Archive of Our Own

“Care to explain?”

He threw a newspaper down on the table. Upon impact, it’s pages unfurled, revealing the image plastered on the front. A cowboy and a knight glaring down a towering, hulkish figure surrounded by crowds, flags, and rainbows. A powerful image for many but for Sir Justin, it felt like a death sentence. 

“I’ll ask again,” Batman said, leaning forward on the table. “Care to explain?”

Sir Justin wasn’t really sure how it happened.

Years down the road when he told the story, he’d describe it as a whirlwind. It just crept up on them, a surge of undeniable emotions, something they couldn’t not act on. The perfect tale, one worthy of being in the storybooks. Vigilante said the same. But in reality, that was not the case.

In truth, it was awkward. Months of developing feelings, bubbling nerves, and subtle looks, neither wanting to act first. Because how could they? They were friends, Greg told himself. He couldn’t ruin what they had. He couldn’t risk it, Sir Justin decided. History had not been kind to men who harbored feelings for other men in this way.

Sir Justin never planned to say anything but Greg did and he was grateful for it. 

The night wasn’t anything outstanding. It started off like any other. The pair were lounging in Vigilante’s quarters, like they often did. Sometimes others joined them but tonight they were alone. Not unusual. Nothing particularly exceptional. But, it was special and Sir Justin wouldn’t change it for the world.

Later on, Sir Justin wouldn’t remember Greg’s exact words. He’d been too surprised, too emotional, too caught in the moment, to really remember much. Greg admitted he didn’t remember either, despite rehearsing it in his head so many times before he uttered them. But Sir Justin could remember how the words made him feel and he wouldn’t trade that memory even to hear those precious words one more time.

Greg knew Sir Justin came from a time that was, uh, less than kind to people like them but he didn’t expect it to take this much effort to convince him to go with him to pride.

“Come on.” Greg’s voice took a slight whine to it, not quite enough to indicate he was upset but enough to show his conviction to the subject. “I’m sure you’ll love it.”

The pair were sitting on the couch in Vigilante’s quarters, as they often did. Green Arrow and S.T.R.I.P.E. had spent a good part of the evening there but as much as Vigilante liked them, he couldn’t wait for them to leave. Afterall, they couldn’t sit together like this with others there. Well, technically they could but Greg doubted Shining Knight would appreciate it.

Sir Justin frowned, though Greg couldn’t really see it, leaning against him and all. “I still do not understand the purpose of this… Pride Parade, as you call it. A public meeting for homosexuals, how do you know it is not organized by your militia? Is this not the perfect opportunity for an attack?”

“First of all, we don’t really call ourselves homosexuals anymore. Remind me to brush you up on your vocabulary sometime, doll,” Greg told him. “And second, that’s why we need to go.”

“To get arrested?”

“No. To show you that we won’t get arrested.” Greg held back a sigh. He was trying to be patient, he really was. He knew he couldn’t fathom how hard it was for Shining Knight to jump from the sixth century to the present, especially as a gay man. Still, his hesitance was bordering on paranoia. What would it take him to see that things changed? “Look, we don’t have to if you really don’t want to-”

“Which I do not.”

“-but I think it’d be important for you to see that loving a man isn’t something that you need to hide anymore. This time of the year, it’s celebrated!”

“Celebrated?” Sir Justin sounded doubtful but he was listening and Greg wasn’t about to lose his momentum.

“Yeah, celebrated. People gather ‘round big cities and it’s like a big ‘ol party. And it’s not just gay men. Lesbians, trans people, asexu- You don’t know what any of these words mean, do you?”

Sir Justin shook his head. “I do not. But I see the point you are trying to make.”

A grin tugged at Greg’s lips. “Yeah, well, what I’m trying to say is that there are all kinds of people at these things. They gather because they know they’re accepted here and they don’t have to hide. Hell, they’re doing the opposite of hiding. There are flags and glitter and noise makers and rainbow shit everywhere- it’s great. People take their families and friends and there are kids and… I don’t really know how to say it. You’ve gotta see it with your own eyes, Justin.”

Sir Justin hesitated. “What if we are recognized?”

“It’s not unusual for people to wear hats. Or bandanas. We can get you one with the Achillean flag on it. I think you’ll like that one.”

“Achilles? You do know he died over six hundred years before I was born?”

“I- Hand me my laptop. We’re going to watch a video and teach you all the terms. I can’t be seen at pride with a man who doesn’t know what the acronym stands for.”

“What acronym?”

“Jesus Christ, we have a long night ahead of us, doll.”

Sir Justin had to say that Greg was right. This really felt like a celebration.

It was a parade, kind of like the one he and Greg had gone to in Superman’s place all that time ago, but it was less rigid. There was the flow of movement but people joined and left as they pleased, save a few floats with performers. Drag queens, as Greg called them. Sir Justin found the art fascinating and Greg humored him by pulling him to the base of the float for a closer look. One of the ladies- or men? Justin had a hard time remembering all the right words- called out and complimented his bandana. He told her where to buy one before the pair were sucked back into the river of people. He didn’t really mind. There was so much to see.

Greg had spent a long time telling him about the flags but Sir Justin was shocked to see there were so many. He only recognized a handful of them yet the sight of them filled him with deep, resolute joy. Each one had a meaning behind it, each color of each stripe representing some kind of value. Each one symbolized how far mankind had come. The realization made his chest swell up with emotion and his eyes fill with tears.

“Are you alright?” Greg asked, noticing that his partner’s eyes were watering. “Do you want to leave?”

Sir Justin shook his head. “I’m just so happy.”

Behind his bi flag bandana, Vigilante smiled. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a loud crash. At first, Sir Justin dismissed it as a float bumping a trash can or a truck knocking over a fence. The roar that followed told him otherwise.

Sir Justin and Greg exchanged a glance. The question silently passed between them. On one hand, they were posing as civilians right now. On the other, that didn’t mean they weren’t still heroes. Making the decision quickly, Sir Justin whistled for Winged Victory, hoping she could hear him over all the noise, before Greg pulled him off the street and into an alleyway for them to change into their costumes.

Fully decked out in their hero gear and riding pegasus and motorcycle respectively, Shining Knight and Vigilante joined the fray and sped off to see what dared disrupt the parade.

Shining Knight didn’t expect to find General Eiling roaring at the attendees. To their credit, they seemed unfazed by the towering monster but that only made Shining Knight more nervous. In the winter, his bones still ached from the beat down Eiling gave him last time they ran into each other. The only reason he was alive was because civilians stood up for him. These were civilians but if Eiling was here, Shining Knight doubted Eiling would show them the same respect he’d shown others in the past.

“Didn’t take you as the homophobic type,” Vigilante commented as he, Shining Knight, and Winged Victory pulled up, “but I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Eiling snorted. “I have better things to do than protest a bunch of queers parading around downtown. I’m not here for you but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad to get another chance at taking you two nuisances out.”

“I hear the term queer has been reclaimed.” Shining Knight slid off Winged Victory, raising his sword and taking a battle stance. “You will need to try harder if you wish to hurt us with your words.”

“You tell him, Sir Justin!”

Eiling pounded his fists together. “Oh, I’m going to use a lot more than words to hurt you.”

The fight wasn’t nearly as bad as last time. As angry as Eiling was, he was also distracted. Shining Knight had no idea why. It worked out in the end though. They didn’t do much but they’d occupied Eiling long enough for the civilians to clear out and no one was hurt, including the heroes. Shining Knight considered it a good, though not glorious, victory. Any battle that ended in no injured was a good one, in his mind. No harm was done in the end.

Or at least, he thought.

Greg seemed stressed after they left. Anxious, even. Sir Justin had half a mind to question it but decided to bite his tongue. Greg seemed to calm down on his own by the evening so it couldn’t have been that worrisome. He thought it was over but Vigilante just tensed right back up the next day when they returned to the Watchtower.

It took Shining Knight a moment but he quickly realized it was for good reason. People kept glancing at them as they passed by, whispering amongst themselves. Shining Knight couldn’t quite hear anything they were saying but the unease in his belly and Greg’s defensive posture told him it wasn’t anything good.

It was a relief when they spotted their friends and were waved down. Green Arrow, S.T.R.I.P.E. and Stargirl were at a table in the cafeteria. Neither Shining Knight nor Vigilante had much of an appetite at the moment but they practically leaped at the chance for some respite from all the glances and murmurs thrown their way on their walk through the Watchtower.

“Thanks for the save, pardners,” Vigilante muttered as he sat down. Part of Shining Knight wanted to remain standing but he forced himself to settle down and take a seat beside him. “I didn’t know how much more of that I could take.”

If they were seated closer, Shining Knight was sure Green Arrow would’ve patted Vigilante’s shoulder. “Yeah, you looked half ready to throw up.”

“I do not understand what’s gotten into everyone. The League is normally not this…” Shining Knight trailed off with a loose gesture, unable to find the right adjective to express his thoughts. “Is there some news awaiting us? Or is there something unusual about our appearances that would warrant confusion?”

All he got in response was three blank stares. After a couple false starts, S.T.R.I.P.E. was the first to speak. “You read a newspaper today?”

“No one reads newspapers anymore, old man,” Green Arrow scoffed. He leaned forward. “You looked at your news app today?”

“Both of you are old,” Stargirl sighed. “You two are all over the internet!”

“I… did not understand any of that,” Shining Knight admitted. He glanced at Vigilante. The cowboy always had the perfect explanation for these things of the modern world but right now, he looked lost for words. The stress was back, it seemed. By the time Vigilante found it in himself to try to speak, an announcement blared over the Watchtower’s loudspeakers.

“Vigilante and Shining Knight please report to the founders’ table. Vigilante and Shining Knight please report to the founders’ table.”

Shining Knight’s stomach clenched. He’d heard about the founders’ table, though that wasn’t the exact phrase the Question had used to describe it. It was essentially the room the League’s original seven members used to- Well, Shining Knight didn’t know what they used it for. Private leadership things, he assumed. And meet with unsuspecting knights and cowboys, it seemed.

“Good luck,” Stargirl told them while S.T.R.I.P.E. and Green Arrow shot the pair awkward looks of encouragement. Vigilante tipped his hat to them silently before rising and turning away. Shining Knight lingered for a moment, trying to get an idea of what to prepare for based on his friends’ expressions, before following him.

The whispers were back when the duo began heading toward the meeting room on the other side of the satellite. The other Leaguers were being a bit less subtle in their stares but at least there was some effort to be discreet, even if it wasn’t doing much. Crimson Fox leaned over to say something in Hour Man’s ear. Elongated Man stretched his neck to talk to Atom Smasher. Ice and the Ray exchanged meaningful glances. No one Shining Knight was particularly close to but it hurt that the ones he did know kept their lips shut instead of approaching him, at least somewhat. It was like everyone was in on some secret except him and they just expected him to figure it out on his own.

