DC: 2011-08-26 - Renewing Acquaintances

He'd heard stories about Roy Harper, and even met him for a brief time while with Cadmus, thanks to the Guardian, but knew precious little of the man save that he had a daughter, Lian, and a great-uncle Jim. But when Arsenal left him a note to talk to him, the first thing that Superboy could think of was that he was being called to chat about 'inappropriate behavior' with Cassie Sandsmark.

And so when Superboy knocks on Arsenal's door, it is with a mental note to defend everything as completely overboard and that he would not be trying to get into Cassie's pants.

Yet.

There is sheer chaos inside, and Roy soon opens the door. His hair is a mess, he doesn't have a shirt on, and he is trying to yank his pants back up to not show his boxers off to you. "Lian...let go sweetheart..."

Lian is going, "Rawr! I pounce, and I eat! Nom, nom, nom!" Luckily, she doesn't really bite Roy...Roy really needs to not only zip, but button his pants...but he's lazy generally.

Suddenly Roy points, "Superboy!"

Lian looks at who the door was opened too, freezes, and then....pounce! "Superboy! Superboy! Superboy! I want another picture!" It has been too long since she got the last one, alright, perhaps the last ten, she is a big Superboy fan. She even wears an oversized S shirt right now. "I got one of Supergirl too now! We got to get one of the three of us together. Super Kids!"

Roy just groans and gets his pants back on and buttoned this time.

"Whoa! Hey, Lian!" Superboy laughs, as he catches up Lian, and swings her up in the air. Settling her carefully on his shoulders, he glances at Roy, then slightly back up at Lian. "Kiddo, you need to make sure your daddy's dressed before he opens the door. That's just not right."

Lian squeals and giggles as you lift her up to your shoulder and she clings to your head. "Fly, fly!" She then giggles again and looks questioningly, "Why? He wears shorts under his pants!"

Roy gives Superboy a 'look', "Don't even think about explaining it." He then grumbles beneath his breath as he turns to head back into his room before saying, "Come on in Superboy. Let me find Lian's camera before she busts a gut....," then more lightly, "So, how you been doing?"

Kon opens his mouth, and then closes it as Roy flashes him that 'look'. No sense explaining it to tender little ears... not that he was going to, anyway. He had -more- sense than that. Rather than answer -why-, Kon shakes his head. "In here, kiddo? Not enough room." At least not with a kid on his shoulders. "Hey, play monkey bars instead," he says as he lifts Lian off his shoulders, and settles her so that she can dangle off his arm, lifting her up and down with ease. "Not much, really. Just getting things sorted out at home, and with Cassie. Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. A superfoe here, a supervillain there, not too difficult."

Lian squeals and giggles happily, dangling from your arm. "I'm super strong!"

Roy is searching through a pile of 'junk', really it's toys and a few odds and ends...even an empty semi-automatic gun. Rose apparently hasn't been babysitting last few days, the place is a mess right now. "Doesn't sound too bad then. Home life going well at least?" He then finds the camera, "Ah-ha! It's the detective in me!" Yes, he just self-praised himself.

Laughing, Kon shifts Lian from arm to arm, then over his back carefully, functioning essentially as a super-powered gym, for Lian.

"Home life going well. Cassie's happy, now," Kon replies with a grin. He eyes the gun, and then Lian. "Man, you have those things with, well..." He darts his eyes at Lian. "What're you gonna do if she use 'em?"

"It's her favorite playtoy. She likes to," and Roy gets interrupted.

"Bang, bang! Bad guy go to hospitial!" Lian lets out squeal, very happy!

Roy nods, "Yep, that's about it." He then lifts the digital camera and starts taking a couple photos. "Wow, keeping a woman happy, impressive feat. Have any tips on that?" Roy is mostly teasing.

"... man, and they talk about too much violence on TV," Superboy grimaces. "Oh well, your kid." He ponders the question about keeping a woman happy, and then lifts his shoulders. "Empty your wallet once in a while," he says.

Lian yays as the pictures are being taken. Roy grunts at that, "Most of the women I've dated have thicker wallets than me. Anyway, and Lian knows the difference from shooting a bad guy to killing them."

"Killing is bad," Lian says! "Soldiers have to do it, but heroes shouldn't!"

