Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/11376288.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Red_Robin_(Comics), Red_Hood_and_the_Outlaws_(Comics), Teen_Titans_
      (Comics), Batman_-_All_Media_Types
  Relationship:
      JayTim, Jason_Todd/Tim_Drake, background_Tim_Drake/Kon-El_|_Conner_Kent
  Character:
      Jason_Todd, Tim_Drake, Kon-El, Conner_Kent, Stephanie_Brown, Dick_Grayson
  Additional Tags:
      Love_Triangle, themes_of_poverty_and_privilege, high_school_shenanigans,
      mentions_of_prostitution_and_drug_use, hurt_comfort, Mutual_Pining, Slow
      Burn, Eventual_Smut, hey_look_i_updated_the_tags, Implied/Referenced
      Cheating
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-07-02 Updated: 2018-03-26 Chapters: 14/? Words: 58357
****** Romeo and Juliet is Bullshit ******
by StoryBookMuse
Summary
     Tim is a high school sophomore at Gotham Academy who just volunteered
     to be a tutor. Jason's an underprivileged junior who's been through a
     lot. After an embarrassing first impression of each other, Tim buys
     the hot, but intimidating Jason a burger to make up for it. It's
     another slow burn tale of love and heartbreak partially inspired by
     the Bard.
Notes
     Hello, all! I'm excited to start off this new story, and it's gonna
     be a bit fluffier than I usually write. I'm gonna warn you that I
     have no beta, so there might be a few grammatical or continuity
     errors throughout until I find one. Constructive criticism is
     appreciated, but please keep it constructive. I've got a lot of fun
     plans for our boys and after the prologue, it's going to get really
     intense from here on out.
     Let me now if you guys have any head canons or ideas, I'd love to see
     what I can stew up and create with you guys! :)
***** You Can't Spell Assumptions Without an Ass *****
Gotham Academy was a prestigious place, as everyone with a brain could plainly
acknowledge. Although it was a high school, it was as well built and endowed as
an Ivy League University; from the outside, one could view it's pale, brick
exterior lined with bushels and beds full of the loveliest flowers underneath
its tall, gleaming windows. The grounds were clean and well manicured, and
students were always littered through the grass and seated all along the front
courtyard where stone columns encircled an extravagant fountain that bubbled
and streamed cheerily day after day. It was just as clean and beautiful inside
as well, with a generously sized lobby and luxurious cushioned benches outside
the office area, decorative tapestries and rugs lining the halls in the
school's chosen colors of black and gold, and trophy cases simply gushing with
past victories and club activities of their elite students displayed
everywhere. Tim happened to be in a couple of them, due to his affiliations
with the Yearbook Staff. The other one was because of his brief, disastrous
attempt at the Wrestling team; he had joined long enough to lose every match at
every tournament before he left in shame. Not, however, before it was time for
the group photo. Now he'd have to be reminded of the trauma forever, he cringed
to himself as he passed the glass display where his face in the picture was
grimacing almost painfully beside the other, larger boys. He didn't have to
worry about that this year, though. Instead, he'd chosen to become a tutor once
a week in the Library after school. Today was the first day of his
volunteering, and he gripped his bag excitedly as he approached the glossy
wooden door.
He wondered briefly who he'd end up teaching, or who would even volunteer for
it. His grades last year in 9th grade had been perfect in all marks, as they
were now as well. In fact, he breezed through his academics so easily that it
was one of his own teachers who suggested his newfound pastime, insisting that
there were too many students in need and not enough volunteers to help. Tim had
never heard of anyone really struggling for grades in Gotham Academy, but he
liked the idea of sharing his brain and helping some of the others understand
some of the more difficult courses. Stephanie had laughed when he told her, of
course, making him go red in the face when he denied going to grab a bite to
eat after the last bell rang for the day.
"Of course you'd volunteer to be a tutor," she had scoffed and smiled
humorously. "That's my favorite little whiz kid."
Tim smiled fondly at the memory of her as he pulled open the doors and clamored
into the quiet, lushly carpeted room. He sucked in a deep breath through his
nose and his lips twitched at the smell of the books and the hum of the
computers lining the walls. He followed the signs that read "Tutoring in the
Common Area"  and once there, quickly scanned the room for signs of life. He
found only one, but as soon as he saw who it was, he did a double take.
"Oh my god," Tim whispered to himself, freezing in surprise recognition.
On one of the far study tables on the other side of the room slouched over a
book was the figure of another boy. His hair was dark and mussed, and his brows
were creased together as his eyes swept quickly over the text. Tim also noticed
that his shirt was rather frayed, and uniform pants were faded;even the the red
back pack at his feet had a hole in it. This boy, Jason Todd, Tim remembered,
was a scholarship kid a year ahead of him, but they shared a class or two and
their lunch period together. In fact, Tim recognized that the rather dense book
the other was reading as none other than the Advanced English and Literature
textbook from 3rd period.
Jason, however, was one of the few trouble students Tim knew of; he'd been
rumored to have been in a few fights with the other students last year from
what he'd heard. One of the unlucky souls had been a senior last year, and
after receiving a rather nasty looking black eye, the boy himself had claimed
that Jason had just snapped and punched him when they wouldn't let him cut in
the lunch line. Tim immediately felt a sense of unease; he didn't know if he
wanted to tutor this guy, he was so silent, tall and scary and... intimidating.
But since he was here for tutoring, he was obviously here for help. Besides,
Literature wasn't exactly a hard subject, so... he swallowed his anxiety the
best he could and just...walked up to the guy.
"Er..." he cleared his throat awkwardly, causing the older boy to glance up at
him and send his heart rate racing with nerves. He had gorgeous eyes, holy
shit, he realized, stunned into a brief silence as he gazed into a sea of blue
with flecks of green. Jason arched an expectant brow as Tim blinked with
embarrassment. "Jason, right?" The elder boy frowned and nodded cautiously.
"I'm Tim. I'm here to help tutor you, if you're ready." The smile on his face
was tight, but quickly melted away when Jason's eyes narrowed and rolled at
him.
"Is that so?" he snorted, closing his text and tilting his head up at Tim in
annoyance. "You mean tutor with me, by the way," he corrected, twisting his
expression in disgusted annoyance. Immediately, Tim cringed inside at himself
for being so presumptuous and squeezed his eyes shut briefly in a heated
humiliation.
"I- I'm sorry," he stammered a reply, to which Jason simply dismissed with a
wave.
"Forget it. Happens entirely too often," he resounded with a distasteful tinge
of bitterness. "Miss Kyle told me you'd be coming today. I told her it was a
waste of time, Mondays are usually pretty slow in here," he glowered.
"Oh," he blinked, squirming uncomfortably, feeling more and more like a total
idiot the longer he stood there. "I'd...still like to join you, I still want to
help out," he insisted weakly, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Jason gazed
at him steadily again and sized him up and down precariously. He really did
have such gorgeous eyes... Tim scowled at himself irritably and banished the
thought. He was with Kon, and this guy had just insinuated an insult at him
anyway. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to leave the library and the whole
tutoring thing behind, then.
"Fine, it's up to you," he shrugged with disinterest as he propped his book
back open. Tim hesitated and sighed before turning to take a seat at the
adjacent table, giving Mr. Grouch a healthy amount of space. About ten minutes
went by before another student popped in; a freshman, this time, and he was
trodding in with a considerable amount of pep and laughter. Tim brightened up
immediately as the red head entered the tutoring area, straightening up and
smiling at the boy. The boy smiled politely back at him and nodded, but to his
surprise passed him up completely in favor of plopping down in the seat across
from Jason.
"Hey, Jay!" he greeted enthusiastically, retrieving his bag and unzipping it to
pull out a Geometry book. Jason held up a single finger and finished a
paragraph before he closed the text and slid it to the side to focus on the
boy.
"Hey, Matt. How'd you do on your test?" he replied with an amicable smile. Tim
almost dropped his jaw; Jason's demeanor had changed completely with this kid.
Why had he been so curt with Tim, then? A stab of hurt and annoyance gripped
his chest unwillingly.
"Got an 83, man, I passed!" the boy was so giddy, he giggled. Jason's lips,
which not ten minutes ago had been scowling at Tim, morphed into a warm and
surprisingly gentle smile as he nodded with approval.
"Much better. We're gonna get an A on the next one though, right?" he arched a
brow at the younger in a challenge. Wes smirked at him and rolled his eyes.
"If you can somehow help me understand what the hell these new theorums mean,
then sure. Miss Reyes wants me to Proof these, but I don't even know what the
hell the difference is between them," Wes frowned, obviously troubled as he
scrambled to pull out a worksheet filled with notes. Jason's brows creased
again like they did when he was reading before, and he hummed softly in
thought.
Before Tim really got a chance to eavesdrop more, though, he was interrupted by
a young, nervous girl inching slowly into the room. He stood up and smiled
warmly at her before sitting down and beginning a session of his own.
 
....
 
 
"Hey... Jason," Tim murmured quietly as Wes and Marcy (his own new protege he'd
helped with Chemistry) packed up their bags and headed out through the maze of
shelves. Jason side-eyed him warily as he pushed in his chair. Tim swallowed
and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry about earlier," he tried genuinely. "We got off to a bad start. Can
I buy you a burger or something to make up for it?" Jason, who had been staring
at him, unimpressed, blinked in surprise. Tim smiled hopefully as he pulled his
backpack on to his shoulders. Jason tilted his head suspiciously at him, and
Tim thought he might have seen a flash of anger, or at the very least distrust 
before Jason cooled indifferently again and shrugged.
"You're not gonna bribe my approval, shrimp. But sure, if you're feeling
charitable," he sniped, words sharp as a blade. "I'll happily relieve you of
your money." Tim grit his teeth at the older boy before pulling him back and
drawing himself up to his full -though yeah, undeniably a bit short- height.
"I'm not being charitable, I'm being nice," Tim corrected curtly. "And I really
don't feel like I was that much of a prick enough to you to deserve that
remark." Jason snorted at him shortly and rolled his eyes.
"What do you want, an apology? You can fucking forget it. You wanna buy me a
burger? Fine. You wanna make up for that ridiculous elitist impression by
assuming I'm stupid because of how I look? Even better. But it doesn't erase
that it happened and I don't care about you enough to be polite about it. You
wanna make it up, then move forward; stop apologizing about it and making it a
big deal," he griped, crossing his arms. Tim gaped at him in shock; that wasn't
something he expected to hear. The boy was so rude. Beyond rude, he was brute,
harsh and...well, if Tim was being honest, at least, right to the point This
guy was no bull-shit. Tim was still stung by the implication, of course, but he
was trying to make things right. They had to see each other once a week after
all, might as well be on good terms. If that were still possible, anyway. He
grit his teeth quietly and nodded.
"Fine. That's...fair enough. Let's move forward, then. There's a diner down the
street that's pretty decent. Do you want a ride? I've got my car parked in the
lot," he offered diplomatically. Jason stared at him in what looked like
disbelief before he broke down and smirked wickedly at him.
"Sure. Hope you don't mind if I smoke."
Tim froze; Oh, hell no.
***** Place Your Bets *****
Chapter Summary
     Jason and Tim have a pissing contest and make a stupid bet. Hilarity
     ensues, a friendship is formed and Tim is far more attracted to Jason
     than he realizes.
Chapter Notes
     Happy update, everyone! Half a dozen drafts later, it's finally here.
     We're still just getting started with our boys, but this is the
     unintentional first date to get the ball rolling. Next chapter will
     be Jason-centric and will delve into a bit of back story, so it'll be
     much more angsty. Get ready, guys. Enjoy :)
     P.s. if there are any grammatical or continuity errors, please let me
     know and I'll get it fixed :)
When they arrived at the diner, Tim scowled as they walked in through the
doors. The red booths and the unremarkable wooden tables, usually comforting to
him when he frequented with Stephanie -usually when he needed an escape from
higher society- now did nothing to ease his agitation. Jason, however, seemed
easy and unperturbed enough by the atmosphere, which Tim supposed was a good
thing. When they approached the hosts' station, they were greeted by a bubbly
girl and seated immediately. After she left them to their own devices, Tim and
Jason were left with an awkward silence that neither of them could quite break.
Tim wanted to be polite since this was an olive branch mission and all, but he
could still smell the stench of smoke on his own clothes from when Jason
literally hot boxed him with a Marlboro. It was almost enough to sour Tim's
good will, especially since he couldn't even properly enjoy the wafting aroma
of grilled, seasoned beef in the air because his nose was still burning. That
god awful smell would haunt him and the fabric of his upholstery in his brand.
New. MUSTANG. For weeks to come. But, in the name of peace, he plastered an
amicable smile on his face anyway as a pretty waitress approached them and
handed them their menus. Jason skimmed through the items immediately and rather
quickly. Tim hadn't even opened his yet.
"What can I start you cuties off with today?" She smiled with a smooth drawl.
Jason, who'd been carefully apathetic previously, noticeably grinned at her
antics and leaned forward on his arm toward her. Tim immediately fought the
impulse to roll his eyes; sure, she was pretty with long dark hair and big,
brown eyes. She had some killer curves, too, and quite the generous...assets.
"I'm actually stuck between two choices. Think I could get your opinion?" Jason
replied flirtatiously. She nodded at him a lopsided smile and bent closer to
him than was really necessary as he pointed out his dilemma. Tim actively
rolled his eyes now, before cracking open and studying his own menu vehemently.
It took two full minutes for Jason and the waitress, Crista, as read by her
name tag, to decide on the Bacon Deluxe burger with extra pickles and added
jalapenos, with loaded bacon cheddar fries on the side and a large extra-
strawberry shake. He saw Jason leer at him with a challenging glint in his eye;
it was the most expensive meal on the menu, and he had ordered everything extra
and upsized on it, and by the smirk on his face he was just daring Tim to say
something. It almost seemed like he was trying to test Tim.
Okay. Fine, then, he decided; Tim could play his game. He closed his menu
neatly and cleared his throat with a subtle cough to gain back the girl's
attention. When Crista finally turned to Tim, he had long since decided what he
was going for.
"Alright, cutie, how about you?" She grinned, cheeks still pink from the close
proximity to Jason. And really, Tim couldn't blame her. Tim flashed her his
brightest, perfectly practiced smile and Crista blinked. She was dazzled, of
course, as everyone always was when he turned up the Charm like this.
Typically, it was meant for the public media, but Jason was forcing his hand.
"I heard you telling my friend that your chipotle wings are pretty killer, so
I'll take you up on that.  Can I get them smothered with bleu cheese, loaded
fries on the side with extra bacon? And for the drink," he batted his lashes in
a display of thoughtfulness, and Tim didn't miss it when Jason blanched at him
(though whether it was because of the bleu cheese or the class act was
debateable), "...Oh, I dunno, there are so many good ones. What's your
favorite?" She giggled at him and hummed, tapping the pen against her chin with
the same faux thoughtfulness he had just used.
"How 'bout the rootbeer float? That's always a classic," she blushed and
offered buoyantly.
"Perfect choice, Beautiful. Rootbeer float it is," he chimed back sweetly with
a wink. Crista giggled and scribbled the order down, nodding at them one last
time before whisking away with the promise to bring their food out soon. As
soon as she was out of earshot, Jason snorted at him, drawing his attention.
"Didn't think girls were your forte, Drake," he offered curtly. Tim arched a
brow. Was he referring to his not-so-subtle relationship with Kon? They had
gone exclusive about three months ago, much to the excited flutter of the high
school masses. Kon had insisted, however, because they had already been dating
six months up until that point and all his and Kon's friends and everyone on
the football team with Kon knew. He had been so nervous at first, but Kon was
so confident and bold and genuinely happy to be with him that all the gossip
that ensued -albeit mostly positive, to his pleasant surprise- hardly touched
them. Being with Kon and coming out as a couple like that had made him
feel...hell, invincible. It warmed his chest with enough courage to square his
shoulders and meet the other boy's challenging query.
"I may play a different field, but it's essentially the same game," he smirked,
crossing his legs and lacing his fingers in a languid display of confidence. It
was a diminutive gesture, to be sure, but a daring one, learned from the game
of social politics he'd been taught to play since birth. Todd, however, didn't
seem to be intimidated.
"Huh," Jason chortled with an understated sort of amusement, consciously
tilting his head as he did so. The slow, provocative stretch of his neck, by
the way, where it connected to the sharp line of his jaw made Tim's mouth go
dry unexpectedly. The skin there was smooth and inviting, and for a moment the
absurd thought of raking his teeth there flashed in his mind and Tim's perfect,
confident poker face almost cracked. What the fuck, Drake? No more of that.
"Would you bet on that?" Jason broke his brief silence suddenly with a
mischievous glint. Tim blinked and panicked for a fraction of a second before
he remembered their current conversation.
"A bet?" Tim arched a brow, scarcely missing a beat as he tilted his own head
down to humor the guy.
"You think it's a game, then I wanna play," Jason explained simply, leaning in
towards Tim with a dangerous smile. Tim swallowed, but painted a smirk on his
lips as Jason continued. "If you think you're so charming, then get her
number," he challenged innocently. Jeez, everything about this guy had to be a
challenge.
"Is that all?" Tim laughed comically to hide his relief; that was hardly a
problem. In fact, that was far too tame, he realized; there had to be a catch.
"But," Jason interrupted, proving Tim's suspicion right. "You have to get it
before I do.And she has to give it freely, no asking her for it." Tim's eyes
widened at the prospect. Okay, that was a tad harder, but... maybe not
impossible. Still, he was working against the local mysterious hottie with a
bad boy complex. Not to mention Jason actually had the advantage of being
straight; Jason would know what girls liked better than he did. There was no
way Mr. Sex-Appeal here was inexperienced with this shit, otherwise he wouldn't
make this bet if he weren't confident he could win.
Then again, he'd never actually seen Jason with anyone like this, and Jason's
already proven his affinity for defying expectations.
"You're on, Todd." If his voice was slightly higher pitched than normal, thank
Christ that Jason didn't seem to notice. "What's in it for me if I win?" He
added, surprising and embarrassing himself at his own words. Why did he ask
that? "You'd get a pretty girl's number, after all. I'd get a piece of paper
from a poor girl who was led on." Jason, apparently, had already planned that
out, since his answer was almost immediate.
"First of all, I  wont actually be leading her on, that's a you probem," Jason
started, every word like a verbal slap despite his non-chalance. Tim's nose
scrunched distastefully into a grimace at both Jason's tone, and the meaning.
"Secondly, aren't we here because you made incorrect assumptions about me
before?" The sentence, just like Jason's expression, was cryptic and laced with
something...teasing, almost flirtatious that made Tim burn (no, no, no, don't
go down that road) and yet freeze him with shock at the same time. Jason...
wasn't straight? Or... was he? No, no, he probably meant he had a significant
other, too, in which case not only are they both terrible boyfriends right now
but there was also an uninvited, alien disappointment plummeting in his gut.
Either way... No. No, no, no, stop making assumptions; Jason was right, that's
what got them into this mess in the first place. Lesson learned, he was never,
ever making an assumption about Jason Todd ever again. It's bad for his pride,
because Jason has called him out for it every. God damn. Time.
"Fair enough, I guess, but... Still," Tim urged dryly, struggling to maintain a
cool exterior. "What are the stakes?" Jason seemed surprised momentarily before
he licked his lips absently (which Tim ignored) and twitched into a Cheshire
cat grin.
"Take your pick, shortie. If we're choosing our prizes, though..." he winked
deviously, making Tim more nervous than ever now. Not that it showed, Tim was
still carefully in control of his reactions. "Then if I win, I get to take a
joyride in that pretty car of yours."
Tim's heart stopped dead in his chest and he could have died right there. Jason
had to have planned this. Or at least something like this; either way, he
should have smelt the stink of premeditation a mile away, after the second
Jason took a shine to his car. No. No way, not in a thousand years. It already
stank of smoke, he didn't want Jason behind the wheel, doing god knows what for
any period of time.
Tim was frozen, and Jason noticed this time. Tim squirmed as Jason chuckled at
his expense.
"Don't tell me you're afraid of losing," he goaded innocently. "Not Tim
Drake, the god of self confidence?" Tim didn't hide the twisted grimace of
disdain.
"Fine. Then when I win, you have to stop being a jerk to me and buy me a meal."
It was a direct strike to Jason's pride, and Tim knew it. Tim's resulting smile
was absolutely savage when Jason's face twitched. He knew that Jason scoffed at
his wealth and made a point to exploit it; he wanted to see how well he'd
handle the reverse and if he'd be willing to sacrifice his own ego to pay for a
rich man's meal. It was cruel, and Tim had never ever held his wealth over
anyone before, and he was starting to feel the a small twinge of regret for it.
"Deal," Jason agreed to Tim's shock, extending his hand for a shake with a
poker face of his own. Tim shook it, ignoring his heart fluttering like a
butterfly at the touch of his rough fingers.
"What happens if neither of us get her number?" Tim added thoughtfully after
they quickly released each others hands. Jason arched his brows thoughtfully
and shrugged.
"Then I guess we both lose." On that joyful note, Crista returned once more
with all the grace of a practiced server as she offered them their drinks.
"One extra strawberry shake for Tall Dark and Handsome," she offered to Jason
sweetly, who let his hand linger not so subtly against hers as she handed it
off to him, "and the world's best drink to the outrageously tasteful gentleman
on the left," she winked as she turned to Tim. All previous uncertainty
banished, Tim beamed at her like it was the best thing he'd heard all day.
For 45 minutes, they bantered playfully back and forth with the girl as she
delivered their food and checked on them more and more frequently afterward.
And truthfully, they were making such fools of themselves while they were at
it. But damn it, he was actually having fun with the challenge, and enjoyed the
good-natured flirting, to be honest. That, and he really, really didn't want
Jason to win. He had gotten frighteningly close, too, when Crista had batted
her eyes with him over buying a dessert.
"You guys don't happen to have a sweet tooth right now, do you?" she asked,
arching a brow hopefully. Tim offered her a lopsided smile, but before, he
could say anything, he saw Jason's face light up suspiciously.
"Oh, I know I do," he hummed, bright blue eyes boring straight into Tim's with
imminent victory. Tim's blood was hot in his veins at Jason's words and he
sucked in a gasp of air before he realized that Jason had turned to Crista and
was going in for the kill.
"I've already picked out what I want, too," he flirted mercilessly, and the
girl was practically melting on the spot. Shit, shit, he was losing this. He
had to cut in, now.
"His favorite is the banana split," Tim improvised, throwing a smug smirk for
Jason's benefit. Jason shook his head from behind the waitress's back where she
couldn't see him since she was currently looking at Tim. "But it's too much
strawberry for me. I'm more of a fan of the dark chocolate brownie sundae,
myself. What does the expert suggest?" Jason narrowed his eyes and smirked
silently across the booth as Crista contemplated for them. Tim grinned cheekily
and fought back the urge to throw a gloating wink at him.
"Well, how about the strawberry cheesecake? It's got the strawberries for him,
and we can drizzle chocolate over the top just for you; it's a perfect
compromise," she winked, to which Jason finally snorted, which drew her
attention back to him.
"That's alright, sweetheart. I'll go ahead and take another strawberry shake to
go since Dark Chocolate over here isn't playing nice," he gestured with a pout
towards Tim. It was obviously a double meaning, and while the waitress humored
him with a sympathetic glance, Tim had to stifle a laugh behind one of his
hands. When Crista promised to return shortly with the shake and the bill,
Jason arched a humorous brow toward Tim.
"Nice save, Tiny Tim; bold, even. I'm impressed," he admitted, crossing his
arms with a nod of approval. Tim nodded and gestured gratefully, accepting the
unexpected compliment with a smug smile.
"Well, you had a lesson to learn, Mr. Scrooge," he replied, playing along with
the reference.
"It sure as hell wasn't the meaning of Christmas; you stole my present," Jason
jutted his lip out in a fake pout. Tim giggled, yes, giggled, and Jason broke
the expression with an involuntary grin. This had been so much more...fun than
expected. Even if he did feel a bit guilty for leading Crista on. Jason wasn't
all that bad behind his 'Stick it to the Man' attitude, either.
"Oh, dear me, I must to something to ease the pain of your obvious loss," Tim
teased, and Jason visibly rolled his eyes. "Seriously, though, you want a ride
home after this?" Tim extended amicably. Jason arched a brow at him.
"I have a feeling I'll be driving that beauty soon, anyway, so might as well,"
he shrugged with a mischievous smile twitching none too subtly at the edge of
his lips.
"Hey now, Red Bird's my baby," he scoffed protectively. Jason's eyes glittered
darkly and he offered a crooked smile in response.
"Uh huh, sure. I bet you just love your shiny new toy, but do you really know
how to driver her? I've been working with cars for years, on the otherhand; I
know my way around an engine, all the tricks and touches. I know I could make
her purr like a kitten. Can you?" The challenge in his voice was back to match
the hunger in his eyes, and so, too, was the hot tug inside Tim's belly. He
suppressed a shiver at the new, distracting mental image of all the tricks and
touches Jason could possibly be capable of. Of all the little sounds that he
could illicit from Tim.
Oh... Oh, no.
"You work on cars?" Tim uttered out quickly, leaning in towards Jason in not-
entirely-faux interest to distract himself.
"Well," Jason altered, chewing his cheek a bit guiltily now. This should be
good. "Okay, so I used to, "he admitted sheepishly. Tim quirked an unconvinced,
half-amused brow as he waited for the boy to continue.
"Honestly, call me an idiot, I used to maybe lift cars for...illegal purposes.
But after the cops caught me, I changed my act real quick," he admitted slowly.
Tim's eyes popped in sudden astonishment. Not at the actual confession so much,
mind, it was just, well- Tim was starting to learn that, beyond that prickly
exterior, Jason was many, many things. Most of all... unexpected. He couldn't
help but wonder just why Jason would suddenly tell him this?
"Look, it's no big deal. I was a stupid kid back then just looking for a quick
buck. I'm passed that now, honest. I even worked my way towards that
scholarship I'm on now. Obviously. I'm babbling, so I'm going to shut up,"
Jason's cheeks were pink and Tim (god help him for finding it so oddly fucking
endearing) couldn't help but feel his heart expand in his chest.
"No, no, please," Tim insisted eagerly. Jason's talking to him; reallytalking
to him instead of just being a jerk. It's a good a start as any. "It's okay,
really. I mean, grand theft auto isn't exactly-" Jason cringed slightly before
Tim could finish the obvious statement, and Tim awkwardly cleared his throat.
"My point is, I know people sometimes do stupid things. Mistakes are mistakes,
and you don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm no judge or jury...despite my
earlier impression of one," he laughed softly at himself. Jason's face was
still uncertain, but his shoulders visibly relaxed. "It is nice to see you're
human, though," Tim chuckled, causing Jason to arch a brow.
"How do you mean?" He was suspicious, but there was a hint of a smile on his
lips.
"There's more to you than you let on underneath the contempt and your... 'Have
at Thee' attitude," Tim shrugged, gesturing with his hands as he searched for
the words. Jason smirked appreciatively and rested his chin on his hand.
"'Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?' 'I do bite my thumb sir,'" Jason quoted,
mocking softly under his breath. Tim laughed breathily at him.
"Interesting choice," Tim granted thoughtfully. "For someone who reads Advanced
Literature for fun, I didn't think you'd be a fan of Romeo and Juliet." Jason
rolled his eyes so hard at that, he even closed his eyes  completely to
accentuate his pained, sarcastic response.
"I'm not, fuck that story. Fuck the play, the movies, and all the people who
call that love. If you ignore the two main idiots, though, there are some witty
moments like that to make it bearable." Tim nodded with humor as Jason finished
his small rant.
"Maybe that was Shakespeare's whole point," Tim offered behind a smile as Jason
scoffed. "Romance isn't what you think, and if you're particularly stupid, you
miss the good stuff around you."
"Either way, I'm calling bull shit. Romeo can eat his heart out." He grumbled,
crossing his arms.
"What about Juliet?" Tim added, leaning forward on his elbows.
"Well, she ran a blade through hers, so no need," Jason shrugged with
amusement, leaning forward to mirror Tim with his chin on his hand comfortably.
At that moment, Crista returned from the back and dropped Jason's last drink
and the check off on the table. She giggled sweetly at them, but was blushing
so hard about something that she whisked away from them with haste, leaving
them to stare after her in question. Tim blinked away his surprise before
collecting the bill and opening it gingerly. Then, he read a handwritten note
with loopy script on the tab.
"Drinks on me, guys! Thanks for a great time. You guys are the cutest couple
EVER, I'd love to hang out and maybe go on a double date with my girlfriend if
you're interested. My number's listed below."
Tim burst out into a fit of laughter. Jason frowned with curiosity before
grabbing the note out of Time shaking hands. He read through it quickly before
glancing up at Tim in disbelief and dissolving right along with him.
"Well, I guess we deserved that," Tim giggled as he reached for his wallet. The
tab was only $28.60  without the drinks added, he had ten times that on him in
cash. Him and Jason together. What a thought. ...Him and Jason locking lips,
pressing together in some dark, nondescript room... Him and Jason right here on
the table-
Tim quietly sucked in a breath as he dropped three Twenties down on the table.
Jason, mercifully, was still trying to reign in his laughter and didn't notice.
Tim really had to get a grip on this, it was getting out of hand and he could
already feel the heat of a blush creeping up his neck. He'd like to be friends
with Jason, he'd genuinely enjoyed spending the afternoon with him. If he
thought of Kon's face and soft blue eyes, it dimmed the dark burn of desire and
replaced it with cool, familiar fuzzy fondness in his heart. There; he loved
Kon. He could forget this bubbly flirting nonsense and just enjoy time with his
new friend.
When Jason finally overcame his bought of uproars, he sighed giddily and
grinned.
"So...we both win then, huh?" Jason was all devious grin now, and Tim froze.
Oh, no.
"You know what that means, shortie," he extended his hand expectantly with a
glint in his eyes. Please, no. "Give up your keys, Tim."
Tim's breath caught in his chest involuntarily at the sound of his own name; he
liked the way Jason said it, even if he was demanding he handed over his Red
Bird. Tim groaned reluctantly, but a bet was a bet.
"Relax, man, I'll take care of her. I promise," Jason reassured, gentler now,
for the first time, that Tim couldn't hide his anxiety. Tim sighed and finally
dug his keys out of his pocket to toss them over.
"Just don't light up another cigarette, please?" Any whinier, he would have
been begging. Jason smirked and rolled his eyes as he quickly agreed, already
on his feet. Tim followed nervously. They caught sight of Crista as they were
making their exit, and after exchanging a humored glance, they winked and waved
at her and watched as she flushed scarlet. They might have to come here again.
***** Double or Nothing *****
Chapter Summary
     Jason returns to his broken home and takes care of his mother.
     Chapter ends on a lighter note, though, so it'll be okay.
     TRIGGER WARNING: serious drug use/addiction/depression, mentions of
     prostitution on Jason's part, depictions of poverty, dirtiness and
     roaches.
Chapter Notes
     Hello all, and Happy Update!
     So this chapter's going to be a bit dark, shedding a little light on
     Jason's shady history and family life. It's a short chapter, so it'll
     be a quick read, but hopefully assisting in getting to know our young
     Jason. Next chapter, you can look forward to a Tim-centric filler,
     which will be much lighter. I hope you enjoy!
     P.s. Still running without a beta, so if there are any grammatical or
     continuity errors, help me out and let me know and I'll correct them
     asap. Let me know what you guys think! <3
     xx
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Jason's pattered quickly up the stone stairs to his second story apartment,
trying hard not to look backwards. He could still hear the thrum of the engine
down below, still feel the comfort of the fine leather and air conditioning.
What's more, the laughter of one Timothy Drake was still ringing in his ears
from their little cruise together. Tim had obviously been nervous, not just
when Jason took his keys, but from the moment Jason slid into the driver's
seat. The sophomore had watched him like a hawk as slid the seat back and
tweaked the mirrors, and honestly, Jason kinda got a kick out of the kid's
anxiety. Still, Tim had honored his end of the deal, and that was the important
thing. (God, Jason was practically salivating when the engine coaxed to life
underneath him; Red Bird glided over every highway in Gotham like a dream, and
even though the temptation to just fly down the asphalt itched intensely down
his legs, he resisted. It paid off, too, in the form of Tim relaxing and even
smiling again as they bickered playfully over radio stations).
Tim, he decided, was an intriguing little thing. Hell, from the moment he'd
walked into the damn library, Jason had been acutely aware of him. It was
something about the way he stared at Jason with laser point focus, or the way
that every single time Jason ruffled his feathers, he'd rise up to the
challenge with that proud, determined glare. He hadn't been sure if it was
annoying or exciting at first, but end the end, Jason mused as he fished the
silver apartment keys from his pocket, Tim Drake was alright.
He wasn't as stuck up as Jason had imagined, anyway. Jason had to snort at
himself; oh, the irony. He'd berated Tim the whole day about making
assumptions, and Jason only now just realized that he, too, was guilty. Tim
never did called out his hypocrisy, though, so technically he wouldn't have to
apologize for it. Hypocrite or not, Jason was pleased to have been proven
wrong; he still felt a light, buzzed sort of elation when he kept replaying the
whole afternoon in his head. Honestly? It's been a long, long time since he'd
laughed that way with anyone. Tim himself, to Jason's surprise, seemed to share
his merriment, and didn't even stop giggling when they entered the shitty
apartment complex. Hell, Jason would have given him brownie points just for
keeping his mouth shut about the dirty, dingy place, but the kid never took his
pale blue eyes off Jason. It was like Tim didn't even register, or at least
didn't seem to care about anything around them, he was seeing only Jason when
he spoke. Not just his rags and shit stained brick living quarters. For the
first time in a long time, he felt... Real. It was electrifying to be
acknowledged like this, but it also kind of made him feel... vulnerable, under
a microscope; Naked, even.
Now there was a fun thought. Jason tried not to smirk at that turn of thought,
he really did. But the way Tim had been blushing tonight, and engaged far more
lively than Jason had ever seen at school? Fleeting as it was, he allowed
himself to flirt with the idea, anyway.
He could hear the Mustang's guttural growl slowly retreat now, Tim comfortably
inside. Jason's smile twitched when he imagined how much Tim had to readjust
the seats after Jason vacated them. He once again had to remind himself not to
look back as the sound of the car faded, but he couldn't help but wonder... had
Tim watched him leave the same way Jason wanted to do? He fiddled with the keys
for a moment before finally unlocking the front door and swinging it open.
Immediately, an overwhelming burn of acidic, but not unfamiliar stench wafted
into his nose. Jason made a face and his heart plummeted. Just like that, all
thoughts of his little field trip escape with Tim had vanished.
Today was one of her bad days, then, he realized. He closed the door quickly
behind him and locked both bolts. The apartment was dark, windows shut against
the outside world, blocking the dusky sun. He could hear the murmuring of the
television and see flickering, so she must be on the couch. He let his backpack
slide to the floor with a thud before padding into the hallway towards the
living room.
"Mom, I'm back," he called, heart thudding as he suppressed a worried chill. He
didn't get a reply; he rarely did on days like these. But there she was, to his
great relief, lying motionlessly on the couch and staring at the TV blankly.
One look at the table in front of her confirmed what he already knew; a belt
and a used needle stained with her dried blood had been tossed carelessly on
top of a lighter and scorched spoon. A small, empty ziploc bag lay open with
the scattered remains of powder dusting the table. Jason sucked in a breath of
stale, sour air and sighed.
"Hey, Mom," he murmured softly, kneeling down by the arm of their faded couch
and kissing her head. Her hair was stringy and dirty, falling in clumps around
her face, and she limply clutched at an old, crinkled letter. Jason instantly
recognized it; she'd only read it a hundred times a day for the past few years;
it was a letter from Willis. Even after years of being received, Jason could
still recognize the sloppy scrawl, now faded from use but still barely
legible. His father hadn't written to them in a long time, nor did Jason
particularly care if he did, but Kathy wouldn't part with the damn thing. On
days like this, where she missed him to the point of numbing herself, he would
always find her clutching the letter to her chest.
He'd read it once; a promise from him to return to their house once his
sentence was up (ha, that house had long since been foreclosed), and general
complaints about how she needed to smuggle in more dope next time she visited
because life in the slammer was so unbearable. Jason had snarled when he read
it, tossing it aside and oh, so tempted to trash it. His own father hadn't
mentioned him once in that letter, and didn't particularly seem too
affectionate for his wife, either, yet for some reason she kept the note close
at all times. The woman loved him... and she was always in pain. Except for
when she used the needle, like today. Like every bad day. Jason shivered as
phantom sirens wailed in his head, and he quickly thanked the entire universe
when her blank, misty eyes - teal flecked, just like his own- rose slowly to
meet him. At least she'd kept her promise.
"Hey... baby," she whispered in a hushed, sluggish voice. Jason shook his head
and reached up to snatch the wool blanket off the back of the sofa to drape
over her spiny frame. She was wearing the same oversized t-shirt and sweatpants
that she wore yesterday, he noticed. By the smell of her, she hadn't showered
or probably moved much from this morning. She'd also missed work again today.
Had she even eaten? Jason's stomach tightened with guilt and bile. He glanced
again around the room, but found no new trash wrappings on the floor or in the
ashtray, and no drinks in sight. He stroked his mother's cheek, pained, before
pushing himself quickly to his feet and rushing to their tiny kitchen. The
linoleum was cracked and peeling at the ends, and the paint on the walls was
badly discolored and peeling, but this wasn't a new sight to him. It's not like
they'd get their meager deposit back, anyway, he reminded himself. Not when
Kathy begged them to keep it in exchange for a hit a few months ago. He pushed
the thought from his mind as he reached for a cup in the cabinet. In a moment
of terror when he didn't find any, Jason thought she might have sold those,
too, but when he looked in the sink he realized they were all just dirty. With
a breath of relief, he gingerly picked one up before promptly dropping it again
when a roach skittered over the top, dangerously close to his fingers. Jason
shuddered before turning the faucet on to wash it off and squish it with the
but of the dish. He lathered the glass with soap quickly and rinsed it before
filling it with clean water and setting it aside.
