DCU Fic Translation - Blind Date(s) 1
Blind Date(s) 1
Fandom: DCU
Author: brisby_pops
Pairing: Kon/Tim
Rating: PG
Summary: The problem for superheroes with two identities are the superheroes who only have one.
The first time that Tim saw Superboy, the front of a building was threatening to crush him. Even though he was Robin, the only thing Tim could do was to avoid being crushed on the pavement.
Nice, Metropolis. And they criticize Gotham…
He felt himself be enveloped by a mass a little thinner than air, significantly hotter than the winter cold which covered the city, and was snatched away from the building. Two arms welcomed him, and he took several seconds to realize that there was no longer anything under his feet. He lifted his head and fell on two blue eyes. Very blue. He blinked. A brilliant smile stretched the lips of the guy holding him.
- Welcome to Metropolis.
Inevitably, with a t-shirt emblazoned “Goth@m Rulz!”, it would have been difficult to be able to attract any other comment. But Metropolis was so bright that he had felt the Bat in him cringe. So Tim couldn’t prevent himself from wearing it.
He heard his teacher cry his name, and his feet touched the pavement a second later. He turned himself towards the enormous hole in the building and glimpsed a red flash rush inside.
- Don’t worry. He has things in hand.
A last smile, and his rescuer had left again. And, okay, maybe Tim hadn’t worked with many people outside of Gotham yet, but…
- Fuck, Drake, you were saved by Superboy!
The jacket, the earring, and the huge S on his chest didn’t really leave any place for doubt.
- Shit like this only ever happens to you!
- Next time a building collapses, Ives, I promise I’ll call you.
***
The next time he saw Superboy, Tim had a revolver against his temple. He had gone into a bank to get money before their afternoon of free time in the middle of their trip. Bank robbers had arrived there just after him, and like any good tourist, Tim had been taken hostage immediately. He reflected that thieves in Metropolis must develop a certain masochism, because Superboy appeared before they’d even finished filling their first bags. However, one could say the same thing about the thieves of Crime Alley.
Superboy stopped for a moment when he recognized Tim and began to smile.
- Hey!
Tim flashed him a hand sign which annoyed the guy holding him to no end. He didn’t have time to get worked up before his revolver was bent in half. Tim jabbed his elbow into the robber’s stomach before heaving him over his shoulder. Superboy looked first at the man on the ground, then Tim, and his smile grew even wider.
- Nice teamwork!
Then he left to deal with the rest of the robbers who were starting to shoot in all directions. Tim found his methods dangerous and for a moment was afraid for the hostages’ safety, but finally everything went well. In the end, the employees even clapped for Superboy. Tim wondered for an instant what it would be like to be able to stay and hear people’s thanks. But Gotham was different.
When the police arrived, Tim had evacuated the bank with the rest of the hostages.
- So? You like Metropolis?
He wouldn’t have thought that Superboy would have come back to him.
- In any case, the criminals here like me.
- Ha! I’m sure this happens to you twice a day in Gotham.
Tim rolled his eyes.
- This might seem strange to you, but there are people who live in Gotham too. Batman isn’t there to scare them.
- Oh? I’ve been lied to?
Superboy seemed eager to garner a smile from him.
- No, seriously, do you like Metropolis? It must be nice to be in a city that’s… What do they call it again? Sunny?
- It hurt my eyes at first. Lack of habit and all that… And then not being able to see the sky between all the buildings is a little oppressing. The people of Metropolis got something to compensate for, building such huge buildings?
Superboy took offense.
- You can see the sky!
- Oh yeah. When you can fly over them, sure. From here, I can only imagine.
- That could be arranged.
Tim already had a reply prepared, but the absence of ground under his feet took him off balance. Again, the two hands on his shoulders. Then the impression of skipping rooftops with Dick. And finally, the sun, the blue sky all around the city, blurry, under their feet.
- And voilà - the sky! The sky of Metropolis… Uh…
He stopped, as if he was waiting to know his name to continue. Tim wasn’t prepared for that, and the words came out as if automatically.
- Drake. Timothy Drake.
- Timothy.
