Fic: After the Dust Settles: 6/8; Tim/Jaime; R
Title: After the Dust Settles 6/8
Author: Aravis Tarkheena
Pairing: Jaime Reyes (Blue Beetle III)/Tim Drake (Robin III)
Rating: R
Warnings: overall- sex, violence, angst, the gay,
Disclaimer: Not mine, everyone's legal
Word Count: 2,800
Summary: Batman's gone. :( Timmy's all alone. :(( Jaime thinks Timmy needs a friend. :D
Index Post
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Detective Christiano Jimenez had been in the El Paso Police Department since he was eighteen. He’d signed up for the Academy right out of High School and had looked forward to spending the rest of his life Protecting and Serving.
However, the world had changed a lot in thirty years. When he joined the force, Superheroes had been few and far between. Something you read about in the news or saw on the television.
Now they seemed to be everywhere. Thick on the ground like the Tribbles from Star Trek.
While Christiano hadn’t had much of an opinion about Superheroes when they had been a mostly hypothetical concept in his world, now that they had become a very serious reality, he still wasn’t sure how to feel.
Or how to handle them.
Detective Christiano was standing in the parking lot of an old abandoned body shop. He had gone out tonight in hopes of following up on a tip he’d received on a robbery case he had been working for a past few weeks. He had expected some young, guilty but full of regret lackey to meet him here and give him some information on the masterminds.
Instead he had come face to face with The Blue Beetle.
El Paso’s very own Superhero.
“I’m telling you man, we’ve figured it out. We know who the art thieves are,” Blue Beetle gushed at him. He sounded young and Hispanic. His partner, if that was what the other boy was, was silent just two steps behind him.
Something about the other kid unsettled him. He was too still and too quiet. Christiano couldn’t even hear him breathe.
“Who is it then?” Christiano asked, he had an obligation to follow every lead he got, even the ones that lead him out to abandoned parking lots at one am with two little boys playing dress up.
“A secret organization!” the kid confided to him, sounding like he thought this was the coolest thing he had ever done. Christiano tried hard not to roll his eyes.
“Listen kid, I appreciate that you’re trying to help but I very much doubt this is about a secret organization-“ Christiano began, trying to politely extricate himself but he was cut off by the other boy.
“How many secret organizations have you come up against, Detective?” the quiet boy asked, his voice was low and clearly disguised. It didn’t have any particular accent but Christiano could tell he was from the north.
Christiano paused in the process of reaching for his car keys.
“None,” he admitted and the quiet boy raised a sardonic eye brow.
“If you’ve never dealt with one before, then how do you know you’re not now?” the boy inquired and Blue Beetle nodded his head as his companion spoke.
“Conversely, how do you know that we are?” he shot back at the kid.
“It just so happens that I am very well versed in secret organizations,” the quiet boy said with a touch of smugness to his voice. “The organization isn’t culpable for the robberies per say, but they are the cause of them. A high ranking member of the private art organization called The Dorians has recently died, leaving his spot in the club open for the person who can obtain a piece of art that suitably impresses the remaining members. They aren’t terribly picky about where the art comes from, you see.”
The boy’s hands disappeared behind his cape for a moment before re-emerging with a file folder.
“I trust this is all the information you’ll on the group of thieves and how they operate,” he said as he walked over to Christiano and handed him a neat manila folder. “It comes from a source inside the Dorians,” he said confidentially before walking back over to Blue Beetle.
Christiano flipped the folder open and was faced with several neatly typed profiles complete with identifying pictures. He snapped the folder shut and looked back at the boys.
“How do I know that any of this is true?” he asked, still suspicious. He didn’t want to bring any of these men in and then have the evidence not check out. Explaining where he got it would be… Unpleasant at best.
“Because we-“ Blue Beetle began excitedly before his companion raised an arm to cut him off.
“You don’t. Yet. You will,” he said succulently.
Christiano raised his eyebrows. “When?”
The boy smirked sharply at him and Christiano suddenly felt uneasy. “Tonight, but we’re going to need your help, Detective.”
