared with a certain party favor.
It wasn't Batman who called them in either. It had been Superman and Wonder Woman who had also brought in Zatana and Red Arrow. Conner still wasn't quite sure what to think of the young sorceress other than she had an interesting feeling about her. However, Robin had mentioned something about magic being hurtful for Superman so he wanted to avoid ticking her off.
"Good morning Gotham City," the broadband radio station jeered loudly. Conner grunted in irritation at the voice that was more annoying than the announcer voice in the computer at home. He had a hard time believing it was morning already though. It felt later than that.
"This city has more twists and turns than any cave known to man," Artemis thought bitterly from her recent post.
They'd had to stay within a certain distance from each other so M'Gann could keep them all connected but it had made the search slow so they'd opted to use a certain place to check in with each other every two hours. They'd even made it so that if Conner got halfway across the city, he'd end up near one of the multiple placements they'd chosen.
Of course, it didn't really help he kept losing track of time which forced the others to use the radios. At least he wasn't getting frustrated and throwing it away this time. He was keeping it on, ready to feel his heart start jumping into hyper drive when he heard their voices right in his ear rather than in his head. He was routinely told that it shouldn't be normal to hear voices in one's head – Wally and Roy mainly. He guessed it was partly because of how he was cloned that he was somewhat okay with a voice in his head.
He'd set up a rule to himself though; he only wanted friends in his head. At least he was somewhat sure they wouldn't do something weird to his mind like Simon or the G-nomes.
"That explains all the dead ends I keep finding," Red Arrow's voice growls as he keeps moving. "This place is a maze! How do those two find anyone in this hellhole?"
Conner ignored the wish to shiver from the onslaught of foreign feelings – he could do without that part to be sure but it's a package deal. He'd learned that one day at school when M'Gann had gotten teased by someone and the cheerleaders protected her in his place. He'd felt…insignificant, pathetic, useless; the list went on and on. He couldn't even get it out of his head for days afterwards because M'Gann couldn't get it out of her head and she stayed connected with him all the time.
"Someone bullied her?" Robin screeched, his jaw set in a snarl, fists clenched and mask narrowed dangerously. Conner had been surprised by the outburst from the stoic boy, not fully understanding the word he'd used. "Who did it? I'll rip their heads off!"
"Whoa Rob! Easy!" Wally had interjected. "The cheerleaders took care of it right? No worries right?" He'd added the last sentences chuckling nervously only to earn a dangerous look.
"No, it's not alright. Miss M's new to that sort of treatment and besides, it's not cool to tease a girl. What'd they say to her Conner? What'd they do?"
He ended up spilling everything to the shorter boy who ended the conversation by stomping out of the room, steam screeching from his ears as he growled profanities under his breath and vowed to massacre the 'little shit heads' as he called them.
Though, Robin never acted on those words. Instead, he taught M'Gann a few choice statements for the aforementioned shit heads adding that she could always have them call a certain number so he could personally chew them out for being rude to her.
He blinked and wondered idly once again why Robin wasn't present. It was one thing if he were on a private mission with Batman but Conner could have sworn that Wonder Woman had asked Superman if it was really alright for them all to butt into something Batman was working on without telling Batman. There was something going on and Robin wasn't there to be a vague insight to it.
He's not sure why it bugs him so much when Robin isn't within sight, within feeling through the telepathy links. He tries to shove the feeling away but he knows everyone else has already felt them and identified them as his own. He can feel their own unease as he thinks about Robin being the vulnerable one of them as the youngest and being very human. Even Red Arrow, Artemis, and Kid Flash saw him as a dangerous commodity; young, head strong, vulnerable, thinks he's not. He is dangerous to himself and to those who want to protect him.
He's a great hero though. Is it because he knows how dangerous his job is, because he knows he's young, impetuous, and even hot headed? Or is it because he works in Gotham and is human and knows what those freaks in his city could and would do to humans?
"This place is…really strange," Kid Flash mumbled softly as he tried to avoid the thoughts Conner's feelings were spurring. "It's crazy in one alley and then in the street it's like nothing happens past the building fronts. It's…not like home."
"It's not Central City KF," Red Arrow snorts but there's an understanding in his thoughts. "Let me guess, the night of your little field trip was relatively peaceful right?" They didn't have to nod. They all knew they were already. They could feel it. "It's Gotham. It was once voted the scariest city around remember?"
