Sorry this took so long. I'm trying to wrap up all my incomplete stories, I'm so out of touch with my fandoms, but like I said, trying to get back into it, warping them all up. I hope you guys enjoy :)

I don't own anything

X

Okay, he could do this. No big deal. He'd done things with Aqualad before. They've all been out eating as a group. This would be no different. So it was just the two of them, so what? This is what he wanted, he could do this.

Except...

He wasn't going to dinner as Speedy with Aqualad. He was going as Roy with Garth. And as ridiculous as it was to say, the whole situation came down to taking the mask off. Maybe that's why super hero's had such screwed up love lives. How are they supposed to decide which person they're supposed to be? Where's the line? When does Roy being in a relationship with Garth become Speedy being in a relationship with Aqualad.. Was there even a difference? Garth was right, super heros shouldn't date. It's too messy, too complicated.

Roy let out a strangled moan, pushing his black Frank Sinatra style hat further down over his red hair. He was currently waiting outside of the tower for Garth. His hands alternating from hiding themselves in the pockets of his black jean to fiddling with the hem and the buttons of his shirt to pressing nervously at the exposed skin around his unguarded eyes, his mask being left safely on his bedside table. There was an art to disguising oneself as a hero and how that affected their appearance when they went out as themselves. As Speedy he wore a mask, obscuring the defining feature of his upper face but exposing the signature color of his hair. So when he went out as Roy, he hid his hair, but wore his face openly. Not many people knew he had green eyes.

But Garth knew he had green eyes, and those green eyes were suddenly stretching wide as Garth came down the steps of the tower, looking different, but in the best sense of the word. No one would guess that this was Aqualad. His signature, long black hair was pulled into a tight, high ponytail. His simple, long sleeved white button up was a huge contrast to his usual dark wear. The only qualm Roy had was the glasses. Not the frames themselves, because the light silver wire made him look sophisticated and intelligent. But they were specially designed by Cyborg to make his eyes appear an ordinary brown and not their stunning purple. But it was necessary, eyes like Aqualad's don't go unnoticed.

"Hello," Garth greeted, when he finally stopped in front of him.

"Hey," Roy responded, perhaps a little too breathlessly, because he cleared his throat quickly before speaking again. "You look great. Your hair looks nice that way."

"Thanks. I worry, that it would look too feminine–"

"No. It looks great. Not girly at all, even when I've seen it braided, you don't look, like a girl...I mean...It's cool, very...uhh, Samurai or–"

"Roy, stop, it's okay. You don't have to so nervous."

"Aren't you?"

Garth laughed brightly. "No, I'm not nervous."

Roy stomach tumbled momentarily with envy at his nonchalance.

"I trust you, so I don't think there's any reason to worry. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, we should. I don't want to keep you out too late. You have work tomorrow morning."

"We have work tomorrow," Garth corrected him.

"Then this had better go well."

Garth rose a single eyebrow in languid questioning.

Roy tried to laugh, burrowing his hands in his pockets again. "I would just hate to have to have an awkward morning after work shift if tonight was a total bust."

"I see. Well before this goes any farther let's just agree that no matter what happens we will be complete professionals and allow no awkward moments when we're back on the clock."

"Agreed."

They walked into the glittering downtown, talking lightly on safe, neural subjects, while Roy let his arm fall occasionally against Garth's but resiliently not allowing his hand to latch on to his dates slender fingers, even though he wanted to.

When they arrived at Roy's chosen destination he guided Garth through the door, hoping fervently that he made the right choice. Indian cuisine was not only virtually fish free, a large portion was vegetarian. Garth would have a hard time finding fault with that. He had a bit of a health fixation, and curry was proven to be good for you. Though Roy had never seen him eat Indian before...But that didn't mean he wouldn't enjoy it, right?

When then enthusiastic, to the point of being a overly so, waitress lead them to their table, Garth appeared to be taking in his surroundings, his opinion not evident on his face. After a few moments of less than comfortable silence Roy looked up from his menu.

"Is this okay? This place I mean. Because we can go somewhere else if you'd prefer."

"No, this is fine."

"Are you sure?" Roy continued to question in earnest. "Because I just want–"

"Roy," Garth stopped him "Really. This place is fine. I appreciate that you took my request to heart. I'm not familiar with this type of food but I'm sure it will be wonderful. Stop worrying."

"I'm sorry," Roy sighed, setting his menu back down on the table.

"You don't need to apologize."

"I'm just...I guess I'm not really like you."

Garth lowered his menu slowly, settling his eyes on Roy in an even gaze. "What do you mean by that?"

"Calm and collected. You're being so cool about all this and I keep messing it up."

"You aren't messing it up. It's actually nice to see that you're a little on edge."

Roy smiled sheepishly. "Is bumbling fool suddenly in style and attractive?"

"No," Garth said with a light laugh. "It just means that for you, the stakes are high. You want it to go so well that you practically have no control over yourself. It's reassuring, to know that you really actually want this to work. Whatever this is. In way, I guess it is sort of attractive."

"And what do you want from all this?" Roy asked, leaning forward conspiratorially.

"I want to order," Garth blurted abruptly, picking up his menu again. "I think I'll have the Gobhi Aloo. What are you getting?"

"Green curry. Do you want to start with the Dahi Bara?"

"That sounds fine."

