Chapter 4

The team, especially Roy and Wally, noted a change in Dick's behavior. It had been a week since Roy and Wally had seen him, and just as long since any of the team had seen the acrobat near them. That was curious, because Dick and Wally had always been damn near inseparable. And Roy had always been sort of a big brother to him. So were the fighting? They asked Roy and Wally on separate occasions, but they seemed just as confused.

"I don't get it, what did we do?" Wally asked Roy desperately, as the two of them played video games in Mount Justice. Of course, the game came to an end, because neither of them had the heart to keep playing. Of course, it was also usual for Roy to hang out here in the first place.

"I...don't know," Roy said honestly, trying to think back on everything he'd said or done this past week. Nothing he could think of would be enough to make Dick mad at them. Wally frowned a bit seemingly on the same wavelength.

"I...does he...not like us anymore or something?" Wally asked, sounding a bit sad. And Roy understood him, because he was feeling a little sad himself too. Dick was their best friend in he world, and to have him avoid them like this, with no indication why...

Roy pushed himself up off the couch, grabbing up his bow and quiver. Wally glanced over at him, somewhat confused.

"Roy, where are you going?" Wally asked. Roy glanced back at him and said "to get answers. I need to know why Dick is avoiding us." Before Wally could offer to go with him, Roy was gone.

Nightwing stood on the rooftop of a building in the Bowery and he was here against Batman's will no less. The Joker and Scarecrow had broken out of Arkham and they had a vendetta against Nightwing. Bruce advised, no, more like ordered him, not to go out as Nightwing until the two super villains were apprehended. Nightwing was his partner, not his side kick, so when Bruce ordered him not to go out as Nightwing, that annoyed the hell out of him, so naturally, he snuck out and decided to go after them himself. He'd beaten them both before, so there was no reason for this to be any different.

No, he was going to prove to Bruce, once and for all, that he could take care of himself. He wasn't a sidekick anymore, he was his own hero, like Red Arrow, and he was going to prove it. Nightwing hopped down from the building and grappled to the building across the way and began racing across the roof tops. If the Joker and Scarecrow were both after him, merely running around would be enough to attract their attention. As he races from roof top to roof top, he took full advantage of his full acrobatic and parkour skills, showing them off as much as possible. That'd definitely get their attention.

Thirty minutes of running around and still nothing. Maybe they were just trying to rattle him? Of course, he didn't have long to think on it, when another grappling hook latched onto the roof in front of him. Snapped out of his thoughts, he glanced toward the source and saw Red Arrow coming toward him. The man dropped down in front of him and flashed him a smirk.

"Need a hand with something?" he asked. Nightwing quirked an eyebrow, wondering what brought him to Gotham. And so he gave voice to that thought.

"Red Arrow, what're you doing in Gotham?" Red Arrow crossed his arms over his chest and replied "I've been hunting this Drug Lord all over Star City. Broken up a bunch of drug rings, and the trail led me here, to Gotham." Red Arrow didn't wait for an answer, and instead grappled off to the next building. Nightwing watched him go, face heated when he realized he was staring...at Red Arrow's ass. He snorted and shook his head, chasing after him.

He's with Wally... He reminded himself. He may as well help his friend with this Drug Lord, of The Joker and Scarecrow weren't going to show up. Though perhaps he spoke too soon, because moments later, a gas grenade crashed down in front of him. Purely on reflex, Nightwing dived out of range. Red Arrow skidded to a stop and turned in time to see Nightwing being approached by both The Joker and Scarecrow. The drug dealers could wait, his friend was in trouble.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Nightwing! The first birdboy and thorn in my side!" The Joker called with a cackle, pulling a tire iron from his coat. Nightwing frowned, then turned his attention to Scarecrow.

"Tell me boy, what do you fear most?" Scarecrow hissed, pulling out a gun. He laughed a dark, sinister laugh and continued on "not that it matters. You've interfered with my plans for the last time. Time for a little payback."

"Don't kill him just yet! I want to make the little birdie sing!" the Joker taunted, signature cackle ringing through the dead of night.

"The only one who will be singing tonight it you!" Red Arrow shouted, launching a Punch Arrow. The tip exploded into a small boxing glove and 'punched' The Joker in the face. Nightwing lunged at Scarecrow who fired the gun at him. Nightwing deflected the bullets with his escrima sticks and got in close, swinging a foot at the demented doctor's head. Scarecrow ducked and swung a sickle at him, nearly slicing his shoulder, but he was just a bit faster.

The Joker had recovered and was now closing in on Roy.

