Chapter Text
"I believe that the appropriate human phrase here is 'are you fucking stupid'? Or delusional? Or possibly merely concussed. I would say that the latter is the most likely, except you could only have gotten the concussion during your one on one fight with the Joker and that fails to explain why, in fact, you were in a one on one fight with the Joker. But I'm sure there is a rational explanation that I've merely failed to see. Perhaps you will be able to explain it to me," growls Kaldur with uncharacteristic anger as he wraps the deep gash on Roy's chest, a bit more tightly than is strictly necessary in the archer's opinion.
Roy has the good grace to look slightly ashamed, and just a little bit surprised (Kaldur is supposed to be the calm one, the unshakable one, certainly not the sarcastic, worried one. That's always been his job. And maybe he did take a blow to the head because he's kind of thrilled that the other hero has spent enough time with him to pick up some of his traits) but not enough to stop him from responding, "What would you have wanted me to do? Let him ravage the city? Wait like a good little boy until the League arrived? Let innocents die?"
Kaldur takes a deep breath, and it is obvious that he has to work hard to control himself (and that's a topic that he really doesn't want to explore – how Roy always makes him feel moreeverything, how the other man has always been able to push his buttons like no other). A few moments later, when Aqualad deemed himself sufficiently calm, he replied, "Have you ever heard of the concept of, perhaps, calling for help?" seeing the mutinous look on his friends face, Kaldur shakes his head and continues before Roy could voice his objections, "It doesn't have to be Green Arrow or the Justice League. Any of Young Justice would be willing to help you. I would be willing to help you. Just . . . call next time. Please. I don't want to hear about it on the news again."
A pause in Kaldur's ministrations while Roy glares at him and Kaldur looks back, unflinching.
"Fine. I'll call next time," Roy gives in, because really, it would take a very strong man to resist the full force of a worried, angry, and completely endearing Atlantean, and he isn't that strong. Not by a long shot.
Kaldur finishes attending to Roy's various wounds in silence, apparently satisfied by this promise. But now that there was no longer that distraction, the quiet devolves from companionable into awkward, with both of them in Roy's miniscule bathroom, the archer perched on the sink, and Kaldur standing in front of him. Casting around wildly for something anything to end the discomfort (and since when were they awkward? It used to be that they never ran out of things to talk about. Just another thing that's changed) Roy hits upon, "So, pizza?"
Kaldur looked relieved. He noticed the awkwardness too, then. "Sure. But no –"
"Anchovies, yeah I got it," Roy cuts in, rolling his eyes as he heads into the kitchen for the phone.