"How do those two survive this place?" Kaldur asked softly, his disgust at the state of the canals and the bay becoming almost stagnant. "The water is despicable and the city is turbid; how is it possible to survive this place?"
"Humans always find a way to do things like that," M'Gann whispered almost admiringly. Conner can feel her awe at the city lights as she glides over them. She can't see what Wally and the rest of them are because she's so high up. All she can see are the lights and Conner knows it. "They are amazing in that respect."
"They are dangerous," Kaldur scowls as he leaps out of the waters in tangible relief.
Conner shook himself from the wet, greasy feel of Kaldur's skin as secretly as he could. It was so strange to know what people were feeling when you were having a different sensation than them. Conner could almost enjoy flying through M'Gann but at the same time felt strange when Kaldur sliced through the water like a rocket because he knew Superman might not be able to do that unless he was in a great rush.
"When isn't he?" Red Arrow snickered back to Conner. The clone didn't even have to growl in response. "Sorry. This telepathy thing's pretty strange isn't it?"
"Oh please this is more than 'pretty strange' buddy," Zatana chuckled as she teleported herself to a new rooftop. She was skirting the edge of M'Gann's reach but she was strangely linked to Artemis since that little trip they took together somewhere. They'd bonded pretty well apparently and the link made Zatana's skirting the edge easier to maintain since Artemis was in the range.
"At least you all are friendly," Wonder Woman's voice chimed gently. She was flying too. Conner could almost enjoy the feel of the wind on his skin through her. "Now, I have an update for you all."
Well that didn't sound promising.
"What is it?" Kid Flash asked carefully. He didn't want to sound snide or rude to the woman who could kill him easily if she so desired.
"Superman and I managed to find Batman; finally," she muttered irritably as she made herself hover in the air like the royal she was. Conner could feel her crossing her arms under her breasts as she spoke.
"Why do I get the feeling we're not seeing Robin tonight?" Roy muttered bitterly. Conner leaned against a wall for a rooftop door as he listened and concentrated on his comrades' feelings and thoughts. He could agree with the bitterness at not seeing Robin once again considering it was his city they were in. however, he was far more concerned about why they may not see the boy.
"It's not likely," Wonder Woman sighed as she landed with a soft tap onto a roof. "By the way, I believe we told you we were trying to handle a kidnapping."
"Yes," Kaldur stated. "However, forgive me, but we never learned who we were looking for so we were just doing a patrol round or six. All we know is that the person disappeared in a police Christmas gala."
"We managed to finally figure it out exactly who it was who disappeared," Wonder Woman sighed. "There really are moments we should just let Superman beat Batman to a pulp."
Conner could feel her anger rolling into him and for some reason he could wholeheartedly agree. Batman was a bit too stubborn for his own good.
"Who are we looking for then?" Zatana asked her voice clearer than before. She was back in the range then. Conner felt her calm worry and concern flow past Wonder Woman's anger and frustration and began to feel better.
"Richard 'Dick' Grayson," Superman's deep rumbling voice stated calmly as he landed next to Wonder Woman. The telepathic field suddenly got cold.
"WHAT?" Roy roared. Conner could feel the boy pull at an arrow and prepare to hop to the rooftop Superman and Wonder Woman were on. Conner felt him land shakily, getting caught by Superman when he nearly lost balance completely. However, his anger reached out faster and more dangerously than Wonder Woman's.
"Red Arrow," Superman stated calmly though Conner noticed the twinge of worry in his words. "Please calm down. I know your identity is friends with him but you have to have a clear head if we're to find him at all."
Roy ground his teeth together and Conner decided he was done listening to the pointless arguments. They should be looking not talking.
"I'm going," he growled. "Where do we want to meet up?"
"On the police department's rooftop, next to the Bat-signal," Wonder Woman spoke quickly as she patted Superman on the shoulder to keep him calm. "Try to get there in two hours Conner."
"Alright," he said before leaping out of M'Gann's range and racing off towards an area of the city that he remembered Robin calling The Narrows. A place filled to the brim with druggies and pimps and whores and the like. He knew it was a hard place to live but Robin had called it something else; the Frontline.
