Chapter Text
As soon as they arrived at the gala they were bombarded by paparazzi.
They had barely even left the car and all of a sudden there were shouts and yells and flashes in their faces.
Brucie Wayne was revelling in it. He was smiling and winking and shooting finger guns. He certainly had a pep in his step.
Luckily, he did tone it down as he guided his menagerie of children down the carpet, making sure to use his body to shield them from the flashing. Of course they still faced a lot of it, but they were glad for Bruce’s assistance.
When they got into the venue there were a lot less photographers, but a lot more reporters yelling invasive questions.
Cass grabbed Steph’s hand and beelined for the food table. The one furthest away from the reporters.
“Is it bad to say I’m already exhausted?” Cass asked, picking up a fruit skewer.
“No, I agree with you. But you know Bruce will make us talk to the reporters for at least some time.” Steph said, taking the blueberry from the skewer. Cass never did like those.
“I’m choosing to not think about that.”
Steph nodded. “Smart choice.”
It was at that point a reporter approached the two girls. He had blonde hair and an obvious spray tan. His teeth glinted unnaturally white. You could just tell he had no journalistic integrity.
Steph nudged Cass’s shoulder. “Don’t forget to smile!”
Cass mentally prepared herself before straightening up with a fake, blinding smile.
“Cass Wayne! I’m Thomas Moore, nice to meet you!”
Cass nodded. “Nice to meet you, too.”
Cass noticed a twitch in the man’s shoulder. He was about to sling his arm around Cass’s shoulder. Cass took the opportunity to link arms with Steph. She felt smug as she watched his muscles retreat.
“And who might you be?” Thomas asked, gesturing to Steph.
Steph smiled. “Hi, I’m Cass’s plus one. Stephanie Brown.”
Thomas’s eyes gleamed with no recognition whatsoever. “Ah! Yes. It’s quite refreshing to see two young girls at an event such as this not worrying about romance and suitors and such.”
Cass felt Steph tense slightly beside her. Cass squeezed her arm slightly in an attempt to comfort her friend. She was mad about something.
“So, for the, you know, public , do you have anything to say about the fundraiser here?” Thomas asked, moving slightly closer.
Cass was starting to feel uncomfortable. So was Steph.
“I think the mission we’re trying to accomplish here is very important. I could be—”
Cass blanked. What was the word again? Something like, uh, something about Bruce’s, not opinion, but, actions? And agreeing with them, because— Cass groaned inwardly. She hated the English language sometimes.
“Personally, I’m just glad that the people funding this have good taste. This crab is really good.” Steph said, leaning forward past Cass.
Thomas’s jaw twinged. He smiled. “Oh, yeah? I haven’t had the chance to try it yet.”
Steph nodded. “Well, it’s right over there.” Steph gestured towards the food table they were only a few steps away from.
Thomas laughed. “I’ll have some… right after you answer my question, Cass.” He turned to face Cass again, smiling awkwardly.
“Oh right. As I was saying, I could… be biased as this is my father’s mission— but I genuinely do agree with it. I think that… these clinics are going to really improve Gotham’s livelihood. I know that when I was… well… struggling to make ends meet, I’d have really appreciated a place to get help when I needed it. While I’m… arguably a lot more well off now… I haven’t forgotten what I felt back then, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure that no one will have to feel that way again.”
Thomas straightened his shoulders. He heard something he liked there. “That’s quite a mature response. Thank you, Ms. Wayne.”
Cass nodded. She felt Steph squeeze her arm comfortingly. Good response then.
“Well, I need to go do some more mingling.” Thomas said. “I’ll see you ladies around.”
“See you!” Steph smiled, cheeks aching.
Cass nodded again and Thomas turned around and left.
Steph immediately collapsed beside her. “God that was the fakest man I’ve ever met.” She groaned, whispering to Cass.
Cass nodded. “He was— thinking about other things the whole time. Not good things. Not exactly bad things.”
“In the most un-creepy-man way, wanna get out of here?” Steph asked, nudging Cass in the arm.
