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“We’re what?” Tim blinks sleepily at Bernard who is grinning down at him, entirely too chipper for this time of day.
“We’re going on a road trip!” Bernard says again and confirms that Tim’s ears are still working and he did hear that correctly.
Tim is not awake enough for this and he definitely hasn’t had enough coffee for this. He loves Bernard, he really does but he currently does not have the energy to explain to him how bad of an idea that is. He has so much work to do that he can’t just abandon!
Luckily, Bernard knows Tim well so he has a steaming mug of strong coffee in hand not long after. Half of it later and he’s marginally more awake.
“Okay,” he says, sitting at the table while Bernard makes breakfast. “Lay it out for me. Road trip. Why, when, how, and oh yeah. Why?”
“Because you need a vacation, I need a vacation and honestly vacationing normally is boring. We’re going to alternate between hotels, motels, and camping, and you will not do any work except for emergencies.” Bernard says distractedly as he tries to not burn the eggs. “As for when, we’re going tomorrow.”
Tim blinks, “Bern. I love you. I love you a lot but I can’t just up and go take a vacation. I have so much work to do. Do you know how much I would have to work after hours just so I could maybe take a weekend off? Too much, and nevermind what I would come back to.”
Bernard just grins as if Tim told a very funny joke and also as if he knows more than Tim does. Tim narrows his eyes even as he gives him a quick kiss when Bernard puts the plate in front of him and then sits down with his own.
“Eat, it’s gonna get cold. You hate cold eggs.” Bernard says, still smiling.
Tim grumbles. He wants to know what the hell is going on but Bernard is right, he hates cold eggs. He eats grudgingly while Beranrd does the same. Still smiling though which is infuriating, Tim wants to kiss that stupid grin off his face.
“Alright, I’m done now so stop avoiding the question,” Tim says, waving his fork less than threateningly in Bernard’s direction.
Bernard laughs before saying, “Well, the thing is that everything is already planned. And before you say it, your work at Wayne Enterprises is also handled.”
Tim’s mind draws a blank, “Handled? What do you mean handled?”
“Just that. It’s handled. Everything is, even if I don’t know what ‘everything’ is,” Bernard says. “Don’t be mad but I asked Steph for help, who dragged all your siblings in and Bruce and who knows whom else, still. As far as I know, Bruce and Lucius and Dick are handling everything at Wayne Enterprises while Steph dragged your siblings into freeing you up by watching over your freelance projects.
“Oh yeah, Steph will also come with us, we’re using her van. I put my foot down because she fucking worked her ass off to get you to take time off so me and Cass conspired and bullied her into coming with us.”
Bernard adds that last part as if it was just an afterthought, like there is nothing wrong with taking your boyfriend’s ex with them on a road trip after said ex seems to set the moon in motion to get everyone to help your boyfriend. Tim really feels like his brain’s CPU is overloading. Dick doing work for the company despite hating it with a passion? Together with Bruce? And he is guessing that when Steph said freelance projects to Bernard she meant vigilante work.
He really has to talk about that with her, he can’t believe Cass was in it as well. It’s going to take so much to cover both his and Steph’s patrol routes for however long Bernard thinks they should be on the road trip. And what happens if there is an emergency?
“Hey,” Bernard says and his voice drags Tim out of his spiraling thoughts. “You really don’t have to worry. Your family is amazing, they all pulled together to get you time off, your friends from San Fran too. And I know you, if there is an emergency we can turn back immediately or hell, depending on where we are you could book a flight.”
“But-” Tim interjects and Bernard shakes his head.
“Tim. I love you and I know how much you work for everyone. You deserve a vacation, some time off just for you.” Bernard says, taking Tim’s hand in his own. “You can call Bruce, and all of your siblings if you’re unsure but they really went all out, you can trust them.”
Tim stares at Bernard who is looking at him with such a pleading and earnest expression that it takes everything in Tim not to look away.
