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Chapter Text

He feels them before he sees them.

Robin squints his eyes down on his target of the night, a common purse thief struggling with a woman in a typical run down alleyway on a typical Friday night in Gotham.

But his attention is split.

There was someone following him - badly, but still - following him around most of the night. And if Robin was being honest with himself someone had been attempting to follow him for most of the week...

He just didn't think it was worth noticing or mentioning to himself or anyone else the first two times.

It's Gotham- you get paranoid phantom feelings after living here awhile, it messes with his instincts sometimes.

But yep, someone was most definitely following him- they haven't tried anything yet so that's good but still- what did they want?

Criminal scout? Too obvious.

Undercover CIA secret service? Too clumsy.

Stalker fan? Hmm- that one would be ironic- what with how he got the job as Robin after all.

The woman's screams echo, a cat jumps out of a toppled trash can with a murderous yowl, and the thug lets out a curse when the poor victim hits him across the face with a piece of bottle trash she managed to pick up.

Gothamite for sure this one.

But the thug was bigger and angrier so- time to step in.

A flash of -purple? - zips past his perineal vision and Robin barely has time to register that it's a person - his stalker? - when the purple clad body lands on the thug and sends the thick set man crumbling against the dirty brick wall.

The woman is still gasping from fear and adrenaline as the purple clad Ninja? Lands one messy punch and workable kick after another on the heaving man.

Robin forgot that he was supposed to be the one down there. His eyes are wide as he tries to discern if this person was someone he recognized.

Female, definitely female from the curve of her hip and chest that the dark body suit wasn't hiding at all, her narrow shoulder line that flashed out from under a deep purple cape and her height which her scuffed knee high boots were not adding to was pretty average... calculating the statistics of this person Robin concludes with some concerns-

That he does not know her.

Friend or foe... well she was beating up the bad guy so maybe Friend?

But her technique is messy, her movements so boldly graphed, and her force was misplaced in the wrong muscles...

Amateur.

Stalker fan it is then.

The thug was out though, after he nailed the purple clad girl with a punch to her side before she managed to trip-flip him against his own weight which was something. She staggers a bit and picks up the object of this man's ill willed desire.

"Oh oh, thank you miss- um- are you like a new Batgirl or something?" The lady says, confusion evident in her voice as she wipes away tears and takes her property from the Purple Poser.

"Hey no problem fair citizen!" A false bravado chirps through the full masked face.

Robin resists a snort- what?

"And no- I am not the new Batgirl- that would be cool though but no! You can call me-" she pauses for some reason,"-The Spoiler! And I just spoiled that guys evening plans with your money!"

Okay, this was getting ridiculous.

"O-oh-" the lady cracks... "um... okay, thanks though. Really. Have a good night."

The girl cocks her head and sort of deflates for a moment but puffs her ample chest out anyway and salutes.

"No need for thanks! All in a day’s work for your friendly neighborhood Spoiler!" And she swishes her cape dramatically and - and runs... down the alley way.

Robin stares after her, mouth open and eyes wide behind his mask...

What just... happened?

The freshly rescued lady below seems to be thinking the same thing as she scratches her discombobulated head with a small 'huh, weird' and turns to head home, stepping over the still passed out thug.

Ooookay.

That was weird.

"Enjoy the show bird boy?"

Robin gasps and turns around, cape fluttering properly behind him.

"I- no- who are you?" He reaches for his compact titanium staff behind his back just in case. Although, with the unorganized and choppy show he just witnessed earlier he's pretty sure he could take her without a weapon.

But like he said earlier to himself, can't be too careful... and also paranoia.

"I just told you, I'm the Spoiler, or did you miss that part?" She puts her hands on her hips and tilts her masked head at him.

You know, if her voice wasn't so clear and edge-less, her outfit might be unnerving, also maybe if it was less... purple?

"Eggplant."

Huh?

Robin tilts his head at her now completely thrown. What's happening to him? Batman would not be pleased by how befuddled Robin was right now.

"You said if I was wearing less Purple, I resent that, it's Eggplant."

Oh. Had he said something out loud?

"Well- whatever color it is, that doesn't answer my question. Who are you? And why were you stalking me?"