There was no food in the fridge today, but there was a packet of crackers on
the shelf in the pantry that he quickly snatched. Thank god he'd already eaten,
and eaten well; if she could eat, she could have the rest of these and Jason
would be fine for the rest of the day. He made his way back to his mother's
side and set the crackers down gently. She gazed at him with eyes that couldn't
focus and Jason swallowed heavily.
"I need you to drink this, okay?" he urged quietly, bringing the water to her
lips. She nodded hazily and lifted her head, accepting the water to Jason's
relief. It was a slow process, but she drank half of the cup before sputtering
and letting it dribble down her lips. Jason pulled back immediately, frowning
in concern. She cleared her throat weakly and jerkily wiped away the moisture.
The crackers were next. He set the cup down on the table and fished a single
cracker out of the packet. His mom made a face, and Jason's insides twisted.
Today was really a bad day if she was refusing to eat.
"Come on, mom, just a couple, okay? You've lost too much weight already," Jason
scolded bringing the cracker to her lips. She made a garbled sound of protest
and tried to shake her head (in her state, that was a battle already lost)
before giving in and reluctantly biting into the cracker.
"There you go," Jason smiled, trying to be encouraging even though he felt
heavy as lead. She ate two more crackers before outright refusing to continue.
Jason thinned his lips grimly before twisting the package off and leaving them
on the table in her reach.
"Just a bit more water, then, okay?" she nodded, and Jason helped her slowly
finish off her glass.
"Feel better now?" Jason asked softly when she curled back down into the
cushions. She hummed tunelessly and nodded with a jerk of her chin..
"My...boy, such a sweet...heart," she cooed, hand wobbling as she reached up to
cup his face. Her hands were cold, but he leaned in to her touch.
"Yeah, yeah," his voice did not break. He wouldn't let it.
"How was...school," she struggled, mumbling almost incoherently. Jason
swallowed, casting his eyes down with a shrug.
"Same as always, I guess. I think I made a new friend, though; he took me out
for a burger," Jason stretched his lips into a forced smile. His mother's eyes
lit up and it made him feel warm.
"...cute?" she asked, closing her eyes and reopening them with a struggle. It
was really hitting her this time. Jason huffed a forced laugh as he recalled
the ghost of Tim's face to his memory. The pale blue eyes, dark bangs falling
artfully in his face, his lips in that smirk...
"Very," he confirmed. "We get to work together in the library together once a
week, so that should be interesting." She muttered something unintelligible
back at him that sounding like Tell Me, so Jason did. He told her all about the
rich boy and his dark hair and silky clothes, and all about his sport's car and
how they flirted with a waitress and squabbled over Shakespeare, and
strawberries and chocolate. He watched as every time she shut her eyes, it took
longer and longer for them to open until eventually, they stayed shut as she
fell into a deep, drug induced sleep. He released a heavy breath and slumped on
the floor by her side for ages, ticking away the minutes and even striking up a
much needed cigarette when his lungs started crying out in protest. He sucked
in the poison almost gratefully, and his shoulders relaxed.
He had to clean this mess up. Maybe even do the dishes. His homework was
already done, thanks to his time in the library, so that freed up a decent
chunk of his evening. And since Kathy had bailed on work again, that means he
had to make it up. Rent was due in two days; it wasn't cheap, and there was no
telling how much she'd already spent. First thing's first, then; he pulled
himself up with a soft groan and returned to the kitchen. He paused by he full,
dirty sink, ignoring it for a moment, in favor of reaching up into the highest
cabinet where a rusted, medium sized tin can rested. He pulled it down grimly
and dug inside it with his two forefingers before pulling out the thick wad of
cash that Kathy had earned in tips the last few weeks. It was mostly in
crumpled ones and fives, but there was a few twenties and even a single 100
sprinkled in the mix. He separated and counted the bills quickly, cursing
desperately when he totaled it to $476. She'd taken almost 150 this time; her
shit was either getting more expensive or she was buying more of it. He'd have
to check for any more stashes before she woke up. Moreover, he needed to find a
way to get that 150 back before rent was late, and another 50 at least if he
wanted them to eat at all for the week. He rolled the bills hastily back into
the wad and stuffed them back into the tin. He could make an easy $200 before
the sun went down if he hit the streets...but a nagging sentence he'd mentioned
to Tim earlier in the restaurant another lifetime ago rang incessantly in his
head.
'...after the cops caught me, I changed my act real quick... I'm past that
now.'
It had been true when he'd said them at the time. He'd gotten away from grand
theft auto; what he failed to mention was the street walking and muggings he'd
partaken in at the time, too. With the exception of one, he'd tried so hard to
get away from those. It'd been years since his other activities, at least,
but... well, prostitution was a last ditch effort in months like these. They
didn't happen terribly often, just a dozen times a year or so, lately. Still,
Jason shuddered and prayed desperately that there was a few other things he
could try before it came to that again. He could see Tim's face, and his eyes
still boring into his soul and had to clench his hand and force it away. He
didn't need Drake's pity or his money right now. But the hope that welled in
his belly when he remembered Tim's encouragement was something he probably did
need.
He could figure this out. He could find a way to make money...maybe not all of
it as quickly as he needed it, but he always had a fallback, however
undesirable it may be, if he ran out of time. He chewed his lip hesitantly
before the light bulb in his head flickered to life. He gasped with a sudden,
hopeful lungful of stale air as he remembered the piece of paper folded neatly
inside his pocket with a certain waitress's number on it. He reached for it
quickly, along with his mother's cell phone off the coffee table, and dialed
the number before he could change his mind. It rang three times.
"Hello?" It was Crista's voice, obviously curious at the unknown number...maybe
even a little hopeful.
"Hey, gorgeous. I got your note," Jason could feel himself grin with
embarrassment at how cheesy he sounded. He wasn't as suave as Tim had been in
the booth while she gushed over them. But he could still hold his own.
"Is this Strawberry Guy?!You really called?!" she gasped in giddy surprise,
making Jason fight a laugh. He pinched the bridge of his nose trying to keep a
straight face.
"Sure did," he chuckled casually, leaning against the counter as he spoke. "I
wanted to go ahead and take you up on that double date." His heart was
thrumming with anxiety somewhere in his throat now; this was stupid, this was
really, really stupid. Not to mention a fucking long shot, and he'd have to get
Tim in on it too, if he wanted this to work.
"Oh my god, really? I'd love to! My girlfriend's been dying to see that new
movie that came out last week, you guys down this friday?" Fuck. Jason wanted
to fucking scream, he hadn't considered the actual cost of the date, he'd
really have to bust ass if he wanted to scrape everything together.  He
wouldn't be able to do that by this Friday.
"Hmm...how about next Friday?" Jason counter-offered hopefully. He could really
use the extra time, both to rake up the money, and to convince Tim to be
his...ugh...date.
"Works for me!"
"Good," Jason breathed with relief. "So listen, I was hoping you could do me
one more favor..." he added shyly, stomach rolling with mild anxiety as the
main question was making its way to the surface.
"Sure, anything," she hummed chipperly.
"Are you guys hiring, by chance? I could use your help to snag a job, and I
really liked the look of your diner." The poor girl practically shrieked with
excitement.
"Definitely! I'll talk to my boss and give you a reference if you want. It's a
privately owned place so you can apply online or come in for a paper
application and an interview when you get a chance. We're open until 11 if you
wanted to come back by really quick," she flirted hopefully. Jason glanced at
the little green digital clock on the microwave that flashed 6:45. He'd have to
either walk or catch a ride, but he could make it. He'll have to do these god
awful dishes first, though. He'll be doing plenty of that if this works anyway,
though.
"Sure thing, beautiful. I'll be there."
"Great! My break's nearly over, so I won't be able to talk too much, but ask
for me and I'll introduce you to my manager and get you all set up."
"Thanks, Crista, you're fantastic," he grinned. They hung up shortly after and
Jason released a shaky breath he didn't know he'd been holding. First off, he'd
hopefully have a job before the night was over. If he made it as a server, he'd
be raking in tips on the daily. If he worked the back, it'd be rough for a
couple weeks, but he could make a budget. He'd probably still have to walk the
street tomorrow to pull rent off, but he'd never have to do it again if this
worked out. The swell of his heart in his chest was enough to make his smile a
little brighter, the dishes a little less intimidating, and the air a little
less stale. What a day. To think that a rich little punk might have
inadvertently just changed his life by insulting him, then buying him a burger
at the very same diner he'd soon (hopefully) be employed at..
No matter what happened, of one thing he was absolutely sure:
He owed that rich prat a thank you.
Chapter End Notes
     P.S. In case anyone was wondering, I know Kathy died of an overdose
     in the comics, but in this universe I like to think that when Jason
     found her, he had just enough time left to call an ambulance and save
     her life. It's his worst fear to find her like that again, but he
     knows he can't force her to break a lifelong addiction, so he takes
     care of her as best he can. The promise he referred to is Kathy's vow
     after baby Jay begged her not to leave him again. So far, I like to
     think she's kept it, but Jason's always careful just in case.
***** Crushing It *****
Chapter Summary
     Tim is totally buzzing about his short time with Jason, and obviously
     needs to vent to his best friend. Stephanie berates him about it and
     convinces him to call Kon. A fluffy little chapter, and a glimpse
     into Tim's world as events are planned and cuteness unfolds.
Chapter Notes
     Happy update!
     So here we are with a Tim-centric chapter and getting a glimpse into
     his private life. Obviously Stephanie and Kon are huge presences, and
     given his lack of parents being around, I kind of added Mrs. Mac as
     an Alfred-inspired character to care for him. Despite his parents
     always being gone, I feel like they would have left him a series of
     nannies/caretakers or something (like Alfred was to Bruce) and that's
     how Mrs. Mac earned a position in Tim's life. She was originally an
     experimental character, but was edited after a helpful anon pointed
     out that she was an actual character in the comics. So let me know
     what you guys think about her inclusion. Also, notice the contrast
     between Jason's helpless mother and hunger versus Tim's immediate
     (although not techinically his actual mother since she's abroad atm,
     but) mother-figure immediately taking care of him when he walks in
     the door.
     Hope you enjoyed the TimKon fluff! There won't be much more of it, bc
     obv this is a Jaytim story, but I couldn't resist throwing it in
     there to make the hurt of ruining it later that much sweeter 8)
     <3<3<3
"You went out with Jason Todd?!"
Tim was blushing profusely in the comfort of the beige, lamp-lit haven that was
Stephanie's room. The scene was hardly appropriate in comparison to the red hot
fire the blonde had just flared under his ass to roast him alive. The
scandalized glare in her eyes also contrasted with the sharp grin plastered
across her face in excitement. She was in full interrogation mode, which was
comical considering she was bundled in an oversized t-shirt and fleece pajama
pants, and her hair piled into a messy knot on top of her head like the
proverbial cherry on top.
He had headed over to her comfortable little home for some much needed vent
time and maybe a popcorn and Netflix marathon for a couple of hours. In
hindsight, he probably should have just kept his damn mouth shut about the
whole diner thing. Instead, she had to pause Netflix and interrupt Pretty
Little Liars for the full fucking Inquisition now that he'd said something.
"I need details, and I need them now," she insisted urgently, crossing her legs
and leaning forward with wide eyes. Tim covered his face with his hands and
groaned as the story spilled out.
"He's a tutor after school with me. I thought he was one of the kids who needed
tutoring, so I asked him if he needed help-" he began before Stephanie
interrupted with a gasp, unable to contain herself.
"Ooh, you fucked up," she chirped with a delighted giggle as Tim's lips thinned
in a grimace. "His grades are higher than yours, Tim." Tim blanched in
surprise.
"No way. How would you know?" he challenged. The blonde winked and pressed a
single finger against her lips as if to say shh, not telling. But Tim knew she
was full of it, because she could never keep her mouth shut for long.
3....2...1...
"I peeked at the principal's roster," she admitted with a proud grin. "I wanted
to tweak my GPA by like, a point or two, and so I may have snuck in to his
office. I saw his name on the Junior roster, he's like 4th in his class."
"Hold on, you did what?" Tim backtracked with a snort. Stephanie flushed and
smiled guitily, offering him a small shrug.
"I got caught!" she defended herself, as if it were an excuse. "That's why I
was in detention all last week." Tim rolled his eyes.
"Whatever. You deserved that. But anyway, Jason's 4th in his class?"
"Yep. Bet'cha feel like an ass right about now for offering to tutor him," she
snickered at him. Well, he'd felt like an ass anyway at the time, and just when
he'd thought it had dissipated, the feeling weighed on him once more like a
brick in his stomach. Tim wasn't anywhere near that tier in his class. Despite
his high marks, it would probably help if he took his classes a tad more
seriously, and maybe didn't skip on a whim as much as he did (which really
wasn't all that much... not enough to be noticeable anyway).
"I bought him a burger to make up for it," Tim murmured softly in defense,
staring hard at Stephanie's rumpled comforter underneath them to avoid her
antagonizing eyes. Immediately, the tone of the conversation seemed to shift as
an excited noise escaped his best friend's lips.
"Ohmygod, tell me everything," she squeaked with excitement. "I want to know
what he ate, if he looks sexy when he eats- oh, was he silent and brooding
mysteriously like usual, or did he actually talk? And did he-"
"Stephanie, jeez, one question at a time; breathe, will you?" Tim laughed
loudly before telling her the story. He told her all about the obnoxious
upsizing and all the extra add ons Jason exploited; the thing he had for
strawberries; his love and disdain for Shakespeare; and yes, even the bet. He
earned a vicious punch in the arm for that one, and she called him a rather
nasty name as well.
"Ow, hey," he pouted, massaging his arm and knowing full well he'd deserved
that. "To be fair, she thought we were gay anyway and asked us on a double
date," he whined, earning an interested quirk of Steph's lips. 
"Well, it's not exactly hard to peg you, but Jason?" she mused thoughtfully,
rubbing her chin. Tim rolled his eyes. "Hold on, what'd you say?!"
"She wrote a note and left us her number, so we really didn't say anything,"
Tim shrugged. "After that, we left and he drove to his place. End of story."
This seemed to shock Stephanie into a still, wide eyed expression of disbelief.
"You've never let me drive Redbird," she whined with envy, crossing her arms
and tossing her chin up defiantly.
"You've never won a bet against me," Tim countered unapologetically. She
wouldn't anytime soon, either; he was never betting Redbird again, ever. She
pouted for a solid minute before giving in to Tim's immovable glare and sighing
dramatically.
"Whatever. So where does he live?" she changed the subject with rekindled
curiosity. Tim blinked as dingy bricks and broken glass windows flashed in his
memories. He hadn't dared to say anything about the apartment complex for fear
of damaging their already fragile, new friendship, but he remembered it. He
hadn't noticed the coveting stares and threatening glances when Jason was still
cracking jokes and carrying conversation in the driver's seat, but as soon as
he was gone and Tim had to drive back by himself was when he finally really
took in the environment. He'd left quickly after that.
"West side; you know, in one of the apartments near the docks," he explained
with a reluctant bite of his lower lip. Stephanie sucked in a startled breath.
She knew middle and lower Gotham pretty well; she didn't grow up in the comfort
of the wealthy district, so in her youth she'd taken to exploring Gotham on her
bike during the daylight hours. She, too, was a scholarship kid, but mostly
grew up in one of the few middle class medians between the two extreme sides.
"Damn," she whistled in morbid awe. "He lives in the ghetto apartments?" Tim
nodded solemnly.
"Those are the druggie compounds; A lotta Dope gets passed around there. Does,
er-...he?" She trailed off and didn't finish the question in her hesitation,
and but she didn't have to, the meaning was clear enough. Tim shook his head
vehemently.
"No. He told me he used to steal cars, but hasn't done anything illegal since
he got his scholarship," Tim informed matter-of-factly. Stephanie choked back a
surprised laugh, and Tim ignored her. "Shut up. He really wants to better his
life," Tim's voice softened, and his eyes peeked down to the side as a flush
crept onto his cheeks. "He's been busting his ass, especially since he's the
fucking 4th in his class. He's really smart, and insightful, and... funny, you
know?"
Stephanie's face morphed from entertained, to a concerned frown as she
listened, and then finally into a sudden, cheek-to-cheek grin. Tim's cheeks
were in flames at the suggestive waggle of her eyebrows, and he already knew
what was coming.
"You've got a crush," she accused him with a quiet shriek, scooting forward as
the gossip got juicier. Tim groaned quietly, eyes wide as he shook his head in
denial. "Yes you do, you like him," she gasped as the idea washed over her.
Good lord, this girl could let her imagination run away with her sometimes.
"Fuck off, Steph. He's a cool guy, but you know I'm with-"
"What would Kon think if he knew you went out with another guy today?" she
challenged before he could even make his point, top-knot tilting over with her
as she cocked her head. "Especially  someone as hot and intimidating as Jason
Todd?" Immediately, guilt clawed at his stomach and dragged his stomach down to
his toes.
"Have you even told him?" Tim cringed internally and whined at her viciousness.
Kon was technically at practice today and had just gotten out an hour or two
ago, so... that was a No, and she knew it.
"I will," he promised in a mild panic under her glare. He meant it, too; he
really did. It was just an innocent burger, he didn't have a reason to hide the
fact. Why did it make him squirm to bring himself to tell Kon? No big deal...
Stephanie scoffed at him and rolled her eyes, but the glint of a smile twitched
and she couldn't contain it much longer.
"Okay, good. A crush is always fine as long as you're honest, and you remember
to look and don't touch," she lectured with a knowing nod of her head. Tim bit
his lip uncertainly, but she made sense. A crush was harmless as long as he
followed the rules. It shouldn't be hard since he wasn't in close quarters with
Jason very often, no big deal. "And really, I can't say I blame you. I mean,
he's so fucking hot! I'd bed that boy faster than you can say 'Hell yes,'" she
giggled, stern glare breaking entirely into excitement at this point. Tim broke
into an embarrassed grin and hugged his knees close to him.
"I know, oh god," Tim's cheeks burned, and he bunched Stephanie's blanket
against his chest as guilty butterflies fluttered in his stomach. 
...........
A few hours later, Redbird's driver door thudded shut in the driveway to his
own home. Stephanie had kept him jabbering about Jason for an hour, and didn't
even let him finish watching their episode on Netflix before it had gotten so
late that he was forced to go back home. She had been so relentless and
excitable, but he loved his best friend, and was genuinely relieved to be able
to admit and vent about his outting with Jason. He smiled fondly at the memory
of the blonde as he locked his Redbird up. She chirped back at him reassuringly
as he made his way over the manicured grass toward the polished front door. As
he clambered inside, he offered a call of greeting to the housekeeper, Mrs.
Mac, who smiled back at him fondly.
"Mister Drake, welcome home," she offered in her kind tone. "Are you hungry?"
she offered as Tim made his way toward the stairs. He felt his stomach growl
mildly as he paused on the first step. He'd eaten with Jason at 5 or so, and
it's 10:30 now; it's been a while, so he wouldn't mind eating.
"A bit," he admitted with a nod. "I know it's late, though, and you're about to
go home soon, so you don't have to."
"Oh, no, you know me better than that, Mr. Drake. You go on upstairs and I'll
run something up to you," she beamed before setting herself to work. Tim smiled
at her fondly and nodded his assent (bless that woman's proud kindness) before
obeying and making his way up to his room.
Once he was safely in his bedroom and curled up on top of his comforter, he
decided that while he waited on food, maybe it was finally time to call his
boyfriend. They usually called each other before sleep anyway, catching up and
chatting about their days, wishing him goodnight, and so on. He was
inexplicably a little anxious, however, as he pulled his phone out of his
pocket. But when he saw the lock screen of him and Kon smiling cattily up at
him from the screen, it made Tim's heart warm and drew a smile to his lips.
There was nothing to be anxious about; this was the face of the kind,
gentle guy he was in love with. He was safe, and loved, and whole with Kon; he
pressed the unlock for his phone and dialed his lover without another second
thought. It rang only twice before the boy answered; it made his heart swell
that Kon always made the time to talk to him.
"Hey babe," Kon's voice was a cheerful hum over the speaker.
"Hi, hot stuff," Tim smiled, shoulders relaxing as he sank back against his
pillows. He could hear Kon laugh.
"I'm glad you called. You never texted me after tutoring, so I figured you
forgot about me," he teased lightly. Tim bit his lip guiltily.
"I'm sorry, baby, you know I'd never," Tim pouted, before his heart started to
thud harder in his chest as his nerves swarmed. "I had a great time, actually!
A girl named Marcy needed help with her Ionic and Covalent bonds, and we went
over a couple of worksheets. And, um... Jason and I got a burger afterwards,
and then I met Steph to marathon Pretty Little Liars. It was pretty fun, over
all, and I finally just got home." It was rushed, and Tim's heart was in his
throat, praying that Kon might just overlook the Jason part.
"Wait, Jason? As in...Jason Todd? The weird guy on a scholarship?" There it
was. Kon knew him, then, because he could hear the distaste in his voice. Kon
obviously wasn't willing to let that slip. Tim's stomach clenched and he
squirmed silently to avoid giving his anxiety away.
"Yeah, turns out he's a tutor too," Tim explained as non-chalantly as possible.
"Huh. I think he was in my Physics class last year. Always quiet, never raises
his hand or talks or anything. Didn't think he was much of a brainiac type,"
Kon hummed thoughtfully.
"Yeah, it...surprised me, too," Tim admitted squeemishly. "But it turns out,
he's pretty smart. He reads the Lit textbook for fun, and scoffs at Master
Shakespeare," Tim chuckled, unable to prevent a smile from tugging his lips as
he recalled the memory from earlier.
"Well, Shakespeare's awfully wordy anyway. There's more to the world than just
tedious plays and stuffy books," Kon spouted. Tim could almost hear his eyes
rolling, which made him giggle. Jason would be appalled, but Kon maybe had a
point. Tim enjoyed the stories in class, but outside of school, he rarely
picked up a book. Usually, he was out with Kon and Steph on the town, or
playing video games, or watching Netflix. There were plenty of quality
activities in life besides academics.
"Yeah, you're right. Wouldn't wanna miss out on game days or movie nights," Tim
grinned easily.
"Or having some quality company with your boyfriend," Kon insinuated
suggestively. Tim laughed and agreed, and just like that, the tension fell away
between them and it was easy conversation for the rest of the call. It was only
when Mrs. Mac interrupted a half hour later, dropping a plate of french toast
off that Tim reluctantly decided to let Kon go. It was after 11 now, and they
still had school tomorrow, after all.
"Hey, I love you," Tim cooed fondly over the line after Ms. Mac said her
goodbyes.
"Oh, hang on!" his boyfriend insisted excitedly. "Before you go, I wanted to
ask you if you're still coming to the game on Friday?"
"Of course," Tim frowned thoughtfully as he tore a piece of toast to pop in his
mouth. "Why, did you have something planned?"
"Yeah, I've got a surprise for you. Bring Steph, you'll love it," Kon promised
happily, making Tim's heart melt at the boy's eagerness.
"Okay," Tim agreed, like a total sap. "We'll be there cheering for you."
"Good. God... I love you," Kon's voice hummed over the line.
"I love you too, Kon," Tim replied, voice mushy and pathetically gooey, even
over the sound of chewing a new bite of toast.
"Good night."
"Night, babe."
The phone clicked off and Tim's heart was fluttering with euphoria and
excitement; everything was okay. Kon wasn't mad at him; in fact he had even
planned a surprise for him and got all sappy tonight. Tim had made a new friend
in Jason, and despite his little crush, Stephanie helped put things back in
perspective like a good best friend and made him see everything was truly okay.
In fact, why didn't he invite Jason to go with him and Steph to the game? Jason
was mostly a loner, he might appreciate being included and making more friends.
Steph would love him -although not too much, hopefully, and Kon would warm up
to him eventually. This could really work out, he realized ecstatically. He
hugged his phone to his chest with a smile as he quickly scarfed down the rest
of his snack and turned out the lamp.
Everything would be great.
***** Sidelined *****
Chapter Summary
     Jason reflects on Tim asking him out to the game as he gets picked
     up. Stephanie is introduced, chili dogs are had, and Jason ends up
     really enjoying the game. This chapter is basically just Jason's
     first football game and fluffy, innocent fun with friends. Also Jason
     realizes some awkward feelings and shenanigans ensue. Enjoy <3
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
There was something to be said about Friday nights; from the moment the sun
begins to set, a kind of electric excitement always starts to buzz through the
air, and city life flourished under the street lights no matter what side of
town one was on. Jason had never understood it before, but now, sitting on the
cement steps of his apartment underneath the pink and blue haze of dusk, for
the first time in a long time, Jason could taste the anticipation.
Maybe it was just his anxiety making him mistake a mild heart attack for
excitement, he pondered. The calming effect of the cigarette dangling from his
lips attested to that. But regardless of the nicotine's influence, his heart
still fluttered restlessly in wait.
This was Tim's idea, going out tonight.  It had started on Wednesday during
Tutoring, when Tim surprised him in two ways. The first was coming to Wednesday
Tutoring at all, since he was technically only signed up for Mondays. The
second, well... the fact that Tim actually spoke freely to him (god forbid he
even say "Hi" the rare times they spotted each other in the cafeteria or in
Advanced Lit, the class they literally shared, but Jason didn't dare accuse the
kid of a crime he was guilty of, too). Tim had flashed him an odd little smile
as they prepped their work desks, and Jason had nodded back courteously, if not
a little suspicious, thinking that Tim had begun to chicken out of their barely
budding friendship. Just as Jason had debated on whether or not to initiate
further contact before conversation became a lost cause, Tim had piped up and
broke the hush between them.
"So I've been thinking..." and gosh, Tim's brows had creased in the center as
if to accentuate his words.
"Yeah?" A glimmer of hope rekindled in his chest.
"Kon's football game is this weekend..." he trailed off coyly. Jason narrowed
his eyes and felt himself already start to withdraw in cynical disinterest. "I
know you're probably not the type that enjoy sports-"
"Presumptuous much," Jason snorted, rolling his eyes. But this time, Tim wasn't
exactly wrong.
"-but," he continued, ignoring Jason's brief interruption with a patronizing
glare. "Steph and I were gonna go and cheer for the team, and...I wanted to
invite you, too. You know, to hang out. Stephanie's been dying to meet you,
anyway."
Jason remembered feeling surprised, at the time, thinking why the hell would
this guy, who'd barely acknowledged him since the diner, suddenly want him to
hang out and meet the bestie? If he'd been in his right, logical mind, he would
have just said no right off the bat. But damn it, those hopeful baby blues that
Tim had sported, and the way he chewed on his bottom lip almost hopefully
completely distracted him and threw him way the fuck off.
"She's not gonna bite me, is she?" had been his only response, referring of
course, to the blonde girl who almost constantly accompanied Tim in the
hallways and at lunch. Then again, Tim was probably the one trailing
behind her; she looked pretty forward and bullheaded to Jason. But then, Jason
was, too. Come to think of it, so was that beefy boyfriend of Tim's; there was
a theme here, somewhere, Jason just knew it.
Tim had simply laughed at his statement.
"Only if you ask her to."
"You never know," Jason had winked wickedly, causing a noticeable pink rouge to
appear on Tim's cheeks.
"So does 6 o'clock Friday night work for you, then? I'll pick you up at your
place," he steamrolled forward, stoically ignoring the taunt.
"Sure, whatever." And that was when the first student strolled in, swiftly
ending that conversation. So now here he was, sitting his stupid ass down at 5:
30 in sheer anticipation and waiting to see the red mustang turn the corner
into the complex any minute. He honestly felt foolish in getting this excited
over a silly, cliche high school novelty game. But then, he'd never actually
been to one, either. Not with friends back in middle school, not since he'd
enrolled in the Academy, not ever. Tim was going to be his only lifeline, a boy
he barely began to associate with in the last week, in a sea of people he
didn't really know at a game he didn't particularly care for. Not to mention,
it'd be in the chilly wind sitting on cold ass metal stadium stands. And yet,
he was actually excited. 
Jason shoved the sleeve of his favorite red hoodie back to checked the watch on
his wrist again. It was starting to become a nervous habit, just watching as
the minutes ticked away two or three at a time.
5:35. Why was he waiting out here again? He could just go back inside until 5:
50 or something. His mom was at work, and he'd already cleaned the place up. He
could maybe watch some tv?
5:38. Nah. He'd still be checking his watch just like this. Could he really
invest himself into mind numbing basic cable right now, anyway? Probably not.
5:44. He pulled out another cigarette, having finished the first one already
and discarded it over the rails. He laughed at himself as he lit the damn thing
up; how was it that Tim Drake could make him start chain smoking?
5:49. Damn it.
Tim's Red Bird was nowhere in sight, and he was beginning to squirm
uncomfortably as 6 pm loomed closer and closer. Was he going to be on time?
...Was he going to be late?
Would he show up at all?
Dread set in as his watch ticked 5:59; he didn't want to go back into an empty
apartment again. He didn't want to go back into that apartment, back to his own
personal prison just yet. He desperately wanted to have fun again... he wanted
whatever this promising thing was with Tim to actually pay off.
It was 6:05 now, and Jason's second cigarette had long since died out, but he
could already feel himself start to twitch with the need for another one. This
waiting around was bad for his nerves (and his lungs), but fuck it. He sighed
as he indulged his anxiety and flicked the lighter in defeat.
Please let him show up.
Jason's hand paused with the lit lighter centimeters away from the tip of the
death stick. Damn... it's been a while since he's had that particular thought.
He shook it away defiantly and lit it, taking a long, desperately appreciative
inhale.
The roar of an engine traveled through the air when a red mustang- yes, the red
mustang, Red Bird, Tim had called her, pulled around the corner of the
entrance. Instant relief flooded his system as he chastised himself for being
so stupid before. Tim was here. In fact, he could see him smiling up through
the windshield as the car approached.
Jesus, that fucking idiot was dressed in the same uniform polo from school; he
hadn't gone home to change? He snorted at the dork and shook his head in
amusement. He could also see Blondie in the passenger seat, blinking around the
complex curiously. She had changed, Jason noticed; and given her cashmere
sweater, she was dressed sensibly for the late night they were planning. They
probably had gone back to her place, then. 
When the girl's eyes eventually roamed to meet his own, Jason grimaced in self
consciousness, but chose to ignore the gawking. He sucked one last, deep
lungful of smoke before reluctantly snuffing the damn thing against the brick
wall and stuffing it back in his pack. He held the breath, cherishing the last
drag he'd be able to take for a while before releasing the smoke back into the
air slowly through perched lips. He'd surely be able to sneak away for the rest
at the stadium somewhere, but for now, he really was trying to be mindful of
the car. He didn't want Tim barking at his ass for that again.
He shoved the pack and his two hands meekly into his hoodie pocket as he made
his way toward the vehicle. Both Tim and the blonde were watching him approach,
making his skin prickle mildly in discomfort as he reached for the back door.
He heard the door unlock, and before he could change his mind, he opened it and
slid quickly inside.
"Hey, Jay!" Tim chimed before he even had a chance to buckle his seat belt.
Jason offered a tight smile and nodded to where Tim's blue eyes shone in the
rear-view mirror.
"Hey," he replied simply, buckling in and making himself comfortable.
"Hey, Jason," came the sweet, alto ring of the blonde in the passenger seat.
She had completely turned around in her seat to stare at him; brown eyes wide
and intense like a god damn x-ray.
"Hi, uh....erm-"
"Stephanie Brown," she politely inserted, extending her hand as Tim shifted the
car to reverse. Jason shook it and nodded at her.
"You're in Tim's class, right?" Jason asked, letting his hand fall away
awkwardly as he held the girl's gaze.
"Right-o. And, spoiler alert, his best friend in the universe," she exclaimed,
tilting her chin proudly. Jason smirked and nodded in acknowledgement.
"Dually noted."
"So... do you want me to bite you, yet?" The world froze around him, and yet
she grinned mischeviously, revealing a set of almost perfect teeth. There was a
front canine that was slightly crooked, Jason noticed, but the way she tilted
her lips made it an endearing kind of smile. For the first time in a long time,
Jason's eyes widened in shock, and he felt uncomfortably warm in embarrassment.
He whipped his gaze to the rearview mirror where he could just catch Tim's
guilty grin.
Jesus, they were worse than the Mean Girls.
Jason turned back to the blonde defiantly and smiled back at her politely. He
wasn't going to back down from the challenge; Tim did this on purpose, he was
almost sure.
"Only if you want me to bite back, sweetheart," he fired sweetly, leaning back
in a display of comfort against the leather upholstery. He heard Tim choke as
they sped down the street, but Blondie herself could not look any more thrilled
if she tried.
"I like him, let's keep him," she slugged Tim's shoulder un-apologetically.
Jason's pride swelled and a sense of relief flooded through his veins; he'd
never cared for anyone else's approval, but receiving it anyway, especially now
in an environment outside his normal zone, was an immense comfort he hadn't
expected. Maybe the night would be easier than he expected.
Plus, he was delighted to discover, Tim was blushing again.
.....................
Football games were intense.
Jason was surprised at the spirited, extremely dense crowd when they'd arrived.
From the very start during the pre-game shenanigans, they'd been whooping and
shouting with unrestrained Friday night glee. Music from the marching bands
could be heard blasting back and forth, and the occasional announcement from
the box office echoed all the way across the field, despite the roar of the
masses. Painted faces, and colored streamers and banners were seen and waved by
the students cheering for the Gotham Knights. Even Tim and Stephanie had
decided to paint black and gold stripes on their faces in good spirits. Jason
had politely declined, but had indulged in the delicious smells of fried food
wafting from the concession stands.
He'd bought the works; loaded nachos, a pickle on a stick, two chili dogs,
three slices of pizza, and three bottles of water to split between the three of
them. It'd been the last of the spare money he'd earned before he'd paid the
rent off, and he'd never been so grateful for the fruits of his extra labor in
his life. This was more than just a treat, it had made it worth it to sit here
with Tim and Stephanie and let the adrenaline of the crowd roar through his
veins. It was deliriously intoxicating, this atmosphere, and he was beginning
to understand the appeal, even if he didn't quite understand the full extent of
the game.
The crowd roared, and the neon score board went off in a cartoon-y little
display of fireworks and "1st Down" was flashing brightly in the center.
"What does that mean?" Jason asked loudly over the masses to Tim and Stephanie
on either side of him.
"It means the ball is ours, and we get to start making offensive plays again,"
Tim explained, as Stephanie bounced up and down, cheering with the crowd. "If
we haven't advanced 10 yards by 4th down, then we have to punt it. But trust
me, it won't come to that; Kon's the best quarter back in school history, we're
about to cream Central City!" he beamed.
"If he can avoid Wally West, anyway," Stephanie chimed in once the cheering
died down. Jason arched a clueless brow and blinked.
"He's the running back who's been giving our boys so much trouble.
Unfortunately, he's so fast that he plays linebacker on defense, too; he's a
hell of a sprinter," Tim explained sullenly, pointing down to the Central City
uniform #03. He had his helmet off for the moment, since they hadn't started
the next play. He had a shock of red hair, and was laughing hysterically at
something his teammate was saying, but that's all that Jason could really see.
But in a flash, the boy donned his helmet once more and ran out onto the field
into position.
"That goofball is giving your team hell?" Jason squinted in disbelief.
"Hey, goofball or not, as long as he can outrun our guys, he's a problem,"
Stephanie reasoned seriously. Jason snorted; these two were completely immersed
in this shit. But still, he was able to follow the play, now.
The whistle blew, the ball whirred through the air and then the crash of
helmets sounded off as the players ran their asses off. Jason chewed happily on
one of the chili dogs and barely followed the blurs of the players below. One
of the running backs had passed the ball, and Kon (#04, as Tim had pointed out)
had caught it. West was right behind him and the two ran over 15 yards before
the linebacker slammed into the quarterback's ribs and took him down. Jason had
to hide an entertained snort as Tim and Stephanie groaned in outrage beside
him.
Jason quickly decided that he really liked this game.
The band began to play the school's fight song as the teams geared up for the
next play. For the rest of the first quarter, the football field was
practically a war zone; a Colosseum filled with gladiators, and the mob of
students around him became angry spectators out for blood. Finally, the buzzer
sounded, ending the first quarter just after Gotham's 3rd Down.
Tim and Stephanie were stone faced as Eye of the Tiger began to blare from the
band.
"I need a breather. I'm going for a hot chocolate, you boys want some?"
Stephanie offered, standing to her feet.
"Sounds lovely, actually," Jason beamed happily. They turned towards Tim for
his answer, and to his surprise, the guy had his arms wrapped tightly around
himself and his teeth were chattering. No fucking wonder, since the sun had
finally set and the nightly chill was starting to creep into the air. He
grinned guiltily at their astonished expressions and shrugged.
"A hot chocolate sounds fabulous, and at this rate might just save my life," he
shivered. Jason winced and glanced at Stephanie. She looked absolutely
bewildered, shaking her head at him.
"I told you, I told you we should have stopped at your place for a jacket," she
scolded, crossing her arms. Tim shrugged humbly and bit his lip.
"Yeah, I know," he was obviously ashamed. Jason sighed bemused at the kid.
"I'll be back," Stephanie promised, stepping out into the aisle. "Try not to
die while I'm gone, mmkay?" It almost sounded like a threat, but Tim nodded
cheerily and she softened up.
"You didn't even bring a sweater or anything?" Jason chastised further in
concern once Blondie was gone. Tim's cheeks pinked, and Jason doubted it was
from the weather.
"I forgot how cold it gets at night, so what? I'll be fine," he insisted,
despite rubbing the clearly pronounced goosebumps up and down his arms. Jason
rolled his eyes and cursed himself for what he was about to do. At least he was
wearing a long sleeve shirt.
"Here," Jason sighed, yanking his collar up and shucking the hoodie off. Tim
froze, eyes bulging wide with a slacked, surprised jaw as Jason held it out for
him. When Tim didn't immediately take it, Jason squirmed in discomfort.