It was alienating. That wasn’t a foreign feeling but it wasn’t one he’d felt in awhile. Sure, he still encountered things he didn’t understand- just this morning Greg had to tell him not to stick a knife in the toaster after it stole his bread from him and refused to give it back- but he’d made friends who were patient and always willing to explain whatever he was missing, most of the time at least. But now, even Vigilante wasn’t saying anything. Worse, he was avoiding his eyes.

That was probably the worst of it. Why would Greg refuse to face him? He always seemed to like his face, even before they got together. Had he done something to offend him? He knew there was nothing on his face that would warrant aversion like this. Maybe he’d turned into some grotesque monster in his sleep, like Etrigan, and everyone was just too afraid to tell him. A childish guess, maybe, but Shining Knight was reaching his tipping point.

Thankfully, they’d reached their destination. Without even a glance in Shining Knight’s direction, Vigilante pushed the door open and stepped into the hidden room. Brighter light washed over the two of them and they stopped before a round, seven-seated table.

“Well, this isn’t intimidating in the slightest,” Vigilante said dryly upon entering. Sarcasm, Shining Knight knew, but he felt it was unnecessary. With Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, the Flash, and the Martian Manhunter all staring at them, Shining Knight was definitely intimidated and he felt the founders should know it.

“I know, right? This whole set up is too much,” the Flash grumbled. He kicked his feet up on the table, clearly bored. “I don’t understand why we all need to be here. Bats, Supes, and Diana can definitely handle… whatever it is they want to do.”

“Hush,” Hawkgirl scolded, punching him in the shoulder, but the deed was done. The tension and severity was broken, at least to some degree. That meant this shouldn’t be anything worrying, right? 

Batman, wasting no time, rose the moment the pair reached the edge of the table. “Care to explain?”

He threw a newspaper down on the table. Upon impact, it’s pages unfurled, revealing the image plastered on the front. A cowboy and a knight glaring down a towering, hulkish figure surrounded by crowds, flags, and rainbows. A powerful image for many but for Sir Justin it felt like a death sentence. 

“I’ll ask again,” Batman said, leaning forward on the table. “Care to explain?”

Shining Knight felt his stomach drop and his blood grow cold. Cameras! Of course! Everyone had them. Hell, Sir Justin even had one of those phone things in his pocket right now and he was pretty sure it had a camera too. Everything was being recorded always. No wonder Greg was so nervous last night. He was afraid someone had gotten pictures of him and Sir Justin at the festival. And if the other Leaguers’ behavior around them wasn’t enough, the headline of the newspaper definitely was to tell them it was more than just a fear.

“Justice League members seen at local Pride event,” it read. “Shining Knight and Vigilante relationship confirmed?”

Greg and Sir Justin locked eyes, panic flowing between them. For the first time, Sir Justin understood why Greg had been so awkward around him today. He didn’t want to scare him, to show him how scared he was. He wanted him to have a few last moments in blissful ignorance before learning that everything they’d worked so hard to hide was now ripped out of them and exposed to the world.

Shining Knight opened his mouth to say something. Anything. But his mind was blank and no words came out. Luckily for him, Vigilante was always a smooth talker and a skilled liar.

“We were passing through the city when we spotted Eiling,” Vigilante responded calmly. He put his hands in his pockets casually. “We saw ‘im snooping around so we decided to step in. You know what happened last time that varmint went to a parade.”

“Some of the public is speculating that you two were attendees,” the Manunter commented neutrally.

“Taradiddles,” Vigilante responded. Shining Knight felt like he was leaning on his Southwestern slang a bit too heavily to avoid confronting the real issue but he was handling himself a lot better than Shining Knight so he supposed he couldn’t complain. “You really think a cowboy and a knight would be part of a parade? Other than to take Superman’s place, I mean. Not really our style.”

“Not that there is anything wrong with being a parade goer,” Shining Knight added quickly. Maybe it was making him sound bad, it was definitely making himself sound suspicious, but it was the first thing his mouth managed to say so he rolled with it. “It all seemed very… festive.”

“Oh yeah. I agree, Simon Pure. Gay rights and all that. I myself am a ladies man but it’s the twenty-first century. If stopping Eiling from beating up queer folk, I’d beat ‘im up ten times over.”

“I’m pretty sure queer is a slur,” Flash piped up.

“I hear it has been reclaimed,” Shining Knight responded before he realized he was speaking. He coughed awkwardly. “Or, um, that is what the people we spoke to at the event said after Eiling left.”

It was very obvious that the Leaguers were not convinced in the slightest. Well, maybe Flash but the guy wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to conversation. Shining Knight resisted the urge to smile awkwardly or flash one of those peace signs that Stargirl was trying to teach him how to do. A silly thing to fall back on, maybe, but he didn’t know what to do with his hands and he knew better than to grab the hilt of his sword or reach for Greg.

Wonder Woman put her elbows up on the desk. “You know, it’s okay if you are in a relationship.”

Vigilante laughed. Shining Knight knew it was fake but still, it hurt. He focused on keeping a neutral expression. Maybe it would be better to try to match Vigilante’s energy but he didn’t know if he was capable of that right now, not with his heart pounding a mile a minute. God, Superman could definitely hear that, couldn’t he?

Vigilante threw an arm around Shining Knight’s shoulder. “Me and Sir Justin? Not in a million years. He’s my best friend and nothing more.”

Shining Knight thought that was pretty convincing. Very friendly, strictly platonic and not bordering on romantic in any way. Like they’d practiced when they first got together. And it seemed the other Leaguers were buying it.

“If we’re done asking about Shining Knight and Vigilante’s personal lives,” Green Lantern spoke up, “we should talk about Eiling.”

“Right. Eigling.” Vigilante put a hand on the table. “What was he doing? Didn’t exactly seem friendly toward the paraders but it didn’t look like he was there for them.”

“He’s still on uneasy terms with the government,” Superman explained, “but he’s working with Waller again.”

“Cadmus?”

“Not exactly.”

“I got into contact with Waller. She told me she’s got some kind of villain reformation program,” Batman told them. He tossed another file on the table. Shining Knight and Vigilante peered down on it. Shining Knight didn’t recognize the woman whose image the file displayed but she looked like quite a character. Definitely not a normal civilian. “Harley Quinn escaped and she’s got Eiling after her.”

“Eiling?” Apparently this was news to the rest of the League because they looked just as surprised as Vigilante and Shining Knight. Shining Knight didn’t know who this Harley Quinn was supposed to be but Wonder Woman looked deeply bothered by Batman’s words. “Why would Waller send Eiling after Harley? She’s not even a meta human, ignoring the insanity.”

“Eiling seems like overkill,” Superman agreed, earning nods from Flash and Hawkgirl.

“That’s where you two come in,” Batman said, addressing Shining Knight and Vigilante. “You two have the most experience with Eiling in this state. I want you two to find Harley Quinn before Eiling and make sure Eiling doesn’t hurt her or anyone else.”

Shining Knight was pleased to be trusted with such a mission but it didn’t sit right with him. “Are we truly the best people for this mission? I do not believe us incapable. I myself have slain many ogre in my day and I do not doubt Vigilante’s fortitude-

“Fortitude? Really? That’s the only good thing you can think of me? I fought Thanagarians, Sir Justin. I think those are comparable to ogres.”

“They are really not,” Shining Knight told him quickly before turning back to Batman and continuing his point. “Every time we faced Eiling, we have struggled. The first time we met, he wished to fight Superman and I believe Eiling would have given him a worthy battle. If Eiling tries to hurt someone, we may not be able to stop him. Perhaps someone like Metamorpho, Vixen, Zatanna, or Atom-Smasher would be better suited for this mission. Or at the very least, have Green Arrow, S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl, Speedy, and the Crimson Avenger help us.”

“S.T.R.I.P.E. and Stargirl have a house in Gotham. Green Arrow should be there for the week as well. You can call Speedy and the Crimson Avenger if you need them.”

Shining Knight wanted to protest. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to take the mission or even that he felt like Batman was undervaluing them by putting them on a longer mission that was mostly just running around. Eiling was a big threat, he knew that, and he appreciated that Batman recognized his and Vigilante’s experience with him. It was just-

Pain jolted up through his ribs. It wasn’t real, he knew that, but he nearly had to put a hand on the table to stabilize himself. His body never felt the same after that first encounter and he had magic armor. Vigilante didn’t. Neither did Green Arrow, Stargirl, Speedy, or the Crimson Avenger. S.T.R.I.P.E.’s armor was pretty good but Eiling had torn through it like it was nothing. Civilians had even less. The seven soldiers were a barrier meant to protect them but were they a strong enough barrier? Shining Knight didn’t know.

But Batman had given him a mission. And before everything, he was a knight. Knights never backed down from missions, no matter how challenging they were. A quick glance at Greg told him that he shared his resolution. 

The pair turned back to Batman, backs straight and souls thrumming with purpose. “When do we start?”

Batman set them up in an apartment in Gotham. It was better than a safehouse or bunker, Sir Justin supposed, especially because they were going to be living here for a few days, but it seemed oddly unprofessional. Domestic, even. And there was only one bed. Which wasn’t a problem but Sir Justin could read the subtext, as Greg called it.

“Why did you not you tell me?” Sir Justin asked as he and Greg brought in the last of their bags. Well, their only bags. They packed light, only the essentials. This was a mission, not a vacation. Chances were they wouldn’t have a lot of downtime.

“Tell you what?” Greg asked, looking up from where he was poking at the bizarre knickknacks mounted on the wall over the stove. Sir Justin couldn’t tell if he was playing dumb or if he was actually confused.

“That we were photographied. At the parade.”

“Photographed,” Greg corrected like second nature but it didn’t sound like he cared all that much. He went silent for a moment, walking out of the kitchen to watch Sir Justin from across the living room. “I…”

“It’s okay, whatever the reason is,” Sir Justin assured. “Are you ashamed at the thought of being with another man? The idea of others knowing, at least.”

“What? No!” Vigilate exclaimed. He crossed the room quickly, cupping Sir Justin’s jaw gently to press a light kiss against his lips. More softly, he told him, “Doll, no. I’m not ashamed to be with you.”

“Then why?” Sir Justin asked, trying not to sound too demanding, as he took Greg’s hands away from his face to hold them.

“I didn’t think you were ready to come out, being from the sixth century and all. I know things are different now but it’s still scary for a lot of people. And for people to find out without your consent…” Greg trailed off for a moment before admitting, “And I don’t know if I felt ready yet either. It was so sudden. It still feels kind of surreal. You know, I’m from the South. I love it there but they don’t really got the best reputation for being friendly to folk like us. You’re the first man I’ve been with-”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“Hush. And wipe that smirk off your face. Who taught you that?” Greg chuckled before sobering. “I really love you, Sir Justin. I like what we have. The idea of others ruining it scares me.”

Sir Justin frowned. “Then why did you want to take the risk?”

“What risk?”

“Going to the pride parade.”

“Oh. That.”

“Yes. That. I enjoyed it and I am glad you brought me but I’m still a bit confused about your motives.”

