(DCU) Indolent Indulgence
Title: Indolent Indulgence
Fandom: DCU
Pairing: Tim/Cassie/Kon/Bart
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1290
Timeline: Early Teen Titans V3
Notes: For polyship's Advent Challenge, prompt "let it snow", and dcu_freeforall's Winter Holidays Challenge, prompts "holiday party", "hot cocoa" and "snow".
Summary: Just a lazy makeshift Christmas afternoon.
The soundproofing in Titans Tower is state of the art. Which makes sense, because everything designed by Vic Stone is state of the art.
It means Tim can’t hear the extremely raucous-looking snowball fight happening outside. Bart whips out into the Bay and back fast enough to bring a wave of what is no doubt rather cold water with him. Of course, Tim can’t actually track Bart’s movements, but he can deduce that’s how Bart manages to make a mini tidal wave crash down over Kon’s head.
It’s kind of unfair to Kon, and extremely devious of Bart.
Tim smiles in approval.
Kon launches from the ground with what looks like a heartfelt battle cry. His soaked t-shirt and jeans cling lovingly to his damp skin.
Tim’s smile grows a little wider.
“Tiiiis the season to be lurking,” a warm voice sings behind him.
“Not lurking,” Tim corrects although, technically, he kind of is. “Just enjoying the view.”
He nods towards the window, and Cassie sidles up beside him, just in time to see Kon swoop down, fingers digging into the slush, before using his tactile telekinesis to send a bank of snow exploding up into Bart’s path.
Cassie giggles. Tim never gets tired of hearing that sound.
“I made hot cocoa,” she says distractedly, gaze flitting back and forth as the snowballs outside fly thick and fast. “And I bought two extra bags of marshmallows for Bart.”
She turns to him, eyes bright and just a little mischievous. “Wanna snuggle?”
Tim can’t think of anything he’d rather do.
The air-conditioning in the Tower is state of the art as well, meaning it’s always the perfect temperature for optimum comfort, but it’s turned up just a little higher than usual today. No doubt to add to the illusion of a more wintry day. Tim’s not sure which member of the JLA arranged for the impromptu snow storm outside, or even how they pulled it off, although he has his suspicions.
Right now, he’s just happy to enjoy the gift.
As an added bonus, they have the Tower to themselves. Victor, Gar and Kory are patrolling the coast, giving them their space and making sure no crime can interrupt their makeshift Christmas, since they’re unlikely to see each other on the twenty-fifth.
Tim, Cassie, Kon and Bart will be returning the favour next weekend, when the older generation of Titans will be taking over the Tower for their own Christmas party.
Tim’s already set up a few extra surveillance cameras, since he’s sure Dick will disconnect the ones he already knows about.
It never hurts to have a little extra blackmail material around the holidays.
Tim unclasps his cape, tugs off his boots and, after a moment’s thought, removes his mask. He settles beside Cassie on the couch, hip to hip, and slides an arm around her shoulders as she pulls the blanket she’d bought from home up over their laps. It’s a deep red and adorned with embroidered snowflakes and smells like fabric softener and the cinnamon cookies Alfred had baked for them all. There’s Christmas music drifting softly from the speakers, lilting pianos and strong trumpets. Cassie leans against his shoulder, her hair tickling his ear. The cocoa is delicious, sweet and rich and warming him to his toes.
All in all, it’s complete bliss.
So of course Bart and Kon choose that moment to come tearing into the room.
They’re both drenched, flushed and incredibly loud.
“- Was not cheating!”
“You so totally were!”
“How is it fine for you to use your powers -”
“I didn’t use them that much!”
“- But when I use mine it’s cheating?!”
Cassie sighs, soft and amused. “So much for peace and goodwill to all men.” She sits up a little straighter, warmth leaving Tim’s shoulder.
“Dude, don’t try to Batglare at me when you’re sipping cocoa!” Kon scoffs at him.
Tim turns up the intensity of his glare a little.
“Keep it up, Wonder Boy, I will totally shove snow down your tights.”
“No snow indoors,” Tim says automatically as Bart skids to a halt beside Kon with an armful of fresh snowballs.
He catches a glimpse of Bart’s disappointed pout, before he and the snow are gone again.
“So where’s our cocoa and cuddles?” Kon huffs with exaggerated jealousy, crossing his arms over his chest. There’s already a small puddle forming on the floor directly under where he’s floating.
“Cocoa’s over there,” Cassie says with a nod to the coffee table. The mugs are nestled in an ocean of torn wrapping paper and ribbon. “Cuddles are reserved for people who are dry.”
“I’m dry!” Bart chirrups, zipping back into the room.
He’s wearing the sweater Cassie gave him earlier, which is just a little too big, the way Bart prefers his clothes. The hem just skims the bottom of his boxers, not quite touching his bare legs. The sky-blue colour brings out the red in his auburn hair.