- Tim.
- Tim…
Superboy’s delighted smile took him completely by surprise. Superboy was supposed to be used to… Meeting people he saved, talking to them. In any case, more used to it than him and Bruce.
- So… The sky of Metropolis, Tim. Tim, the sky of Metropolis.
- At least I’ll have seen it once.
- Seems to me like the sun doesn’t even go to Gotham.
Tim chose not to respond. In any event, they started their descent. Tim waited to be put down on the street, but it was on the roof of a building that he found himself. He furrowed an eyebrow.
- I’m going to have trouble getting down from here.
- Oh…! I guess you’ve gotta join your group.
Tim wasn’t sure he understood why Superboy appeared nervous.
- No, no. We have the afternoon free.
Okay. His smile was definitely not normal.
- But… You, don’t you have…
- Whoa, wait. Don’t be so formal, man. We’ve gotta be about the same age. At least in theory… Anyway. But it’ll end up stressing me out if you keep being so formal. I’m going to feel, like, adult. Anguish.
Tim smiled in the corner of his mouth.
- Okay, then… You don’t have anything to do, dude? Saving people? Defending widows and orphans? Getting cats down from trees? Giving sky tours to the thousands of people who live here and don’t know that it exists? Dropping guys on rooftops and explaining how you don’t want them to take you for an adult or anyone responsible when you’re their only way to get down?
Superboy began to laugh and then shook his head. He sat down on the edge of the building, feet in the air. Tim hesitated then finally joined him. He didn’t even pretend to be impressed by the height - who would care with a Super by their side, ready to dive in at the smallest risk?
- You weren’t planning to meet up with someone? Friends, a girlfriend…
Ah.
Ah…
Then that was it.
His approach had lacked any subtlety, but at least Superboy was doing his best to seem detached while waiting for Tim’s answer.
- N… No. Nobody
The smile that Tim got in response was dazzling.
Okay. Superboy was interested in him. Good, yes, he should have realized before. It was true that Superboy had no reason to waste so much time with him, to bring him up into the sky, to stay with him on the roof of a skyscraper… But it was the first time that he was dealing with a vigilante as “Tim Drake” since he had donned the mask, so he hadn’t been paying attention. And then it was Metropolis, and Dick was always describing the Supers as helpful and naturally open people. The word Bruce used was “Boy Scout.”
Uneasy, Tim looked for a way to derail the conversation. Superboy seemed perfectly content to stay there smiling and observing Metropolis. Luckily for Tim, police sirens echoed between the buildings, and Superboy rose up immediately.
- Shit! Sorry. I gotta go.
He jumped from the roof and disappeared. Several seconds passed before he returned.
- Oops. I’ll… I’ll get you down first. Duh.
Tim wanted to protest, to say that that was ridiculous, that it was more important to follow the police, and that he was very able to get by on his own. But… There was no door on the roof, and Tim didn’t have his cables with him. He finally gave in after Superboy promised him that he’d be able to catch up with the police without difficulty. Tim spent the rest of the day looking for the meaning of what had just happened.
***
Their third encounter happened the day before Tim was due to leave. On a balcony. Of a burning building. Superboy seemed enthralled.
- Okay. Three times in ten days. That’s a lot. I’m going to have to believe you fixed it so I’d save you.
- Oh, don’t think it’s all about you. I’m just a pyromaniac. The rest has just been bad luck.
Superboy’s smile was… ecstatic.
He grabbed Tim by the shoulders, but… closer. Way closer.
They stayed floating in the air. Tim kept an eye on the flames. Now that they were away from the fire, he could feel the January wind sting his cheeks.
- There’s nobody left in the building?
- No. I saved best for last.
Tim found the conversation slippery and chose not to respond.
- Superman’s going to take over now.
He hadn’t finished his sentence before a red flash surrounded the building. Tim could spot him between moments when he sent icy breaths to certain floors. The flames were mastered in a handful of seconds. When Superman exited, he gave a wave to the crowd, addressed some comforting words to the escapees, encouraged the fire department, and disappeared.
- I can understand why the people here like their city so much.