“With what?”
Blue Beetle smirked and the other boy raised his eyebrows with exaggerated surprise.
“Why, we’re going to catch them in the act, of course. Convictions always come easier that way,” he said and the smugness was back.
Christiano looked directly at Blue Beetle. “Is he always this self satisfied?” he asked, pointing a thumb at the other boy.
Blue Beetle grinned at him. “Not so much, no. Robin’s just very good at what he does.”
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Robin was walking over to give the little computer chip with the camera footage of the men breaking into the art museum to a groggy Detective Jimenez when he tripped for the second time. Jaime managed to catch him before he hit the ground. Robin didn’t even protest, he just leaned heavily against Jaime for a few minutes before shaking his head hard and straightening.
Before the whole operation had begun, they had known that the art thieves were using tranquilizers to take out the guards. Robin had guessed they were using gas of some sort so he’d come equipped with a mask for himself and Detective Jimenez.
They were all surprised when, after being confronted, the thieves pulled out guns, they had been completely nonviolent up to this point.
Robin had reacted instantly, jumping on top of Detective Jimenez to protect him. Both he and Christiano had been hit with one dart each before Jaime had managed to get his shield up and take out the three men.
Now Jimenez was sitting on the back of an ambulance, ready to head to the hospital and Robin was stumbling around.
“Here you are, sir,” Robin said as he handed off the chip. “Don’t lose it.”
Jaime could tell by the careful way Robin said each word that he was trying hard not to slur. It was how Paco spoke if his mom called when they were getting drunk.
It never fooled her.
“Thanks, kid,” Jimenez gave both he and Robin a goofy smile. “I wasn’t so sure about this, but you kids did a great job!” he slurred and tried to reach out to hug Robin.
Robin tried to dodge and tripped again. Jaime grabbed him and this time, he didn’t let go.
One of the medics hushed the Detective up and looked at Robin.
“You get hit, too?” he asked.
Robin was quiet for a long moment before nodding.
“You want to come in? We’ll check you out. This guy’s feeling the effects pretty strongly even with the uppers we gave him and he’s twice your size,” the medic sounded worried but Robin shook his head.
“Hey man, the guy has a point-“ Jaime started in, hoping to convince Robin to go with the man.
Robin just shook his head again.
“I have to get home,” he said firmly in a tone that, under any other circumstances, would have brooked no argument with Jaime.
“Dude, you are not flying home tonight,” Jaime said and meant it. Robin was going back to Jaime’s place to sleep this stuff off. There was no way Jaime would let him fly home.
Friends don’t let friends fly tranq-ed. Or something.
The medic gave Jaime a significant look.
“Yeah, make sure he doesn’t operate any large machinery. At all,” the medic warned and hopped into the back of the truck.
Jaime was left standing in a cloud of dust with a slightly swaying Robin.
“You heard the man, Robin. You’re gonna crash at my place tonight, yeah?”
Robin just shook his head again.
“I can’t stay. I really have to get home,” Robin insisted and his words really were starting to slur now.
“Listen man,” Jaime started in again, but stopped at Robin looked up at him.
His brow was furrowed with worry. “I have to, Jaime,” he half pleaded in a soft voice. Not a Robin-voice
Jaime melted at the sound of his name, his real name, in that tone and he sighed.
He grabbed Robin around the waist and when Robin slumped against him, Jaime realized that this wasn’t going to work. Robin was already half asleep where he stood. Jaime sighed again.
“Listen man, this is not a commentary on your masculinity or anything, but I need to do the princess carry or I’ll drop you,” Jaime informed him warily. Robin just sighed in response and pillowed his head on Jaime’s shoulder.
Jaime was pretty sure that was all the consent he could reasonably expect and lifted Robin into his arms.
Even with the body armor, the guy was light and Jaime could hold his weight pretty easily. Jaime lifted off.
The flight back to Gotham would probably have been long and tedious if Jaime hadn’t been distracted by Robin. He was limp in Jaime’s embrace; his limbs were pliant as Robin slept deeply. His mouth was open slightly and warm puffs of his breath would be ghosting across Jaime’s neck and face if it wasn’t for the damn suit.
