Archive of Our Own

No one ever prepares you for how hectic adult life is.

When you're a child, you have all the time in the world. It's simply a fact. Even as a child sidekick, Garth felt he had much more time on his hands than he ever utilized.

When you're a child, you don't have to worry about finances, meals, bills, etc. You don't actually have to use a planner (which is something Garth only started to use because Donna said it could help). Most of all, making time for people is as easy as telling Aquaman “the Titans wanna see a movie on Thursday, can I go?”

But now? God forbid Garth wants to spend the day at home, hang out with friends, or more importantly: have a date.

Which was why it felt like a god blessed miracle that he and Roy had managed to fit an actual date into their schedules. Not something at home (which was perfectly fine! But Cerdian and Lian always complained), not something on the fly, a real actual date just for the two of them! With a dinner reservation and everything.

The restaurant was nicer than anything they'd gotten the chance to do in a long time. It wasn't year-long-waitlist fancy, since they couldn't guarantee the world wouldn't end that far in advance, but it was nothing to scoff at. Both he and Roy had spent the hours before getting ready in a slow harmony: buttoning each other's shirts, trying on accessories, then getting… distracted, and doing it all over again. 

No matter how many years they'd been together, Roy never failed to make his heart flutter. He always knew exactly what to say, and exactly what to do to make Garth melt. The evening was filled with whispers that made Garth feel like that 16 year old boy who didn't quite know how to feel about Speedy’s teasing all those years ago.

The two had walked into the restaurant arm in arm (at Garth’s prompting. As they’d exited the car, he’d held his arm out to Roy, who had hooked his own just as happily and squeezed Garth’s bicep with a dramatic swoon), and somehow, they’d managed to leave the house with only minimal anxiety. Which, for their record, was a very good start. Especially when neither of their children were safe at home in their beds, but instead at Titans Tower preparing for a mission. At least when the two weren’t doing hero work, Roy and Garth could pretend they were being safe instead of sneaking out. With official business? It was impossible to ignore that their babies were on the same battlefield they’d grown up on. It was a miracle that it had only been suggested once that they text or call to check up on them.

Admittedly, it was Garth who suggested it. He could never get used to the idea of Cerdian in battle. He had watched Cerdian’s training, trained him himself to hone magic powers, and watched him spar with the other Teen Titans countless times, but despite it all he just couldn’t. He knew Roy had the same anxiety, but Roy had enough faith in Lian to keep his anxiety inside his head. Garth, with all his love, adoration, care, and true faith in Cerdian, still couldn’t help himself.

Cerdian was his father’s son, so to say he was shy. He wasn’t antisocial, but he enjoyed keeping to himself and his books. He liked his small circle of friends, learning about history, and expanding his magic with as many spellbooks as he could recover. He was empathetic, understanding, and always cried when overwhelmed with any emotion. Garth couldn’t help but be worried because, even though he inherited many things from one of the strongest people Garth ever knew, Dolphin, Cerdian didn’t feel cut out for the hero life. He felt that his son belonged at home and at peace, not shouldering endless responsibility and growing up too quick.

But Roy always reminded Garth that Cerdian was much more resilient than his anxiety told him. Even though he was still a teen, he wasn’t a helpless kid. He could hold his own and had been trained by the strongest people in Garth’s life. He had been trained and taught by Garth himself and held his own in battle many times. Roy reminded him that sometimes you had to let your kid spread their wings, even though it was so hard to watch it happen. 

And, when worst came to worst, Lian and Cerdian had each other to lean on. The two were essentially inseparable (and essentially siblings, even though he and Roy had yet to be married). The two had clicked almost immediately when they met, and it was a joke within the Titans and Teen Titans that you couldn’t have one without the other. Both of them were strong in such different ways that they covered all necessary areas in a battle. If they couldn’t stand on their own, they could stand together.

Garth was always grateful for the reminder, because some days it was so easy to get worried. When they were teens they were dealing with world-class assassins and world-ending events every week. It was reasonable that he would get worried, and the same for Roy in turn. Whenever he needed a reminder to give Lian space, Garth was always there to nudge him in the right direction.

But it wasn’t like Roy was actually much better. 99% of the reason he held his tongue wasn’t because he believed harder, but because Lian would complain much louder about Roy fussing than Cerdian would Garth. Garth knew because he’d been there at the same time while both he and Roy were being worrywarts, and Lian was much louder in her annoyance.

Thankfully, today the worry had stayed at bay. It didn’t bother either of them too much, and they had arrived just fine without so much as a location check. Tonight was about the two of them, and that also meant not worrying about children. Tonight was for them.

