Working With Red

Suspicion and Suspense

WWR may be adapted into a webcomic. More news to come. 

Your anxiety about the previous day hadn't yet diminished before reigniting with a visit from the two commanding officers the next morning. 

Their arrival was announced by a loud knocking at your door just past eight o'clock, a knocking you had the misfortune of being the first to hear. 

"GA," you muttered, face buried in your pillow. Beside you, Roy let out a groan, his comforter rustling as he rolled over onto his side. When he didn't answer, you slowly leaned up on your uninjured forearm, lavender hair falling messily over your shoulders. "Green Arrow." 

"What?" he snapped tiredly. Another knock rang through the room, this time causing Nightwing to stir. 

"Door." You raised your other hand to your face to rub your bleary eyes. Roy groaned again. 

"Why can't you get it?" he muttered. You shot him a lazily glare. 

"Eyes." 

A third rather brash knock sounded off, followed by a series of hushed mutters from the other side of the door. The redhead finally opened his eyes to find you staring back at him with glowing irises, and he scowled. 

"Put your mask on," he retorted, but before you could respond, he sat up in bed, much to your satisfaction. However, you quickly found your ears growing warm when his blanket fell from around his shoulders into a pool in his lap, revealing his bare torso underneath. He was oblivious to your staring as he rose from the bed and grabbed his duffle bag, removing the wig and mask and applying them to his half-awake self. With a final sigh, he threw on a t-shirt and a black baseball cap to cover his faux locks before approaching the door. 

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen," he greeted the second he opened the door, any and all traces of lingering sleep disappearing with his friendly tone. You waited until he'd stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind him before revealing your face again. Upon turning around, you were greeted by the disheveled appearance of the ravenette hanging halfway out of bed. 

You couldn't help smiling at the sight of his black locks sticking up at all odds and ends. "Good morning, sunshine." He scoffed, shaking his head before glancing up at you through his newly-masked eyes. 

"You'd think I'd already be awake by now," he mumbled with a yawn. "I would have missed my six o'clock training with Bats." 

"I'm taking it you slept well, then?" you replied, mustering the energy to rise from your own bed.

He nodded. "You?" 

"Yeah." Your reply was strained as you leaned backwards to pop your spine. "Ever since I started taking the medication Batman gave me, I've been sleeping through the nights a lot better." Nightwing smiled. 

"I'll be sure to let him know. Any more nightmares?" 

You shook your head. "Not as often. Hardly any dreams at all, really. I'll take what I can get." You then stood up straight to stretch your arms above your head and immediately let out a cry as a sharp pain shot through your shoulder and chest. Sucking in a sharp breath to keep the impulsive tears from escaping, you accidentally looked to Nightwing as you gripped your throbbing shoulder. The ravenette was staring back at you, slack-jawed and eyes wide. 

The two of you seemed to have forgotten your injury, and you were hoping the trio outside the door hadn't hurt your outburst. 

"It's fine!" you insisted, smiling halfheartedly. "It'll heal in a few days, remember..." It took longer than you'd expected for Nightwing to let out a quiet hum before moving away from his bed to the bathroom on the other side of the room. Your eyes followed his sulking figure until he was inside and had shut the door, and you let out a conflicted sigh.