#the fact roy is so young yet so expert at getting under batman AND robins skin

[fightwing]

roy continues relaxing on the consoles. wholly and completely unbothered. it was aggravating. the perfect picture of cool and composed and something about it scratches at dick like nails on a chalkboard. he gets that some of it is show. had to tell batman half as much in his assessment of the archer, but there's this underlying THING about roy harper that is totally untied to his self-esteem. it's something about dick SPECIFICALLY and it just adds to the irritation that he might know something robin doesn't. the admiration is easily identifiable. even if dick hadn't heard this before (about how green arrow is THE BEST at everything, and obviously has the coolest kit, and did he mention he could shoot a flying target fro---), even if he'd never spoken to speedy before, he could clock the hero worship anywhere. they all had it, albeit in varying degrees. dick could even identify it in himself. sometimes. but it's the next emotion that's a bit harder to place. yellow feather dipping down as roy did, and dick's assessment is lost in the unfortunate NEED to correct false information, stopped only by the underlying instinct he might not want to. BATMAN CERTAINLY HAD TIME. not in the sitting around all day twiddling his rich thumbs kind of way --- in an actually very stacked schedule, has never had a day off way that STILL makes sure to find time to monitor robin's every flip and misstep. right now, he was just sitting at the monitor he's sure batman knows he's at, waiting on a lesson about what he should've learned from the titans' last mission he's sure b has seen and where batman's assessment can improve their efficiency and safety. he'd even be sure batman could hear this very conversation if he so choose to, only if dick hadn't personally severed the connection. information was power and he'd always be truthful to his mentor, but some things had to be just their own. dick thinks on what to say to that knowing now that a refute might not bode well. he choose instead for hope. that maybe this was just the general teenage sense of uncertainty. that oliver queen would be that guy again any day now. " they got back from that mission this morning. " 7:08 a.m. exactly, actually. dick knows because bruce had called him. dick's eyes go from the screen to roy and back again and he tries to add in a commiserating shrug. " maybe he's on his way. " roy's laugh echoes lonely in the space. dick's unimpressed glare lost in his teammates absorption of his own joke. for all that the titans thought of ROBIN, their perception of batman was far worse. misled, although partially encouraged by his mentor himself. they saw him as this elusive, intimidating cowl that had never felt an honest to god emotion. they're wrong. batman is who he is BECAUSE of what he does. the never-ending fight for justice, truth, safety. someone so heartless would've never even dipped their toe in this world, much less let it control their life, and they'll NEVER know the sacrifices he made, and continues to make to let the mission succeed. dick's unamused when he says " he doesn't sound like that. " although, admittedly, bruce in any kind of pointy birthday hat was a pretty funny mental image. maybe this year alfred and dick could really lay the persuasion on thick. worse, tragically, he did kind of sound like that. " and he knows how to celebrate. we just were a little off this mission and he'll have feedback. "

Roy does, in fact, sense his chagrin ⸻ he can perceive it in the tensing of his shoulders and his studied silence as the cogs in his brains work to find something else to talk about. inwardly, Roy rejoices at having pushed his buttons yet again; his uncanny ability to worm into the Boy Wonder's brain and shake up it's pristine confines becoming an unusually cathartic skill for the archer to practice and hone. outwardly, he remains a relaxed sentinel by Robin's side, never letting up the air of coolness about him as he stretches out languidly in his lean against the computer console. it was rare slip-ups, such as this one, that evidenced Robin cared more than he ever let on and Roy was determined to break through his tough exterior to peer into the boy hidden beneath, albeit through means of sheer aggravation and needless provocation. ( an extension of what seemed to be a nascent inferiority complex amongst other emotions felt for Robin that Roy could not yet fathom, though time would only tell how that would unravel. )

true to what he had predicted earlier, Robin latches onto the conversation of mentors rather than own up to the innocent betrayal of his strictly set boundaries. under any other circumstance, Roy would have kept teasing him about it relentlessly ⸻ however, he was never one to pass up the chance to talk about the man he admired most in the world. stars gleam in his clear green eyes as they light up at the prospect; the man was not only the third paternal figure in Roy's tragedy-stricken childhood, but also a hero he had worshipped long before he'd been lucky enough to join his ranks. being his ward was all he could have ever wished for, being his sidekick more than he ever dreamed.

“     he is . . . was.      ” the adoration in his voice wavers, finding it hard to hide his apparent disappointment. he swallows the knot that forms in his throat, jawline clenching as he tucks his chin down so that his feathered cap fell forth, casting his face in shadows. “     at the start, he'd take me out a lot after a job well done. though i guess i can't blame him about now, y'know  ⸻ it must be tough bein' a Leaguer and having people need you all the time. ” though he insists on making excuses for Ollie, the truth was more than blatant; all their teammates had mentors in the Justice League who still made both time for and the actual effort to maintain their connection, even Robin. sure, Batman wasn't the type to treat him to ice cream for every victory, but he was always looming over him like a protective shadow keeping a measured distance but ready to step in if it meant keeping his partner safe.

Roy is so busy sulking that he almost misses Robin's remark, the cross of his arms drawn much tighter over his chest as if shielding himself as he wallows in pitiful thoughts and fading memories. his brain processes the words with delay, however, earning a snort and a childish chuckle a good pause after it was first said. “ dude, i can't even imagine what that would look like. i just keep picturing him wearing a black party hat with bats on it and holding a bat-shaped cake that says "good job, Robin" on top, and that he only lets you have the tiniest slice before he says "that's enough, back to work." ” he ends with his best Batman impression, interspersed, of course, with a wave of tittering laughter.