The two were seated at a nice two-top table, somewhere not quite against the window but just close enough to take in the view. The windows reached from the floor to the ceiling, displaying a cityscape view that took Garth’s breath away. The rest of the establishment had dim, candle-lit lighting for a comfortable atmosphere that made Garth feel a special kind of giddy inside. His scars were unavoidable and easily made him noticeable, but in the dim lighting it was harder for others to see them. He wasn’t ashamed of them, he knew they showed his ability and history, but they also made him extremely easy to recognize. The restaurant atmosphere gave both Roy and Garth the chance to hide and be normal civilians for the night. Tonight, there would be no ‘Tempest’ or ‘Arsenal’, just Roy Harper and Garth.

As Garth picked up his menu, Roy told him to ‘not worry about any of the prices, sweetheart’, which made Garth chuckle. He always thought it was charming when Roy insisted on taking care of him while Garth was prince and ambassador of Atlantis. Considering everything, Garth should’ve been the one insisting to cover every cost, but Roy would hear none of it.

The waiter came by to collect their order: an appetizer, two entrees, and two drinks from their list of mocktails. After the waiter left, the night was filled with idle chatter and soft nudges. With no one there to make comments or jokes, Garth had no shame in toying with Roy’s pants with his dress shoe or any other small flirts. Holding Roy’s hand in his, covered in small cuts, divots, and burn marks from years at work, Garth idly played with his fingers and rings, all the while giving his boyfriend his full attention. Roy would squeeze or flex his hand depending on what Garth was doing, and it ended in the redhead pulling his arm to the other side of the table, lifting it to his lips, and littering it with kisses. One to his fingertips, one to his knuckles, one to the back of his hand, his thumb, so on and so forth until Garth was giggling and telling him to knock it off.

They spoke of anything that came to mind. Updates with their friends, hero gossip they’d heard, any updates with their families, etc. Garth spoke of the new move that Jackson taught Cerdian, and Roy talked about Mia and Lian conspiring against him. They pitched future date ideas and reminisced on old ones up until their entrees were served and placed on the table.

The presentation of each dish was crafted intentionally and executed wonderfully. The two ‘ooo’d and ‘aaa’d at them when they were served on shiny white dishes, their drinks presented with the same exact care. Garth had decided on spaghetti alle vongole, and Roy a ribeye.

Roy made fun of Garth for his decision of seafood, but when asked “So you don’t want a bite?” still replied “Of course I do."

But before either of them could even reach for their cutlery, a loud buzzing rang through Garth’s thigh, shaking violently in his pocket. The device was small and circular, easy enough to hide and stow away in any situation. It was something Garth never left the house without. Scrambling for the device in his pocket, the sinking pit of lead in Garth’s stomach knew exactly what it was.

It was a distress beacon.

Cerdian’s distress beacon.

Before Garth could fumble around enough to pull it free, he heard an identical buzzing from across the table. He could feel the buzzing through where Roy’s leg was pressed against the mahogany, and watched as his already horrified face took on an extra layer of panic. 

“Both of them,” Garth stated. It wasn’t a question; both of their kids had signalled off.

Roy began to shoot off whispered words at a rapid pace, “What do you think’s going on? The mission went south, right? I mean, what if it’s something big?”

“It has to be something big,” he was already rifling through scenarios in his mind. Ambush? A trick? A kidnapping? Were the two outnumbered? “They wouldn’t signal off if it wasn’t big, they’d just ask the comms for help.”

Roy nodded, breath shallow and movement curt. He was already going into his hero headspace, and Garth couldn’t blame him at all. “Right. So that means we need to go now.”

“Right.”

The two left the restaurant swiftly afterward. It took very little action or discussion to know that whatever was important enough to send off two distress beacons was much more important than dinner. After trying to open his wallet for longer than necessary (due to shaky hands and overridden anxiety), Roy left much more money on the table than necessary to make sure dinner was completely covered, then the two made their mad dash for the door.

There was no time to change outfits or even care about changing while rushing out. Garth found both of their locations, found them in the same place, and Roy sped off in his car towards their coordinates.

The speed they were going at wasn't exactly legal, but the thought slipped Roy’s mind as he sped towards their direction. His civilian car was modified for situations just like this, so he kicked it into the highest gear he could without harming anyone in the way. 

He masterfully swerved between lanes and other moving cars while Garth gave him directions. His grip on the wheel was tense enough for Garth to hear the grip of leather, though he tried to push away the sensory overload from the loud car and focus his thoughts. Putting his feelings aside, he focused his energy on retrieving Roy’s bow and quiver from their hidden compartment within the car, then contacting the other Titan’s.