She taps her clothed chin and rocks on her thick boot heels as she tilts forward at the waist coyly, "Hmm, I wonder."

That wasn't an answer either.

Robin narrows his eyes at her now, she's playing a game, he was taught to watch out for games from unknown forces.

"Also I wasn't stalking you- I was observing."

"What for?" Why is he still talking to her? He should just tie her up and take her to Batman or something.

"Duh!" She smacks her forehead, "to see how you do what you do - that and also - you're waaaaay less scary than Batman." She shudders with an unseen memory.

"That... you were following me to see how I-"

"Do the superhero thing!" She says it like it's so obvious and why is he not catching on?

Robin grimaces. Was this how Batman felt when he came charging in? Unconvinced and concerned for his untrained child self?

Maybe.

But no time to worry about that right now.

"Listen - um- we - Spoiler was it?"

She nodes enthusiastically. Eh this was going to be uncomfortable.

"Um - right well, I'm just going to tell you that I-"

"Think I was a dazzling hero? That I'm a natural born crime fighter? That I have a killer fashion sense and bold fighting skills!"

"I think you should take off that silly outfit and go home before you get hurt or worse."

There - it was harsh but it had to be said. Batman has enough problems to deal with and a wannabe in an 'eggplant' colored outfit shouldn't be added to the list.

But he feels her deflate then bristle even if he can't see her facial expressions.

Her stance gets defensive and her hands go to her hips more firmly this time, less hero posing more offended." Hey now, what makes you say that?"

How to put this delicately?

"Besides your atrocious form and terrible clumsy attempt to stop a purse thief? You have no stealth and I could sense you coming a mile away." Well, that wasn't delicate but Robin doesn't want a well-meaning innocence death on his hands.

Best to be direct.

She steps back. "You can't judge me, who are you to judge how and what I can do?"

Uh oh. Defensive and getting angry.

"Listen Miss -"

"Spoiler!"

"-what we do is dangerous and not everyone should be out here jumping around untrained in brightly colored capes okay. You could seriously get killed."

She huffs at him and if her hair was showing from under her obnoxious purple hood she would have flipped it.

"Well thanks for your two cents Mr. Righteous. But I'm going to be a kick-butt hero and if you're not going to help me out then I'm going to do it alone. See ya, jerk."

Robin's eyes widen as she turns to jump off the ledge of the rooftop. "Wait no wait!"

She dives and he's too late to grab her when she flips midair and lands too hard for her knees to be healthy for long on the ground below her. Then, with a clear flip of her hand she sticks her thumbs where her ears should be and wiggles her fingers at him...

He's pretty sure that sock mask over her face was supposed to limit her ability to express much... her body language however clearly showed what she thought of him.

Robin almost laughs... but then the very real idea that this individual could potentially get herself killed sinks in again and he lets out a sigh. He should probably catch her.

He's about to do just that when a gunshot rings out from somewhere in the opposite direction and he's lost eyes on the girl.

Oh well... maybe, if she's smart she'll take what he said to heart and take off the cape.

Stalker fans couldn't be that crazy right?

Um- he takes out his grappler shooter and aims - he's not being hypocritical... he's not.

He jumps off the roof and swings.

And anyway, it takes a certain type to be able to handle this for real. And not everyone could be that type.

Three armed robberies and four mugging attempts later and Robin still can't shake the worrying niggle in the back of his mind.

Chapter Text

Tim groans as he straightens from his stiff curved position over his desk as the bell deafens above, his spine cracking between vertebrae and hair tickling his tired eyes as he swats at them and knuckles his eye socket.

Long nights. Long days.

Being Robin had its downsides obviously but it wasn't nearly as irritating and stressful as being smart average Joe Tim Drake. Robin could solve problems with brain's and-or intelligence.

Tim Drake has to downplay intelligence and physical strength and struggles to solve and balance everyday issues regularly. That and his Dad was making things harder by insisting he go out more with people his age or better yet, join the football team.

Insert eye roll that he hides behind his fathers back.

Ever since the man became wheelchair bound he seems to find an awful lot of interest in his son's social life. That hadn't been much of an issue before so Tim can't say he's used to it. Or that he likes the focus and attention and borderline nagging his Dad has taken to doing now.

"Mr. Drake, can I have a moment."