Greg merely shrugged. “It felt like the right move. I’ve only gone once, right when I moved to the city. It’s a big moment for a lot of people. It lets them know that there are others like them. That they’re wonderful and accepted and not broken and- and-”

An affectionate smile spread across Sir Justin’s face and he leaned against his partner. “I know. I felt that way when I was there.”

Sir Justin couldn’t see Greg’s face at the moment but he could tell he was smiling. “Good. I wanted- needed you to see that. I wasn’t really planning on coming out anytime soon but I want to some day. I felt like making sure you knew that we could was a big step in our relationship. Sorry, I probably should have told you that before we went.”

“It is fine,” Sir Justin assured, leaning back slightly so he could see Greg’s face. He looked so good like this, without his bandana covering everything below his eyes. Of course, he looked good in a bandana but everyone saw him like that. This, this was all for him. “But you still have not answered my original question.”

“I’m pretty sure I did.”

“Pretty sure is not sure.”

Greg rolled his eyes affectionately and untangled himself from Sir Justin to pace. Sir Justin missed the contact but he didn’t mind much. He knew this helped Greg think. Sir Justin had plenty of gusses but he needed to hear the truth. And he was pretty sure Greg needed to say it, for his sake more than his partner’s.

“I meant what I said about not wanting to scare you too bad,” Greg started slowly, “but I had some selfish reasons.”

“Oh?”

“Well, maybe not selfish,” Greg amended, fingering the cuffs of his shirt as he spoke. Sir Justin longed to take his hands again but sensed Greg needed some space for the moment. “I know you’d get all on my ass about what is and isn’t selfish if I went on about that.”

“I most certainly would.”

“I think it was pretty obvious I was afraid too. I guess I just wanted time to process it all on my own,” Greg told him, “but it was a bit unfair to keep it from you. You had a right to know.”

“I did.”

“And everyone staring at us probably didn’t help.”

“It did not.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

“Can you forgive me, doll?”

Sir Justin felt the warmth in his heart spread to the rest of his body. He nodded easily. “Bold of you to assume I haven’t already, love.”

Greg groaned. “Did you just quote a meme?”

“Courtney sent it to me thirty minutes ago. I read it upon our arrival. I must say, your reaction was much more amusing than the original.”

“I need to have a talk with that little lady. She’s such a bad influence on you.”

“But who else would teach me about the meemees.”

“Jesus Chirst. You’re really pushing it here, Sir Justin.”

“You love me.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Both Vigilante and Shining Knight were experienced trackers but the city wasn’t exactly their element. Gotham especially. Gotham didn’t exactly run like other cities and Batman was too tight-lipped and unwelcoming for any other heroes to get familiar with it. For the first couple days, Sir Justin felt more like a tourist than anything.

On the third day, they decided to resort to using the internet.

Sir Justin still had a hard time understanding anything online, even Greg struggled at times, but he did know that Gothamites thrived on villain drama and had no sense of self-preservation. It was shocking to see civilians casually recording high-profile villains like Two-Face or Kite Man at restaurants, theaters, and markets, all on simple cell phone cameras. Watching them, Sir Justin became increasingly less surprised that a picture of him and Vigilante fighting Eiling ended up spreading so quickly. It was a wonder no one caught wind of them sharing in an apartment in Gotham right now.

But, as extensive as the internet’s help was, Greg found no sign of Harley. There were plenty of videos of the Joker and a lot of older posts about the two of them but nothing recent. Nothing that could be of any help.

“Another dead end,” Greg groaned, leaning away from the laptop. He ran his hands over his face, looking tired. Sir Justin wanted to offer him some sympathy but truth be told he hadn’t been looking at the screen most of the time so he doubted Greg would appreciate it.

“Perhaps we could give this Joker character a visit?” Sir Justin suggested but Greg shook his head.

“Nah. He’s looney enough to help but it’s a big gamble. And I don’t think Batman would like us fraternizing with his rival on his turf. You know how territorial bats are,” Greg told him. Sir Justin did not know that but he took Greg’s word for it. “You’re on the right track though.”

“I am?”

“Yup.” Greg began typing a new line into the search bar. “Harley’s well established in Gotham’s supervillain circuit. One of ‘em gotta know where she is.”

“I thought you said visiting the Joker is too risky.”

“Yeah. I did. But Harley’s got other friends.” Greg hit enter and a list of Gotham’s top villains appeared. He leaned back in and began reading. “Let’s see here… Scarecrow, Riddler, Bane, Penguin, Catwoman…”

“The Penguin doesn’t sound very dangerous.”

“I think he’s a mob boss.”

“Oh. Nevermind then.”

“But according to this, he’s Jewish.”

“I don’t see how that helps us.”

“It doesn’t. I just thought it was interesting. This site has a lot of fun facts next to the na- Hey! Catwoman is bisexual!”

“Like you!”

“Yeah! Like me.”

“Maybe she will be inclined to help us due to-” Sir Justin paused, trying to think of the phrase Greg taught him, “bisexual friendship.”

“You mean bi solidarity?”

“Yes. That.”

“It’s cute that you’re trying to use your new vocabulary words but please stop. You’re not using any of them correctly,” Greg chuckled. “But that’s a good idea.”

“I was not being serious when I suggested you take advantage of your shared identity.”

“What? No, not that part. Catwoman,” Greg explained, “is on good terms with Harley. I think. I don’t really keep up with these things. But I think I’ve heard that all of Gotham’s heroines are in cahoots with each other.”

“Cahoots?”

“They have some kind of alliance. She might be able to tell us where Harley is.”

“That’s fantastic! Where do we find her?”

“...”

“I shall call Green Arrow.”

“The secret is following the cats.”

“What?” Shining Knight and Vigilante stared at the green-glad archer blankly as he spieled off his plan with wild gesticulations. He was animated, a bit more than usual. Shining Knight feared he’d fall off the rooftop. Was he intoxicated? He didn’t smell or look like it but what did he know?

“You know that trope where like the hot prince or princess or, uh, any attractive person, really, gives their cat the keys to their house and tell the city that they’ll date whoever catches the cat?”

“What are you on, city boy?”

“That sounds ridiculous,” Shining Knight added, crossing his arms.

Green Arrow scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “Sorry. I just got back from the theater. Anyway, my point is that Catwoman has a ton of cats. They go back to her apartment at night so if you can figure out which cats are hers, you can find her place. Batman tells me her favorites have keys on their collars.”

“That sounds like a security hazard.”

“Yeah, I don’t know why she does it. It’s hot, I guess? But it helps Batman find her when he needs to and it’s going to help us.”

“If Batman knows where she lives, should we not just ask him instead of going on this wild goose chase?” Shining Knight asked but Green Arrow shook his head.

“She moves a lot. She’s a criminal with a crapton of cats. She can’t really stay in one place for long.”

“Do you at least know which part of Gotham she’s in?” Vigilante asked. Green Arrow shook his head. The cowboy sighed. “I guess we’re going cat wrangling.”

Sir Justin knew what a cat was, of course. He just didn’t expect there to be so many.

In his day, cats were the things of the rich and the poor. In the homes of the wealthy, they were spoiled companions that entertained the children and created work for the servants. To the peasants, they were valuable friends that roamed the farmlands and protected the crops from pests. Being a knight, Sir Justin never spent much time around them but he was fairly certain the creatures climbing in his lap weren’t the same ones that used to hiss and scratch at his feet whenever he dared get close.

“How are you doing that?” Green Arrow whined, hands empty and catless. The buffoon.

Shining Knight shrugged. “Patience is a virtue.”

“Bullshit. Cats are too smart to fall for that. Did you smear your armor with tuna before we came out?”

“Smear my armor with- No! You’re just scaring them with all your movement,” Shining Knight answered. He plucked a cat off his lap and held it up for emphasis. “Try sitting down. It’s easier to check their collars when they approach willingly.”

“I am not sitting down in an alley. People piss in these things, you know. And it’s Gotham which makes it so much grosser.”

“You are kind of chasing them, pardner,” Vigilante pointed out.

“You’re the cowboy!” Green Arrow lamented, jabbing an accusatory finger. “You’re supposed to be encouraging me to chase them.”

“You know what they say about herding cats. Get creative for Christ's sake. Wave that feather in your hat a bit.”

“I don’t see you flapping your bandana around, Vig.”

“They’re cats, not bulls,” Shining Knight spoke up but the pair seemed too engrossed in their bickering to hear him.

“A man’s bandana is sacred. I’m not letting these little monsters shred it up with their talons.”

“I bet you’ve got like a million of them. If you’re going to suggest I use my costume as bait, you better be ready to do the same.”

“There’s the thing right there. I’d never call my threads a costume. Your get up on the other hand…”

“Oh, shove off, Vig.”

Shining Knight sighed and shook his head, turning to the nearest approaching cat. “I would ask you what happened to man but men squabbled like this in my time as well, though they were less affectionate than these two. Someone certainly would have drawn a sword by now.”

The cat mewled and padded over, attempting to climb into Shining Knight’s lap but the cats already nestled in the crook of his legs prevented her from doing so. Instead, she clambered up onto his knee and pawed at the hilt of his blade. Shining Knight could barely contain his joy.

“Oh, you like swords? How would you like to hear the tale of how I bested an ogre? She actually turned out to be Morgaine Le Fay, I tell you. It is a good tale but my friends tire of hearing it.”

He got a meow in response which he chose to take as a yes. Deciding this was his new favorite cat, he moved to pick her up but a shiny glint on her collar caught his eye.

“Oliver, Gregory,” Shining Knight called, scooping the cat up in his hands. The boys’ banter ceased and they looked up as Shining Knight got to his feet. “I believe I have found one of Catwoman’s cats.”

The cat’s collar was embedded with stolen jewels. Sir Justin would call it beautiful if it wasn’t so peculiarly villainous. He knew it wasn’t the cat’s fault though. But what was important was the collar had attached to its clip. There was a tag, of course, with all the ownership details and Catwoman’s signature mark, but there was also one of the keys Arrow had mentioned earlier. A security hazard, truly. Especially considering the fact the cat just let Sir Justin take it from her. The cat was not a very vigilant guard.

Green Arrow swiped the key from the collar and replaced it with a tracker from one of his arrows in case the cat escaped them. The trio spent the rest of the day trying to keep the cat entertained and within their sights but as soon as night fell, the cat grew bored of them and decided to head home. It was a bit of a struggle for three grown men to follow a creature as small and nimble as a cat but Sir Justin’s new feline friend ended up leading them straight to Catwoman’s apartment. 

It was a quaint thing. Not quite what Sir Justin expected. It was not unlike the very apartment Batman stuck him and Greg in, though that may just be a sign that all Gotham’s apartment buildings had the same old architecture. Still, it seemed oddly normal for a renowned supervillain. But, everyone had to sleep somewhere, he supposed. An apartment was a bit more discreet than, say, the Joker’s base, Two-Face’s warehouse, or the Penguin’s bar.

“We are not using the key,” Vigilante stated definitively when the trio reached the top of the stairs.