The car jostles the two of them with each turn, unable to afford any deceleration. They continued near the outskirts of the city as the world grew more and more dim, navigating growing harder while the darkness of the night was unobscured. The street lights and open storefronts turned into closed blinds and abandoned buildings the further they went, and the more alleys they turned down the tighter the squeeze was for their car.

Eventually, the two came across a body lying on the ground, beaten and handcuffed, and knew they were in the right place. As they neared further and further, speed still rushing down the roadway but growing more careful. Then, a silhouette made itself clear in the distance.

It was an odd shaped silhouette. Not just one person in one figure, but seeming like multiple. The harsh colors of the headlights quickly revealed Lain’s blue hair and Cheshire Cat mask, illuminated with an intense glow to show the blood drying in her hair and on her clothes. Her head snapped upward at the car’s approach, eyes filled with fear, face bruised, and body hunched over. She was clutching the side of the figure– Cerdian– beneath her. Garth couldn’t get a good look at his son’s face, but he could see his long black hair in a mess and his costume torn. Even with the front of the car obscuring his vision, Garth could see he was covered in so much more blood.

The car halted to a harsh stop, skidding on the pavement below with a loud screech. The sound of the machine stopping was unbearably loud, and Roy didn’t even turn off the car before they were both hopping out; Garth throwing him his equipment without a word. 

The front doors of the car swung open and the two were instantaneously smacked with the sharp scent of blood. Garth felt the iron invade his senses, metallic and pungent and sticking to everything it could. His heart beat faster and faster within his chest as they ran towards their children, dress shoes tapping against the cold asphalt and pushing through the restricted motion of his suit jacket.

He could feel himself falling apart. He kept pushing through.

No one said a word as Garth rushed to Cerdian’s side, dropping to his knees and feeling the stings of pain from the untended road beneath him. The pain was dull and muted to cover a larger area due to the layers of clothing, but he could still feel the wetness of murky, red, horrifying depths seeping into his suit. 

He thought he grew desensitized to blood. It seemed no one could grow used to watching their own family bleed.

Lian didn’t fully move away, but instead pulled back to let Garth see Cerdian better. She kept her hands (drenched in blood. Pooling around the light skin and continuing to drip without any sign of stopping) over the biggest wound in Cerdian’s side. Garth moved his hand toward Cerdian’s pale face. It was more pale than usual, much more pale due to the blood loss. His face was bruised and littered in cuts. His face scales had retreated, which meant he hadn’t had contact with water in a while. He moved his finger underneath his nose to test his breathing, and felt only a slight gust on his skin.

His quick assessment of the situation showed him that Cerdian’s pulse was extremely shallow, hardly even there. Without the restriction of the car windows, it was glaringly obvious just how much worse he looked. He moved his hand to Lian’s wrists, guiding them away from the largest wound site. She moved them without a word, revealing a gruesome wound in his son’s side just barely grazing the bottom of his ribs. Beneath the torn fabric, he could see layers of skin split in half and an uneven wound akin to a dark cavern. With trembling hands, he placed his palms on the sides of his torso– one towards his heart and the other towards his stomach– and began casting a spell.

He muttered chants beneath his breath, a purple glow emanating from his hands and seeping into Cerdian’s body. He could feel his eyes begin to glow with the ritual casting of magic, incantation careful as to not trip up on his words, but rushed so that further damage could be avoided. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lian fidgeting with the fabric of her black pants. Her hands were shakier than his, overtaken with reactions she didn’t have the experience to tame. She tensed, most likely in an attempt to stop the shake, but when that didn’t work she moved to gripping her legs. Through his panic, Garth felt a deep sadness for Lian, knowing she was too small to be equipped for this. Knowing she shouldn’t have to watch her best friend bloodied and unconscious, and have to be the one making decisions on how to help.

He soon heard footsteps approach the three of them, seeing Roy’s brown leather dress shoes enter his peripheral and hands reach for his daughter to have her stand. He lifted Lian onto her shaky legs, and Garth watched her stumble a bit before her dad directed her to the side. Then, Roy’s voice broke the silence.

“What happened?” He questioned.

“We- we were doing our mission. A cargo interception for some drug trade- something new and super illegal. It was- it was something really protected. Really valuable. So they had weapons, obviously, and they had guns and it was nothing we couldn’t handle until they pulled out this super big- something. It was a weapon, obviously, but I couldn’t see what it was before it hit him.”

Her explanation was shaky. Her breath was taken in shallow inhales and her words were jumbled and nervous. It was easy to tell she was still reeling and her mind was caught in so many ideas that it was hard to give a clear story.

She continued, sounding teary and choked up, “I didn't know what to do- our comms got broken and then Cerdian went down and I didn't know if you guys would be answering your phones in time and I-”

“Hey- hey. Look at me,” Roy cut her off, “You did exactly what you were supposed to do. You did what you could, and now we’re here to help. Don’t worry, baby.”