Tim didn’t need to raise his head to know that Superboy was smiling.
- Even if I wouldn’t leave Gotham for anything.
- You’re saying that, but it’s been ten days that you’ve been here.
- It was a school trip.
- Oh yeah…
- I’m leaving tomorrow morning.
- Oh.
“Oh.”
The “oh.”
Tim had no problem feeling the way his hands hesitated on his shoulders.
- Hey! You know what? Besides having an awesome sun, Metropolis has a sick moon. And the stars are awesome too!
Tim was almost tempted.
- … They’re going to be looking for me. Down there. They’ll be worried.
- Ah. Yeah.
There was a silence.
- I’m taking you down then?
- That’d make sense.
They landed in an alley next to the building. Tim didn’t dare lift his eyes back up. He rubbed his hands together more from nerves than in a real attempt to warm them up.
- Well uh… Hope you get back safe.
- Yes.
- And uh… You never know, if you come back or… If you happen to find me in Gotham.
- Happen to?
Tim smiled and Superboy finally seemed to relax.
- I’m not sure Batman would let you in.
- Oh… I’d make myself real small. He won’t even see me.
- Batman?
- Yeah, okay I… I’d hurry and hide myself?
He displayed the same enthralled expression when Tim started laughing. The silence this time was a little more relaxed. Tim took a pen from his pocket.
- Well… If you ever happen to pass through Gotham… You have any paper?
Superboy paused for a moment before rushing to empty his pockets with full speed. He shook his head sheepishly, and Tim gnawed on the end of his pen.
- Well.
Tim grabbed his arm, rolling up the sleeve of his jacket, and began to write on his skin. Superboy’s eyes could have turned into literal hearts and it wouldn’t have been so obvious. Tim bit his lip while he wrote, so as not to smile too much.
- There’s my address.
- Okay. I’ll come see you at night, I’ll fly under the radar. It’s not a neighborhood Batman keeps his eye on?
- No! That is to say, I… No, he doesn’t watch it, but… My dad’ll flip if you come see me at night.
Okay. Now Tim saw all too well what Bruce was saying when he used “puppy” to describe Superman when Dick was spouting poetic about him.
- I could come to your window?
- And call me Juliet?
- If that’s what you want.
Tim smiled, the cap of his pen crushed by his teeth.
- Hey wait. I’m going to give you my number. It’s simpler. This way, if you ever happen to pass through, send me a text and I’ll tell you if it’s cool to come by.
- I won’t risk waking you up?
- I’m… More or less an insomniac.
- Cool.
Superboy had an immense smile when Tim put his jaw back in place.
- Good.
- Yeah.
- I’d better…
- Okay.
Superboy was already hovering a meter above the ground. Tim no longer had anything to gnaw at and began to feel nervous.
- Tim?
Tim realized that he was looking at the entrance of the alley a little too desperately. A mix between hope for an emergency exit and anxiety over an interruption. His nails scratched against the wall behind him as he lifted his head up at Superboy. He was hardly surprised when he felt only air under his feet. He just found it frustrating because he felt like he was taking the first step when it wasn’t really him who was moving.
And then he stopped thinking when he felt the hand on his cheek then lips over his own. Tim didn’t close his eyes because it all really seemed too surreal, so that he needed to prove to himself that it was real. There was more nervousness in the kiss than passion. He simply dared to touch the tips of his fingers to Superboy’s throat, and the hand on his cheek didn’t move. They stayed a moment, foreheads pressed together, and then Tim felt himself come back down to the ground.
- …Well. You have my number.
- I’ll call you.
- Okay.
It was only once he was out of the alley, amidst the tears, annoyance of the teachers, the reassurances of others, and some questions from some that he truly realized. He was more or less going out with Superboy.
***
The first meeting between Robin and Superboy was… significantly different.
- Okay. Well… Who the hell made you the boss?!!
- I’m not the boss! I’m just trying to keep us from killing ourselves and bringing thousands of civilians down with us! Impulse, stay here!
Tim felt like his head was going to explode. How could they act so inconsiderately? With the slightest mistake, they could be responsible for the death of so many people…
He raised two fingers to his temples to calm his migraine.
