Roy grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and took out his favorite cereal, Captain Crunch. His mom was working late today. The cafe that she worked at didn't pay much, but somehow or another they managed to scrape by. Even the extra tips sometimes weren't enough to help them pay the bills or buy groceries. Personally, he didn't like living of off food stamps or donations. They weren't a charity case. They were people. People who didn't have it quite as good as everyone else, but they were still people regardless.

He opened his mouth to shove the spoonful of his special treat in, but there was a knock on the door. Groaning, he pulled the curtain in the kitchen window away to see who was parked on the side of the road. It was a fancy car, like a Mercedes, and right away he knew who it was without even having to open the door.

"It's open!" He called out, and he heard the front door squeak open. He glanced up to see Thea looking around cautiously as if someone was going to jump her. "No one's going to mug you, you know. You're safe in here."

Thea made a face. "Thanks. I was so worried for second," her tone was sarcastic, and it made Roy grin to himself. "Um...is this a bad time? I see you're eating cereal...with chocolate milk inside the bowl."

Roy shrugged and chewed. "So? I happen to like chocolate milk in my cereal. Chocolate milk is expensive. Whenever we do buy it, I make sure to take advantage of such a luxurious purchase." He finished the last of the cereal, gulping down the milk that was left in the bowl, and placed the dishes in the sink. "So, Speedy. What do I owe the pleasure of this totally unexpected visit? I thought I told you to stay out of the Glades. Not only are you a stalker, but you're also stubborn."

Thea ignored him. "I came over to see if you wanted to go out to lunch, but I see you already ate your odd concoction of a breakfast already," she smirked as he shook his head. "What do you do for fun, Roy? Besides going around stealing purses."

Roy leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "I like hitting the clubs. Spending my cash on pretty toys and flashing my...bling? Is that what you rich people call your jewelry?"

"Don't patronize me, Harper-"

"Oh come on, Richie Rich. I was kidding. Chill out. You asked what I like doing for fun? Well it depends." He sighed heavily. "Normally I'm home, doing homework. Or I'm out back fixing up the yard. Or you can find me at the library-"

"The library?" Thea snorted. "No offense, but that's the last place I ever expected to find you."

Roy's face turned sour. "Well, I'm not stupid or illiterate, in case that's what you were thinking. I like to read, okay? That's not a crime, last I checked." He watched her look around the kitchen at the family pictures. "That's my mom. She works at the little cafe a few blocks away. She should be home soon, if the boss lets her leave on time."

"She's really beautiful. You have her eyes," Thea smiled at him, glancing at another picture. "Who's he? Your dad?"

Roy grabbed the picture and slammed it facedown on the counter. "Yeah, he's not around, let's leave it at that."

They were silent for a couple of minutes before Thea finally spoke up. "You didn't...want to just hang out here, did you? Just chill for a bit?"

The corner of Roy's mouth perked up and he smiled crookedly, making Thea's heart beat a little faster. "You, Ms. Thea Queen, want to hang out with a low life like me?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"I stole your purse."

"But you gave it back."

"I didn't want to give it back."

"Then why did you?"

"Because I wouldn't see your pretty face ever again if I got thrown in jail."

By this point they were so slow to each other that Thea could've kissed him. She bit her lip, trying to keep eye contact with him, staring into his beautiful blue eyes that seemed to look deep into the pits of her soul. They twinkled with mischief as he smirked crookedly and glanced down at her lips.

"Roy...I can't..."

He shook his head, silencing her. "You're so damn sexy, Thea. I don't know what it is about you...it's not the money or the rich cars or the fancy clothes that you wear. It's something else entirely. Mind you, you're still a spoiled little brat," he smirked at her furrowed brow. "But you're so much more than a pretty face. You're tough. You're a fighter. You don't take crap from anyone, even if it from your family or friends."

Thea bit her lip again. "Roy, listen. If my brother finds out that I've been hanging around you and the Glades, he'll lock me in my room and I'll never see the light of day again."

Roy laughed, a deep rumble echoing throughout the nearly empty house. "That doesn't sound much different from prison, Speedy. Maybe we can be cellmates?"

"I'd rather hang myself by my thumbs in a dungeon."