"Oh look if it isn't Speedy, or is it Red Arrow now? I guess it doesn;t matter, since you'll be dead!" The Joker taunted, swinging the tire iron t Red Arrow's head. The archer ducked and kicked at the Joker's shin, sending the clown to his knees. He brought the bow up over his head for an overhead strike, but the Joker blocked with his tire iron. He was distracted then, when he heard a scream from Nightwing's direction; that was more than enough for the Joker to push him back and smack him in the head with the tire iron.

"Such a party crasher! This is a private party and you weren't invited!" The Joker laughed, swinging at Red Arrow again, but the Archer evaded, turning his attention to Nightwing. Scarecrow had injected him with...something. Likely some kind of fear toxin. Nightwing needed his help now.

"You're a shit host anyway. Party's over!" Red Arrow shouted, retreating back a bit and knocking another arrow. The Joker giggled like a maniac and then Red Arrow launched a tazer arrow, stunning the Joker and knocking him out cold. He didn't have time to tie him; he needed to help Nightwing.

Nightwing swore up a storm at his own careless mistake; he'd been jabbed by a needle from Scarecrow and the effects were almost immediate; he felt his adrenaline pumping wildly, and he began hallucinating, seeing his greatest fears come to life. He shook his head, tried to fight it, with partial success; he avoided being nearly skewered to death on Scarecrow's sickle, but the psychopath tore a long bloody scratch along his right arm. He cursed wildly, ducking back to avoid another strike; the cut wasn't deep, but it was long, and bleeding.

And then the fear toxin was working its way into his system. He couldn't concentrate and when he tried to avoid another attack, Scarecrow turned into Tony Zucco. His heart skipped a beat and he hesitated; the sickle pierced his shoulder and he screamed in pain.

"Nightwing!" Red Arrow shouted. Scarecrow turned to Red Arrow and lifted the gun to fire at him, but Red Arrow was quicker on the draw; he fired an arrow with pinpoint accuracy and jammed the firing chamber. When Scarecrow pulled the trigger, the gun exploded. Red Arrow followed up with a Foam Arrow, trapping Scarecrow in place. He turned back to where the Joker had been, but the clown was gone.

"Shit," hr muttered. But there wasn;t time to worry about that. He rushed over to Nightwing's side, the boy writhing in fear and agony.

"Nightwing," he asked worriedly, gently touching his hand to the boy's sweaty brow.

"R-Red...antidote...right glove," he muttered. Red Arrow grabbed his wrist, searched for the compartment and pulled out a vial of blue-ish fluid and injected Nightwing. It took a few moments, but he began to relax.

"C'mon, we're getting out of here," Red Arrow murmured. He tapped on his gauntlet and alerted authorities, then gingerly picked the boy up in his arms.

"Don't take me home...don't want...to go back," Nightwing said softly.

"You're bleeding-"

"Don't. Please," Nightwing pleaded softly before passing out...

Dick groaned when he finally came to. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, looking around the room to see where he was, but before anything else, he became keenly aware of the pain in his right arm and shoulder. He growled, muttering a curse under his breath and looked down to the arm; it was wrapped up nice and tight in bandages, same for the shoulder.

That was when he noticed he was wearing a too-big t-shirt. Confused, he looked around the room and recognized it as Roy's place. He threw off the blankets, and found himself in a pair of too-big pajama pants and he blushed crimson. He didn't need to think long about how that happened. He tried to get out of bed, but heard a voice from the doorway.

"Stay in bed. You need to rest," came Roy's voice. Dick looked toward the door, spotting Roy in civvies, a red ad black hoodie, jeans and socks. The older male came over to his bed side with a damp washcloth in hand and gently pushed him back down into the bed. Dick protested, weakly, but eventually gave in. He didn't really have the strength.

"Thank you," he murmured. But Roy was angry, he could see it in his eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking? You could've gotten yourself killed!" Roy growled, touching the clothe to his friend's head. He was still a little warm, still a little sweaty from a combination of the fear toxin and the antidote working its magic.

Dick huffed in annoyance and shoved Roy's hand away from his head.

"You talked to Bruce, didn't you?"

"I did. I had to let him know you were okay. He told me everything." Dick averted his eyes again, staring at the wall. Looking at Roy's angry, disappointed face...it kind of hurt. In fact, looking at him at all...he wasn't ready to see him. Or Wally. It wasn't that he was angry at then, it was just...

"Do you want to tell me why you've been avoiding Wally and I?" Roy asked then. Dick glanced over at the man who was just staring at the floor, looking kinda said. In that moment, he wanted to hug him, to make him feel better...and kiss him...fuck...he had to shake his head, break off from that train of thought. He was with Wally. Roy didn't want him. Not the way he wanted Roy. When he didn't answer, Roy looked over at him and asked again "Dick, why are you avoiding us? Is it something we did? Something we said?"