"Look, I know it's not a super nice jacket or anything, but it keeps the wind
out, trust me. And I just washed it a couple days ago, so it's not dirty
or...or anything," he rambled, feeling his cheeks start to redden as well. Tim
stared up at him with a soft, meek kind of look that Jason had never seen
before. Honestly, it took him by surprise, and made his chest feel a little
funny.
"Thank you," Tim nodded earnestly as he accepted the offering. Their fingers
brushed momentarily, ice cold things against Jason's warm(er) skin, and his
heart seemed to trip over itself. He could see Tim's pupils expand below him,
and found himself staring a bit too much as Tim's lips parted ever so slightly.
And then there was that blush again. Oh...shit.
"You're welcome."
And then Tim's hand, and his hoodie, were gone as Tim pulled the cloth over
himself. A tuft of black hair poked through the top, and when Tim's face
emerged, it was almost as red as the hoodie itself. Tim's relief was visible as
he snuggled inside the fabric, wrapped his arms back around himself and sighed.
Why did the simple motion make it feel like all of Jason's internal organs had
vanished?
"I'll give it back after the game," Tim promised. Jason nodded, as his throat
was too dry to say anything in return at this point. An amicable silence fell
over the two as the swarm of students murmured around them. Jason couldn't help
but notice that Tim sat just slightly closer than before. He swallowed thickly
and snatched his water bottle to ease the tension in his throat, and...maybe
distract himself a little.
"So," he cleared his throat, drawing Tim's curious blue eyes up to his. "Since
you invited me out tonight, and I'm not having...you know, too shitty of a
time, would you want to come see a movie next Friday?" Tim blinked, obviously
surprised, but clearly not unpleasantly. Jason's heart was in his throat as he
continued on. "I hit the waitress up, and she sorta helped me get a job at the
diner. Long story short, she wants us to hang out with her and her girlfriend
next week, and I, uh... told her... maybe."  That wasn't supposed to sound so
lame, Jason cursed himself nervously, but god damn it, it was about time (and
only fair) that he asked. He just...left out the part where Crista still
thought it was a double date. That was an easy fix, though.
Tim's eyes lit up and he laughed, and Jason's shoulders relaxed with relief.
"Wow, no shit?" he gleamed excitedly.
"I speak the truth," he promised, sending up the two-fingered, boy scout
salute. Tim grinned, wide eyed, and proceeded to nod excitedly.
"That sounds awesome, Jay, I'd love to go! And hey, congratulations," he
elbowed Jason gently with a crooked smile.
"On the job? Thanks," Jason smiled. "I actually start tomorrow morning." Tim's
eyebrows arched in surprise.
"Oh, god... tomorrow morning?" he made a face anxiously. Jason furrowed his
brow in concern.
"Yeah?" was the only response he could muster.
"Shit, there was an after party tonight that I wanted to take you to," he
pouted, causing the world to stop spinning around him for the second time that
night.
"Really?" his jaw dropped, and he damn near did a double take in disbelief.
"You... want me at one of your fancy-pants parties?"
"Well, I can drop you off if you don't wanna go, or anything," Tim flushed, and
Jason smirked gently. "Especially if you have work in the morning. I just
thought maybe it'd be fun for you, and-" he babbled nervously, twiddling his
fingers beneath the red cuffs of Jason's hoodie.
"Relax, shortstack, I'll go," Jason agreed, fighting back amused laughter.
Tim's face brightened with hope. "Just get me home before dawn, maybe?" he
chuckled, and Tim agreed. Fuck, what was he getting himself into? His heart was
beating erratically, and he was nervous at the prospect. Why was he going so
far outside his comfort zone tonight? Why was he excited?
The buzzer wailed seconds later, just as Stephanie was returning with three
styrofoam cups of steaming hot chocolate.
"Your savior has returned, Timmy! Just in the nick of ti-time..." she
actually did a double take when she saw Tim swallowed up in Jason's much-too-
large hoodie. She blinked a couple of times, and Jason squirmed internally as
he studiously pretended to intently stare at the line-up on the field.
"Thanks, Steph, you're my hero," Tim chirpped up, alleviating the tension as he
forced the conversation along. She smiled strangely as she passed out the
drinks, each boy accepting them gratefully in turn.
As soon as the whistle blew to start the second quarter, the situation seemed
to be forgiven enough as Stephanie cheered with the rest of the crowd. Jason
breathed a sigh of relief, and for once tried to invest himself fully into the
plays of the game.
.......
The buzzer sounded off again, signalling the end of the first half. Tim and
Stephanie relaxed on their seats and sighed wearily; Central City had scored
twice on them, and it wasn't looking good. The crowd was restless around them
as the cheerleaders and the marching bands lined up for the show, hoping to
provide more fighting spirit. Jason leaned forward in excitement as the shining
instruments, glittering outfits, and colorful flags made their way onto the
field. The half time show was decidedly one of the best parts of this whole
experience, Jason noted. It was visually stunning and fun to watch for both
sides. He liked the way the flags spun and the props twirled high in the air as
the members practically danced across the field.
Tim and Stephanie seemed to brighten up considerably as well as the show
progressed, and it was definitely a nice change of pace. The air was much less
hostile, anyway, and everyone watched comfortably as the show finally climaxed
and ended with a blaze of glory, followed by silence that erupted into
applause. Jason clapped enthusiastically right beside everyone else.
Everyone was returning to their seats now, and the buzz of conversation was
starting to pick up again. Just before anyone got too comfortable, though, the
PA system blared to life and the announcer's voice sparked over the crowds.
"Ladies and gentleman, before we end our half-time, we have one more show! On
behalf of our own Gotham Knights, our starring Quarterback, Conner Kent, and
the cheer squad have a short presentation!" The crowd murmured eagerly at the
news, whipping around to stare at the field where #04, Kon, now with his helmet
off and a scared looking smile plastered on his face, was padding across the
grass.
Tim blinked in surprise beside Jason as the three of them leaned forward to see
what the quarterback would do. Immediately, the cheerleaders flooded around him
with huge, hand made signs and a cartoonishly large bouquet of flowers. When
they were all arranged, the signs were held high, and the neon paint spelled
out:
                    "TIM, WILL YOU BE MY HOMECOMING KING?"
There was a collective gasp from the crowd, and Tim himself was in tears of
joy, covering his mouth.
"Oh... my god," he choked.
"What are you waiting for, stupid, go!" Stephanie was prodding him excitedly,
pushing him to the aisle to go meet Kon in the field. Jason stared as the boy,
in near shock, ran down and out to Kon, jumping into his arms and embracing
tightly as they pressed their lips together. Deafening cheers erupted, and a
few whistles and catcalls were delivered by the more boisterous students. Jason
clapped alongside Stephanie and plastered a smile on his lips.
The two love birds exchanged words on the field, and then Kon slipped
something- a ring, it looked like, to Jason's shock, onto Tim's finger, before
the cheerleaders squealed and flipped the signs over to read:
                                "TIM SAID YES!"
Tim and Kon locked lips one last time as the crowd clapped for them before the
announcer's voice chimed back to life.
"Wow! Folks, what a beautiful way to ask your date to Homecoming. Can you
imagine what the boys will do for prom?" The voice joked, earning genuine
laughter from the masses as Tim was burdened with the flowers, and waved
goodbye to his boyfriend as made his way back up the stairs into the stands.
Tim looked dazed as the students around him gave him slaps of appreciation on
the back. Stephanie hugged him and kissed his cheek, and Jason had a strong
suspicion that she had teared up.
"I'm so proud of you, Timmy," she sniffed happily as Tim sank into his seat.
Tim beamed at her, and Jason (finally jarred out of his own shock) offered his
own congratulations.
"Hey, I'm happy for you, man. He put in a lot of effort with that, he sure
is...something. Congrats," he clapped Tim on the shoulder as he voiced his
support. Something in his chest constricted as Tim gleamed up at him.
"Thanks, Jay. He really is," he agreed dreamily. "He gave me a promise ring,"
he added softly, flashing the silver trinket from under the flowers. Stephanie
gasped and squealed excitedly.
"Oh, Tim-" this time, she really did cry. Jason watched them and smiled in
support as they reveled in the moment. He was being silly, this was a real,
romantic moment for Tim. Whatever ridiculous feeling that was rattling around
inside him could shove off; he wouldn't let any pessimism or un-named
discomfort ruin this for Tim. For his friend.
"I love him," Tim hummed happily as the buzzer sounded off the second half.
Jason grinned and nudged him playfully as the players lined up in position.
The whistle blew, and the crowd roared.
Chapter End Notes
     Hope you guys liked this one! I spent a lot of time at games in my
     early years of high school, so that's where I get the inspiration for
     the setting around them. Now, I'm also not the exact expert on
     football, so if I missed a detail in Tim's explanations anywhere,
     please let me know.
     Also, what do y'all think of the dynamic between Jason and Stephanie?
     I'm really excited to write her in, and may even do a few POV's
     involving her and Kon later on.
     Next chapter is the party Tim mentioned, and will be Tim-centric. See
     you next update!
***** Spin the Bottle *****
Chapter Summary
     The game ends, and the party begins! Kissing shenanigans and
     drunkenness ensue below. Enjoy <3
Chapter Notes
     Okay, so I'm kind of drunk writing this, but I wanted this to be a
     fun chapter filled with jealous angst.
     Does Stephanie step over the line a little bit? Probably. Does Tim
     have an oral fixation on Jason? Most definitely. Is Kon a little
     prickly with Jason for their first encounter? Eh. All will be fleshed
     out next chapter.
     Also, I know I switched between POV a little in this chapter, please
     forgive me. If you notice any mistakes or grammatical errors, please
     let me know and I'll do my best to fix asap. Thank you!
                     TIM, WILL YOU BE MY HOMECOMING KING?
The words burned permanently into his memory as he crossed the field. His
boyfriend was there waiting, hair tussled from his helmet, and shoulders
noticeably stiff, even under the massive padding of the uniform equipment. The
grass padded under his feet as he finally closed the distance, and god, he felt
like he was about to melt right there, or possibly combust entirely. The moment
they met, Tim leapt giddily into his arms.
"When did you-" Tim choked out, unable to finish his sentence through the
tense, emotional lump in his throat. Kon beamed down at him, blue eyes dewy and
shining to mirror Tim's own expression.
"I told you I had something planned for you, didn't I?" he murmured simply into
Tim's ear with a very proud, excited grin. Despite all the yelling and cheering
from the squad of girls around them and the spectators on the stands, it might
as well have been white noise, since Kon's voice was the only thing in the
world Tim could hear.
Tim stretched up to the very tips of his toes and snared Kon's lips in an
overwhelming lock of lips. God, he felt  his own heart swell immeasurably
against his rib cage, rising up his throat and inevitably welling up into his
eyes.
"Here," his boyfriend whispered, surprising Tim by taking his hand and sliding
a warm, silver band with red and blue gemstones dotting the center; their
favorite colors intertwined. Tim's jaw dropped, but he definitely wasn't
capable of speech, so tears took place of words and streamed down his cheeks
with a strangled sob of sheer happiness.
"K-Kon, I-"
"Be mine? I promise if you promise," Kon's face was earnest, and perhaps even a
bit anxious as Tim stared up at him completely starstruck. Tim nodded and
hastily wiped the hot tears away as Kon crushed him against his torso once
more.
"Of course, I promise," Tim managed, pressing a final peck against Kon's warm
cheek as the cheerleaders flipped their neon signs with more shrill cries of
excitement. The next thing Tim knew, Kon was dipping him back like some cheesy
romcom couple kissing in the spotlight, but despite the raging "Ooooohs" from
the audience, Tim's arm were firm around Kon's neck, eyes closed in bliss as he
parted his lips. Let the stupid crowd enjoy the show.
After a long, lingering press of warm lips brushing against each other, Kon
finally, reluctantly helped him upright and released him. Tim's head was
spinning in a daze as a bouquet of assorted flowers were given to him. Kon
smiled and mouthed a quick 'I love you,' before he turned away, and Tim smiled.
He supposed it would be too cliche to sigh wistfully after his sweetheart, so
he resisted, but he could feel his heart stutter and flutter right out of his
chest.
Somehow, he found his way back up the steps into the stands, vaguely aware of
whooping laughter and congratulatory pats on the back. He was almost sure the
announcer made a joke about prom, but it was all a blur to him. The only thing
that burned clearly through the haze were two faces grinning and waiting for
him with open arms.
Stephanie, of course, was bouncing up and down, clapping wildly before drawing
him into a tight hug and ushering him back to his seat protectively from the
crowd (bless her). 
"I'm so proud of you, Timmy!" God, she was nearly as emotional as he was. He
smiled fondly at her as she brushed her hair subtly out of her eyes.
"Hey, I'm happy for you, man. He put in a lot of effort with that, he sure
is...something. Congrats," he said. Tim blinked, unsure of the subtle tone, or
what exactly Jason was trying to imply. But Jason was smiling, and he was warm
and sweet, and Tim felt his chest bubbling with fulfillment. He felt warm, and
slightly frazzled under the other boy's gaze, and suddenly Tim was very
conscious of Jason's scent cloaking him inside the oversized hoodie, Jason's
 hoodie that he was still wearing. He blushed, unable to think rationally
through the emotional turmoil gravitating in his chest, so he simply smiled.
"Thanks, Jay. He really is." The buzzer sounded off, and the game resumed.
"He...gave me a promise ring," he wiggled his hand out of the hoodie in a haze
to display. He couldn't help staring at it under the shine of the stadium
lights; it was bright and the gems sparkled. He could hear Stephanie crying
unabashedly now.
"Oh, Tim," she choked, but Tim could barely hear her.  Jason's face, however,
was oddly tight as they gazed at the ring. Tim tried not to analyze that too
much; instead, he recalled Kon's ridiculously mushy face as the blue and red
gems glittered up at him.
"I love him," he blurted dreamily, hugging his arms around him and snuggling
into the hoodie to sate these fuzzy feelings inside his chest.
The buzzer sounded, and Tim cheered louder than ever as Kon started running.
.................
"Weeeeee are the championssss, my frieeeeendss," Tim and Stephanie sang out arm
in arm, drunk on victory and adrenaline as they made their way to the parking
lot.
"Weeeeee'll keep on fiiighting, till the eeeeend," Stephanie giggled. Tim could
swear he caught Jason rolling his eyes with an amused smirk.
"Noooo time for loooosers, cause weeee are the champioooonss.... of the
woooooooorld!" Finally Jason chortled out laughter from beside them; and it was
truly an enchanting sound. The sight of him throwing his head back and nearly
doubling over was even sweeter.
"What, are you allergic to celebrating or something?" Stephanie miffed at him,
crossing her arms challengingly.
"Oh, no, I love a good celebration," Jason defended innocently. Tim smirked;
here it comes. "It's just that out of tune, pitchy screeching that you
call singing that gives me hives." Stephanie gasped, snapping a scandalized
hand over her heart and blinking in outrage.
"Oh, like you could do better," she scoffed, jutting out her lip and creasing
her brows. Uh oh, Tim realized; she might actually feel a little insulted. In
alarm, he cast his eyes over at Jason, who wore a placating smile on his face
as he shrugged.
"Nah, I never had the pipes for singing," he admitted. Stephanie seemed to
brighten back up at the prospect as Jason continued. "Now I can give you a
pretty sick beat boxing," he joked, nudging Steph's arm. Tim nearly sighed in
relief; whether Jason noticed Stephanie's trivial turmoil or not, at least he
was wise enough to diffuse the situation before he really upset her.
 "How about a good slug to the arm?" Stephanie offered defiantly, bantering on
as Red Bird chirped at Tim's beckoning with the keys in hand. 
"I don't usually hit girls, but sure, if you insist," Jason snorted, pulling
the back door open as Tim unlocked the mustang. Stephanie growled, yes growled,
at Jason before -to Tim's surprise- sliding in back beside Jason and actually
playfully punching him on his arm.
For a moment, Jason blinked in sheer alarm, and Tim wasn't sure if it was
because she had punched him, or that she had actually chosen to forgo the front
seat in favor of sitting with him. He looked a little stiff and uncomfortable
from what Tim could see in the rearview, but seemed to rub his arm as an
afterthought, so Tim suspected that it was the latter. 
And honestly, why did she decide to sit back with him? She wasn't even on the
opposite side, she was in the middle, wedged literally right beside
him. Not...not that it really mattered, but... Tim chewed his cheek and chose
not to pursue that particular train. Stephanie did as Stephanie pleased, and
that was that.
"That all you got, blondie? I know a few grannies in my neighborhood who hit
harder than that!" Jason finally chirped back after only a beat of hesitation.
His friends bickered for a few moments more, and Tim rolled his eyes as he
pulled out of the parking space.
"Oh, please, that was nothing," she tsked, tilting her head indignantly.
"Spoiler alert, if I was really trying to hurt you, you'd have more than just a
welt the size of Gotham Cathedral," she taunted.
"I can attest to that," Tim grinned, chiming in. Both heads turned toward him,
Jason in curiosity and Steph with appraisal. "She punched one of my teeth out
in fourth grade. But to be fair, I bloodied her nose in return," Tim testified
earnestly, recalling the brief falling out at recess so many years earlier. A
smiled tugged at his lips as Jason reeled in mild alarm.
"Oh, don't worry, his tooth was loose anyway. It was hardly a challenge,"
Stephanie grinned.
"What? Er...why?" Jason voiced skeptically. Tim and Stephanie exchanged a meek
smile through the reflection of the mirror.
"We broke up," she admitted sheepishly. Jason, if he had been drinking
anything, might have done a full spit take by the look of him. Tim burst into
laughter at his wide, buggy eyes.
"You dated?" he blinked. Then an ear splitting grin erupted on his face as he
snickered at them. "You guys are like the besties cliche from hell."
"Oh, come on, it was only for like, two weeks," Stephanie objected as Tim
snorted in front. "But then he kissed Dick Grayson under the slide, and well,
things kind of got out of hand," her mouth twisted meekly with what almost
looked like mild regret.
"Dick Grayson? Really?" Jason snorted with entertained laughter. Obviously
everyone in Gotham Academy knew of the chipper senior; he was a very loud and
boisterous presence during pep rallies, the voice of the morning announcements,
participant of Yearbook club, Drama club, the one and only male Cheerleader,
and generally the well-loved, unofficial school mascot. It was hard not to know
who Dick Grayson was, is the point. And for a few years in grade school, Tim
was completely infatuated. They'd never really dated, but yeah, they did share
that one single kiss on the playground and pretty much confirmed Tim's
sexuality. Stephanie, understandably, wasn't happy at the betrayal at first,
but fast forward a few days, and Tim is out as gay to his best friend,
Stephanie is fully apologetic and supportive, but Dick Grayson had already
started dating a girl in his class, and Tim had to move on.
"Yeah, he's the most promiscuous guy in school, what'd you expect?" Stephanie
grinned wickedly.
"Down, girl," Tim rolled his eyes. "Dick definitely knows how to sweet talk a
person, but he's usually faithful to whoever he ends up with," Tim amended for
her. He would know, after all.
"Unlike someone," Stephanie accused, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Sorry, love, but it would never have worked between us," Tim quoted wistfully,
earning an appreciative smirk from both Steph and Jay.
"Yeah, your gay ass couldn't handle my equipment, anyway, honey," she clucked
her tongue with a smile.
"More like your equipment can't handle my ass. Grow a cock, then we'll talk,"
Tim barbed back bravely, not missing the choked snort from Jason's direction.
"I've got a bright pink one you can borrow," Stephanie teased, leaning forward
towards Tim and poking his arm playfully.
"You guys are gross, I shouldn't be surprised you dated," Jason laughed, making
a face at them.
"Oh, don't act prudish; we saw your hickeys Wednesday, you can't say nothing,"
she teased, jabbing a finger into his chest.  Tim choked on his breath and very
nearly braked a bit too hard as he saw a creeping blush crawl up Jason's
cheeks. He glared at Stephanie through the mirror, though she carefully ignored
him. 
She wasn't supposed to bring it up, damn it. He'd noticed the bruises on
Jason's neck when he'd asked the guy to the game, but hadn't dared to ask about
them; who just does that? It was a hugely personal question anyway, but of
course Stephanie had to cross that line. Fucking hell, if the light hadn't just
turned green he might have smacked her.
Jason unconsciously reached to cover up his neck, as if it were a surprise to
him to find out. The marks had already mostly faded, and he quickly stowed his
hand away in his pocket.
"What can I say? Guess I fell on a doorknob," he shrugged non-chalantly with a
hint of an awkward smile. Phew. At least he wasn't offended. However, now that
Jason all but admitted it, Tim was kind of curious. Who could it have been?
"Twice?" Stephanie arched a humored brow at him.
"Yup," Jason's expression was carefully stoic. He'd be fantastic at poker, Tim
noted silently.
"Does the door knob have a name?" She prompted with an expectant, shit eating
smile. Tim's heart slowed in his chest and he pricked his ears in keen
interest.
"Nope," Jason folded his arms, tilting his chin up with a teasing smirk. "The
doorknob didn't pay me enough to remember the name."
Tim's guts lurched in alarm, and he immediately whipped his gaze up to the
rearview mirror to take in the boy's face. It was relaxed enough as if in
amusement, but something about the quiet stoicism that reflected back made Tim
squirm inside. Had he been joking? He'd been joking...right? Stephanie,
however, dismissed the remark out of hand almost immediately.
 "They sure left quite the impression, though," she fired back with as much
sass as she could muster, crossing her arms and gesturing pointedly at Jay's
neck. "After all that, no pillow talk? No sweet nothings or juicy gossip for
Auntie Steph, here?" Jason snorted at her and rolled his eyes so hard, Tim
could see the whites of his eyes in the reflection.
"You want juicy details, Auntie Steph?" he mocked playfully, leaning forward
with a twisted grin. "I could tell you stories all day, if the price is right,"
he winked, and Stephanie gasped, scandalized as she touched her fingers to her
lips dramatically.
"Ooh, don't tempt me, I might have to steal Tim's wallet," she joked, throwing
a purposeful wink towards Tim, who grimaced at the prospect as he drove. 
"Ahh, no. Don't drag me or my stacks of Benjamins into this," Tim stuck his
tongue out pretentiously, before narrowing his eyes specifically in warning at
Stephanie in the mirror. "Seriously, though, Steph. Back off the poor guy, we
don't want to scare him away quite yet." She flushed apologetically at him,
catching his double meaning, and nodded, though obviously pouting about it.
Tim's shoulder's slumped in relief, and Jason shifted awkwardly in his seat.
Poor Jason... maybe he should have waited another week or two before subjecting
him to Stephanie's... intensity. 
"Alright then, Drake," It was the blonde herself who broke the brief silence.
"How'd you get Mrs. Mac to agree to let you host a party? Were those Benjamins
involved?" she grinned narrowly. Tim scoffed at her in disbelief.
"Puh-lease, Mrs. Mac would bar my window before she let me host a party," Tim
reminded her chastely. The housekeeper was too particular about the
spotlessness of the manor and would never condone a party on premises in a
thousand years. His parents paid her way more than Tim could afford on his
weekly allowance.
"Oh," Stephanie hummed in confusion. "Then whose house are we going to?" she
wandered aloud. Tim's lips twitched and his blue eyes twinkled as he met her
brown ones in the reflection.
"You know how we were talking about a certain someone earlier who lives like,
right down the road from me?" Jason furrowed his brows at Tim's hint, but
Stephanie's eyes lit up with genuine excitement.
"We get to see Wayne Manor?!" she squealed. Tim laughed and nodded; he'd
forgotten that she'd never been there before. He'd been invited to a few galas,
and even hung out with Dick on a few separate occasions after school. It had
been a few years, of course, but he and Dick were still pretty decent friends,
Tim thought. At least enough for Dick to have invited them to a permitted
private party.
"Holy shit," Jason whistled, impressed and maybe a little awestruck. If Tim
wasn't mistaken, he'd almost think Jay looked a bit...apprehensive. It was
probably a little intimidating; not only widly out of his comfort zone, but
literally going straight over the edge to the house of the most famous
upperclassman in the city. Maybe...he should have given a little more warning
than what he did; he kind of felt a little inconsiderate for not thinking about
it earlier.
"Holy shit is right; Dick Grayson knows how to party, he famous for it! And
he's gotta have the coolest crib in town, this is gonna be fucking awesome!"
Stephanie chirped. Jason made a face and chuckled at her. Tim shook his head in
amusement.
"Try not to gawk or anything, we wanna be cool and get invited back, okay?" Tim
coached her carefully. Jason scoffed at him, making Tim's stomach practically
vanish and replacing it with a feeling of utter foolishness. Oops; he may have
just let the Basic out. Stephanie was snickering at him as they turned into the
long drive with the huge, white mansion poised proudly on a beautifully
manicured lawn.
"Well, at least it's not too overstated," Jason joked as they passed a large,
looming Gothic style pyre fence.
At the house, there were already a few parked cars -Tim frowned when he didn't
see Kon's black pick-up yet- and pulled gracefully in beside them on the
gravel, making sure to leave plenty of room for the rest of the guests.
"Ready?" he grinned at his two passengers as he unbuckled his belt. Stephanie
was already legging it out the car door. Jason met Tim's eyes and sighed,
seeming resigned but smiling. Tim grinned reassuringly.
"Come on, then."
...................
Wayne Manor  was the biggest fucking house- estate, whatever- that Jason had
ever seen. It had tall pillars, white walls, high, slanted ceilings, and wide
open, spacious and lavishly decorated rooms. He oggled the place for more time
than he'd like to admit; it was so beautiful, it was practically intimidating.
They were even let in by a butler. A butler. The man was nice enough,
immaculate to the T, and sporting a posh British accent, but was very polite
and professional rather than stuffy.
There was comfort and relief to be found once they were led to the back yard,
as Jason took in the simple red solo cups and cheap booze that Dick had managed
to set up by the pool. Why the party was set outside in the cold ass middle of
the night, Jason couldn't guess, especially since it was too cold to use that
magnificent looking water feature. But there was pop music playing in the back
for white noise, an assortment of colorful lights, a snack bar, and even a beer
pong table set up. These people went all out; Jason was admittedly impressed.
Teenagers everywhere were chattering comfortably and laughing at each other; a
lot of them Jason didn't know, but he recognized a few faces; Barbara Gordon,
Harper Row, and of course, Dick Grayson, the latter of which greeted them
instantly.
"Hey, Tim! Hey, guys!" he flashed them a dazzling, white grin. He was still in
his cheer uniform from the game, and even if he weren't, he couldn't look
anymore lively if he tried. Jason blinked as Dick threw his arms over Tim and
Jason's shoulders as if he'd known them for years. Jason was appropriately
shocked, at first, but Dick was surprisingly easy to get along with.
"Come on in, we're about to choose teams," he led them eagerly towards the beer
pong table. Jason followed in awe, and was surprised when Dick chose him not
only as one of the firsts for his team, but by name. Dick knew him, and was
genuinely making an effort to include him; he didn't know whether to feel
touched or awkward or what. But by the time they started playing, he hardly had
time to think about it anyway.
The party wasn't a raving kegger like he'd expected, for some reason, but there
were still about a dozen guests there, all chattering away and familiar enough
with each other to actually be having fun. The more they played and ate, the
easier and more relaxed Jason felt.
 
 
 
Tim was particularly excited as Jason seemed to open up and enjoy himself. He
elected to stay by Jason's side most of the time, to be supportive and all, he
convinced himself. Stephanie clung close for a time as well, but once she and
Barbara started catching up, she was preoccupied for some time, leaving Jason
and Tim to themselves by the fire pit after Dick had released them back into
the wild to mingle with other guests about an hour later.
Tim breathed in a sigh of relief as he slumped against the bench, and Jason
chuckled in exhaustion. 
"He just keeps going, doesn't he?" Jason smiled in exasperation. Tim snorted
and nodded affirmation as Dick fluttered and twirled between guests like an
acrobat.
"He thrives in crowds; he's always the life of the party," Tim confirmed.
"I believe it," Jason sighed, stretching his arms up and relaxing them over the
back of the bench languidly. A jolt of electricity spiked down his spine as his
arm brushed Tim's back by accident. But Jason's arm was relaxed and steady now,
and Tim melted comfortably, if not a little surreptitiously, against it. Jason
was close, and the red hoodie around Tim's torso still bore his scent; it was
almost like a hug, if Tim let his tipsy imagination play a little bit. Whether
it was that, or just the booze, it made him feel bubbly and fuzzy inside.
"Don't tell me you're tired already," Tim teased lightly, turning to look up at
the boy.
"Nah. Just need a cigarette, my lungs are fucking aching," Jason complained.
Tim nodded knowingly.
"Go ahead; we're gonna smoke something a little stronger later, anyway," Tim
joked. Jason arched a brow.
"You chewed me out for smoking earlier this week, and now you're gonna smoke
weed?" Jason challenged, making Tim's stomach drop guiltily.
"I don't do it normally, it's just a party thing," Tim defended himself
innocently.
"Uh huh," Jason frowned, unconvinced.
"Haven't you ever done it?" Tim implored, leaning in towards Jason curiously.
"I mean... you've told me you've done some illegal things..." he trailed off
awkwardly, remembering not only the admission in the diner, but...perhaps the
murky description of the handiwork from the mysterious Door Knob. Tim didn't
dare ask; he'd promised himself no more assumptions, after all.
"No. I don't wanna get involved with it. Cigarettes are hard enough to quit
already, god knows all I need is another vice," he scoffed irritably as he dug
the crumpled box out of his pocket. Tim bit his cheek, cringing at himself for
bringing this up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Tim apologized. Jason shrugged and
didn't respond as he pulled out a half smoked stick and crammed it between his
lips.
"Are you really trying to quit?" Tim continued on, earning another raised brow
from Jason.
"You really wanna know?" he murmured around his unlit cigarette. Tim nodded his
head in earnest.
"Kind of. I'd love to some day, anyway," Jason admitted. "They're a nasty
habit, these things. I only started because my mom was always gone and it
wasn't-" Jason caught himself and cut himself off instantly. Tim's eyes popped
in shock, but before he could protest or urge Jason to continue, Jason
blathered on bashfully. "Damn alcohol, I think I've had enough," he chuckled.
"Look, long story short, they're just a really good stress relief that taste
fucking terrible."
Jason's cheeks were pink with embarrassment as he downed the rest of his solo
cup and tossed it aside, stalwartly not looking at Tim.
"I- oh," Tim blinked stupidly as Jason put the cigarette back between his lips
and flicked the lighter to life. He tried desperately to find something to say,
something to bridge the awkwardness or express sympathy, or anything.
"Can I try?" It was the only thing he could think of, and he kind of felt
stupid as the words left his mouth. Jason stared at him as if questioning his
very sanity, and honestly Tim wasn't sure of his clarity right now anyway. But
then a humored smile split Jason's lips as he tugged the cigarette away and
exhaled a bout of smoke.
"Ten bucks if you don't cough," Jason offered deviously, making Tim smirk.
"You're on," Tim stuck his tongue out before gingerly taking the cigarette from
Jason and hesitantly resting it between his own lips. Jason watched him
carefully, and Tim felt a little self conscious as he sucked in a heavy drought
of the cancer stick. Immediately, he choked on the smoke and half sneezed, half
coughed as he tried to clear the burning shit out of his lungs. Jason burst
into a fit of guffaws as Tim  wheezed for air.
"How do you breathe," Tim choked, passing the cigarette back to Jason hastily.
"You- jesus christ," Jason laughed, throwing his head back. Even Tim grinned
sheepishly and joined in at Jason's giddiness.
"And just what are you two laughing at?" A suspicious Stephanie appeared beside
them. Jason grinned guiltily before sucking in a breath of smoke as Tim covered
his face. Stephanie was smart enough to put 2 and 2 together.
"Timothy Drake, you absolute heathen, you," Stephanie scolded, smacking his
shoulder lightly.
"In my defense, it was for a bet," Tim explained. Stephanie glared at them and
shook her head.
"You stupid boys and your bets; it's gonna get you in trouble some day," she
warned, wagging her finger in front of Tim. Tim shrugged with a poorly hidden
grin and Jason chuckled beside him.
"If you'd like to rejoin the group, we're about to play spin the bottle," she
offered before turning and winking explicitly at Jason. "Let's see if you bite
as much as you bark," she taunted mischievously. A wicked storm started
thundering in Tim's gut as she walked away, and he frowned after her. She was
flirting suspiciously hard with Jason, and he wasn't sure he was okay with it.
Stephanie knew his...complicated feelings for Jason, she should know he's off
limits, period. For both of them. That was implied, right?
"You wanna play?"
"What?" Tim was spun back to earth as he turned toward Jason.
"Do you wanna play the game? I'm down, but I wanna finish this first," he
gestured with his cigarette apologetically.
"Oh," the storm cleared in Tim's stomach- hell, Tim's stomach vanished entirely
and replaced itself with butterflies. "Er...I dunno. Kon probably wouldn't
approve of a kissing game," Tim cleared his throat uncomfortably, trying not to
flush.
"He seems pretty excited about it to me; he's sitting down in the circle
anyway," Jason pointed out.
"What?" Tim's jaw dropped as he whipped around to view the main party. There,
lo and behold, was his boyfriend chumming it up with Stephanie and Dick. He
felt a stab of disappointment that Kon hadn't stopped to say hello first, or at
least texted him that he was here.
"Come on, let's go sit down," Jason urged, taking a final drag of the cigarette
before snuffing it out.
"Fair enough," Tim agreed, standing to his feet. They padded over the cement
into the circle, and Dick cheered as they took their seats -Tim by Kon and
Jason on the other side of Stephanie.
"Welcome back, party poopers," he teased. "Now that we're all here," he began,
pulling out an empty beer bottle from behind his back with a gleaming grin and
setting it down in the center. "You all know how this works, we take turns
spinning and plant a big, sloppy kiss on whoever it lands on. Anyone who is in
a relationship can settle for good old fashioned platonic cheek kisses. The
rest of you dirty hos better give me some tongue action," Dick rubbed his hands
together deviously as the crowd giggled. "Now, as our champion for tonight, and
also guest of honor, Kon, would you like to go first?"
Kon shook his head exasperatedly as he accepted the bottle.
"Fine," he murmured beside Tim before setting the bottle in the center and
giving it a good spin. It landed on none other than Dick himself. Dick grinned
and waved him forward seductively, making Tim snicker as Kon pressed an amused
peck against the guy's cheek. 
"Excellent. My turn," Dick's eyes brightened eagerly as he took his turn. "I'm
hoping for Barbara," he winked in the ginger's direction.
"In your dreams, Grayson," she taunted. Fate had other plans for Dick; the
bottle landed on Tim, and Tim felt his pulse quicken as Dick winked at him.
"Aha, an old flame!" Dick exclaimed. Tim rolled his eyes and presented his
cheek passively as Dick pressed a slobbery kiss against his skin. He made a
face and squeaked as he used the red hoodie sleeve to wipe it off.
"Keep your tongue to yourself, Grayson," Tim laughed, snatching the bottle. He
briefly made eye contact with Jason before he set the bottle in the center, and
he felt his heart slamming in his throat. What if it landed on Jason? What if
he had to kiss Jason? The bottle spun.
"Hey, look at that," Harper smirked as the bottle pointed at her. Tim wasn't
disappointed. He wasn't. But he did laugh as Harper presented her cheek to him.
He gave her a peck before she took her turn.
Harper kissed Duke Thomas; Duke kissed Barbara (even though Dick was scowling
dramatically the whole time); and Barbara kissed Stephanie.
"Hot girl on girl action!" Tim joked, pretending to dance lewdly to a cheesy
porn melody.
"You perv, hush," Stephanie scolded as she snagged the bottle for herself. She
spun it and stared intently as it moved. For a moment, it slowed and very
nearly stopped on Dick, but at the last second, it landed on none other
than...Jason.
Tim gasped as Stephanie grinned victoriously. Jason straightened up with
undeniable interest, and Tim's heart sank as Stephanie twisted toward him.
Jason leaned back on his hands and Stephanie might as well have been devouring
him with her eyes. She clapped her hands on his shoulders and straddled over
his lap seductively, earning a whooping catcall from Dick, and well...most of
the group. Jason met her with an air and expression of absolute cockiness, and
Stephanie tilted her head. All Tim could do was watch in horror. 
Stephanie pressed her lips against Jason's aggressively, and Dick cheered as he
witnessed the first real tongue action in the whole game. Jason's lips parted
willingly enough, and he made a show of gripping her hips as she dominated the
kiss. It was wet, and sloppy, and she snared his lower lip with her teeth in a
final display of sensuality.
"Damn, I gotta fan myself real quick," Dick huffed, airing himself with his
hands as the rest of the group catcalled them. Stephanie grinned meakly and
brushed her hair behind her ear, which was beat red. Jason looked a little
winded himself, and he grinned at Tim as their eyes met. Tim couldn't breathe;
the very air caught in his throat, so all he could manage was a strained smile
and pretending to glance away at something before Jason could notice. He threw
an angry, muted look towards Stephanie, and she whined silently in a pleading
apology.
Traitor.
The clatter of a bottle could be heard against the ground, now.
"Ooh, yes, gimme some of that action," he heard Dick's voice and whipped
around. He'd completely missed Jason's spin, and it landed on Dick. Tim felt
the storm return to his guts and he sank down in disappointment. Why them? Why
did the two other people he'd kissed in this damn circle get to kiss Jason? He
was being taunted by fate, he realized; the wicked wench. He didn't like this
game.
Jason shifted forward onto his hands and locked lips with Dick. The older boy
was so enthused, he cupped Jason's cheek as he slid in some tongue action of
his own. Jason met Dick's initiation, of course (that boy would never back down
from anything, apparently), and wrapped his fingers gingerly around Dick's
wrist as he returned the affection.
Tim hated admitting to himself that he was jealous, but hated himself worse
when he found himself mesmerized by the sight. It was a different, gentler
display than with Stephanie; their tongues flickered in turn between their
joined mouths, and the sheen across his pink lips glistened as Dick bobbed and
nibbled at them playfully, artfully even.
"Mm," Dick hummed happily as he pulled away from Jason. "You are a phenomenal
kisser, Jason. And if I can't woo Barbara  by prom, then I would love to kiss
you again anytime," he winked.