He laughed again. "A Harry Potter reference? Seriously, Queen?" He continued to laugh as Thea became frustrated, but became serious as soon as she stomped towards the door. "Hey, don't leave. I'm sorry. I'm being a jerk."

"Yeah, you are. And I read too, you know. We rich people aren't always gossiping or out shopping or throwing extravagant parties. And for your information, that car outside isn't even mine. It's my brother's."

Roy glanced at door before looking back at her, smirking. "Stealing your brother's car. Badass, Speedy. Didn't think you had it in you," he winked, and she blushed under his gaze. "Hey, did you want to play Left 4 Dead with me? It's got lots of zombies and blood and gore-wait...you're not weak stomached, are you?"

"No. I'm looking at your face right now, aren't I?" She stuck out her tongue as he wiggled a finger. "Admit it, that one was good."

"Oh, it was. No doubt about that. So you're not weak stomached, but does being in my presence give you weak knees?" He caught Thea by the arm as she tripped over her own feet. "Easy there, Speedy. Don't want you falling down and ruining that pretty little face of yours." He winked, making her blush again.

Thea held back a giggle. "I know you heard my brother call me Speedy, but only he and his friend call me Speedy, although I'm seriously considering passing on the name to you. You're a fast runner."

He chuckled. "Thanks, but no thanks. Now stop changing the subject and let me kick your ass in a video game."

They went down a short hallway and Roy pushed open a door that seemed to only open so far and then stick. Thea followed him into a small room with barely enough space for a bed let alone anything else. His bed was small, pushed against a wall and across from it was a tiny table with a tv on it, below it an Xbox with three games on top of it as well as two controllers. The red hoodie he wore the day he stole her purse was thrown over his bedsheets. His drawer was slightly open, and she peeked inside as he set up the game, noticing different colored boxers inside. Her face heated up and she quickly glanced away before he caught her peeping into his dresser.

"In case you're wondering how a poor broke teenager like me could afford an Xbox, it was a birthday gift from my uncle a few years back. I didn't steal it," he handed her a controller. "Do you know how to play?"

"Um..." Thea looked down at the controller. "No."

"Do you even know what Xbox is? A controller? Please tell me you've at least heard of Super Mario Bros."

"I've watched my brother play something years ago but I was never in the room long enough before he kicked me out. What's this game called again?"

Roy's eyes lit up as he went into a deep, long explanation about the purpose of the game and how to play. Soon enough, after choosing their characters, they were running around shooting zombies and hitting each other with frying pans.

"Turn off your flashlight. That's a witch. You don't want to startle them," Thea did what she was told and snuck a quick glance at Roy. He was so engrossed with the game that his tongue was sticking out of the side of his mouth, jaw clenched in concentration and his long, deft fingers were wrapped expertly around the controller. He tapped several buttons at once, reacting to something happening in the game, but Thea wasn't paying any attention to the game. She was so focused on the gorgeous young man sitting next to her; how she wanted to run her fingers through his dark hair and kiss his perfectly sculpted jaw. Maybe even see what he had going on under the baggy clothes he wore-

"Thea! You died! Didn't you even see the Tank coming towards you? You're worse than the people on tv where they're in the line of oncoming danger yet they make no move to save themselves-why are you staring at me like that?" He raised an eyebrow as color rose into Thea's cheeks and she looked away. "Hey...I didn't say that I didn't like it...I was just caught off-guard..."

"I'm sorry. I don't even know what I'm doing or why I stared-" She was cut off mid-sentence when a pair of lips pressed against her own. Roy pulled away quickly and Thea nearly reeled on the bed. "What...what was that for?"

"In case I never got a chance to do it. You're the first girl that's ever been in my room. And played video games with me despite the fact she's never heard of xbox before," he smirked at her. "My mom would kill me if she found out I had a girl in my room when she wasn't home."

Thea bit her lip and slid over onto his lap on the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Then maybe we should be quick about it?" She pressed her lips against his neck and kissed him slowly, mentally smiling as he moaned.

"Ugh, Thea...my mom...she might be home any minute..." He jumped as Thea slammed the door with her foot and winked at him. "Closing the door. Wow. Every teenager's answer to keeping their parents from knowing what they're really doing in their room."

