Superboy POV
I grab Robin in my arms bridal style and quickly start to run out of the building we were currently residing in. I knew he would wake up and probably be mad at me again. I mean he really like that pool table and the couch was actually really comfortable, but I had to protect him even if he was furious with me. Once outside I start leaping as far as I can toward the forest on the outskirts of the city. I know that I can keep him hidden and well protected if I can at least just get us within the forest. There are plenty of cabins up on the mountains that people only use seasonally, so it's the perfect place for a couple of squatters like us.
Robin POV
One minute I'm sleeping very comfortably on the Boy of Steel's chest, and the next I find myself being carried down the stairs and out the door of our little getaway, or "haven" as I have started to call it. I mean it would make the perfect place to run off to if you had a bad day. Seriously, it's just down the street from this amazing bakery, is abandoned so you don't have to worry about noisy neighbors, and there is a pool table that I have been dying to get back to. So of course I'm mad when I wake to Connor taking me away from my new favorite hidey hole as fast as he could.
Upon figuring out that we were leaving I immediately start to barrage the clone with questions. "Why do we have to leave? Where are we going? Why can't we go back? What's wrong?"
He just continues to leap through the air for a few minutes while he thinks of a good enough response that can answer all of my questions. He finally stops jumping toward the outskirts of town for a moment and looks at me. "First off, we are leaving town. Second, I have to keep you safe, and our "haven" as you like to call it has been compromised. I can't let anyone take you from me, so I'm hiding you in the forest where nobody will find us." With that he begins his journey into the mountainous terrain once again.
I was so caught off guard by his declaration of ownership, that I couldn't think of a response and just let Superboy carry me into the woods. I know that he has feelings for me even though he has never openly said that he does. I don't even think he knows that he does, but he almost said that he did by saying that I could be taken from him. As if I was his to be taken away. That he cares about me so much that he can't stand the loss of my company, or the discomfort of my being. Connor has basically just taken ownership of me, and I think I'm okay with that.
Superboy POV
I can't believe he isn't making such a big deal about this. Usually he would insist that I put him down by now, and start to try and wriggle out of my inescapable grasp. It's kind of cute how he thinks he can break my hold on him. Wait did I just say that I think he's cute? I just meant in a little brother sort of way. Right? I mean I don't like him like that do I? I don't know, I've never had these feelings before. I don't even know if I'm supposed to have these feelings. I mean what Batman told me would explain a lot, but I can't listen to anything he said right now. All he wants is to get to Robin, and he is willing to do anything to achieve his goal. Whether that means lying about my heritage or taking slightly more drastic measures.
Anyway, Robin has been oddly quiet for a while now, and it's kinda bothering me. It's not like him to be so silent and brooding. I know that I'm usually like this, but on the young bird it just seems wrong. I hope I didn't do something wrong. I know I took him from his pool table, but it isn't the first time I've stolen him away. He should understand by now that I only do what I do because I must. I really hope that he gets out of this funk soon. Maybe I can think of a way to cheer him up when we find a place to stop and set up camp.
I continue to leap through the air for another 20 minutes or so before I come across a small cabin that looks like it's been empty for a few months if not longer. I gauge the distance that I have gone into the mountains and deem it far enough from civilization to keep Robin away from any danger. Nobody should come anywhere near this place for quite some time. I'm sure we will be left alone for quite some time.
I land near the cabin and start to walk to the front door "Hey, we're here."
Robin quickly looks from the cabin and back to my face "Umm, You don't mean the cabin, do you?"
I chuckle slightly and reply "Of course I do, where else would we stay, in the trees?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we are breaking and entering. This place is clearly not abandoned, and we don't even know when the owners will be coming back. What are we going to do if they come back and find us squatting in their vacation home?
"Look, I made sure that we were so far into the wilderness, that even if they were on their way right now, they wouldn't get here for a few days. So we have plenty of time to plan for that problem if it even comes up okay?"
"Umm, okay. What are we going to do for food? I don't want to steal from their winter stores."
"You know how to cook right?
My favorite smirk began to sprout on Robin's face "Yeah, I'm pretty good if you ask me."
"Then we are set, because the genomes taught me how to hunt and clean the kills, so as long as you can cook the meat then we can sustain ourselves as long as we need to."
His smirk immediately turned into a look of shock. "You can hunt? How? With what?"
I chuckle at his stunned look and explain. "Yes i can hunt because again, the genomes showed me how when I was being developed in the Cadmus pod. And you don't really want to know how I hunt. It's kinda disturbing."
"What do you mean it's disturbing? How do you hunt?"
I look at Robin and give a half hearted glare that says don't push me "No, I'm not telling you. Drop it."
He looks a little hurt and I immediately feel bad for what I've done to him "Alright, You don't have to tell me."
We stay silent as I shift Robin into my right arm as I open the door to our new home. I look around the cabin and take in my surroundings. While looking around the room, Robin realizes one of his only chances to jump out of my arms and use his own legs for a while. I instinctively reach out to catch him but he's too fast and is already on the other side of the room. After a moment I realize that if he wanted to escape that he would have when we were in the city, so I calm down enough to allow him his own freedom to roam the house.
