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ROY WOKE UP TO A SHARP KNOCK ON THE DOOR. His eyes snapped open, his head swivelling to the door, where Jason stood, a blade in his hand.
"Jason," Roy hissed, "put down the knife, you're gonna -- "
"Kill someone? Yeah." Jason's grip tightened around the knife. "That's the plan."
"Hey Hood, open up!" The voice rang clear through the thin plywood door. Jason and Roy exchanged a look. Roy clambered out of his chair, Jason passing him the knife as his hand wrapped around the doorknob.
He swung it open, and Roy brought the knife down in a downward arc, which shattered against their guest's face.
"Now," the woman's grin was icy, "is that any way to treat a woman?"
Killer Frost. If looks could kill, she would be able to freeze dry your heart. Killed by Jason Todd.
"Down!" Jason lunged sideways, pulling Roy to the ground, just as a blast of frost hit the area where Roy was standing seconds ago.
The two of them scrambled to their feet, Jason shoving Roy ahead of him, towards the fire escape. He slammed the kitchen door in her face, rummaging for a knife. Finding a meat cleaver, he tucked it into his belt, turning to watch Roy fiddle nervously with the latch on the window.
Meanwhile, Killer Frost was taking her time, idly stepping over bloodied Kevlar and day-old takeout to reach them. It was nice. Being alive again. She was going to relish every second of freezing Red Hood's eyes from its sockets.
Roy pried the window open, crawling out onto the fire escape, turning back to Jason. He held a hand out for him to take. "Come on!"
At that moment, the door burst into shards of ice, and stepping out of the debris, was Killer Frost.
Jason turned back to Roy with a rueful smile on his face.
"Jason--"
"Sorry, partner." He slammed the window back down, latching it in place.
"Jason, no," Roy rattled the window, which didn't budge.
"Jason!"
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ZATANNA ZATARA MADE A NOISE FEIGNING ANNOYANCE. "Roy, you can't keep interrupting my performances for Jason -- "
"Zee, please, I know this is the second time today, but Jason is being an idiot and facing Killer Frost alone, without me and-- "
"I'm in the middle of a show, R--"
Even through the buggy phone receiver, Zatanna could make out the pain in Roy's voice. "Zee," he said, "I don't know who else to turn to."
"What about Oli? Or Dinah?" Zee rubbed her temples, exasperated.
Roy's voice went small. "I'm not on . . . speaking terms with my family as of the moment."
"And you and Jason decide to drag me into the middle of both your daddy issues," Zee sighed. "Lucky me."
"I'll owe you. Big time. I already found a lead on the Swam--"
A hand fell on Roy's shoulder, cutting him off. He whipped around, to see a woman with dark hair and blue eyes smiling back at him. "Say no more. I'm here. You can butter me up later."
"Zee," Roy breathed.
Zatanna's voice was firm. "Where is he?"
Roy pointed upwards, at the fire escape. Zatanna grumbled, cracking her knuckles.
"You boys always make me do the hard work."
Upstairs, Jason was getting his ass handed to himself. Again.
He let out a grunt as Killer Frost landed a hit on his left shoulder, ice spreading across his lower arm. The sharp ice sliced into his skin. A trickle of blood ran down the length of his arm.
"You killed me," she said, "now, it's your turn."
"Yeah well," Jason's grip tightened around the knife, "get in line, princess."
"What makes you think that's going to work on me?" she nodded her head at the knife in Jason's hand as they circled each other.
"Ever heard of the 100 Degree Knife Challenge?"
"Oh, Red," Zatanna burst through the window, her hair curling. "You need to know when you have to shut up and when you have to fight."
Tiny specks of glass glittered in her hair as she directed a blast of magic at Killer Frost, sweeping her off her feet.
"Erutpac!"
Light surrounded Frost, trapping her in a sphere, as she chanted the last of her spell, "Ezod."
Killer Frost closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber. Zatanna's breathing was haggard, falling to her knees, trying to catch her breath.
Jason mimicked her movements, falling with her, his side and shoulder throbbing in pain.
"Didn't know she got my side too," Jason lifted his shirt up to see a gaping wound. The skin around the wound was desperately trying to weave together, but the wound kept opening.
Jason looked up to see Zatanna clenching her fists in tune to his healing wound. Zee was gasping for air, trying to force air into her lungs. Jason scooted over, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Breathe, Zee, nice and easy. Let go, I can stitch myself up."
"But—"
"Zee," Jason's tone was firm, "Let go."
Zatanna exhaled, and a wave of pain crashed down on him, the pain intensifying that Jason nearly blacked out.
Roy stepped through the doorway to see his loser partner bleeding out on the floor next to his magician friend, who looked ready to pass out.
When life gives you friends, make sure you bring a shit ton of medical supplies, Roy supposed.
He grabbed the first aid kit off the counter, rushing to Jason's side. Jason winced as Roy's knee brushed against his side.
"Take it easy." His voice was rough.
"Sorry," Roy apologized, gently lifting Jason's shirt to assess the damage.
His hand closed around Jason's wound, but almost immediately, Roy drew his hand back. Roy frowned, wiping away Jason's blood to stare at the crystal-like material underneath.
"Is that . . . ice?"
Jason's hand grabbed Roy's wrist, tugging him down, their lips centimetres apart. "Did I just fight a person with ice voodoo," he hissed between his teeth, "or not?"
Roy inhaled. "Well," he said, "I'm going to need a blow-dryer."
