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Tim concentrated on the folds of his napkin for a number of reasons -- fairly good reasons if he were to say so himself. Reasons like the fact that he still had a hard time looking Nicola in the eyes after, in a dazed half-bled-out state, he threatened her life should she hurt his sister. Or like the fact that Cass had been in the process of getting dressed when he picked her up two hours before which included not wearing clothes around her loft. Or because his girlfriend was barely tethered to the chair and able at the incredibly expensive restaurant Bruce reserved for them and was pointing her fork across the table in an aggressive manner.
Yes, the napkin folds certainly were delicate.
“The point is,” Stephanie said, voice raising in varying octaves, “it doesn’t matter how much you guys do it, the important part is that I loved Cass first.”
Tim looked up, hands motioning tiredly to meet the exasperation in his voice, “Again, sitting right here.”
“Hush, Tim, we’ve been through enough, I don’t have to tell you you’re loved,” Steph responded with a flippant turn of her wrist.
“That’s cute,” Cass snorted into her wine glass, which had been empty of water for the past two times she reached for it, but she seemed to like hiding her mouth when she had an amused grin.
That made Tim raise his brow. It must have been a fairly new habit for Cass, he hadn’t seen her do it before.
A casual glance toward Nicola found the same ploy in use. The older woman looked to Cass with a bubbling laugh of her own. She said, “I like her. What spirit.”
Cass laughed. “Steph is the best,” she nodded in agreement.
Proudly, Steph sat straight in her seat, beaming, and finally used her fork to shovel a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
Tim tapped his finger on the table top. “Again,” he said with little mirth, “right here.”
“You’re the best after Steph,” Cass surmised. “Right now, ahead of... Bruce, Dick... Damian...”
“Barbara and Alfred remain unlisted, understandable,” Steph said with a nod.
“Thank you,” Tim responded dryly to his sister and her partner. “Though I’m surprised that Bruce is lower than me. Flattered. Just surprised.”
“Well,” Nicola said, tapping her chin, “You did manage to get us these wonderful reservations.”
“Yeah, good job, Tim,” Steph said, affectionately rubbing his once properly fixed hair.
“Well,” Tim said, shifting away from the hand assaulting his hairstyle. “Bruce did help...”
“He’s right,” Cass said, looking meaningfully to Nicola.
“Now we have to reconsider,” Nicola agreed.
Steph stopped reaching for his head, pursing her lips. “You can’t let a good thing last, can you?”
Tim dropped his head. “No, apparently not.”