Actions

Work Header

Question and Answers

Entire Work

Work Text

Green Arrow always seemed to get away with it. He could talk back to the founders of the Justice League and face zero consequences. Maybe it was because they'd "kidnapped" him (as he liked to say), forced him to work with the League somehow. Maybe it was because his alter-ego was such an influential person. Maybe they just liked Green Arrow - or he was always right and they never wanted to admit it.To be fair, he did only speak against them when he was 100% certain in what he was saying. Question had found that to be an admirable trait about the otherwise-annoying archer. And, while they weren't so outspoken against the founders like Arrow, his closest friends did seem to have no problem speaking their minds when needed either.Question could recall a handful of times that their actions didn't match up with the respect they advocated for. S.T.R.I.P.E. was constantly going on missions with the younger heroes when the founders told him not to - and he was often right to have done so. Stargirl, likewise, would sneak off to provide backup when it wasn't officially requested. She faced consequences but it never deterred her in the future.Crimson Avenger and Red Arrow were more the quiet threats, since neither of them were full-time members with the League. He'd caught Crimson Avenger proclaiming how important it was to have respect for authority and rules while in the process of disregarding said authority and breaking said rules on numerous occasions. Red Arrow often wasn't far behind in all his friends' antics.It was hard to figure out what Shining Knight and Vigilante were up to, but Question was sure they were up to something. Shining Knight often retold his story of disobeying King Arthur's command, and being thanked for it, yet he appeared to follow all the rules and orders of the League's founders. So far. And Vigilante appeared to be a literal angel.So how had those two found themselves on League suspension with the rest of the idiots they hung out with? Not to mention Black Canary, who Question was convinced was dragged down with Green Arrow. And Huntress was virtually begging him to find out what they'd done.Not that he wouldn't have done it anyway. He'd love to have something to hold over Green Arrow's head for a while. Because Green Arrow had privileges that Question did not. Green Arrow could talk back, but when Question did it - and especially when he was right - he got in trouble. He got punished.Question rubbed at his bandages. When he realized he was doing it, though, he pulled his hand back and cursed himself under his breath."Who else was on the mission…" he muttered, not really asking. His hand moved to absently play with the seam on his trench coat. It was better than possibly upsetting his injuries.Question's eyes darted around what Huntress called his "Conspiracy Board". He had pictures of the scene, he had pictures of Green Arrow and his accomplices, he had pictures of the villains and mission plans even. Each individual was meticulously connected to their portion of the plan and their place on scene by red yarn - he was starting to see why Huntress called it a conspiracy board."Hey, Q, I brought lunch."Question turned around at Huntress' voice. He raised his eye, only visible by a slight movement in the mask he wore. "'Q'?"Huntress swiped some old papers off one of the only partially-clean surfaces in the room to set down the takeout she'd brought. She shrugged. "I'm just trying some nicknames.""Ah." Question immediately returned his attention to the conspiracy board."How are you feeling now that you're back in your fallout shelter?" Huntress walked over. She rested her elbow on his right shoulder, leaning into and examining the board with him.He grunted in response."And your injuries?"Question shrugged her off, turning to the food she'd brought. "Let's change the subject."Huntress frowned, but followed him to the table anyway. "Okay, so what are you up to?""Trying to figure out how he does it." Question replied. He pulled the aerosol out of his jacket pocket and sprayed his face. It was so easy now, around Huntress. He wasn't sure how he'd managed to keep from revealing his face for so long around her.Huntress rested her hand against his cheek once the mask was removed. She turned his head so that she could examine his face.He held his breath. Ah, that was why he'd managed it."The swelling's gone down."Question glared. "I said let's change the subject."She sighed, pulling her hand away. "Okay, okay. I get it." Huntress turned to start sorting the takeout. "So, have you figured anything out yet?"His eyes fell to the ground. "No. I think I might have to do some interviews."Huntress raised her eyebrow. "Oh? Who are you going to interview?""Well, Hawk, Dove, and Supergirl were on the mission with them. And Hawkgirl was team leader. I thought I'd start with them." Question pulled the chair across the table out, then pushed it in again once Huntress was seated before taking the other chair. He leaned back into it and closed his eyes. He may have been discharged from the Watchtower medbay, but everything still hurt."They barely allowed me back onto the Watchtower with you, on Superman's orders, mind you," Huntress commented, drawing his attention, "so I don't think they'd let me aboard the Watchtower again to help you interview people." She played with her noodles as she spoke. Now she set her chopsticks into the takeout box and rested her chin on her hand, grinning at him. "Even though I'm sure it would be fun."Question sighed, forcing himself to lean forward. "I don't know if I'll even be allowed back on the Watchtower, except for my medbay visits.""I forgot." Huntress frowned. "You were suspended for going rogue, weren't you?"He nodded once."Was Captain Atom suspended too?""I'm sure he will be once he's been discharged from medical."Question played with his chow mein. What had come over Captain Atom? And Superman? He…well, at least Superman knew what he had seen. But would Superman ever tell anyone else what Question now knew? Or would Superman keep the secret until his dying day? Assuming his dying day came before he had a chance to kill President Lex Luthor."So…" Once again, Huntress dragged him back to reality. Well… "I know you got suspended, was it just for breaking into LexCorp, and trying to, y'know…?""Hmph." Question huffed. "Only partially. The rest of my suspension is related to the fact I didn't share all my findings with Batman.""All your Cadmus findings?""Yes.""And which parts didn't you share with him?"Question raised his eyes to meet Huntress'. Should he tell her? He doubted Superman, Batman, or any of the other self-righteous founders would. He lowered his gaze back to his food. "I didn't mention the scenarios Cadmus was running."That night, when he finally got his 20 minutes of sleep, it was plagued by nightmares of Luthor, and Superman, and the two's final encounter in that alternate universe that had pushed Question to the edge.

↑ Top · Fandoms