He was far too tempted to ask the scarab to retract the mask and collar just to see what it felt like.
Jaime swallowed hard and tried not to let his mind wander. It was hard enough to fly with another person in his arms without distracting himself.
Jaime flew as mindlessly as he could for the two hours it took to get to Gotham. While the suit helped, he was still pretty exhausted by the time they neared the cityscape.
He nudged Robin as gently as he could.
“Robin, hey Robin, I need you to get up for a second,” Jaime called and jostled him a little.
Robin blinked opened bleary eyes and looked at Jaime with confusion.
“Blue?” he asked in a sleep roughened voice that did very little to help Jaime keep on topic.
“We’re almost in Gotham, man. Where am I going?” he asked.
Robin seemed to think about that for a minute.
“Remember the Nest on 23rd and Maple? Go there,” Robin instructed and Jaime nodded.
The scarab gave him directions as Robin fought to stay awake. They touched down about twenty minutes later and Robin stumbled again.
He smiled wryly at Jaime when he tried to catch him.
“Are you staying here tonight?” Robin asked. “I’m going to have to bum a ride from you tomorrow to get my jet back,” he explained.
Jaime nodded. “Just don’t let me forget to call my mother, or I will never be allowed to leave the house again.”
Robin smiled at him. “We need to change clothes,” he said before he disappeared through the door that lead to the stairway.
They made their way into the Nest and Robin disappeared behind one of the doors before poking his head back out.
“Are you wearing anything under the suit?” he asked groggily and Jaime shook his head. Robin tossed him a pair of navy blue sweatpants, a t-shirt, a jacket and a pair of flip flops.
“Change,” he ordered and disappeared behind the door again.
Jaime spent ten seconds staring dumbly at the clothes before he told the scarab to pull back and slipped into the sweats. They smelled like laundry detergent.
A few seconds later Robin emerged from the back room wearing a pair of grey sweat pants and a bright red shirt that said ‘Haley’s Circus’ across the front. It was a touch too small for him and worn almost thread bare.
He wasn’t wearing a mask.
It made his entire face look completely different. Jaime had always wondered why Robin only wore the small domino. He was certain that everyone who even remotely knew him would recognize him in an instant, but he was wrong. Robin looked completely different out of uniform.
Thinner and smaller, his eyebrows came to a point and he looked almost vulnerable. Especially now that he was rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand in a very sleepy manner.
“The train ride to my place is only about fifteen minutes,” he said to Jaime as he grabbed his keys.
Jaime felt a jolt go through him at the words.
“Your place?” he squeaked and Robin nodded. “We’re not staying here?” Jaime gestured around the Nest.
Robin shook his head and stepped out of the Nest’s door, he looked back at Jaime expectantly.
Jaime followed.
The train ride was short, just as Robin had promised. Robin dozed for three stops before jolting awake at the fourth and pulling Jaime quickly out of the train car and up the subway stairs. They walked silently along a block of neatly appointed row houses before Robin turned in at one and walked up the stairs. Hey keyed open the lock and held the door for Jaime.
As they walked the two flights of stairs that lead up to Robin’s apartment, Jaime asked, “Why was it so critical that you get home tonight, man? Before I thought it was just tranq-dart induced mania, but you seem lucid now.”
Robin grimaced sheepishly as he keyed open the lock to a door that had a large letter B on the front.
“It’s my hamsters,” he explained as he gestured Jaime through the door and followed after him, flicking on the lights and slipping out of his shoes.
Jaime followed suit and Robin redid his three locks and slipped the security chain into place.
“Your hamsters?” he asked. Robin gave him a sheepish look and led him through the small entrance way and towards the kitchen area of the small studio apartment.
There was a large plastic monstrosity on the far end of the counter top near the bar. It was a mass of red, blue and orange tubing leading to various plastic boxes and cylinders. Robin walked over the refrigerator and pulled out a handful of carrots and greens. He dropped them into one of the central boxes and two furry little bundles rushed from opposite sides of the cage to fall upon the food.