“Where are the people who did this?” Garth cut in, finished with his muttering but palms continuing to glow.

“They got away, I'm sorry- I- they just-” He could hear when her tears started to fall, quiet sobs echoing off brick walls, “-We got a few of them but everyone else ran after I got to him. They all fled with their cargo and I didn't know what to do but stay here and I didn’t know if I could make it to the tower in time so I just- I just stayed here.”

“You did good, Lian. You did what Uncle Dick trained you to do, right? You set off your distress beacon when you needed urgent help.”

A shaky inhale, “Right.”

“So you did perfectly.” He ended, and there was no further argument. Roy then turned to face Garth, who had moved one of his palms to Cerdian’s cheek, “How’s he looking?”

“My magic will only hold him over for so long, we need to get to the tower now.”

“Okay. Will the car be quick enough?”

“As long as we go as fast as we can. I’ll need to stay in the back to keep my spell going, but it should hold him over.”

“Then let’s go.”

Garth felt a deep discomfort under his skin knowing he’d have to pause his spell, but he does so with little hesitation to pick his son up. He’s as careful as possible without being too slow, making sure not to jostle his head or disturb Cerdian’s side. A quiet, unconscious groan slips past his son’s lips from where his head was placed on Garth’s shoulder. 

Whispering, Garth soothed, “It’s okay, minnow, we’re getting you help.” Before running to Roy’s SUV, getting into the door Roy opened for him, and sliding into the back seat. 

He laid Cerdian down on the seats, propping his head up on his lap and making sure he was in an optimal position. From the passenger seat Lian popped open the glovebox to pull out one of the many first aid kits Roy had in his car. She held it over the center console out to Garth, to which he said a quick ‘thank you’ before getting bandages and cotton to soak up some of the blood that was quickly seeping into the seats. In the back of his mind, Garth felt guilty, but knew his boyfriend wouldn’t care.

The car rumbled to life and set off at the same speeding pace it was before they’d stopped. The dust kicked up behind them as they took off, jostling them from side to side before steadying on the road.

After securing bandages over the biggest wound, ignoring the overflowing crimson digging beneath his fingernails and staining everything it touched, he resumed his spell. He had to recite  the incantation all over again to return the glow to his palms, and watched as Cerdian’s quiet grimace fell to a more peaceful expression. It wasn’t much, but it served as his only form of comfort to know that his spell was actually working.

The rush to Titan’s Tower was a complete blur. Garth wasn’t processing anything outside of Cerdian’s status; microanalyzing every move, shift, and groan. He tensed every time they took a turn and felt his heartrate kick up every time they had to slow down. He hadn’t even realized they’d made it to the tower, only looked up to question why they stopped before seeing themselves in the ground floor of the base.

The sound of the gearshift moving to park was the last thing he heard before the door next to him opened. Looking out, he found Donna had rushed down to help them. He carefully lifted Cerdian up again, exiting the car and heading towards the elevator with the others at his heels.

Donna kept pace with him, “What happened? What’s his status?”

“Not good. Lian said it was some new weapon that the guys they were tracking had on them. He’s completely out right now and my magic is holding him on.”

The woman next to them nodded as they entered the elevator, heading up towards the high levels of the tower and the medical bay. He bounced back and forth on his heels, feeling unable to keep still and stand while waiting. He felt Donna’s hand on his bicep as they filled her in further, but Garth felt like he could hardly breathe.

After the excruciating wait, the elevator doors finally opened, allowing the group to rush out. Speeding to the medical bay, Garth entered the first room in the hall (unoccupied, thankfully. No one was seriously injured enough to need a room right now). Inside, he found Victor, already setting up and preparing the things they’d need.

He placed his son on the bed, handling him carefully from one side while Victor began his assessment now that they were up close.

“Okay, we’re gonna need to cut him out of his suit to get to the wound,” He looked upward at Garth, then to Donna and Roy, “Then we’ll need to stitch up his side, bandage the smaller stuff, and I’ll x-ray for broken bones. Otherwise, it’ll be nothing special besides doing some tests to see the effects of what he was hit with.”

Garth nodded, “He needs fluid. Water. Lots of it, soon. He’s been out for too long and I don’t know what that’ll do to him or his recovery but I know that it hurts if Atlanteans don’t get enough water.”

“Okay,” Victor indulged him, expression empathetic. He could probably tell how much Garth was freaking out. He was never good at hiding how much he was panicking, “But I’m gonna need you to step out while I stabilize him. Donna, could you prepare some IVs while I clean him up?”

