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Tim heard, rather than saw, Stephanie return. Listening to the shower come on, Tim fumbled in the dark for his phone, the bright screen making him wince as he struggled to read the time.
Six in the morning.
Tim whistled to himself. Another late night for her. Early morning. It was Sunday though, and now she could rest until the following evening. Tim would have joined her, if not for the stitches in his chest after a particularly bad bout of pneumonia that had required surgery after an abscess had formed.
It wasn’t his fault… Gotham harbor really was just that gross.
He let his phone slide out of a weak grip, waiting for her to finish washing up and come join him in bed. They could have a few more hours together, but then Tim would grow restless and move downstairs, in need of both sustenance and the bathroom.
Stephanie entered their bedroom, feet quietly padding across the floor. Tim knew it was her, they’d been around each other long enough to recognize each other’s steps and gait, even when injured. When she lifted the sheets and climbed in next to Tim, he was hit by the smell of coconut and lavender - her body wash and shampoo.
He sighed, keeping his eyes closed, and turned to face her. Fingers brushed his cheeks, and a warm puff of air disturbed his clumped hair.
“Good night?” he asked.
“Long night.”
"Mm."
“How’s the pain?”
He chuffed. Honestly his throat still ached and felt like he had swallowed sandpaper. But each breath no longer drew pain. Now it was a quiet ache, the muscles stitching themselves back together after so long inflamed and infected.
“Been worse,” he muttered candidly.
There was no reply for a moment, but her warm hands continued to flutter against his skin. Tentative, as if pressing too hard would irretrievably shatter him beyond repair.
Tim opened his eyes to see her looking down at him. Her hair was wet - yellow spaghetti that spilled over her shoulders and neck. In the dim, early morning light her eyes were soft and dark. Something to get easily lost in. The feeling of love overwhelmed Tim under the covers.
It seemed Stephanie felt it too. “Kiss me,” she whispered.
He pulled her down, not strong enough to hold himself up and cradle her as he would have liked, but she welcomed it all the same.
She was so soft. She kissed as she smiled: wholeheartedly, sweetly and joyfully. She did not press down though, cautious of putting too much pressure on his sternum. Even though Tim understood and approved her reasoning, he somewhat resented her refusal to let the kisses deepen. He couldn’t get worked up - it would literally hurt too much.
So the pair contented themselves to slow closed mouthed kisses, gentle smacks of lips filling the silent bedroom.
It stopped when Stephanie choose to, sighing and moving her targets to cheeks and foreheads.
“Love you,” she murmured.
“Love you too,” he returned as she kissed his eyelids, fluttering them shut for affection that felt just as much as - more than - a blessing. “You’re being… awfully sentimental this morning.”
“I’m in love.”
“So you said.”
She laughed, hot air tickling Tim’s neck. It was nice, for once, being the one on the receiving end of such intense affection.
“Marry me,” she whispered in his ear.
Tim found the strength to reach up, patting her hair and urging her back a bit to properly look at her in the gray light.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
She smiled sadly. “What does it sound like? Marry me Tim.”
“It’s my job to ask.”
“Is it?” She paused, chewing her lips. The nervousness in her posture became more apparent. “Tim? You haven’t answered the question.”
“Ask again?”
She narrowed her eyes, only for a second, then smiled once more. “Good morning. I love you. Marry me.”
Tim leaned up, capturing her mouth with a surge of energy, and kissed her as best he could at the odd angle. He fell back to his pillow when he could no longer hold himself up, beaming from ear to ear. His chest was killing him from the exertion, but he did not care one bit.
“Yes. I’ll marry you.”
Even in the low light, he did not miss Stephanie’s cheeks flush red, nor the way that she coughed, hiding her excitement with a breathless and fluster that made her seem so alive. She puffed her cheeks up, the image of childish youth.
“...Well - good!” she spluttered.
“Good,” Tim quietly repeated.