- Okay… Impulse, you circle the stadium. Superboy, you fly over.
- And why do I have to be the one who flies over it?
His voice had turned nasty. Tim’s fingers tightened themselves in his hair.
- Because you’re the only one who can fly?
- …I don’t get why we have to follow your plan.
Tim tore out four hairs.
- If you have a better one to propose, go ahead! If not, you have two options: you do what I tell you, or you stop stepping on my toes!!
Superboy pinched his lips then flew away.
It took them a good four hours to secure the stadium. In general, in took Tim two hours for a mission of this type with Bruce or Dick.
Impulse had blown up two of the explosives that he was tasked to find. Superboy had brought down a platform during his searching. And it was only due to luck that nobody had been injured.
- That was sweet!
- Towards the end, when we were working, sure.
- …
Tim judged that the size of the ulcer in his stomach was enough reason for his silence. Superboy eyed him scornfully.
- Listen Robin… You’re an effective guy… For a human… But, I don’t think that I’ll work with you a second time. I’d risk wanting to kill you more than to take care of the situation.
Tim tensed so much that he could almost feel the bile rise in the back of his throat.
- You pick the priorities you want…
He draped himself in his cape.
- As for me, be sure that if we find each other in the same situation, I won’t take your presence into account. I understand that I can’t trust you.
For a second, Superboy seemed wounded, and Tim regretted his words. Then he curled his lip, disgusted. His expression had become glacial. He flew away in the seconds that followed.
Bruce came for him several hours later with the jet. They were about to enter the cave when Tim’s phone vibrated. He threw a glance at it, distracted.
“I had a long day :(( Can I come tonight? :3”
Tim closed his eyes and tried to distance himself enough to find something positive in the situation. Without success. He let his head hit against the seat. Bruce hadn’t moved, but Tim knew that he was watching him from the corner of his eye.
- Bruce… Did you ever…
- … Tim?
- No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.
Tim knew the difference between what was useful and what wasn’t, but it soothed Tim all the same. He let his head smack against the seat twice more.
2838 words
Fandom: DCU
Author: brisby_pops
Pairing: Kon/Tim
Rating: PG
Summary: The problem for superheroes with two identities are the superheroes who only have one.
The first time that Tim saw Superboy, the front of a building was threatening to crush him. Even though he was Robin, the only thing Tim could do was to avoid being crushed on the pavement.
Nice, Metropolis. And they criticize Gotham…
He felt himself be enveloped by a mass a little thinner than air, significantly hotter than the winter cold which covered the city, and was snatched away from the building. Two arms welcomed him, and he took several seconds to realize that there was no longer anything under his feet. He lifted his head and fell on two blue eyes. Very blue. He blinked. A brilliant smile stretched the lips of the guy holding him.
- Welcome to Metropolis.
Inevitably, with a t-shirt emblazoned “Goth@m Rulz!”, it would have been difficult to be able to attract any other comment. But Metropolis was so bright that he had felt the Bat in him cringe. So Tim couldn’t prevent himself from wearing it.
He heard his teacher cry his name, and his feet touched the pavement a second later. He turned himself towards the enormous hole in the building and glimpsed a red flash rush inside.
- Don’t worry. He has things in hand.
A last smile, and his rescuer had left again. And, okay, maybe Tim hadn’t worked with many people outside of Gotham yet, but…
- Fuck, Drake, you were saved by Superboy!
The jacket, the earring, and the huge S on his chest didn’t really leave any place for doubt.
- Shit like this only ever happens to you!
- Next time a building collapses, Ives, I promise I’ll call you.
***
The next time he saw Superboy, Tim had a revolver against his temple. He had gone into a bank to get money before their afternoon of free time in the middle of their trip. Bank robbers had arrived there just after him, and like any good tourist, Tim had been taken hostage immediately. He reflected that thieves in Metropolis must develop a certain masochism, because Superboy appeared before they’d even finished filling their first bags. However, one could say the same thing about the thieves of Crime Alley.
Superboy stopped for a moment when he recognized Tim and began to smile.