“Cuddles for you!” Cassie announces cheerfully, and Bart grins, inhales his cocoa, stuffs several handfuls of marshmallows into his mouth, and dives under the blanket beside them in the space of a few seconds.
Bart’s skin is always just a little warmer than a regular human’s. Not enough to be noticeable most of the time, but hard to miss like this, half-pressed against Tim’s side, half-draped across his lap. When Tim squeezes Bart’s leg, heat soaking through his gauntlets, Bart makes a contented sound and presses his thigh up into the touch.
“Cheats at snowball war, cheats at getting dry,” Kon mumbles, before he shrugs and begins peeling off his wet t-shirt.
“You’re not -” Tim begins.
“I so am,” Kon singsongs, and Tim manages to get a hand up just in time to block the wet t-shirt Kon tosses at his face.
“Just as well it’s only us,” Cassie says with a roll of her eyes, tone affectionate, as Kon tugs down his fly.
“Hmmm, I could always call Kory back,” Kon replies with a leer, and Cassie laughs and whips the remote control at his head.
He ducks easily, and Tim registers the loss of warmth a second after Bart reappears behind Kon, catching the remote before it can smash into the wall.
“Gar gets really mad if you break this,” Bart says by way of explanation, and then he’s tucked up tight against Tim again and flicking through the channels faster than Tim can keep up with.
Kon kicks his wet jeans and boxers across the room, then makes a point of circling Tim’s head twice before he drops on the couch beside Cassie.
Tim’s pretty sure most Christmas celebrations don’t involve having somebody’s naked crotch flying around your face. But then again, he’s heard a few interesting stories about how the original Teen Titans celebrate holidays, so maybe it’s not so unusual after all.
Tim assures himself he’ll find time to set up some extra extra surveillance cameras before next weekend. Just in case.
And then it’s the four of them curled up on the couch together. Cassie settled in the crook of Kon’s arm, her feet tangled with Tim’s. Her fingers trail lightly up the inside of Tim’s thigh, and he mirrors the action on Bart, runs his knuckles higher up Bart’s leg. Bart squirms against him, finally abandoning his channel surfing just in time for the stop-motion snowman onscreen to tip his top hat towards them.
They all have more Christmas parties to come, gatherings with other friends and family. But this one, this celebration, it’s theirs, completely theirs. Wrapped up together, more than friends and more than family, and Tim watches snow drift lightly down outside the window and doesn’t feel cold at all.
Fandom: DCU
Pairing: Tim/Cassie/Kon/Bart
Rating: PG-13
Words: 1290
Timeline: Early Teen Titans V3
Notes: For polyship's Advent Challenge, prompt "let it snow", and dcu_freeforall's Winter Holidays Challenge, prompts "holiday party", "hot cocoa" and "snow".
Summary: Just a lazy makeshift Christmas afternoon.
The soundproofing in Titans Tower is state of the art. Which makes sense, because everything designed by Vic Stone is state of the art.
It means Tim can’t hear the extremely raucous-looking snowball fight happening outside. Bart whips out into the Bay and back fast enough to bring a wave of what is no doubt rather cold water with him. Of course, Tim can’t actually track Bart’s movements, but he can deduce that’s how Bart manages to make a mini tidal wave crash down over Kon’s head.
It’s kind of unfair to Kon, and extremely devious of Bart.
Tim smiles in approval.
Kon launches from the ground with what looks like a heartfelt battle cry. His soaked t-shirt and jeans cling lovingly to his damp skin.
Tim’s smile grows a little wider.
“Tiiiis the season to be lurking,” a warm voice sings behind him.
“Not lurking,” Tim corrects although, technically, he kind of is. “Just enjoying the view.”
He nods towards the window, and Cassie sidles up beside him, just in time to see Kon swoop down, fingers digging into the slush, before using his tactile telekinesis to send a bank of snow exploding up into Bart’s path.
Cassie giggles. Tim never gets tired of hearing that sound.
“I made hot cocoa,” she says distractedly, gaze flitting back and forth as the snowballs outside fly thick and fast. “And I bought two extra bags of marshmallows for Bart.”
She turns to him, eyes bright and just a little mischievous. “Wanna snuggle?”
Tim can’t think of anything he’d rather do.
The air-conditioning in the Tower is state of the art as well, meaning it’s always the perfect temperature for optimum comfort, but it’s turned up just a little higher than usual today. No doubt to add to the illusion of a more wintry day. Tim’s not sure which member of the JLA arranged for the impromptu snow storm outside, or even how they pulled it off, although he has his suspicions.
Right now, he’s just happy to enjoy the gift.
As an added bonus, they have the Tower to themselves. Victor, Gar and Kory are patrolling the coast, giving them their space and making sure no crime can interrupt their makeshift Christmas, since they’re unlikely to see each other on the twenty-fifth.