Tim stops in the midst of rustling paper and drops his Basics in Chemistry text that he memorized when he was like thirteen...

"Uh- yes?" Tim tries to tamp down the automatic list of excuses that bubbles in his brain for any possible late or missed assignments.

"I can't help noticing, but you seem tired, is everything alright at home? I heard about your father, terrible."

Oh.

That.

Well of course he'd heard about that, it was all over Gotham's news pages. Gotham Elite goes crippled.

Tim sighs. Play the part of the tired son trying to bravely keep it together.

"Yeah, thanks Sir, everything is fine, just get less sleep than I should like- what with dad's pains and therapies." Tim says with balanced amounts of fragility and maturity.

He can see when the 'adults' eyes light up, as intrigue and slight concern battle each other in his head. Being the confidant of a rich kid of Gotham, despite his father's down drop, could have benefits after all.

"Oh well, I hope it goes well. If you need anything, I'm happy to lend a hand."

Sure.

"Thank you, sir. Was that all?" Please, I just want to get in an hour of sleep before tonight's patrol.

"Hmm-" Mr. Albertsons seems lost for a second,"oh yes, here, the office wanted me to give you this, a fundraiser ball is being held for the potent figures of our city and they wanted to know if your father could make it."

Great…

"Sure Mr. A, I'll let him know." Tim says and takes the thick grey envelope form the teacher. "See you Monday."

"Have a good weekend Tim."

Sure, yeah. That'll be something if he could.

That night he finds himself way too distracted to bother with remembering the invitation stashed in his bag, that and his father had gone out on a late physical therapy session with that strange young lady named Dana.

He ignores the obvious signs that his father might be getting into physical therapy for the wrong reasons.

"You'll never take me alive bird boy!"

Robin sighs. It was a long night, Riddler broke out of Arkham yesterday and went into hiding, obviously planning tonight's caper... problem was, it's under the threat to get the entire city under lock down and possibly flood the bay into the city, which would be disasters use.

Also, Robin is pretty sure someone is helping him, but neither he nor Batman know who it is yet, Nightwing was going to come lend a hand if this got worse and the current Batgirl was rounding up henchmen in the south while Robin took the north side.

Oracle is keeping tabs on everyone and updating for the next riddle or explosive that she finds from her base.

"Keep a close tail Robin. This one might actually know something." Oracles digital voice crackles in his ear. "He was the one Riddler closest henchmen back on the maze case."

Robin sighs. "Got it." He swings his arm back and around and lets a rope boomerang go. It hits its mark and snags the crooks legs spinning round and trying his legs together sending the bags moth stumbling down with only his chin to break his landing.

"Get off a me, psycho bird!" The man squeals when Robin lands in front of him and grabs his jacket tightly, lifting the man up to wet level trying to appear fierce. He's tired. No mood for fun tonight.

"Ok Wolington, I'm only going to ask once." He sneers. "Where is the toddlers hiding this time?"

The thug scoffs. "I ain't squealing."

Robin catalogs the mans' fear levels. Not high. Hmm-

"Ok how about we do this another way?"

"You can't do nothin' to me- I ain't scared a ya. You ain't the bat-"

Robin's had enough. He drags the man to a suitably high place and shoved him off the edge.

The man screams for a choked second before he stops hard."

"How about now?"

"I-I ain't talkin'!"

Fear factor rising. Robin doesn't really care for these tactics but times running out and Riddler will make good on his threat and if this head henchy has info, they need it.

"Fine." Robin cuts the line."

The cable begins to fray.

The man quivers, blood rushing to his head, the height makes his stomach flip inside out, eyes sockets weighing by gravity and then he watches the strands snap one... by one... by one...

"Barstow Distillery! He's in-" the man chokes a son and squeak -"Gotham's old distillery!"

Robin nods. "Thanks."

And he walks away. The last strand snaps. The man curses to hell and falls... sheer panics laces his voice as he falls for what he thinks will be fifteen feet.

It's only five.

He hits his head on the fire escape below violently cracking sound and he's knocked out.

Maybe that was extra harsh but he has a mission to-

Robins senses skitter he spins around, cape fluttering to hide any graphed movements and shoots out a bird-a-rang.