“Come on, she stuck a key on a cat. A cat who clearly is not trained to protect it, I might add. It’s definitely an invitation to come in.”

“No way in hell are we using that darn thing to break into a lady’s home.”

“It’s not breaking in. We have a key.”

Already tired of their banter, Shining Knight brushed past them, walked right up to the door, and knocked. The noise drew his companions’ attention and they immediately directed their rowdiness towards him.

“Sir Justin!”

“You need to keep a better eye on your boyfriend, cowboy,” Green Arrow groaned, rubbing a gloved hand over his face. Vigilante didn’t argue or correct him, which Sir Justin’s heart simultaneously found both delightful and anxiety-inducing, but maybe that was only because the apartment door was already swinging open.

The woman who answered the door was a gorgeous thing. Sir Justin may be gay but he had eyes. He wouldn’t be surprised if Arrow and Vigilante’s silence came purely from the shock of seeing such a stunning woman appear in the doorway. Her casual, borderline revealing robes certainly didn’t help either- clearly she hadn’t been expecting company- but Sir Justin wasn’t tempted to look particularly closely and his eyes quickly moved on to the sparkling, cat-eye studs that littered her ears. Clearly stolen, if what he’d read was anything to go off of.

Emerald eyes roamed up and down his armor, inspecting him. Like Batman, she spent no time getting to her point. “I saw you on the news this morning. What do you want?”

“You’re Catwoman, yes?” he tried. She gestured vaguely behind her. Shining Knight leaned slightly to look past her and his eyes fell on a plethora of cat memorabilia. Maybe that was a stupid question on his part.

“We’re looking for Harley Quinn,” Vigilante spoke up, taking a few steps closer. “Think you can give us a hand?”

Catwoman started to close the door on them but Shining Knight drew his sword in the blink of an eye and wedged the blade between the door and the frame before it could click shut. A waste of his talent but it was better than letting her smash his fingers between the slices of wood. “Wait! We do not wish to harm her. She is in danger.”

Catwoman opened the door a crack. “Start talking.”

Sir Justin looked to Green Arrow and Vigilante, not trusting himself to articulate his thoughts clearly enough for their potential ally. Green Arrow took over and launched himself into an explanation. “You said you saw Shining Knight here on the news?”

Catwoman nodded once. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“You must’ve seen the footage of them at Gotham Pride. That monster they fought- his name is Eiling. He’s an ex-military general. Threw it away to get the power to take out metahumans.”

“Harley’s not a meathuman.”

“I know, I’m getting there. He made his first appearance a couple years ago at another parade. Superman was supposed to be there but Shining Knight, Vigilante, a couple other heroes, and I took his place and fought him. I’m not really sure what happened to him after that but I imagine his former bosses weren’t happy. Anyway, he’s Waller’s lackey now, I think. You know Waller?”

“Humor me,” she monotone. Sir Justin didn’t know if that meant she did or did not know who Waller was but Vigilante started talking so he assumed it was the latter.

“Amaanda Waller, former head of Cadmus. Still a powerful government employee, mostly works with metahumans,” Vigilante explained. “Former enemy of the League, now… a hesitant ally.”

“If she’s an ally, why not ask her to call her dog off Harley?”

“Did I say hesitant? I meant extremely rocky. She hates us.”

“I must admit that none of us know the details of League or government politics,” Shining Knight jumped in, “but we know how much damage Eiling can deal better than anyone else. We do not wish to see him do harm to your friend. That is why we must find her before he does.”

Catwoman was silent for a moment before loosening her hold on the door, allowing Shining Knight to resheath his sword. She beckoned them in, flashing her claw-like nails. “I’ll give you an address.”

Shining Knight and Vigilante moved to follow her in but Arrow put his hands up, signaling that he wouldn’t. “I can’t come in. Sorry, nothing against you, but I’m allergic to cats.”

Catwoman raised an eyebrow. “You’re allergic to cats and you still spent your day chasing Isis?”

“I didn’t spend the day chasing Isis. She climbed right into Shining Knight’s lap. I spent the day chasing strays and, boy let me tell you, my sinuses are already regretting it.”

“...I have some allergy pills if you want them.”

“I know better than to accept random pills from a supervillain.”

“Fair. See you around, archer. Say hi to your little birdie for me.”

Green Arrow chose to ignore the comment and instead clapped his friends on the back, wishing them luck, before taking to the rooftops and disappearing into the night with speed and grace only topped by Gotham’s best.

“Isis is a good name for a cat,” Shining Knight commented as he and Vigilante made his way into Catwoman’s apartment. As his brief glance earlier had suggested, it was filled with cat-themed trinkets, artwork, and merchandise but now that he was actually inside, he could now see that it was filled with actual cats as well. How they didn’t scratch up the whole place was a miracle. He only had an afternoon’s worth of experience with the critters in this century and the cats had actually been quite pleasant but he was sure that if not for his armor, his forearms and thighs would be littered with tiny red cuts right about now.

“Thank you, I suppose,” Catwoman responded as she headed to the kitchen table, plucking a pen and pad of paper out of the drawer. “Don’t touch anything.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am,” Vigilante answered, polite as ever but Catwoman wasn’t listening. She scribbled something on the paper and passed it to the pair. Vigilante looked over Shining Knight’s shoulder and read it aloud. “Second apartment building on thirty-second. You’ll know it when you see it.”

“Is this Harley Quinn’s location?” Shining Knight asked, trying to appear unaffected by how close Vigilante was standing to him. He doubted Catwoman was fooled by their weak efforts to keep up appearances. Afterall, she was a master criminal and supposedly queer herself. Even Green Arrow commented and she had to be more attuned to these things than him.

To his surprise, Catwoman shook her head. “I have no idea where Harley is. I prefer to work alone. I’m not always up to date on everyone’s whereabouts. That’s Poison Ivy’s address. If anyone knows where Harley is, it’s her.”

Vigilante tipped his heat. “Thank you, ma’am. We’ll make sure that monster doesn’t lay a finger on your friend.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Catwoman said with a smirk, ushering the heroes to the door. “And a piece of advice for you two?”

“Shoot.”

“Ignore the media.” Once the boys were outside, she leaned on the doorframe and gave them a look that told Sir Justin far more than her words ever could. “If you’ve got something good, run with it. Fight for it if you have to. Don’t let strangers ruin it for you.”

And before Shining Knight could quite discern what she meant by that, she shut the door on them with a click.

Sir Justin wished they’d brought Winged Victory or at least Greg’s motorcycle but the city was no place for a horse and Gotham was no place for a bike. Sir Justin didn’t understand why Greg was so worried about it getting stolen or why he couldn’t just buy a new one but he respected his partner’s decision to just walk and use public transportation. It didn’t mean he liked it.

Sir Justin no longer doubted Green Arrow’s earlier comment about people pissing in the alleyways. This bus smelled like urine. And several other unidentifiable substances. There was a man lying under one of the seats and he honestly couldn’t tell if he was asleep or dead. He tried checking but the woman on the seat above refused to get up so he was left wondering.

“I cannot believe the modern man would willingly create a transportation system such as this, let alone regularly subject himself to it,” Sir Justin complained as they stepped off the bus.

“Remind me to sign you up for a community college history class sometime. Or buy you a high school history textbook. I think you’d like the story behind it,” Greg told him as he fished in his pocket for the note Catwoman gave them. They’d tried coming here last night but in the dark, it was impossible to see whatever Catwoman assumed they would. In broad daylight, it was quite obvious.

“That apartment complex is green,” Sir Justin stated almost dumbly, staring up at the stained walls and spiraling plants above.

“So it is.” Greg blinked a few times, as if not believing his eyes, and muttered something about how looney city-folk were. Sir Justin had to agree with the sentiment. The greenery stuck out like a sore thumb and was more than an eyesore. Surely the citizens of the area knew it was Poison Ivy’s doing. She was a villain, why didn’t they do something about it? Were they just okay with a villain living beside them, potentially endangering their safety? Sir Justin would never understand this city.

The pair headed for the stairs. The plants only covered the uppermost corner of the complex which was probably good for the other residents but annoying for Shining Knight and Vigilante. They’d spent days in Gotham already, mostly walking. It wasn’t like they couldn’t climb a few flights of stairs but it sort of felt like insult to injury. This was not a difficult mission but it was definitely tedious.

“You want to knock?” Greg asked when they arrived. “You did a good job with Catwoman.”

Sir Justin shook his head. “You lead this time.”

“If you say so,” Greg responded before knocking. Sir Justin heard plants rustling inside and he suddenly wished he’d brought his sword. Greg had his guns hidden, at least, but they’d opted for civilian attire today since they’d be navigating civilian streets. They hadn’t really thought this far ahead.

A woman opened the door, this one with pale green skin and rich, scarlet hair. Sir Justin tried not to stare but her appearance was a bit off putting, to him at least. When was the last time he’d seen green skin? On a human, at least. He couldn’t remember.

“Howdy.” Greg tipped his hat in greeting and dipped his head politely. “I trust you’re Miss Poison Ivy?”

“Who’s asking?” the woman asked, leaning against the wall to block the pair’s view into her home. A smart move, Sir Justin thought, but the motion made her lose the air of confidence and swagger that Catwoman had. She stood like she owned anything her eyes fell on. Poison Ivy looked like she wanted to hide.

“Vigilante and Shining Knight. We’re from the Justice League,” Greg told her. “Catwoman said you’d know where Harley Quinn is?”

“Nope. Sorry. I have no idea,” she responded but before the disappointment at yet another lead lost could set in, a shrill voice sounded from the back of the apartment.

“Ivy! Who is it? I made up banana bread cupcakes! Ask them if they want banana bread cupcakes! If they don’t, ask them to walk on this side of the street so I can throw them at them through the window for being jerks!”

The trio at the door froze, eyes locking. Through the corner of his eye, Sir Justin could see a colorful figure walking around the apartment behind the villain before them.

Ivy moved and Greg reacted quickly in an instant. As Ivy curled her fingers, calling plants to her aid, Greg dived. Clumsily, he barreled into her and forced his way into the apartment.

A plate shattered in the background but Sir Justin was more focused on stopping Poison Ivy before her house plants grew into deadly vines. They were already spiraling out of their pots and thickening into weapons. Without his sword, he wouldn’t be able to slice through them if she tried grabbing him but that wasn’t an option right now. Instead, he made a move for her.

“We do not wish to cause trouble,” Sir Justin told her through grit teeth as he seized her wrists. He was strong but she was stronger than she expected. She pushed against his grip, willing the plants to edge nearer and nearer to Sir Justin’s unarmored body.

“Oh yeah. Because two men randomly showing up at a woman’s house screams that you don’t want to start something,” she responded sarcastically. Sir Justin paused for a moment, seeing the truth in her words, but that proved to be a mistake. Wrestling her arm out of his hand, she reached for the nearest plant and a moment later tendrils were wrapping around him.