“Please? You deserve a break.” Bernard presses, squeezing Tim’s hand.
He wavers, he hasn’t had a break in…a long time. Ages, it feels like. Going on day or weekend trips with his siblings and Young Justice excluded. On the other hand, he has so many cases running and so many meetings at WE it feels cowardly and unprofessional to just leave them in Bruce’s hands after all the work Tim put in.
Bernard is still looking at him like that though and Tim…crumbles. “Yeah, okay. You win.”
The smile that lights up Bernard’s face could likely power several buildings with its intensity and Tim’s stomach flutters once again. He loves his boyfriend so much.
“Thank you, Tim.” Bernard murmurs and leans forward, kissing Tim softly and he can’t do anything but lean into it. “A break is going to be awesome, especially with two of some of your most favorite people.”
Tim smiles at that last part but adds, “I haven’t actually thought about it. I was too busy to even think about vacationing and maybe. Maybe it’ll even be good for me?”
Bernard laughs, “Why the question at the end there Mr. Genius? But look at you getting better at knowing your limits!”
Tim groans, Bernard hasn’t let Tim live down the one time that he was so deep into work he was up for over 72 hours, upped on so much coffee and energy drinks he lost count, and then collapsed in the kitchen when he got up for a snack. Unluckily it was Bernard who found him and has since been convinced that Tim has no clue about the limits of a normal human body. Which is wrong since Tim knows enough to tell how severe his injuries are and when he’s about to pass out. Normally. That one night was an exception.
For the most part.
Fact is, Bernard has not let him live that down and so Tim glowers at him even if Bernard sends him a dazzling smile that turns his insides to goo. Tim really doesn’t stand a chance, so like the mature adult being that he is, he sticks his tongue out at Bernard who grins at him.
“How did you even convince Steph to come with us and why was she the one to organize this?” Tim asks curiously after he knows that he has his fond smile under control.
“I mean. I asked? Or well, as you recall initially I asked her to help with the whole road trip thing but when I worked with her I started to realize that she seemed to need a vacation pretty badly as well,” He says and leans back, “Like. Really. I didn’t realize she was just as much of a workaholic as you are. I mean you’re still worse but she’s also up there.
“Anyway I brought that up to Cass who did her creepy, judging thing to me, not that I’m complaining your sister is awesome, and then nodded and just said ‘leave it to me’ and disappeared. Like a ninja. Tim I love you so much but I would never go against her.”
Tim has to smother a laugh at this, “Yeah, she has that effect. And Cass took care of everything? I still can’t believe that Steph just said ‘yes’.”
“Well,” Bernard muses, “I think I have convincing puppy eyes? I mean - hey stop laughing!”
“I’m just. Sorry, sorry,” Tim says absolutely not sorry. “Go on.”
Bernard rolls his eyes, “I have devastating puppy eyes, I’ll let you know.”
“I know Bern and you abuse them way too much,” Tim replies fondly.
“Anyway, Steph came to talk about it with me and Cass was with her which is actually what made her accept in the end. I didn’t become a Steph-whisperer in secret or anything and she can even outstubborn you .” He continues the story, still smiling widely. “It didn’t even change much planning wise. The initial plan was to just rent a van or a camper or whatever or just take a normal car but Steph got a new van with the three seats up front and so much space in the back that we decided we’d use that one.
“And we’re gonna make the trip the vacation, everything else would be boring, so we planned for both camping equipment if we wanna stay the night outside if it's nice, but we could also only stay at motels or hotels depending on preference.”
“You really thought a lot about this, huh?” Tim asks, oddly moved and he doesn’t think he does a good job at hiding the wave of emotion suddenly washing over him.
Bernard stands up and goes over to him, pulling Tim up into his arms and holding him. “You’re my boyfriend and I love you, of course I thought a lot about this.”