"Hey!" A decidedly female voice squeaks when the object makes a loud clinking noise next to her head where she was hiding behind the AC unit.

The heck?

"Dude, tense much?" A purple clad girl reveals herself and Robin feels his irritation levels rise.

"I thought I told you to drop the cape."

He should have known better.

"You did. I took a break... and now I'm back."

Like that was supposed to make this better?

"Go home." He doesn't have time for this. He turns away ready to disregard the wannabe taps his head case. "Robin to Oracle, henchy said Barstow distillery."

"Copy that, Batgirl is en route. Meet her there. Another dam just burst, the west side is flooding, it's not looking good out there."

"Got it, I'll update you on anything we find."

He's ready to cast his line when a sharp 'ahem' stops him.

"Didn't you hear me?"

"I know who Riddler is working with."

That... gives him pause.

He looks at her fidgeting awkwardly at his sudden scrutiny.

"Who is it?" He narrows his eyes at her behind his mask. This girl just got way more suspicious.

"He calls himself Cluemaster."

Well... that was lame.

"I bet Riddler loves that." The man was an ego maniac, Robin doubts this partnership would end in anything but double cross.

"So yeah." She shrugs.

"What does that have to do with you?"

Her sock covered head tilts at him. "Conflict of interest well just say."

That doesn't make sense. Never mind, he doesn't have time.

"Robin where are you?"

Dammit.

"Okay thanks." He raises his arm and shoots it off.

"Wait!"

He doesn't. He swings off and heads to the distillery to hopefully end this nightmare.

Unfortunately, it gets worse before it can get better.

"Look out!"

Robin gasps as one of the new psycho's traps nearly cuts off his head. It would have if an eggplant clad body didn't barrel him over painfully, but successfully, saving his head.

Her hard shove sends them rolling across the debris ridden distillery floor. Somewhere Robin is aware of two things. This Cluemaster likes to talk... a lot. Batgirl doesn't have a problem getting to him and knocking his loud mouth out.

And two, a warm curvy lush body is pressed against his Kevlar and he kinda wishes he wasn't wearing any for a bleary moment.

Then he realizes this is all a distraction and Riddler is probably finishing the plot and they're wasting time here playing with a third rate jerk-wad wanna be criminal...

Also. Purple girl is here.

"Hey, I hope that fall didn't break your brain?"

"What are you doing?!"

She huffs and sits up, effectively straddling him in the middle of a battle. Not ideal for anyone.

"I was trying to tell you! I was coming. You're real rude for a 'superhero' you know." She has the nerve to sound offended as she air-quotes superhero.

"Are you crazy, you could get-!" He jerks and snatches her by her shoulders and yanks them out of the way of a falling piece of burning crate.

"Phew, that was a close one."

Oh my God. No.

"Get out get away! You'll get us killed!"

"No!"

"Robin!" Batgirl yells uncharacteristically.

Too late.

"Got you, Bird blunder!"

Purple girl gasps jumps in front of Robin as Cluemaster swings his weapon probably gifted to him by Riddler, and before anyone can stop her she barrels into the man and ends up in a messy tussle oblivious to the burning building around them.

"Batgirl get purple out of here!"

"Robin what's going on, connection is weak, Batman is-" Oracle buzzed out and in."Riddler has been apprehended, get out of there!"

"We gotta go!"

"Not until he pays for what he did!" Purple girl screams a she lungs for the taunting blond man in the ugly orange jumper.

"I don't know who you are little girl, but you and your teenybopper groupies are way in over your head here- I have full control and Batman will give me my due battle! Not send his pathetic children after me."

"Pathetic Children?!" Purple screeches and punches the man in the guts then effectively kicks him across the head, knocking him out...

Well... there's something to be unpacked her for sure.

The ceiling was burning and cracking above them. No time to unpack anything.

He grabs purple girl around her middle clamping her arms to her sides and lifts her up easily as she flails blindly in his iron grip.

"Get Cluemaster." He shouts above the roaring fire to Batgirl who's already grabbing the pathetic villain wannabe by the suit.

"Lemme go, lemme go! He deserves more than that!" Purple girl yells and kicks and struggles as Robin gets them out, Batgirl close behind just as the building caves in.