- Hey!
Tim flashed him a hand sign which annoyed the guy holding him to no end. He didn’t have time to get worked up before his revolver was bent in half. Tim jabbed his elbow into the robber’s stomach before heaving him over his shoulder. Superboy looked first at the man on the ground, then Tim, and his smile grew even wider.
- Nice teamwork!
Then he left to deal with the rest of the robbers who were starting to shoot in all directions. Tim found his methods dangerous and for a moment was afraid for the hostages’ safety, but finally everything went well. In the end, the employees even clapped for Superboy. Tim wondered for an instant what it would be like to be able to stay and hear people’s thanks. But Gotham was different.
When the police arrived, Tim had evacuated the bank with the rest of the hostages.
- So? You like Metropolis?
He wouldn’t have thought that Superboy would have come back to him.
- In any case, the criminals here like me.
- Ha! I’m sure this happens to you twice a day in Gotham.
Tim rolled his eyes.
- This might seem strange to you, but there are people who live in Gotham too. Batman isn’t there to scare them.
- Oh? I’ve been lied to?
Superboy seemed eager to garner a smile from him.
- No, seriously, do you like Metropolis? It must be nice to be in a city that’s… What do they call it again? Sunny?
- It hurt my eyes at first. Lack of habit and all that… And then not being able to see the sky between all the buildings is a little oppressing. The people of Metropolis got something to compensate for, building such huge buildings?
Superboy took offense.
- You can see the sky!
- Oh yeah. When you can fly over them, sure. From here, I can only imagine.
- That could be arranged.
Tim already had a reply prepared, but the absence of ground under his feet took him off balance. Again, the two hands on his shoulders. Then the impression of skipping rooftops with Dick. And finally, the sun, the blue sky all around the city, blurry, under their feet.
- And voilà - the sky! The sky of Metropolis… Uh…
He stopped, as if he was waiting to know his name to continue. Tim wasn’t prepared for that, and the words came out as if automatically.
- Drake. Timothy Drake.
- Timothy.
- Tim.
- Tim…
Superboy’s delighted smile took him completely by surprise. Superboy was supposed to be used to… Meeting people he saved, talking to them. In any case, more used to it than him and Bruce.
- So… The sky of Metropolis, Tim. Tim, the sky of Metropolis.
- At least I’ll have seen it once.
- Seems to me like the sun doesn’t even go to Gotham.
Tim chose not to respond. In any event, they started their descent. Tim waited to be put down on the street, but it was on the roof of a building that he found himself. He furrowed an eyebrow.
- I’m going to have trouble getting down from here.
- Oh…! I guess you’ve gotta join your group.
Tim wasn’t sure he understood why Superboy appeared nervous.
- No, no. We have the afternoon free.
Okay. His smile was definitely not normal.
- But… You, don’t you have…
- Whoa, wait. Don’t be so formal, man. We’ve gotta be about the same age. At least in theory… Anyway. But it’ll end up stressing me out if you keep being so formal. I’m going to feel, like, adult. Anguish.
Tim smiled in the corner of his mouth.
- Okay, then… You don’t have anything to do, dude? Saving people? Defending widows and orphans? Getting cats down from trees? Giving sky tours to the thousands of people who live here and don’t know that it exists? Dropping guys on rooftops and explaining how you don’t want them to take you for an adult or anyone responsible when you’re their only way to get down?
Superboy began to laugh and then shook his head. He sat down on the edge of the building, feet in the air. Tim hesitated then finally joined him. He didn’t even pretend to be impressed by the height - who would care with a Super by their side, ready to dive in at the smallest risk?
- You weren’t planning to meet up with someone? Friends, a girlfriend…
Ah.
Ah…
Then that was it.
His approach had lacked any subtlety, but at least Superboy was doing his best to seem detached while waiting for Tim’s answer.
- N… No. Nobody
The smile that Tim got in response was dazzling.
