-Got trashed and watched Dazed and Confused, it inspired me.-

"Hey, Kaldur." Roy called, stopping by the mountain. It wasn't a work call, he wasn't in costume.

Kaldur, who was currently plying himself with muscle ointment, looked up at the older boy. "Hello."

"There's, uh," Roy paused, standing over him. "I was just thinking about how you helped me with the Cheshire assassination a few months back and I thought..." He shrugged. "look, one of my old classmates from high school is throwing a house party tonight." He removed a slip of paper from his pocket, handing it to the Atlantean. "It's be cool if you could come."

"Am I allowed?" Kaldur asked.

"Sure, cover your gills and just tell them you're a friend-of-a-friend to the host." Roy replied.

Kaldur frowned. "Can I invite people?"

Roy frowned, thinking. "You're already my plus-one but... sure, the more the merrier or whatever they say. It's not me buying the beer."

Kaldur nodded, taking out his phone. He had to call the team.

"Red please? The whole team will be there!" M'gann begged. "If me and Conner don't go everyone will think we're total squares!"

"Will there be any adults at this party?"

"Duh, it's an 18+ party!" M'gann faltered as she realized what they said. "I-- I mean most people there are over eighteen. It's not 18+, because if it was, Red Arrow wouldn't have invited Kaldur, and Kaldur wouldn't have invited us!"

"We aren't children, Red," Conner said, trying to decide between the discretion of ear plugs and the defense of the industrial protection muffs in the hanger bay. "You know how responsible we are!"

"Yes, I do." Red tornado paused. "If you promise to be home a eleven pm, eastern standard time,  then you may go to the party."

"Aw Red,  that's so early!" M'gann begged.

"Eleven 'o' clock is the latest I will allow."

"Fine."

"Who are you getting dressed up for?" Bruce asked.

"Myself." Dick proclaimed." I-- I mean we have a casual dress day at school next week and I wanted to prepare my outfit."

"Well I'm not sure those shorts will bass the dress code, but you can try." Bruce adjusted his tie.

"Who are you dressed up for?" Dick asked.

"I've got my dinner with Clark and Diana tonight." He replied. "You can patrol if you want, but I know you've been working hard, so don't feel obligated."

"Thanks," Dick said, "This is actually perfect."

Wally's escape was pretty easy, he dressed in silence and lowered himself out the bedroom window and onto the fire escape. He climbed down the side of the house and took off towards The east coast. The run ought to take him a little while, but once he got on the highway he could sprint as fast as he wanted. He was to meet Dick in Gotham before they both zeta'd to the tube in Boston to meet the others before heading to the party.

This was going to be awesome.

"Don't do anything your sister wouldn't." Paula kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"I think I crossed that line when I made friends." Artemis replied.

"And you say Speedy-- Red Arrow-- will be there?"

"Don't worry mom, I won't need Roy to get me home safe." She smiled. "I'll be fine."

"And remember, keep an eye on those college boys."

"I'll be fine, mẹ!" Artemis exclaimed. "Trust me, you don't have to worry. I'll see you in the morning, okay? Don't wait up for me."

The world's finest weren't just coworkers or heroes, they were also, to some extent, good friends with each other and they tried to make time at least once a month to get dinner and catch up. They'd already delayed it twice due to scheduling issues, and tonight was the first they could all sacrifice to meet up.

"There you are." Diana smiled. "Me and Clark were about to make bets."

"I didn't want to leave so soon." Bruce replied, sitting down with them. "Dick was very eager to hear about my plans, I think he might be planning on something while I'm out."

The other two glanced at each other, holding back smiles. Bruce was famously a bit worrisome when it came to Dick, and now that the boy was growing up and entering his teens, that separation anxiety had increased tenfold.

"Alfred won't let him do anything too bad." Clark replied, trying to allay the bat's fears. 

"He's a smart child," the Amazon added. "He can usually get himself out of any trouble he gets into."

The party was loud, not deafening, but loud and busy enough that Conner was glad he brought ear protection.