Gotham really needs to start getting rid dog empty warehouses around here. Villains like them too much.

He drops the girl unceremoniously on the ground.

"Hey!" She snaps, rubbing her butt and if her mask had holes he's pretty sure she would be burning holes in his face.

"That was incredibly dangerous who are you and what did you think you were doing!"

He's had enough. Batgirl stands a bit away, tying up Cluemaster but regarding Robin and the new girl calmly.

"Stop trying to tell me what to do! I had him!"

"The place is on fire and no, you didn't!"

"I knocked him out!"

Robin sputters, that had been mildly impressive he won't admit. "Well, you aren't supposed to be here anyway!"

"Hah! I don't take orders form you! You can't monopolize being a cape, bird boy." She snarls at him and Robin rubs at his forehead.

"You can't just jump in like this! It could kill you or someone else! Do you want that on your conscience?"

She pauses, her fire dies down a bit and she glances at the unconscious man they apprehended.

Robin hopes this is the end of it because if not-

"I had to get him. You don't understand, I had to."

Oh brother.

A vengeance thing then. Great. Because they needed another one of those in this city.

"Well he's got, whoever he is."

"Arthur brown a petty criminal that idolizes and hates Riddler and wants to be a big name in Gotham but he's so lame the only way he can do that is by being a worse criminal..."she says fluently like she studied this. Like being a deadbeat dad wasn't bad enough." She mutters at the end.

That... had so many implications.

"Listen. You're making this harder than it needs to be."

"Says the kettle to the pot."

"The only reason your still anonymous is because Batman doesn't know about you and I haven't dug into you." He continues. "But believe me if I do and if he does... you really won't have a choice to stop."

Her body language didn't like that. "Do I have one now?"

Robin valiantly doesn't sigh, "no, not really."

It's quiet except for Cluemasters groaned and the hot fire crackling behind them, making their shadows formed flicker in the orange light.

"Robin. Police." Batgirl says, voice soft against the blaze behind her black clad silhouette.

Right.

He doesn't have much else to say to the girl. He feels a bit uncomfortable at her silence because so far she didn't seem like a silent person.

But he really doesn't have anything to add, and he tries not to feel too much like a jackass as he and Batgirl tie Cluemaster against a lamppost.

"You should leave also." Batgirl says to Purple girl quietly as they make their way to the nearest shadows.

Robin doesn't know what happens to Purple girl after that.

But he'd be lying if he said he kinda wanted to know who she was... he probably would have figured it out if she pushed him a little further.

Too bad.

He never tells Batman any of that either.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

"No, I don't want to. Dad, come on." Tim groans as his father seethes at him from his wheelchair which he really doesn't need too much anymore except for occasional rest.

Tim also has a sneaking suspicion that his father was still using the chair because he just wanted to prolong having Dana as his personal therapist. He doesn't like to think what else Dana was helping his father regain.

A boner perhaps.

Yuck.

Tim shakes his head and focuses on the very red very angry man in front of him. He has Tim's invitation in one hand, crinkling the thick paper in his tight grip.

Jack had found the envelope in Tim's room when he went in to ask if Tim felt like eating out, Tim regrets having left it on his desk now. Mostly because his father had been hurt Tim hadn't told him about it - not on purpose, he forgot last week- and that Tim thought it wasn't a big deal after he found out.

But apparently it was.

To his father anyway.

"Timothy Jackson Drake, that wasn't a question. I don't know what's got you so disagreeable lately but we're going to this charity tonight." His father hasn't looked this feirce in a while. Not since before Tim's mother died... and even then it was rare.

"But Dad, it's for you, not-"

"Yes well, we should be spending more time together anyway. This is a perfect opportunity. And it's for charity for your school." Jack says firmly, the idea definitely set on him now.

Tim has to recalculate all of his plans for the night in five seconds.

His father was grossly unaware of the potential risks of people's lives he was throwing away for a spur of the moment need to 'bond' with his son suddenly.

It's exhausting.

Oracle will have to get Batgirl to cover... or maybe even Nightwing who's here for a case already.

Batman was not going to be happy.

"Okay, okay Dad. I'll go. But I don't have a date just so you know."

