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Sneak Attack
by Lianne Burwell
July 2004
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Roy winced at the bellow of pure female rage that came 
through the speaker, loud and clear. Grace was normally a 
pretty easy-going gal, but this Ishmael Gregor fellow had 
really gotten her pissed. Perhaps it was because he'd 
pretty much burnt off her face. Meta-healing was a good 
thing. Pity he didn't have some of that himself.

And thank heavens Captain Marvel Jr and Black Lightning had 
decided to throw in their two cents worth. Between 
Nightwing and Huntress, too many of the team's experienced 
people were non-powered, and against this guy, non-powered 
heroes were more a liability than a plus. That was the only 
thing that was keeping Roy from grabbing his bow and 
heading out to back them up.

Unable to sit still anymore, Roy pushed to his feet, and 
was promptly blindsided by the pain from the five large 
holes in his chest. Another good reason not to go rushing 
out.

The doctors had given him painkillers for just these 
moments when they'd let him out of the hospital, but he had 
yet to touch them. Bad enough that they'd forced them on 
him after the operation. The dreamy high they'd inspired 
had been a pale imitation of the one he remembered, but it 
was too close for comfort. Once an addict, always an 
addict, they said.

As an angst-filled teen who felt alienated from kids his 
own age and ignored by his guardian, he'd turned to heroin 
for comfort. Kicking that habit had been a long and painful 
process. He didn't want to have to go through that again.

There was another bellow, and Roy quickly turned the volume 
down. The last thing he wanted was for Lian to come out, 
wanting to know what all the fuss was about. He almost 
turned it off, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Any change?" Connor asked, coming out of Lian's bedroom.

Roy shook his head. "They got the cops to evacuate the 
area. They just can't seem to take this guy down." Punching 
a wall was looking very tempting. At least his hand would 
hurt more than his chest, distracting him.

"But he hasn't been able to take *them* down either," 
Connor pointed out calmly, plugging in Roy's kettle. He'd 
been doing a great job of helping Roy with the ordinary 
everyday chores while he continued to heal from being shot.

Roy flinched away from that memory.

Flesh bounced off flesh, and Roy began to regret ever 
getting Indigo to set up the link. Being an android, it 
hadn't been difficult for her. Being human, listening while 
unable to do anything about it was excruciating for him.

"Here," Connor said, holding out a mug. Knowing his 
'brother,' it was tea, although the smell of it was 
completely unfamiliar to Roy. The first taste helped to 
settle his stomach, however.

"Lian asleep?" Roy asked, trying to distract himself. 
Ishmael was still fighting, and it sounded like he'd found 
some friends to help out.

"After three stories, yes," Connor said with a fond smile. 
Lian had found a soft touch in her 'Uncle Connor,' and both 
of them enjoyed her taking advantage of him. Both he and 
Roy had unconventional upbringings, to put it mildly, so 
making sure she had a happy and reasonably normal childhood 
was important to both of them.

The tense muscles in his chest were starting to ease again. 
From the sound of it, Grace was getting her licks in. Good 
for her. Gordon wasn't getting past the Outsiders easily.

"You're worried about Nightwing," Connor said, settling 
down into an armchair.

Roy blinked at the unexpected comment. "Of course I am," he 
said defensively. "He doesn't have any meta powers, and 
they're going up against a guy who sounds like he could 
give Superman a run for his money." That was a thought. 
Maybe he should be giving the big guy a call.

"You're not worried about Huntress," Connor pointed out.

"Sure I am," Roy said, wondering just where Connor was 
going.

"Not like you are about Nightwing."

"Well..." He thought fast. "She fights dirtier than he 
does. And he's taking on Gordon and his army bare-handed, 
while she's smart enough to use a weapon."

"And you're not in love with her."

Ouch. "Huh? Of course not. Just because we did the 
horizontal mambo once doesn't mean I should be," Roy said 
as innocently as he could manage.