“I needed to feed them,” Robin explained, watching his hamsters with a small smile on his face.
“Man, I’m pretty sure the one on the left could have gone without a meal for a day or two,” Jaime said, feeling oddly amused that perfect, implacable Robin could be so concerned over the plight of two clearly spoiled rodents. “Anyway, don’t hamsters keep food stashes?”
“Yeah, but I cleaned their cage yesterday and the stash went into the trash,” Robin explained with a yawn.
“There’s food in the fridge and the shower’s through that door,” Robin gestured to a small white door across from the foot board of his bed.
“Is this one of your nests too?” Jaime asked as Robin pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and walked over to the neatly made bed in the corner.
“No,” Robin said with a marked lack of inflection in his tone, “this is where I live.”
“Alone?” Jaime asked, feeling a little dumbfounded. “How old are you?”
Robin took a deep breath and looked like he wanted to sigh. “Almost eighteen. Look Jaime, I’m really tired…” he said pointedly and pulled down the covers on the bed.
“Right,” Jaime said dumbly. “Where do I sleep?”
Robin gave him his patented ‘you’re an idiot’ look and gestured to the bed. “There’s room for two.”
“Seriously?” Jaime said, blanching.
“You’ve been in the Titan’s how long? And you’re still not used to uncomfortable sleeping arrangements? The new guard is getting soft. Uncomfortabilty and pervading awkwardness is the life blood of a Titan,” Robin said and Jaime couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.
“Well,” Jaime replied, slipping cautiously into the bed next to Robin, “I’ve got the awkward thing down at least.”
Robin breathed a small laugh through his nose and rolled over onto his belly, wrapping his arms around the middle of a pillow and resting his head at the top of it.
“’Night, Jaime,” Robin mumbled into the pillow already half asleep.
“’Night Robin,” he answered, hoping to God he would be able to get through this.
Maybe being a Titan wasn’t such a great idea after all.
Chapter Seven
Author: Aravis Tarkheena
Pairing: Jaime Reyes (Blue Beetle III)/Tim Drake (Robin III)
Rating: R
Warnings: overall- sex, violence, angst, the gay,
Disclaimer: Not mine, everyone's legal
Word Count: 2,800
Summary: Batman's gone. :( Timmy's all alone. :(( Jaime thinks Timmy needs a friend. :D
Index Post
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Detective Christiano Jimenez had been in the El Paso Police Department since he was eighteen. He’d signed up for the Academy right out of High School and had looked forward to spending the rest of his life Protecting and Serving.
However, the world had changed a lot in thirty years. When he joined the force, Superheroes had been few and far between. Something you read about in the news or saw on the television.
Now they seemed to be everywhere. Thick on the ground like the Tribbles from Star Trek.
While Christiano hadn’t had much of an opinion about Superheroes when they had been a mostly hypothetical concept in his world, now that they had become a very serious reality, he still wasn’t sure how to feel.
Or how to handle them.
Detective Christiano was standing in the parking lot of an old abandoned body shop. He had gone out tonight in hopes of following up on a tip he’d received on a robbery case he had been working for a past few weeks. He had expected some young, guilty but full of regret lackey to meet him here and give him some information on the masterminds.
Instead he had come face to face with The Blue Beetle.
El Paso’s very own Superhero.
“I’m telling you man, we’ve figured it out. We know who the art thieves are,” Blue Beetle gushed at him. He sounded young and Hispanic. His partner, if that was what the other boy was, was silent just two steps behind him.
Something about the other kid unsettled him. He was too still and too quiet. Christiano couldn’t even hear him breathe.
“Who is it then?” Christiano asked, he had an obligation to follow every lead he got, even the ones that lead him out to abandoned parking lots at one am with two little boys playing dress up.
“A secret organization!” the kid confided to him, sounding like he thought this was the coolest thing he had ever done. Christiano tried hard not to roll his eyes.
