A/N:I found some inspiration due to a prompt table I found on livejournal today. I had to scurry off and write something for it, and this is what I came up with in the downtime I had today. For those of you who are wondering, no worries on the Wally x Dick vampirism fic. The next chapter is almost complete, and I'll hopefully be posting it sometime this week. :]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters!

Our Routine

A heavy atmosphere weighed down between the two heroes within the quietness of Kaldur's bedroom. Training session for Young Justice had ceased over an hour ago, but as usual, they all continued to chill with one another. Even more usual than that, another routine was taking its course. As Wally had been gobbling down the batch of burnt cookies M'gann baked while arguing with Artemis, Robin had slipped away from the group. They were too occupied to notice his disappearance. Although Superboy glanced over at Robin from his seat on the couch, he said nothing. The clone had simply went back to watching television and allowed the Boy Wonder to disappear down the hallway that led to their bedrooms.

Instead of going into his own room, he had approached the door where Young Justice's team leader resided. The door hung halfway open and inside was Kaldur. As expected, he was resting on his bed with a pillow against his back and book in hand. Quietly, Robin had pushed the door open further and stepped inside. Their eyes met, but neither of them said anything. As Robin leaned his weight against the door to close it behind him, Kaldur shut his book and placed it beside him. Although neither of them were frowning, they weren't smiling either.

As Kaldur shifted his position so his legs were draped over the side of his bed, Robin moved to sit in the chair beside the desk within the room. The two of them sat across from one another, but they didn't make eye contact now. Well, Robin didn't meet Kaldur's eyes anyway. The young teen stared down at the carpet as he sat backwards in the chair. As his arms rested comfortably around the back of the chair, his boots lightly kicked off the ground to sway the chair back and forth ever so slightly.

This had been happening for about two and a half weeks now. Robin would come into Kaldur's room at one point or another on a daily basis to talk about a secret only the two of them knew about. Sometimes they would talk about general topics, but every exchange always ended with a particular question and certain statement. However, Kaldur could tell that today Robin wasn't up for talking. While not rushing the teen, Kaldur waited patiently for the certain question he knew was coming.

As thick as the air was around them, there wasn't any tension. No, there wasn't any harshness or bitterness. Never hateful. Never rigid. Only grim, somber, dreary. In a way, that made the situation even more brutal. This was hard on both of them, but it was obvious Robin was losing the most here. The teen was suffering through all of this, and there was nothing Kaldur could do about it. Not really anyway.

This had to stop. It couldn't continue. It just couldn't. He wasn't just Robin's team leader, but he was also his friend. No true friend wanted to see their comrade suffer, but there's no way Kaldur could lift the pain. Not in a way that would work for both of them. Time heals all wounds, he's heard before. Everyone knows how patient Kaldur is, but this time Kaldur can't help but feel that time should be rushed.

Robin's head tilted up. Even though those black sunglasses covered his face, Kaldur could feel Robin's eyes on him. A small frown formed on Robin's face as he concentrated on the words in his mind. He took in a heavy breath. A sad smile formed on his face before he finally asked the routine question they both knew was coming.

"Do you love me?"

That same, sad smile reflected itself onto Kaldur's face. There was a gentle yet murky silence between them that lasted only for what was necessary. His words were firm but voice was soft. In his eyes, a conflict brewed. Kaldur believed if he could see Robin's eyes right now, a similar emotion would be visible. There would be struggle showing, yet...not for the same reasons Kaldur was troubled. In a tone of voice as tame as the stillness around them, Kaldur answered him.

"No."

As curt as the answer was, Robin didn't seemed hurt by it. Well, no more pained than he already looked. That false smile remained on Robin's features. He had been expecting that answer. It was the same answer Kaldur had been giving him for awhile now, and Robin didn't believe it was going to change. To keep his sanity, he'd continue to ask Kaldur this question to keep his pondering mind from wondering further. It was to keep his heart in check. The logical part of his brain concluded that if he received this answer enough times, his heart would stop yearning. Yet at the same time, the emotional side of him just craved the truth, secretly hoping that one day Robin's beliefs would be wrong and that the answer would change.