I watch as Robin looks all around the living room and kitchen, checking all the cupboards and closets. He continues to flit about the house taking advantage of his new freedom to explore our home and all that it encompasses. After a few minutes I decide that I should go find some food for dinner, so I let Robin know that I am heading into the woods and to stay put while I am out.
I leave the cabin and start my journey into the woods. I make sure to be a bit farther from the cabin than I really need to, but I can't risk hurting Robin. As soon as I feel that I am a safe distance from Robin, I slowly relax and let my instincts take over. My posture becomes feral as I crouch with my legs spread out and my arms lifted slightly away from my body. I begin to listen to the surrounding area and smelling the air for any scents that I can recognize. I can smell what is probably a small foraging animal in the arena and can hear a stream in the distance. I know that this is where my prey is located and instantly sprint off in the direction of the animal.
It was only moments before I found the rabbit drinking from the previously mentioned stream and within seconds I catch up to it using my Super Speed and grab it using my Super Strength immediately breaking its neck and many other of its fragile bones. Even after the kill I continued to search the area for any other possible animals to prey on. It took a few moments to start coming out of my instinctual "Hunt" mode as I call it, and in the meantime I sat staring at the life that I just took.
I hadn't been completely back to normal yet when I hear something in a tree about 30 yards to my right. I instinctually drop the dead rabbit and get back into my hunting stance to lunge at my attacker. I leap through the air toward the tree that the sound had come from. I sweep the branches out of my way and come face to face with Robin. I almost immediately snap out of my trance, but not fast enough. I look down and realize that I have my hand wrapped around Robins neck, and he can't breathe.
If my own ability to do something like this to my Robin didn't make me let go, then his look of complete terror definitely would have. He looks as if he has just seen the grim reaper, the reaper being me. I am so hurt by what I have done and the look I receive from him, I try to give Robin a reassuring hug to let him know that I am sorry and that I didn't mean to, but he just sits there, taking my hug with stiff reservation.
I continue to hold him close if not for his reassurance than for my own "I told you to stay at the cabin. I told you that you wouldn't want to watch me hunt. It can be dangerous. I'm not always in control."
Robin sits there quietly for a moment before he speaks "What was that?"
I release Robin just enough to look at his face "When I hunt, I basically go Primal Instinct. I don't think, I just do. I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to be here. If I had known I might not have done that. I wasn't exactly back to normal yet and when I heard you in the tree, my instincts kicked in. They screamed enemy attacking, attack first. I would have killed you. This is why I didn't want you to see me. I become someone I'm not proud of."
With this I let go of Robin and turn away. I feel like I have lost him. I know that even if he doesn't want anything to do with me I will still protect him, but the loss of his friendship hurts me more than I would like to admit. I stand still for a few moments staring into the distance, on the verge of crying, when two small arms wrap around my torso.
"Its alright. It's my fault for not listening. And you shouldn't have such feelings for how you acted, it's instinctual and someday it could save you. Come on, let's head back to the cabin okay, I can start cooking that rabbit for dinner."
With that he lets go and heads toward the rabbit and picks it up. He examines it closely and ties it to his belt. He starts to walk back toward me and grabs my hand. He looks at me and simply gives me a smile and starts to walk in the direction of the cabin. I haven't lost him, not yet anyway.
Robin POV
I decided to follow Connor and see what had him so freaked out about me seeing him hunt. I jumped from tree to tree and followed him deep into the forest. He eventually stops and his posture changes to that of a predator. It's kind of unnerving to see him like this but I just sit quietly and observe.
The next thing I know he is on the other side of the clearing, next to a stream and he has a rabbit in his hand, already with a broken neck and probably half of its spine. I was so shocked I actually slipped and made the leaves of the tree rustle a little too loud. One second I'm catching myself with the branch next to me, and the next Connor has me on the ground, hand around my neck. This is when I realize that he is squeezing and I can't breathe.
I am actually scared to death at the look of pure hate and malice coming from Connor and that my life is in his hands. His face quickly changes though into something of pure terror at what I can only assume is for what he almost did to me. He wraps me in a huge embrace but I'm still so terrified, all I can do is stand there.
He goes on and on about how sorry he is, and how its all his fault. I don't really register this right away. He tells me about how he hunts and why he didn't want me to see him. I feel so bad for him, and watch as he turns from me and stares into the woods. He begins to shake ever so slightly and I realize that he is about to cry.
I walk over to him and hug him from behind. I quickly reassure him that it was all my fault, and that he had no idea that I was going to follow him. He stops shaking and I try to cheer him up with promises of Rabbit for dinner.
I walk over to the rabbit and tie it to my belt. Upon turning around I see Connor staring at me with such hope in his eyes, all I could do was walk over grab his hand and smile. Hand in hand I start to lead him back to the cabin.
I don't think this will affect any part of our relationship, and I hope I can help him understand that he didn't do anything wrong. It scares me that there are these parts of Connor, but it is also reassuring to know that I have all of that raw power and ferocity on my side. If Connor was pushed to, he would use all of that to protect me. I don't know why, but I feel incredibly honored to know that he was able to snap out of his state just because he saw me. Like I'm the cause for which he acts so emotionally to begin with. And I could tell he thought he scared me off, which is why he almost cried. That touches me the most. I honestly think I'm falling for this Super Clone.