In all reality, Conner wasn't even sure that they'd find the boy alive now. The gala had been two days ago and he barely understood the whole 'twenty-four hour' time frame being the major factor in kidnappings. He understood that the longer someone was gone, the less likely it was to find them. If they were alive, there was possibility they'd either developed Stockholm Syndrome or just didn't have a memory past their kidnappers being 'family' to them.
However, he felt that if someone were to really try to find a loved one, the twenty-four hour window wouldn't mean much in the end. He had a feeling that if someone gave enough of a damn, they'd find what they wanted to find – along with other things to be sure but that was part of the thrill of looking.
"Really," someone huffed in an alleyway, their voice soft enough that Conner almost missed it. He slowed to a stop, making sure to not slip on the ice. "Can you believe this town?"
"Not really," another person mumbled back. It was two women gossiping, he realized. They were probably young going off their voices plus they were probably speaking to each other via balcony windows or something. Glancing over the roof top edge, he found his hunch to be correct – much to his amazement.
"What happened this time?" the second woman asked as she flicked pale blonde hair out of her tired eyes.
She wasn't wearing much in the way of clothes; her cheeks rosy form the nipping wind. Her coat looked plenty warm though and the room she leaned out of had a small fire in the hearth behind her. Conner caught a glimpse of a man's legs in tangled sheets behind her, the glow of the fire gleaming orange in the dim lighting.
"Did you hear about that crazy shit at the police Christmas Gala?" the first, a busty brunette asked from her window, eyes gleaming with something Conner couldn't quite recognize. The blonde looked at her with bored eyes.
"No," she mumbled. "What happened?"
The brunette smirked as she wiggled about, like she couldn't stay still. Her clothes were even skimpier than the blonde's; a strip of black covering her breasts – barely – and a red skirt than may as well have been underwear the sum of her attire. She didn't have someone with her and she was fairly giddy considering the time of night.
"Some idiots had enough balls to break in and take someone!" the brunette laughed.
"Wow," the blonde drawled not at all fazed. "Who?"
"That little kid…you know the one from the circus?"
"The one Wayne took in?" the blonde asked, her voice showing more interest than her face. "Why take him? He's harmless."
"Not to the guy who killed his parents," the brunette laughed with a finger poking holes in the air as she waved it about in an effort to seem smart. "Need I remind you that he had a hearing yesterday? Without that kid, there's no one else to give a council a sympathy vote to keep him in jail. All they'll have to go on is his behavior in there."
"I'll bet he's been an angel," the blonde sneered darkly, her face showing more feeling than before. Conner could understand the irritation. He'd been hearing a lot about someone named Zucco from Red Arrow for the past couple weeks because it had something to do with one of his identity's friends. He couldn't say he liked this Zucco person very much.
"That's for certain," the brunette chuckled happily. "He was let out this morning!"
"You sound so pleased."
"He was my best customer," the brunette laughed.
"If he's smart, he'll run away from this town before Batman finds out that he's out and gives him the threat of staying away from that kid," the blonde shot back. "Personally, I'd slit his throat myself if I thought I could do it."
"Oh stop kidding," the brunette laughed as she stuck out her tongue. She waved and disappeared into her room.
"I wasn't," the blonde hissed as she pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Zucco is a sick bastard. Whatever the Bat does to him, he deserves it."
"Think you can tell me much of anything Miss?" Conner called gently from above. Her head shot up to find him leaning over the roof edge, chin on his crossed arms. "Sorry to shock you but I'm looking for that kid you two were just talking about."
"R-really?" she asked eyes wide. "W-why?"
"Because I'm one of those people that gives a damn about others even if I don't know them very well," Conner explained easily. She gave him a kind look. "I don't know much about this Zucco guy though. Can you tell me what you know of him?"
"You've got manners Bats don't have," she smiled. "All I know is that Zucco is the kind of man that will kill a family for refusing to give him 'protection' money." She made air quotes on the word protection which made him worry a bit about her connotation. "Hey…Is Bats looking for him too?"
"Yes…Why?"
"Just wondering," she sighed. She took a pull from her cigarette and blew it out through her nose. "He saved the kid before…when the corrupt cops took him to that ravine they used for dumping the bodies. There was some award given to the woman who followed the cops and reported on it."