Okay. Superboy was interested in him. Good, yes, he should have realized before. It was true that Superboy had no reason to waste so much time with him, to bring him up into the sky, to stay with him on the roof of a skyscraper… But it was the first time that he was dealing with a vigilante as “Tim Drake” since he had donned the mask, so he hadn’t been paying attention. And then it was Metropolis, and Dick was always describing the Supers as helpful and naturally open people. The word Bruce used was “Boy Scout.”
Uneasy, Tim looked for a way to derail the conversation. Superboy seemed perfectly content to stay there smiling and observing Metropolis. Luckily for Tim, police sirens echoed between the buildings, and Superboy rose up immediately.
- Shit! Sorry. I gotta go.
He jumped from the roof and disappeared. Several seconds passed before he returned.
- Oops. I’ll… I’ll get you down first. Duh.
Tim wanted to protest, to say that that was ridiculous, that it was more important to follow the police, and that he was very able to get by on his own. But… There was no door on the roof, and Tim didn’t have his cables with him. He finally gave in after Superboy promised him that he’d be able to catch up with the police without difficulty. Tim spent the rest of the day looking for the meaning of what had just happened.
***
Their third encounter happened the day before Tim was due to leave. On a balcony. Of a burning building. Superboy seemed enthralled.
- Okay. Three times in ten days. That’s a lot. I’m going to have to believe you fixed it so I’d save you.
- Oh, don’t think it’s all about you. I’m just a pyromaniac. The rest has just been bad luck.
Superboy’s smile was… ecstatic.
He grabbed Tim by the shoulders, but… closer. Way closer.
They stayed floating in the air. Tim kept an eye on the flames. Now that they were away from the fire, he could feel the January wind sting his cheeks.
- There’s nobody left in the building?
- No. I saved best for last.
Tim found the conversation slippery and chose not to respond.
- Superman’s going to take over now.
He hadn’t finished his sentence before a red flash surrounded the building. Tim could spot him between moments when he sent icy breaths to certain floors. The flames were mastered in a handful of seconds. When Superman exited, he gave a wave to the crowd, addressed some comforting words to the escapees, encouraged the fire department, and disappeared.
- I can understand why the people here like their city so much.
Tim didn’t need to raise his head to know that Superboy was smiling.
- Even if I wouldn’t leave Gotham for anything.
- You’re saying that, but it’s been ten days that you’ve been here.
- It was a school trip.
- Oh yeah…
- I’m leaving tomorrow morning.
- Oh.
“Oh.”
The “oh.”
Tim had no problem feeling the way his hands hesitated on his shoulders.
- Hey! You know what? Besides having an awesome sun, Metropolis has a sick moon. And the stars are awesome too!
Tim was almost tempted.
- … They’re going to be looking for me. Down there. They’ll be worried.
- Ah. Yeah.
There was a silence.
- I’m taking you down then?
- That’d make sense.
They landed in an alley next to the building. Tim didn’t dare lift his eyes back up. He rubbed his hands together more from nerves than in a real attempt to warm them up.
- Well uh… Hope you get back safe.
- Yes.
- And uh… You never know, if you come back or… If you happen to find me in Gotham.
- Happen to?
Tim smiled and Superboy finally seemed to relax.
- I’m not sure Batman would let you in.
- Oh… I’d make myself real small. He won’t even see me.
- Batman?
- Yeah, okay I… I’d hurry and hide myself?
He displayed the same enthralled expression when Tim started laughing. The silence this time was a little more relaxed. Tim took a pen from his pocket.
- Well… If you ever happen to pass through Gotham… You have any paper?
Superboy paused for a moment before rushing to empty his pockets with full speed. He shook his head sheepishly, and Tim gnawed on the end of his pen.
- Well.
Tim grabbed his arm, rolling up the sleeve of his jacket, and began to write on his skin. Superboy’s eyes could have turned into literal hearts and it wouldn’t have been so obvious. Tim bit his lip while he wrote, so as not to smile too much.
- There’s my address.
- Okay. I’ll come see you at night, I’ll fly under the radar. It’s not a neighborhood Batman keeps his eye on?
- No! That is to say, I… No, he doesn’t watch it, but… My dad’ll flip if you come see me at night.
Okay. Now Tim saw all too well what Bruce was saying when he used “puppy” to describe Superman when Dick was spouting poetic about him.
