Challenge

Summary: Nightwing's going on a quick errand and leaves Robin in Kon's keeping so he doesn't overwork himself. Because Robin would *never* do that. Competition will always prevail... Tim/Kon preslash. Sorta.

A Christmas story! This one is actually for the Secret Santa organized by Goldenstripe2510, and not really Christmas-y. I got to write for RenkonNairu, who I look up to as an author. Yeah. I freaked out when I saw who I was writing for, actually. So…

Also, never written slash before. An experiment in and of itself. It's not really slashy, more like if you squint.

Don't own, of course; you can read all about it on my profile if you want to.

Um, enjoy? *crosses fingers and hopes Ren likes it*

After the zeta tube flashed and the footsteps died, Kon was alone in the mountain's living room. He looked at Robin, Nightwing's words echoing in his ears.

"I know it's a little sudden, and yes, you're a big boy who can take care of himself. But you're just going to overwork yourself at the Batcave and burn out before patrol, especially since Batman, Agent A, and Batgirl are all gone. And rumor has it Joker's broken out again, so we'll be checking that out tonight and we have to be on the ball. You don't mind, do you Kon? It's only for a few hours."

Following those words, the miniature Nightwing (seriously, where did Batman find them? They all looked the same!) disappeared into the Cave's interior, no doubt to the training room.

He sighed, and followed Robin deeper into the Cave.

It didn't take long (super-hearing was excellent for searching) to find Robin. Just as he thought, Robin was in the training room, throwing punches at a punching bag.

"Hey," Kon said. Robin whipped around, nearly tipping when the bag nudged him.

"Don't do that," he snapped. "It might be okay to sneak up on the rest of the Team, but don't do it to me."

"Sorry." Kon stepped further into the room. "So, it'll be a couple hours before Nightwing's back. What do you want to do besides hit a bag for two, three hours?"

"I don't know." Robin considered it for a minute, before mumbling something under his breath. Kon barely caught the "Maybe spar with each other?" before it died in the air of the large room.

"Spar? With me?" The walking disaster (heavy on the 'dis', as Nightwing used to say), the person only Cassie would spar with, and only when she was feeling adventurous.

"Well, I guess…yeah. I haven't sparred against you in training yet, so I was thinking that maybe then I could get a taste of what it's like fighting someone who is sane AND strong instead of strong and insane…" It was like verbal diarrhea, and almost painful to listen to if it wasn't for the voice saying the words. Kon was getting dizzy from the litany.

"Let's spar, then," he interrupted, hoping to get the other to be quiet for a minute.

"I mean, you don't have to- wait, what?" Robin was now at a loss for words. Kon could tell; after teaming with Nightwing for six, almost seven years, he could tell. That, and the gaping mouth, of course.

Kon was sure his face didn't hold any expression, but he tried to force a little amusement in his voice as he said. "You. Me. Spar. Right now."

"I – okay?" Robin gripped the Bo staff in a ready position, and Kon tightened his gloves before holding them up.

By unspoken agreement, both charged.

While Robin was a great detective, Kon could easily see the training from Batman and Nightwing. The fight was easily one of Kon's most enjoyable. He and Robin weren't evenly matched by any means, but the youngest of the Batboys wasn't a slouch and kept up.

The strikes from the ends of the staff were fast and furious, tightly controlled, but much too light. Robin was holding back, obviously trying not to hurt him. Kon snorted; he was half-Kryptonian, it wasn't going to hurt too much. He let the electricity connect to his skin as he threw punches and used his forearms to block blows. Robin seemed to get the message and struck harder. He still pulled his hits just before they connected, though.

Kon swung his leg low, letting Robin easily jump over it. Halfway through, though, his leg stopped and his foot planted, allowing Kon to pivot on it and swing his other leg high to catch Robin on the drop down. The young Bat went tumbling, but popped back up and charged back in.

Kon slowly applied more skill and strength, finally knocking the staff away. He pushed Robin to the floor minutes later and leaned over him.

"I win," he said smugly. "You shouldn't hold back so much."

Robin responded by using his feet to jab Kon in the stomach. Kon's breath was driven from his body, leaving him gasping, and it was easy for Robin to tip him backwards so he could sit on Kon's chest.

"Didn't 'Wing ever teach you not to underestimate a Bat?" he teased back, an easy grin Kon had never seen on his face. Kon simply rolled, putting the two back in their almost original positions. Instead, though, Kon was kneeling over Robin.

"But you forget that I've been doing this longer than you. I know all his tricks." Their faces were inches apart, and Kon thought that something, anything, had to happen right then…

"All my tricks, eh?" a new voice, familiar to both, cut in. Kon jerked away from Robin, landing flat on his back. Robin jerked to his feet, tripping over Kon's legs and his Bo staff once he reached the place it had stopped.

"'Wing! You said you wouldn't be here for another hour!" Robin's face was flushed bright red from exertion. Kon thought he could feel a little bit of embarrassment emanating from the caped figure. "We were just…sparring."

"By all means, you two can finish sparring, but it's going to have to wait. It's time for patrol."

Kon opened his mouth to protest – protest what? his mind rejoined – but Robin was already out the door before he could say anything.

"Just for the record," Nightwing began conversationally, stopping before he fully exited the doorway. "He's an anti-social geek, but he really looks up to you. Thinks you're the best on the Team, actually. It's really surreal to watch sometimes. You could, you know, stop in Gotham sometime and patrol with him or something."

It took another five minutes before Kon's brain restarted. Stop in Gotham, where Superman only dared to tread when he was in civilian clothes and at a Bruce-Wayne-function? And patrol?!

Well, maybe. Someone had to do it. And never let it be said that Kon wasn't up for a challenge.

Quick note - set in the five-year gap, a little after Superboy and Robin (Tim) first meet. Which means that, although a good fighter, Robin has a lot less experience in fighting. And even though he can hold his own, he often has help when facing other villains and this is one of his few solo times against a stronger opponent. Hope that clears that up a bit.

*dies from embarrassment*