"That doesn't really answer my question," Conner smiled. "You don't seem to like Zucco like your friend over there and you worried over the kid."
"The kid grew past wanting revenge and trust me when I say it's hard to do," she said sadly. "Wayne helped I think."
"Possibly," Conner murmured wondering idling why he'd even opened his mouth in the first place. Maybe it was the fact she'd looked like she needed to talk to someone.
"Hey…if you find that kid, make sure Zucco knows to stay away from him will you?" she asked gently as she gazed up at him.
"I'm sure Batman will take care of that for me," Conner smiled. HE was about to leave, her smile acting as a good-bye when she spoke up again.
"Hey…You a friend of the Boy Wonder's?" she asked.
"Yeah…" he said, standing now, his shirt showing the bright red 'S' against ebony. She smiled at him again, this time brighter.
"Tell him I'm taking his advice will you?"
"Sure," he said with a soft smile before leaping away to return to his search.
He'd probably lost track of time again but he didn't think he cared anymore. The woman had been nice to talk to and he didn't really care if Batman gave him crap for talking to someone who'd obviously been given guidance from Robin. Hell, he'd probably not mind if Clark chewed him out. He had come out with at least a bit of information; a motive for a kidnapping.
Though, from the arguing he could hear on the other side of the city, he doubted he had much to worry about. Batman and Superman were arguing over the fact that he never called for help despite the fact he 'needed' it. Wonder Woman was acting interference for them both, making sure there were no damaging blows shot at either. The rest of the team was going on through the motions of searching whilst simultaneously doing some sightseeing. Gotham was strangely pretty in some ways especially at night.
"I can't believe how stubborn you can be," Superman was saying.
"You're one to talk," Batman shot back. It went on and on.
"You'd think they'd be over this stuff by now," Roy muttered into the headsets. "Hey Superboy, I'm near you. Mind if I join up with you for a bit?"
"No, I don't mind. Probably best to have someone who'll get me to pay attention to the time around huh," Conner laughed as he skidded to a halt, his boots barely gripping the icy roofs. "Hey…are the others beginning to team up?"
"Not really," Roy muttered. "I'm just bored as heck and felt like at least trying to get to know someone the others like."
"Uh-oh, do I sense you trying to bond with others?" Conner laughed.
"Ha ha," Roy jeered. "Wait for me, I'll find you."
"Whatever," Conner sighed, leaning against a roof door's little shed to wait. He didn't really have to wait all that long considering Roy seemed adamant on avoiding the others in this lousy attempt to bond. He landed with a slight skid nearby and Conner smiled at him warmly enough.
"I think Robin's rubbed off on you," Roy muttered his tone a little relieved at the idea.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Conner mumbled softly. "I only hang out with him more than most of the others when I get the chance."
"There are good reasons for that," Roy sighed his tone suddenly wistful. Conner gave him a look. "What? The kid's nice to almost everyone unless they manage to tick him off and let's face it; he's not as short tempered as Batman."
"No one is as short tempered as Batman," Conner laughed as he hopped to another roof. Roy followed quickly after him, his boots not finding nearly as much purpose as he probably would have liked. Conner caught his arm and waited for him to steady himself before letting go. Roy gave him a kind glance before moving on to the next roof.
"True but Batman has his own reasons," Roy explained. "I don't really know them – other than this city is nuts – but I know Ollie has reasons to be a little short tempered at times."
"Batman's always annoyed though," Conner replied as he landed a building away and scanned the streets before moving on.
"This city's crazier than Star City Superboy," Roy chuckled. "Hear anything worth noting?"
"No. I don't see anything much either. Have you seen much of anything?"
"No but I don't have super sight."
They smiled at each other before leaping to a new building, feet once again barely finding purchase. Conner sighed. Were all the roofs going to be like that or were they going to get better depending on which part of town one was in? That couldn't be completely right though considering he'd been near downtown and the roofs had been about as nasty there as they were here. Given, the ice seemed to be thicker in the Narrows than the city.
After a while, Roy glanced at his watch and muttered they barely had time to get to the Station on time if they didn't turn back soon. Conner didn't really want to leave the Narrows though, something about it pulling at him to stay. Something about how the noise of the streets could be swallowed into pure silence with ease. Something about how a common working girl could speak about a hero like he were a friend. There was something about the Narrows that screamed that he would want to stay.