Jack smiles like a child who's gotten his way one too many times. Tim feels like he's older than his father. He doesn't like that feeling at all, but sadly it's familiar at this point.

"That's fine son. Just fine." And he wheels himself out of Tim's room.

Oh crud. Tim lets out a sigh that flutters his too long bangs out of his eyes as he flops on his bed.

Great, now he has to go socialize and pretend to be normal.

Not how he was planning to spend his Friday night at all.

Tim decides he should probably go and tell Bruce.

Bruce wasn't home of course.

He had a day job, he wasn't just hanging around his manor whenever he wanted. Alfred was nice enough to direct him to where Cassandra was in one of the living rooms.

"Hey Cass how's it-" Tim's greeting is cut off when someone body slams him to the floor and-it feels oddly familiar and painful. But the pain is familiar too.

His head smacks on the hardwood and he's disoriented for a moment except he can vaguely see Cass with her choppy short dark hair and he feels soft curves pressed to his chest and there's no Kevlar to mask anything and-

A hand is waving in his face frantically and all he sees is a blur of pink, soft gold halo frames a blurry heart shape, and blue orbs gleam down at him and -

"Hey, I hope that fall didn't break your brain."

Tim gasps as the face comes into clear focus and it's an utterly adorable doll like face with lush lips, glittery hair, and sparkling sky blue eyes rimmed with thick dark lashes that flutter at him. And she's straddling his hips which does nothing to put a barrier between them.

"I-I-I-I-I-uh-" crap, pretty girl equals mush boy brain and she's - she touching him and she... wait a second.

Tim jolts and his brain makes a connection he thinks he must be insane for making.

There's no way.

"Tim?" Cass's pretty brown eyes peer at him worriedly. She can read his shock and she looks confused.

"I'm okay!" Tim says, voice sharper and louder than he means it to be as he sits upright and the girl gets off of him with her hand outstretched. He takes her form in, brain flickering through the odds...

Height. Shape. Slope... what are the odds that someone else would look like -

"Are you sure?" Blonde girl says carefully.

"Yes I - "Tim clears his throat and stands abruptly on his own. "I'm fine, I'm good."

The girl tilts her head at him, her shiny blonde hair falling over her rounded shoulder.

Oh.

She's gorgeous.

"I'm Stephanie by the way." She reaches a hand for him to shake.

Tim takes it if only to feel her soft skin against his slightly more calloused skin.

"Woah, nice grip." She grins and he almost goes blind.

"Uh-yeah you too." He's stupid and confused and stunned and she's - she has to be the -

But no.

No way.

The odds that, in this entire city, that the one person would just appear right here at this exact time before him like-like fate or something.

Tim isn't really a strong believer of fate. Yet.

"This is Tim." Cass supplies helpfully.

Stephanie, that's her name, Tim will remember that for eternity, nods in acknowledgment, “oh yeah, Cass’ brother."

Tim nods slowly... who ever said that?

Cass smiles. Oh. She thinks of him as her brother. That makes him feel... things.

Soft warm things that he doesn't usually feel unless Bruce calls him son or Dick gives him advice or Alfred makes him cookies.

Hm.

"Yeah, hi. Nice to meet you." He's still disoriented. And he's still trying to push his theories and assumptions out of his brain about this blonde bombshell of a girl in front of him who he's making a total idiot of himself in front of.

"Same." Stephanie grins and heads for the couch.

Cass moves to follow her and nudges Tim pointedly. "You're staring."

Tim closes his mouth and thinks he should probably go. "Sorry I wasn't aware you had a guest Cass. I'll just go then."

"Aw, I don't mean to scare you off, stick around, I don't bite." Stephanie flips her hair and winks.

Tim feels that deep in his loins.

"I'm - I - er - okay." He stutters and Cass sort of tries to hide her smile behind her hand as Tim makes his way to the couch and sits awkwardly next to her.

"Now-" Stephanie grins, "-how do you feel about the lion king?"

The random accidental movie hangout ended up being way more than Tim bargained for. Lion King was classic. But he didn't expect to find himself sandwiched between a sobbing Cass when The lion father died and the evil lion took over and a cackling Stephanie whenever a joke was made she would laugh and smack his solid shoulder and repeat it with hoots.

