Chapter Text
I Dream Ahead to What I Hope For
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He goes down hard. The blow to the back of his head, unexpected. He's on his knees struggling to get to his feet, but gets kicked in the ribs for his effort. He rolls to the side from the force.
Before he can try to get up again there's a gun pointed at his head. He knew taking this mission at the docks was a mistake. He knew it and yet he did it anyway. And now he's not sure how he's going to get out of this. He can only hope the plan is to take him alive. Maybe he can try to escape if that's the case.
He doesn't know, and the head injury is making it hard to think. His hope for being taken alive is short lived when he hears the safety click off the gun at his head.
"Any last words Arsenal?"
Roy looks up and grins with bloody teeth, he's got nothing to lose if he's about to die. "Fuck you."
He hears the gunshot and flinches. He can't help it. He doesn't feel it though and when he looks his assailant is standing with a bullet wound through his chest.
"Holy shit," he whispers, heart beating frantically in his chest as the body hits the ground.
He slowly crawls forward until he's able to shakily rise to his feet where he sways unsteadily.
"Whoever you are," he calls out, "thank you."
He turns in a slow circle looking for his savior. To his left on top of a shipping container he spots a figure wearing a red helmet, chest armor with a stylized red bat and a pair of guns strapped to thick thighs. The man nods his head in acknowledgement and gives a jaunty little salute before turning and jumping off the container.
He comes up out of a roll and disappears behind another container.
Roy is left watching, staring really, at where the man had been standing. He doesn't know who the man was, but he hopes to see him again.
💥
If you asked Red Hood he wouldn't be able to say why he stopped the red headed vigilante from being killed. It wasn't his business, not his case to work. But Nightwing had asked him to check out the docks, and with nothing better to do, he went.
He doesn't feel bad about shooting the guy. He recognized him as being part of the Carreno crime family. A quick look around didn't reveal anything unusual, but he planted some cameras in the area just in case. Figuring Dick must have sent him there for a reason.
He heads home thinking about the red haired man, Arsenal he heard him called. Maybe he should find out a little more about him, especially if he's going to be operating in Red Hood's territory.
That night he dreams about red hair, freckles and a bloody mouth.
🏹
Roy wakes up with a killer headache and the taste of copper in his mouth. He stumbles into the shower and lets the water beat down on his back. His plan was to work in his shop until it was time to go back out on patrol, but he thinks it's best if he takes a couple of days off. Maybe do a little research, possibly call in some help.
He's pretty sure the Carreno's are expecting a large shipment of either drugs or guns in the next week and he wants to be ready for when it happens.
His mind strays to his mysterious hero from the night before. Maybe when he calls in help on this case he'll also make a casual inquiry about his mystery man.
After getting out of the shower he throws on a pair of low cut jeans and a threadbare t-shirt. He makes a pot of coffee, swallows a couple of ibuprofen, and drinks two cups before even considering making breakfast.
He's eating a piece of toast when he texts Dick.
Red headed step child : hey, you got a minute
Dickiebird : for you? Of course
Dickiebird : what's up?
Red headed step child : I've got a line on something. You got time to get together?
Dickiebird : something that needs a cape? Can I bring Tim?
Red headed step child : yeah, bring him along. Bring food
Dickiebird : lol. How's later today? About 3ish?
Red headed step child : see you then
He puts his phone away and continues munching on his toast. He's got some time before Dick shows up to get some work done in his shop.
Dick shows up at 3:15 with Tim. As promised he's got 3 pizzas in his hands. Roy lets them in and grabs the pizzas, already reaching for a slice before he's even got plates out.
He skipped lunch.
Dick flops down on the couch with a slice and pulls Tim into his lap.
Roy raises an eyebrow. "Is this new?" He asks, gesturing between the two men.
Dick chews and swallows. "Not really. It's been about six months. We're just now letting people we know in on it."
Smiling Tim takes a bite of his own slice. Roy has met him a couple of times before. He seems okay. Didn't picture him getting together with Dick, but what does he know anyway. They look happy.
"I'm working on a lead for a shipment of something for the Carreno family. Ran into some trouble last night down at the docks."
"You want us to look over what you've got?" Dick asks.
"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind."
Roy goes over everything he knows with Dick and Tim and gets some good insight. He doesn't know that Dick's information is coming from the cameras planted by Red Hood or that he already suspected something was going on, which is why he sent Red Hood to look around. Dick agrees to help him out and keep an eye on the docks for the next two nights so Roy can rest up from his concussion.
He tried to resist, but he can't help it. He has to know if Dick has any information.
"When I was out there last night someone got the jump on me. I wasn't sure I was gonna make it out, but some guy in a red helmet with a bat on his chest helped me out. Sound familiar? He one of yours?"
Dick and Tim share a look.
"Sounds like Red Hood."
Roy rolls his eyes. "...okay, and…what's up with him?"
Dick shifts on the couch jostling Tim. "He works with us sometimes. Batman doesn't like his methods. Says he's too violent."
"Well his violence saved my ass so he's alright in my book."