Jason snorted and rolled his eyes humorously.
"Good luck with that Grayson. Hey Barbara," he called out the the red head.
Barbara, who was as flushed in the face as dark as her hair (hell, everyone was
after that display), piped up curiously. "His tongue work could still use some
practice, don't give in to him just yet."
"Hey," Dick pouted as the crowd burst into laughter. Jason winked at him to
ensure that he was only joking, and Dick shook his head, unable to completely
hide the grin on his face. Tim grabbed the nearest solo cup to him (which
happened to be Kon's) and chugged as the game resumed.
..................
It was almost 2:30  by the time Jason approached Tim. Tim had kept a distance
from Jason ever since the game, for whatever reason, making sure to busy
himself with Kon pretty much at all times. With Tim mooning over his brawny,
stoic boyfriend, that left Jason to do fuck knows with Stephanie and Dick.  Not
that it was necessarily a bad thing hanging out with Blondie and Mr. Handsy,
but he would often fall into an awkward, gazing silence as the group around him
babbled into inside jokes and topics that Jason wasn't familiar with. What the
fuck, for example, was the difference between a Pilothouse and a Skylounge?
Jesus, without Tim, he felt...weird, and at a loss.
He watched as Tim threw himself all over the quarterback, never once making eye
contact with him again, even when everyone regrouped to pass a small ceramic
pipe around. Jason, of course, politely declined and passed it along, but
watching Dick and Stephanie suck in the smoke was hard to watch. It was
downright uncomfortable when Tim snatched it and choked on two obnoxiously long
hits. He'd already knocked back an indeterminate amount of beer, so he was
absolutely blitzed by the time Jason decided he was partied out.
It took a moment to rack up all the courage he needed to approach the mess of
giggles across the lawn that was Tim, but he managed it. Tim, he noticed, had
to hang on to Kon to keep steady throughout whatever conversation they were
having, but Kon didn't seem to mind. In fact, his large, beefy arm was pretty
much comfortably drawn around Tim's shoulders at all times. Why did that make
his gut sink at the sight? Tim hummed with contentment at something Kon said,
and Luke was raving excitedly about some blitz during the game. At least until
Jason approached and politely cleared his throat. Luke met him with a
respectful smile, and Kon arched a careful brow at him.
"Oh, hey, hey, Jasson" Tim slurred, turning to face the guy with an unfocused
smile. Jason furrowed his brows together in concern, hesitating to speak as Tim
swayed. His eyes were unfocused, and the smile was sloppy and genuine. At
least now he was acting like Jason existed.
"Hey," he replied uncertainly,
"Wassup?" Tim blinked slowly.
"It's...getting late, and I need to get home before I go to work," Jason
reminded him slowly.
"Ooooh, tha's right," Tim nodded affirmatively, mashing wobbly fingers into his
pocket to fetch the keys to Red Bird.
"Ah, no," Jason shook his head urgently. "No, you should not be driving,"
Jason's hands were partially outstretched as if to catch him as he swayed.
Kon's arm tightened around him protectively, and Jason felt his eyebrow twitch
in annoyance (both at the display, and at the situation).
"Oh," Tim blinked, frowning as he tried to conjure coherent thoughts through
the haze.
"You need a ride, Todd?" Kon chimed in, stroking Tim's arm in an obvious
display of affection. Pea-cocking, much? Jeez. Tim just giggled happily and
nuzzled into Kon's dark t-shirt.
"It... would seem so," Jason agreed somewhat reluctantly.
"No, no, Kon, stay with me," Tim pleaded, pawing at Kon's ribs with a pout. Kon
tussled his hair with an affectionate, maybe even a little prideful smile
before turning back to Jason, who was fighting off the impulse to gag
dramatically.
"Look, we're all drinking right now, and, well," he chuckled, jostling Tim a
bit, who grumbled at the movement. "Maybe just a little bit intoxicated at
best. Do you think you could just crash here with the rest of us and someone
will give you a ride to work in the morning?" Kon suggested, and Jason's face
contorted into a grimace.
"I'd really prefer not. I've gotta get home and check on my-...pets," he
explained, fabricating the first excuse he could think of. It was close enough,
after all, but Kon didn't need to know that. "You know, make sure they're fed,
and all."
"Here, jus' take my car, mmkay?" Tim slurred tossing his keys at Jason
haphazardly. Jason and Kon both jerked, staring down in utter surprise.
"Wait, what-"
"I- I really don't feel comfortable doing that," Jason held the keys back out
to Tim, wide eyed and shaking his head urgently.
"Please jus' go on, I'll have Kon help me pick 'er up tuhmorrow, 'kay?" Tim
insisted, pushing the keys back into Jay's calloused hands. Jason hesitated,
unsure and definitely uncomfortable as he shifted his feet. This had to be a
trap. Physically, Jason was completely fine, sober even, and he could take care
of the damn car. But Tim knew his neighborhood was super shitty right? Was he
being set up here? The mustang would be lucky to last an hour unattended.
One good look at Tim's hazy, unfocused smile told him no; Tim was just
incredibly stupid right now.
"Go on, I'll take care of this one for now," Kon conceded, justled Tim
affectionately as Jason visibly squirmed. "Just be sure to leave the keys in
the glove box where we can find them," Kon instructed firmly. Jason winced and
shrugged his assent.
Stupid.
"I-...Alright, then," he mumbled, throwing his hands out in baffled surrender.
It was a damn miracle he didn't snap whatever at them. "Later, Tim...I guess,"
he muttered, quickly turning his back and excusing himself. The party had been
fun and all, but...what the hell had happened? He felt like he'd somehow gotten
cheated, or...did he maybe do something wrong? The events of the night played
over and over in his head, and he just couldn't place it. They had been all
buddy-buddy, poking fun at each other and talking the whole night, but then...
Fuck.
Whatever. Either way, the night didn't end on the note Jason hoped it would. He
sighed as he pulled out a cigarette on the way to the car, blazing it up as he
slid into the driver seat. Fuck it. If Tim was drunk enough to make this call
and blow him off, then he'd leave his mark as a little reminder. The boy could
live with the smell of smoke in the cab. He huffed the cigarette almost
bitterly on purpose just out of spite as he adjusted the seats and ignited the
engine to life. 
What a night.
The funniest part? Although he was hardly feeling humorous... Tim was still
wearing his fucking hoodie. What a sight that had been under Kon's possessive
arm. What an ass, Jeez.
But it was late, and he was exhausted. Jason didn't want to analyze this shit
right now, and Tim would just have to apologize to him later.
***** Dry Humor and Wet Buckets *****
Chapter Summary
     Tim confronts Stephanie about Jason, then tries to resolve things
     with Jason himself over the course of the school day. Guilty pining
     below, filler conversation before class, then an innocent prank.
     Enjoy :)
Chapter Notes
     Welcome back, everyone! Happy update!
     Sorry it took so long, I've just been recovering from an illness but
     hopefully now that I'm getting better, updates should get back to
     some semblance of normal. Hope you all enjoy this chapter, even
     though it's pretty much filler until the Movie date (coming soon!)
     Let me know what you think of Steph's progression, I'm really working
     with her and will be giving her a minor arc soon.
 "So, are we ever gonna talk about it?" Stephanie asked, breaking the rather
long, awkward silence stretching between them. Tim did his best to avoid her
stare, and had so far been successful, but it was a lot like ignoring a white
hot spot light that made his skin burn with the intensity of it. It had been a
hell of a lot easier silencing her texts and calls over the weekend, but now
that they were here in the school parking lot on a dreary Monday morning, there
was no more getting out of it. Tim sighed, letting his head fall back against
the head rest with a quiet thunk. He stared at the bare hole where his stereo
and GPS used to be, examining the array of colors from stray wires and trying
to ignore the faint smell of smoke as he replied.
"About what, Steph?" He really didn't intend to let the aggravation stain his
tone that much, but now that it had, it felt good to let it out. The blonde
winced beside him, expression partially hidden by the pre-dawn darkness. She
was struggling with this, though, from what he could tell by the way the tugged
the hem of her sweater and chewed her cheeks.
"Look, I'm sorry for kissing him, okay?" she blurted,  brown eyes averting down
as she brushed a strand of hair behind her very pink ears. "I was playing the
game, I just wanted to have a little fun-" Tim's guts churned when she
mentioned her interaction with Jason; just picturing her straddling him like
that made his blood go cold. Not to mention the whole thing with Dick.
Ugh.
This really wasn't the time to get into this conversation, with only 20 minutes
before the first bell and all, but he'd been tormented about this all weekend
and it was too damn much to keep at it for another day, let alone a school day.
"You were flirting with him half the night, Steph," Tim retorted stiffly,
shifting his gaze up to the rear view just to keep avoiding her face. He could
feel his hands twitch with the urge to cross over his chest, but he kept still.
"If you really liked him, you should have told me, not-" fuck, his throat
clenched hotly and he had to force himself to continue. "Not that."
"I get that," Stephanie hung her head thickly, ponytail lolling over her
shoulder as she moved. "But you were flirting with him, too," her voice was
low, but the accusation was clear. Tim grimaced and turned to glare at her.
Stephanie's eyes dilated with hope when Tim finally looked at her, but
otherwise her expression was guarded.
"Don't-" Tim glowered as a frown darkened his features.
"You followed him around like a puppy," Stephanie insisted, shifting in the
passenger seat to better face him. "You were blushing and giggling at
everything he said, smoking cigarettes with him, which you hate-" she reminded
him tersely, gesturing to the cabin around them for the proof, to which Tim
winced. "Do I  even have to bring up the hoodie thing?" At this point, Tim
groaned and scraped his hands over his face tiredly, and Stephanie's brows
twitched into a half-smug  countenance.
"Maybe I was trying to do you a favor and snap you out of it, Tim, did you
think of that?" she accused, brown eyes flaring the spotlight back up on him
again. A brief bite of guilt stung his insides, but recalling the way she
crawled towards Jason in the game circle and bit his lip like a tramp, Tim
quickly sneered his lips and angrily shook his head.
"You're into him," he fired back. "Don't try to play the favor card and act
like you aren't. So what if I pined a little bit? Did you really think I'd fuck
up that badly, right after this," he jerked his hand right up in front of her
startled face to display the small, silver band of the promise ring Kon had
given him at the game. The little gems in the center didn't quite glitter in
the dimness of the morning, but the jewelry still had a small, residual glow.
Stephanie hesitated in discomfort as she eyed the silver.
"Fine, you get that point. But you can't change the fact that you did pine,
and you acted like a jealous toddler after the kissing thing," she conceded,
crossing her arms and staring at him sternly. Tim's cheeks warmed involuntarily
at the truth of it, and he shrugged jerkily.
"You flaunted yourself all over him. Purposefully," Tim emphasized as a
reminder, and it was Stephanie's turn to blush as she sucked her bottom lip in
guiltily. "You were either trying to get a reaction out of me, or you were
trying to seduce him. Or maybe both, whatever. Either way, you're a selfish
fucking-" he cut himself off before he called her the name and had to take a
deep breath. "
... god, you're just so god damn selfish, you know that?" Tim finally spurted
out hotly, hands flying up in exasperation. Stephanie's eyes widened and jaw
dropped, obviously hurt, and Tim cursed himself.
"I'm sorry. Shit," he added quickly after her brown eyes began to water. She
clenched her teeth and turned away starkly, raising up a curt, silencing hand.
Tim sighed, resigned, and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Steph, I didn't mean that," he tried again wearily, keeping his
eyes closed. He heard the fabric of her sweater shift against his leather
seats, probably to hide a small sniffle. "I...I'm a jerk. I'm so sorry," he
murmured.
"You totally are, but..." she swallowed shakily, briefly interrupting herself
as she attempted a reply. Tim dared to open his eyes to find her curled up,
knees to chest in her seat as she glared at the ground. "You're right. You're a
fucking hypocrite, but... you're right. I shouldn't have acted that- that...."
she gestured her hands as she looked for the right word. 
"Wild. I was kind of a drunk idiot, and I got excited when the bottle landed on
him, you know? He's still so... new, and attractive, and...you
know, interesting," she giggled reluctantly, curling in on herself tighter at
her own admission. Tim released a breath and laughed softly along with her. She
glanced up at him hopefully, but his gaze was locked on the empty radio slot
again for a long, silent moment.
"I get where you're coming from," he finally nodded slowly, sinking back
against his seat. "I pulled a stupid move, too, obviously," he gestured toward
the maimed void in his dash board, and Stephanie couldn't hold back a quiet
snort.
"You don't think Jason was the one to..." Stephanie's face twisted before she
could even string the sentence together, and Tim quickly shook his head to
dispel that thought.
"No," he replied almost too swiftly, causing Stephanie to quirk a brow. "No. He
parked it at the church at the end of his street and left me a note on his
front door. If he wanted to, he could've just stolen the whole car instead of
going through so much trouble," Tim reasoned, and Stephanie shrugged
nonchalantly at his logic. Tim had nearly been devastated when he'd finally
found his car in that state, and it certainly didn't help the migraine that
accompanied the worst hangover of his life. Kon had wanted to call the police.
Tim...poor Tim had just wanted some aspirin.
"Besides, he's not like that," Tim shook his head. "It was my fault for not
considering it was Crime Alley," Tim scoffed lightly at himself, and he could
see Stephanie smirk at him through his peripherals.
"Your insurance will cover it, though, right?" she questioned, and Tim nodded.
"Next week, yeah."
"Good," she nodded, trailing off into silence. Tim was comfortable enough to
join her in the quiet, staring off into space as the first rays of dawn started
twinkling over the school exterior.
"Do you...you know, really like Jason?" the question was unexpected on both
their parts, but Stephanie's eyes drooped as she considered it. Tim's heart
quickened as he stared in the suspense. He really hoped she knew she could be
honest, but...he didn't know what he would feel if she said yes. A dull ache
resounded through his chest at the thought, and he swallowed. Resigned.
Resigned is probably it.
"I dunno, honestly. He's... a pretty cool guy," Stephanie shrugged and chose
her words carefully when she finally decided to speak. Tim blinked, chewing on
his cheek as she continued. "He's nice, funny, and all that junk. I feel like
we could definitely be friends, but..." and this is when Tim leaned in more
closely as brown eyes bore into blues. She cracked a small smile at him.
"Don't let this go to your head or anything, I'm not trying to get your hopes
up, but... he seemed more into you than anything," she whispered. Tim's eyes
popped, blinking repeatedly in mild shock.
"Steph, what?" he half-laughed, shaking his head. She shrugged noncommittally
and smoothed a hand through her hair.
"I dunno, but he seemed awfully comfortable when he put his arm around you, or
you know...gave you his hoodie," she pointed out with a teasing smirk. Tim's
own lips quirked with embarrassment, and he shook his head.
"He was just being nice, Steph," Tim waved her off with a light blush grazing
his cheeks.
"I mean, if you say so, but he didn't ask for it back, did he?" she grinned
with a devious twinkle in her eye. Tim's chest tightened as he shook his head.
"I mean, I told him I would, I just...kind of forgot?" Tim winced, biting at
his lip as Stephanie grumbled an Uh huh at him. "I'm washing it, okay? It
probably still smells like booze anyway," his skin warmed with a blush,
because that  was a lie. A small one, but still. The hoodie was sprawled on his
bed like it had been all weekend, half propped up on the pillows; he knew for a
fact it still smelled of cigarettes and...and Jason. He should've just brought
it with him like he promised, but as he was leaving, he just...couldnt. Hadn't
been quite able to.
"Maybe that's why he was super bummed when you blew him off after the game,"
she insisted, poking him in the ribs and making him wince guiltily.
"Oh, shit," he groaned, covering his face with his hands in mortification. "I
almost forgot about that, he must hate me! I've got to apologize to him," Tim
all but squeaked, and Stephanie laughed, picking up her backpack as Tim finally
pulled his door open.
"He probably doesn't hate you, but you should definitely apologize," she
nodded, adopting a slightly more earnest, serious expression. "Invite him to
the game this Friday, too. Make up for the whole party thing. We can even do a
Netflix marathon at my place afterward to keep it low key," she suggested
helpfully as Tim slugged his bookbag over his shoulders. Tim almost agreed, but
froze at the last second when he remembered something Jason had said. Or asked,
rather, while they were on the stands at the game. He squeezed his eyes shut
and gulped thickly, hoping he hadn't botched that chance by being such a dick.
"I can't," Tim's voice wavered ever so slightly before he swallowed.
"Awe, why?" Stephanie whined as they met at the hood of the car. He sighed,
glancing toward the school entrance stiffly where the cafeteria was waiting
just on the other side. If Tim was lucky, they might still be selling coffee
before the bell rang, but at this rate he and Stephanie were gonna spend all
morning outside and he was going to have to stay twitchy.
"Because..." he squirmed reluctantly, debating whether or not to actually tell
her. To be fair, she'd been honest with him earlier, so...
"He asked if I wanted to come see a movie with him and a couple of friends from
his work."
Stephanie stopped dead and her shock was palpable as her  eyes popped and jaw
dropped. She seemed... scandalized, and half thrilled (the smile twitching at
her lips was a dead giveaway) at the information, and was stuck buffering on
just how to react.
"And you didn't...tell me?!" she shrieked quietly, snatching the sleeve of his
polo and jerking him closer urgently to face her wild eyed exasperation. Tim
couldn't suppress a small laugh.
"I was mad at you," he pouted, jutting his lip out in a faux display. Stephanie
chortled, and Tim gently tugged himself out of her grip to start walking again.
"Besides, I told you now, didn't I?"
"Whatever, uh huh," she was unfazed by his half assed apology as
they approached the entrance. "You'd better behave yourself when you go. Have
you told Kon? Oh my god, what are you going to wear?" Tim was so taken aback by
his friend and emotionally exasperated from their conversation, that he just
laughed.
..........................
Talking to Jason, or trying to, anyway, proved significantly harder.
Tim rarely saw Jason in the hallways between classes, which meant that the only
chance he'd get to talk to him was in Lit class, or in Tutoring. His anxiety
was growing steadily through the first two classes, so when the bell finally
rang, releasing him and Steph from 2nd period Photojournalism, Stephanie patted
him on the back for luck as he reluctantly trudged toward 3rd period. It took
only two minutes to reach the room, as usual, but this time as he rounded the
door, his fingers ached from where he'd been wringing them. He could feel his
pulse slamming in his throat as he spied Jason (the sole student, so far)
toward the far wall; he was slumped over his desk, leaning against his hand as
he stared off into space. He looked a little tired, Tim noticed, but the boy
must have felt Tim looking, because in a second, Jason's eyes flicked up to
his. Tim froze in place, unsure of what to do, and Jason quickly but
purposefully glanced away.
"Excuse me," an impatient huff whiffed at his ear, and Tim jumped, moving out
of doorway to let an expectant pair of junior girls past him to their seats.
"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly, before padding quickly over towards Jason's
side of the room. It wasn't his normal seating area; he usually preferred seats
in the back rows, but god help him, this was important. Jason still wasn't
looking at him, but by the way his shoulders stiffened when Tim slid into the
desk next to him, he knew Tim was there.
"Erm, hey," Tim managed to greet in a high, nervous pitch as he set his back
pack underneath him.
"Hi," Jason offered hesitantly, finally halfway turning to him to talk. His
brow was partly raised in careful curiosity, but the thin press of his lips
warned of caution.
"Listen, I-...I wanted to-" God damn, his nerves were through the fucking roof,
but Jason seemed to sense where this was going, because he waved a dismissive
hand and shook his head.
"We've got like, two minutes before the bell rings. We can talk about it
later," his voice dropped to a low, passive whisper as more students filtered
in through the door. Tim blinked, taken aback.
"O-oh," was all he could manage, and he couldn't help the disappointment that
settled in his chest. Which was weird, because he'd been dreading this,
originally; he'd been expecting anger, bitterness, or even contempt. Possible
even the cold, hard silent treatment, but Jason had just
reacted...indifferently? Rationally, even? It was almost a relief, but at the
same time, if he weren't so good at maintaining a poker face, he might have
pouted at the postponement. 
"You don't mind if I sit here, then, do you?" Tim's voice was still a pitch too
high, and Jason's expression (or lack of, rather) shifted into something
slightly softer.
"You wanna sit with the commoners, now?" he quirked his brow. Tim deflated for
a moment before realizing the sharp tug of Jason's lips; he was just joking, he
realized with relief. Or mostly joking, at least. He was never quite for sure
with Jason.
"Commoner ; as in, singular," Tim scolded gently, angling for humor with a
small, crooked grin. "We're in and English class, Jason. Miss Kyle would be
offended at your grammar." Jason snorted appreciatively and nodded.
"That's fair."
"Besides, the modern term is 'pleb', and I'd rather hang out with you plebs
than with those snobs," Tim chuckled as he jerked his head over towards the
chattering girls who'd snapped at him moments earlier. Jason grinned brightly
in obvious amusement.
"Pleb, as in singular," Jason mocked Tim's earlier words lightly.
"Nope," Time popped the 'P' sound smugly and leaned in more closely towards the
boy, who arched a skeptical brow. "Stephanie's technically a pleb, too; she's
on scholarship just like you, so you can't use that excuse, ha," Tim stuck his
tongue out triumphantly, and Jason waved his hands in a placating gesture.
"Blondie's a commoner, too, huh?" he nodded, impressed. "I think I like her a
little more now. What about your muscle-head boyfriend?" At the mention of Kon,
Tim hummed and absently began to finger the small ring around his fingers.
"Not...exactly. His dad's a world renowned journalist from Metropolis, but he
started out as a farm boy from Kansas, so he's kind of a humble in-between,"
Tim shrugged, closing his hand into a fist to prevent himself from fidgeting
too much.
"Metropolis?" Jason seemed surprised. "He comes here all the way
from Metropolis everyday? Isn't that like...a two hour drive?"
"He says it takes just over an hour before school if he beats traffic," Tim
laughed lightly. "Closer to two afterwards, especially with his practices
everyday."
"Jesus," Jason whistled sympathetically, shaking his head. "That must not leave
a whole lotta time for you to hang out with him," Jason frowned, and Tim bit
his lip.
"That's...true, unfortunately. He stays the weekends in Gotham with me or with
his friends sometimes, and I see him at games and dates and stuff," Tim
defended awkwardly, though technically he had no reason to feel defensive.
Jason wasn't antagonizing him, after all (from what he could tell), just making
a sympathetic observation.
"Uh huh... okay. Why does he commute so far again?" Jason furrowed his
brows, shaking his baffled head again as he mouthed the word 'Metropolis?'.
"Same reason everyone else comes to Gotham Academy," Tim reasoned with a shrug.
"Same reason you applied for a scholarship, I suppose; we're the most
prestigious high school educational institution this side of the Mississippi.
You go here, you pretty much get get into whatever college you want."
"Okay, fair...again.," Jason nodded, knitting his brows together in a sudden,
thoughtful grimace.
"So... if we're talking road to higher education, do you have any plans for
college yet?" Jason prompted, leaning forward with genuine curiosity as he
folded his hands together. The question had taken Tim by surprise, and he
blanched; what did he want? Stephanie was dead set on Gotham U, and Kon of
course wanted to go to University of Metropolis after graduation this year. His
mother, Janet, however, had been insisting on Tim attending an Ivy League since
grade school, and Tim honestly just...didn't know. There was a push for so many
different directions, Tim had actively avoided thinking about it just to
prevent the inevitable anxious melt down. Jason must have seen him grimace,
because he immediately opened his mouth to say something, but was
(unfortunately) cut off by the final bell resonating loudly through the
speakers.
Their concentration broke, and on instinct, all eyes in the classroom turned
toward the front desk where Miss Kyle was smoothing out her pencil skirt and
standing to her feet.
Tim flashed Jason an apologetic smile. 'Later?' he mouthed silently.
"Good morning, guys," Miss Kyle greeted cheerfully, as per usual.
Jason shrugged dismissively and nodded a wordless 'Sure.'
"Good Morning, Miss Kyle," Tim chimed along out loud with the sea of students
around them.
..........................
 The final half of the day passed entirely too slowly compared to the breakneck
pace that morning. Of course, it was comforting knowing that Jason didn't
completely resent him, but by the time the final bell released them for the
day, Tim's leg had been vibrating under the desk with anticipation to see him
again.
He felt a text buzz in his pocket as he shot up from his seat, and he quickly
whipped his phone out and opened it as he shouldered his bag.
                       -I'm riding the bus today, right?
It was Steph, and Tim rolled his cheek tenderly between his teeth with a smidge
of pity. He usually drove her to and from home, especially since they shared
yearbook club together every Thursday. Wednesdays were sometimes tricky, since
she had signed up for drama club, but Tim had no problem hanging around for an
extra hour usually. He'd sit in with either her or at the football field
watching Kon's practice (save for last Wednesday where he'd chosen to work with
Jason for the game's sake instead). Mondays were the only discrepant days,
otherwise. She knew that already, so he was honestly surprised she had to ask.
             -Unless you wanna wait for an hour and a half. Sorry.
               -The students of Gotham need me, what can I say?
                                        
Her reply was nearly instantaneous, and he wanted to roll his eyes as the sea
of students swarmed around him for their escape.
                           -The "students". Okay ;)
                               -Shut up, Steph~
He was quickly closing in on the librarydoors when when he sent another text as
an afterthought, this time to Kon.
                        -Have fun at practice. <3 you.
He didn't get a reply this time, but honestly Kon was probably already in the
locker room changing, so it didn't bother him. He slid the phone into his back
pocket as he finally approached and pulled the library doors open. He was
greeted as usual with the familiar, musty smell of books and the low tune hum
of computers as he padded towards the common area. Jason was already waiting,
of course, and this time the older boy looked up and greeting him with the
trademark Todd smirk. Tim felt his heart skip an eager beat as he proffered an
amicable wave.
That was about all the conversation they managed before their students came
clamoring in. There were four total today, so Jason and Tim agreed to take two
each. This time, Tim was working with a freshman boy in Trigonometry, and a
sophomore girl he recognized from his Health class with an make-up Physics
exam. Jason had taken on his usual, Matt, from the same Trig class as Tim's
freshman, and also a senior struggling with Advanced Calculus. He was pretty
sure Jason was only taking a pre-Calc class since he was a Junior, so he
couldn't help but try to eavesdrop and catch a snatch or two of conversation.
"Okay, so I'm not gonna lie, I haven't seen this formula before so we're going
to flip to-...." 
"Alright, I see, section A says to use the variable for-..."
"No, no, keep the negative in mind for the graph-..."
Jason was learning the material with this girl, and she audibly gasped when her
answer finally matched the one given in the back of the textbook.
"Thank you, thank you so much-"
"Hey, can you help explain what the difference between the two wave effects? I
keep getting them mixed up," Tim's own student interrupted as she frowned at
her sheet.
"Oh! Sure thing," Tim jumped, nearly breaking the tip of his mechanical pencil
at the startle and chuckling at himself.
It was over, to Tim's surprised disappointment, more quickly than he would have
anticipated.
"Thanks, Tim," his classmate grinned as she finally folded her papers up and
buried them messily into her textbook. Tim hid a pained wince at her
disorganized approach to storing her paperwork (it was probably what made her
lose the first test to begin with, but he digresses), and replied in kind. His
Trig freshman chattered openly with Matt as they left the Library, and that
left the senior over at Jason's table literally throwing her arms around him
with relieved tears pricking her eyes. There was a baffled surprise painted on
his face, but otherwise he was grinning and patting her back in kind.
"I was so scared, I thought I was going to fail," she sniffed, pulling away and
wiping none to discreetly at her eyes as her hair fluttered over her shoulder.
"You've got it, now, Cara, right? Don't sweat it. I'm here every Monday and
Wednesday, I'll help you review anytime," he urged seriously as she stowed her
book back in her bag.
"Okay," she nodded wetly with a grateful smile. She flushed when she caught Tim
looking, and she nodded politely as he stepped out of her way. It wasn't until
the sound of her mild sniffling faded from the stacks that Tim turned back
around to Jason in awe.
"That was incredib- yeek!" he squeaked when he found Jason standing immediately
behind him. His heart clamored in his throat and he leapt back involuntarily,
nearly smacking into another table, before un-clenching his muscles and trying
to recover from the cold shock. Jason lit up and grinned at him before bursting
into a throaty bought of chortled laughter.
"You snuck up on me!" Tim whined, cheeks reddening into a pout as he
straightened himself up.
"Nah, you just suck at being observant. You're fine, Princess," he joked,
elbowing Tim smugly. Tim stuck his tongue out defiantly at the new nickname as
they fell into a comfortable pace towards the hall.
"So...You get your car back in one piece?" Jason teased lightly as they exited
the library, holding the door open for Tim before letting it fall closed behind
them.
"No," Tim pouted, finally wiping that smug smile right off Jason's face inside
a second. The undiluted horror that replaced it, however, was enough to sober
Tim right out of his sulk.
"Relax, the car's fine. Mostly," he amended, throwing his hands up in a calming
gesture. Jason's face quickly morphed into something stony and suspicious.
"Somebody took the radio console and the GPS, but its okay, I'm getting it
fixed" he elaborated slowly, earning an eye twitching grimace from the elder
boy.
"Fuck... I'm sorry," a calloused hand paraded through his hair, mussing it
spectacularly. "I tried to keep her in the safest place I could, but leave it
to my neighborhood to fuck with a church-"
"Jason, it's fine," Tim interrupted, shaking his head with exasperation as
Jason winced. He seemed to shrink in on himself, despite Tim's plea, and
shifted into a twitchiness that made Tim's skin itch to watch.
"I'll pay you back," he offered quietly, clear eyes hidden as they cast to the
floor. Tim blinked and huffed out a soft, pitying laugh as he shook his head.
"You don't have to, honestly. My insurance has it completely covered," Tim
waved dismissively, plastering a smile on his face in hopes that Jason would
maybe relax and not be so hard on himself.
"But-"
"Listen, as far as I'm concerned, we're even," Tim insisted determinedly,
crossing his arms and stepping forward to glare up into Jay's eyes pointedly.
"I'd rather have lost a simple radio than say, plaster my car into the asphalt
because I drove it drunk instead," Tim shrugged reasonably. Jason squinted at
him with a funny look, and Tim swallowed when he felt his face start to heat.
"Besides, it kind of serves me right for being a-...a dick," he struggled
earnestly, fiddling his fingers as he took his own turn to stare at the floor.
He couldn't see Jason's expression, but his feet shifted in front of him, and
Tim wondered what that meant. "I shouldn't have left you hanging like I did. I
put you in that situation, and it was wrong, and I feel so awful-" Jason wasn't
saying anything, and Tim's pulse was starting to quicken with panic as he
squirmed.
"I don't really have a good excuse other than I'm an idiot and you deserved
better, please don't hate me, I promise to make it up to-"
"Dude," Jason interrupted, sounding entertained of all things. Tim jerked his
eyes up to a bemused looking Jason. "Breathe, will you? Take a walk with me, we
can talk now," he murmured, patting his shoulder gently and jerking his chin
toward a nearby hallway. There was still a stray student or two drifting every
now and then through the doors, and the request was innocent enough that Tim
nodded, letting Jason lead him forward.
"Listen," Jason began again after they tread a good ways down the corridor.
Their footsteps echoed across the tiles crisply, and Tim focused very hard on
keeping his breathing calm and even. "I'll be honest, I was kind of pissed when
you ignored me after the game. I couldn't figure out what the hell your problem
was."
Holy shit. Tim winced at Jay's words, because god damn, did he always have to
be so blunt? Moreover...did he figure it out? Was Tim exposed, now? Jay's
expression was smooth and gave nothing away, so Tim swallowed hard.
"And then I realized that you probably just wanted to hang out with
Lughead...what's-his-name, Kon," Jason waved thoughtful gestures in the air as
he recalled Tim's boyfriend. It took Tim by surprise, to be honest, and he
parted his lips curiously at Jason's train of thought. "It was a big night for
you guys, right? With the whole Homecoming thing, and all," he smiled,
gesturing down languidly at Tim's ring. They pulled to a stop at the end of the
hall in front of a set of double wooden doors; the pool, Tim acknowledged
somewhere in his mind. Jason pondered up at the ceiling and scratched his jaw
before continuing.
"He's not a Lughead," Tim objected mildly, and Jason smirked and nodded
apologetically.
"You're right," Jason conceded. "Still, you get what I'm sayin', right? I
didn't wanna cut in on your time, it just...sucked, suddenly being by myself
surrounded by people I barely knew. Then you kinda just cast me off like you
did, which I guess was better than you driving, but still. It fucking stung." 
Tim shrank down and wrapped his arms around himself meekly. Yeah, what he was
saying made a lot of sense, and Tim felt like absolute shit for making Jason
feel so estranged and alone. He swallowed thickly, wincing as he tried to come
up with something...anything, some kind of apology.
"I-...Jason, I'm so-"
"Don't bother. It's fine," Jason shook his head dismissively. "I had the
weekend to cool my head a little bit, focus on work and stuff. It's fine,
just..." Jason trailed off with an exasperated huff, slinging his hands to rest
on his hips. Tim widened his eyes hopefully.
"Just....Don't leave me hanging again?" The smile on Jason's face was slightly
patronizing, but genuine; it was his eyes that were piercing and bright with an
unspoken...promise of some kind, and Tim shivered. After all, no matter how
much it had sounded like it, Tim was pretty damn sure that it hadn't truly been
a question, or even a request...it was an ultimatum.
"Are we cool?" Jason removed one of the hands on his hips and extended it to
Tim in a truce.
"I- yeah," Tim's voice wavered with relieved laughter as he clasped the
calloused fingers. "I think I'm done with parties for a while, anyway; no more
alcohol fueled stupidity for me," Tim promised humorously. Jason smirked
appreciatively and let their hands slowly fall apart as he chuckled.
"So now that that's out of the way, you wanna check out this pool?" Jason
jerked his head toward the double doors mischievously. Tim furrowed his brows
in an obvious Huh? and Jason snickered.
"Why?" Tim flicked his eyes suspiciously between the pool entrance and Jason's
devious face. "You're not gonna push me in, are you?"
"No," Jason snorted, and Tim arched a brow in disbelief.
"No. Jesus, I swear I won't push you in," Jason promised, lifting his right
hand and rolling his eyes.
"Then why?" Tim blinked, baffled as Jason winked at him and pushed through the
door and into the dimly lit pool room. The metal bleachers were condensed down
and pushed back neatly against the wall, and the tiled glowed dully in the blue
pool lights under the vast expanse of clear waters just ten feet in front of
them. He heard Jason inhale deeply at his side, and for the life of him, he
couldn't understand why; it just smelled like chlorine and feet. Tim scrunched
his own nose and turned toward Jason curiously.
"You're not on the swim team, are you? I mean, no judgement or anything, but
the season's not 'til next semester, so you're a little early," Tim joked
amicably. Jason offered a small glance form the side of his eyes, and there was
that mischievous little smirk again.
"Nah. I'm not much of a swimmer," his voice rumbled with amusement from his
chest. The echo of it was rich as it resonated across the tile floor.
"Sooo...what are we doing here?" Tim squinted up, confused.
"I was wondering if you could give me a ride home," Jason murmured simply,
stepping forward and keeping his eyes on the pool, scanning the gentle waves
with inexplicable interest.
"You came here to ask me for a ride?" Tim chortled in disbelief; what was Jason
playing at?
"Oh, no, definitely not. I could do that anywhere," Jason shook his head, eyes
glinting mischievously. Tim eyed him distrustfully and bit his lip.
"Jason-"
"Will you give me a ride home," Jason repeated insistently, and Tim shrugged,
at a loss.
"Sure, I guess," he agreed with a resigned sigh. "What's this about, Jason?"
The sudden glee in Jason's grin was as alarming as it was stunning to behold.
Tim sucked in an uncertain breath.
"Awesome. Where are your keys?" 
"My keys?" Tim grumbled, reaching for his pocket in confusion and then stopping
cold when he found the fabric empty. He heard a faint jingling from where Jason
was standing, and he glanced back up in horror to meet Jason's wicked, gleaming
grin.
Now he understood.
"Jason," called out, gasping stiffly and flailing out a pleading hand. Jason
stepped closer toward the pool and dangled his keys over the water in warning.
"Jason, please, come on," he whined, listening as the high pitch bounced across
the tiles throughout the room.
"Please what?" Jason cooed innocently, jangling the silver again. Tim squirmed
in place and groaned.
"How did you even-" a picturesque flash of a certain sneak-up in the Library
came to mind even as he asked. "Fuck, never mind, just... please don't," Tim
begged, and Jason smirked in bemusement.
"Come on, it's just a little payback. Can't take a prank, Tim?" the crooked
smile was deceptively sweet, and Tim's heart fluttered in his chest.
"Yeah, ha ha, it was hilarious. Give me my keys, Jason," Tim demanded, though
it came out more desperate than he would have liked.
"You're not gonna blow me off ever again?" Jason prompted haughtily, shaking
the keys tauntingly as Tim hissed with discomfort.
"I won't, I swear," Tim squeaked as Jason dangled them dangerously low over the
wet surface.
"You're not going to ignore me and leave me to Blondie's mercy?" his brow
arched delicately.
"Never again," Tim promised, straightening up slowly, placating the older boy
and eyeing the keys with a tight breath.
"You're going to pay me the ten bucks you owe me?"
"What? Oh-" Tim blanched and nearly scoffed in exasperation. "Yes, yes, of
course," Tim nodded. "But if we're playin' that way, you still owe me a meal,"
Tim reminded sharply, and Jason laughed, rolling his eyes.
"I was gonna take care of that on Friday, dipshit," was his cathartic response.
Tim's eyes widened in surprise, and something in his chest floated, ascending
right out of his body.
"We're still on?" the excitement in his voice was almost embarrassing as it
echoed throughout the pool, and Jason frowned just slightly enough to alter his
previously smug countenance.
"Yeah? Duh?" he shook his head at Tim with a fond, patronizing scoff. Tim was
beaming now, despite his keys still being held hostage in Jason's hand.