Tim was so confused that they managed to drag him out for boba and he somehow ended up spending nearly three hours with Cass and her new friend she met at school.

Stephanie for her part was bright and loud and more energetic and pretty decently sarcastic and Tim has to restrain himself from staring at her as she talks.

"So Tim, what do you wanna study in collage?" Stephanie asks abruptly as she swings out her denim clad legs, her sneakers were scuffed but she didn't seem to care as she slurps her mango green tea boba loudly.

Tim blinks his eyes away from her lips and how they wrap around her straw.

"Oh me? Um-well I haven't much thought about it yet." He admits.

Stephanie nods and says, "I was thinking along the lines of nutritionist or forensics."

Well, that was not expected but at the same time -

"What about you Cass?" Stephanie continues directing her attention to Cassandra who was pretending to not be here and focusing on her bobas, trying to stab them with her straw.

"Um... nothing."

Stephanie nods and seemingly accepts this like that's normal and turns back to Tim, "you probably have a trust fund or something huh?"

Oh yeah... he forgets about that. Guess she doesn't have one. Don't be a jerk Tim.

"I guess. Maybe I'll just move into the family business."

"Must be nice."

Tim doesn't think it is... at least not all the time. But he shrugs it off and sips his iced tea.

"I bet you go to all sorts of fancy parties and social events." She muses out loud, now her eyes going dreamy for a moment.

Tim doesn't know what makes him say it. Or where the idea comes from but it comes and it's abrupt and without warning to anyone including himself.

"There's actually a charity event I have to attend tonight. Want to come with?" What? Tim panics and Cass looks at him with surprise and Stephanie looks shocked.

Then it sinks in.

"I mean if you don't want to, that's fine I-"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

Um...

"Depends?" He needs to play it cool, play it like he meant to do this, play it smooth and-

"On what?" She's got a smile tugging at her lips. Cass slurps her boba with wide eyes and plays ping pong with her eyes as she looks between them.

Tim rubs at his neck, it's probably red from how uncomfortable he is.

"On if you want it to be or not."

She grins, "well I have something to do tonight but since it is for charity, I guess I can move it back."

"Oh... great." Tim feels slightly less tense."I guess I'll pick you up from you-"

"Here!" Steph cuts in abruptly and stands up, gathering her things. "I'll be at the manor anyway so you can pick me up from there, I gotta run some errands first, see back at the manor Cass. See you later Tim." And she winks as she walks away.

Tim gets lost in watching her go and how good her butt looks in those jeans.

A snicker breaks his reverie.

"What?" Tim eyes Cass, slightly embarrassed.

"You like her." She's doing a poor job of hiding her amusement.

"I don't-"

She shakes her head, "can't lie to me."

Tim knows she's right... so he doesn't attempt to deny or defend.

"That wasn't as embarrassing as it felt, was it?"

Cassandra shakes her head and Tim relaxes slightly and takes a sip of his iced tea.

"It was worse."

Oh come on.

Tim's pacing outside the manor at eight o'clock in a suit and tie and a bouquet of flowers clutched like a life line in his fist, his car gleams red behind him under the dusty moon light. Gravel crunches under his polished shoes as he waited for Stephanie to come outside.

He's sort of glad he had a car and a date, it gave him an excuse to not be with his dad and his date who turned out to be Dana... Tim's not sure how he feels about his dad dating...

It doesn't feel right and he wants to avoid that talk for as long as possible.

The manor door creaks open and Tim waits with bated breath.

Cass pops her pretty head out and smiles at Tim's nerves. "She's ready."

Tim stares as Stephanie steps out in all her glittering glory.

Her hair sparkles in a cute high bun with pieces falling to framing her heart shaped face, neck long and lean and glittering with a necklace that dropped and led his eyes down towards her full chest that was held and eccentuated by the skin tight dress she was wearing, her lips shone a soft pearly pink and her eyes gleamed blue through the shimmery makeup she was wearing.

"Don't forget to breath there, Sport."

Tim lets out an awkward laugh. "Sorry I - you - um - I - I-" he can't finish his sentence as he offers her the bouquet of daffodils.

Stephanie smiles and takes them, "thanks. You clean up pretty good yourself."

Tim's brain is dead. "Um-yeah, thank you."