“Sir Justin!” Greg shouted at the sight of his partner being ripped off the ground. He seemed to be doing well in his own fight but his distraction allowed for Harley to get in a solid punch to his jaw. Sir Justin winced. That would leave a mark.

“He calls you sir?” Ivy questioned, raising an eyebrow. “Kinky.”

“I do not know what that means,” Sir Justin responded, “but I am a knight. What else would he call me?”

Ivy shrugged and extended her fingers, causing the vines to shift. He was bound to the wall across the hall. Despite his best efforts, he knew he couldn’t hope to tear through them. Oh, how he wished he’d brought his sword. Being unarmed was terrible.

Ivy advanced on him and willed for tiny tendrils to make their way to his exposed throat. “Why did Catwoman send you here? What did you do to her?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit. Selina would never willfully rat us out. Explain yourself, knight.”

“Harley Quinn is in danger,” Sir Justin told her, trying to convey the truth behind his words through his eyes. It was pretty much all he could do, suspended like this. “Have you seen the news? Or read a newspaper? Or looked at internet socialization?”

“You mean social media?”

“Thank you. That.”

“I haven’t,” she admitted. The vines around his neck retracted as she fished her phone out of her pocket and began tapping at the screen. Sir Justin tried waiting patiently but she was taking too long so he shifted his attention to the apartment. He could still hear occasional yells and crashes so he assumed Greg and Harley were still fighting.

Greg was on the defensive. Sir Justin didn’t know if it was because he didn’t want to hurt Harley or if he truly didn’t know how to react to her wildness. But, their battle dance didn’t look particularly spirited. They were talking. That was good. Hopefully he’d get through to her.

Ivy’s face wrinkled with distaste as she skimmed the headlines. Sir Justin assumed she’d found the articles about the parade. “Eiling is ugly as an ogre, is he not?”

“What? Oh, yeah,” Ivy responded absently, briefly glancing up before turning her attention back to the screen,

Sir Justin frowned, not understanding her dismissiveness. He thought he’d be worried about the monster after her friend but it seemed that wasn’t the case. “Is there something wrong?”

“What? Oh, no.” Ivy released her grip on Sir Justin. The vines relaxed and lowered him to the ground but remained on his shoulders. That was fine. He’d be disappointed in less. “It’s just… ugh, these headlines.”

“What’s wrong with them?” He’d skimmed them himself but not much. He figured Greg would tell him if there was anything important.

“They’re sensationalistic. Scandalmongering,” she amended, sensing his confusion. “They don’t even care about Eiling. They’re not reporting, they’re looking for a story. And that story’s with you two. The media’s not respecting your privacy at all, there are so many people trying to fi- Sorry. I know this is your life. These kinds of things just get under my skin.”

Sir Justin shook his head as the last of the vines retracted. “No, please. I have a difficult time understanding the, uh, culture surrounding… Well, everything of this century. Sometimes I need someone to tell me when something is unjust.”

Ivy looked like she wanted to say more but thought better of it. “Let’s stop my girlfriend from knocking out your boyfriend’s teeth.”

Sir Justin tried not to gape. Girlfriend? The revelation was surprising but not shocking. Afterall, Eiling had been looking for Harley at a pride parade. Sir Justin chose not to comment. “Let us.”

Ivy used her vines to pull Greg and Harley apart before Sir Justin could see what they were doing. Both made noises of surprise and struggled against the tendrils but froze at the sight of their partners standing side by side. Sir Justin couldn’t keep his lip from quirking up into a smile. They both looked like kittens awaiting admonishment, scruffs in their mother’s mouth to keep them from running off. It was almost endearing. 

“Sir Justin here says Eiling is after you?” Ivy started, sounding unamused, as she put the pair down. Greg immediately shuffled to Greg’s side as Harley skipped over to her girlfriend.

“Yeah…” she moaned childishly. “I really thought they were going to send freaking Deadshot after me but nooooo. Waller had to send the monster guy!”

“You knew there was going to be a pursuit?” Sir Justin questioned. “Then why did you attempt to flee in the first place?”

“Because Rick is a big ‘ol meanie who never lets me see Ivy!” Harley responded, throwing herself dramatically into Ivy’s arms.

Ivy crossed her arms, refusing to catch her. Harley yelped and hit the ground. Ivy just sighed, used to her antics, and provided the real answer. “You ever hear of Task Force X?”

“Yup. Sir Justin and I were there when they attacked the Watchtower. Ashamed to say we got knocked out real quick.”

“We attacked the Watchtower?” Harley piped up, peeling herself off the floor.

“I am fairly certain you were not there,” Sir Justin told her, offering her a hand. She swatted it away and picked herself up.

Ivy continued to ignore both of them. “Waller revived it. They call it the Suicide Squad now. I bet you can guess why Harley escaped.”

Sir Justin grimaced. He could.

Greg frowned behind his bandana. “Batman wants us to return her to Waller-”

“No!” Harley threw herself on the ground again in a theatrical display, clawing Vigilante’s boots with red and blue nails. “I won’t go back! You can’t make me!”

“-but I think we should negotiate.”

Harley sat up and blinked a couple of times. “Oh. Yeah, I could negotiate. Especially if Batman’s going to be on my side. That guy can get whatever he wants, if ya know what I’m sayin.’”

Sir Justin did not know what she was saying but elected to ignore it. He imagined he’d be ignoring most of the nonsense that spilled from the harlequin’s mouth. “I imagine we will have to negotiate with Batman first before confronting Waller.”

“Spicey.”

Ivy opened her mouth to add something but  a loud crash sounded from outside. Her back stiffened and her head snapped up, cutting herself off from whatever she was about to say. “What was that? Eiling?”

Greg went to the window, peering out from behind the curtains. “I’m not sure. I don’t see nothing yet but it’s a very real possibility.”

Another crash sounded. For the first time, Harley looked genuinely nervous. Dropping her deranged façade, she fiddled with her hair. “I don’t feel safe here anymore.”

Ivy looked to Shining Knight. “Do you have a safe house somewhere?”

“Yes but it is on the other side of Gotham.”

“No need to worry, ladies,” Greg spoke up, looking up from the window. “We’ve got a contact nearby.”

“What the fuck are you doing at my sister-in-law’s house at suppertime on a Thursday with two supervillains?” Pat whisper-screamed, half leaning out his doorway, to gape at the gaggle on the front porch.

“Ooh, you’re eating?” Harley tried pushing her way into the house but Ivy grabbed her hand, holding her back. “Smells good.”

Greg looked genuinely apologetic. “Sorry. I didn’t know there were civilians here. Batman just told me you and Courtney would be here for a few days.”

“We’re on vacation,” Pat told them dryly. He stepped out of the house and softly closed the door behind him, crossing his arms like he was displeased. He probably was. “I’m guessing this is important?”

“Very.”

“Extremely.” 

“Incredibly.”

“I’m going to die!”

Pat sighed and rubbed his eyes, already looking tired. Sir Justin could sympathize. “I’ll let you in the garage. Don’t touch anything, keep the noise down, and you two better explain once Courtney and I can give Barbara and her sister the slip.”

“Thanks, pardner.” Greg saluted the older man and started herding Harley and Ivy around the side of the house. “Alright, move it. I better see some hustle.”

“Is this truly wise?” Sir Justin whispered into Greg’s ear as he caught Pat’s keys and headed toward the side door. “I do not know how skilled Eiling is at tracking. Do you think we’re putting S.T.R.I.P.E. and Stargirl’s family in danger?”

Greg shrugged. “Maybe. But if Eiling’s on our tail and we left now, Pat’s family might just be in more danger. We should lay low here for the night and get a move on at dawn.”

Sir Justin frowned. “You are not a morning person, Greg.”

“Noon.”

“That sounds more accurate.”

Greg slid the keys into the door and shuffled everyone inside, tossing the keys back to Pat before parting ways, Pat back to his family and the rest into the garage. Sir Justin had to say he wasn’t exactly thrilled about getting shoved alongside the family’s unused sleds and extra toiletries but it wasn’t the worst place to be, he supposed. He could be between the pavement and Eiling’s fist or back in the hospital bleeding out after a beating.

“The guy said not to touch anything,” Ivy growled, snapping Sir Justin out of his thoughts.

“You’re no fun,” Harley whined. She held up a baseball bat and swung it around, narrowly missing Greg’s head. “But this thing is so cool! And I need a weapon in case Eiling comes back.”

“My enchanted blade, Vigilante’s bullets, Green Arrow’s arrows, Stargirl’s staff, and S.T.R.I.P.E.’s armor did nothing to penetrate the beast’s hide,” Sir Justin told her, gentling plucking the bat out of her grip. “I doubt a piece of wood would be able to stop him.”

“Aww… Wait. You have a magic sword and you didn’t bring it?”

Sir Justin’s eye twitched. “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Why? When would bringing along a magic sword not be a good idea?”

“We were using public transit.” 

“Oh. Did you see Outside Owen?”

“Who?”

“He’s this guy who sleeps under the seats on the bus. I call him Outside Owen.”

“I did actually see him. I thought he was dead.”

“Oh, he is.”

Sir Justin didn’t know how to respond to her upbeat tone. “Pat told us to keep it down.”

“Who?”

“S.T.R.I.P.E.”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“He’s Stargirl’s step-dad. This is his wife’s sister’s house, apparently.” Greg paused and glanced at Sir Justin’s house. “Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to show a pair of supervillains’ our friend’s family’s location.”

“Oh, don’t worry. We’re both terrible at directions. I lost Ivy at a gas station once!”

“You didn’t lose me. You got in the wrong car and drove away.”

“Oh. Sorry?”

“Don’t worry about it, babe.” Ivy’s face softened for the first time that night. She gestured loosely with one hand, a weed that broke through the cement responding to her command, and formed a bed-like cushion to sit on. Her lips quirked upwards and she made grabby hands at her girlfriend. “Come sit, Harls.”

Harley beamed and scampered up to her before whipping her head around to stick her tongue out at Greg and Sir Justin. “No boys allowed.”

“Wouldn’t dream of intruding,” Greg responded curtly and took Sir Justin’s hand to claim the other side of the garage. What they found wasn’t nearly as comfortable but they were content. They didn’t need anything fancy, just a couple of lawn chairs, if it meant they got the chance to sit together.

Or rather, lawn chair. Singular. The moment he sat down, Sir Justin decided it wasn’t nearly as comfortable as his boyfriend’s lap and crawled into it, earning an uncomfortable yet affectionate groan. Sir Justin rested his head against his shoulder and let Greg brush the hair out of his eyes.

“Didn’t take you for the PDA type, doll.”

“What?”

“Um, I’m surprised you’re being all lovey dovey with Harley and Poison Ivy right there.”

“They are on the other side of the garage. There are boxes blocking their view of us.”

“Still.”

“Ivy knows about us,” Sir Justin admitted, feeling a spike of nervousness in his belly. He knew there was no reason for it but anytime he thought about it, he was filled with that old anxiety. “I told her to goggle-”

“Google.”