"Oh, good," he chucked in relief. "I thought I might have-...." he cleared his
throat, trailing off uncomfortably. "Anyway, I'll need those keys if we're
gonna have dinner and a movie, after all," Tim pointed out cheekily before
sticking out his hand and gesturing for Jason to give up and hand over the
keys. Jason arched a brow at the challenge, and then Tim realized he'd made a
mistake the moment the other boy's expression molted into a leer.
"You're right, what was I thinking?" Jason crooned, tossing the keys up (giving
Tim a small heart attack) and catching them again easily. "You can have your
keys back, Tim. You just gotta come get 'em."
"Jason, please, no-" but it was too late. Jason had haphazardly tossed the keys
over his shoulder and just gloated at Tim as he stared in horror, watching as
they fell into the pool with a loud plop and sinking slowly into the deepest
end. After they sank gracelessly into the cement below, he darted his eyes to
Jason and glowered stormily at him.
"Oops," Jason shrugged, smirking innocently.
"You asshole," Tim fired back, tugging at the hem of his polo and yanking it
gruffly over his head.
***** Easy, Peasy, Fettuccine *****
Chapter Summary
     hELLO I just whipped out another chapter about Tim feels. I swear
     I'll get a Jason chapter done soon, but first I wanted to include Kon
     a little more in the story and flesh Tim's home life out just a tad
     bit. There's some Timkon fluff (and partial smut, teehee) in the
     beginning, but then its all feels. Enjoy!
"I'm sorry, you're doing what with Jason Todd?" Kon barked. He gave Tim the
ice-blue stare of disapproval, and Tim winced from across the bed. Tim's little
dip in the pool had been the day before, and now that his relationship with
Stephanie and Jason was repaired, the last matter to address was his own
boyfriend. It was at Stephanie's insistence that Tim confess things to Kon...
at least the part about the movies on Friday. He'd texted today before Kon's
practice, and he was willing enough to stop by afterward, to Tim's delight. So
after dropping Stephanie off dutifully (with the promise to text her
immediately and let her know what Kon said), he returned home, hidden Jason's
hoodie (that he STILL hadn't managed to give back), and busied himself with
homework and Pretty Little Liars his room.  Once the boy finally arrived,
wearing his usual smile and black t-shirt gettup, Tim finally sat him down and
bit the bullet. He...hadn't taken it very well.
"I'm going with Jason and some friends to see a movie," Tim repeated bravely as
he could, and Kon's jaw constricted in turn. Tim immediately scooted closer,
placing a reassuring palm against Kon's large, round shoulders.
"It's no big deal," Tim soothed quickly, stroking his thumb comfortingly and
tangling their fingers together with his free hand. "It's just him and a couple
of girls from the diner is all."
"I'm not worried about the girls, I'm worried about him," Kon growled, and his
lip jutted out in an angry, though unmistakable pout. Tim wanted to laugh at
the cuteness, but held himself fast.
"Why?" Tim scoffed, taken aback and shaking his head. "It's just Jason. I
thought you liked him? You seemed okay with him at the party," Tim retorted,
pressing his cheek into the crook of Kon's neck. Kon grunted, giving in to Tim
and shifting and wrapping his arms around him. Tim hummed happily in response.
"I didn't really talk to him much... but I don't like the way he kept lookin'
at you all night," Kon grumbled an explanation into Tim's hair. Tim frowned,
mostly in a confusion that made his chest flutter, knowing that Kon couldn't
see it pressed up against his chest like he was. Jason had been looking at him?
He carefully stifled the fluttering his his heart and pulled away with a
doctored, placating kind of expression.
"I didn't notice. I was kinda with my boyfriend all night," Tim replied gently,
playing with a stray lock of Kon's hair in front of his ear. That seemed to
ease Kon a bit, and his shoulders relaxed slightly. Kon's fingers were drifting
across Tim's back now as he contemplated this.
"I still don't know if I trust him," Kon admitted through a twisted grimace.
"He seemed pretty content kissing Dick. For all I know, he could be trying to
make a move; what if his 'girlfriends' conveniently 'cancel'?" he clenched his
jaw, fingers twitching against Tim's shirt. "Or what if he's just casing you
out? Honestly, he's probably the one who stole your damn radio," Kon reasoned
further, and Tim's face dropped into a half-irritated scowl.
"First of all, he's not a thief, Kon," Tim scolded. Kon looked unimpressed.
"He's never stolen anything from me. He lives in Crime Alley, it wasn't his
fault. It was mine, but honestly I'm tired of having the 'I was drunk and
stupid' conversation, so that's that. Second, Jason's never once made a move on
me or even implied he liked guys at all. As far as Dick goes, everyone is Dick-
sexual," he joked haphazardly, trying to keep the image of Dick caressing
Jason's jaw far, far away as he jabbed playfully at Kon's arm. The older boy
scoffed, but it was an indulgent one, thankfully.
"Plus, did you see the hickeys on him that night? He may be involved with
someone already, so that's a little unfair to assume," Tim pointed out, and Kon
made a face uncomfortably.
"Third...and this is the most important," Tim gestured, smiling ever so
slightly, "I'm already involved with you, dummy." He used his forefinger to
prod emphatically against Kon's broad chest as he spoke, and Kon leaned back on
the bed, supporting himself by his hands as he smirked. "Trust me enough to
send the dogs packing if one comes barking, will you?" 
"Alright, alright," Kon nodded, eyes gentle and calm once again as Tim sighed
with relief. "You put a lot of thought into that, huh?" he observed, bemused as
Tim's cheeks started to flush.
"Well, yeah," Tim admitted, sinking onto his elbow and resting his chin against
his palm. "I was afraid you'd get a little protective, so I wanted to make sure
you were okay with everything," Tim grinned lightly, and Kon snorted, moving
down to mirror Tim's position at his eye level.
"Is that your way of calling me jealous?" Kon quirked his brow up teasingly,
and Tim giggled.
"I would never," Tim shook his head innocently. Kon snorted and snaked an arm
around his waist, pulling Tim tight suddenly against his chest and pressing a
mushy kiss against his temple. Tim shrieked out a delighted laugh and squeezed
Kon's shoulder with affection. It was the hand with the promise ring on it,
shining blue and red under the lamplight, and Kon beamed down at it softly.
"I'm glad you like that," he murmured, gesturing at the jewelry with his chin.
"I wear it every day," Tim chimed proudly, flexing his finger to better admire
the thing.
"Really?" Kon's face lit up, and Tim's heart melted. He nodded, and Kon bent
down to capture his lips in a series of happy, hasty kisses across his lips,
cheeks and jaw. Tim mewled at the attention and slithered his fingers up and
around Kon's neck for a gentle caress.
"Better stop all that, otherwise someone might mistake you for a sap," Tim
joked, twinkling his eyes up at the older boy tenderly.
"I guess I'm a sap, then," Kon retorted with a soft snort.
Tim opened his mouth to muster a response, but Kon caught and kissed him again,
this time wet and intimate enough to draw Tim in with a moan. He pressed a knee
up against Kon's hip and wound his arms around his broad back in tandem,
pressing himself closer. Kon took the hint and rolled them over, resting his
hands on either side of Tim's head and dwarfing over him as Tim eased onto his
back.
"We don't have to do anything you're not ready for," Kon murmured quietly into
Tim's ear, making him shiver as he nodded his consent. Almost 10 months
together, and despite the many, many jokes about it from their friends, they
hadn't actually had sex yet. Not completely, anyway; third base was about as
far as they'd ever dared to go before Tim would shy back and blush with hurried
apologies.
Kon, bless him, never minded too much; in fact, he was usually very sweet and
understanding, patient enough to rival a damn saint, and it made Tim realize
just how lucky he was every time he saw Kon's face. Kon wasn't a virgin; he'd
had a way with the ladies, of course, but Tim was his first male partner. Tim
wasn't completely innocent, either, given his short, three-week, fellatio
fueled fling with a boy named Colin the year before. They were still friends,
waving at each other in the halls between classes, but otherwise had agreed
that they weren't each other's type. Still, technically (aside from his own
fingers from private occasions), Tim was a virgin. And much as he wanted Kon
right now (god did he), he still felt himself shy back inside; their first time
had to be special...perfect. And maybe not after thinking and talking
about Jason all day. 
Tim shivered and had to push that thought...the thought of Jason out of his
brain, because it just made his already buzzing body start to burn. That was
definitely not who he should be thinking about right now. He blocked out the
Junior's face, instead choosing to focus on the gentle, searching smile of his
boyfriend above him.
"Not yet," Tim whispered, voice husky and hurried with Kon pressed against him.
"Let's just-..." he trailed off, swallowing thickly. Kon gleamed down at him
with an empathetic nod and kissed his cheek.
"The usual? Will that work?" his voice was gruff against Tim's skin, juxtaposed
in comparison to the softness of his lips. Tim's eyes fluttered shut with a
soft inhale of breath as he felt Kon rub against him down below with the
delicious promise of more.
"Yeah," Tim agreed breathily, pawing at Kon's shirt. 'The usual' generally
meant Kon's hand, jerking them together in unison, or on other occasions,
his mouth, and they would take turns devouring each other, getting the other
off.
"Alright, babe. I can't wait until you are ready, though," Kon admitted
breathlessly, mouthing at the sensitive flesh of Tim's neck. "Get you all hot
and bothered, then show you how much I've wanted you." Tim gasped, keening
forward and bunching the black t-shirt in his hands until he could slide a hand
underneath its hem where Kon's skin was flush with warmth. Kon groaned and
pressed his hands down to Tim's fly to massage him.
"I love you," came Tim's breathy chant as Kon fidgeted at the hem until the
clasp of his pants eventually flew open. Kon paused, lifting his head up from
Tim's neck with darkened pupils staring down at him.
"I love you, too," he murmured back before nipping back to Tim's body and
slowly working his way down.
..........................
A half hour later, Tim was sliding his pants back on and clasping them up
languidly as Kon smoothed his shirt back over his torso. They snuck flushed
grins at each other and tried not to look too windblown when they descended the
stairs afterward. Mrs. Mac eyed them with suspicious humor as they appeared,
however, and Tim worked very hard at a straight face as she bustled around the
kitchen.
"Hello, boys," she greeted with a gentle nod, stirring something in a pot that
wafted deliciously. They called back to her politely, of course, and she
smiled, but quickly knitted her brows when Kon pulled his keys out of his
pocket.
"You're not staying for dinner, Mr. Kent?" she questioned with concern. "I'm
making Fettuccine." Tim offered a brow up at Kon, but he shook his head,
declining politely.
"You don't have to call me that, Mrs. Mac, it's just Kon," he insisted with a
humble smile. Tim's lips twitched, and he could practically feel Mrs. Mac's
uncertainty over the informality of it.
"And no, I can't. I appreciate it, though, and it smells awfully good," Kon
reassured with an almost wistful sigh. "But my dad's expecting me home soon, so
I gotta run."
"Alright, dearie, drive safe," she conceded, nodding at him over her pot. Kon
leaned down to peck a chaste kiss against Tim's cheek and whisper a quick I
love you into his ear one last time before collecting his bag from the hall and
waving as he left.
"He's a good boy," Mrs. Mac bubbled with approval as Tim turned back towards
the kitchen.
"Yeah, I think so too," Tim breezed, pulling at the stool in front of the
island and plopping down to watch her work.
"I meant to tell you, your parents called earlier," she chimed, glancing up
from the stove. Tim blinked, letting his smile slip slowly off his face. "I
didn't wanna disturb you while you were with your beau, though, so I told them
you'd call back." The mild surprise morphed slowly into a sunken expression as
she turned the boiling heat down to a simmer. 
"Don't look like that, now," Mrs. Mac drilled him sternly, and Tim shrugged
apologetically. "Go give them a call, and dinner will be about done when you
get back."
"Okay, fine," Tim agreed reluctantly, leaping back off the stool and trudging
to the french doors that led to his back patio. He fished his cellphone out of
his pocket and dialed his mother's number quickly, listening as it rang four
times in a row.
"Hello, dear! I'm delighted you got back to us so quickly," his mother, Janet's
voice sang out cheerily. He could hear chattering and orchestral music in the
background, and if he strained, he could hear the clinking of ice in the
champagne glass that was undoubtedly in her gloved hand.
"Hey, mom," he greeted, shifting his weight to one leg awkwardly. "How's the
Mediterranean?"
"Oh, it's lovely," she replied dreamily, as a bought of laughter erupted
somewhere faintly from her party. "The water's blue, the food is delicious, and
the people are devine! Your father's team had a breakthrough on the project,
and we've decided to extend!" she was obviously excited, but Tim's shoulders
sank down. It wasn't a surprise.
"Congratulations," he forced a smile to his face, thankful both that she
couldn't see him, and that his voice was trained enough not to let any of the
disappointment bleed through. "How long will you be extending the project for?"
"At least until the beginning of next month, so that means we'll unfortunately
have to miss Thanksgiving, but we'll definitely try to make Christmas. I'll
call you every week, as often as I can, darling," she promised. Tim thinned his
lips with disappointment, but blanked it out insistently. He knew that 'every
week' really meant once or twice a month.
"Okay, good," Tim responded with curt, but (forced) reassuring elation.
"How's the SAT preparation coming? Still studying, I hope," she implored after
a silent moment, and Tim rolled his eyes to the sky. "You won't get into
Dartmouth or Yale without studying, you know."
"I know, Mom," he replied perhaps a bit too dryly. He made sure to correct his
tone before expounding. "I'm taking the PSAT next semester. I'm actually doing
so well right now, I've been asked to tutor other students."
"Wonderful, darling," came her delighted reply. "That's my smart boy." Tim
clenched his teeth stonily and swallowed back the bitterness he felt from her
sentiment. Her boy hadn't seen her in almost two months, so it was kind of lost
on him.
"Thanks."
"Anything else going on in your life? Any love interests, or
hobbies...anything? How's Stephanie?" she was actually trying for conversation
at this point, and Tim fought back a tired sigh. He'd told her about Kon at
least twice, and he would almost bet that she had just completely ignored his
whole bit about the whole tutoring, so.
"Steph's good; same old, same old." He could hear Janet chuckle before trailing
into an awkward stretch of silence, letting noises of the party drift over the
line for some time before he heard a buzzing, tenor voice -his father-
murmuring something off to her side.
"Oh, again?" Janet giggled with girlish excitement. "Surely they can handle it
without us- no? Oh, alright," it may have been a trick on Tim's ears, but he
could swear she sounded almost relieved. Tim shifted anxiously with hope as the
conversation threatened to end, glancing back toward the kitchen where Mrs. Mac
was dishing out the finished pasta onto two plates.
"Tim, dear, I'm afraid the committee needs us. Your father says hello and sends
his love," she crooned, and Tim's fingers fidgeted with his belt loops idly.
"Alright. Go have fun, and tell Dad I said hey," he returned quickly. "Bye,
Mom."
"Goodbye, darling."
The line went dead, and Tim threw his head back and sucked in the first deep
breath he'd taken since the whole phone call began. He could see the tendrils
of his breath spiraling into the night sky, and realized just how cold his
hands were getting. He pocketed his phone and rubbed them together frivolously
as he clamored back inside, grateful for the warmth and smell of food
enveloping him.
"How'd it go, sweetie?" Mrs. Mac questioned, pouring him a glass of milk and
setting it by his already waiting plate.
"Fine," Tim shrugged blandly, before arching his brow at the milk. "You know
I'm not six anymore, right?" he chuckled, sliding back into his seat at the
island.
"Maybe not, but milk still goes well with any pasta until you're old enough for
wine," she replied with a saucy wink. Tim smirked appreciatively, and privately
wondered how big a stroke she'd have if she found out about him knocking back a
keg of beer on Friday.
"How long are they extending their trip this time?" Tim stopped mid-chew on his
very first bite as Mrs. Mac persisted on.
"Erm..." he swallowed, huffing a sigh. She didn't even have to guess at what
the call was about, then. "Until sometime next month." Mrs. Mac frowned in
clear disapproval at the news.
"If I might speak frankly, Mr. Drake, I'm getting tired of seeing you lonely on
the holidays," she shook her head with a heavyset sadness in her eyes that made
Tim wince.
"I'm not," Tim lied in denial, shoveling another bite and chewing roughly.
"I've got you, and Steph, and Kon," he listed stubbornly as she tilted her
head. "I've got another friend, now, too," he insisted, setting his fork down
and sipping milk to avoid Mrs. Mac's quirky stare. "If Mom and Dad wanna spend
Christmas in Greece, that's okay. I wouldn't know what to do if they were here
anyway."
"Oh, honey," her expression saddened, and Tim bristled with discomfort as she
shook her head.
"It's fine," Tim urged sharply, and she fell silent. Tim immediately felt
guilty at the reprimand, and he slumped down apologetically. "I'm sorry...
you're right. It sucks, but it's nothing new. I'll be okay," he tried again,
softly now as he stared at his noodles.
"It's alright, hon," she waved it off. "Tell me about this new friend of
yours," she offered, changing the subject with a more lighthearted smile. Tim
immediately brightened.
"Jason? Oh, you'd like him," he grinned, picking his fork back up. "He's in my
Lit class, and we tutor together. He's sharp, and funny and he'll sweet talk
you so well that you won't realize the Shakespeare he quoted was actually an
insult."
"Sounds like he keeps you on your toes," Mrs. Mac sniffed in amusement.
"You have no idea. He threw my keys in the pool at school," Tim smirked at the
memory. Oh, how Jason had snickered at him when he had to strip down to his
underwear just to jump in and retrieve them. Tim had never blushed so hard in
his life.
"He did what?" Mrs. Mac dropped her jaw in shock, and Tim grinned.
"To be fair, it was deserved, I promise," he assured her. She blanched in
confusion, opening and closing her jaw before chuckling in exasperation.
"I don't want to know, do I?"
"Probably not," Tim snorted, thinking again of the heart attack she'd suffer if
he mentioned the copious amounts of alcohol he'd consumed, or the car
situation.
"Is he easy on the eyes?" she teased, and Tim's eyes widened scandalously.
"Mrs. Mac," he blushed, laughing through the scold and hiding his grin behind
his milk glass. She held her hands up innocently, and Tim shook his head.
"Yeah, he is," Tim admitted, feeling father warm on the surface all of a
sudden. "He's got these eyes that.... heh. But, hey, that's just between us,
okay?"
"My lips are sealed," she promised, zipping her lips and throwing away the
imaginary key. Tim snorted at her and laughed as they continued their dinner.
***** Good Vibes *****
Chapter Summary
     Jason has a good day. A relatively short chapter, but a fluffy one.
Chapter Notes
     Okay guys, plot next chapter, I promise! And by plot, I mean the DATE
     is happening and we get our first real Jaytim moments (it's gonna be
     a loooong chapter, and things are gonna start snowballing, so be
     prepared). I more than owed Jason some attention first, though, and
     can't we all agree he deserved one really good day?
"Thanks again for coming out tonight, guys. Have a good one," Jason waved as
his last table for the night, a lovely elderly couple and their 10 year old
grandson, donned their coats. The old woman's eyes twinkled from under her
round specs, and she waved back one last time in turn before heading out into
the cold night behind her husband. Jason wasted no time in grabbing a bus
bucket and clearing away the mess of dishes, grinning in elation when he
noticed a ten dollar bill poking out from under the ketchup bottle. That was
almost 30% of their total bill; they must have liked him. Finding tips was
(almost) always a gratifying experience, Jason had discovered. They weren't
always this good, either, but it was the best perk of the job. A close second
would be the free meal he was allowed per shift; one that was currently calling
his name from the back room where it was stowed away in a take-out box, so he
made quick work of finishing up and wiping it off.
"Finally done?" Crista grinned at him as he whisked into the kitchen, dropping
the bus tray into the sink for the kitchen staff. Crista looked the same as
ever, leaning against the metal employee table, framed in the same black
uniform that Jason now wore, brown hair tied back into a plait that framed her
flirty (as ever) smile. She was still waiting her last table, a family of five
over by the window, but she had just dropped off their dessert so it wouldn't
be long for her.
"Yeah. They left me a tenner," Jason returned her smile brightly. "It's been a
good night. I'm about to go cash in with Rhonda and then tally up."
"Good for you, kiddo," Crista whistled teasingly as he stalked towards the
manager's office (a small, closet sized room on the other side of the kitchen,
but it was Ms. Rhonda's haven). "Isn't this like, your fourth shift ever?
You've learned fast, color me impressed."
"Better watch out Cris, I'll catch up to you before you know it," Jason winked
at her before disappearing into the manager's office as she rolled her eyes.
Rhonda was a stern, but placating, likable woman of about 50 or so; she had
tightly cropped, curly dark hair with sharp eyes to match that didn't tolerate
nonsense or fools. She wasn't afraid of keeping her employees in line, or of
addressing entitled customers who throw their hissy fits, but she was also the
type of person to cut up with her staff and enjoyed working with the team.
Rhonda was the one who interviewed and hired Jason, and he found that he
respected her very much. She wasn't overly chatty tonight, as closing paperwork
was keeping her busy, but she was warm and amicable when Jason turned in his
final count.
"Great job today, honey," she patted his arm with a tired smile as she zeroed
his numbers out. Jason beamed. "You know, if you wanted, I've got an extra
shift open tomorrow night if you want some more hours. Tips are always good on
Fridays," she offered with the slightest arch of her brow. Jason twitched,
almost immediately tempted to take the offer before he pouted his lips and
shook his head apologetically.
"I can't tomorrow, I've got plans," he explained, and Rhonda nodded at him,
bemused.
"They wouldn't happen to be the same plans as Crista's? Movie night in
Bludhaven?" she chuckled, re-adjusting her reading glasses from atop her head
to rest back on her face. That last part took him admittedly by surprise. Not
the fact that Crista told their boss that they were planning on hanging out
(most everyone felt comfortable enough around Rhonda, anyway), but the part
about Bludhaven. She hadn't mentioned that little detail yet.
"The very same, I'm afraid," Jason confirmed. "Any other day, though, and I've
got you covered," he volunteered cheerily enough, and that earned him a rare,
fond smile.
"I'll keep that in mind, sweetie, thank you. Don't worry about it for now,
though. Go count your tips and have fun," she gestured gently with her head
towards the kitchen, and Jason wished her a quick, grateful farewell. Crista
was no longer lounging at the employee table, and Jason had a feeling she was
over with her family of 5 trying to nudge them out the door. He smirked at the
thought as he dumped the remaining contents of his apron out and sorted through
them quickly. By the time Crista had returned and zeroed out her own tab with
Rhonda, joining Jason at the table to count her own tips, Jason had just about
finished up. It was an impressive haul for a Thursday, as well as the most
fruitful amount of tips he'd received at the job to date so far. Not that four
days gave him much to compare to, but still. With what he made today, that
totals to over two hundred dollars this week; he hadn't even gotten his
first paycheck yet. It made his head feel light enough to float away, and he
couldn't help the grin that erupted on his face as he stowed it all into his
pockets.
"Someone looks happy," Crista remarked amicably as she spilled her own goods
onto the table. "I bet you're gonna spoil that boyfriend of yours tomorrow,
huh?" she flasher her teeth at him in a teasing smirk. Jason arched a seemingly
unimpressed brow, but truthfully that word, and the thought of Tim's face
behind it, made his heart stutter invisibly in his chest.
"Cris, I told you, he and I aren't actually-" Jason tried, but Crista snorted
her amusement at him before he could even start.
"Yeah, yeah, so you keep sayin'," she hummed, sifting through her stacks of
quarters absently. "Honestly though, the way you two were flirting last week?
Too cute. I'll never look at chocolate covered strawberries the same," her eyes
were glittering with humor as Jason rolled his own at her.
"Thanks for your understanding," Jason shook his head exasperatedly. "Just
don't try to make a thing out if it tomorrow, okay? He's got a boyfriend
already, and I don't want you embarrassing him. ...Or me," he added quickly as
an afterthought.
"Okay, fine, scout's honor," she saluted lazily at him as she sifted through
her stack of bills, counting silently under her breath. "Speaking of tomorrow
though, I've got the address for the theater. I'd offer to drive you two there
myself, but I'm heading out for the weekend to Bludhaven tonight, so-"
"I wanted to ask you about that, actually," Jason cut her off, crossing his
arms and smirking down as he pressed his weight against the table. She grinned
sheepishly at Jason's expression and offered a shrug. "Bludhaven? That's kind
of a long drive for a movie date, don't you think?"
"Oh, it's not even an hour away," she waved dismissively, but a blush creeping
up her cheeks gave her away. "Lauren doesn't have a car and getting to Gotham
would be hard for her. Come on, it's not that far, anyway." It was probably
supposed to less pleading than it did, but the hope was obvious on her face as
Jason contemplated.
"You know its supposed to start snowing tonight and tomorrow," he voiced
carefully, more serious now as Crista's face fell. "The roads could be
dangerous, especially outside the city. You really wanna risk driving all the
way to Bludhaven?"
"Don't worry, Jay," she crooned up at him soothingly. "The first snowfall's
never that bad, I'm sure the roads will be fine if you drive careful." Jason's
lips twitched into an uncomfortable grimace; he wouldn't be the one driving,
not after 1. getting Tim's radio ripped out the last time, and 2. making Tim
take a little dip in the pool and pissing him the hell off. Oh, what a sight
that had been, seeing Tim strip with that little growl on his face, soaking wet
and pouting all the way to Jason's apartment. Yeah, Tim wouldn't be letting him
get anywhere near the driver's seat after that. The thought almost made him
twitch into a smile, but he resisted.
"I'll have to make sure its okay with Tim. He's the one with the car, he calls
the shots," Jason relented, lifting his hands off his arms in a gesture of
surrender. Crista brightened up excitedly and beamed. They fell silent for the
duration of her count, and Jason chose to use that time to collect his meal
from the fridge, preparing to leave for home.
"You're not planning on walking tonight, are you?" Crista called out, rolling
the last of her cash into rubber band bound logs and sliding them into the
depths of her purse. Jason glanced up from his to-go box and shrugged.
"Not if the buses are still running?" he arched a questioning brow as she
shouldered her bag and frowned at him.
"I can give you a ride if you let me bum a smoke," she offered. And yeah, even
though he had less than half a pack left, it did sound a hell of a lot better
than hiking it to the bus station and freezing his ass off. Especially since
his best jacket was still with a blue eyed sophomore somewhere.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, like I said, I'm on my way out of town, and your place ain't too far
from the bridge," she reasoned, and thank god. Jason was already pulling out
his pack the moment the two of them slid out the back door.
.............
Jason waved Crista's old Ford Ranger goodbye as she dropped him off, and he
could see his breath clouding up in front of him as he climbed the stairs. He
suppressed a shudder against the cold, unlocking his apartment hastily and
releasing a heavy sigh of relief the moment he got the door closed behind him
into his warm, quiet hallway. No acid smell today, Jason noticed, and he felt
his body relax against the wood door in further relief.
"Jason? That you, baby?" his mother called from the depths. Her voice was
strong today, and he could hear water running, which told him she was probably
in the kitchen.
"Yeah," he affirmed, dropping his backpack off and carrying the diner food into
the kitchen where she was filling up a glass of water. She'd also showered, he
noticed, glimpsing at her wet hair dripping into a clean t-shirt. Good. She'd
been doing better since last week, and hadn't missed another day of work. Today
was a rare day off for her, and it looks like she handled it fairly well. "Got
you some dinner," he offered, extending his arm out and jostling the box
tentatively. She eyed the white Styrofoam mildly in surprise before her face
stretched into a thin, but genuine smile.
"Thanks, baby," she cooed sweetly, cupping her small, cold hand against his
cheek. "My hard working boy. I'm so proud of you," she added, blue eyes
emotional as she squeezed his cheek. He huffed softly at her, but couldn't hide
a small smile as she opened the box and took an appreciative whiff of the
grilled chicken.
"Did you make this?" she questioned lightly, heading over to sit on the couch
for her meal. Jason made sure to carry her almost-forgotten glass of water
behind her.
"No, mom. I'm a waiter; I just serve the food," he chuckled gently, and she
nodded a small oh. "I can promise it's good, though. Better than the cheap shit
they serve you at the club."
"That's for sure. You don't see a good Alfredo in a place made for greasy wings
and pole dances," she snorted, and Jason smiled so hard, his eyes crinkled.
It's been a while since she's cracked a joke like that.
"Can you imagine if they did? Poor girls would probably get noodles in their g-
strings instead of dough," Jason laughed, and his mom giggled, biting
appreciatively into her food. Seeing her laugh and eat, face flush with color
instead of pale and translucent...it all made him feel so relieved,
so grateful...it was a buzzing kind of feeling right in the center of his
chest. And this was after raking in a good night's tips, acing a test at school
earlier and then with the thoughts tomorrow lingering in the air like a
promise? With Tim, and that little smirk he'd been wearing since Monday's trip
to the pool; the kid was planning on getting him back, Jason could feel it
(Jason's felt his laser eyes on his back more than once the last couple of
days), and god, the anticipation of the game -an entirely too exciting, heart
racing, game of who can ruffle whose feathers more- was intoxicating. All
things considered, this is probably the best day he'd had in a very long time,
and what's more? The idea of tomorrow had just as much potential.
"I love you, mom," Jason pressed an affectionate kiss to the side of her thin
cheek. Her eyes widened, shocked but obviously touched as she ghosted her
fingers over the spot.
"I love you too, baby," she hummed happily, crinkling her eyes in a soft smile
as Jason stood to his feet. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Jason laughed out softly. "More than. I've gotta hit the shower though;
my bed's callin' my name, and I've got school in the morning," he reminded her
through a grin. It was almost midnight, after all. She nodded with another oh,
and waved him off fondly.
"Go on then, get to it," she ordered playfully. Jason gleamed with delight at
her old, rare humor.
"Alright, yes ma'am," Jason saluted giddily with two fingers. Oh yeah; it'd
been a damn good day.
***** Getting to Know You, Getting to Know All About YouYou *****
Chapter Summary
     It's a (Not So) Platonic Date, Part 1.
Chapter Notes
     Holy double update, Batman! It's chapter 10 and 11 after a writer's
     block induced hiatus!
     Aka, I'm proud to treat you guys to two fully completed chapters and
     I really hope you enjoy <3
"Wait... Bludhaven?" his voice sounded oddly alien to his own ears as Jason
broke into an apologetic smirk. Friday had finally come around, and after hours
of lip biting, butterflies-in-the-stomach kind of anxiety just picturing what
kind of night together he and the older boy might have (okay, even if it was
with two other people), Jason had caught up with him in the student parking lot
after the last bell and decided to just to drop this bomb now? Tim, who'd been
walking across the lanes toward the cars, missed a half-step and stumbled in
surprise right as some asshole driving in an Audi screeched to a halt honked
at the two of them for being in the way. 
Jason, bless him, had caught Tim with a startled gasp and a reflexive,
steadying hand catching Tim's shoulder. Tim's cheeks heated up with
embarrassment at his own clumsiness as he righted himself while Jason, on the
other hand, was snarling distastefully as the Audi prick honked at them again
impatiently. 
"Sorry!" Tim squeaked, reacting quickly as Jason's hand -the one that wasn't
still pressing against Tim's shoulder- twisted up into a nasty gesture. Before
the driver, or Jason for that matter, could get too angry, Tim grabbed Jason's
wrist and managed with some effort to tug the older boy away. The car screeched
around them indignantly, and Jason huffed at Tim's side.
"Fucking asshole," the teen muttered, and a chuckle bubbled to Tim's lips.
"Sorry, Jay. That was my fault," Tim groaned bashfully. Jason rolled his eyes
promptly and looked down at Tim with the start of some kind of defensive
retort, but paused when he noticed Tim's hand still wrapped idly around his.
Tim's breath caught in a panic before immediately releasing Jason's wrist with
a poorly hidden flush.
"Er... so Bludhaven-" Tim cleared his throat as Jason's expression twitched
imperceptibly. Tim wondered what that was about for a second, but Jason took
his cue and moved on.
"Yeah. Sorry, Crista just told me last night that her girlfriend couldn't make
it to Gotham, so she's pulling in a favor," Jason explained quickly, shoving
his newly freed hand into his pocket. "If...that's still alright?" Teal eyes
crinkled into a worried frown as an afterthought, and Tim's throat went dry. He
forced himself to swallow, ignoring his quickening pulse and tilting his gaze
up to the ominous, gray sky rather than at Jason's hopeful expression.
"It's... supposed to snow tonight," Tim bit his lip incredulously. Jason
grunted in response, readying to resign himself, it seemed, and Tim's brain
screamed at him. No, no, idiot, you better not ruin this! Look at him, you've
been waiting for this all week, don't blow him off now! 
Funny, Tim thought, how his own inner monologue sounded eerily like Stephanie.
"Have you ever driven in snow before?" Jason voiced the obvious question
uncertainly. Tim chewed his own lip instead of answering, and fingered the keys
resting in his pocket in consideration. The short answer (and Jason seemed to
realize this at Tim's blatant hesitation) was no. He'd only had his license for
a couple of months, and snow season was just starting. But then again,
Stephanie's voice magically reasoned again, might as well get used to it.
Gotham winters were famously snowy, and he didn't take all those safety courses
for nothing.
"I'll be fine," Tim gestured dismissively in the end. Jason quirked an
unconvinced brow, but couldn't quite hide a playful smirk.
"Right..." he let the word roll slowly over his tongue as Tim decidedly
retrieved his keys. "Loving the confidence and all, but I swear to god, if you
get us killed over a patch of ice-"
"-Oh, zip it, Scotty. Have a little faith, will you?" Tim stuck his tongue out,
humor renewed as Red Bird chirped cheerily from her spot a few yards down.
Jason rolled his eyes and followed as Tim led the way to it.
"You're right. If I die, it's because you're actively trying to kill me, who am
I kidding?" Jason snickered, and Tim snorted ferally in amusement.
"You got that right, Todd. You have it coming, after all," Tim turned back just
enough throw a devious wink at Jason.
"I knew it! You're totally plotting revenge," Jason accused, wide eyed and
eagerly pointing an accusatory finger. Tim smirked and waggled his eyebrows;
of course he was going to get Jason back. Nobody makes a fool of Tim Drake and
gets away with it, not even the daunting, ridiculously alluring Jason Todd. "Oh
god, you probably sabotaged the seat belt or something," Jason gasped
additionally in fake horror. Tim's smirk broke, and he choked.
"Nah, poor Red's been through enough already. Plus, you still owe me dinner and
a movie tonight, so I need you alive for that," Tim retorted cheekily, leaning
against the hood of the car. To Tim's surprise, there was a pink flush
spreading across the older teen's cheeks. Jason Todd... blushed? It was
unexpectedly attractive, and butterflies by the dozens started fluttering
unbidden in his stomach.
Oh god, he was going to be alone with this guy soon.
"Sounds like the knife's to my throat, then," Jason snarked, raising his hands
in mock surrender. "Guess I'll just have to do my best to drag it out," he
winked, and woah, if those words didn't suddenly make his skin heat up.
"I-"
"You bitches busy talking about the movie you didn't invite me to?" Stephanie
(the real one this time) interrupted, causing Tim to nearly jump out of his
skin. How he didn't see the his best friend coming was beyond him, but then
again she had probably snuck up on purpose, because there she was with a
deviant little grin on her otherwise angelic face, standing there with her
bookbag strewn over one shoulder to complement her taunt.
"Yep," Jason chirped instantly, recovering from the surprise of her sudden
appearance far quicker than Tim had. If he'd even been startled at all. "I live
for making you jealous, it's my new hobby," he teased. She snorted playfully at
him and elbowed him none too gently passing him by to the passenger seat.
"Please. I've got a real date tonight in a hot bubble bath with Joey, Chandler,
Rachel and Monica. So you two can take your fancy movie tickets and-"
"Be nice, Stephanie," Tim interjected with a snort, sliding into the car with
the other two quickly following suit. "Also, you left out Phoebe and Ross, you
monster."
"Ha! Fuck Ross," Stephanie hummed as she buckled her belt. "But you're totally
right about Pheebs, whoops." 
"Why are you bullying us into giving you a ride home if you've got all those
fancy people to hang out with instead?" Jason piped up in confusion from the
back seat. Tim and Stephanie froze at the question, exchanging puzzled glances
before Stephanie's brown eyes went wide, jaw falling slack. Tim's own
expression, he was sure, mirrored hers exactly.
"He hasn't seen Friends?" she whispered in excitement, and the two of them
veered around to stare at the elder teen in tandem. Jason blinked uncertainly,
furrowing his brows at them worriedly now as they grinned.
"Oh my god, this is the best day of my life," the blonde clapped her hands
ecstatically, and Jason's eyes grew ever larger with concern. Tim laughed at
his expression and finally offered an explanation.
"It's one of our favorite shows. Ten glorious seasons of cringe-worthy 90s
humor and the best theme song in existence," Tim smiled. Jason nodded his head
once with an enlightened, maybe slightly underwhelmed oh as Tim turned back
around and ignited the engine.
"Oh my god, can we please watch an episode before you guys go?" Stephanie
squealed, eyes rapid firing between the two boys energetically. And honestly,
Tim was sorely tempted; the three of them cuddled up together at the end of
Stephanie's bed, clapping along to the theme song and watching Jason's reaction
to Rachel Greene's introduction in a wedding dress. Jason would probably snort
at the outdated wit of the show and make some snarky comments about the lack of
realism, and Tim would elbow him with playful indignance. Jason would smirk
down at him, of course, all challenging and alluring-
No. Nope, don't follow that thought, he scolded himself, dutifully ignoring the
stutter in his pulse.
"Can't this time, Steph. The movie's in Bludhaven, so we don't really have the
time," he shook his head. It was a true enough excuse. Stephanie frowned,
jutting her lip out crossly in a pout as Tim shifted gears.
"Bludhaven? Who's idea was that?" She exclaimed sourly, echoing Tim's earlier
sentiment. Tim rolled his eyes as Jason was forced to explain again, and
Stephanie grumbled until Jason appeased her and promised to marathon the sitcom
with them both on his next day off. His best friend vehemently agreed, and a
flood of guilty excitement coursed through Tim's veins. God, he wasn't going to
stand a chance, was he?
