cat_13145

Title: Black sheep stick together.
By Cat_13145
Pairings: Jason Todd, Roy Harper
Rating PG13, don't think there's anything too bad, but better to be safe.
Author's Notes: I had to write a fix it for Arsenal rise and fall, before going to bed, especially after reading pervyficgirl's rant (http://pervyficgirl.livejournal.com/283099.html?#cutid1). Jason pointed out that everything is better with him in it and things kinda went from there. I think it's only part one, but not sure. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T GUESSED, SPOILERS FOR ARSENAL RISE AND FALL.
Summary: What if Jason had found Roy and the cat instead of Dick?

“Cute Kitty.” The voice came out of the darkness and he spun around, peering into the darkness. “She got a name?”

“Jason!”

“Yeah.” The figure had moved into view, dressed in the costume he remembered Jason wearing with the outsiders. Slowly, he watched, confused as the Red helmet was removed, the dark hair showing clearly beneath it.

“Not that I’m complaining Harper, but I was kinda saving those goons for later.”

He stared up, watching Jason. The kid was staying out of reach, a safe distance, and the blue eyes wary.

“If you wanna get out of here, you’d better hurry; Dick’s only a couple of blocks away.”

Roy blinked, and Jason swore. “For Fuck’s sake!”

He didn’t have time to react, as the small spray bottle came out of nowhere.

*****

Jason headed home after patrol, feeling like every muscle in his body was hurting. And he really wasn’t looking forward to what was waiting for him there.

He’d managed to persuade/bribe Alfred to let him hide Roy in one of The Outsider’s unused bases, but he knew tackling the problem was his responsibility, if only for the fact that no one else in either of their families was going to.

The sounds of swearing and smashing china told him that at least some of the poison was out of his system.

“Lord grant me the courage to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I cannot accept and the strength to kick some sense into stubborn archers!” he muttered, before turning the door and stepping in.

“Alfred.”
“Master Jason.” Alfred was sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea and looking as though there was absolutely nothing unusual about being asked by the family black sheep to babysit a drugged out archer with a metallic arm. “Master Harper is awake. There appear to have been no effects of your drug mixing.” The disapproval was evident and Jason rolled his eyes.

“Alfred, Dick was on his way. No way should Roy have to deal with that.”

“Master Dick only wishes to help.”

Jason bit down on his tongue to tell Alfred exactly what he thought of Dick’s version of help and simply said. “Thanks for watching him.”

“Do you wish me to alert Miss Gordon, so she can let Master Harper’s family know he is still alive?”

Jason considered it.

O.K. if circumstances were ordinary, he’d be grateful for Dinah’s help. Not only was she a hot babe, but she’d got Roy through this before and Jason was smart enough to know he’d need all the help he could get.

But if circumstances were ordinary, Roy wouldn’t be destroying his bedroom.

“Nah, I’ll do it.”

“Very well.” Alfred’s eyes told him that he didn’t believe him for a moment, but he was willing to let the matter lie. He began gathering up his coat

“And Alfred...”

“I am getting on in years, Master Jason, and can sometimes completely and utterly forget where I have been for hours.”

Jason grinned. “Thanks Alfred.”

*****

Anything that wasn’t nailed down had been over turned, including the bed that lay on its side by the boarded up window.

Roy stood in the middle snarling and growling like a mad dog. At the sound of the door opening, he spun around.

“Why have you taken me? Where are we?”

“Gotham.” Jason said, righting a chair and sitting on it. “Bit risky, with Dicky around, but the scumbags here are scared enough to leave us alone.”

He glanced over at the yellow monstrosity that was masquerading as Roy’s left arm.

“Remind me to introduce you to a friend of mine. Get you a real robotic arm that can actually handle a bow rather than just crush things.”

“Fuck you.”

“Not at the moment, Harper. I’ve got standards.” He moved and turned the bed back over, before saying. “She’ll be back.”

He realised too late the stupidity of turning his back on Roy in this state.

All his years with his mother and her boyfriends, he should have known better, and it’s himself, not Roy, he’s cursing when his fingers locate the pressure point.

****

Roy couldn’t remember the last time he felt this lousy. Well, that was untrue, he could remember the last time he felt this awful, but it wasn’t a period of his life that he wanted to think about it.

And now wasn’t the time, cause he needed to get up and get Lian ready for school...

He froze. He didn’t need to get up to get Lian ready for school. Because she would never go to school again. Because she was dead.

He groaned, letting his head slid into his hands.

“You know, Dick looked less vulnerable after Tarantula raped him, and that’s saying something.”

He spun around to see Jason sitting on the chair next to the bed, watching him.

“What?” He muttered, because his head was hurting and his stomach.

Jason rolled his eyes. “You guys need to actually talk to each other at some point.” He muttered. “Bucket’s by the bed.”

Roy was about to tell Jason he was fine, when his stomach decided that was a good idea.

Jason stayed exactly where he was until Roy was finished, then handed him a glass of water and some chicken soup.

“It’s not Alfred’s, but it should stay down for about an hour.”

He was wrong about that. But it did stay down for longer than Roy expected.

“Why?” He muttered, pulling himself up to glare at Jason. “Why do you care?”

Jason shrugged, suddenly very interested in his kris,. “I know what happens when you’ve only got one parent, and they’re a junkie.”

Roy snorted. “I’m not a parent.”

Jason’s face curled. “Oh come off it, Harper. I came back. So did your old man. So did Hal Jordan. You honestly think she’s going to be taking a dirt nap for that long.”

“You didn’t see her.”

“Says who?” Looking away, Jason muttered. “Only one who didn’t look on me as Dick’s replacement.”

The part of Roy that wants to argue that that isn’t true is very firmly shut up by a glare from Jason.

“Your little girl’s coming back, Harper. All I’m doing is making sure you’ll be in a fit state to take care of her.”