The gun shots in the distance helped make up his mind.
"Superboy!" Roy yelled as he shot off towards the shots.
"Gunshots!" Conner shot back over his shoulder before he kicked himself off another building to propel himself closer to the sound.
"Shit," Roy breathed a hand shooting to his ear to call the others before following.
Conner came to a skidding halt on the roof of a warehouse, his fingertips adding friction to his near crash into the skylight window. He could hear cackling laughter coming from within along with a nervous, higher pitched laugh accompanying it. He recognized the laugh; Joker. His eyes narrowed as he looked in through the window to find a shock of green hair, purple suit, and pale skin moving with a jerking grace that could only be captured by one man with that much natural swagger; Joker.
"I hate clowns," he hissed as his eyes caught sight of a red and black, female jester of sorts following behind the giggling madman. Her face was as white as Jokers but her eyes were covered by a domino mask that was like Robin's save for the red highlights that glinted off it in the sparse light. In her delicate hands was a huge gun that she hefted with an effortless strength.
They walked past two dead bodies and moved toward another person who was still very much alive. Tied up, gagged, and scared out of their minds but alive none the less. Joker was saying something to his friend but Conner wasn't paying much attention since he was too busy looking at the boy they were approaching slowly.
The boy wore a ruffled suit, the tie disheveled and a dark bruise beginning to form on his neck from where the tie had been used to quiet him once. His hands were tied behind his back and he was shrinking into a corner in an effort to avoid Joker and his mystery friend and the blood oozing from the bodies. His blue eyes were wide with fear.
Grayson, Conner thought, his own eyes widening in surprise.
"Ah Harley look, it's Wayne's little ward," Joker cackled. "Turn that frown upside down kid! Laugh a little! Harley, the gun!"
The woman, Harley, hefted the gun with a soft grunt and Joker swung it away from her hands with less effort than she'd used to carry it. He pointed it at the boy with a creepy laugh. The boy's eyes widened in fear once more as Joker shouldered the gun.
"Ah…this city really has gone to the Bats lately kiddo," Joker drawled to Harley. "Really…it's so difficult to find reliable help now-a-days. Especially professional ones."
"True Puddin'," Harley giggled. "So very true." She looked half scared though going form the way she was cowering behind the green haired man.
"And these two showed so much promise of being relatively good lackeys," Joker sighed. He shrugged. "Oh well. If they can't finish a job, I have no choice but to finish them."
"I agree completely!" Her tone suggested otherwise. "Old Zucco is out of jail and the kid's no longer needed right Puddin'?"
"Right Harley!" Joker laughed. "Sorry kid…Wait…no I'm not!" He let loose with an earsplitting cackle and his finger twitched.
Conner was through the window in less than a second, landing with a thud before shooting towards the boy. His arms wrapped around Grayson in a firm grip and took the sharp flag to his shoulder blades with not much more than a grunt. Scared blue eyes met his own as an enraged curse from Joker.
"No! Not again! You won't ruin my punch lines again!" Joker roared.
Twang!
"Superboy, up here! Quick!" Roy yelled as he loaded another arrow, smoke filling the warehouse as Harley and Joker hacked from breathing it in. Conner didn't have to think twice as he lifted Grayson to his chest and leapt out of the building as fast as he could manage. His boots slipped a bit as he landed and Roy yelled at him to run just before a bullet skimmed past his shoulder.
"Red Arrow!" Conner yelled.
"Go!" Roy yelled as he shot another smoking arrow into the warehouse with a grunt. "That'll only keep them so busy," he added as he moved toward Conner. "I already called the others but we have to worry about him right now."
Conner glanced at the frightened boy in his arms whose hands were still tied behind his back and a piece of cloth still over his mouth. He looked like hell but he was alive and he was giving both of them a thankful look.
"Can you get out of here with that arm?" Conner asked worriedly. He was sure he could carry two people if he had to but he wasn't sure he could handle it if one person was tied up and couldn't hold onto him as he jumped from roof to roof.
"Yeah, don't worry about me," Roy mumbled, a blush rising over his cheeks as he digested what Conner was offering. He didn't want the help but he didn't mind it being offered. "Let's go so we can untie him alright? I'll call the others and tell them who they're dealing with while we get him to the commissioner."