“Listen kid, I appreciate that you’re trying to help but I very much doubt this is about a secret organization-“ Christiano began, trying to politely extricate himself but he was cut off by the other boy.
“How many secret organizations have you come up against, Detective?” the quiet boy asked, his voice was low and clearly disguised. It didn’t have any particular accent but Christiano could tell he was from the north.
Christiano paused in the process of reaching for his car keys.
“None,” he admitted and the quiet boy raised a sardonic eye brow.
“If you’ve never dealt with one before, then how do you know you’re not now?” the boy inquired and Blue Beetle nodded his head as his companion spoke.
“Conversely, how do you know that we are?” he shot back at the kid.
“It just so happens that I am very well versed in secret organizations,” the quiet boy said with a touch of smugness to his voice. “The organization isn’t culpable for the robberies per say, but they are the cause of them. A high ranking member of the private art organization called The Dorians has recently died, leaving his spot in the club open for the person who can obtain a piece of art that suitably impresses the remaining members. They aren’t terribly picky about where the art comes from, you see.”
The boy’s hands disappeared behind his cape for a moment before re-emerging with a file folder.
“I trust this is all the information you’ll on the group of thieves and how they operate,” he said as he walked over to Christiano and handed him a neat manila folder. “It comes from a source inside the Dorians,” he said confidentially before walking back over to Blue Beetle.
Christiano flipped the folder open and was faced with several neatly typed profiles complete with identifying pictures. He snapped the folder shut and looked back at the boys.
“How do I know that any of this is true?” he asked, still suspicious. He didn’t want to bring any of these men in and then have the evidence not check out. Explaining where he got it would be… Unpleasant at best.
“Because we-“ Blue Beetle began excitedly before his companion raised an arm to cut him off.
“You don’t. Yet. You will,” he said succulently.
Christiano raised his eyebrows. “When?”
The boy smirked sharply at him and Christiano suddenly felt uneasy. “Tonight, but we’re going to need your help, Detective.”
“With what?”
Blue Beetle smirked and the other boy raised his eyebrows with exaggerated surprise.
“Why, we’re going to catch them in the act, of course. Convictions always come easier that way,” he said and the smugness was back.
Christiano looked directly at Blue Beetle. “Is he always this self satisfied?” he asked, pointing a thumb at the other boy.
Blue Beetle grinned at him. “Not so much, no. Robin’s just very good at what he does.”
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Robin was walking over to give the little computer chip with the camera footage of the men breaking into the art museum to a groggy Detective Jimenez when he tripped for the second time. Jaime managed to catch him before he hit the ground. Robin didn’t even protest, he just leaned heavily against Jaime for a few minutes before shaking his head hard and straightening.
Before the whole operation had begun, they had known that the art thieves were using tranquilizers to take out the guards. Robin had guessed they were using gas of some sort so he’d come equipped with a mask for himself and Detective Jimenez.
They were all surprised when, after being confronted, the thieves pulled out guns, they had been completely nonviolent up to this point.
Robin had reacted instantly, jumping on top of Detective Jimenez to protect him. Both he and Christiano had been hit with one dart each before Jaime had managed to get his shield up and take out the three men.
Now Jimenez was sitting on the back of an ambulance, ready to head to the hospital and Robin was stumbling around.
“Here you are, sir,” Robin said as he handed off the chip. “Don’t lose it.”
Jaime could tell by the careful way Robin said each word that he was trying hard not to slur. It was how Paco spoke if his mom called when they were getting drunk.
It never fooled her.
“Thanks, kid,” Jimenez gave both he and Robin a goofy smile. “I wasn’t so sure about this, but you kids did a great job!” he slurred and tried to reach out to hug Robin.
Robin tried to dodge and tripped again. Jaime grabbed him and this time, he didn’t let go.
One of the medics hushed the Detective up and looked at Robin.
“You get hit, too?” he asked.
Robin was quiet for a long moment before nodding.