“-google those news headlines. It is not difficult to make the connection.”

“She didn’t say anything.”

“She does not have to. You saw her and Harley. She understands. Having to hide, wanting to love…”

Greg nodded thoughtfully and the pair fell silent. Sir Justin felt his eyelids grow heavy. He’d spent the past few days running around and today was no exception. This was the first moment of rest he’d gotten in awhile and he sure as hell was going to take it. Drifting off to the sound of Greg’s rhythmic breathing, Sir Justin was asleep within minutes.

“I knew you two were together!”

Sir Justin jolted awake, accidentally smacking Greg in the nose with his forehead as his half-awake brain scrambled away in a daze of panic. He ended up falling on the ground with the grace of a drunk donkey at midnight and found himself face to face with Stargirl.

In the dim light, he could tell that she and S.T.R.I.P.E were both decked out in their full uniforms: staff, armor, and everything. It made Sir Justin, for what felt like the millionth time, lament leaving his own gear at the apartment. In his borrowed button down and khakis, he felt underdressed.

Stargirl crouched down as she grinned at Sir Justin, as if she were gloating over the fallen man. He knew she wasn’t but at the moment, her cheekiness was not nearly as endearing as it normally was.

“Who you talkin’ about?” Harley asked, sounding groggy, from the other side of the garage. S.T.R.I.P.E hit the lights, making the lightbulbs flicker and dowse the group in a dim glow. “Hot couple or weird couple? Us being the hotties, of course.”

“Both of you!” Stargirl exclaimed, offering a hand to help Sir Justin off the floor. He didn’t need it but he appreciated the gesture and accepted. She pulled him up, hardly seeming to notice, and kept babbling. “I’ve been shipping Harlivy since day one. And Sir Justin and Vig? Come on, you two are so cute.”

“Cute,” Sir Justin stated. He scratched his chin. He’d never been called that, save a handful of times as a child and once or twice when Greg had a bit too much to drink. He didn’t love it, coming from Stargirl at least. Greg on the other hand...

“Leave them alone, Courts,” S.T.R.I.P.E. scolded gently. “They weren’t expecting us to come in. We can talk about it when they’re ready.”

“Fine…” Stargirl groaned in a tone not unlike Harley Quinn’s usual whine. Sir Justin hoped they weren’t sticking around long. He didn’t know much but he certainly knew that Stargirl and Harley wouldn’t be a good influence on each other if they got the chance to spend… Well, any amount of time together. He wouldn’t want to see the product of a night spent chatting. “So what’s the sitch?”

Greg began explaining Batman’s instructions and what happened with Eiling, leaving out key details about why he and Sir Justin were at the parade in the first place. Sir Justin, having experienced it all, tuned it out and turned his attention back to his new favorite pair of supervillains. They still sat on Ivy’s plant construct, fingers intertwined and curled around each other like they were born to do that. The sight made Sir Justin’s skin prickle with guilt.

The panic he felt upon waking up was still fresh in his mind. Why had he reacted that way? He’d been so calm moments ago, calm enough to sleep, and he was fairly certain Courtney presented no danger. He knew that even before Greg showed him that same-sex relationships were acceptable in this time. Why couldn’t he be more like Harley? Or if not Harley, Ivy? They sat together like they were the only people in the world, despite four essential strangers standing around them. Right now, Sir Justin couldn’t even handle standing next to Greg in front of a couple of his best friends.

Greg wanted to be open about their relationship one day. To tell the world they were together and show them their love, just like everyone else. He’d told him that a long time ago and Sir Justin had nodded and agreed. But in reality, he couldn’t picture it. Especially not now, all too aware of how close he was standing to his boyfriend. Lingering fear danced under his skin and spiked whenever he heard his name or Greg so much as glanced in his direction. A foolish and misplaced fear, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. How did one untrain years of, as they said nowadays, hiding in the closet? It was hard enough to forget some of his behaviors that were normal of the sixth century but this was something else. Changing had always been for his sake, to make him feel like he fit in better. No one cared if he talked funny or needed something to be rephrased.

But this? It was more than just him. It was them. And he wanted it to be good, for Greg’s sake and his own. He wanted it to last. He wanted- he wanted people to see them. To know the happiness he felt when Greg smiled in his direction. To know the joy Greg brought him every single day. To know the love he had in his heart that he carried with him in battle and in rest. But he didn’t know if he was ready. If he’d ever be ready. Was that unfair to Greg? Sir Justin knew if he voiced his concerns, Greg would give him all the assurances in the world but he knew Greg was blinded by love to tell him the real answer. And Sir Justin feared to know whatever the real answer was.

“Sir Justin,” Greg called, drawing the knight from his thoughts and making his head snap up. He blinked a few times, confused, and Greg gave him a patient look. “We’re talking about our next course of action.”

“Negotiations.” 

“Right.”

“So who’s calling Batman?” Stargirl asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Sir Justin opened his mouth and readied his fingers in case someone yelled “not it” or “nose goes.” He wasn’t falling for those tricks again, not in a lifetime. But thankfully, S.T.R.I.P.E. called an end to it before it could begin. “It’s past eleven, Courts.”

Sir Justin hadn’t realized he’d been asleep that long but this wasn’t news to Stargirl. “So?”

“So Batman’s probably sleeping.”

“Do you even hear yourself right now? Batman? Sleeping?”

“I can confirm Batman does not sleep,” Harley piped up. S.T.R.I.P.E. pinched his brow, which Harley seemed to take as a cue to keep talking. “We could go find him.”

“That might not be the best idea,” Vigilante told her before she could flush out the idea any more. “You probably know better than any of us how Batman is. He’ll eat us up in a heartbeat if we’re not in total control. We’re finding a hidden location and doing this over comms.”

“Which means you’ll need the mechanic and the teenager to run tech.” S.T.R.I.P.E. already looked tired of this mission. “And that means I gotta tell Barbara we’re not going to the Gotham Museum of Art tomorrow.”

“The museum sucks balls anyway,” Harley commented, waving her hand flippantly. “Two-Face robbed it and replaced all the art a year ago but no one’s noticed yet.”

“...You do realize we work for Batman, right? I’m going to have to tell him that.”

“Shit. But hey, at least I didn’t mentioned the-”

“Damn it, Harls, save some of this for the negotiations.”

“Oopsies, sorry.”

Choosing a location was difficult, especially considering Gotham was the Dark Knight’s domain. He knew it better than the back of his hand. The location had to be completely devoid of any identifiable markings. No street signs, no buildings, no reflections, no roads, no wild animals, nothing.

They ended up just returning to the apartment and sticking Winged Victory in front of the laptop, her muscular build and wings blocking any background the camera picked up. It made it a bit awkward to fit five people within the camera’s view but they reasoned they could just step in and out as needed. The inconvenience was worth it to keep Batman from getting the chance to track them down, though Sir Justin had no doubt he could if he truly wanted to.

Sir Justin stood by Winged Victory’s head, murmuring soothing words, as Courtney and Greg took the seats in front of the camera. The horse didn’t really appreciate being indoors, let alone in such a tight apartment, but Sir Justin managed to bribe her with a couple carrots. He only hoped nothing spooked her. Normally he wouldn’t be too worried but this was Gotham. From what he learned during his stay here so far was that not only was the unexpected possible but that he really should expect the unexpected.

“Vigilante, Stargirl,” Batman greeted as his image appeared on the screen. He was in the Batcave. Good. That meant he probably wouldn’t be looking for them anytime soon. Though on the other hand, that meant he had access to the Batcomputer. That meant he could trace the signal, right? “Are Shining Knight and S.T.R.I.P.E. there?”

“Here,” S.T.R.I.P.E. monotone while Shining Knight stuck his hand in frame. “Hard to get so many people to fit on the screen.”

Batman seemed satisfied with that answer. “How’s your mission going, Vigilante?”

“Pretty good, all things considered,” Vigilante replied easily. His eyes flickered to Harley. She beamed and bounced a few steps before ducking down and waving excitedly at the Caped Crusader.

“Hiya, Batsie! Heard you were looking for me!”

To his credit, Batman looked unfazed. If Shining Knight were any less perceptive, he would’ve thought Batman already knew they had Harley but Batman’s nose betrayed him, left nostril flaring ever so slightly at the sight of her. “You got her. Good. I’ll send you the details for the exchange.”

“Nuh-uh! Not so fast, Batsie!” Harley shook a finger at the camera. “Cowboy here wants ta negotiate!”

Now Batman really did look surprised. “Is she holding you hostage? Is Poison Ivy there?”

“Poison Ivy is here,” Ivy said from her place by the door, “but she’s not holding anyone hostage. All the plants in this damn place are fake.”

“Harley and Ivy told us that Harley was part of Waller’s new Task Force X program,” Stargirl spoke up, crossing her arms. “I don’t think Vig and Sir Justin really appreciated you withholding information but we rolled with it.”

“What did you hear?”

“That it’s called the Suicide Squad now and that Waller treats the team like shit, as if sending Eiling after Harley wasn’t enough evidence,” Stargirl told him bluntly. Shining Knight could tell she was trying to take control of the conversation but he thought she might be pushing it this early. “Seriously, Batman, Eiling? That’s a bit overkill.”

“I’m not here to fight Waller.”

“But maybe you should be.” S.T.R.I.P.E. leaned into frame. His armor kept him from crouching too low but he managed to get his face in front of the camera. “Believe me, I know Harley’s a bad guy, but she’s a person too. She escaped because she wasn’t being treated like one. She’s willing to go back but not if things just go back to the way they were. We’re heroes, doesn’t that mean we should make sure the criminals we fight are treated well? That they’re given the chance to make up for these mistakes? Our job doesn’t end when they’re locked up.”

Harley wiped away a fake tear. “Beautiful speech. Bravo. But I still love blowing shit up!”

“The Suicide Squad is a good outlet,” Ivy commented, “but just because she’s allowed to legally do illegal things doesn’t mean they have the right to walk all over her.”

“We’re not suggesting she goes free-”

“We’re not? Kidding, I know we’re not.”

“-but I think it’s our responsibility to ensure she doesn’t end up right back in the place she escaped from,” Vigilante finished. “They sent Eiling after her, Batman. You don’t know what he’s like. We do. I don’t want to send anyone to a place where Eiling is used as an enforcer if I have anything to say about it.”

There was a pensive silence on Batman’s end. “Fine. Make a list of your demands and I’ll have Mister Terrific review them before I contact Waller. I estimate a two day maximum before Mister Terrific and I settle things with Waller. In the meantime, you can sit tight or return to the Watchtower. I know you’re at the apartment, you can leave them there as long as one of you is there to keep them from running off. Feel free to call in Green Arrow if necessary. And Vigilante?”

“Yes, sir?”

A rare smile spread across Batman’s features. “You and Shining Knight did a good job. Get some rest.”

And with that, Batman signed off.

A wave of relief washed over the group, the tension fading. Winged Victory let her head sag and she folded in her wings. Shining Knight patted her neck gently and murmured his thanks before turning to the group. “What now?”