Donna nodded, leaving the room to get the supplies, while all Garth could do was rub his hands down his suit jacket. It was no doubt ruined, or at least extremely dirty, but he had forgotten he was even wearing it. It didn’t matter much when his son was in danger and all he felt was useless.

Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, let’s go get Lian patched up while they work on Cer. How does that sound?”

Garth sighed, shudders wracking his body for just a moment before he met Roy’s eyes. Roy was right. They needed to get out of Donna and Vic’s way so that they could actually help. Garth couldn’t do anything with sense while he was panicking, logically, he knew he’d only be in the way.

But it didn’t feel any better to know.

“Yeah. Yeah, sounds good,” he swallows and tries to ignore the soft look in Roy’s eyes, because if he didn’t he’d start to cry, and he couldn’t cry in front of Lian.

Roy slid his hand down to the small of Garth’s back, leading him out of the room with a gentle push. He heard Lian’s shoes hitting the tile flooring behind them and tried to stabilize himself further. He leaned into Roy’s side, trying to sap any warmth that he could from his boyfriend without clinging too hard. They still had things to do, and even though Lian was in better condition than Cerdian, she was still very banged up.

They led Lian to the room across the hall, having her sit down on the bed while they collected bandages and disinfectant for her scrapes and cuts. He watched Lian take off her Cheshire Cat mask and take down her ponytail, and when their eyes met he gave her a soft smile which she returned. Cerdian meant a lot to both of them, and he could see how much she was still worrying.

Lian took her jacket off, revealing cuts and bruises littering her arms but thankfully nothing too bad. Garth put disinfectant on a cloth and sat down next to her, taking her arm in his hand to begin applying it.

“Be prepared for a sting.”

“I’m not a baby, Garth,” She rolled her eyes, but hissed when the cloth made contact anyway. They both shared a quiet laugh after that. He felt himself calming down as he tended to her, both in silence because they weren’t sure what to say- or if they even wanted to say something.

Roy was at his side, handing him bandages and supplies when Garth asked (and even before he needed to). Garth put a hand on the teen’s cheek to make sure her face wasn’t hurt any further and then gave her another once-over. She avoided eye contact in embarrassment, heat rising to her cheeks, but let Garth silently worry over her. When he was sure all of her injuries had been treated, he stroked her cheek with his thumb just to look at her face. 

He was still worried about Cerdian, but seeing Lian okay had calmed his nerves. He and Roy weren’t married, but they’d still been together for many years. Even then, he’d known Lian, loved her, long before they’d started dating. Though he’d never say anything before she broached the subject herself, Garth had seen her as his step-daughter and his family for a long time. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if they were both seriously hurt.

Eventually he gave her a break and moved his hand back down. In the quiet, he heard Roy groan and stand up, putting things back into cabinets before returning to the both of them. He put his hand in Lain’s hair to ruffle it, which she swatted at, and then put his other hand on the side of Garth’s head to press a kiss to his temple. Lian scrunched up her face, to which Roy rolled his eyes and pushed her head in retaliation.

After patching her up, Garth tried to return to wait outside of Cerdian’s room, but was instead directed by Donna to go back to his quarters. She told them that he’d most likely be out for the rest of the night, and they both needed rest while she and Victor continued to work. 

Garth really didn’t want to leave, but Donna had a way of convincing people to do anything. If he didn’t listen, she probably would’ve dragged him to his room either way. So, instead, he let Roy pull him to the elevator while Lian trailed behind (just as reluctant, but not wanting to fight her aunt any further).

When they got out, Roy gave Lian a hug and a kiss on the head, wishing her goodnight and telling her to get some rest. Garth wished her goodnight in turn, and with a wave, they split up to go to their separate quarters. It felt odd, knowing both Lian and Cerdian had their own rooms in the Titan’s Tower. Though the tower had been rebuilt many times and surely wasn't the one Roy and Garth had grown up in, the model was essentially the same, and it felt unreal. It hardly made any sense, that the tower Garth had a designated room in since 13 now had a room for his son.

A room he wasn't staying in because he needed stitches and x-rays.

Garth simultaneously pushed his thoughts and the door to Roy’s room aside.

The door shut with a soft click, and now that they were in a bedroom, Garth was extremely aware of his current state of dress. Mainly: he was aware of the crusted blood and dirt littering his outfit, the uncomfortable restriction of the suit, and how much he needed out. He began undoing his buttons with a labored sigh.

That was until he heard footsteps approach him from behind, arms snaking around him to latch onto his suit, fall above his hands, and push them away. The hands then began to undo the buttons for him, and he let his head fall back onto the shoulder behind.

“Thank you.”

“‘Course, sweetheart. Let me take care of you,” with a kiss placed on Garth’s presented neck. For once he didn't try to argue, the tiredness and lack of energy taking him over from how hectic today was. This time and just this time, he'd let Roy pamper him without fuss.