"Alright. Mind if I go ahead a bit?"
"No. Get moving."
Conner nodded quickly before tightening his grip of Grayson and prepared to leap. He would have said hang on but Dick had already buried his face in the crook of Conner's neck, breath hitching as he prepared for the bigger boy to jump.
Do it, Robin's voice whimpered in his head then causing him to blink in surprise. When had Robin gotten there? Hell, why'd he sound so scared? Just freakin' jump already.
Conner leapt into the air, bounding over three city blocks and landing firmly on a new roof before he took off again. With each landing, Dick's breathing hiccupped and he grunted when Conner's boots found purchase. When he was a good few miles away, he stopped and put the kid down gently to rip the ropes on his wrists to shreds. Dick didn't waste time getting the cloth out of his mouth once his hands were free again.
"That makes twice you've saved me," he murmured softly as he looked around the roof tops to gain some sort of bearing. "Where are we exactly?" he added, gazing up at Conner, his eyes betraying something akin to knowledge.
"We're in the Narrows," Conner said quickly as he glanced away from the boy to see if Red Arrow had followed or not. He didn't have to try very hard to find him though. Conner smiled at him when he landed a little roughly near them, a hand shooting to his shoulder with a wince.
"You should have seen Batman's face when he saw those two clowns," Roy laughed as he walked over. "I told him we had Grayson though and he's ordered we take him to Commissioner Gordon and keep an eye on him."
"Whoo," Dick groaned. "Saves me once and he thinks I can't take of myself."
"Batman doesn't think anyone's capable of taking care of themselves," Roy sighed. "Well…no, he thinks Robin can take care of himself – somewhat."
"How's your arm?" Conner asked Roy quickly, a hint of worry in his voice. Dick's eyes glinted with something close to worry as well and he moved to untie the cloth from his neck as he eyed the gaping injury to Roy's shoulder.
"Looks worse than it is," Roy shrugged – with a bit of difficulty. "I'll be fine."
"At least wrap it with something," Dick mumbled as he tossed the cloth over to the red headed archer. Roy caught it with his good hand and shot the kid a nice smile.
"Sure," Roy sighed as he tied the makeshift bandage to his arm, ignoring the fact that it had been used as a gag earlier. A bandage was a bandage and he needed one. He wasn't going to refuse a kid they'd just saved either – given, part of it was because he sort of knew the kid socially and didn't really feel like arguing with him. Once it was tied he readied a pulley arrow and gave Conner a meaningful look.
"Ready to go?" Conner asked arms up in a warning that he'd have to carry Dick again.
"Sure," Dick said. "Jim's going to worry if I don't show up soon won't he?"
The kid smirked as he wrapped his arms around Conner's neck as the clone picked him up bridal style and shifted him to a firmer grip. Conner could have sworn the smirk looked like one of Robin's but he wasn't going to mention it at that moment. The mission was still in action and it didn't look like it'd be done any time soon.
"Oh jeeze," Roy muttered looking at his watch. "I completely forgot about what day it was."
"Huh?" Conner asked as he got ready to leap again.
"Tonight – last night by now – was Christmas eve," Roy mumbled. "Aren't they telling you and Miss Martian anything?"
"So that's why I've been having so much free time," Conner muttered.
Dick chuckled. "I think this is the first time I've ever met someone who didn't know what Christmas was." Conner tried to not blush at the admiring tone that swam in the kid's voice. Dick leaned close to his ear then and whispered, "Avoid mistletoe."
"Mistletoe?" Conner asked. "Why?"
"Well, it's poisonous if you eat it," Roy muttered as he shot the arrow. "Though, it's better known for the tradition that if two people – usually a romantic couple – meet under it, they get to share a kiss."
"If you have someone special, maybe you could give it a try," Dick snickered good naturedly. Conner blushed and shook his head.
"I think I'll avoid the stuff…whatever it looks like."
"I think that's a good idea," Roy laughed. "Let's go. This mission's almost over anyway and I'm sure Wayne will love to have his ward back for Christmas."
Conner gripped Dick a little closer and looked into his blue eyes to find the kid seemingly egging him on to leap.
"Alright," Conner breathed. "Let's go."
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