Cass nodded for what felt like the umpteenth time this night. “Definitely.”
—
They ended up in an empty hallway somewhere in the depths of this too-big, rich-person mansion.
“Do you know how to get back?” Cass asked as Steph tugged her along by the arm.
“Not categorically, no. But I’m sure we can figure it out.” Steph said, looking extremely unsure.
“Mhm. And what are we… looking for?”
“Either a wine cellar or a game room. Whatever comes first.” Of this she seemed sure.
As she said that, they passed a room where a pool table was visible.
Cass tugged on Steph’s arm, making her turn around.
“Is that— a game room?”
“Bingpot!” Steph squealed, rushing into the room, pulling Cass along with her.
“I don’t know that word.”
“I haven’t shown you Brooklyn 99, yet? Ugh, disappointing, Steph.” Steph muttered.
The two walked into the game room. Everything was illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the glass roof. The first thing they saw was the pool table, which they had seen from the doorway. There was also a foosball table, some arcade cabinets, a poker table and a wine case in the back of the room.
Steph twirled around as she took in the room. “This is so cool!”
She ran her hands over the different objects in the room, letting her fingers linger across the pool table. “You ever played?”
Cass shook her head.
“Do you want to?”
Cass smirked. “Heck yeah.”
Steph smiled and plucked two pool cues off the wall.
They played pool for what felt like hours but was really only half of one before moving on to the other assorted games around the room. Steph killed at foosball. Though Cass was amazing at the mini poker game they played.
They were slumped against the wine case, using it to cool themselves after a particularly intense game of DDR.
“I think that was the most fun I’ve had at a gala.” Steph mused, turning her head to face Cass.
Cass nodded, facing Steph. “Yeah. Boring without you.”
Steph smirked. “I think life in general would be boring without me.”
Cass laughed. “Yeah, I think so too.”
Steph’s smirk morphed into a smile as she gazed into Cass's eyes. They were wide in a curious way. Open. Cass’s eyes were searching Steph’s as well. Roaming across her face.
Steph breathed deeply as she watched Cass’s gaze dip down to her lips.
Cass looked up. “Can I kiss you?”
Steph nodded and leaned in to meet Cass’s lips with hers.
It didn’t feel like fireworks. It didn’t feel like the world bursting into colour.
It felt like falling into bed after a long night of patrol. Playing tag on the rooftops. It felt like a slow realisation. Realising that oh— I guess this was the point of it all.
Also, Cass was a really good kisser.
You think Steph would be the better kisser, due to all her experience, but it seems that Cass’s ability to read body language also applied to feeling body language.
It was clear in the way Cass’s hand reached around to cup the nape of Steph’s neck, holding her close as she parted for air.
Steph felt her eyes flutter open like a damsel who's just been given true love’s kiss. So, not too far off from the truth right now.
Then, Steph said something really intelligent. “Wow.”
Cass smiled. “Been wanting that for years.”
“Me too.” Steph said as she leaned back in.
This second kiss only lasted a few seconds as someone crashed into the room.
“Woah—! Stop kissing— we’ll talk about this later— but Bruce is looking for you two and he’s mad!” Dick yelled as he skidded in front of them.
Steph launched to her feet, Cass following.
Steph’s phone lit up with a ding.
Big Bad Bat: Where are you two?
Steph gulped. “So… I think we lost track of time.”
Her phone screen was also lit up to display the time. 11:37pm.
37 minutes after the event ended.
Dick gave them a thumbs up and dashed out of the room.
“Shit. We have to get out of here!” Steph glanced at the roof, and then at Cass. “You bring a grapple?”
Cass smirked and revealed the inside of her coat, laden with various bat-gadgets. “Course.”
“My saviour!” Steph swooned as she wrapped her arms around Cass.
Cass grasped her grapple gun and shot it at the small opening in the roof. It propelled them out of the building and into the night sky.
“Are we gonna grapple all the way home?” Steph yelled over the rush of wind.
Cass angled a kiss to Steph’s cheek. “Why not?”
-
They got grounded for a week.