Though that didn't stop him from helping Roy undress as well, even as he was told he didn't have to. If anything, just so he could have something to do with his hands. He helped with his shirt, beginning with the top of the many buttons. 

Distracted, Garth began to let his mouth run again, a horrible decision but one he couldn't help, “Do you think they’re giving him enough water? Do they know how to treat him?”

“I’m sure they’re doing just fine,” Roy tried to counter.

“He- he has scales. It’ll hurt worse, being without water. Dolphin always gets sensitive before I do. It’ll be worse.”

“Garth.” Roy put his hands on his cheeks, making Garth look him in the eyes and focus only on him, “You have to trust them. Donna’s known you forever, she knows how to treat Atlanteans. If the worst comes to worst, she’ll tell Vic what to do or ask you for help.”

Garth slumps, “Right, sorry. I’m sorry.”

He slipped Roy’s shirt from his shoulders to reveal a pale chest littered in hair. A familiar sight, and funny enough, one that helped him relax. While both of their chests were bare, Garth leaned in for a quick hug just to feel their skin against each other's. Roy was always so much warmer than he was, body seeming to produce endless amounts of heat while Garth produced none. The feeling of Roy’s warmth, heartbeat, bare arms, and bare chest, were slowly bringing him back to reality.

He borrowed some of Roy’s pajamas that were stashed in the tower. Not for lack of having some, he had some in his own room, but rather because he wanted them. Needed them. Needed to be surrounded by a comforting and familiar smell instead of the smell of his son’s own blood before he went insane.

“Everything’s okay, baby. How about we get to bed so you can check on him bright and early?”

And they both knew that he was stretching the truth, but Garth nodded anyway. It was what he needed to hear. He then reached his arms up towards the other yet again– this time his neck– to wrap them around, pulling his lover towards his lips. The two shared a kiss, Roy’s hands going to Garth’s hips like it was muscle memory. While he was distracted by the kiss, Roy began to walk backwards towards the bed until his legs hit the frame. He then sat down, guiding Garth to come down with him and sit in his lap. The kiss stayed surface-level and light, filled with soft affection and care rather than heat.

Roy then pulled away, looking up at Garth with soft, tired eyes, taking a moment to admire him, “I love you.”

Garth sighed, allowing the smallest smile to take the place of his frown and worried brow as he responded, “I love you, too.”

That night was spent restless in Roy’s bed. Garth couldn’t help but twist and turn with discomfort, feeling an itch underneath his skin to go back to the medical bay and check on his son. The only thing keeping him there was Roy, unconscious at his side, snoring, and arms locked around Garth’s middle. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to ignore his instincts.

He spent the night in a dreamless sleep and woke up no more rested than before. It was harder than usual to open his eyes and he could feel the beginnings of a headache, thrumming behind his eyes in a low buzz. Lifting his eyelids felt like lifting weights, grimacing in his attempt to rise. The feeling of arms still around him reminded Garth not to move, as he usually woke up before his partner. Roy usually complained when he woke him up too early.

He attempted to stretch his limbs subtly, but found it harder than expected. Roy, in his sleep, had subconsciously drawn Garth’s body much closer to his, now trapping his range of motion further. It wasn’t as if Garth wasn’t strong enough to break free of his hold, Atlantean physiology letting him overpower most humans, he just preferred not to wake him. He also couldn’t deny that it was nice to watch his lover wake up. 

He attempted a small extension of his limbs, making his body tremble for a few moments before resting again. It was the largest range of motion he could try to make without actually moving, so he sank back into the sheets with an exhale.

Then, he waited…

And waited.

And quickly realized that today was the worst day to be left alone with his thoughts. 

It took barely a couple minutes between him waking up and trying to stay still before his mind was wandering. Almost the second his consciousness caught up to him, he felt his worries falling back into place. The anxiety festering in his chest was everpresent, but now he remembered just what it stemmed from, and he suddenly felt trapped. He felt restricted and held down. He felt like he needed to run away and check up on Cerdian, free his son from whatever they had him connected to, and keep him safe underwater before he went insane. He felt the tingle of energy beneath his fingertips urging him to get away the more he wasn’t allowed to move.

He tried to shift his positioning to calm these feelings, attempting to only listen to the sensible part of his brain. Maybe if he could move slightly it could calm- something. This logic didn’t feel exactly sound, but he needed to do anything before he started to panic. With a deep, shuddering breath, he carefully twisted to get a glimpse of the man behind him.

Then immediately startled when he saw, instead of a calm, resting face, a piercing emerald green.

He felt a laugh rumble through his back, “Mornin’ gorgeous.” Roy’s very awake voice was gravely and deep from a lack of use.