Her house was only a short, five minute drive from the school, so once the
matter was settled, she bid them a fond adieu, waving "Bye Bitches!" as
she retreated inside her suburban home. Tim blew her a quick, smug kiss and
lovingly extended a jeering middle finger. Jason took not only the high road,
but also the brief opportunity to move to the now vacant front seat while Tim
was still parked in the driveway.
"That girl's a piece of work," Jason whistled in unmistakable awe, buckling his
seat belt once he was settled in. A strange pang constricted his heart for a
moment at Jason's tone, and he curiously cocked his head.
"Yeah, she's the best," Tim agreed in earnest. She was; Stephanie was his best
friend in the world for a reason. But did Jason maybe see something...else in
her? Despite his better judgement, despite his every instinct in common sense,
insecurity wouldn't stop gnawing inside his ribs. So...logically, he painted a
gleaming smirk on his face and decided to test the waters. "She's single, you
know. You two would make a cute couple."
Jason, who'd been innocently admiring the architecture of Steph's house,
blanched as he turned toward Tim in surprise. It obviously hadn't been a
thought that had occurred to the boy before, Tim realized, and he nearly cursed
himself into oblivion when Jason quirked an interested brow.
"You think so?" Jason chuckled, glancing back toward the ornate front door of
the blond's home. God damn it all, what had he just done? Tim's face tightened
into a careful smile and shrugged. Jason hummed at that, biting absently at his
lower lip in thought, all while Tim's digestive coils ripped themselves to
shreds.
Finally, Jason smirked again and added, "Eh, she is pretty cute, but I've never
really had a thing for blondes. Plus, she'd probably stuff my balls in her
purse." Tim's brows shot up quickly before wheezing into sudden, relieved
laughter.
"Y-...You're not wrong, she'd own your ass," Tim chuckled weakly as his heart
rate climbed slowly back down. He glanced down at his steering wheel for a
distraction before suddenly remembering what they were doing there in the first
place. He quickly shifted the car into reverse, then, and started backing out.
"Hey, she may be queen dominatrix, but my perky ass holds its own just fine,
thank you," Jason fired back, grinning wickedly and winking. Tim may have
braked a tad bit sharper than he meant to at the edge of the driveway, causing
the car to squeak in protest as it jerked forward. Jason and Tim both lurched
with the inertia in their seats, and Jason burst into laughter the second he
caught a glimpse of Tim's beat red face.
"Didn't mean to traumatize you, jeez," Jason wheezed, and Tim groaned with
exasperation, trying to look anywhere but at the other boy.
"You didn't- it just startled me, I wasn't expecting the sudden imagery," Tim
defended himself, and god damn it why was his voice that pitchy? He could still
feel his cheeks burn as his grip on the steering wheel tightened. The car
groaned noisily again as Tim dared to pull out (no pun intended, he swears),
but it didn't help him ignore the sudden interested tilt of Jason's chin.
"Imagery, huh?" Jason's teal eyes glinted with mischievous curiosity, and Tim
squirmed in his seat. Yeah. Imagery. Like what the curve of Jason's soft, very
naked ass might look like if he was bent over, arching up and flushed so
pretty; what it would feel like under his hands, around his fingers- oh,
and don't even get him started on the whole kinky bit with the leather after
the whole dominatrix comment. It felt so dirty to imagine, so wrong in all the
sexiest, forbidden ways. Tim's blood flushed with guilt, and he couldn't help
but feel red handed. If there was any mercy in the universe, then Jason Todd
would just let it go. Don't ask, don't ask, don't-
"You're a perv after all. And here I was thinking you were an innocent, vanilla
cupcake," Jason tsked in amusement. Tim gaped at his passenger for a moment,
mostly waiting for the other shoe to drop; for Jason to force the dirty
confession out of him and boil him alive in his own shame, but nothing came.
Finally, he snorted, chest easing in relief and amusement when he actually
processed what Jason had said.
"Innocent,  vanilla-" Tim repeated in disbelief, "Guess you don't know me very
well, then," Tim shot back playfully as courage returned and blood cooled back
to a more normal temperature.
"Touche," Jason conceded, nodding with a sudden, pensive smirk. Tim cocked a
suspicious, sidelong glance at the boy's expression, and Jason relaxed against
the seat, shrugging  far too innocently.
"What's that look for?" Tim questioned curiously as the car paused in front of
a stop sign.
"You're right, we don't know each other very well, do we?" Jason mused,
expression twitching around his lips but otherwise unreadable. Tim's interest
piqued, and he turned his head completely toward Jason before the car behind
them honked impatiently. Tim jumped and waved through the back window
apologetically before driving forward.
"We've only known each other for two weeks, to be fair," Tim reminded idly as
he made a turn for Gotham bridge. A roller coaster fortnight, for sure, but
hey, Tim wasn't complaining. Not when Jay was staring at him with that lively
little gleam in his eye, sprawled comfortably and riding next to him, and not
to mention alone together for the next 45 minutes, at least.
"You feel up to a little game?" Jason inquired, feigning that innocence again,
but with an unmistakable dare tinting his otherwise playful countenance. Tim's
heart skipped a beat, wondering what on earth the junior could have in store
now.
"Ooh, a game?" Tim snorted, rolling his eyes. A getting-to-know-you game meant
either Never Have I Ever or 20 questions, both of which were painfully cliche,
but... then again, he'd never played with Jason before. 
"Oh, stow the cynacism, that's my thing," Jason elbowed Tim's arm with a
chuckle, and Tim giggled. Every time. Jason called him out every. damn. time.
"We take turns asking each other whatever we can possibly think of, no matter
how personal, unconventional or raunchy. You're allowed to pass on the question
if it makes you uncomfortable, but-" and this is where Jason's voice trailed
off with a devious little grin.
 "What?" Tim frowned with a sneaking suspicion of dread.
"If you pass, you pay a little penalty. Usually, the price is an article
of clothing, but-" Tim's breath hitched as Jason's voice dropped to a taunting
purr, "-since it's difficult to strip while driving and I wanna live to see
another day, let's say you give me an hour of driving time with Red Bird."
"You're incorrigible," Tim scolded, barely managing to suppress a shiver that
had nothing to do with the weather. "Fine, I'm game. But you should know two
things," Tim warned with a much more confident grin. Jason quirked a brow, eyes
gleaming with dark humor that would make Tim stutter if he weren't so dead set
to beat him at his little game.
"Shoot," Jay jerked his chin, urging Tim to continue.
"First of all, when you wimp out, you have to throw out a cigarette for every
question you don't answer." Jason scoffed dismayed at that and Tim gleamed
triumphantly. Tim almost thought that Jason might protest after a particularly
pained looking twitch of his eyebrow, but as always, Jason was never one to
back down.
"Fine, we're playin' big leagues, I see. I'll remember that. Second?" Jason's
voice was defiant as he crossed toned arms firmly over his chest. Oh, Tim was
in trouble if Jason was gonna play rough. But he couldn't just back down now,
he cursed himself over his own once-again thundering heartbeat.
"Second," Tim continued, refusing to relent, even for a second. "I've played
drinking games like this before. You should probably know...I've never lost,"
he winked, and Jason's eyes popped wide, both impressed and entertained at the
notion.
"Well, then, may the best ruggedly handsome asshole win."
.................
Okay, so Jason may have gotten in over his head when he suggested this little
game. Tim's been blushing and getting embarrassed and shit a lot, and Jason
would be lying if he said that between that and the little ritual of banter and
pranks, that it didn't entice him even a little bit. The signals were always
subtle and mixed enough for reasonable doubt, but, thinking back, sometimes
Jason could swear Tim was flirting with him. Or at least attracted to him. That
may be conceit talking, but the way Tim always lingered just close enough not
to touch when they walked the halls together, or had taken to sitting right
beside him in their shared 3rd period class... and then there was catching the
flash of Tim's eyes on him during tutoring, the lingering touch of Tim's hand
against his during the parking lot incident earlier, and now he'd made Tim
sputter with a mild sex joke. He knew for a fact that Tim and Steph got way
raunchier with their humor on a daily basis, so what made Tim flush so pretty
like that while they were still in Blondie's driveway? 
Yeah, so provoking Tim into the world's most obvious game of pining, sexual
interest was either the bravest, or single most stupid thing he'd ever done. He
was being awfully ballsy, considering that Tim's big, beefy boyfriend would
come running to beat his ass if he asked the wrong question or made one wrong
move. (Not that Jason would run from a brawl with the entitled football star,
he wasn't a bitch; still, it was probably better to avoid a fight if he could.
He didn't want to risk his scholarship, after all.) But Tim, cheeky, subtle,
alluring little Tim, and his soft blush and defiant attitude was enough to
ensnare Jason's interest anyway, so here they were. He had to know.
"What exactly is your sexuality?" Tim asked the first question. Definitely not
a subtle start, Jason remarked with private appreciation towards Tim's firmly
squared jaw. But then, he did intentionally ruffle the boy's feathers with that
earlier threat, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that Tim would start off
bold. When Jason didn't answer right away (he was surprised, okay?), there was
that flush of pink across Tim's pale cheeks again as he stared intently at the
road. "You've been pretty aloof about it, okay? You're hard to read," he
offered quickly in a nervous explanation that Jason didn't ask for. It did made
him smirk proudly in amusement, though.
"Bisexual," Jason answered easily enough, resting his elbow on the window and
perching his cheek against his knuckles. He never took his eyes off Tim though,
and the boy simply nodded quietly, careful poker face giving nothing else away.
Damn. "Since we're on the subject of sexualities, how long have you been out of
the closet?" 
"Officially, I came out to the public about four months ago with Kon. But most
people told me they'd already thought I was gay, anyway," Tim rolled his eyes
as Gotham Bridge began to loom up in front of them, jutting out over
the expanse of the river that would lead them closer towards the highway. Jason
grunted at the information thoughtfully.
"And what's the big guy's sexuality, is he strictly into dicks, or does he play
for both teams?" The question was out before Jason had a mind to stop it, and
Tim, to his surprise, didn't take offense.
"He's bisexual, too. He was dating one of the cheerleaders before he and I-
wait," Tim cut himself off with a scandalized gasp. Jason (despite the
disappointment at not hearing the rest of that little story) broke into a wide,
toothy grin when Tim's eyes narrowed into a scold. "It's not your question
anymore, you cheater, you got two," he complained.
"Shoulda been payin' attention, Princess," Jason snickered unapologetically.
Tim stuck his tongue out indignantly, and for a split second, Jason had the
burning impulse to bite it. 
Jesus. Getting a little carried away, wasn't he?
"Alright, fine. Do you prefer pitching or catching?" Blue eyes were oddly fiery
as they flicked toward Jason. Awe, he mused; the kid thought he'd thrown Jason
for a loop. Cute. But Jason wasn't shy, and if he wanted to get personal about
sex, then two could play at that.
"Either. I'm not picky, usually I let whoever I'm with decide," Jason's answer
was smooth and immediate with a shrug for good measure. "It gets really fun
though, when its both at the same time," Jason added ingeniously after a burst
of sudden inspiration. Like he'd expected, Tim turned a brilliant shade of
pink. They'd just entered the bridge now, and shadows from the steel beams of
it began to flicker across Tim's comical expression.
"Threesomes, huh? How many of those have you had?" Tim muttered, and Jason
couldn't quite tell if it was awe or entertainment in his voice. Maybe a little
of both.
"Nuh uh, I already answered your question, it's my turn," Jason jerked his
thumb towards himself emphatically, and Tim pouted from the driver seat. God,
that lower lip looked irresistible jutting out like that. Almost made him want
to give in and admit that technically, there'd only been the one. Jason had
made a pretty penny from that experience, too, as he recalled. But Tim didn't
technically need to know that part yet. "Same question; top or bottom?"
The younger boy shifted suddenly in his seat and Jason noticed his nervous
fingers tapping against the steering wheel. He frowned slightly, and when Tim
audibly swallowed, it confirmed the answer before ever being admitted.
"I dunno," Tim's voice was quiet. Jason suddenly sobered, straightening up off
the door and towards Tim instead.
"You've never had sex?" Jason blinked, a mix of surprise and...well,
awe, sobering in his chest. Tim shrugged, keeping his eyes studiously on the
road (they'd entered the highway, now) and flexing his jaw to prevent it from
twisting into a cringe.
"Hey, that's-" Jason raised his hands supportively before Tim shook his head to
cut him off.
"I know," he interjected quickly, using one hand to brush the hair out of his
eyes. "I'm...I'm not ashamed," he explained firmly, tilting his chin just
enough to glance at Jason, who nodded in understanding.
"You shouldn't be." Honestly, he was starting to feel ashamed himself for
putting Tim in this position. The kid didn't have to explain himself, really.
In fact, Jason had just opened his mouth to tell him so when Tim continued,
sounding strained at first, but growing even more genuine and staring down
softly.
"It's not like I'm waiting til marriage or anything, it's just-... I dunno, I
always had this idea that when I did have sex for the first time, I'd make it
really special and romantic. Not like, spur of the moment, backseat of the car
kind of action, but-." There was a blush creeping up Tim's neck again, covering
his cheeks, and Jason felt his own skin heat up in response. This admission
felt...intimately personal, and Jason just...never expected it to get this far.
Maybe he should interrupt, relieve Tim of whatever kind of obligation he was
feeling to tell him, because it really wasn't-
"I know it sounds stupid," Tim smiled sheepishly now, not quite able to look
Jason in the eyes. "But I always pictured taking him to a place set up just for
us. Candle lit dinner, some smuggled champagne in a nice hotel room-" Tim's
eyes twinkled at the joke, and Jason leaned forward in a daze, letting himself
visualize what Tim spoke. He could imagine it, Tim's skin in the flicker of the
flames, flushed with the champagne they weren't legally able to drink yet. And
maybe a little with want.
"-take a swim in the hot tub, or maybe fool around in a bubble bath," Tim went
on, and it was Jason's turn to swallow, because woah. Tim's flushed, naked skin
under the hot water and suds? Shivering as he was touched, caressed even, and
covered in wet kisses around his neck and down his-
This was getting-... Tim had thought about this a lot. It was making Jason's
heart pound so hard, he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. And Jason
wasn't the virgin here, why was this affecting him so much? Jason could feel
that his lips had parted, and he snapped them closed quickly before Tim could
see.
"Wow. The only thing missing in that little fantasy would be rose petals and
chocolate covered strawberries," Jason joked weakly, dispelling the enchantment
with a flood of cool relief as Tim giggled in embarrassment. "Still, that guy's
gonna be one lucky bastard," Jason whistled, slumping down back against the
seat and watching idly as a gray SUV passed them by.
"And here I thought I was supposed to be the lucky one in that scenario," Tim
hummed, amused. Jason smirked.
"Fair enough," Jason admitted before a pensive silence fell between them. Not
uncomfortable, mind, just...amicable. Mostly just using the time to recover
from such sudden, unexpected intimacy. He was touched, baffled, and admittedly
more than a little turned on. Tim didn't just drop a bomb on him, he gave him
an all out exclusive on some of his most private thoughts. And Jason had not
only allowed himself to get drawn into the fantasy, but he'd pictured
himself there. With Tim. Touching him and pressing kisses against tender skin
in a way that wasn't just quick and carnal, lust fueled and motivated by cash.
It was...romance, or at least a picture of it, that Jason had never
experienced, and it made his chest feel a little warm.
Maybe Tim was onto something, planning the whole special experience thing. Deep
down, Jason knew he'd never be the one to give Tim that. He knew it was Conner
fucking Kent, and he recognized the bubble of jealousy that appeared before
violently beating it back. Tim deserved that kind of romance, he decided,
letting himself steal a glance at the boy's placid features. His blue eyes were
soft and staring at the road, lost in thought. A thumb tapped absently against
the steering wheel, and Jason wondered if it was even a conscious gesture, or
something unconscious, absent minded. Tim was probably still lost in that
little world of romance and intimacy. Yeah, Jason definitely hoped Tim would
get to feel that, and bring that world to life. Maybe one day, far in the
future probably, just maybe, Jason might get to experience it, too.
"So," Jason voiced, daring to break the silence at last. "I think it was your
turn, Casanova." Tim beamed at him, and it made Jason's heart flip.
......................
The game continued, but they kept the questions relatively safe compared to
before. 
God. Tim was still reeling at himself for babbling on and on about... about how
he wanted to make love. He couldn't just leave it at "I'm a virgin, so sue me"?
He'd been intrigued (a little too much so) at the sexual experiences Jason had
just casually mentioned that Tim could only imagine in his hottest, wildest
fantasies, that he'd become a little intimidated. Seriously, picturing Jason
getting fucked by a faceless, attractive somebody and pressing into someone
else, equally as attractive, at the same time? He may have even pictured
himself writhing underneath Jason's touch at one point, or caressing his back
from behind. And...because of that, he may have almost popped a stiffy. Oh god
that would have been mortifying if Jason noticed. So yeah, he may have gotten
shy and wanted to impress the far more experienced Jason after that, or at
least make him understand the appeal Tim was going for by waiting.
The older boy had listened and even smiled (maybe even blushed again? Tim must
have imagined it), so it gave Tim the encouragement he needed. Still, once the
game had resumed, they stuck to the tamer side of things, even after they'd
arrived to Bludhaven and settled into a table at a fast food joint. Neither of
them had used a pass yet, at least.
"Name somewhere you've always wanted to travel," Tim quipped, and Jason hummed
in thought for a moment before answering.
"Everywhere," he'd answered, tugging into a mysterious smile as he bit into his
burrito.
"Come on, that's not a real answer," Tim whined, and Jason swallowed, chuckling
back deep and rich from his throat.
"I've never really ...been outside Gotham," Jason finally explained, to Tim's
shock. Never? That meant... was this was his first time? "If I could travel,
I'd go see the whole world." Tim didn't swoon at that. He didn't, damn it.
"I know you must have traveled though," Jason continued earnestly, and of
course, that was a correct assumption. "So what's your favorite place besides
Gotham?"
"Actually," Tim huffed sheepishly. "Gotham is my favorite place. I mean, India
and Costa Rica were nice and all," Tim rushed when Jason blanched in surprise,
letting a piece of lettuce accidentally drop from his lips. "But my parents
literally travel for a living; they're archaeologists. They do exotic digs and
tour the world giving speeches about their findings. But... they always stay
out for months at a time, and it always made me homesick, so... eventually,
they just started going without me," Tim muttered, staring down at his
quesadilla and wondering if he'd just talked himself out of his appetite.
"They...what?" Jason repeated, gaping in disbelief. He'd had his drink in hand
halfway towards his lips before pausing, and between that and the bugged out
eyes, it was a pretty comical sight. A giggle escaped Tim before he could
suppress it, and Jason blinked, returning to himself and setting his drink back
down with a scoff of laughter.
"Sorry, I just... your parents really leave you by yourself for months?" Jason
winced, and Tim rolled his eyes, ignoring the pang of discomfort in favor of
adopting his usual blase regarding the topic.
"Not alone, alone," Tim rephrased, shrugging indifferently. "I have a
housekeeper, and Steph and Kon come over pretty regularly. I prefer it this
way, I have a life here, I have my friends, my boyfriend, my school... my
favorite diner," the serious expression on Jason's face twitched begrudgingly.
"And look, now I have you, too," Tim added smoothly, and this time, Jason
succumbed to the smile. 
"It's still shitty," Jason muttered finally, swigging a drink of soda.
"I don't disagree," Tim replied mildly, flicking his eyes down to the checkered
table cloth dispassionately. "But trust me, I'm a big boy, I do well enough,"
he assured gently. Maybe more to himself than to Jason; he didn't exactly
mention the lonely birthdays and Christmases, or the Mother and Father's days
that his parents spent jet lagged, passed out in their bedroom, never
acknowledging the hand made cards or letting the home made breakfast in bed go
cold. He'd come to terms with the quiet house he lived in, and made a point to
either have at least Stephanie over at all times, or just not be home. That was
maybe a bit much to lay on Jason's feet right now, though, so... yeah.
"What about you, what do your parents do?" Tim changed the subject quickly with
his turn. Jason grunted hesitantly, and Tim frowned. Maybe family... wasn't a
good topic for either of them.
"Mom's a stripper," he began blatantly, deadpanned as Tim tried (and failed) to
hide his sudden shock. "Don't worry, it's fine, you can gawk," he waved
dismissively, and Tim winced in guilt. "I'm not one to sugar coat it, and
neither is she. She dances at a nightclub; it's not super glorious, or
anything, but it's safer than the street and helps pay the bills. As for dear
old dad," an sarcastic sneer graced Jason's lips that made Tim's stomach lurch.
"He's currently spending his days in Blackgate Penitentiary for selling heroin
a while back. I haven't seen him in almost eight years," Jason shrugged.
"Christ," Tim cursed in awe. Had Jason really been through so much? What else
must he have seen in his young life if he's already so desensitized about drugs
and strip clubs?  "I'm sorry."
"Please don't be," Jason's lips twisted suddenly, and Tim blinked. "I've had
enough pity to last a life time. Pity doesn't change what happened or put food
on the table. Plus, it's shit for my pride," Jason joked lightly, and Tim
managed a tight smile.
"Is that why you got a job at the diner? To help pay bills?" Jason stilled
suddenly, and bit into a cringe, deciding how to answer.
"More or less," Jason admitted reluctantly, fidgeting uncertainly with the edge
of his napkin. "It's...mostly to get away from my last job." Tim knitted his
brows together in concern, twitching and burning to ask the obvious question.
Jason's eyes were like x-rays, and of course he saw the conflict before Tim
even said anything. He sighed.
"Look...you already know I was a delinquent, right?" Jason began, chewing his
cheek and resting his chin on his hand with a soft thunk.
"Jay, you don't have to-"
"I know," Jason interrupted quickly. "But you opened up to me, so...it's only
fair.  Let me get through this before I lose my nerve, okay?" his voice
cracked, and Tim nodded soberly. Jason steadied himself with a deep breath.
"I told you I used to steal cars and commit petty theft and all that shit,
right? Well...that's not... the only crime on my record. Not the one that paid
the bills," Jason swallowed. Tim winced as a sinking feeling dropped into his
gut. "When you're desperate for something to eat, you'll do just about
anything. In my case, I started... sleeping with people for money."
Tim froze in shock, and it was only due to years of practice that he kept his
face completely expressionless. Jason, at the very least, seemed relieved when
Tim didn't immediately gasp. It did take a minute, however, for Tim's fractured
mind to process the information and be able to breathe again.
"Jesus. Are you... okay?" Was the only thing he could think to ask, and Jason
seemed surprised, almost pleasantly so as a soft, sad smile graced his lips.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I made sure to stay safe...contraceptives, monthly checks at
the clinic. All that fun stuff," Jason murmured, lashes falling as he stared
down at the table. Tim's heart ached in his chest, and he wanted to badly to
reach out and touch Jason, to provide some form of comfort, so he did. He
stretched his arm out, catching Jason's wrist and squeezing gently. Jason's
eyes flicked back up, and teal seas were drowning him in an unreadable
expression. But he didn't pull away.
"You...might just be the strongest person I've ever met," Tim admitted,
surprising himself as much as the teenager in front of him. Jason's face
pinkened  curiously, and he made a strange noise before clearing his throat and
finally removing his hand from Tim's touch.
"I just told you I used to be a prostitute, and that makes me strong?" Jason
puzzled in exasperation. Tim shook his head with a huff and chuckled out loud.
Jason arched a challenging brow at him now, wondering what the hell he was
probably thinking.
"You're a survivor," Tim sucked against his teeth for a moment, trying to
explain his own strange logic. "You've made some mistakes, granted. That aside,
look where you're at," Tim insisted with reverence. Jason glanced pointedly
down at his half eaten fast food burrito and quirked an amused brow.
"You know what I mean, you smart ass," Tim rolled his eyes, making Jason erupt
into a smirk. "Seriously, you told me yourself you busted your ass to get into
Gotham Academy. Now you've got an actual job where you're safe, and despite
having to help provide for yourself and your mom- which, by the way, no kid
should everhave to do- you've kicked all kinds of ass, and it can only get
better from here at the rate you're going, right? You're amazing, Jason," Tim's
voice fell hushed in earnest awe. Jason blinked in shock for a moment, before
grinning shyly and looking...touched
"You're embarrassing me, kid," Jason flushed after a moment, shaking his head
but unable to hide a small grin.
"Good, it's healthy for you once in a while," Tim jibed playfully, before the
two of them laughed at each other.
"Thank you for telling me," Tim added quietly once their chuckling died down.
"Seriously...I know that must have been hard. Thank you for trusting me." Jason
nodded once and worried his bottom lip between his teeth.
"We were supposed to get to know each other, right?" he shot back coyly.
"Just...keep that between us, okay? I've never...told anyone else," Jason
swallowed nervously, and Tim gave him a smiling, reassuring nod.
"I promise. Just as long as you promise me that you're okay...that you won't
need to go back to that anytime soon," Tim pleaded softly, and Jason grimaced.
For another moment again, Tim didn't think that Jason would answer; in fact, he
almost seemed agitated at the words, but then he shrugged his shoulders in
consent.
"I told you, I'm okay. It really shouldn't get back to that point, but... if it
ever does, then yeah, I'll tell you. Just don't think of me as some kind of
charity case, okay?" Jason warned sharply, and Tim frowned, recoiling
indignantly.
"I don't," Tim defended, voice one pitch higher than normal. "I was thinking of
you as my friend, jack ass." Jason's eyes softened, and he opened his mouth to
say something, but when nothing came out, he closed it again.
"I made Jason Todd speechless?" Tim teased, gasping and bring a hand up over
his mouth. Jason rolled his eyes, his whole head in fact, and stuck his tongue
out.
"Yeah, yeah, take the win while you can, Princess," Jay chuckled, and Tim
winked playfully at him. "You about ready to go? The movie starts in 20
minutes, and Crista will skin us alive if we're late." Tim frowned at his own
half eaten quesadilla and shrugged, picking it up and scarfing half of it in
one bite.
"Yeah, 'm ready," he mumbled over a full mouth, and Jason stared, perplexed,
before shaking his head in clear amusement. He surprised Tim too, by mirroring
Tim's actions and inhaling the rest of his own burrito. Tim giggled roughly
past the bite, and on an impulse, fished out his phone and clicked on the
camera icon as fast as he could.
"Say cheeeeese," Tim giggled messily, stretching the phone out for a selfie of
them. Jason grinned as obnoxiously as he could with a mouth full of food and
grunted noisily as the camera clicked. They looked absolutely ridiculous in the
photo, and Tim immediately saved and sent it to Stephanie with no caption,
wondering what she'd make out of that. The thought made him grin, and hell, why
not? He proudly made the image his wallpaper, too.
Fucking goofs, Stephanie shot back seconds later, and Tim showed it to Jason.
"Tell her she's just jealous," Jason taunted as they threw their trash away and
headed for the exit.
"Already done," Tim's gleamed happily.
...............
Jason, despite revealing one of the biggest secrets in his life, was floating
by the time they reached the theater. Like, the weight of a thousand worlds was
lifted, that's how light Jason felt. And Tim... Tim, he'd been so kind
and...compassionate to a startling degree, and Jason never would have expected
that. Tim cared for him...told him he was strong, and called him amazing. None
of that was true, of course, but Jason was so moved by Tim's affection (when
all he'd expected was pitied shock, and disgust), it had almost brought him to
tears. And he hadn't cried in a long time.
It made him feel closer to Tim than he'd felt to anyone in a long time. It
was terrifying... it was exhilarating. And Jason couldn't help but notice that
when Tim walked beside him now, he swayed closer than before, arms brushing
against each other, or elbows jostling by accident, but neither seemed to mind
at all. Jason was elated.
Crista and her girlfriend, Lauren, greeted them at the box office and they
quickly purchased tickets for some rom com that Jason wasn't particularly
interested in, but Tim perked up enough at it that Jason went along with it.
Two sodas and one large popcorn to share later, the four of them had taken
their seats and the movie started up with a cheesy song blaring in overture.
Jason was only half paying attention, because Tim had shifted and leaned his
weight against Jason's shoulder, effectively distracting him, because fuck, it
was so hard to resist wrapping that arm around Tim's slim shoulders, moving him
closer.
Keep it together, Todd.
Despite the butterflies wreaking havoc on his insides, eventually, he was able
to relax enough to tune partway back to the plot. It wasn't horrible, actually,
but it was pretty by-the-books; Ms. Cares-Too-Much-About-Her-Job has to pretend
to be in a relationship with Mr. Just-Trying-To-Get-By in order to get a green
card, or something, and ends up accidentally engaged at the family's bequest.
Exasperation turns to pining, pining turns to shenanigans, and shenanigans
turns into-
Oh.
He wasn't expecting a sex scene.
After a particularly embarrassing episode where the couple ends up stranded in
the rain in a broken down car (oh, the cliche), they end up bickering at each
other on the side of the road, stepping closer and closer, until the tension
snaps, and they're crushing their lips together in pure, unadulterated need.
Tim (who'd been resting his head against Jason's arm, now), tensed up, and
Jason could hear him gulp when the guy pushed the woman up against the car and
lifted her up and around his waist. The scene cut to back inside the car, in
the backseat now as the lovers moaned against each other's necks and tore off
their shirts one by one.
Jason tried, he really tried not to imagine the backseat of Tim's car, and the
kind of gasps and pants that might come out of Tim's mouth if Jason got to kiss
him like that. He stole a quick side glance at Tim's expression, and the boy
was transfixed on the screen, watching with slightly parted lips as the two
began to tastefully roll their hips together, clutching and caressing every
line and curve of each other as a soundtrack of music and rain overplayed above
their sounds.
In Jason's experience, sex in the back of a car had always been rough, cramped,
and quick, but the way these two made it look was absolutely sensual. The scene
didn't last too long, but it took a good five minutes before he finally felt
Tim relax again, only this time he'd shied away. They're arms still brushed up
against each other, of course, but Tim didn't nuzzle back to rest against
Jason's shoulder. He tried not to be disappointed. He really did.
After they got through the inevitable break up, the couple was about to go
their separate ways for good before the guy professed his love for the woman,
seconds before she got into the airport shuttle. They kissed, and she was
crying a lot, but when it cut to their wedding as the credits started to roll,
Jason smirked in approval before he could stop himself.
Tim wiped at his eyes conspicuously, and Jason consoled him with a lucrative
pat on his back as the lights started to come back on. 
Crista had cried too, apparently, but Lauren seemed about as emotionally
attached to the film as Jason was. They exchanged brief, knowing looks as
Crista and Tim jabbered about how absolutely perfect the movie was.
"They were so cute, I was gonna be really upset if he let her drive away,"
Crista sniffled, wiping underneath her watery eyes. Her girlfriend wrapped her
in a reassuring embrace and kissed her cheek.
"I know," Tim agreed passionately. "I mean, I know she was engaged to the other
guy and all, but damn it, they were obviously perfect for each other, how could
they not see that?!" he mused, and Jason snorted. Three pairs of eyes turned
towards him, and Jason raised his palms up defensively.
"Oh, come on, there was no way for a second anyone thought they wouldn't end up
together, it was so obvious," Jason reasoned. Tim and Crista both jabbered at
him for that one, and he just shook his head as they trailed back into the
lobby.
"Thanks for coming out, Jay. Even if you are a cynic at heart," Crista teased,
squeezing her arms around his shoulders in a hug.
"No problem. We should do it again, sometime," Jason replied easily. Crista
smiled and nodded.
"It was good seeing you again, too, Tim! You should stop by the diner more and
visit me and your boyfriend," she winked, making both boys freeze in their
tracks. Jason shot her a glare, which she giddily ignored, and Tim was blushing
a rosy pink across his entire face.
"Crista-" Jason scowled, before the girl grabbed Lauren by her waist and
started dragging her away towards the door.
"Bye, boys," his coworker singsonged at them with a wink. "I'm taking my lady
home for some private time, you two should do the same!"
"Crista!" Jason barked, but she had already whisked out the doors, leaving them
alone by the concession counter. Jason grunted in frustration before turning
back toward Tim.
"Sorry, I swear I told her not to do that," he sighed. A timid smile turned up
at him, and Tim shrugged.
"It's fine."
"She's still a shit, but whatever. Come on, then, I guess," Jason urged,
jerking his head towards the parking lot. "The snow's already started to fall,
we should probably get home."
And snow, it had. Not very much yet, but there was at least a good inch already
piled up after the hour and a half spent in the theater, and it was still
coming down pretty hard.
"Fuck," Tim shivered against the chill when they exited, snatching his keys
quickly and making Red Bird chirp her position out to them.
"You know, in hindsight... Why didn't you park a little closer?" Jason
chuckled, each breath visibly whisking through the cold air as they shuffled
towards the car. They wasted no time clamoring inside.
"Oh, bite me, Jay," Tim smirked as he fumbled the keys into the ignition. The
car purred to life immediately, and Tim cranked the heat up as high as it would
go.
"It'll warm up in a minute," he promised before using the windshield wipers to
clear the snow away from the glass so he could see. Jason was shivering himself
after a minute, and at that point, Tim's teeth were chattering beside him. A
thought crossed his mind momentarily before he laughed at himself and shook it
away.
"W-what?" Tim quirked up, and Jason grinned.
"I'd offer you my jacket, but I still haven't gotten the last one back," Jason
explained humorously. Tim grinned himself now, albeit a bit sheepishly.
"S-sorry, I should get that back to y-you," he shivered, putting his hands in
front of the vent and sighing in relief when the air finally blew warm.
"It's no big deal, dude, no rush," Jason shrugged, nearly groaning when as the
warmth started to hit his skin. Truthfully, it kind of gave him a private
satisfaction that Tim hadn't returned it yet. It made him think that, just
maybe, Tim wanted to keep that part of him, and that maybe he wrapped himself
up in it or something late at night. Which was ridiculous, but still.
There was comfortable silence now as Tim started driving, and Jason relaxed
into the seat as white powdered roads trailed past their windows. He noticed
Tim was driving slower than normal, which was probably a good thing in this
weather. That also meant the drive would be slightly longer. Maybe closer to an
hour rather than 45 minutes. Jason found that he didn't mind that in the least.
Neither of them spoke until after Tim was back on the highway, while Jason was
watching the snow blanketed trees zip past.
"You think of any more questions?" a soft voice, Tim's obviously, called out.
Jason turned towards him and blinked stupidly. "I think it was your turn,
right?"
Oh! Jason smiled warmly, despite not catching on as quickly as he should have,
and hummed in thought. He hadn't been thinking at all, to be honest, but if Tim
was open to more questions, then he'd happily find some to ask.
"Right, yeah.... what'd you think of the movie? Really?" he inquired. That was
simple enough to start with.
"I liked it," Tim smiled, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.
"You're right, it was a bit cheesy, but-" and Jason piqued up when Tim snuck a
shy look at him, "-it had its moments."
"Like what?" Jason leaned in with a murmur. Tim suddenly grinned and shook his
head mischievously.
"My turn," he reminded with a cluck of his tongue. Jason rolled his eyes, but
nodded anyway.
"Shoot."
"Have you ever had sex in a car?" Jason jerked in surprise, and he could see
Tim biting back an embarrassed laugh. That movie had effected Tim more than he
originally thought.
"Well yeah, obviously," Jason replied, dumbfounded. He'd literally done it for
a living, after all. "...Why?"
"Is that you question?" Tim murmured quietly, fingers tightening bashfully
around the wheel. Jason considered for a moment, curious about this new
shyness, and decided that yeah, he'd love to know what was ruffling Timmy's
feathers.
"Sure."
"Pass," Tim smirked, and Jason dropped his jaw in a disappointed groan. That is
so not the question he wanted to win an hour of drive time for.
"Awe," he whined, crossing his arms.
"Are you pouting?" Tim turned toward him with an amused quirk of his brows.
"Is that your question?" Jason mimicked, sticking his tongue out like the sore
loser he was.
"Oh, you baby," Tim snorted, turning back to the road. "No. My question-" his
face fell into a grimace of hesitation. Jason tilted his head in worry. "How...
how many people have you slept with?" For a moment, just out of spite, Jason
considered passing. Hell, he almost passed due to sheer shame, too. He felt it
like a thick, heavy weight sinking in his chest.
"You seriously asked that?" he snorted quietly. And why the hell would that
matter anyway? he asked himself with a silent curse. He wasn't trying to
impress Tim, this was just a game of honesty after all.
"That's not how the game works," Tim reminded him, as if reading his damn mind.
Jason chuffed a soft laugh and sighed in surrender as he counted back in his
head.
"Fifteen," he stated simply once he'd finished the tally.
"Oh," Tim blinked, voice two pitches higher than Jason expected.
"You seem shocked," Jason rested his elbow on the center console and frowned.
"More than you were counting on?"
"Less," Tim admitted with a dark blush, and Jason made a face.
"Less?" he scoffed in disbelief. And maybe a bit of indignation. He may have
been a prostitute, but jesus, he wasn't that easy. "I had a lot of regulars, I
didn't just screw anybody who offered me a 50. I have standards," he explained
sourly.
"Sorry," Tim practically whimpered the apology, and Jason could feel the anger
in his chest falter. Tim didn't know any better, why was he getting all ruffled
up for? Shit. Jason sighed and let himself soften, and he could feel Tim relax
in relief.
"So you charged 50 for a fuck?" Tim suddenly smirked, and Jason had to choke
back a startled laugh. Jesus, the kid was perceptive.
"Oh, no, no," Jason chuckled darkly with an emphatic shake of his head. "I said
they offered me 50. I charged more than twice that." Tim's eyes bulged out and
he choked. Jason rolled his own eyes at the boy.
"And people actually pay that much for sex?" Tim coughed out weakly once he'd
gained a hold of himself again.
"If you find the right clientele," Jason muttered bemused now, quickly growing
bored of the topic. Don't get him wrong, he understood Tim's curiosity, it was
just... this was something he never really had to talk about out loud, and it
was....weird. "That was two questions, by the way. Three if we're getting
technical," Jason pointed out, and Tim chuckled apologetically with a shrug.