M'gann, Dick, and Wally were all about loud and busy, they all loved getting attention, but Artemis wasn't sure, so she grabbed a beer and went out onto the smoking deck, where things were a bit quiet. The smoke was very bad for Kaldur, so he had to go inside with the others.

Roy was leaning against a pool table, he waved Kaldur over. "Hey, when I said you could invite people I didn't mean--" He sighed. "Just don't tell anyone we're involved with the kiddie squad, alright? C'mon, I want to introduce you to people."

"Geez, these freshmen get smaller and smaller every year!" A young woman laughed, bending over them. "What are you two doing here?"

"Just... chilling." Dick flashed his charismatic grin, throwing his arm around Wally. "You?"

"Are you like, someone's brother or something?"

"If that's what sets your mind at ease." Wally shrugged. "I'm Wally, this is Dick."

She snorted. "I'm Mia. Come'ere" She set her cup down and started leading the way to the kegs. "MOVE! These kids need beer!"

"You brought a highschooler?"

"It's cool," Roy replied. "He's cool. Nick, this is Kaldur. Kaldur, Nick." Kaldur nodded in acknowledgement.

"There are a few teenagers here..." Nick's girlfriend remarked, leaning around his shoulders.

"That's Artemis' fault." Roy replied. 

"You mean that kid you always bitch about?"

"Who invited the fetuses?" One of the stoners asked, kicking Artemis under the low outdoor table.

"I'm with Kaldur, who's with Roy... and he's with me." Artemis gestured to where Conner lingered nearby, cradling an entire bottle of vodka.

"Okay, just, plausible deniability: tell me you're eighteen."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm eighteen, just light me up!"

As things tended to go, the golden trio talked about work, and when they talked about work, they inevitably talked about the kids, and when they talked about the kids, they inevitably said something that made Clark uncomfortable.

"They're making stunning progress." Bruce reported, filling his glass with the bottle of wine he and Diana were sharing. "Of course, Dinah is more in the loop with how they've improved, but I can vouch that they have."

"Sounds like they deserve a treat."

"Don't talk to me about rewards." Bruce huffed. "Dick's been harassing me all week to let he and Conner have a sleep over."

"Conner?" Clark asked. "Who's Conner?"

"Superboy."

"Oh."

The table got quiet.  

"I should probably check in on Dick." Bruce stood, taking his phone to the next room.

Diana waited until it was just her and the kryptonian. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Clark shook his head wearily.

M'gann was having the time of their life. Everyone was giving her attention when she spoke, laughing drunkenly at her jokes, a few people even expressed romantic interest, not realizing she was a minor. They were awfully flattered by all of it, and with a couple sugary cocktails down the hatch she went to find Conner.

Conner were standing with the smokers, holding a massive bottle.

"Are you allowed to drink that?" M'gann laughed.

Conner shrugged. Beer hadn't gotten him drunk so he'd figured he'd drink a lot of something with high alcohol content, just to see if he could get drunk. Honestly, he thought he might be feeling some effects already.

"I'm afraid you've just missed him," Alfred spoke into the phone as he busied himself drying dishes. "Master Dick has gone to sleep."

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked. "It's early. Can you just check on him?"

"I checked on the boy right before you called." Alfred lied. "He was fast asleep."

"Right, right..." Bruce muttered. "Thanks Alfred." He hung up.

Dick was not asleep, at least not in the manor. 

Alfred had raised one boy to adulthood already, and the second was inadvertently falling into many of the same pitfalls as his mentor had: you could not sneak out of the house without Alfred's knowledge. 

He wasn't worried though; with Bruce all you could do was worry, but Dick had training, not to mention that he had friends and a social life to engage in. 

Yes, Alfred decided, that's what he must be doing tonight. 

The butler drew a chair into the entry way and sat down, waiting.

"Christ, kid!" Roy barely dodged the blonde girl as she shot into the bathroom, throwing herself over the toilet and heaving. "How many have you had?"

Artemis heaved twice move, but nothing came up. "Four beers..." She heaved again. "two joints."