Garth blinked a few times, attempting to calm his heart from the unexpected situation. After buffering for a few moments, the only thing his mind could conjure was, “....Sorry, did I wake you up?”

Which only caused Roy to laugh more. Instead of responding, he leaned in to give Garth a quick kiss, soft lips moving against his own and both of their stubble knocking against each other as they shifted. Garth felt his mind calm ever so slightly at the affection, serving as a nice distraction before the two pulled away.

“You’re fine, baby. I woke up a bit ago.”

Then, he was shocked all over again, “Really?”

“Mhm, ‘nd now I see why you like to wait for me to wake up. It’s cute to watch you sleep.”

Garth moved his arm up to shove his face away, feeling embarrassment crawling up his neck in a flush. He opened his mouth to say something in response– most likely to tease Roy for being embarrassing– before a loud knock at the door startled the both of them.

The two stared at the door for a few moments before Garth was clamboring out of bed, shoving Roy’s arms away to stand up and make his way towards the door. His speed made him clumsy, having to untangle his way out of the blankets surrounding him and pulling himself from the duvet.

He stumbled a few steps towards the door, uncaring for his state of disarray before opening it wider than necessary. Donna, who had been waiting, looked Garth up and down (eyes lingering on his untamed hair, messy clothes, and lack of breath) with her own wide eyes.

“Um…” she blinked, “Cerdian is awake now, whenever you’re ready to visit him.”

“How long has he been awake for?”

“Only about an hour. We needed to check his state and ask him a few questions before clearing visitors. From the tests Kori ran this morning, he’s all safe.”

“Kori’s here?”

Donna nodded, “Yeah, you know how she is. She sped over the second she heard Cer was damaged so badly. Mar’i wanted to come with her, but we had to get Cassie to talk her out of it.”

Garth felt himself smile softly. It calmed his heart to know how cared for Cerdian was. Especially to know how many people were there for his son when he needed them, and it was sweet to see him have friends like Mar’i and Lian.

He tried not to fall into Donna as he suddenly hugged her, but it was hard to hold back from his relief. He squeezed her in his arms and felt her squeeze him in turn; neither needing to be afraid of hurting the other. He dropped his head onto her shoulder, muttering a quiet “Thank you so much. I can’t thank you enough.”

“It’s no problem, Garth,” she rested her head on his shoulder as well, “He’s family. We’ll do anything to keep him safe.”

It took every fibre of his body not to start crying then and there. Donna, sometimes unfortunately, held the kind of air that made you want to be vulnerable. Even sans her lasso of persuasion she could make anyone feel comfortable. Garth let himself melt into her for a few more moments before recomposing himself and pulling away.

Donna gave him one last pat on the bicep as a sort of support, “I’m off to let Lian know. You two shouldn’t keep him waiting any longer.”

Garth nodded, watching Donna walk away before turning around to face Roy. He found the other man sitting on the bed, smiling when they made eye contact to which he returned. Though, the soft moment only stood for a few seconds before the restlessness in Garth’s heart returned tenfold.

Suddenly, standing still was unbearable, and he turned back around towards the open door to exit the room. He didn’t even bother to look behind himself before saying  “Let’s go,” and rushing from the door (still barefoot, but nothing he wasn’t accustomed to) to the elevator.

The elevator, as was becoming more common to Garth, couldn’t manage to go fast enough. Even though the elevators in all Justice League affiliated bases had been built to save time, he felt like nothing was fast enough. Like any moment standing still was a moment wasted, and he was wasting too many moments in the elevator when he could be at Cerdian’s side.

Then, the elevator dinged, and he had no time to feel ashamed of his impatience because he was too busy rushing out of the doors. Roy was at his heels, following at an equally rushed pace, and Garth could tell he was just as impatient to see him.

They made their way to the room they’d put Cerdian into last night, opening the door with, finally, the smallest attempt not to look completely rushed so that they didn’t startle him. Garth at least had the clarity to not make his very injured son, who he was sure was already feeling guilty, even more guilty.

Taking in the room, Garth could see Kori and Victor discussing something near the room’s computer, looking at some sort of data sheet and x-ray. He then took in the sight of his son, hooked up to IVs and monitors on his chest and arms. He looked less pale than when they had found him last night, but was still not returned to his usual shade. His long hair, white streak in the middle, was cascading down his shoulders and slightly tangled, seemingly unbrushed but not very disturbed. Garth also noticed his mutation, blue scales and webbed hands inherited from his mother, was on display on both his face and arms. He wasn’t sure if Cerdian had decided to display them or if it was to help the healing process, but he didn’t seem to have any discomfort or dehydration. Garth felt like he could finally breathe again.

