Entrance post.

[i_spoiled_it]

Stephanie Brown is more familiar with the Gotham skyline than any sixteen-year-old girl should be. Not familiar just with the way it looks, but with which buildings are good to shoot for, which provide the best views of traffic, which you can leap off and how long you can leap for before splattering in oncoming traffic. She knows which way to jump

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[someboywonder]

This can't be happening. It's impossible. Steph is dead. She's dead. This has to be a trick. It has to be. Illusion. Hallucination. Trickery, something, anything. It can't be her, because she's dead. Black Mask tortured and killed her. This I know for sure

[someboywonder]

It is, without a doubt, the best kiss of my entire life.

And I've kissed Darla Aquista, man. I mean, I wasn't into her, but...still.

I kiss back, slow and careful and more than a little unsure. It's been a long time since I got into anything like this. Kissing, I mean. And all of a sudden Steph is here again, and she still has feelings for me it seems, and it turns out that I never really got over her as well as I told myself I did, after a while. So I'm just kissing back, trying not to make a fool out of myself. I feel like I'm competing against...well, me. The Tim Steph knows has had a lot of practice! Most of it with Steph herself! I'm just...really rusty.

[i_spoiled_it]

"You ... there's still ... nobody else?" she asks, unsure, breaking off unwillingly. Because - it's Tim. She's always thought he was the best thing since sliced bread.

She still thinks so. He's older and sadder, but oh he's still her Tim. Uncertainty fades when she kisses him again, not really waiting for an answer; he's safe and warm and strong and she knows it's really him, however strange and frightening the surrounds are. (It's in his kiss. That's where it is. Shoop shoop.)

[someboywonder]

"Nobody." I manage to say quickly, and then she's kissing me again, apparently not caring or having already decided for herself somehow. It's not like I care; since Steph, there just hasn't been anybody. I'm not saying I'd never love again and all, but I guess I just couldn't think of anybody but Steph as my significant other, you know?

She's kinda impossible to replace, and everything about this moment reminds me of that.

[i_spoiled_it]

She's ... suddenly worried, though, and she breaks away again, looking at him wide-eyed.

"Wait - am I cheating on you? I mean, your past self? ... Did I ever tell you anything about this happening? Or will I? Or ... uh. I'm confused."

[someboywonder]

"You never mentioned anything like this to me, and you would have if it happened. So I guess you're different from the Steph I knew. Timelines or alternate universes or something."

The cheating on myself thing, however, is a little trickier.

"Since it's a safe bet that we come from different times, possibly even totally separate timelines, I guess that makes me different from the 'Alvin' you know. But then again, I am essentially the same person, technically. So...I'm not sure. Maybe...if the Alvin you know and all shows up, I'll back off, because really I'm a different guy all in all. But if he's not here, and we have no clue how long we will be here, then I think that trying to restrain our feelings for each other would only stress us out and cause problems."

I love using logical thinking to make it alright to get what I want.

[i_spoiled_it]

She laughs, tucking herself against him and holding him.

"You totally just made that up, Tim."

She's not calling him Alvin. It's a stupid name.

"But you're ... totally confusing me, actually. I mean. If we're - if you're not him, then you're ... you know. Not him. But if you are, then ... you are. I mean, you're still - my Tim. But ... I'm way confused."

[someboywonder]

I let the name go. No point, I guess. I'm too happy that she's here, alive, with me, to care. And I'll do anything to make sure she stays a) alive and b) right here with me. I'm not going to lose her again. Not her, not anybody.

"I'm still your Tim," I assure her, smiling down at her. It feels odd, being this much older than her. "Forget all the little details then. I'm your Tim. I have been for a long time, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."

[i_spoiled_it]

Well ... that will never not melt her heart. How can she cling to little quibbles when the Boy Wonder is smiling at her like that?

Maybe if she's (good enough) smart enough she can get that haunted look out of his eyes, too. At least she can try.

Best way to start? Hmmm. Well, there's always the 'tangle one hand in his hair and kiss him' manouevre. That works, right?

[someboywonder]

If Steph's actions speak for themselves (and I'd say they do) then I guess she's taken what I said to heart. Because there's no way she'd be kissing me like this if she was busy fretting over cheating on the other me.

What I'll do if another version of me does show up I don't know, but I'll worry about that then.

...right, sure I will.

[i_spoiled_it]

So there's totally some middle-of-the-street serious making out going on for a little bit, then.

... a little bit longer.

... ... they have to come up for air some time, right? Even if they are Bats. Even Bats need to breathe.

... right?

[someboywonder]

There's not much to be said for what's going on in my head right now. I can pretty much sum it up like this:

Holy crap have I ever missed this.

The great thing is, I can hold my breath for a looooooong time. But maybe Steph can't, so breaking apart for air and oxygen and stuff finally has to happen.

Yeah, this is turning out to be a good day.

[i_spoiled_it]

Eventually. Maybe. Oh, yeah, there they go.

"...not bad, Boy Wonder." She laughs breathlessly against his cheek. "I guess you missed me."

Her arms are locked tight around him. Mostly because she doesn't want him to go away and grow up without her any more. The idea that he somehow lived a year and a half without her makes her feel sort of awkward and heavy, as if something lumpy's sitting in her stomach. She's not letting that happen again.

[someboywonder]

I cock an eyebrow at her, not that she can see.

"Not bad? Excuse me for being out of practice." I'm pretty sure Steph wouldn't be happy with me if I was keeping these particular skills in good condition. I mean, she'd understand, but still. Probably wouldn't be happy. "And yeah. I missed you."

Notice the way I'm holding her tight, one hand on the small of her back, remembering what it felt like to hold her like this over a year ago. I just started forgetting it, missing it, and now it's here. She's here.

I'm not complaining.

[i_spoiled_it]

There is some more time during which a little more kissing is done. Okay, a lot more.

Eventually, though: "...mmm. As much fun as this is ... should we be, like, doing something? I could totally stay here and kiss you all day, but --" She gestures at the street.

[someboywonder]

I admit it. My mind was on finding a more secluded and comfortable place to continue this, but...it's been a long time, alright? I'm totally allowed to want this a little too much. Still, she's right.

"Nggggh. Yeah, probably." Alright, control yourself Boy Wonder. "Yeah, yeah we should. I should show you around and everything, make sure you know the lay of the land."

We've totally got to resume this later though.