Title: Initiation rite Fandom: DCU (mid-1980s) Pairing: Roy/Jason Rating: Teen-ager sex Summary: The new Robin has to learn how to be a sidekick from someone. Nightwing volunteers Speedy. Notes: For Derry. Thanks to Cyanei and Zee for audiencing. Disclaimer: The boys are not mine. "This is so weird," the kid says for the ten millionth time. He keeps staring out the window of the car like the view's going to change if he looks away. If Roy needed any clearer reminders that he hasn't been around the cape community for long -- which he really doesn't, considering that he'd have at least heard of him -- the constant "weird" about things that aren't even supernatural would be a dead giveaway. "It's just a desert, Robin," he says this time. The kid's in civvies, but nobody trusts Speedy with secrets these days. So he's Robin, even barefaced and normal-looking. "Sand. Open space. No rain." He promised he wouldn't let the kid get hurt, but Dick can't get mad over a little snarking. "There's so much of it." "-- have you ever been out of Gotham before? Like to a park or mountains or something?" Robin glares at him. "Hey, fuck you." That would be a no. Okay, then. The new kid needs a little help and won't ask. Roy makes a note to ask Dick about the catch, next time he wants a favor. He doesn't have a "Welcome to the Desert" leaflet, any more than he's got a "So you want to be a teen sidekick" one, but -- more than one way to a tough kid's heart. "There's beer in the cooler," and no way the kid is old enough, but he's a street kid. Nothing, not even a "You're driving." He just grabs a beer and hands it to Roy. "You can have one if you promise not to tell them I let you," Roy offers. The kid pops one open, grinning, even though his hands were definitely empty a second before. "Gosh, thanks. Maybe this trip won't totally suck after all." Roy blinks at him. Maybe he can make it as Robin, if he's already got moves, or at least speed, like that. When they get to the res, it becomes clear that the kid has better moves than Roy gave him credit for, and less tolerance than maybe he used to have. It sure wouldn't be the first time some jerk yelled "But I'm not drunk, really," at people who shouldn't have to hear that lie, but -- not on Roy's watch. On the way out, after all the beer is gone, they can say hello to everyone. The kid starts snoring not long after. He doesn't really look that much like Dick, except in the obvious dark hair/blue eyes way. He's all crunched in on himself in the passenger seat, defensive and taking up as little space as he can. How Batman ever got him into the short pants is one of those mysteries for the ages. Roy still isn't sure why he agreed to this, but at least it gives him an excuse to get out of the cities for a while. Away from everything. When they stop, the kid wakes up. "Huh? What? Are we there?" "Yeah. Get your bedroll." Roy opens the trunk and unpacks, breathing deeply. Robin gets his pillow and looks around at the rich colors and shadows that the setting sun makes out of the desert. "So weird," he says, under his breath. Roy punches him in the shoulder gently. "Hey. Shut up and listen." Robin frowns. "Listen to what?" Roy shrugs. Robin tilts his head to one side, then looks around, shivering. "It's too quiet." "For you, maybe." Roy sits on the cooler. "How can you even think?" Robin sets his bedroll down and crosses his arms, closing in a little more around himself. "It's creepy." Roy shakes his head. "Peaceful." "Weird." "This is home, for me, kid." Robin says, "No wonder you're so fucked up," and sticks his tongue out at Roy. Roy throws his bedroll, but Robin dodges. "What's that supposed to mean?" "Nothin', Speedy." Robin grins. And Roy remembers just how many empties there are in the car, and that he's supposed to be the adult here. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get the fire started." He goes to get the firewood out of the car and check the beer supply. Robin is more help there than most city boys would be. He knows where to put the kindling, anyway, and he's got a lighter. "There," he says, when the first sticks catch. "Where'd you learn that stuff? Boy Scouts?" Robin rolls his eyes. "Fuck, no. I -- " He shrugs. "Robin training shit. From Batman. You know." "From Alfred, you mean." The kid is sober enough to pull off a really good, "What? You mean he's not Batman? But they told me --" before Roy punches him again. "Sure, and you're so gullible you bought it." "I'm not gonna argue with Batman," and he does wide-eyed with a real ragged edge. Someone could get hurt, falling for this kid. Roy just shakes his head. "That's not in the Sidekick Code of Honor." "The what?" He takes out another beer. The kid grabs one, too, and he should make that pattern stop, but -- yeah, right, Speedy, be the moral authority. Not going to happen. "The Sidekick Code of Honor, Robin." Roy puts his hand over his heart and raises the other. It would probably be more dramatic if he set the beer down, but Robin doesn't need two. "I solemnly swear to follow -- whoever it is -- on all his missions unless he benches me, to defend him from all danger except the sexy