“Well, I imagine you want to be getting your barn sour back to her stable. The rest of us are just going to stay here, I suppose,” Vigilante said, kicking his feet up on the coffee table next to the laptop. “I think we deserve it.”

“Courney and I should be heading back home,” S.T.R.I.P.E. started but was interrupted by his step-daughter.

“No way! This is the best trip to Gotham ever! I want to stick around,” Stargirl protested. S.T.R.I.P.E. gave her a hard look. She sighed. “Can I at least help Sir Justin take Winged Victory back home?”

S.T.R.I.P.E. hesitated. “I really don’t think he needs help.”

“I’d appreciate the company,” Shining Knight spoke up, the words forming in his mouth without a thought. He turned to his pegasus. “I’m sure Winged Victory would as well.”

Winged Victory neighed in agreement and S.T.R.I.P.E. caved. “Alright. But you’re coming right home afterward, you hear me Courney?”

“Loud and clear, Dad.”

“So…?”

“So what?”

Sir Justin, mounted on Winged Victory, soared through the skies towards one of the numerous stables the League had set up for him and Winged Victory. With the help of a zeta beam, the flight from Gotham and Wyoming wasn’t a long one but it was long enough to spark conversation with the girl flying beside him.

“You and Vigilante,” Courney said as if it were obvious. Once again, Sir Justin felt the muscles in his stomach tighten but he was expecting it this time so it wasn’t intolerable. “I know my dad said to wait and, like, we totally can if you don’t want to talk but-”

“It is fine,” Sir Justin interrupted. He paused to find the words before speaking again. “I was not expecting for anyone to find out anytime soon but I think it is important for me to… leave my comfort zone, as you would say. The twenty-first century is very different from my time. It is strange to think I can tell people about my relationship without risking excommunication, castrating, or…”

He trailed off, noticing Courtney’s apparent horror. He looked away, regretting his words, but Courtney recovered quickly. “No, no. It’s fine. I’m just surprised. I mean, I knew mediaeval times weren’t exactly friendly towards queer people but it’s one thing reading about it in a textbook and another hearing your friend had to live through it.”

Sir Justin really had to check out these textbook things sometime. People talked about them all the time. They sounded interesting. “I never had a partner in my time so I was never in much danger. But I… I knew. And I must say I hated myself for it. When Merlin blessed me with his magic, that changed but it is still difficult for me to be truly comfortable with myself.”

Courney nodded along. “And I’m sure getting outed didn’t help.”

“I did not know that was something considered unacceptable in this era until Poison Ivy mentioned it,” Sir Justin admitted. He hadn’t actually thought about it much but now that he had the chance to do so, he was outraged. So outraged he had a hard time finding the words. How dare they take something so personal, so private and beautiful, from him and expose it to the world, all ugly and raw? How dare they do that to anyone? Was nothing sacred? “I am happy to hear that there is such an emphasis on choice in this century though.”

Courney nodded along. Winged Victory’s wings beat the air as they slipped into silence, a brief lapse in conversation, before Courtney spoke again. “It’s not all bad. People knowing, that is. The being outed part sucks but having queer superheroes is big.”

Sir Justin did a double take. “What do you mean?”

“Things are better now but they’re not better everywhere. There are still a lot of kids all over the world who don’t feel safe coming out or think- think they’re broken or something. Seeing people like them on TV lets them know that they’re not alone and that it’s okay to be who they are,” Courtney explained, stuttering over a few words as she tried to find the right phrasing to convey her thoughts but Sir Justin understood them perfectly. 

He thought back to the pride parade and the feelings seeing the attendees and performers evoked in him. His heart went out for the kids Courtney was talking about. He was one of them, almost. He knew just how lonesome and scary it felt to live in a world where he was not accepted. For him, he’d be called a sinner and stripped of everything he valued. For them, who knew? What would they lose? Everything, probably, even if he didn’t know what.

“A lot of people really look up to superheroes. Even if we’re not exactly big names, we mean something,” Courtney went on. “I know most of the headlines are bad but those are companies. Online, there are just people and a lot of them really excited about there being a same-sex couple on the League. It gives them hope, I guess. Even if it didn’t exactly happen perfectly.”

Sir Justin pursed his lips as Winged Victory began to descend, her stable within her sights. Forgetting what he was going to say, he brought her down slowly and got her settled in her stable, spoiling her and showering her with affection after all the work she’d done over the past few days. She deserved it, she really did. Even if the extra oats Courtney slipped her would make her fat.

It was only when they were preparing to call for a zeta beam that Sir Justin felt ready to return to the earlier conversation and ask the question that’d been tickling the back of his mind. “Would making the choice to come out be worthwhile?”

Courney’s head swiveled, looking at him in surprise. “What?”

Sir Justin toed the ground, strangely nervous. “You said that the idea of queer heroes gave people hope. If Greg and I decided to come out on our own and confirm the rumors, would that be worthwhile?”

Courtney tapped her chin in thought. “Well, on one hand, we don’t really want to show people that outing is okay. But on the other, you have every right to own it and rub it in their stupid faces. And the League’s PR team hasn’t responded. It’d be pretty funny if you two didn’t run anything by them and just directly told the world. Assuming you announce it on my social media, that is.”

“Of course. I did not consider anything else an option.” Sir Justin let a smirk creep up on his face. It was all coming together.

Sir Justin dropped Courtney off at her aunt’s house before returning to the apartment to run the idea by Greg. He was half-asleep on the couch when he got back- Harley and Ivy had claimed the bed- but his sleepy face lit up at the sight of Sir Justin’s return.

“Hey there, doll,” Greg murmured as Sir Justin sank onto the couch beside him, nestling himself in the crook of his boyfriend’s arm. Greg planted a lazy kiss on top of his head. “I hope Courtney didn’t bother you too much.”

Sir Justin shook his head. “No. We had a very… insightful conversation, actually.”

“Insightful?”

Sir Justin bit his lip, wondering how to best bring up his idea. “Have you ever come out?”

“To a couple people. Not my family or anything but a couple friends here and there. Why?”

“Courtney told me that coming out is inspiring for other people. When we went to the pride parade, I felt- I felt like the world was finally spinning in the right direction. It was a big moment for me. As members of the Justice League, I think we could provide that moment for others.”

“What are you saying? That you want to make a coming out video?”

“If that is how you wish to do it,” Sir Justin told him, watching the mix of emotions spread across Greg’s face. “We do not have to if you do not wish to but the rumors exist. If we say something, we have control of it and we can make it something good.”

Greg rubbed the back of his head, looking uneasy. “Just our hero personas, right? Not really sure if I’m ready to tell my folks or anything.”

“Just hero personas,” Sir Justin confirmed. He couldn’t ask anything more.

“I’m leaning towards saying yes,” Greg told him, pulling Sir Justin a bit closer, “but let me sleep on it. This is a big decision. We’ve gotta, like… I don’t know, make a pros and cons list.”

“Pros and cons list?”

“Weigh out all the good and bad things about the idea.”

“Oh. Of course.”

“And neither of us use social media so Courtney would be coordinating it all.”

“Naturally.”

The morning before the exchange, Sir Justin and Greg donned their costumes, told Harley and Ivy to keep quiet, and called Courtney.

She, of course, was ecstatic and came over in a heartbeat with a camera and a laptop.

“You two sure you want to do this?” she asked once she’d set up all the necessary equipment, pointing the camera towards the spot the boys were sitting on the couch. “It’s okay if you don’t. We can always try again another time.”

Sir Justin glanced at Greg. Seeing no doubt in his boyfriend’s eyes, he turned to Courtney and nodded. “Yes. We are sure.”

She gave a nod of aknowledgement and hit something on the laptop. A light on the camera lit up. “Okay, it’s recording now.”

“What does that mean?”

“Just start talking. I can edit out whatever you don’t want in the video but try not to say anything too bad. It’d be nice to have a raw, uncut version on the Stargirl YouTube channel.”

“You have a YouTube channel?” Harley yelled from the other room. “Text me a link so I can subscribe! I love those tricks you do with your staff.”

Ivy presumably elbowed her because she yelped and let out a muffled apology. Sir Justin took a deep breath and focused his attention back to the camera. Any plans or ideas as to what to say faded from his mind. The moment suddenly felt very, very real. He knew he didn’t have much to lose, especially since he had no secret identity, but it still felt big. Bigger than he expected.

But Greg was a personable man. He always knew what to say. “Hey there… What is it you call your followers?”

“Star Squad.”

“Hey there, Star Squad,” Greg greeted, smooth as ever. “Some of you may recognize me and my friend here. I’m called Vigilante and this is Shining Knight. We’re members of the Justice League. If you haven’t seen the news lately, we’ll get you up to speed real quick.”

“I’ll throw some links down in the description,” Courtney added. Sir Justin wasn’t sure if she was addressing the boys or the audience but he was grateful that she took over this part of the explanation. “A few days ago, Vigilante, Shining Knight, and Shining Knight’s horse Winged Victory were seen fighting a monster at the Gotham City pride parade. You might remember him from a few years ago. He attacked me, Shining Knight, Vigilante, Winged Victory, my step-dad S.T.R.I.P.E., and Green Arrow at a parade in Metropolis. This guy really likes parades, huh? Anyway, I don’t think the League would appreciate us talking about what he was doing there but a lot of rumors started up after Vigilante and Shining Knight drove him off.”

“We were, in fact, attendees at the parade, though disguised,” Sir Justin spoke up, hoping his voice didn’t crack. His fingers gripped his knees, making his knuckles go white under his gloves, but Greg took his hand easily and held it in his own. Sir Justin felt a smile tug at his lips as his usual confidence flooded back. “It was my first time attending. You see, I am from the sixth century. The attitudes towards men who loved men and women who loved women were very different back then. Vigilante wanted to show me how the times had changed.”

“I’m from the Southwest,” Vigilante added. “I never really knew what pride meant until I visited the city. It’d be a crime for Shining Knight not to see it.”

“I am glad you took me. It was an… important moment for me to see that queer people are loved and celebrated in modern day. And I hope to share it with others.”

“We’re coming out!” Vigilante held up his and Sir Justin’s joined hands, showing off their intertwined fingers for the world to see. “This cowboy’s bi and he’s got a fantastic boyfriend!”

Sir Justin chuckled, Greg’s enthusiasm contagious. “And I am a gay knight from King Arthur’s court who is very lucky to have such a lovely partner.”

Courtney smiled and clapped softly while Harley screamed her support from the other room. “Let’s goooo!”

“Are you criminals really about to hijack our coming out?” Greg yelled back.

“Nah. Literally everyone already knows Ivy and I are bi and if they don’t, they’re dumb. You two keep it up! You’re doing great!”

Greg groaned good naturedly and shook his head. “Pretend you didn’t hear that, buckaroos. We’re on a mission right now. Classified League stuff.”

“You two aren’t very good at keeping secrets,” Courtney commented. “Is there anything else you wanted to add?”