And as if by magic the waitress appeared at their table, as if she had some magical power that allowed her to know that they wanted to order. She took their menus with them when she went, giving them nothing else to distract themselves with but each other.

"Sooo," Roy drawled, tapping his fingers against the table top. "You're being very agreeable this evening."

Garth tucked his hands under his chin, tilting his head softly to the side. "I am an agreeable person. It's why everyone likes me more than you."

"My fan base if far more expansive than yours."

"Yeah but the Titans all like me better," Garth pointed out, before raising his eyebrows suggestively. "Especially the ladies."

Roy pouted. "Hey, I am a catch. Girls love me."

"Girls who don't know you love you. The female Titans have been exposed to your personality."

"And what's wrong with my personality?"

"Oh where to start," Garth sighed, shaking his head.

"Please," dismissed Roy. "I bet you can't name five things that are solely negative or bad about my sparkling personality."

"You're vain," Garth said instantly.

"I take pride in my appearance."

"Pride is one of the seven deadly sins."

"Fine, I'll give you vain."

Garth began to tick off his fingers. "You're loud."

"Boisterous," Roy corrected.

"You're loud. Overly aloud, you don't know when to shut up."

"Okay, what else?"

"You don't respect authority. Not just adults, Bee is our leader and I don't think you treat her as such."

Roy began to frown. "Right."

"You're stubborn as hell," Garth continued. "You're very you orientated and you want what you want, and you don't always take into consideration the feelings of others."

"Anything else?" Roy grunted, his teeth clenching to maintain control, his eyes locked firmly on the corner of the table.

Garth let his foot collide softly with Roy's leg, making those green eyes dart back up."You don't know how good a person you really are. How...wonderful, you can actually be."

Roy couldn't help put grin, running his own foot slowly up Garth's skinny jean clad leg. The effect was almost comical, as he flushed deeply, scooting back in his chair, pulling his legs so they locked around the legs of his chair, hopefully out of Roy's reach.

X

Dinner ended up going pretty well. They continued to talk, staying to safe, pre established topics, neither of them being brave enough to talk their way into uncharted waters. After they ate the headed back towards the Tower, walking down and around the base, settling on one of the large rocks there, looking out across the water and the colored orbs of light that rippled in it's surface.

"What was it like? Going from Atlantis to here?"

"It was...a transition. I can't say they're particularly similar. But I'd like to think I'm pretty well adjusted."

Roy huffed loudly. "How can you be so okay with it?"

"Okay with what?"

"Being banished. Being banished for something you couldn't even control."

"It's the laws of my people," Garth shrugged.

"But you were their prince. You were going to be King and they got rid of you."

"Had I been born with normal eyes and it had been someone else with purple I too would have had them banished," Garth explained. "It's nothing personal, it's just the way things are. They were right to do it."

"It's unfair."

"Yes, perhaps. And I'm not saying it doesn't bother me. But I had Aquaman, and now I have you guys. So I'm okay. Besides if I had stayed there and just become King I wouldn't have met you, and I'm sure that would have been a huge disappointment for you."

"I suppose that's true," Speedy admitted, standing from the rock and brushing off his pants. "Come on, I think it's time we call it a night. We have work in the morning."

"I'd almost forgotten," Garth sighed. "Alright." And he went to press his hands against the rock but Roy dropped his hand down, offering it to Garth, who took it, using it to pull himself up. Garth's fingers went slack as he began to step away but Roy held on, walking with him. Garth felt his lips curl slightly, but kept his face passive, allowing his fingers to wrap back around Roy's hand.

X

Roy walked Garth back to his room, ever the gentleman.

"Thank you," Garth mumbled, pushing a stray hair back behind his ear. "I actually had a pretty good time."

"No need to sound so surprised, " Roy joked.

"You're a mystery Roy Harper. I don't think I will ever understand you. But I'm glad we did this. I was pleasantly surprised."

Roy smiled hopefully. "Does this mean we'll be doing this again?"

Garth looked down, shuffling his feet. "I-I don't know Roy."

"Why not? You said you had a good time."

"I don't want this to mess with the team dynamic."

"Screw the team dynamic!"

"See," Garth growled. "That's the attitude that will cause trouble. You get involved with me and you start to care more for me than the rest of the team. And if somebody found out...if one of the bad guys found out it could ruin everything. Don't you remember what happened at the bank? You came very close to losing it and we can't risk something like that happening."

"I'll be careful then. I promise."

"I don't know Roy."

Roy stepped closer to him, gently sliding the fake glasses off his face, folding them up carefully and pushing them into to Garths' hand. Garth blinked for a moment, adjusting to the sudden difference. Roy looked greedily into the violet eyes he had been missing all night, letting his hand slid across Garth's soft cheek, locking his thumb up the curve of his chin and under his ear, his fingers spreading into the fine hair at the base of his slender neck.

Roy pressed himself against Garth, who was now trapped between his body and the door, no where to go. Without saying anything Roy leaned forward, placing a firm and unyielding kiss on Garths' lips.

Garth inhaled sharply, his own bottom lip dropping slightly as he tentatively allowed himself to kiss back.

When Roy pulled away, he was smiling like an idiot. He took a few steps back, his walk containing a new kind of saunter. "Just think about it," he said, leaving Garth to stand stock still and blushing in his doorway.

X

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