Dick looked away; he couldn't look at Roy, not when he was like this, upset. It took a lot for Roy to get upset. Like, a hell of a lot. He and Wally were like his little brothers, so anything involving them, was enough to bring this side of him out. And now he ws feeling bad, because he made Roy feel like this.

"Dick...if you wont talk to me, at least talk to Wally. He's been kind of upset that you've been avoiding him." And now Dick felt like shit. Not only had he hurt Roy, but he'd upset Wally too.

"I...can't say. But I'm not mad. And it's nothing you guys did. Not...exactly," Dick said softly, still staring at the wall. Roy smiled a little; that was something at least.

"Then what? You know you can tell us, right? Whatever is it?" Dick sighed and pulled the covers up over himself.

"No I can't. It's stupid."

"If it's making you upset, it's not stupid," Roy pressed. Normally, he didn't have time for this kind of thing, but where Dick and Wally were concerned, he was patient. Because he didn't like seeing these two upset. And seeing Dick like this, those sad, blue eyes, the lack of a smile on the beautiful face...he wanted to see Dick smile again, see his face lit up with that beautiful, heart-stopping smile.

"I'm gay," Dick said softly. That wasn't the entire truth...but it was enough. Roy frowned at the reply and pulled off the blanket, tugging Dick up into a hug.

"That's it? You've been avoiding us because you're gay? And what? You were afraid we'd reject you or some stupid shit?" Roy asked, equally annoyed and amused. Dick snickered a bit when he heard Roy put it like that.

"Yeah..." he admitted softly. That was only part of it though.

"You're lying," Roy said then. Dick pulled out of the hug and scooted back a bit, looking at Roy in confusion. He wasn't lying. Well, not exactly.

"There's more, isn't there?" Roy asked. Dick shook his head.

"No. That's it."

"Dick, c'mon. Tell me what's bothering you." But Dick couldn't tell him. His face was already heating up as Roy moved a little closer to him. His heart was hammering in his chest, and he couldn't stop the flood of thoughts about kissing him and hugging him, all the things he knew he couldn't do.

"Just..." Dick bit his lip and pushed himself out of bed, despite Roy's protests.

"Thanks for taking care of me, but I should go," Dick said, making for the door. Roy was up off of his feet in an instant and barred Dick's path.

"You're not well, and you're not going anywhere. Get back in the bed. Now," Roy ordered. Dick huffed in annoyance, glaring back at the red head. He didn't want to do this right now. He just wanted to go home, or to Mount Justice preferably, and be alone.

"Roy, get out of my way. I'm not in the mood," Dick said flatly. Roy growled and gabbed him by his shoulders.

"I don't care. You're hurt and weak, and you need to rest."

"Why do you care?!" Dick snapped. He knew he was being a jerk, but he couldn't deal with this right now. Being in the same room, in the same apartment, with one of his crushes, a person who he couldn't have because he was with someone else, on top of everything else...he just didn't want to deal with it right now.

"Because I love you," Roy blurted out before he could stop himself. Dick looked up at him, wide-eyed with shock and when Roy realized what he'd just said...fuck!

"Y-you what?" Dick asked in disbelief. Did Roy just say...he loved him? But...what about Wally? Didn't he...oh god...this was too confusing...

Dick went back to the bed and sat down, eyes still impossibly wide at the new information, his heart hammering in his chest. Roy shuffled closer, slowly, carefully, having no fucking clue what the hell he was supposed to do now. Why the fuck had he said that?! Dick had enough on his plate right now, and he just had to fucking go and blurt that out?! What the fucking fuck?!

"Dick...I," Roy tried, resting his hand gently on Dick's shoulder. Dick pushed away from him and made for the door. He couldn't deal with this right now. It wasn't enough that he had a crush on his two best friends in the world, and that both of them were in a relationship together ans thus unavailable, but now Roy had just confessed that he loved him...and...now he was more fucking confused then ever!

Sure, he loved Roy, and he was happy to hear the confession, but he was Wally's boyfriend!

"Dick!" Roy called after him.

"Not now. I...need to think,." Dick replied, quickly donning his Nightwing costume. Roy attempted to stop hi, but Dick ducked out of the way and quickly retreated out the door.

"We'll talk later!" he called back, vanishing into the night.

"Dick!" Roy called after him, but he was gone. Roy growled under his breath, feeling incredibly stupid in that moment. He ground his teeth, beating himself up mentally.

"Fuck!" He shouted angrily, punching the wall.