“You want to come in? We’ll check you out. This guy’s feeling the effects pretty strongly even with the uppers we gave him and he’s twice your size,” the medic sounded worried but Robin shook his head.
“Hey man, the guy has a point-“ Jaime started in, hoping to convince Robin to go with the man.
Robin just shook his head again.
“I have to get home,” he said firmly in a tone that, under any other circumstances, would have brooked no argument with Jaime.
“Dude, you are not flying home tonight,” Jaime said and meant it. Robin was going back to Jaime’s place to sleep this stuff off. There was no way Jaime would let him fly home.
Friends don’t let friends fly tranq-ed. Or something.
The medic gave Jaime a significant look.
“Yeah, make sure he doesn’t operate any large machinery. At all,” the medic warned and hopped into the back of the truck.
Jaime was left standing in a cloud of dust with a slightly swaying Robin.
“You heard the man, Robin. You’re gonna crash at my place tonight, yeah?”
Robin just shook his head again.
“I can’t stay. I really have to get home,” Robin insisted and his words really were starting to slur now.
“Listen man,” Jaime started in again, but stopped at Robin looked up at him.
His brow was furrowed with worry. “I have to, Jaime,” he half pleaded in a soft voice. Not a Robin-voice
Jaime melted at the sound of his name, his real name, in that tone and he sighed.
He grabbed Robin around the waist and when Robin slumped against him, Jaime realized that this wasn’t going to work. Robin was already half asleep where he stood. Jaime sighed again.
“Listen man, this is not a commentary on your masculinity or anything, but I need to do the princess carry or I’ll drop you,” Jaime informed him warily. Robin just sighed in response and pillowed his head on Jaime’s shoulder.
Jaime was pretty sure that was all the consent he could reasonably expect and lifted Robin into his arms.
Even with the body armor, the guy was light and Jaime could hold his weight pretty easily. Jaime lifted off.
The flight back to Gotham would probably have been long and tedious if Jaime hadn’t been distracted by Robin. He was limp in Jaime’s embrace; his limbs were pliant as Robin slept deeply. His mouth was open slightly and warm puffs of his breath would be ghosting across Jaime’s neck and face if it wasn’t for the damn suit.
He was far too tempted to ask the scarab to retract the mask and collar just to see what it felt like.
Jaime swallowed hard and tried not to let his mind wander. It was hard enough to fly with another person in his arms without distracting himself.
Jaime flew as mindlessly as he could for the two hours it took to get to Gotham. While the suit helped, he was still pretty exhausted by the time they neared the cityscape.
He nudged Robin as gently as he could.
“Robin, hey Robin, I need you to get up for a second,” Jaime called and jostled him a little.
Robin blinked opened bleary eyes and looked at Jaime with confusion.
“Blue?” he asked in a sleep roughened voice that did very little to help Jaime keep on topic.
“We’re almost in Gotham, man. Where am I going?” he asked.
Robin seemed to think about that for a minute.
“Remember the Nest on 23rd and Maple? Go there,” Robin instructed and Jaime nodded.
The scarab gave him directions as Robin fought to stay awake. They touched down about twenty minutes later and Robin stumbled again.
He smiled wryly at Jaime when he tried to catch him.
“Are you staying here tonight?” Robin asked. “I’m going to have to bum a ride from you tomorrow to get my jet back,” he explained.
Jaime nodded. “Just don’t let me forget to call my mother, or I will never be allowed to leave the house again.”
Robin smiled at him. “We need to change clothes,” he said before he disappeared through the door that lead to the stairway.
They made their way into the Nest and Robin disappeared behind one of the doors before poking his head back out.
“Are you wearing anything under the suit?” he asked groggily and Jaime shook his head. Robin tossed him a pair of navy blue sweatpants, a t-shirt, a jacket and a pair of flip flops.
“Change,” he ordered and disappeared behind the door again.
Jaime spent ten seconds staring dumbly at the clothes before he told the scarab to pull back and slipped into the sweats. They smelled like laundry detergent.
A few seconds later Robin emerged from the back room wearing a pair of grey sweat pants and a bright red shirt that said ‘Haley’s Circus’ across the front. It was a touch too small for him and worn almost thread bare.