"Sorry. Your turn, then."
"What's the dirtiest thing you've ever done?" Jason shot out challengingly, and
Tim flashed him a mysterious little smile.
"I sucked Kon's cock at half time under the stands once." Fuck. Jason's mouth
dried and he had to force himself to swallow as Tim smirked triumphantly.
Jason did ask for that little image, after all. And now that Jason had actually
gone to a game and saw how very open and public that was, it made Jason realize
Tim was probably kinkier than he gave him credit for. So much for vanilla
romance, huh?
"An exhibitionist. Kinky," Jason chuckled, and Tim winked. Yeah. Jesus.
"What age did you lose your virginity?" Tim's next question hit him like rapid
fire. God damn it with his stupid, bolder and bolder questions.
"You sure you wanna know the answer to that?" Jason tutted, and Tim frowned.
"As afraid now...as I am to say yes, you can always pass?" Tim worded
carefully, and Jason actually laughed in disdain. If that was why Tim was
pressing so hard about this, then fuck him. He wasn't scared.
"And give up one of my last three cigarettes? Not a chance, you asked for it. I
was 13," Jason answered gruffly, and this time, Tim gasped. Yeah, yeah, gawk it
up.
"W-...wow," he voiced, exercising his expression carefully. Jason appreciated
the effort, but Tim was the one who asked when he probably should have known
better. His paid sexcapades weren't exactly a great topic to begin with, and
the fact that he'd been so young when it started? Not his proudest
accomplishment. He wished Tim would just drop it at this point.
"How big is meat head's cock?" Jason retorted his question quickly, if only to
distract the boy from dwelling on the last one too hard.
"You mean Kon?" Tim scoffed defensively, and Jason rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, yeah." Suddenly Tim turned pink again, and Jason's lip curled of its
own accord. Oh boy, this should be good. Was it enormous and monstrously,
disproportionately huge just like the rest of him? Or was it just a shrivelled
little thing, and the muscles were something he was trying to compensate for
it?
"Pass," Tim muttered meakly, and Jason cursed.
"Wimp," Jason accused as Tim sucked on his cheek with embarrassment. That was
two hours with Red Bird, at least.
"Bite me," Tim snapped back. "How big is your cock?" he challenged, and
suddenly Jason split into a wicked grin.
"You really wanna find out?" Jason glimmered darkly, edging his hand slowly and
obviously towards his fly in a blatant challenge. Tim squeaked loudly
in shock before jerking away, and then-
And then that's when everything went to shit.
Tim had jerked so hard that the car swerved to the side. The boy shouted in
alarm and tried to fix it, but ended up over correcting and screeching into a
full blown skid. As if that weren't enough, there was a nasty patch of ice that
Tim couldn't avoid, and the second the out of control car hit it, they were
spinning out.
Jason's whole body was clenched in silent panic, gripping the handle above for
safety and Tim- oh god, the poor teen was screaming in terror and slamming
frantically on the brakes.
For a single, heart stopping second, the car almost flipped. Jason closed his
eyes shut tight, but then just as suddenly, Red Bird squealed to a noisy stop
on the far side of the road, causing both boys to slam back forcefully against
their seats. The car shuddered, engine coughing pathetically for a second, then
all at once, Jason and Tim were left breathless and silent when it finally gave
out.
"Shit," Jason wheezed, finally gasping for air a second later. He whipped his
eyes over towards the younger teen, who was still clenched and frozen in the
driver seat. Sky blue eyes were vacant, and he didn't respond when Jason called
out to him, but he seemed otherwise unharmed.
"Tim? Tim, come on, talk to me," Jason panicked, unbuckling his seat belt and
scooting closer to grab Tim by the shoulder.
"Come on, man, breathe. Don't make me slap you," he warned, but it was more of
a desperate plea than anything. Finally, Tim blinked once and forced himself to
let go of the steering wheel. Jason sighed in relief.
"Thank fuck. Are you okay?" Jason furrowed his brows in worry, tilting Tim's
chin up and trying to get him to look at him. When Tim finally did meet Jason's
eyes, they stared up, lost for a moment, before starting to water up.
Uh oh.
He felt Tim start to tremble, and the only warning he got before Tim started
choking up was a sudden rush of limbs falling against him and clutching against
his chest.
"Jay," Tim cried out with a gasp before dissolving into uncontrollable sobs.
Fuck.
.............................
 
***** Into The Deep End *****
Chapter Summary
     It's a (Not So) Platonic Date, Part 2
Chapter Notes
     Holy double update, Batman! It's fluffy hurt-comfort time, I hope
     you're prepared. This chapter's a lot shorter than the last one,
     because I gave up on trying to condense the date into one chapter,
     it's just...too much okay? Two dozen god damn rewrites trying make it
     perfect and I just. *Cries* This is why it took so long, btw.
     Anyway, I was going to make ch.11 another 10k monster, but I decided
     that since it had a good stopping point anyway, I'm going to split
     the last part of the date into easier, bite sized chunks and just
     wrap it up in ch.12 so the boys can move on to the next phase. I'll
     have it posted soon, I promise!
     Let me hear from you guys in the comments, I love hearing your
     opinions and any advice or head canons you have for me. And fan art
     is always welcome and appreciated *hint hint, wink wink, silent
     begging* 8''')
"Tim, I'm sorry."
"I'm so, so sorry."
It was a while before Tim was able to calm down enough to recognize that Jason
was talking to him.
He remembered playing that stupid game, provoking Jason (because he was trying
to even the score, okay, damn it) and then he'd taken it too far. He recalled
jerking in surprise, then losing control of the wheel- but god, everything was
a blur of motion and terror after that. If he tried to relive it, it would just
bring another strangled wail to his lips, and make his chest constrict so
tightly that he couldn't breathe.
"God, Tim, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry," Jason's voice cracked softly in
his ear.
No... No, it wasn't. Tim was prying. Tim had pissed Jason off, riled him up...
He could tell Jason was upset before, why didn't he just stop while he was
ahead?
Another sob choked up in his throat, and he felt Jason's hand stroke soothingly
down his back...again, and again. He must have been dong it for a while, Tim
noticed, sniffling and clutching miserably against something warm and soft.
He opened his eyes; he was curled tightly against Jason's chest, wrapped up
inside Jason's arms even. The soft material was Jason's sweater against his
cheek, and- and god, it was soaked all over the front with tears, and probably
horribly stretched where his fingers had gripped so tightly.
"I'm sorry, Tim," Jason whispered again, and Tim could feel the soft tickle of
his lips against the top of his head, and the warmth of his breath through his
hair as he spoke.
"Jay," Tim hiccuped, trembling and curling tighter against the bulk of his
chest. Jason snapped his gaze down instantly, before exhaling heavily in
relief.
"Hey, Princess," his voice wavered gently, and it made Tim's throat clench. Tim
felt gentle fingers carding through his hair to sooth him, and he closed his
eyes against the touch. "You back with me?" Tim nodded, shivering as he curled
closer to Jason's warm chest.
"I-" Tim's throat was raw and painfully dry, which is probably why his voice
cracked as pathetically as it did. "I don't... " Tim's eyes started to water
again before he blinked it back stubbornly. "We're not dead are we?" A beat of
silence passed between them before he could feel Jason's chest shake with soft
laughter.
"No. Still alive and kicking for now," Jason confirmed patiently, holding back
an understated chuckle. "We just spun out pretty badly, that's all."
"That's all?" Tim choked on his own disbelief. All that terror, all that
panic... he wanted to be angry at how stupidly simple and harmless it was
compared to the panic attack that had followed. It could have been worse, so
much worse.
"To be fair, it was still pretty scary," Jason seemed to respond to his very
thoughts. Understatement, if Tim every heard one. "You've probably never had
the car lose control before, huh?" Tim whimpered as the unpleasant memory
resurfaced, and he could feel the cold panic start to claw back up his throat.
"I'm sorry," Tim trembled, eyes hot as salt water filled his vision. "I'm
sorry, I shouldn't have lost control, I shouldn't have panicked, it's my fault-
" If anything had happened to Jason because of this, if they'd ended up
getting hurt, Tim wouldn't-...
He couldn't-...
And oh fuck, there was no telling what kind of damage could have been done to
Red Bird. Or what was already done. The tears streamed down again before he
could stop them, and he gasped desperately for breath.
"Shh," Jason hushed, letting Tim bury his face back against the soft material
of his sweater, trying to hide his shame.
"I'm sorry," he sniffled pathetically as his eyes burned with hot tears again.
He could feel rather than see Jason's head shake, and suddenly both Jason's
arms were wrapped comfortingly around his back. It was warm...and made him feel
safe like that. He didn't deserve it, but he leaned into the touch like he was
starved for it.
"Don't be," Jason mumbled. "I...shouldn't have made that fucking joke, anyway.
It was...really dumb." Tim sniffled again and frowned in confusion. Then he
remembered, that look on Jason's face, his hand inching toward his crotch. A
flare of heat burned across his cheeks, because yeah, that's definitely what
startled him.
"It was because of my question," his voice was muffled against Jason's sweater
now, as he hid his mortified expression away. "I was stupid to ask... stupid to
lose control like that-"
"Hey," Jason scolded, tapping gently against Tim's back to make him look back
up. Tim grimaced, but Jason's eyes weren't angry or scornful. They were
just...sad, it looked like. And a little tired underneath that frown. "So maybe
the whole thing could have been handled with a little more finesse. Can we
agree on that?" he chuckled, his breath wafting against Tim's cheek as a ghost
of his former humor returned. Tim forced a placating smile and nodded.
"Good, see? That's a start," Jason returned a strained smile, and the two of
them quickly fell silent again. Tim nuzzled miserably against Jason's form and
just...collapsed. Not physically, but his brain felt exhausted after working
overdrive through all that terror and shock and guilt.
"I should check on the car," Jason murmured gently into his ear, tensing his
muscles as if to get up. Tim whined, and clutched tightly at his sweater, and
Jason stilled uncertainly.
"You don't want me to go?" Jason mused, and his voice was almost playful again.
Tim shook his head quickly against his torso and sniffed.
"Please don't leave me." Funny...it didn't even sound like his own voice. But
he knew he said it. He just wanted to be still now, and not think. To not be
alone to torment himself anymore. To find something to ground his weary mind.
Jason settled back into their seat- the backseat, Tim noticed. Jason must have
managed to move them during his panic attack. But at least it gave them room to
stretch out together, since Tim wasn't releasing his hold on Jason. Tim needed
to feel him there, to ground him before his sanity floated away, never to
return.
"I'm here," he whispered, and Tim breathed a sigh of relief. Jason stayed, and
Tim was grateful.
For a long time after that, neither of them spoke. Neither of them wanted to
break the blanket of silence surrounding them, or rather shielding them from
the outside world. Here in Jason's arms, there was no panic, no judgement, and
no expectations; there was only warmth, safety, and unconditional support. Mrs.
Mac wasn't there to scold his carelessness or smother him incessantly despite
her helpful intentions to ease his anxiety; Steph wasn't there to chew him out
for curling up against Jason's chest, or trying to force her version of helpful
advice to maintain his image...his mask; and Kon wasn't there to numb the
problem or try and convince him he'd fix it for him like some kind of super
hero.
Tim messed up.
He might have severely damaged his car.
But Jason was still here, and he wasn't trying to tell Tim what to think, or
how to act. Neither was he trying to make the situation less than what it was.
Jason was just there; a silent pillar of support for Tim to hold onto to anchor
him and let him rest. Tim knew he'd also be there to help him figure this out
when Tim could find the strength to stand again, but for now, this was enough.
The steady thumping of Jason's heart against his cheek was enough. Rising and
falling against Jason's chest with every soft breath, surrounded by his
familiar, clean scent was enough. Jason's body was a lullaby, soothing and
sweet, and Tim nuzzled against him as if he could get any closer.
He could feel the air in the cabin start to get cold, and could see the
beginnings of tendrils spiraling from every breath. If they hadn't been sharing
body heat, Tim might have shivered, but as it was...
"Thank you," Tim murmured, breaking the long silence after a while. Jason
lifted his head up from where he'd propped it against the window and blinked
his eyes open sleepily. Tim smiled up apologetically; the older boy had been
dozing, and it made him look so...innocent and beautiful.
"F'r what?" he croaked sluggishly, lifting one of the arms draped around Tim's
shoulders to wipe the tiredness from his eyes. Tim shook his head fondly, and
instead of answering, simply giggled at the endearing image. Jason cocked an
eyebrow up suspiciously. "Somethin' funny, Tim?" he asked.
"It's nothing," Tim hummed softly, cuddling back into the sweater and tugging a
few loose threads absently. He could still feel the teen's curious, blue, x-ray
eyes on him, though, so Tim relented."You're just cute when you're sleepy, is
all." Jason's chest shook with a small snort, and Tim hid a flush by burying
his face in it.
"Only when I'm sleepy?" his eyes crinkled at his own joke, and Tim snorted.
"Someone's got a massive ego," he grinned, curling closer into Jason's chest.
And to his pleasure, there were Jason's arms again, wrapping around him.
"You seem to like it just fine," Jason retorted, stroking his fingers along
Tim's spine. Tim's chest fluttered at that, both from his words and his touch.
It occurred to him, in that second, that they were probably more intimate right
now than they should be, what with sprawling across each other, flirting and
touching like this. It...rather reminded him of the movie earlier, in a similar
scene set in the back of a car. God, Jason had been right there when the sex
scene came on; Tim had been burning alive during that scene, trying not to
squirm or give away that the scene was stirring heat into his belly when Jason
was perfectly content and still, sitting just inches away from him. That had
been a special kind of torture, Tim remembered, and he was beginning to feel
his insides warm and stir again, albeit for a slightly different reason.
"Maybe," Tim consented lightly as a faint blush heated his cheeks. Jason
paused, eyes widening with clear, interested surprise. "Then again, maybe I
just keep you around 'cause you're good looking."
"Ouch," Jason smirked down at him in amusement, fingers resuming their feather
light pathways down Tim's back once again. "That's the only reason?"
"Your back rubs are nice, too," Tim admitted, mewling into the sensation of
Jason's caresses. He could feel Jason chuckle underneath him at that, and this
time, his fingers trailed all the way up to Tim's neck, massaging
appreciatively before trailing back down.
"You know...I don't give them out very often," Jason replied after a moment,
breaking the quiet that had fallen over them again.
"Really? That's a shame," Tim jutted his lip out in a pout. Jason started to
laugh, but cut off in surprise when Tim suddenly circled his arms around
Jason's waist in a moment of shy inspiration.
"You're hugging me?" Jason questioned in awe, and Tim could feel his muscles
ease back as he relaxed into it. Tim nodded and squeezed his arms.
"I don't give these out very often, either," Tim murmured earnestly in
explanation. He only gave them freely to three other people, and one of them
was mostly because she always hugged him first.
"...Thank you," Jason's voice was scarcely above a whisper, and sounded
strangely tight to Tim's ears. When he looked up, Jason's face was slack and
completely vulnerable in a way that Tim had never seen from him before; a way
that let him see the full weight and sorrow of Jason's world in the lines of
his face, and the overwhelming depth of raw warmth and adoration in the teal
pools of his eyes that made Tim want to drown in them. Jason was touched beyond
measure by such a simple gesture, and it made Tim wonder how lonely and starved
for true affection Jason's life must have been. He saw so much of himself, of
his own grief and gratitude reflected there, that Tim's own eyes watered
involuntarily before he tugged Jason closer and buried his head into the crook
of Jason's neck. He may not give hugs out often, but if anyone deserved it more
from him, it was definitely Jason.
Jason returned the embrace full force, tightening his own arms and snaking one
hand up to cradle the back of Tim's head instinctively. And they just...held
each other, reluctant to let go for a long time. When Jason did finally pull
away, it wasn't completely out of Tim's arms, but just enough to loosen their
limbs up and press their foreheads together. Tim could feel the soft, warm
billow of Jason's breath puffing against his cheeks, but he didn't mind. 
Quite the opposite, actually.
Tim swallowed thickly to soothe his parched throat, and he felt his cheeks
prickle with warmth as he dared to brush their noses together. Jason's breath
faltered, and now his eyes were flicking down to Tim's with unmistakable
awe...with want. Something ignited underneath his skin, deep inside his core
that electrified every nerve ending from his naval to his brain, all the way
back down to the root of his groin. The way Jason was looking at him, and with
his heart drumming frantically in his chest for encouragement, he knew in that
moment that he'd never wanted anything as badly as he wanted to kiss Jason
Todd. Tim's hands were drifting up the older boy's back to pull him closer, and
he was already tilting his chin just slightly enough that Jason groaned.
"Fuck, I really want to kiss you," he whispered as one hand moved to cup his
jaw. And that was all it took.
"Please, yes," Tim answered in a blissful moan of surrender. Then Tim's eyes
were fluttering shut when Jason closed the distance and locked their lips
together at last.
 
..................
***** Take Me to Church *****
Chapter Summary
     "Oh...god," Tim blinked, blue eyes still clouded with haze as Jason
     looked back up.
     "Oh, god."
Chapter Notes
     Hello lovelies! Happy update again. So Tim and Jay finally kissed,
     and Jason's starting to fall alarmingly fast for Tim. We already knew
     Tim was super head over heals, so. Things get a little hot and heavy
     as the boys get carried away, then reality cuts in and feelings
     happen. Also Shakespeare gets involved, because I'm garbage, but its
     THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE OKAY? Angst is had, and the
     situation (heh heh) leaves its mark on the boys in more ways than
     one.
     Next chapter is Tim centric again, working through his aftermath of
     guilt and repressed feelings back home.
     Also yes, just in case you're wondering, I named the chapter after
     that Hozier song just because. FIGHT ME.
     Anyway, lots of love, hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!
     :)
Ask him what compelled him do it -what made him swoon and crack his already
questionable resolve, what had him all but confessing the way he truly felt for
the boy in his arms- and Jason will tell you it was some kind of fluke. It had
to be, there was no other way Tim Drake would ask him to stay, to cuddle up
against him, and hold him like that (like he wanted them to just... melt
together). Jason had ached when Tim hugged him; had reeled, in fact, at the
best kind of agony flaring up in his chest and being quelled by Tim's gentle,
flowing arms. Jason couldn't tell you how long it had been since anyone, even
his own mom, had held him like that. What's more is he didn't even realize how
starved he was for it -for real, honest, genuine affection. It was so much so,
that the sudden tidal wave that Tim had given flooded right through
his defenses and overwhelmed him to the point of emotional wreckage. Of
vulnerability. Jason had hung onto Tim for dear life, surrendering himself to
the desolate, utter craving for touch, and drinking in every drop Tim offered.
The gratitude he felt was like the first, gasping breath of life when one
survived near drowning; it burned, it sang with relief, and kindled something
inside his chest. Something that was already an ember before, now blooming to a
full blown wildfire in the shape of Tim's name. There were no words he could
possibly say, no clever quip or witty quote that came to mind, when all he
wanted to do was express what the boy had made him feel, to show Tim how much
he truly meant to Jason in that moment. 'Thank you' just hadn't been enough; it
had completely fallen short, the simplicity frustrating Jason to no end. But
then...then, Tim was gazing up at him with those half-lidded baby blues, lips
parted, and Jason suddenly knew. Fuck, he'd never wanted anything more. He
shouldn't... something nagging in the back of his buzzing mind knew that he
shouldn't, but the intensity of his own longing for the younger teen was
blinding. Then, when he felt Tim pulling him closer, reasoning shattered, and
all Jason could do was give in. So he asked.
Fluke or not, the way Tim moaned his consent like it was all he ever wanted and
Jason was a goner.
Tim was so soft against his lips, all pliant and breathy with eagerness. Jason
groaned, cupping the back of Tim's neck and lacing his fingers through dark
tufts of hair. Tim mewled at the sensation and, at Jason's very subtle nip
against his mouth, parted his lips so god damn sweetly. Jason teased his tongue
inside the wet heat of his mouth, and hummed appreciatively when he tasted dark
coffee and honey, rich and saccharine all at once.
Tim wasn't shy at the new development; he was eager, enthusiastic in fact,
clawing into Jason's shoulders and keening as Jason's hands roamed and
caressed. When Jason's right hand drifted to massage Tim's hip and upper thigh,
Tim was moaning again, and he surprised Jason by breaking their lips apart in
favor of suddenly biting into the hollow of Jason's throat. A small, surprised
gasp erupted from him at the unexpected contact, and suddenly his left hand
(which had been carding innocently through Tim's hair) tightened reflexively
into light tug. He heard Tim gasp in his ear, but before Jason could try and
apologize, Tim was back to nipping and sucking his neck again, peppering the
skin there with alarming new zeal, and using a grip on Jason's shoulders to
climb forward and- oh, shit, and straddle his lap. 
Jason groaned loudly, letting his head thunk back against the door willingly
enough and tilting his head to grant Tim better access to his throat. He really
liked their new position. Maybe a bit too much, he realized, because with Tim
on top of him like this, his jeans were slowly starting to constrict with every
move Tim made. (Jason was like, 60% sure it wasn't intentional, but still).
Jason welcomed Tim's eager lips against his own again for a moment, relishing
the rich taste with a hum before pulling back and beginning an assault of his
own against Tim's sensitive skin. He nipped playfully at the teen's jaw,
peppering along with light kisses and stopping just when he reached Tim's
earlobe to bite it, making Tim's head tilt forward with the momentum, before
sucking the flesh in affectionately. Tim whimpered noisily now, small hips
bucking against Jason's abdomen. Jason panted, gripping Tim's hips and
caressing instinctively, because Christ, Tim was already hard. This was
getting-
He didn't get a chance to finish that thought, because Tim had latched onto
Jason's neck again, just above his collar, and was sucking hard.
"Fuck, Tim," Jason cursed behind a wrecked moan, hips bucking up of their own
accord where his own obvious, growing erection pressed against Tim's thighs. He
didn't want to stop. Never wanted Tim to stop touching him, to stop kissing,
but his heart was pounding so god damn hard, and a nagging little memory was
starting to bleed through the closer they got to tearing their clothes off. 
"...I'd make it really special and romantic. Not like, spur of the moment,
backseat of the car kind of action..."
Jason was shivering now; the irony wasn't lost on him, even as Tim released his
neck with a wet pop. 
"Jay," Tim panted, purposefully arching against him now, all lust and
need. Jason's resolve almost went out the window right there.
"Tim, god, If you don't slow down, you'll have me begging for something you're
not ready for," Jason warned weakly, squeezing Tim's hips and almost pleading
as he squeezed his eyes shut. Tim stilled, and Jason shuddered in both
disappointment and relief.
"Oh...god," Tim blinked, blue eyes still clouded with haze as Jason looked back
up. Tim blinked again, gazing down where his legs were strewn over Jason's lap,
with Jason's hands sprawled intently over his pelvis, and then up Jason's
silent, heaving chest. Tim's eyes lingered for a moment on Jason's bare throat,
then finally dragged back up to meet his eyes. All too soon, those baby blues
were widening in alarm and mortification when clarity finally sunk in. Jason
couldn't help but wince. "Oh, god."
Tim scrambled away then, pink flush of arousal across his cheeks reddening into
shame as he tried to hide his face.
"Tim, wait-" Jason was reaching out in shock, and Tim groaned, curling his
knees to his chest as he backed himself into the other door.
"Jason, I'm so sorry," Tim whined from underneath his fingers. Jason paused and
frowned in reluctant confusion.
"Sorry?" he repeated stupidly, brain still desperately trying to reboot and
ignore the phantom lips against his cheek. Was Tim trying to apologize
for turning him on? That was hardly a-
Tim had moved his hands back down now, and then Jason saw it; saw Tim finger
the little silver ring on his left with something like nausea written across
his face.
"Oh... shit," Jason scowled, falling back against his door again with an
angry thunk against the glass window. "Shit. I'm the one who should apologize, 
I- ugh," he grunted, silently cursing the universe for its cruelty. Guess it
was a fluke, and now there was about to be consequences. "I fucked up, I
shouldn't have kissed you. I'm so sorry."
"Jay, I- no," Tim shook his head mechanically in denial, and Jason cringed.
"You don't understand, I....I wanted it," Tim's eyes were fearful, but
nonetheless genuine. Jason sucked in a pained breath and blew out a heavy sigh
(he didn't want to believe it, damn it, not now when he
couldn't-...when they could never-).
"It was...just a moment of weakness, Tim," Jason squeezed his eyes shut in
denial of his own, because what he was about to say was going to kill him. "You
were worked up after the car incident. The kiss-  it didn't have to mean
anything... if you don't want it to, okay?" Tim froze. Jason couldn't even hear
the teen breathe anymore, and when Jason finally managed to crack his eyes
open, Tim's face was heartbroken. Jason's stomach lurched, and he wanted to
throw up.
"Are you saying it... did mean something to you?" Tim choked out a whisper. An
icy shock slithered up Jason's spine after realizing he'd just outed himself.
Fuck, shit, stupid fucking-
"...Yes," he admitted quietly, because what else could he do? There was no
point in lying at this point. "I...shit, I'm trying to give you an out,
alright? Don't make it more complicated by making me admit that I have feelings
for you." The confession was raw, and it made him choke with the sudden fear
that this may have just damaged their friendship more than Tim was willing to
salvage it. Jason...may have just lost Tim completely.
"Jason..." Tim shifted softly, seemingly at a loss for words and if anything,
the sound of his own name on Tim's lips only made Jason feel worse. A pensive
beat passed, long enough to make Jason's fingers twitch with agitation before
Tim continued. "Jay, I've had a crush on you since we met." Jason's head
snapped up in disbelief, and he almost wanted to clean out his ears to make
sure he'd heard it correctly. But Tim's eyes were earnest, if maybe a little
crestfallen, as he wrapped his arms forward around his knees. "That day at the
diner, you know? I tried not to, I knew better....know better," he chided
himself continuously with a groan. "But you're one of the most incredible
people I know. You're stubborn and witty, made one hell of an impression that
first day because of it, and you're also kind... so giving, and freaky smart...
strong to a fault. It's like, the more I get to know you, the more I just
admire you so much. God... I'm such a sap, but it's my own damn fault for
falling for you like this, I shouldn't have-"
"Say that again," Jason breathed before he could stop himself. He's listened in
awe (and shock, more than anything) as Tim explained on and on as he was wont
to do. But he clung to every word that Tim spoke, and if they hadn't already
gotten themselves in trouble from it, Jason might have kissed the teen again.
"The whole drawn out thing?" Tim blinked in exasperation, and Jason actually
had the gall to chuckle.
"No, dummy. Just... the part where you said you fell for me," Jason murmured,
leaning towards the boy slowly in earnest."I want to make sure I remember
that." For later, he added silently, when they had to pretend this never
happened. Tim's cheeks flooded pink, and he bit his lip.
"You first," Tim taunted gently. Jason smirked sadly, reaching into his memory
for some kind of folly expression on just how far, how deep he was already
drowning. And god damn it if it didn't circle all the way back to the fucking
Bard.
" 'Did my heart love til now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty
til this night,' " he quoted wistfully under his breath, and Tim's expression
morphed from aching, understated amusement to open-mouthed astonishment as baby
blue eyes filled with tears. Jason felt a lump form in his own throat, and he
swallowed stubbornly back against it. He knew what was coming, that was the
purpose of the quote.
"Jay, I-..." Tim sniffed, wiping a real, genuine tear from his cheek as it
fell. "'These-'...fuck," Tim tried clearing his throat for a response.
" ...'These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like
fire and powder, which as they kiss consume.' "
Jason's heart fell, the warning of the Friar crystal clear in its meaning, both
in the play as well as in their current...predicament. But Tim, to his
surprise, wasn't done yet, because the teen sucked in another shuddering breath
before continuing.
"Fuck... 'Thus... from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.' " Jason blinked;
he remembered this quote. As heartbroken as it sounded falling from Tim's lips,
the scene he'd stolen it from had been soaked with proclamations of love and
kisses, and if he remembered correctly, Romeo had earned a response with those
words. Jason's heart drummed uncertainly with hope in his chest as he offered
Juliet's reply.
" 'Then have my lips, the sin that they have took.' " He heard Tim's soft gasp,
and suddenly baby blue irises were glued to his, lit up with the same thrill of
bright fear that Jason felt. God, what were they doing?
" 'Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!" Tim whispered, and Jason was
leaning forward, enthralled, pulse pounding, quickening in his ears as he
waited for the final meter. Tim's eyes fluttered to a half lidded gaze as he
tilted forward, and he finished the quote with a quiet breath.
" 'Give me my sin again.' " And Jason did. Carefully, this time, but still. The
electricity in his veins flowed just as strong when he was kissed Tim this
time. Tim melted against him with fervor, and Jason tried to memorize the feel
of his lips, and the taste of his tongue when those lips parted for him again.
He kissed Tim longingly, cherishing even for as long as Tim would allow. Jason
felt Tim cup his jaw, stroking his cheek with his thumb, and he couldn't help
but lean into it, even as Tim kissed him back. All too soon, though, Tim
sniffed again and pulled back slowly away from him, but his hand lingered
against Jason's cheek for a moment longer.
"We can't do that again, can we?" Jason echoed the obvious thoughts flitting
through Tim's new, troubled expression. Tim swallowed and nodded affirmatively.
"Can we... I know I'm asking a lot, but can we still be friends?" Tim's small
voice questioned guiltily, letting his hand fall away slowly. This time, Jason
was the one to bite his lip. Now that everything was out, and they knew how
they felt about each other, Jason didn't know how they could just be friends.
But truthfully, the outcome was more than he'd originally hoped for; at least
Tim didn't hate him, even if this was an obvious rejection. Still, Jason was
either too stupid or too selfish to give Tim up. Especially when the teen was
staring up at him with so much silent, pleading hope.
"Maybe...If you think it won't be weird?" he winced. The last thing Jason
needed was Tim withdrawing and acting...differently after all was said and
done.
"No...I think I can be mature about it if you can," Tim shook his head
reassuringly, and Jason exhaled audibly in relief. Good. It made his chest
fucking ache, though, knowing that he'd have to watch Tim, forever barred from
him, go back to meat head's arms after this. But-
Oh. Wait- What exactly was Tim gonna tell the guy? Jason really didn't wanna
risk his scholarship again because Kent tried to murder him. One fight last
year, and the school board was up his ass. Another fight this year, and with
their precious star football player? He'd get kicked out so fast, he could wave
at all the colleges that might have accepted him as he spiraled back into the
streets.
"I'm not gonna get sucker punched by your boyfriend anytime soon, am I?" Jason
voiced the sudden thought with a distasteful grimace. Tim, whose gaze had been
wandering idly into the back of the driver seat, suddenly bugged out and
choked.
"I-" Tim's lips twitched anxiously, and he started fidgeting with that damn
ring again. The ring that promised, that committed him to someone else. "I
dunno," he mumbled miserably, and Jason's stomach lurched with conflict. He
felt awful for doing this to Tim, he really, really did; like he'd said, it was
never his intention to fuck anything up for the boy. Still... the black,
gnawing jealousy he felt, and the bitter realization that Kent would probably
have him jumped as soon as Tim did the right thing and came clean was
overwhelming.
"Don't worry about it, okay? Just...do what you think is right." Despite the
words contradicting his thoughts, Jason couldn't help but try and comfort the
boy, and press a reassuring hand against his shoulder. If it came down to it,
whether Tim told or not, Jason could hold his own. And Tim...god, that kiss,
just for the few minutes it had lasted... If anything was worth risking a
fight, and his whole damn scholarship for, that would be the one thing. He
didn't know if Tim felt the same in that regard, though, since his stakes
were...well, somewhat different, he reminded himself as he glanced at the
accusing gleam of the promise ring.
Tim nodded silently instead of replying, and Jason accepted that as a relative
close to the conversation; the curtain falling over their final, intimate
moments together. He sighed heavily and swallowed back the emptiness that took
its place and settled into his chest.
"I'm gonna go check the car now," Jason stated blankly, reaching toward his
pocket for some much needed nicotine. "And maybe just chain smoke the rest of
my pack," he added as a half-witted afterthought. He heard Tim snort softly
before baby blues were on him again, freezing him in place.
"Will you drive?" Tim asked anxiously, reaching out to instinctively to touch
Jason's hand. Jason hesitated the moment their hands brushed, and Tim blushed
when he realized, but simply shrugged and held firm. He was trying for casual;
trying to not make it weird like they'd promised. But god, it was downright
difficult when Jason was feeling so...anything but platonic.
"Yeah," Jason agreed quickly. "Yeah, I figured I would anyway. Give you a break
from the snow and all, after...earlier," he muttered, edging slowly toward the
door and looping his fingers idly into the handle. His lungs were really
starting to burn for that cigarette now that he'd actually thought about it for
the first time that whole god damn, stressful day. "Can you make it back to
your place from my apartment, or should I drop you off?" Tim paused in
thought at the question and shifted in his seat.
"How would you get home though? You can't walk in this," he insisted, cheeks
tinting red again in shame. Jason shrugged passively.
"I think I have enough left for a cab," he muttered, and Tim chewed his lip.
"Let me pay for it, then," Tim smiled ever so slightly, and Jason suddenly
huffed, rolling his eyes. "Seriously! Don't give me that look, I want to.
It's...the least I could do...you know, to make up for this evening," Tim
reasoned further, voice softening again, and Jason groaned.
"You don't owe me anything, Tim," Jason sighed tiredly. How late was it now?
How long had they been...occupied?
"Actually I do, remember? Two hours with Red Bird," Tim countered quickly with
a clever little smile, and Jason squinted at the teen unimpressed. "I figured
it's another half hour to Gotham, another 15 to my place from the bridge, and
then I could pay the cab fare and bring us to an even, say, hour of drive
time?"
"You know how to negotiate, I'll give you that. Fine," Jason consented with a
sigh, but couldn't suppress a small twitch of his lip when Tim's hopeful smile
stretched into a grin. Fuck, he loved that stupid smile. Jason shivered against
the bite of sudden cold when he finally did prop the door open, and he'd just
stuck a foot down into the snow when Tim called out again.
"Jay?" Jason glanced back curiously wary now, and a shy blush crept back onto
Tim's pale cheeks for the umpteenth time. He blinked, and Tim was fidgeting.
"Thank you... for everything tonight. Despite what happened with the car and,
y'know-" he chuckled awkwardly, and Jason huffed. Yeah, he remembered. "-It was
incredible. And...you really are a fantastic kisser," he admitted bashfully,
brushing one of his fingers across where Jason's lips had been just minutes
before. Jason grinned himself now, unable to prevent the bubble of smug pride
from welling up in his belly. When Dick Grayson had said it a week ago, he'd
simply shrugged it off because the boy was drunk. But Tim singing his praises?
He'd store that little tid bit for later when he was reliving the heat of the
moment alone in his bed room. At least before he relived everything else, too.
"And, er... sorry about the hickey," Tim added with an embarrassed giggle.
Jason's eyes widened in sudden surprise before vaulting through the front seats
and scrambling to the rear view mirror, where a very prominent, purple bruise
was displayed in the reflection. Holy shit. He'd be marked for days with this,
Jason knew, and couldn't help but brush his fingers across it in wonder.
Tim... marked him. Jason wasn't usually a fan of the bruises, given they were
just a previous occupational hazard, but with this one... where Tim's lips had
claimed him? Jason found himself hoping that the thing never faded.
"Damn... looks like it was an aggressive doorknob this time," Jason joked,
turning slowly but fondly back toward the younger teen. Tim's lips twisted up
modestly and he lifted a single shoulder in an apologetic shrug. "Relax, Tim, I
don't mind. Really. I... had a great night, too, all things considered," he
assured earnestly, voice falling soft towards the end of his sentence.
Complicated, for sure...and maybe (probably) something he'd regret later, but
for now, it was enough. Tim's answering smile was bittersweet.
"Friends?" Jason extended his hand out amicably. The truce was clear, and Tim
nodded a sigh in relief, accepting Jason's offer and clasping his fingers.
"Friends."
Friends... There was still so much more bubbling underneath the surface, so
much longing and need, and it had to be mutual, Jason was almost certain. But
for Tim's sake, if this is what Tim wanted, 'Friends' would have to suffice.
Jason could live with that.
 
***** Guilty Pleasure Blues *****
Chapter Summary
     Tim is a mess, Stephanie comes to the rescue and gives some
     questionable advice. Gratuitous masturbation also makes an appearance
     :)
Chapter Notes
     Happy update darlings! Prepare for a whirlwind of internal
     monologuing, bad logic and also gratuitous masturbation and
     fantasizing. #guiltypleasure
     This chapter was originally supposed to be a really clever Hamlet rip
     off with the Hoodie and the Ring, but then Tim would never resolve
     his anxiety, so I had to scrap it and bring in the big guns (Steph).
     Not gonna lie, it hasn't been fully revised yet, so if you see
     grammar, spelling or punctuation fuck ups, just lemme know, alright?
     (I'm running on stupid levels of sleep deprivation right now, please
     forgive me). Otherwise, let me know what you think so far, give me
     fun head canons and juicy plot conspiracies and all that jazz to
     discuss in the comments. Lots of love, and enjoy!
     Also, since Valentine's Day is coming up, I'd love to write some
     prompts for you guys, so if you have a request on your favorite Bat
     pairing and anything to do with romance (pining, breakups, dating,
     proposals, fluffy feels or just dirty, dirty smut) I'd be happy to
     take them. Leave anything you can think of in the comments below and
     I'll do my best to have them out by V-day. <3 <3 <3
See the end of the chapter for more notes
"You'd better be calling to apologize for ghosting me the last couple of hours,
Drake," Stephanie's voice chimed deceptively sweet over the line the second she
picked up. Tim cringed and grunted none too enthusiastically in response.
A cab had mercifully picked Jason up ten minutes ago, leaving Tim to collapse
on his bed in a puddle of sheer, emotional exhaustion. For the first time in a
long time, Tim was actually grateful for the sudden solitude. The return
journey to Gotham (after... well, what happened) had been absolutely arduous
compared to the original trip, because Tim had been internally screaming the
entire time, caught in a vortex of internal conflict that ripped him to shreds.