"Shut up, Harper." Thea kissed his lips again, running her fingers through his hair and feeling a moan rise in his throat. "Come on, Speedy. You may have never been with a girl before, but I know you got game."

Roy groaned and in a flash, he was kissing her lips, moving down over her jaw and down her neck over her collarbones. She gasped as his hands expertly slid off her jacket and slid underneath her t-shirt, pulling it up over her arms and head. She shivered and watched him take his own shirt off, crossing his arms and gripping the hem and pulling it over his head. Underneath the baggy shirt was a surprisingly well-toned body. His abdominal muscles rippled as he tossed the shirt off to the side. His chest and shoulders were broad, and his biceps had lean muscle on them.

"Wow, um...I wasn't expecting this at all..." Thea cleared her throat. "Do you work out?"

Roy looked down at himself. "What, were you expecting a malnourished body? My ribs sticking out so much that you could count them individually? I may be from the Glades, Queen, but I'm far more better off than some families around here. We're lucky to even have a roof over our heads. Some people don't have that."

"I know. I'm sorry. You wear those baggy shirts and I just thought..."

"I was fat?"

"No!" She laughed and playfully punched his chest, which was hard under her hand. She let it linger over his skin, feeling goosebumps rise all over him. Her fingers trailed down over his stomach, stopping above the button of his jeans. Looking up at him, she asked permission with her eyes.

"Thea...I don't have any condoms..." He frowned, looking defeated.

"What? Oh my god, no! I wanted to know if we could make out on your bed, not have sex! Guess I gave you wrong message..."

Roy chuckled. "Well you may have given me the wrong message, but I'm now...you know..."

Thea looked down at his jeans. "You're...yeah?"

"Very much so. It's getting kind of painful, actually. Do you mind if I...took off my pants?"

Thea supressed a gasp. "Sure, go ahead. I won't look."

"Well that seems kind of pointless, doesn't it? You're going to me in my underwear in a few seconds anyway. Watch and enjoy the show."

"You're disgusting."

"Oh baby you won't be saying that in few," he winked and unbuttoned his jeans and tugged at the zipper. Painstakingly slowly, he slid his jeans down over his waist then let them fall freely to the floor. He stood in just his boxers alone, beaming at Thea. "There. Now isn't this much better than being fully clothed?"

"Technically you're still clothed, Roy."

"It's one piece of fabric blocking my freedom, big whoop. I could always take it off-"

"No! No, that's okay. You're good like that..." Thea looked away from his grinning face and approached him, placing a hand on his bicep. "You didn't answer my question earlier."

"Do I work out? Every now and then. Most of what you see is from years of running from the cops and school bullies. Oh and stealing pretty lady's purses and having them chase you around-" He laughed as Thea made a swat for him. "I was kidding! Geez woman calm yourself. Now are we going to suck face or..."

"Suck face? You're gross. Kiss you? Yes, I will do that but I won't suck your face. Does that sound good?"

"Have you ever sucked anything else before?"

"What?"

"What?"

They were silent for a moment before Roy sat down on the bed and pat the space beside him. "We'll be just like the movies. Guy makes move on girl. Girl gets pissed. Guy and girl then makeout and it leads to-"

"Stop. Just shut the hell up and kiss me, Harper. Or I'll leave."

Roy smirked and placed his hands on her hips. "Mmm, threatening to leave. Taking control. That's hot, Speedy." He pressed his lips against hers and moaned as his tongue invaded her mouth. Thea moaned, feeling his hands slide up her stomach and over the material of her bra. "We won't be needing this..." He murmered, taking her t-shirt off in a hurry.

"You're in a hurry, Harper...always in a hurry..." Thea breathed heavily as he kissed her neck and sucked on her collarbone.

"I have a mother that's probably going to be home any minute, and a hot girl in my bedroom for the first time. You're damn right I'm in a hurry," he bit her lip and his hands grazed over her skin and moved to her back, finding the clasp of her bra. He slid a finger under one of the straps over her shoulder and slid it off, smirking at the goosebumps rising on Thea's skin. "You have beautiful skin, Queen. All that money on cosmetics must really pay off."

Thea shivered and felt her entire body heat up just by listening to his deep voice alone. "Don't ruin the moment, Roy..." She moaned as he moved his lips down over her stomach. He looked up at her and gazed into her eyes, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously as he pressed himself into her, and Thea could then feel how much he wanted her through his boxers. "Wow...you really are..."