Tim, Cassie, Kon and Bart will be returning the favour next weekend, when the older generation of Titans will be taking over the Tower for their own Christmas party.
Tim’s already set up a few extra surveillance cameras, since he’s sure Dick will disconnect the ones he already knows about.
It never hurts to have a little extra blackmail material around the holidays.
Tim unclasps his cape, tugs off his boots and, after a moment’s thought, removes his mask. He settles beside Cassie on the couch, hip to hip, and slides an arm around her shoulders as she pulls the blanket she’d bought from home up over their laps. It’s a deep red and adorned with embroidered snowflakes and smells like fabric softener and the cinnamon cookies Alfred had baked for them all. There’s Christmas music drifting softly from the speakers, lilting pianos and strong trumpets. Cassie leans against his shoulder, her hair tickling his ear. The cocoa is delicious, sweet and rich and warming him to his toes.
All in all, it’s complete bliss.
So of course Bart and Kon choose that moment to come tearing into the room.
They’re both drenched, flushed and incredibly loud.
“- Was not cheating!”
“You so totally were!”
“How is it fine for you to use your powers -”
“I didn’t use them that much!”
“- But when I use mine it’s cheating?!”
Cassie sighs, soft and amused. “So much for peace and goodwill to all men.” She sits up a little straighter, warmth leaving Tim’s shoulder.
“Dude, don’t try to Batglare at me when you’re sipping cocoa!” Kon scoffs at him.
Tim turns up the intensity of his glare a little.
“Keep it up, Wonder Boy, I will totally shove snow down your tights.”
“No snow indoors,” Tim says automatically as Bart skids to a halt beside Kon with an armful of fresh snowballs.
He catches a glimpse of Bart’s disappointed pout, before he and the snow are gone again.
“So where’s our cocoa and cuddles?” Kon huffs with exaggerated jealousy, crossing his arms over his chest. There’s already a small puddle forming on the floor directly under where he’s floating.
“Cocoa’s over there,” Cassie says with a nod to the coffee table. The mugs are nestled in an ocean of torn wrapping paper and ribbon. “Cuddles are reserved for people who are dry.”
“I’m dry!” Bart chirrups, zipping back into the room.
He’s wearing the sweater Cassie gave him earlier, which is just a little too big, the way Bart prefers his clothes. The hem just skims the bottom of his boxers, not quite touching his bare legs. The sky-blue colour brings out the red in his auburn hair.
“Cuddles for you!” Cassie announces cheerfully, and Bart grins, inhales his cocoa, stuffs several handfuls of marshmallows into his mouth, and dives under the blanket beside them in the space of a few seconds.
Bart’s skin is always just a little warmer than a regular human’s. Not enough to be noticeable most of the time, but hard to miss like this, half-pressed against Tim’s side, half-draped across his lap. When Tim squeezes Bart’s leg, heat soaking through his gauntlets, Bart makes a contented sound and presses his thigh up into the touch.
“Cheats at snowball war, cheats at getting dry,” Kon mumbles, before he shrugs and begins peeling off his wet t-shirt.
“You’re not -” Tim begins.
“I so am,” Kon singsongs, and Tim manages to get a hand up just in time to block the wet t-shirt Kon tosses at his face.
“Just as well it’s only us,” Cassie says with a roll of her eyes, tone affectionate, as Kon tugs down his fly.
“Hmmm, I could always call Kory back,” Kon replies with a leer, and Cassie laughs and whips the remote control at his head.
He ducks easily, and Tim registers the loss of warmth a second after Bart reappears behind Kon, catching the remote before it can smash into the wall.
“Gar gets really mad if you break this,” Bart says by way of explanation, and then he’s tucked up tight against Tim again and flicking through the channels faster than Tim can keep up with.
Kon kicks his wet jeans and boxers across the room, then makes a point of circling Tim’s head twice before he drops on the couch beside Cassie.
Tim’s pretty sure most Christmas celebrations don’t involve having somebody’s naked crotch flying around your face. But then again, he’s heard a few interesting stories about how the original Teen Titans celebrate holidays, so maybe it’s not so unusual after all.
Tim assures himself he’ll find time to set up some extra extra surveillance cameras before next weekend. Just in case.
And then it’s the four of them curled up on the couch together. Cassie settled in the crook of Kon’s arm, her feet tangled with Tim’s. Her fingers trail lightly up the inside of Tim’s thigh, and he mirrors the action on Bart, runs his knuckles higher up Bart’s leg. Bart squirms against him, finally abandoning his channel surfing just in time for the stop-motion snowman onscreen to tip his top hat towards them.
They all have more Christmas parties to come, gatherings with other friends and family. But this one, this celebration, it’s theirs, completely theirs. Wrapped up together, more than friends and more than family, and Tim watches snow drift lightly down outside the window and doesn’t feel cold at all.