“Not especially but we would like to give a message of hope to your viewers.”

“Right. To all the queer cowboys, cowgirls, and cowpals out there listening, know that Vigilante and Shining Knight’s got your back. I hope our stories can provide some comfort for those of you in the closet. I mean, Shining Knight here was born in the medieval era and now he’s going to pride parades so if things got better for him, I promise that one day the world will look a bit brighter for you,” Greg said, “even if it doesn’t seem like it right now. But until then, stay safe out there.”

Courtney took the camera, angling it towards herself, for the outro. “Thanks for watching, Star Squad! Vigilante and Shining Knight are some of my best friends in the League and it really means a lot to them and me to have the chance to talk to you guys like this. We know there’s still a rocky road ahead for them but any support means a lot! Remember to like, share, and subscribe and, like Vig said, stay safe out there!”

Now that the video was over, Sir Justin relaxed and leaned against Greg. “That was more stressful than I expected.”

“Maybe but you did great, doll,” Greg told him, curling against him. 

“You think?” Sir Justin reached up to give Greg a warm kiss through his bandana, oblivious to Courtney’s smirk or the fact the camera was still running.

“Nice coming out video,” Green Arrow commented as Vigilante, Shining Knight, Winged Victory, S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn entered the warehouse. Batman and Mister Terrific were there as well but farther off, deep in conversation.

“You saw it?” Shining Knight questioned, somewhat surprised. It’d only been a couple hours since Courtney posted it and he didn’t take the archer as the type to be glued to his cell phone all hours of the day.

“Speedy and Stargirl follow each other. He sent it to me right when it came out,” Green Arrow explained, scratching the back of his head. “Though I only saw the TikTok. I haven’t seen the YouTube version yet.”

“TikTok?” Vigilante questioning, voicing Sir Justin’s confusion. “Like the sound a clock makes?”

Green Arrow looked lost. “No, it’s- uh… Stargirl, you explain this one.”

“It’s like Vine,” she told him but was met with blank stares. She tried again. “It’s a platform you post short videos on.”

“Why is there a place specifically for short videos?” Shining Knight asked, face twisting with confusion. “Would it not be better to just have one place for videos of any length?”

“Well, yeah. That’s what YouTube is. But sometimes people just want to watch a lot of things really quick.”

“Zoomers have a short attention span,” S.T.R.I.P.E. joked, earning an eye roll from his step-daughter.

“Everyone here?” Batman interrupted, jumping straight into things as he approached. The group fell silent and the Dark Knight got a series of nods and murmurs in response. He turned to Mister Terrific. “Start the call.”

“You’re no fun,” Harley complained, crossing her arms. Sir Justin had to agree but they weren’t here for fun.

Mister Terrific began tapping at some kind of tablet and soon there was a hologram displayed on the warehouse wall. Sir Justin raised his eyebrows, impressed. That was far more advanced than the crummy laptop they’d used to call Batman before. He wondered if Batman looked down on them for it.

Waller’s image loomed down on the group, the steely woman looking as robust as ever, though the years were starting to show on her face. She folded her fingers, leaned toward, and gave Batman a hard glare. “I see you found Harley before Eiling.”

“We did.” 

“And I’m guessing you’re not going to hand her over easily.”

“We are not.”

Waller didn’t sigh but it was clear she wanted to. “Fine. What are your demands?”

Sir Justin had to tune out a fair bit of the conversation. It was all so over his head. Green Arrow looked like he was putting some effort into following but Vigilante, Star Girl, Poison Ivy, and S.T.R.I.P.E. gave up almost instantly. They were here as muscle, more than anything. The negotiations were entirely in Batman, Mister Terrific, and Harley’s hands.

But, they reached a compromise within the hour. A fair one, if Harley’s reaction was anything to go off of.

The girl squealed, picking up Ivy and swinging her around, before bouncing over to Shining Knight and Vigilante to throw her arms around them. “Thank you!”

Shining Knight stiffened in surprise. He wasn’t normally around such physically affectionate people nor was he expecting to get hugged but he still accepted the gesture and patted Harley on the shoulder. “We were just doing our job. Anyone else would have done the same.”

“Not anyone,” Harley muttered, tone taking a bit of a darker tone than Sir Justin was used to hearing from her but it was gone in an instant. She let them go and grinned up at them. “I’ll come visit you sometime!”

“Please do not.”

“Alright. See you then!”

Harley gave Ivy a quick kiss goodbye before skipping after Mister Terrific, presumably to meet up with Waller. Silently, Sir Justin wished her luck. He only had a surface level understanding of what the facility she was returning to was like but if Eiling was there, she probably needed all the luck she could get.

“Well done,” Batman said, addressing the remainder of the group. He nodded to Sir Justin and Vigilante. “Especially you two. I’m… sorry that I was so hard on you before.”

Sir Justin blinked. Were his ears deceiving him? Batman? Apologizing? He was more surprised by Batman’s words than anything else he’d seen the past few days. It wasn’t that Batman was incapable of admitting he was wrong, it was just… Well, he was Batman!

When he realized Batman wasn’t going to continue, he dipped his head ever so slightly. “I appreciate the apology.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Vigilate waved a hand, as if waving Batman off. “We’re even after you helped Harley but in my book, you’re still on thin ice, mister.”

Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., and Green Arrow shot Sir Justin a confused look. The knight shrugged in response. He wasn’t completely sure what Greg was talking about. Maybe Sir Justin missed something when they talked before? Or maybe Batman said something to Vigilante when Shining Knight wasn’t there. Stargirl said something about the League’s PR team, maybe Batman had them contact Vigilante and no one told Sir Justin. There were endless possibilities. 

Poison Ivy spoke up before he thought to ask. “Welp, I’m done here. I’m out. See you never.”

Ivy summoned a plant to carry her off, exiting the warehouse without a word goodbye. Sir Justin didn’t mind. She’d already thanked them in her own standoffish way. He doubted he’d see her again but he’d like to think they were friends, or at least loose allies, at this point. Afterall, they’d spent a couple days cooped up in an apartment together without maiming anyone.

Batman, familiar with Ivy’s quirks, didn’t even watch her leave. “This was a long mission. Take some time to rest. All five of you are dismissed.”

With a flourish of his cape, Batman turned away and left almost as quickly as he’d arrived. What a strange man, Sir Justin thought. A respectable one though, even more so after what Sir Justin saw him do today. Harley wasn’t exactly evil but it was still big to stoop to help an enemy.

Green Arrow stretched, groaning softly as his back cracked. “I think I’ve had enough of Gotham. I’m heading back to the Watchtower. Anyone want to come with?”

Stargirl looked like she wanted to say yes but S.T.R.I.P.E. shook his head. “Your mom is already upset enough we’ve missed this much of the family vacation. We’re not missing anymore.”

Stargirl blew air out of her mouth, making her bangs flip to the other side of her part, as she followed her step-father out of the warehouse. “Who even takes their family to Gotham?! It’s so gross here!”

Green Arrow looked faintly amused and turned to his remaining friends. “What about you two? Want to tag along? Or do you need to get heading back to your place… Where do you guys live?”

“Ranch in Wyoming,” Vigilante responded before casting his gaze at Shining Knight. “What do you think? Want to escape for a bit longer? Or are you ready to face the music?”

“I think you know the answer.”

Sir Justin wasn’t expecting the applause. He assumed the League had caught wind of their recent success on the mission but a whisper from Green Arrow told him otherwise. The applause wasn’t for any victory, in battle or otherwise. It was for him. Or rather, them.

He thought it was a bit much. He appreciated it but it was a bit overwhelming. He tried not to duck behind Greg and Arrow as they waded through the crowd around the zeta platform and headed deeper into the tower. He and his partner got a few more smiles, pats on the back, and congratulations before Speedy and the Crimson Avenger waved them down. Sir Justin practically threw himself down on the bench across from them at the cafeteria table in a desperate attempt to escape the sudden attention.

“We’re offworld for two weeks. Two weeks!” Speedy exclaimed. “And we come back to this?”

“You were offworld?” Arrow questioned. It was news to Sir Justin as well. Hadn’t Batman told them to call them in if they needed the extra help? That seemed like a slip up uncharacteristic of the Dark Knight.

“Yeah. Just some thing with the Gordanians. But your thing is way more exciting!”

“We thought we’d have a good story to tell you when we returned,” the Crimson Avenger told them, chuckling, “but it looks like you had more of an adventure than we did.”

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Greg groaned, putting his elbows on the table to run a hand over his face. “I mean, I’m glad we came out but I wasn’t expecting it to be so exhausting.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” a voice cut in. Sir Justin’s head snapped up to see an unfamiliar hero approaching. The Ray, if he recalled correctly. He’d never been on a mission with him or spoken to him much, really. What could he possibly want? “I just wanted to say thank you. Especially to you, Shining Knight.”

“Thank you?” Sir Justin echoed, blinking with confusion. “What for?”

The Ray rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, seeming uncomfortable that all the eyes at the table were suddenly on him. “I saw your coming out video. And it really hit me. Then my parents heard about it on the news. They’re really… religious. And you’re, y’know, from medieval Europe which is super, uh, Christian. Don’t want to assume your beliefs or anything but they did and it was kind of a moment for them. Like the kind of moment where you question things for a split second. And I took that moment to come out.”

Sir Justin was too shocked to say anything but Greg broke into a grin, his bandana unable to hide it much, and he clapped the Ray on the arm. “Hey, that’s great! Congratulations, brother. How did it go?”

“Not great,” the Ray admitted with a shrug. “But it went a lot better than I expected. I’ve kind of been putting it off for years. I’m really glad I finally did it. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted off my back.”

“I know the feeling,” Sir Justin responded, tone not quite reflecting just how deeply he knew those words to be true.

“Well, uh, that’s all I wanted to say.” The Ray started to turn away, flashing a quick wave. “I’ll see you around, I guess?”

“I look forward to it,” Sir Justin answered, smiling. The Ray returned it and hurried off to meet back up with Ice. He spoke to her quietly before Ice threw her arms around his neck and beamed at him with blinding brilliance. Sir Justin watched them, wondering what whispers were being exchanged. Maybe one day he’d know but for now, the warm pride bubbling through him was more than enough.

Speedy poked Sir Justin’s hand excitedly, drawing his attention back to the table. “How awesome was that? Who knew the Ray was gay?”

“Not I, but I am happy that he is now able to live authentically,” Sir Justin responded and he meant it. The Ray was roughly his age, give or take a couple years, but Sir Justin didn’t have parents. He couldn’t imagine hiding such a big part of him for that long.

“And we had a part in that, doll,” Greg said, taking Sir Justin’s hand before Speedy could start poking him again. “Isn’t that something?”

Sir Justin realized he was right. He and his partner had a direct part in the Ray’s coming out. How many others could say the same? In the United States, across the world? It was a daunting thought yet an exhilarating one. He curled his fingers around Greg’s, fondness spreading across his face, and smiled softly. “It truly is.”