"Well it wasn't your expensive jacket that turned me on, Richie Rich," he chuckled was about to kiss right below her belly button when he paused, looking over his shoulder and listening carefully. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"A door slam. Like the front door-"

"Roy? Roy sweetie, are you home?" A female voice called out.

Roy's eyes widened and he flew off the bed, locking his door and grabbing a t-shirt and pulling it over his head. "It's my mom! Get dressed!"

Thea fixed her brastrap and grabbed her shirt and jacket. "Where am I supposed to sneak out from?" She caught Roy glancing from her to the bedroom window and she immediately shook her head. "No way in hell am I climbing out the window. No freaking way."

"Would you rather have to explain to my mom who you are and what you're doing in my room nearly naked? Besides, I'm pretty damn sure she saw the car parked outside on the street anyway and why the hell did you park a freaking Mercedes out on the street in the Glades anyway? Do you have a deathwish?" He hissed under his breath.

"It's my brother's car, remember?" She whispered and winked. Thankfully, Roy's serious expression grew into a sly grin. She pulled on her shirt and jacket, opening the window just as a knock caught their attention.

"Roy, baby. I'm home. Are you okay in there?" His mother's voice sounded a little worried, but otherwise calm.

"Um...yeah! I'll be with you in a sec!" He grabbed the glass of water that was on his nightstand and poured it over his head. Thea gasped and turned away just in time when he took off his boxers, wrapping a towel that was laying on the floor around his waist. When she snuck a peek at him, he smirked, running a hand through his damp hair, looking as if he had just gotten out of the shower.

"Cover up," he mouthed and winked, making Thea blush for the millionth time that day. "Now get out of here, you pervert."

"Asshole," Thea rolled her eyes and slipped out through his bedroom window just in time as he opened his bedroom door.

"Hey, mom. I just got out of the shower. You're home early!" He chuckled, which sounded forced.

"Bart let me go early tonight. He was in a good mood. By the way, have you noticed the really nice car outside the house? The black one? It looked expensive..." She grew silent before speaking again. "Roy, you didn't have anything to do with this, do you?"

"What? No! Mom, I didn't steal it. I swear. Some rich goon parked it there and went into the house across the street. They've been there ever since."

Rich goon? Thea shook her head and listened to their conversation more.

"As long as you're not going around hijacking cars now too. God forbid you end up like your father."

Roy cleared his throat. "No, ma'am. I'm better than that."

Thea heard his mother kiss him on the cheek. "I know you are, Roy William Harper Jr. I know you are. And one day, you're going to be great. You're going to bring so much good into this world. People will look up to you and you can't let them down, do you hear me? You have to be brave, no matter what the situation. People will need you and you can't be afraid."

"I know. Thanks, mama." Roy's voice was thick with emotion. "Um...can I get dressed now? It's kind of chilly standing here in just a towel with the window open."

"God, Roy. You're going to freeze to death in here! Brrr, sweetie...you're an odd one," his mother laughed and Thea heard the door shut. She stood up and saw the amused expression on Roy's face as she tried not to look down at the towel around his waist.

"You like what you see, Queen? I can give you a grand showing, if you want-"

"No! I'm leaving now anyway. Ollie's going to be worried if I don't get home in time for dinner. He always does. Um...see you later?"

Roy shrugged. "Hmm. Maybe. You plan on coming to my house again soon? Maybe next time we'll shed all our clothes and really get down to business." He winked, laughing when Thea's mouth opened to say something, but closed again. "I'm kidding, Richie Rich. We can still wear clothes and have a good time, right?"

"You're an asshole, Roy Harper."

"More like ROYalty," he grinned at his own joke.

"Or ROYal pain in my ass. Goodbye, Roy Harper. It was a pleasure."

"Oh, that it was, Ms. Queen. We should exchange more pleasantries soon. Maybe with less clothes."

"Bye Roy!" Thea called out, instantly regretting it when she remembered that his mother was home. She raced to the car, getting in and starting the engine. Roy was standing in the kitchen window, a smirk on his face as she pulled away from his house and down the street. "Asshole," she mumbled. "What a complete asshole."