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“I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.”
Clark was not, as a rule, in the habit of listening in on his League colleagues’ conversations; it was rude, and, perhaps more truthfully, it always led to him finding out information he didn't necessarily want to know.
Still, sometimes it couldn't be helped—or, more to the point, he couldn't help listening in—like now, when Barry seemed to be holding court in the public lounge.
Oliver laughed. “That's ‘cause you have no imagination.”
“We all know they're… close,” Hal said, frowning.
“Not that close,” Barry said.
“You act like you've never seen grown men kiss,” Oliver said, still chuckling.
Clark snuck a peek through the lounge walls just in time to see both Hal and Barry glare at Oliver.
“That's not the point,” Barry said. “It's that it's them.”
“So?”
“Ollie, c'mon,” Hal said. “Think about it. It'd be like if you and Roy were—”
“Why not? Roy's a good-looking kid.”
“Ollie!”
“It just raises too many questions!” Barry started pacing. “How long has it been going on? Is it just him? What about the other Robins?”
“Whoa, slow down there, Speed Racer,” Oliver said, holding up his hands as Barry's speed increased. Hal seemed to have the same idea, as a large hand construct settled on Barry's shoulder to slow him down. “Let's think about this rationally.”
“That'salaughcomingfromyou,” Barry said at super speed.
“We all know Bats is a stickler for rules, so we can assume Nightwing was legal whenever it started,” Oliver continued. “And, Nightwing's always been a… special case.”
“To put it mildly,” Hal muttered.
“Besides, it could be worse.”
Barry stopped short. “How?”
“Bruce usually has a thing for villains. This seems like an upgrade.”
Barry and Hal stared at Oliver in disbelief.
“What?”
“Be serious, Ollie—”
“Come on, do you really think that—”
Clark decided now was a good time to intervene.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen,” he said as he entered the lounge.
Oliver threw up his hands. “Supes! Thank God, someone reasonable. Will you tell these two to cool down?”
Clark smiled. “What's the beef, guys?”
“Nothing,” Barry said, crossing his arms petulantly.
Hal sighed. “It's a Bruce problem.”
Clark nodded. “Anything I can do to help?”
“No,” Barry said.
“What, now it's not a problem?” Oliver asked, clearly enjoying himself.
“Of course it is, but—”
“Well, then!”
“It's about him and Nightwing,” Hal said.
“What about them?” Clark asked, the picture of innocence.
“Barry saw them…” Hal trailed off.
“Dirty kissing!” Oliver said, unable to hold back his laughter.
“This is serious, G.A.!”
The three began talking over each other again, their volume rising. Clark let them stew for a minute while he grabbed a cup of water. By the time he turned back, the three of them were in each other's faces.
“Have you considered asking Batman about this?” Clark asked, his voice cutting evenly through their yelling.
They froze.
“Or Nightwing?”
The three men looked between each other.
Clark sipped his water.
“I guess that couldn't hurt…” Hal said.
“Yeah, I suppose,” Barry said.
Oliver just shook his head in amusement.
“You don't think he'd just deny it?” Barry asked.
Clark shrugged. “Not if it's the truth.”
He headed for the door. “Try Nightwing. He's usually more open to answering questions.”
Clark listened for them as he made his way down the hall.
“Well, if he's still up here, I guess we'll go ask.”
“First bright idea you've had today,” Oliver said.
“Cool it, you two,” Hal said.
About five minutes later, Clark heard them enter the monitor room where Nightwing was running a diagnostic program.
“Bluebird!” Oliver said, almost too loud. “How's it going, kid?”
“Fine, G.A.,” Dick said, sounding only half distracted. “If you need the screens, I can take a break in about—”
“No, actually, we were looking for you,” Oliver said. “Weren't you, Flash?”
Clark was making a point to not spy on them, but even from this distance, he could feel Barry's glare.
“Oh? What can I help with?” Dick asked.
“Are you—?” Barry began. “Is Batman—? Has he—?”
Clark couldn't help it; he glanced through the walls.
Dick was smiling a pleasantly bland smile while Barry stammered through his questions.
Finally, Oliver had enough.
“For the love of— Nightwing, are you and Batman fucking?”
Barry and Hal sputtered. “Ollie!”
Nightwing just smiled. “Every day, Ollie.”
Barry and Hal zoomed out of the monitor room to the sound of Oliver's laughter.