- I could come to your window?
- And call me Juliet?
- If that’s what you want.
Tim smiled, the cap of his pen crushed by his teeth.
- Hey wait. I’m going to give you my number. It’s simpler. This way, if you ever happen to pass through, send me a text and I’ll tell you if it’s cool to come by.
- I won’t risk waking you up?
- I’m… More or less an insomniac.
- Cool.
Superboy had an immense smile when Tim put his jaw back in place.
- Good.
- Yeah.
- I’d better…
- Okay.
Superboy was already hovering a meter above the ground. Tim no longer had anything to gnaw at and began to feel nervous.
- Tim?
Tim realized that he was looking at the entrance of the alley a little too desperately. A mix between hope for an emergency exit and anxiety over an interruption. His nails scratched against the wall behind him as he lifted his head up at Superboy. He was hardly surprised when he felt only air under his feet. He just found it frustrating because he felt like he was taking the first step when it wasn’t really him who was moving.
And then he stopped thinking when he felt the hand on his cheek then lips over his own. Tim didn’t close his eyes because it all really seemed too surreal, so that he needed to prove to himself that it was real. There was more nervousness in the kiss than passion. He simply dared to touch the tips of his fingers to Superboy’s throat, and the hand on his cheek didn’t move. They stayed a moment, foreheads pressed together, and then Tim felt himself come back down to the ground.
- …Well. You have my number.
- I’ll call you.
- Okay.
It was only once he was out of the alley, amidst the tears, annoyance of the teachers, the reassurances of others, and some questions from some that he truly realized. He was more or less going out with Superboy.
***
The first meeting between Robin and Superboy was… significantly different.
- Okay. Well… Who the hell made you the boss?!!
- I’m not the boss! I’m just trying to keep us from killing ourselves and bringing thousands of civilians down with us! Impulse, stay here!
Tim felt like his head was going to explode. How could they act so inconsiderately? With the slightest mistake, they could be responsible for the death of so many people…
He raised two fingers to his temples to calm his migraine.
- Okay… Impulse, you circle the stadium. Superboy, you fly over.
- And why do I have to be the one who flies over it?
His voice had turned nasty. Tim’s fingers tightened themselves in his hair.
- Because you’re the only one who can fly?
- …I don’t get why we have to follow your plan.
Tim tore out four hairs.
- If you have a better one to propose, go ahead! If not, you have two options: you do what I tell you, or you stop stepping on my toes!!
Superboy pinched his lips then flew away.
It took them a good four hours to secure the stadium. In general, in took Tim two hours for a mission of this type with Bruce or Dick.
Impulse had blown up two of the explosives that he was tasked to find. Superboy had brought down a platform during his searching. And it was only due to luck that nobody had been injured.
- That was sweet!
- Towards the end, when we were working, sure.
- …
Tim judged that the size of the ulcer in his stomach was enough reason for his silence. Superboy eyed him scornfully.
- Listen Robin… You’re an effective guy… For a human… But, I don’t think that I’ll work with you a second time. I’d risk wanting to kill you more than to take care of the situation.
Tim tensed so much that he could almost feel the bile rise in the back of his throat.
- You pick the priorities you want…
He draped himself in his cape.
- As for me, be sure that if we find each other in the same situation, I won’t take your presence into account. I understand that I can’t trust you.
For a second, Superboy seemed wounded, and Tim regretted his words. Then he curled his lip, disgusted. His expression had become glacial. He flew away in the seconds that followed.
Bruce came for him several hours later with the jet. They were about to enter the cave when Tim’s phone vibrated. He threw a glance at it, distracted.
“I had a long day :(( Can I come tonight? :3”
Tim closed his eyes and tried to distance himself enough to find something positive in the situation. Without success. He let his head hit against the seat. Bruce hadn’t moved, but Tim knew that he was watching him from the corner of his eye.
- Bruce… Did you ever…
- … Tim?
- No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.
Tim knew the difference between what was useful and what wasn’t, but it soothed Tim all the same. He let his head smack against the seat twice more.
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