"Jesus." Roy sat on the edge of the bathtub, holding his sister's hair back. "I guess I'll have to get used to us running in adjacent social circles..." He sighed, blinking wearily. He didn't feel great himself. "Hey Kaldur, I'm calling an uber for me and Arty, you coming?"

"Am I allowed to?" Kaldur asked.

"Sure, it's no sweat, we've got a guest room set up for stuff like this, then you can slip home in the morning, nobody will even notice."

"Really, isn't this..." Kaldur smiled, grateful for the offer. "Alright, I'll come."

"I think I'm done." Dick said after his third drink. The room was swaying in a way he wasn't too fond of, and Wally (though he was barely drunk) might vomit from the pure volume of beer he'd consumed: He'd drink one, not feel anything, drink four more, and then they all hit at once. It was time to go home. 

"Dad's gonna fucking skin me." Wally swallowed hard.

"No he won't." Dick replied. "I'm not letting out on the highway in this condition."

Wally wasn't so disappointed, he'd rather spend the night at the manor anyways. "Lets get our stuff and go then."

Above the heads of the young adults, a strange looking man entered, eyes scanning the crowds. "Conner, Megan."

"Uh oh." Both teens sunk away, horrified. Conner checked his phone: half past twelve, they were so fucked.

A few partygoers turned to watch them as them as Red Tornado, or rather, as John Smith approached the two teens. "May I ask what happened to our agreed curfew?"

"Red!" Conner hissed. Everyone was watching!

"We, uh, we lost track of time..." M'gann said shyly.

"This may be the last party I let you attend without a chaperone." Red said. "Have either of you consumed any drugs or alcohol?"

"Yes." The two muttered, heads down.

"Right, come with me." Red took both teens by the hand, as though expecting them to run off, and lead them out the front door, unbothered by how many people were watching them.

"Shh." Roy hissed, taking out his keys and swaying towards the lock. "Nobody wake up--"

The door opened so sharply that Roy almost fell into the house. "You two," Oliver demanded. "I'll save the lecture for breakfast, right now I want you in bed. Now!" Instantly Artemis and Roy scrambled into the house, tearing up the stairs. "Are you staying with us tonight, Aqualad?"

"I... was invited to, sir, but if it's too much--"

"No, it's not a problem, come on in." Oliver sighed, leading the way to the kitchen. "You want anything? Water, Coffee?"

"Water, please." Kaldur sat at the table.

"So, they took you out." Oliver leaned against the table. "How was it?"

Kaldur thought a moment. "Loud." He replied at last. "And busy. There was a lot of people."

"Ah, the glory of youth." Oliver sat against the edge of the table, cradling his own beer. "So, how much did you have?"

"Promise not to tell King Orin?"

"Never."

Kaldur swallowed hard, staring at the floor tiles. "Six."

Oliver laughed sharply. "And this is out first time drinking?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, I admire your tenaciousness. Take a bowl to bed with you just in case..."

"Welcome home, Master Dick."

"Alfred!" Dick whined, swaying in the doorway. "You weren't supposed to know!"

"It was rather hard to miss I'm afraid." Alfred replied. "Will your friend be joining us for breakfast in the morning?" He gestured to Wally. "Dear me, I must run out and get more supplies."

Dick rolled his eyes. "Yes, Wally's staying over." 

"Would you like me to prepare a guest bed?"

"He can sleep in my room." Dick replied.

"Oh, yeah," Wally grunted. "accelerated metabolism, I'm already hungover."

"Alfred, can you please make Wall one of those things you make Bruce when he's hung over?" Dick asked. "And one for me in the morning, thanks."

"One cure coming up," Alfred confirmed. "But I recommend you boys get to bed quickly, Master Bruce will be home any minute."

"Thanks Alfred, you uh," Dick smiled sheepishly. "You aren't going to... tell him about this? We both know he gets a little stir-crazy..."

"All youth must be entitled to their secrets." Alfred replied. "But I trust you to get ourself home safe every night, is that clear?"

"Yes, Alfred."

-YES, Oliver is the "Cool mom" of the league, I'm sorry but it's true.-