"Yes, yes, of course," Roy sounds distracted. "Just glad she forgave you for the cold shower incident." He takes one final picture, "There, lots of pictures! We will print them off later tonight, alright?"

"Yay!" Lian moves to give Superboy a hug about his neck next time he lifts her up higher.

"That wasn't what she was forgiving me for," Kon replies, as he lowers himself down long enough to set Lian up as an impromptu necklace. "Hey, Lian, can you play video games for a bit? I got to talk to your dad about something."

Lian rolls her eyes, "Adult talk is icky!" She then moves to the controller. "Game daddy, game!"

"Alright, Super Mario Brothers for you." She will die and have to restart the game fifty million times, but it entertainers her. It is the old, original game, on the old, original game console. Roy goes to turn on the television and starts the game, turning the volume up a little bit. "I'll go do icky adult talking with Superboy," and he makes a funny face at Lian.

Lian laughs and gives her daddy a hug and a kiss on the cheek before she sits down to play the game.

Roy then moves over to flop on the couch and motions you a place beside him. "Talk away." He doesn't seem taken aback by the need to talk, he just smiles a bit and seems laid back. Then again, iffy if you know he does this in his free-time when he can, well, with recovering drug addicts. So teenage romanace? Can't be that difficult! Oh wait...it's worse.

"Oh, it's just... she got upset about, you know, guy talk. You know how it is. I mean, you work with Starfire, right?" Kon shrugs. "So we were talking and... yeah." Like, guys know what they're talking about here. Women, girls, they get upset with men over the littlest things, dammit. "You know what I mean, Roy?"

"Oh, like when she bathes nude on the roof top?" A pause then, "You did know about that, right?" Oh yes, Roy knows. "Anyway, I dated Troia in the past, so yes...I know about Amazon women and their issues with 'men being men'. Though I have to admit, Troia is one of the sweetest girls you can ever...anyway, we aren't like that anymore, just friends," obviously.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Roy," Superboy says flatly in a certain tone indicating that he -knows-, but isn't about to remind -anyone- that he knows. Plausible deniability, at least. Though thinking about it, that might explain Cassie's reaction.

"But yeah. Amazon women." He tilts his head, looking at Roy. "Even tougher when they're goddesses. Or part-goddess. But man, just when you think you should treat them like one of the guys, they go and remind you they -aren't- guys."

"Yes, they do do that, usually when in their best interests and not yours." Roy thinks of Cheshire and how she could be as feminine and delicate as they come with her feelings...and yet everyone else thinks she is a sociopathic murderess. "They can really turn the tables on you when you least expect, and have sides you may never realize. It's best to roll with the punches though, and not take it personal. Women are just...women."

"Oh, I've seen Wonder Girl's sides," Kon replies. "They're nice... sides." Rubbing his chin, Superboy pauses. "And you shouldn't be looking at her sides, old man," he says, although with a wide grin that indicates he's kidding. Mostly.

Roy almost chokes on his laughter as he holds it back. "I don't want to know," he admits. "Jailbait. I'm trying not to get arrested," he reminds Superboy. "Or did you forget, I'm an OLD man," and he reaches out to flick your head in a goofy manner. Like it would ever hurt you, seriously!

Looking cross-eyed as the flick registers in his vision, if not his skin, Kon shakes his head. "Man, you didn't get a look while she was in the shower? Didn't think she'd have it in her." Pulling his pants off, he means. "But... well, you know, we worked it out. Wait... you mean... you're not calling me to talk about her?"

"Umm...no, to just hang out," Roy tells you. He then laughs, "That was comical! At least until Starfire said...," he then coughs into a hand. "Yes...none of..that...," he then points to Lian and gives you a pointed look. "You aren't ready for that. Then again, I wasn't...you do what you need to do," and he smiles toward Lian. "And I'm blessed to have her. But let's just say...she was one hell of a surprise." The smile on his face though, says she was one hell of a wonderful surprise.

Now looking confused, Superboy ventures to ask, "Wait... you got no problems with me doing ... anything with Cassie?" Not quite what he was expecting, actually, but... hey. He glances at Lian, and grins. "Cute kid, yeah. But man..." Now he looks at Roy. "What -were- you thinking?"

