(Untitled)

[i_spoiled_it]

It has been a while.

But hey, look, Steph's not limping any more!  And the scars, red and glaring at last visit, have faded to pink. And if she wanted to, she could raise her arms above her shoulder-level. Both of them.  It's great.

And also?

She turns seventeen in a week.

Seventeen.

After seven years of being sixteen.

After all that, it's only the

Comments

[ikissdhimbck]

Well, she's certainly looking a good deal better than the last time Kate saw her. And that smile suits her brilliantly.

"Africa must be agreein' with you."

She's not acquainted enough with the future to recognize the sterile halls outside her door, but no matter where she's coming in from Kate's only glad to see her looking healthier.

[i_spoiled_it]

And smilier! Steph grins at her, and reaches out behind her to carefully, pointedly close the door.

She will go back, eventually. Just ... not now.

"Kate! It's really good to see you."

Which is not, to the observant, agreement. But it's close.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate's a naturally suspicious lady; for now, she's just going to return the grin.

"It's good seein' you, too, Miss Stephanie. How are you? Can I buy you a drink?"

She believes it's her turn, anyhow.

[i_spoiled_it]

Steph grins. "Sure. Something cold and offensively Western, please. It's been a million years since I had a Zesti cola."

[says_the_booyah]

"Steph!" Some things never change. Like Cyborg being at the bar, sipping a milkshake. Smiling.

[ooc: slowtime is love]

[i_spoiled_it]

It's all so familiar. Strange, in the way that it's still another whole world, a million miles away from where she could be, but so familiar. So completely.

"Cy." She's beaming, closing the door firmly behind her and crossing the bar to take a stool at his side, moving much less stiffly than the last time. "Long time, huh? Or ... not? Time here runs differently, right?"

[says_the_booyah]

"Yeah. I kinda stopped trying to figure it out, other than knowing when it's wacky crazy day here.

"But I guess it's been a few months at my end. You?" He points at a stool next to his. And tries not to look too utterly thrilled beyond belief that Steph is here.

[i_spoiled_it]

Steph will take that stool, grinning at him. She's still a little star-struck by Cyborg. It's hard not to be. "A few months, yeah. Not much has changed for me, though. How about here? What's the latest wacky crazy thing?"

[runmakitarun]

There's a girl at a booth (one that she often occupies) who looks up at everyone who enters the bar.

Usually they get a moment or two of consideration, and she turns back to whatever she was doing. Food, guns, just staring thoughtfully. Whatever.

This time she doesn't look back down at the pistol she has in pieces in front of her. Because it's been too long.

[i_spoiled_it]

Oh. Oh it's Makita and Steph's missed her and this time, because Steph can, she runs instead of walks to that booth and flings her arms around her.

"Hi."

[runmakitarun]

Makita happens to know Steph. Pretty well, really. So she knows to brace herself. And she's grinning as she does so.

"Hi, yourself," she says softly, hugging back hard.

[i_spoiled_it]

Steph squeezes her tight, kisses her forehead.

"How are you? How's things? How long has it been this time for you?"

[twiceahero]

"Looks like Nairobi agrees with you," a smiling redhead offers conversationally, holding her oversized coffee mug up in silent salute.

[i_spoiled_it]

Steph hesitates. She's not sure that it does.

But it's better than -- She can't imagine going back to Gotham. That's just - no. No.

Babs gets a quick hug, affectionate, before Steph settles into a chair beside her and grins at her. "Sort of. How've you been, anyway?"

[twiceahero]

"Same as always." You know Babs. She's either the same, or at least faking it.

[i_spoiled_it]

Steph nods, not really having expected anything else. There's even a hint of a fond smile there. Until the next question, that she has to ask but - doesn't really want to.

"... how's ... how's Gotham?"

[hey35nholding]

Clementine remembers Steph from their meeting during her not-quite-too-recent bartending. "Hey," she says. "It's been awhile."

[i_spoiled_it]

"Way, way too long." Steph's smile is warm, cheerful. "It's - Clem, right?"

[hey35nholding]

She nods. "Still Stephanie? Long time no see. You look like you're doing better." Clementine looks a little worse for wear.