Connor wasn't buying it. "Does he know you're in love with 
him?"

"Brat," Roy said, part fond, part exasperated. "Does Kyle 
know that you're in love with *him*?"

"Kyle is straight."

"So is Dick."

"That's not what Wally says."

"Wally has a big mouth that's faster than he is, but he 
doesn't always know what he's talking about."

"Then it isn't true about him and Jericho?"

That caught Roy off-guard. Most people brought up Batman 
when questioning Nightwing's sexuality. "What about 
Jericho?"

"That he kept Nightwing company after Starfire went home to 
get married. Wally says that Jericho did a lot of 
consoling."

This was definitely a story he hadn't heard before. Of 
course, he'd been in foreign climes working for the 
government at the time. By the time he'd rejoined the team, 
Dick and Kory were back together again, at least 
temporarily.

"And Wally said that he and Tempest were 'bumpin' uglies' 
for a while," Connor added, the slang term sounding very 
weird coming from his oh-so innocent face.

"Dick and Garth?" Well, that certainly put some teasing in 
a new light if it was true. "He's never said..."

"Have you?"

Point.

Connor stood then. "I'd best be going," he said, picking up 
his jacket from where it was lying over the back of a 
chair. "But think about it. He was determined not to be 
part of a team ever again, but he rejoined for you. Lock up 
behind me."

Roy did as he was told, still lost in thought. The feed 
from the battle was quiet, and his fax machine was spitting 
out a detailed report from Indigo. Ishmael had gotten away, 
but his army of demons had been stopped, and no one had 
been seriously injured.

Dick and Joey. Dick and Garth. He was so not ready to be 
thinking about that. He was comfortable in his unrequited 
lust. He certainly wasn't ready for the other L-word that 
Connor had been throwing around.

Maybe he'd think about it in the morning.

Maybe

>>>~~~<<<

"I still can't believe you slept with her."

Roy stared bleary-eyed at Dick as he slipped into the 
apartment. It was only mid-morning, and he'd still been 
asleep when the insistent knocking had started.

Dick was already in the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee; 
a testament to how familiar with Roy's apartment the man 
was. He knew where everything was without asking.

"So where's the munchkin?" Dick asked, pulling a carton of 
milk from the fridge.

"Dinah took her for a girl's day out so that I could get 
some sleep," Roy said, starting to wake up enough to 
realize that all he was wearing was an old pair of 
sweatpants. Dick didn't seem to notice. "She'll be sorry 
she missed you. What are you doing here?"

"That little farewell kiss last night between you and 
Helena, that was just the two of you messing with my mind, 
right?" Dick said as the aroma of coffee filled the air, 
waking Roy even more.

He smirked. "Why, Dick, you sound jealous. "Afraid she 
finds me more appealing than you?"

Dick glared at him. "You really are dense, aren't you?"

Roy frowned. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Dick rolled his eyes. Then, the next thing Roy knew, his 
back was to the wall and he was being kissed within an inch 
of his life. What's more, Dick's hand was down his 
sweatpants, putting the little archer on notice that 
something was up, so to speak.

And then he was gone, out of reach again. Roy stared at 
him, a little wild-eyed. "What the hell was that?"

"That was me taking some advice from Babs based on what 
Helena said about you."

Roy tried for a glare, but from the fond expression on 
Dick's face, he wasn't succeeding. "And just what did the 
lovely, if fickle, ladies have to say?" he demanded.

"That if I waited for you to make the first move, I'd be 
old and gray before it happened."

"What?"

"Oh yeah, and that you're a fast shooter in more ways than 
one, but we can work on that. Perhaps all you need is some 
practice."

"What!?"

"And since Lian isn't home, how about we start on that 
practice?"

Roy's brain had shut down between the shock and outrage at 
the disparaging comments about his prowess. Still, he had 
enough brain cells to nod. "Okay."

Hey, what else was he supposed to say?

Connor was going to laugh himself silly.

THE END