Cerdian gasped when the two walked in, purple eyes lighting up and mouth pulling into a smile when they entered the room, “Dad!”

“Cerdian,” he uttered, breathless. His son’s voice was a bit unstable from disuse, and he could tell that he hadn’t been speaking much, but there didn’t seem to be damage to his vocal cords. 

He took a break from analyzing to give Cerdian a soft hug, wrapping his arms around his head while Cerdian carefully lifted his arms to cling to Garth’s torso. He could feel his son’s claws digging into his shirt, though not ripping anything or causing pain. Burying his face in his son’s hair and feeling his eyes well up yet again, he left a kiss on the top of his head and then pulled away. He let his hands drop to his son’s shoulders as he took a moment to look at him. Cerdian indulged him, letting him give his assessment with that same smile.

“You scared the shit out of us, kiddo.” He heard Roy from beside him, who leaned over to ruffle Cerdian’s hair.

He laughed, something soft and measured, which Garth could tell was an attempt not to disturb any injuries, “Sorry, Roy.”

Then came a voice from the doorway, “You scared the shit out of me, douchebag.”

All eyes in the room looked towards the source of the voice, but what they found was a blur of blue hair and a black hoodie as Lian ran up to the hospital bed. She launched herself at Cerdian, throwing her arms around him with little care for the equipment around him or his bandages. He let out a pained hiss, wincing, but still hugged her in turn and tucked his head into her shoulder. Garth stood up straight to let the two hug properly without himself in the way.

From his side, he could hear Roy mutter ‘language, Lian,’ which fell on deaf ears as his daughter chose to focus on Cerdian’s “Sorry, Lian.”

“You should be. Don’t do that again,” she said, muffled by his shoulder and hospital gown.

“Wh-” Cerdian scrunched his eyebrows together, “It wasn’t my fault! How was I supposed to avoid that hit!?”

“Yeah it was,” she joked, pulling back with a smile, “Next time, be invincible. Do better.”

Cerdian smiled in turn, a laugh on his lips, “Right, sorry. Thank you for the feedback.”

The four continued to talk, asking questions, getting status updates, and overall making sure he was okay. Eventually, Kori and Victor had Garth come over to review Cerdian’s condition more thoroughly, and they spoke of his treatment and the effects this new weapon had on his body. Overall, Garth was told that Cerdian was recovering very well. All procedures had gone fine, and he was on the road to a normal recovery.

The rest of the day was spent speaking with Cerdian. He asked about their date and anything he’d missed (which hadn’t been a lot), and the conversation turned to normal day-to-day chatter. Later, they’d get a visit from Mar’i, who had finally gotten permission from her moms to visit, Dick, Wally, and an extremely concerned Dolphin who Garth and Cerdian had to calm down.

It was days before they could take Cerdian home. Apparently they had to keep testing him and monitor his status for longer to make sure he was healing correctly. Those days were only marginally less stressful, including Lian refusing to leave his side, concerned messages from Arthur, Mera, and Jackson, and even Garth getting a call from his mother (which, he wasn’t sure how she even found out). On top of it all, Cerdian was asking every day to be allowed to leave.

The chaos only ended when Cerdian was finally cleared for discharge. His stitches were still healing, but he was ecstatic to leave and Roy and Garth were just happy to bring him home.

The day they got back, the four of them decided to have a night at home to celebrate Cerdian’s discharge from the medical bay. Roy and Lian were in the kitchen making popcorn, while Cerdian and Garth sat on the couch deliberating on movie ideas.

Then, Garth heard a little gasp from beside him, watching as his son’s eyes lit up with an idea, “Could we watch The Dark Crystal?”

Of course he’d request that, Garth thought. It was his favorite. He gave him a kiss on the head, smiling into his son’s hair, “Anything you want.”

The smell of butter wafted through the house while Garth tuned into the conversation in the kitchen. It was something about Cerdian’s movie choice– probably a comment on how he always chose it– and him defending himself. He wasn’t quite paying attention, but laughed anyway as he continued his search.

Eventually the two made their way from the kitchen with two big bowls of popcorn and drinks for the four of them. Lian beelined for Cerdian’s side, while Roy wrapped an arm around Garth’s shoulders. Making himself comfortable, Garth snuggled into his lover’s side and gave him a kiss on his stubble-laden jaw, then met with a quick kiss on the lips.

The movie started with the chorus of ‘boo’ and ‘gross’ coming from their children, the two lovers uncaring and laughing at the dramatics as they got comfortable. Looking around himself, in a room surrounded by the people he loved most, all safe and doing well, Garth couldn’t have been happier. It was all he’d ever wished for.

Tonight, Garth found, staying in to watch a movie would be perfect.