"Well, I came in at the end of whatever it was you were doing, I thought it was a prank, but after what Solarflare said...I wasn't sure what was going on!" He then says, "One sec."

Roy has to get up because Lian is looking back and saying, "Daddy! I need to restart!" Roy helps Lian restart the game and he starts to play again, squealing happily when she dies. Go figure.

Roy sits back on the couch. "She's your girlfriend, I'm sure you are going to make-out or do whatever else kids do these days. Experiment, etc. I do honestly suggest you hold off on going all the way. It's more than just being a scary step, you can't always be sure that...well, a sweet little life won't come of it. You ready to deal with a Super-Baby? Until you feel mature enough to handle the possibility...my suggestion, better safe than sorry. Stick with the tamer stuff...be kids, you know? There are plenty of other aspects of your life where you have to be all grown up and like an adult."

"Um, yeah, prank." Superboy gives a sickly grin. "It started as one. Don't know how it'd have ended up if you hadn't shown," he admits. "Uh... what tamer stuff are you talking about, man?" He had a fair idea, but wasn't quite sure.

"You have....kissing and cuddling." Roy then crosses his arms over his bear chest and gives you a bit of a glare. He isn't about to explain it. He isn't your sex therpist darn it! "You know da...darn well," he catches his almost curse word since Lian is in the room. "And you aren't getting me to say it, cause...well, cause!"

Now Superboy flashes a wider grin. "So, you're talking about doing anything so long as I'm not hitting a home run, an inside-the park, a grand slam, or any other kinds of home runs, are you?" He ponders that. "No problem. Lots of room there." That is, if Cassie was willing.

A snort at that, "Limit it to what you are both ready for," Roy says seriously. "There are times where you can grow up too fast, you know? Or perhaps, too hard," Roy admits. "And that isn't a lecture, it's just friendly advice from a friend, a comrade...an equal I guess you can say. We are all on this team together."

"Yeah," Kon admits. Better than making Cassie cry. That'd just make him feel like a super-heel. Kon nods, now looking thoughtful. "So, we're all on the same team, even though we've got Robin here, and Nightwing there? I mean, the guys from the old Young Justice group, we just listen to Robin. Because he's who we know."

"There are two sub-teams, sure...but Titans are Titans. It doesn't matter which team leader we follow, or if you were formerly Young Justice, or whatever. Once a Titan, always a Titan," and Roy smiles at that. "It's just how it is. We are a form of family. And as family, we sometimes get mad at each other, sometimes we even have to take breaks from each other, but we can always depend on each other, even if the Titans as a team is inactive. It's the truth."

"Right, man," Kon says with a grin. "Hokay. I think I've heard this speech from Tim. Except it was with a smaller group." He grins. "Is it always going to be like this?"

"I hope so. Titans have been through a number of incarnations...who knows how long this one will last before it breaks up again." Roy smiles a bit sadly at that thought. He obviously doesn't want it to break up. "Some incarnations were better than others and worked more efficiently, but all were Titans. That's the important part I think."

"Yeah," muses Kon, considering just how Young Justice broke up. Looking towards Roy, he wonders a bit if he's thinking the same thing, that he and Cassie had a shared bond over Donna. And then he decides it's not really his business. Plus, after being in such a hurry to be a Superman, it didn't seem so bad being a Superboy now. "Hey man. Is it okay if I join Lian in playing that game?" Kon says.

Before Roy can even speak, Lian whips her head around, "I need to restart again!" Yes, she went through that many lives. She then giggles, "You can play with me Superboy!" And she will kill you off tons of times too, Lian is truly terrible at this game. Then again, she is only four! She still thinks jerking the controller about helps her character jump up higher.

Roy chuckles, "I wouldn't dare try to stop you. I would have a mutanity on my hands," he teases Superboy.

Seating himself next to Lian, Superboy flashes a grin as he picks up the extra controller. "So how do I play...?" he asks Lian, even though he darned well knows how to play.

Lian starts to explain the game excitedly! "And to jump, you push this button and do this!" She jerks the controller upward as she pushes the button, "And he jumps! And you can be player too." And you wanted to know how she killed you? Well, she helps you play! When you try to jump, she helps you jerk your controller up into thea ir and messes you up! She's so very helpful though! And she cheers you on even when you die.