It seemed harsh for Kaldur to be so blunt, but the opposite was true. Keeping everything black and white helped more than roundabout, comforting words. Over the days, Kaldur had learned this too. He stopped trying to let Robin down easy with elaborated explanations and instead gave him the simple truth. No matter how much Kaldur didn't want to be short, he knew it was best and that it was what Robin wanted. Even though it wasn't the answer Kaldur knew Robin craved, it was still better for him. Though, it wasn't better for Kaldur; it was painful for him to be so brief, but after all the pain Robin was going through over this, it was a sacrifice Kaldur could and would make.

A bitter chuckle ghostly slipped past Robin's lips. Black strands of hair swayed slightly as he shook his head at himself. His gaze was on the floor again. Slowly, he moved his head down to rest his cheek against the back of the chair. That weak smile never left his face. While gulping down a shaky breath, Robin stated tortuously, "I love you."

A sharp, needle-like pain struck Kaldur's heart. Even though Kaldur knew it was coming, it still hurt every time. While swallowing hard, Kaldur's eyes roamed over Robin's figure momentarily. These were the only times the teen looked like a lifeless rag doll. The Boy Wonder never looked so inanimate. It was a rare moment when the teen wasn't making wise cracks, barking a mocking laugh, or grinning proudly. This fake smile was even a worse than a frown, Kaldur can't help but think. He wished he never had the liberty of witnessing it because it made him feel just that much worse.

Not only that but Kaldur felt he had to mimic this appearance. It was almost like there was an unmentionable rule somewhere that didn't allow either of them to remove this false advertising. They'd both pretend. They'd pretend that they were okay when they really weren't. Kaldur had a feeling it made the situation even more painful, yet that thought never stopped him from acting. With that hurtful smile shown on his face, Kaldur murmured quietly, "I know."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. A sad frown replaced the smile on Kaldur's face. "I'm—."

The words never got the chance to leave Kaldur's mouth. Robin lifted his head up and stopped him with a single gesture. With a soft smile on his face, Robin lightly shook his head, dismissing the words Kaldur was about to say. The site of Robin brushing off the apology with a broken smile wasn't anything less than tragic. Empathy had no place here. Not now.

Choosing to wallow in the apathy, sympathy was the last thing Robin wanted. He didn't want Kaldur to have pity on him. That would just be too humiliating. Still Kaldur felt sorry, even if he didn't say anything. Unfortunately, Kaldur understood the feeling. He wished he didn't but he did. It was at that moment he could clearly recall the moment Tula explained to him how she was together with Garth after Kaldur confessed his feelings. He knew that the pain Robin was going through right now was a similar agony.

I'm sorry.

"Could you...?" The initial question Robin was going to ask fell. The smile faltered on his face as he shook his head again. For a moment, Kaldur wondered what it was he was about to ask. Yet at the same time, he was glad Robin didn't ask it. He had a feeling the answer would have been no, and rejecting Robin twice in one day wasn't something Kaldur wanted to do.

Instead, Robin removed himself from the chair. There was a slight rigidness to his stance as he stood straight with his chin held high, but Kaldur knew it was taking a great deal of effort for him to stand tall. As he moved towards the closed, bedroom door, he awkwardly attempted to change the subject. "Batman needs me in Gotham tonight...If a mission comes up, just head out without me."

Kaldur gave a small nod. "Very well."

The smalltalk felt so foreign and out of place, but Kaldur preferred it over silence. Yet, the change in subject didn't lift the feeling of dread that hung over the two of them. Robin reached out and grab the door knob but refused to turn it. As he hesitated, Kaldur curiously tilted his head just slightly to the side. While continuing to face the door, Robin calls out carefully, "Kaldur?"

"Yes?" With Robin not facing him any longer, Kaldur doesn't regret the worried frown that reaches on his lips.

Although Robin tried his best to hide it, a single sniffle escapes him. He tries to cover it up by clearing his throat, but it's too late; Kaldur already heard the stifling sound, and he takes it like a punch to the stomach. Weakly, Robin uttered, "Good night."

Watching with a heavy heart as Robin exits his room, Kaldur mumbled out an unheard reply. Now alone in the room again, Kaldur didn't feel the motivation to read more of his book. As if to prove this further, he pushed the book farther away. A heavy sigh left him as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. As the harsh atmosphere weighed down on his shoulders ever still, Kaldur began to wonder just how merciful time truly was as the seconds ticked by at an even slower pace.

Omg, I come up with the lamest of titles. XD
I seriously couldn't figure out what to name this. Lol.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the short oneshot okay! :D
Reviews are loved!~