He wasn’t wearing a mask.
It made his entire face look completely different. Jaime had always wondered why Robin only wore the small domino. He was certain that everyone who even remotely knew him would recognize him in an instant, but he was wrong. Robin looked completely different out of uniform.
Thinner and smaller, his eyebrows came to a point and he looked almost vulnerable. Especially now that he was rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand in a very sleepy manner.
“The train ride to my place is only about fifteen minutes,” he said to Jaime as he grabbed his keys.
Jaime felt a jolt go through him at the words.
“Your place?” he squeaked and Robin nodded. “We’re not staying here?” Jaime gestured around the Nest.
Robin shook his head and stepped out of the Nest’s door, he looked back at Jaime expectantly.
Jaime followed.
The train ride was short, just as Robin had promised. Robin dozed for three stops before jolting awake at the fourth and pulling Jaime quickly out of the train car and up the subway stairs. They walked silently along a block of neatly appointed row houses before Robin turned in at one and walked up the stairs. Hey keyed open the lock and held the door for Jaime.
As they walked the two flights of stairs that lead up to Robin’s apartment, Jaime asked, “Why was it so critical that you get home tonight, man? Before I thought it was just tranq-dart induced mania, but you seem lucid now.”
Robin grimaced sheepishly as he keyed open the lock to a door that had a large letter B on the front.
“It’s my hamsters,” he explained as he gestured Jaime through the door and followed after him, flicking on the lights and slipping out of his shoes.
Jaime followed suit and Robin redid his three locks and slipped the security chain into place.
“Your hamsters?” he asked. Robin gave him a sheepish look and led him through the small entrance way and towards the kitchen area of the small studio apartment.
There was a large plastic monstrosity on the far end of the counter top near the bar. It was a mass of red, blue and orange tubing leading to various plastic boxes and cylinders. Robin walked over the refrigerator and pulled out a handful of carrots and greens. He dropped them into one of the central boxes and two furry little bundles rushed from opposite sides of the cage to fall upon the food.
“I needed to feed them,” Robin explained, watching his hamsters with a small smile on his face.
“Man, I’m pretty sure the one on the left could have gone without a meal for a day or two,” Jaime said, feeling oddly amused that perfect, implacable Robin could be so concerned over the plight of two clearly spoiled rodents. “Anyway, don’t hamsters keep food stashes?”
“Yeah, but I cleaned their cage yesterday and the stash went into the trash,” Robin explained with a yawn.
“There’s food in the fridge and the shower’s through that door,” Robin gestured to a small white door across from the foot board of his bed.
“Is this one of your nests too?” Jaime asked as Robin pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and walked over to the neatly made bed in the corner.
“No,” Robin said with a marked lack of inflection in his tone, “this is where I live.”
“Alone?” Jaime asked, feeling a little dumbfounded. “How old are you?”
Robin took a deep breath and looked like he wanted to sigh. “Almost eighteen. Look Jaime, I’m really tired…” he said pointedly and pulled down the covers on the bed.
“Right,” Jaime said dumbly. “Where do I sleep?”
Robin gave him his patented ‘you’re an idiot’ look and gestured to the bed. “There’s room for two.”
“Seriously?” Jaime said, blanching.
“You’ve been in the Titan’s how long? And you’re still not used to uncomfortable sleeping arrangements? The new guard is getting soft. Uncomfortabilty and pervading awkwardness is the life blood of a Titan,” Robin said and Jaime couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.
“Well,” Jaime replied, slipping cautiously into the bed next to Robin, “I’ve got the awkward thing down at least.”
Robin breathed a small laugh through his nose and rolled over onto his belly, wrapping his arms around the middle of a pillow and resting his head at the top of it.
“’Night, Jaime,” Robin mumbled into the pillow already half asleep.
“’Night Robin,” he answered, hoping to God he would be able to get through this.
Maybe being a Titan wasn’t such a great idea after all.
Chapter Seven