kind, to obey his moral codes insofar as they do not conflict with his orders, and to make stupid jokes the whole time." Robin raises his beer. "Amen." "See, it doesn't say anything about not arguing with the big guy." Roy shrugs. "If we didn't argue, most of the time we wouldn't have anything to talk about at all." "I'll have to remember that." Roy nods. "Anyway. That's the first part of this." Robin blinks. "The first part of what?" "Oh, I've got it all planned out." Roy spreads his hands. "The Sidekick Code of Honor, the naming ceremony, the initiation rite--" Robin interrupts this completely bullshit list by kissing him. Roy sits down abruptly on the cooler and the kid stares at him. "Did I fuck up?" There ought to be a clause in the Sidekick Code of Honor about kissing mentors. The next time Roy gives this little speech -- except no one but Dick would ask him to, because no one else trusts him with their, um, whatever Robin is to Dick. And from the look on the kid's face, and how many beers did he have again -- Dick's never going to trust him either. Roy sighs. "You're fine." "I thought --" Robin looks at the sand. "Um." "Well --" Roy shrugs. "Sometimes." He can count the instances in his head, and who, and when, and where. Nobody in civvies, yet. Figures that his first mundane is actually a Robin whose name he doesn't get to know. "Oh." Whatever else the kid knows, he's got the cocky grin down. "You're just too old for me, is that it?" Roy feels so old. It's not fair. "Nightwing is going to kill me." That edge is back in Robin's smile. "I won't tell him if you don't." He looks at Roy. Roy regrets not having folding chairs in the car until Robin takes advantage of the situation to straddle his lap and sit on his knees. He has just enough time to register that, thank god, this one isn't as inhumanly flexible as Dick, before Robin kisses him again and rocks their hips together. Fifteen shouldn't feel like that long ago. He hasn't grown up enough. He doesn't know enough. Roy runs his hands over Robin's back and Robin laughs against his mouth. "That's better." "Is this because I let you drink?" "Fuck no." Robin kisses him again, longer, still tasting inescapably of beer and feeling young and not that young on Roy's lap. "I want you. That's all." The worldly-wise voice that wants to live in Roy's head says something about how adolescent that is, and another voice says that it should meet Ollie and shut the hell up, because right now, he's kissing Robin. Robin grinds against him again and the cooler rocks. "We're gonna tip over." The kid gets up. "There's nowhere else." With a practiced hand, Roy unrolls one of the sleeping bags. "Here." Robin kneels on it and tugs him down for another kiss, unfastening Roy's pants. "You're good." Roy laughs. "Not at this." "No -- you're good at making stuff up." Robin bites his ear. The only thing he can think of to say to that is, "Oh," and it comes out as a sigh. Robin's got his pants down, too, and his hand around both their cocks. If it was Dick, Roy would know he was actually still fifteen instead of just acting it. It doesn't stop him from thrusting into Robin's fist and kissing him again, messily.  Roy tangles their fingers together and keeps it steady until the kid gasps and squeezes a little. "You feel so good." Roy fumbles in his pocket, looking for the folded-up toilet paper. "I -- Jesus, Robin." Robin laughs breathlessly. "I'm gonna have to get used to hearing that, huh?" He jacks them faster. "Too -- weird --" He comes like a fifteen year old boy, fast and hungry. As soon as he gets his eyes open again, he starts licking Roy's ear, mumbling, "Just keep going -- a little more -- fuck, just like that --" "God," Roy says, and he fumbles with the toilet paper so he doesn't make a huge fucking mess of Robin when he comes. He's the grownup here. He's supposed to know better than to give into boys with bright smiles. But Robin gives him another kiss and says, "Jeez, I hope we've got some water," and bounces up, resilient and freshly groped. "There's plenty in the car," Roy says, and after a few deep breaths he wipes himself off and gets up. "I'll show you which is for drinking and which is for washing." When he comes over, Robin kisses him again and grins that sharp grin. "That was fun. We should do it again later." Roy decides that if Dick doesn't know the kid well enough to realize that this would happen, it's not worth telling him about it. And Dick knows Roy. And trusts him, more or less. He grins back at Robin, making it not that teenaged, but not as old as he feels, either. "If you're up for it after the initiation ceremony." Robin snorts. "I thought you were making that up." "No way. You need your new ceremonial name." Roy washes his hands off and hands the water to Robin. "Batman already did that." "No, your real ceremonial name." Roy waits until he's got the bottle sealed and punches his shoulder. "Little Wing." "Fuck you!" The kid laughs and tries to trip him. Roy counters with a punch, and a minute later they're sparring and grinning. Just like spending time with Robin is supposed to be.
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