(Jason must have sensed the silent tension despite Tim's frequent, failed
attempts at hiding it with small talk, because the older boy, whether indulging
Tim's half-hearted distractions or easing into steady, unassuming silence, he
always remained selflessly altruistic and empathetic to a fault. In other
words, a perfect pillar of whatever kind of support Tim needed at any given
moment, making Tim both grateful and agonized. Jason deserved so much more,
damn it, and Tim desperately wished he could give that to him. But what he
wanted...wasn't what he should want. Tim already had so much, already had
someone who loved him that he loved in return, so why was he like this?!).
Between that, and everything else that had happened that evening, Tim had
completely forgotten to check his damn phone.
He wasn't sure how he managed to miss two phone calls and 18 different texts
from Stephanie (3 texts from Kon, and one from Mrs. Mac as the proverbial
cherry on top), but it was enough to temporarily bolt him out of his spiraling
catatonia.
Mrs. Mac was the simplest, letting him know she was done cleaning and heading
home for the weekend. And bless her, she'd even left a lasagna to heat up if he
was hungry. The housekeeper probably hadn't even expected him to reply, but Tim
was so overwhelmingly grateful for her that he shot her a Thank You anyway.
Next was...was Kon. Tim couldn't bring himself to reply to his boyfriend (the
boyfriend he'd just cheated on, he reminded himself sickeningly) quite yet, so
he'd skimmed through the messages as painlessly as possible. Funny, he thought,
how three of the simplest, sweetest messages felt so incriminating.
-We won in a landslide! Star City should change its name lol. Wish you were
here to see it.
-I'm staying at Luke's house, so I'll be in Gotham tomorrow if you wanna hang.
Love you.
-Going to sleep. Hope you're having a good night, babe. Miss you.
Tim choked up longer than he'd like to admit after that, and had to drop the
phone and smother himself into the pillows to force himself to calm down again.
When he did finally have the courage to pick the phone up again, his hands were
shaking; he needed to talk to Stephanie. God, he was at a complete, empty loss
and he was nauseous and scared. And guilty. And a riot of all kinds of shit
right now... Despite how angry she was (he didn't even have to look at all 18
spam messages to get the picture), he needed the blonde's advice more than
ever.
Which... brought him to her less than cordial greeting. Why did he think it was
a good idea to face her wrath right now, again?
"I'm sorry," Tim sniffed past the heavy lump in his throat almost immediately
after she reprimanded him. He felt his lower lip quiver sharply against his
will, and suddenly he was choking in panic like he was 8 years old again.
Stephanie's tone changed instantly.
"Woah, Tim, jesus," her alto voice lilted, and he could just picture her
worried frown. Tim could hear her shifting from her own bed then, and the
background noise of her television (Tim had barely even registered if before)
clicked off. "What the hell happened? I don't have to kill Jason, do I?" A
strangled noise escaped him, then, and he scampered to reply.
"No! No, I just- ...I fucked up, Steph," he confessed in a squeak before
covering his mouth and trying to steady his breathing. Stephanie sucked in a
sharp, audible breath, and the atmosphere tightened around him oppressively
as timeless seconds passed.
"Okay," Stephanie exhaled coolly, making Tim picture a bizarre vision of the
blonde dragging spectacles from her face that she didn't even wear and
squeezing her eyes shut to collect herself. "Okay," she repeated again,
"what... did you do? How bad is it?"
Flashbacks of hungry, teal eyes fabricated in front of him, and all he could
feel was calloused fingers in his hair again, and phantom lips moving eagerly
against his own: The smell of Jason so clean and rich, the little sounds he
made, the faint taste of smoke, all of it just making Tim's heart quicken
wantonly again-
Then there was the shock and pain on Jason's face when Tim pulled away... the
remorse and acceptance staining the smile that Tim adored, and the selfless
treaty of friendship offered after baring their guilt to each other. There was
Kon's face floating around there somewhere (ranging in expressions from shock
and devastation to outright sneers of disgust), and the urge to wail and throw
up from shame. And longing for Jason's protective comfort again (among...other
things, he admitted). And shame from the longing, along with the burning, fiery
need for relief from this maelstrom...of some kind of mercy or forgiveness.
How was he supposed to tell that to Stephanie? Where would he even start? There
was no guarantee she'd even understand, let alone forgive him for this shit. He
clutched instinctively at his chest to quell the cold, gnawing fear, and his
stomach lurched when the little promise ring glinted up from his clenched hand.
Forget Stephanie, how was he supposed to forgive himself?
"Tim?" the blonde called gently, voice breeching through hell's gates like an
angel.
"It's a, er...long story," he finally admitted, trembling as he tried again for
some kind of resolve, and swallowed past his constricted throat. "I kissed
Jason."
"...What?!" Tim flinched, and spiraled inwardly until he was burying his entire
being into the pillows, hoping they would just smother his stupid ass.
Stephanie didn't speak, or make any noise, really, for almost a full minute.
Tim didn't know whether or not she was simply collecting herself again, or
letting him stew on purpose. Probably the former, but he deserved the latter
more than he'd like to admit. When she finally did continue, Stephanie's voice
was surprisingly gentle. "Alright. Tell me what happened." So he did.
She didn't even interrupt once. He almost wished she would have.
"I'm a horrible fucking p-person," Tim stuttered at the end, choking on hot
tears as they fell down his cheeks. He'd started crying sometime in the middle,
probably about the time when he got to Jason's feelings for him. He
didn't know, and he'd been so floored when Jason had confessed. And maybe
fallen hopelessly, morbidly in love a little more when Shakespeare fell from
Jason's tongue. (He'd kept that whole exchange to himself; he couldn't bear to
divulge something quite that special, that intimate with Jason. Not even to
Stephanie.) "I cheated on Kon."
"No... you didn't," Stephanie, who'd been totally silent during Tim's
confession, sounded stern when she finally burst her long, unnerving silence.
"What?" Tim scoffed wetly in disbelief. "You did hear the part where I climbed
in Jason's lap, right?" he sniffed after a tormented groan.
"Okay, so maybe you thought a little too much with your dick instead of your
brain," she consented casually, and Tim gagged, "but listen. The way I see it,
Jay had a point about that moment of weakness thing. I mean, you've been
crushing on the guy for weeks now, and you were pretty vulnerable after the
accident- which, by the way, you should have called me about," she broke off to
scold suddenly, and Tim emitted a quiet, exasperated squeak.
"It wasn't an accident, it was just some bad ice," he defended pathetically,
and he could've sworn he heard Stephanie roll her eyes.
"If you had a panic attack, it was still an emergency," she snipped, and Tim
grimaced apologetically, even though she couldn't see it. "Seriously, do you
know how lucky you are? Honestly? Thank fuck Jason was there," she sighed,
slamming Tim right back to the main issue fast enough to give him whiplash.
"You're not...mad?" he swallowed incredulously, and he heard Stephanie snort
shortly.
"Oh, no, I'm definitely mad at you... but only because you scared the hell out
of me," she admitted, and Tim furrowed his brows together and blinked
uncertainly. "As far as the Jason thing?" she paused now, as if considering the
taste of the verbal sample of the situation. "Like I said, you were vulnerable,
and he was probably vulnerable, too.... Totally called it, by the way, I knew
he had feelings for you! Anyway, given the exact way it happened, the kiss was
obviously circumstantial. You both knew better, so you stopped it as soon as
you realized what happened. Right? And you both did the right thing afterwards.
You handled it pretty maturely, and he seems to be a good sport about it."
"But what do I tell Kon?" Tim interrupted anxiously, fidgeting with the pillow
cloth and wiping in agitation at his tear stained cheeks. "He's gonna break up
with me, or- or kill Jason, or make me stop being friends with him," Tim moaned
pathetically as something heavy in his chest started to shatter again.
"So maybe don't...tell him anything." Tim froze.
"You're not-...you really-" Tim stuttered in shock, trying desperately to
understand what he'd just heard. "This is Stephanie Brown right? Or do I have
the wrong number?"
"Shut up, Drake," Stephanie scoffed, though a fragment of embarrassment bled
through in spite. Tim closed his eyes in another light headed huff of
exasperation. "I just think that since you two already handled it, and since
its obviously not going to happen again, then... maybe Kon doesn't need the
unnecessary heart ache. And maybe Jason could avoid a black eye or two," she
reasoned. "No drama when it isn't called for, am I right?"
"You don't think he needs to know?" Tim flexed his fingers out and stared down
at the red and blue gleam of the promise ring reluctantly.
"Not really? I mean, I dunno, tell him if you want, I guess," Stephanie replied
with the equivalent of a verbal shrug. Tim closed his fist and whimpered
instinctively, and Stephanie hummed knowingly. "That's what I thought."
"Fine," Tim sighed wearily, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling.
"Fine... I guess- You really think we're doing the right thing?" he questioned
one last time, and Stephanie snorted.
"I think you're overthinking it, Tim. You made a mistake, it was handled,
lesson learned. Pure and simple. Mama Steph's got your back," she promised, and
Tim all but sagged in relief. She made everything so much easier to bear; he'd
been so trapped inside his own anguish that he had felt like he was dying
inside, but here was his best friend in shining armor to save him from himself.
Stephanie was too blunt and righteous to put up with any  of his bull shit, so
if she didn't truly believe the problem was already solved, she wouldn't just
feed it to him to make him feel better. His best friend had faith in him, and
that was comforting beyond measure. Unorthodox as the logic was, maybe Steph
was right; she sure seemed confident anyway. If Stephanie believed in him, then
surely Tim could handle this. 
"That...makes sense, I guess," he finally consented. Stephanie hummed
victoriously and Tim rolled his eyes. "So, 'Mama Steph', huh?" he suddenly
mocked, cracking a genuine smile now. "I guess that makes you the designated
mom friend. What would I ever do without you?"
"Damn right, kiddo. Without me, you'd spiral into anxiety and watch lousy
sitcoms by yourself," she giggled, and Tim laughed.
"Speaking of, how's Friends going again?" he arched an unseen, teasing brow.
"Asshole."
..............................
After they hung up a half hour later, Tim finally returned his boyfriend's
texts with as much love and congratulations as he could muster, and of course
eagerly agreed to spend the day together tomorrow as well. He wouldn't get a
reply, since Kon was probably long asleep, but that was okay. That left Tim
newly rejuvenated enough to take a shower and finally get ready for bed. He
washed quickly and toweled himself off haphazardly before sliding on a clean
pair of boxers and climbing under the covers at last.
It was late now, and he was officially drained and ready for a long, healing
sleep. He pressed a passing kiss to the promise ring wrapped around his finger
and held it close to his chest as he snuggled up. He waited for sleep to dull
his brain and take him, but... the minutes ticked by, and it never came.
Something was keeping him up; something hidden underneath his pillow that
belonged to a certain poetic smoker; something in the form of a soft, red
hoodie shining its beacon in his thoughts and whispering his name like a siren.
Tim twitched on his side and sighed, reaching underneath his pillow and slowly
pulling the cloth out to press against his cheek.
The scent- Jason's scent was still there, even after a week, and it wafted into
his lungs like the nicotine staining the sleeves from the many cigarettes that
Jason had inhaled.
He shouldn't even have this anymore, Tim knew; should have already given it
back, but here it was. And just hours after Tim had slipped and kissed its
owner, too, as if Tim needed another testament to remind him. Tim's belly
coiled guiltily, and he closed his eyes, suppressing a shiver. The memory was
still raw and fresh enough to last a lifetime, but for some reason he couldn't
help nuzzling the damn hoodie against his face, breathing in Jason's aroma;
just for a second, he could almost feel the weight of protective arms again,
and the soothing caress against his back.
"Oh, Jay," Tim sighed, rolling onto his back and letting the red fabric stretch
over his bare shoulders. He really shouldn't be doing this- surrounding himself
with Jason, thinking about it again. About that smile stretching across his
face, and teal eyes full of defiance and promise; the same eyes that softened
with want when they were looking down at him earlier...the same lips that had
pressed against his own with such relish and hunger. Tim swallowed and couldn't
help tracing his fingers where Jason's had cupped his jaw, stroking along and
up the path Jason had used until his fingers were threading up into his damp
hair. Tim shivered now, knowing he should stop this before-...before...
He tightened his hand into a light fist, tugging gently against his scalp like
Jason had done before, and a small moan escaped before he could think to stop
it. His body was responding to the memory, now, and he cursed himself as a
longing, guilty flush crept across his pale skin. Tim really shouldn't allow
himself to close his eyes like this, or to picture Jason in the back seat, all
breathy and nestled between his legs.  Tim groaned, hips arching up under the
rough, phantom grips against his hips. God, those hands... Jason's
calloused, talented hands had grazed over him deliciously, leaving goosebumps
of pleasure that had Tim swooning under his touch alone. That wasn't including
the satin of Jason's lips, or the liquid silken talent of
his tongue.  Tim finally heaved a sigh of surrender at his body's persistent
interest, and succumbed to the fantasy completely.
Jason would pick up where he'd left off, dipping his fingers under the hem of
Tim's shirt and pushing it off with practiced expertise. Tim hummed, tracing a
teasing, feather light trail down his own chest like he imagined Jason might
do. He paused, of course, in turn to tweak each sensitive nipple, shivering
with delight at the contact when he pictured Jason's mouth nipping and sucking
there instead. His cock pulsed happily at that little thought, and Tim used his
free hand to palm himself obligingly.
He grunted eagerly against the friction, and skirted his boxers down to rest
just under his ass as he took himself in hand. He imagined pulling Jason's
boxers off, too, slowly and carefully like unveiling the perfect present. And
it would be fucking gorgeous, too, Tim knew, stroking himself as his mouth
watered. He'd felt just how prominent Jason's erection was in the car, he knew
Jason was packing at least 6 inches.
Would he be cut or uncut, Tim wondered, and would he be clean shaved or
gorgeously 'scaped? God, Tim wanted to taste it- he blushed just thinking it,
but his cock throbbed with enthusiasm and he squeezed himself with a shudder.
Yeah, he wanted to feel Jason's thick, weighted cock pressing on his tongue, to
feel the slide of it, tasting the heady flavor of musk (he snatched the hoodie
around his shoulders and inhaled desperately to perpetuate his scent) and
feeling Jason's fingers curling tight in his hair, guiding him in and setting
the pace-
"Jesus-" Tim gasped at his own imagination; he was literally fantasizing about
Jason fucking his face. 
And Jason would be so gentle at first, muscles tense with sweat and restraint
until Tim was whimpering and pleading for more through a mouthful of Jason's
member. He wondered if Jason would cry out with pleasure when he finally gave
in, or if he'd grip Tim's jaw all breathy and just fucking pump him.
Tim was close now, he could feel himself start to tighten behind his crotch,
and he whined.
Would Jason pull out and stroke himself to completion, painting Tim's face and
with white streaks? Oh, that was a delicious image.
Or would he just...cum in Tim's mouth? Down his throat, onto his tongue,
smearing across his lips- A choked moan escaped at the thought, and he was
spilling so hard that he threw his head back and nearly blacked out right
there.
Fucking hell. He'd never come that hard before...not even for-
No. No, he couldn't think of the K-word right now. Not when he'd just gotten
off to a fantasy of Jason. He shivered with guilt as the pools of semen across
his belly began to cool, and tried to quiet his panting and breakneck pulse as
he snatched a few tissues from his bedside table.
One would think he'd learned a lesson from the whole Jason thing earlier, yet
here he was, jerking it because the boy was still in his head. Maybe Tim just
needed to get Jason out of his system or something... Yeah. Yeah, that made
sense. It was just a fantasy from pent up emotions earlier, after all. Tim was
still in control here, he decided, fixing his boxers and tossing the dirty
tissues into the waste basket. This wasn't any different than a pipe dream or
something...right? Totally harmless.
At least, that's what he told himself as he snuggled back under his covers. He
hesitated when his fingers wrapped around the hoodie again, and contemplated
for a moment before cradling it close and wrapping himself in the smell of
Jason again.
He just needed to get it out of his system for tonight.
With his body satiated and his brain depleted of its last bit of energy, sleep
finally carried Tim off at last into teal seas with a smoky whisper of
Shakespeare in his ears.
Chapter End Notes
     This is a PSA, Timothy Jackson Drake is obviously in denial, okay?
     Can we all agree Tim is a mess of anxiety? Someone please teach this
     poor baby some healthy coping mechanisms before he cracks **glares at
     Stephanie for her bad logic**
     Also, some things to look forward to in the next few chapters: Tim
     overcompensating with Kon, jealous!Jason, studying shenanigans,
     PINING, suspicious!Steph and more.
     P.S. don't forget to leave your Valentine's Day prompts if you're
     interested ;) <3
***** Pining is Overrated *****
Chapter Summary
     Lunchtime shenanigans, Jason dealing with feelings, and "Friends"
     references galore!
Chapter Notes
     So, I know the update took the better part of 6 weeks, but I was
     going through some personal stuff as well as dealing with some heavy
     writer's block. But I've got a game plan and several outlines already
     drawn up, so regular updates should become a thing again, don't
     worry!
     Hope you guys enjoy slowburn pining hell below :)
     Also, for reference, this is like within the week after the date.
     Maybe like that next Thursday, I'm thinking, if you're still keeping
     up with the timeline, so the boys have had a few days to adjust but
     it's still in that initial awkward period, ya feel me?
     P.S. This chapter's only been revised once, and its like 6 am for me
     as I'm finishing this, so if there are errors please let me know and
     I'll revise it again into its final form later. I was just so excited
     to get this posted after so long, please forgive me
See the end of the chapter for more notes
If there was anything Jason learned over the next week, it was that pining,
requited or not, was so fucking overrated. He'd never been a fan of forbidden
passion or secret romances; Lancelot and Guinevere were cheating traitors,
Antony and Cleopatra were both hung up on Caesar, and god forbid Romeo and
Juliet do anything but bellyache about how much they wanna boink before killing
half a dozen people. (Don't even get him started on Paris and Helen, good god).
Jason loathed all of those stories, but it had been a pure, cynical kind of
hatred before. After, however, now that he'd kissed Tim Drake? Hell. The ache
in his chest that erupted when Tim slid into the desk next to him in English
every day, or the painful longing he felt every time Tim smiled at him made him
die a little inside. He still scoffed at the notorious, forbidden lovers, but
now, damn it all, he at least -ugh- understood them.
Bad as it was, Jason still kept his word and remained Tim's friend. Even if
Tim's beefy dolt of a boyfriend always had his arm draped around Tim like a
damn snake and scowled down his nose at Jason across the lunch table they now
shared together every day. (Yeah, it had been a real kicker when Tim had
approached Jason after class on Monday and asked him to join at lunch all shy
and cute. Jason told himself it was in the name of growing their friendship
when he'd agreed, but in reality he was just a damn sucker for those baby blue
eyes. So of course, that's how he ended up sacrificing his secret smoke break
during lunches every day and sitting with Tim, Stephanie, Dick, Babs and Kent
instead. And actually? Putting up with the quarterback's beady eyes aside,
lunches weren't actually that bad. In fact, Jason actually kind of... enjoyed
them).
"Oh my god, you should have seen his face when Rachel kissed Ross, he was all
like aweeee," Stephanie grinned animatedly to the group as she recounted
Jason's reaction to the sitcom they'd been binging for the last three of
Jason's days off after school. Yeah, he was a sucker, but unlike the forbidden,
fatal romances, he was a fan of sweet gestures like Ross offering to take an
(almost) stood up Rachel to prom. Stephanie had given him no small amount of
hell for sympathizing with Ross just that once, but he kind of liked Ross and
Rachel. Sue him.
"Awe," Barbara and Dick both melted (squeed, in Dick's case) in unison. Jason
snorted quietly into his chocolate milk as Dick practically bounced in the seat
beside him."
"Poor thing! How do you think he'll react to the the break-"
"Dick, shut up! Spoilers!" Tim gasped from across the table as Stephanie shot
the elder cheerleader a murderous look, but it was too late. Jason's eyes
popped in alarm and disappointment at Dick's outburst.
"They break up, then?" he frowned, setting his milk down and staring at Dick as
he flushed guiltily. Stephanie scowled from his other side, and Barbara rolled
her eyes across from Dick with an exasperated sigh.
"Yeah, and it's... pretty messy," Tim dared to explain when everyone else
remained silent. Jason turned toward the younger curiously, not recognizing the
pointedly awkward wince on Tim's face  until it was too late.
"What happened?" Jason questioned innocently enough. Tim suddenly couldn't meet
his eyes, choosing instead to prod at his mashed potatoes as Stephanie quickly
cut in, as if the answer weren't already made obvious.
 "He cheated," she murmured curtly, nudging him ever so slightly with her knee
under the table. Yeah, yeah, Jason got the message.
Yikes. Jason didn't outwardly cringe, but god damn did he want to slam his head
into the table right about then. It was a damn wonder Kent didn't catch onto
the blatant subtext, but Jason never pegged the guy as overly bright anyway.
(Jason hadn't had the courage to ask before, mostly just thankful to his lucky
stars that Lughead, or Stephanie for that matter, hadn't immediately bashed his
head in Monday morning, but by now it was obvious Tim hadn't told him anything.
Stephanie obviously knew, he figured, but if Kon did, the guy would already
have been on him like a damn blood hound. Despite the relief, the silence of it
also made his stomach lurch for some reason. It also made situations like
these...well, even more unnecessarily complicated.) Jason cringed and bit back
a groan, instantly sorry for even asking, but its not like he knew.
"It's okay, though! It's not like they don't stay friends," Dick reassured him
with an oblivious pat on Jason's arm. The irony of it, as well as the
unexpected, innocent segue was so bizarre that Jason couldn't help but burst
out a huff of exasperated laughter. He caught Tim biting back a grin, too, and
Stephanie snorted fondly beside him, shaking her blonde head all the while.
"That actually seems more awkward, somehow," Jason rolled his eyes, pushing his
tray away, thankful he finished his food already before suddenly losing his
appetite.
"I kind of agree," Kon, to Jason's shock, piped up. Everyone turned their heads
in surprise, Tim perhaps a little pale at the guy's admission, and Jason
cringing inwardly at the fucking irony again as he fought back a scowl.
"Really?" the younger boy twisted under Kon's arm and quirked a brow up
quietly.
"Well, yeah," Kon shrugged his large shoulders nonchalantly. "I mean, I can't
imagine being friends with any of my exes. Too complicated and messy, and too
much room to fuck each other up. Would you still wanna be friends with one of
your bitter ex-boyfriends?" Kon insisted, and Tim bit his lip. Jason grimaced;
he had to admit, much as he resented the guy, that he had a point.
"I'm friends with some of my exes," Dick frowned, earning a chuff from both Kon
and Barbara.
"You still hook up with half of them, too," Barbara accused, prodding a finger
into Dick's chest, who flushed guiltily.
"I'm a single man and I have needs, okay? There's nothing wrong with
occasional, casual sex," he pouted, crossing his arms. Jason gave Dick a
sympathy chuckle and a nod of agreement, and the senior beamed at him
appreciatively. "Besides," he added suddenly with a wink back towards Barbara,
"If you want me to yourself, all you have to do is say so." It was the red
head's turn to blush, now.
"In your dreams, Wonderboy."
"See, that's great and all, but its still your ex," Kon interrupted
insistently, earning the attention of the table back. "Don't you ever worry
that it'll get complicated with feelings potentially coming back and getting
all mixed in?"
"But you're friends with some of your ex-girlfriends," Tim frowned suddenly,
and Jason quirked a brow in interest. "We still hang out with Cassie all the
time, and you still text Megan," the sophomore insisted. Jason smirked and
shifted forward to listen, but Stephanie caught him and gave him a swift,
subtle kick under the table.
"I didn't know you dated Cassie," Dick chimed in, leaning forward eagerly for
the juicy new gossip. Jason shot Stephanie a pointed look as if to say See? I'm
not the only one being obnoxious. Her brown eyes rolled so hard, Jason could
see the whites of her eyes.
"Guys, Cassie's more like a sister to me," Kon raised his hands, finally
lifting his heavy arm off Tim's narrow shoulders in self defense. God, Jason
wished he had popcorn.
"And Megan?" Stephanie was in on it now, and Jason wanted to snicker at her for
her own self-betrayal. "You dated her for like, two years," she insisted, and
Jason nearly reeled. Holy hypocrisy, dude. Tim was staring at the guy
expectantly now, and Jason was having the time of his life watching the guy
struggle for words.
"Meg and I ended on good terms, it was mutual," Kon replied hastily. "She's
happy in San Fransisco, and I'm happy for her. Besides, I never would have
found Tim if she hadn't gone to college, anyway," the bastard smiled, souring
Jason's fun as he managed the triumphant comeback. Tim swooned happily at
Kent's sappy smile, and Jason leaned back in disappointment as the happy couple
laced their fingers together. This time, the nudge Stephanie sent him under the
table was sympathetic rather than stern. It didn't make him feel better.
"See, you can be friends with your exes," Dick smiled triumphantly,
particularly towards Barbara. "And there doesn't even need to be sex involved,
it can be perfectly healthy without."
"Like you would know, you nympho," Barbara chortled, and Dick honest to god
whimpered. Jason snickered this time, and both Babs and Dick turned towards him
as one. "What do you think Jason?" she asked earnestly, and Dick's eyes went
wide, pleading all of a sudden, as if begging Jason to throw him a bone.
Stephanie and Tim both leaned forward as Jason frowned in thought, and Kon-
well, Kon grimaced and cooled his expression less than subtly as attention
shifted towards the junior. Fucking priss, Jason thought.
"About Dick's obvious sex addiction, or the ex thing?" Jason joked, earning a
collective laugh from most the table.
"Come on, tell us," Babs insisted, ginger hair spilling over her shoulder as
she adjusted her glasses. Jason shrugged and glanced down at the table.
"I wouldn't know," he admitted, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "I've never
had a serious relationship. I dated a girl in 8th grade, but I barely knew her
and it only lasted like a week, so you're barking up the wrong tree." If he
weren't prepared for the gapes of shock, he might have cringed. Tim alone was
staring at him in such surprise that Jason could already feel an uncomfortable
flush creeping up his cheeks. So maybe that was something he didn't mention
during their little game before, but...all the questions had been about sex, to
be fair, and that just wasn't the same. Especially not when he felt the way he
did about Tim, but that had become irrelevant the moment they kissed anyway,
so. Yeah.
"Wow, no way?" Barbara blinked in awe, and Jason shrugged.
"How come?" This time it was Tim's timid voice that had Jason whipping his head
back to stare into those earnest baby blues. He swallowed thickly when the
usual ache constricted in his chest at the sight, but he simply grunted and
shrugged again. Jason knew the real reason, of course, was that there just
wasn't any real reason; he just wasn't a social creature, and being a recluse
and an outcast in a rich school meant he didn't get a lot of dating
opportunities. Not that he was looking for them, or even really cared about
them, especially with his grades, his home, and his mom to worry about. That
wasn't exactly the sexiest answer, but that was just how it was. Or...had been,
at least. The last few weeks had graced Jason with people and opportunities he
hadn't had before. Huh. Who knew having friends and a decent job could open up
so many possibilities?
"Before a certain, stubborn midget at the table actually talked to me, most
people found me about as approachable as a serial killer," Jason snorted in
response, and Tim grinned, both proud and oddly sheepish at the same time.
Jason beamed back like a sap, and there was Stephanie nudging him pointedly
again. The message was fairly clear; Keep your googoo eyes to yourself or
you're gonna get in trouble, Casanova.
"I'm not a midget," Tim muttered indignantly behind his grin, and Jason rolled
his eyes. That was when he caught Kon sneering down at him again, this time in
clear distaste. Jason twisted his expression to match as the guy purposefully
wrapped his arm back around the younger boy and pulled him close; even if the
dolt had just caught Jason flirting with his boyfriend, it still got under
Jason's skin for the prick to literally look down on him and taunt him no less.
But Tim didn't seem to notice, and seemed happy enough where he was, so for
Tim's sake, despite his bruised ego, Jason bit himself back. At least until the
fuck head decided to speak.
"Maybe you should ask someone out, Todd," Kon suggested friendly enough, but
the smile on his face was tight and didn't reach his beady blue eyes. "You'd be
surprised how fun being in love can be; look at me and Tim, for example. Is
there anyone you might be interested in?"
Condescending little fuck. Jason grit his teeth as the prick fixed him with a
haughty, challenging gaze. He heard Stephanie suck in a breath beside him, and
Tim's eyes went wide with embarrassment underneath Kon's arm. Jason's blood was
boiling; oh, if that brute only knew he'd had Tim all hot and bothered in
his lap a few days ago. If he only knew just who gave him the hickey hidden
underneath the band-aid on his neck.
"There's this one guy I went out with recently that I had some fun with," Jason
replied coolly in response. Kon arched a suspicious brow, and Tim reddened from
mild embarrassment to full on mortification at Jason's words, and god damn it,
now Jason really wanted to kick himself. He flashed his eyes apologetically
toward Tim before sighing softly and cooling his fucking temper before he could
deck the quarterback in his smug face. He wouldn't throw Tim under the bus just
for some cheap satisfaction; not when it could seriously hurt the boy and cost
him their friendship. "I don't think anything serious will come of it, though,
so I'll just keep my eye out for now," Jason finally added in seething
resignation. Tim's shoulders relaxed with relief, and Stephanie released the
breath she'd been holding, painfully pinching Jason's leg for the trouble he
almost caused.
"Let me know if you want me to set you up with someone. I know a few people who
might be interested," Kon offered, and Jason just barely managed to hide his
disgust when he nodded tightly back.
"Sure thing."
"Hey, you could always hook up with a friend and end up together that way, like
Chandler and Monica," Dick teased. Jason's mouth fell open, and then Stephanie
was up swatting at Dick ferociously as Tim squawked.
"Dick, spoilers!"
 
.....
 
After lunch finally ended, Jason threw his tray away dutifully, but not before
the sound of hurried footsteps pattered up behind him. Jason turned and quirked
a brow as none other than Dick Grayson drew up beside him with his trademark
smile plastered on his face.
"Hey, Jay, can I talk to you for a second?" he chirped shyly, and Jason blinked
and nodded as they made their way toward the cafe exit.
"Sure, what's up?"
"So... I didn't wanna put you on the spot earlier, so I thought I'd ask you
now. Would you maybe wanna go out with me this Saturday? I was thinking skating
or something, nothing too intense," he blabbered hopefully, and Jason was taken
aback.
"Don't you kind of have a thing with Barbara?" Jason questioned uncertainly.
Dick's bright, hopeful expression dimmed somewhat as he gave a half hearted
shrug.
"I like her, and it's not exactly a secret or anything, but I think she's
getting tired of me harassing her," Dick admitted meakly. "I like you too,
though," the cheerleader brightened back up as he reclaimed that impossible
enthusiasm that made Jason break into an involuntary, flattered smile. "You
were fun to hang with at my party, and I like talking to you at lunch, so I
thought I'd ask. No pressure or anything, though, I know you have a thing for
Tim, so we can just go as friends if you want."
"You what?" Jason gasped, footsteps faltering into a startled stumble as Dick
blinked back. "Did Steph tell you?" Jason berated him anxiously before frowning
and huffing out an exasperated laugh. "Or I guess it's just that obvious, huh?"
"The last one, yeah," Dick chuckled sympathetically. "Relax, if it's supposed
to be a secret, its safe with me," the senior promised earnestly, pressing a
comforting palm against Jason's shoulder. "Take it from me, though, pining
after someone in a relationship is always messy and painful... and not always
worth it," Dick murmured, warning him amicably enough, but the truth of it
clawed into Jason's chest painfully.
"Yeah...I know," Jason nodded solemnly, falling into a hesitant silence. Dick
pulled away with a kind expression, not seeming to mind Jason's sudden
awkwardness. Maybe even being kind of sympathetic, which kind of made Jason
uncertain of quite how to feel.
"Listen, if you need some time to think it over, take as much as you need,
okay? If you don't wanna go, or just wanna do the friend thing, I'm good with
that, too. Just let me know alright?" he offered brightly, and Jason nodded
gratefully. "Anyway, this is my stop. Gotta go, or I'm gonna be late for Calc.
Talk to you later, Jay," Dick waved at last as he veered off down the Math
hall. Jason watched him go for a moment, chewing on his lip before he blew out
a long, exasperated sigh. Before he could even begin to think about what just
happened, though, he heard another voice, this time none other than Tim himself
calling out Jason's name from behind. Uh oh... oh, god, he knew what this was
probably about, and he didn't know if he had to resolve to face it right now
after the last shock. Jason halted nonetheless, wincing silently and praying to
whatever gods that Tim wasn't actually about to chew him out for being an ass,
even if he did deserve it.
"Jay, hold on a sec, wait up!" Tim panted, catching up with him finally as
Jason turned to look at him.
"Hey," Jason murmured modestly, pulse quickening as the boy drew near and
brushed a lock of hair behind his ear frantically. 
"Hey...can we talk?" Tim gestured not so subtly towards a relatively empty
hallway. Jason hesitated, not wanting to risk a tardy, but Tim looked
insistent. "It won't take long, I promise. I just... I'm sorry you had to put
up with that today," Tim began, honestly catching Jason off guard as they took
refuge in the quiet hall.
"Er-"
"I know you must have been uncomfortable with Kon badgering you like that, but
he doesn't mean it to be rude. He doesn't know about-...y'know," Tim's voice
trailed off as his cheeks pinkened. Jason deadpanned in annoyance; yeah right,
Kent didn't mean to be rude. In the full know or not, he was pea cocking about
Tim on purpose because he at the very least suspected Jason. He was right, of
course, but still...
"Yeah, I figured as much," Jason grumbled, turning to head off again, before
Tim called out to him again.
"Wait, don't-," the sophomore hesitated, and Jason paused again. "I
also...wanted to thank you...for not telling him about, you know, us," Tim was
more than just pink now; more like a full, rosy red as he fidgeted his fingers
together. Jason's chest constricted oddly, and he grimaced.
"If you didn't tell him, why would I?" he furrowed his brows and blurted out.
"I thought you were going to for a minute," Tim admitted quietly, hiding behind
his shoulders and wincing at the floor. "I was so scared, I mean you
mentioned...having fun with me last weekend-" the way Tim's face twisted as the
words fell from his lips, and Jason groaned, scrubbing his hands across his
face. Yeah, that had been pretty stupid on his part. "I thought I was done for,
and that you'd-" he cut himself off, clearly uncomfortable, and Jason huffed.
"I wanted to... at first," Jason admitted reluctantly, and Tim glowered. "But
you know I'd never do that to you, right?"
"I know, that's not the issue," Tim frowned in frustration, and Jason recoiled
in confusion.
"Nearly ratting you out's not the issue?" he repeated, flabbergasted.
"No, it's just... I was more than just fun for you, wasn't I?" Tim's expression
was hesitant and almost desperate, and then Jason understood. Fucking hell.
"Tim, of course," Jason stepped closer, nearly reaching out before remembering
they probably shouldn't touch, even if he did just want to reassure the kid.
"Look, I meant every word I said that night. I was being an asshole today
because-...because I'm-" Jason cursed himself for it, but he had to admit it
sometime. "Jealous, alright? Kent had his hands all over you and was being a
prick, and I got pissy. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry if I hurt you or made you feel
scared or cheap, Tim, honestly." Tim seemed to relax at his words, and Jason
sighed in relief.
"Okay," Tim nodded, reassured. "Okay, I...thank you," he smiled up, and god
damn it, Jason's heart panged again as he simpered back. "I just...have one
more thing," Tim continued, this time sounding extremely reluctant. Jason
frowned and tilted his head in concern.
"I think Kon was right."
Jason's blood ran cold, and his stomach lurched once, then disappeared
entirely.
"What?"
"Hear me out, okay?" Tim squeaked. "I just think...maybe if you did date
someone, it might help us, y'know...move on. Both of us," Tim explained
sheepishly, with a pained look from his baby blue eyes. Jason grimaced
uncomfortably, and Tim swallowed as dead silence stretched between them.
"Tim, I-" he could see the logic in it. Honestly. And maybe being with someone
else would ease the torture of pining and longing for Tim like a tragic,
forlorn lover. On one hand, it sucked, and meant he'd have to face the reality
that he and Tim would never actually be together. That Tim... would move on,
and he'd lose that chance forever. But it also meant he could move on, too.
Eventually, anyway, even if he didn't want to. In his head, he knew it was the
smart choice; the only choice, really. And he actually had the opportunity,
too. This had to be a sign from the universe, right? Besides, he never wanted
to be like Romeo, anyway.
"Alright," he agreed, and Tim's answering smile was as hollow and conflicted as
Jason felt. "I think it's worth a try."
"Good," Tim breathed, falling silent for a moment before plastering a tight
smile on his face and changing the subject. "You still coming with us to the
game on Friday?" he asked hopefully, and Jason nodded. "Good. I'm gonna crash
at Stephanie's after the game. She wants to know if you wanna come too, and
make it another marathon night?"
"You sure about that?" Jason furrowed his brows together hesitantly. The last
thing they needed was to sleep in close proximity to each other and drown, or
god forbid, give in to sexual tension. Tim, however, actually nodded back with
surprising confidence.
"Absolutely. You know she'll keep us in check, if nothing else," Tim assured,
and Jason snorted in amusement.
"Fair enough, I guess. Blondie rules with an iron fist, what was I thinking?"
he chuckled humorously. "Yeah, I'll come. Can you give me a ride to work the
next morning, though?"
"Of course! What time?"
They made their plans and parted ways with genuine, though still somewhat
strained smiles on their faces. It was nice, though, and gave Jason hope that
maybe this would get easier for them. Now all he had to do was find Dick after
class and take him up on that date, and try to move on like Tim said.
Jesus, it was going to be a busy weekend.
 
Chapter End Notes
     Baha! Sudden, unexpected Jaydick! How do you think the date will go?
     How do you think Jaytim will be able to handle the sleepover? And was
     Kon too much of a dick in this chapter? Let me know what you guys
     think! Lots of love <3
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