And mercifully, Stephanie doesn't hold him to his brain glitch as her eyes catch onto the car. "Is that yours?" She says, excitement seeping in her voice now.

Tim struggles to grasp his tongue and nods, pride showing on his face as he leads her to his vehicle. "It is, nice huh?"

"Very." Her eyes gleam as she gets in.

This makes him feel better as he slides into the smooth leather seat next to her. "You haven't seen the best part yet." He puts the key in.

And maybe he goes a little bit faster than necessary by it's worth it when she lets out a whoop and laughs with excitement.

Tim sighs. They've barely been here an hour and he already wants to go home. It's just like he figured. A stuffy event full of stuffy parents and peers pretending like they actually cared about the charity when really they just wanted to maintain or make business connections.

He'd tried his best to avoid his dad, but he did manage to get Tim roped into meeting a few people to keep the business ties or whatnot. So Tim fourced himself to behave older than he was and fake interest in stocks and stats.

Poor Steph was probably upset at him, people had been surrounding her all night, she was too pretty to ignore.

Tim pours some punch for her and himself to try to make things better when Steph comes bounding up to him, hair frayed a bit and cheeks flushed.

"Phew, these guys just don't take a hint." She breathes and takes the sparkles punch Tim offers, “what's with their obsession to know what my dad does?" She mutters with a grimace.

Come to think of it, Tim wonders what does her dad does. He doesn't ask.

He's too busy looking at her pretty flushed face and full lips and glittering eyes and- he feels warm from inside out.

He turns to her, hand outstretched, "care to dance m'lady?"

She stops mid-sip and looks at him, her cheeks might have gotten pinker as she looks around. "But there isn't any music?"

As if on cue, the live band starts up a classical slow song. Tim isn't much of a dancer but he was forced to learn the waltz for these types of events, he hopes he's good enough to sweep her off her feet at least a little bit.

She gives him a soft giggle and takes his hand anyway, "I guess we dance."

He smiles and relishes in her suddenly shy look. It makes him feel better to know she feels a little awkward too. His previous fumbling wasn't so bad now.

"You look really... pretty." And he means it as he holds her a little bit closer and spins her in the dance. She smells like sunshine and glitter and green tea. Even though those comparisons aren't logical it's just how he feels

Stephanie looks surprised and bashfully blinks at him prettily.

"I'm sorry I didn’t say that before."

"You think I'm pretty?"

That question was sweet and Tim realizes they're both equally internally low on self esteem. It makes him feel squishy inside as she somehow ends up pressed against him even closer, closer than this type of setting called for.

He's pretty sure the rest of the guests were appalled by their lack of 'decorum' Tim doesn't care. The room melts away and so do the snobs. It's just him and this beautiful girl. And he takes joy in the feel of her soft, supple curves against him. He's pretty sure she could feel everything under his suit. Including his natural reactions to her.

He doesn't care.

He never felt like this for anyone. The warmth and urge for more. Not even when his ex girlfriend tried to get naked in front of him because she was afraid he'd leave her... irony was, she broke up with him afterwards.

But even still, she was nearly naked and he hadn't felt this kind of urge and connection that he was feeling with a clothed Stephanie pressed against him.

"You're gorgeous and this purple…” he says as she gets closer and his voice trails off as her hands slide up behind his neck, "... it really suits you."

And then she's pressing into him, lips melting against his as his arms wrap around her waist and nobody could stop them, not even his brain which malfunctions and sputters and all he smells is her, all he feels is her.

And this could go further, so, so much further if he could just get the zipper of her dress... but the practical part of his brain panics and he knows they shouldn't do this here, he is vaguely aware that his father is around here somewhere and Stephanie's tongue flicks softly against his and- this is not the type of place he wants to make headlines in.

Stephanie must have realized it too because she manages to drag her soft lips off of him and they’re breathing hard against each other, her cheeks hot and red and mouth swollen in a throughly kissed way and he's pretty sure he's just as disheveled if not more so.

When did they get to the wall?

She leans into him with a grin, "it's not purple." She whispers against his ear.

Huh?

He's still disoriented and on the high when she pulls back and tilts her head at him.

"It's eggplant."

And the floor feels like its pulled out from under him.