Myfic: More snippits for A Study in Self-Denial
This really is going to be the never-ending thing, isn’t it? Four new snippits for A Study in Self-Denial. (The Epic of Tim Not Getting Laid). The first two go between Kon and Steph. The other two go between Steph and Bernard. When I think I am something more like done, I will repost the whole thing in order. The second one is for shananagin , who requested the not-pairing.
The spar had left them sweating and panting. Tim gulped down a tall glass of whatever electrolyte mixture Bruce and Alfred were experimenting with this week. Either this version tasted better, or he just needed it more than usual. He poured a second glass and handed it to Batgirl. Cass. He really ought to be able to think of her as Cass when she was only wearing a sports-bra and biking shorts.
She dried her face and took the glass with one of her funny little smiles. He wished he knew what they meant. He was going to have to settle for the knowledge he’d actually made her sweat this time, which was kind of heady all by itself.
She was…still smiling at him. Tim raised his eyebrows, and she laughed. “You…like me,” she said, like that explained something.
Tim felt the corner of his mouth twitch. He was never more aware of his facial expressions and body language than when he was with Batgirl. Cass. Cass.
“I am,” she mimed a punch, with typically perfect form. Tim smiled and nodded. “You think…” she smiled “think about sex.”
Tim’s fingers tightened around his glass. He kept his face as still as he could, but doubted it would do any good. He’d thought about it, sure, once or twice. He’d…wondered about her ability to read a person’s body, about her strength and flexibility…
Batgirl was still smiling, but she looked…sad. Regretful. “You are afraid. Of me.”
“No!” Tim said. He set his glass down and reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. She nodded to herself. “Of me,” she repeated, then she frowned, and her shoulder’s slumped. “Of you.”
Tim didn’t know what to say to that. It didn’t seem to matter, though, because Batgirl nodded like he’d said something profound and headed for the showers.
*
Space travel took a lot longer in real life than it did in the movies. It was a little like how he imagined a long car trip would be. Tim has never actually been further than Blüdhaven by car. Back before he was Robin, a lifetime ago, he would take the train to New York on the weekends. Now, there were other ways to get around.
It would probably be easier to stand if he were driving. It was a little unnerving to think that his life was in Bart’s and Lobo’s hands. He wasn’t accomplishing anything by hovering, though, so he headed to the back for a power nap.
Cissie was alone in the bunk room when he opened the door, sitting on the bed on the far left. He joined her without a word and leaned back against the wall, fingers laced behind his head.
“I think you’re the only one that gets it,” Cissie said.
“They’ll come around,” he said. “I think Kon gets it now. Cassie just misses you.”
“And Bart-“
“Is Bart,” Tim finished with her.
“They all visit me, you know.”
“I know,” Tim said.
“You could visit me.” She turned and looked at him.
“I could,” Tim said, “if you want. I…thought it might be awkward.”
“Because I kissed you?”
“Because I’d either have to be Robin, and remind you of all this, or I’d have to be…someone else. You’ve got no reason to want ‘someone else’ visiting you. You’ve never even met him.”
Cissie watched his face for a long moment. “Take off your mask,” she finally said.
Tim did.
“Hi,” Cissie said. “I’m Cissie.”
Tim smiled and offered his hand. “Alvin Draper.”
“So, Al,” Cissie said. She still hadn’t let go of his hand. “Come here often?”
“I -“ Tim frowned. “I can’t do this, Cissie.” He pulled his hand out of hers.
“Okay,” she said, and sighed. “It was worth a try.”
*
“Do you take the mask off when you’re fucking?”
Tim froze, grapple in hand, and turned to stare at the young man he’d just rescued.
He hadn’t set out to rescue him, tonight. There had been a case with a corrupt city councilman and several dead hustlers, and when the shit had hit the fan back at the hotel, Robin had been forced to haul the kid’s ass out of the fire. Again.
“I mean okay if that’s your kink or whatever, but those white eyes would be kind of creepy looking down at you.”
“Go into the clinic,” Tim said.
“Nah, I feel fine. Want me to show you how fine?”
“You are under the influence of three different controlled substances. You should go inside and tell Dr. Thompkins exactly what you took and when.”
“Or we could go over behind that dumpster and I could thank you for saving my sweet - mmph,” he said, the last word muffled by Tim’s gauntlet.
“Listen to me carefully. I am going to ignore everything you just said if you stop now and never bring the subject up again. Now if you don’t go inside immediately and get medical attention, I will knock you unconscious and drag you in there myself. Understood?”
Snuffy nodded.
Sometimes, Tim thought as he watched the boy stumble into the clinic, these nights were worse than the supervillains.
*
"...So, you seemed like the obvious choice! I mean, you're smart and I find you attractive and you always know what you're doing and you're the best teacher ever except maybe Max but I'm not going to think about that thought right now, and you're more patient with me that almost anybody and-"
"Bart," Tim interrupted when he'd recovered from his shock.
Bart seemed to read something in his face, because he frowned and zipped into the chair opposite Tim's. "The books aren't enough," he said earnestly.
"I understand," Tim said. "But there's a flaw in your reasoning."
Bart stopped thrumming and grabbed the edge of the chair. "Tell me."
"I've never had sex, either."
I still want to add at least Darla and Jason and Dava, and possibly Babs and Ted (I re-read the comic where Tim and Ted met last night, and it made me all giggly. Tim is such a fanboy. A crazy little gay stalker fanboy.) Right now, the ratio is at 5 canon to 10 fanon. If I add Darla that would go up to 6 canon. Jason, Dava, Babs and Ted would make it 14 fanon. Well, really it all depends on how I write the Dava one. And I kind of want Squire, after reading aravistarkheena's motorcycle porn, and maybe Poison Ivy. And - And I should probably stop now.
Snuffy was on my original list. I want Alvin/Snuffy. I want it so hard. There's a fic out there somewhere where he stops Snuffy shoplifting, and Kon shows up, and I lost it. How horrible is that!?