He lets Tim go again and then smiles somewhat sheepishly, “Actually…I’ve been thinking about doing something like this for over a year and already had a lot of plans set up and discarded again and set up and discarded again, as you do. But it only really went anywhere after I asked Steph, she really is awesome and so fucking smart. I’m so glad you introduced us, she’s fucking amazing.”
Tim snorts at that but also can’t suppress the grin stretching out his cheeks, “She is, isn’t she. I’m still surprised you aren’t weirded out by it though.”
“Because she’s your ex?” Bernard asks curiously.
“Yes?” Tim says, but inflects it more like a question. “I just. I don’t think most people would be so okay that the person they’re dating is still best friends with their ex you know?”
Bernard hums and thinks before slowly saying, “I do know but I have to admit that…I just don’t really get it? If you really love your partner, you trust them and you take the people that come with them. If that makes sense.”
“I guess…”
“It doesn’t, doesn’t it?” Bernard asks, laughing slightly.
“No, no. It does! I just, well I never got it either but I know other people and you know, through media, that it feels common that the current significant other is always jealous or weird towards the partner’s ex? And I was ready to accept that but then you somehow ended up best friends, which is actually terrifying, I just want to mention that.”
“Why, because we can collaborate on bullying you to take a break?” Bernard grins.
“Yes!” Tim nearly hisses which makes Bernard just laugh. He’s trying to hide it but they’re still pressed against each other and Tim is feeling how Bernard’s chest is shaking.
Tim isn’t pouting.
He isn’t.
“Come on, let's move to the couch so you can continue your interrogation.” Bernards says cheerily and honestly Tim cannot even be mad at him.
They move to the couch and snuggle together under a large blanket.
“So,” Bernard starts.
“So,” Tim mimics and pauses before speaking again. “How long have you planned that vacation to be?”
“I mean, we’re gonna be driving a lot but as I said, the traveling is the vacation so I’d planned one week to and one week back.”
“Bern, where to?”
“The most obvious road trip destination but I know you’ve never been and I feel like we deserve to be normal for once!”
“Most obvious…?” Tim says before something in his mind seems to click. “Wait, the Grand Canyon?”
Bernard hums, “Yep! And after that we’re going to make a break for the Dead Horse Point State Park before coming back.”
“Isn’t that a dark sky park?” Tim asks, suddenly giddy. He’s always wanted to visit one, one where he could actually appreciate the sky and not just take note of it like for some mission he was on.
“Yes,” Bernard answers, “I thought you’d like it and the reason I didn’t ambush you with everything tomorrow is so that you could get your camera equipment out and look at it so everything is in order for the trip.”
“Oh.” Tim hasn’t used, nor really touched his camera in a long time. Hasn’t actually really done photography regularly in a long, long while. Only occasionally.
Tim snaps hundreds of pictures weekly but most of those are for case work, to document crime scenes; then maybe a handful of selfies as proof for his friends that he’s still alive or just for something funny.
“You told me that you loved photography even if you only pursued it as a hobby,” Bernard starts softly, “and I remember you showing me some of your equipment and pictures excitedly. But…I never really saw you going out and taking pictures or using all of the things you have in storage.”
He hesitates but Tim doesn’t say anything so he continues. “Yet whenever I did saw you taking pictures, the handful of times, you lit up. You were so happy, smiling so wide and so focused and intent. It’s…it’s your passion that shone through so brightly, that made me fall in love with you even more.
“You are passionate about a lot of things, a lot of them you love and aren’t only doing it out of obligation but when was the last time you just did things for yourself. When did you last skateboard? Or do any other hobby?”
Tim doesn’t say anything at first and presses his lips together tightly, slumping over and more into Bernard.
“I…” Tim starts before pausing, trying to sort out his thoughts. “I didn’t even realize until you said that but…it’s been a long time. I haven’t even seen my friends in months outside of work functions.”
Bernard kisses the top of Tim’s head and wraps his arms around him more firmly. “Tim you’re one hell of a person and you’re doing so much, but in my opinion it’s way too much. I could never keep up with the work you’re doing without burning out in a few weeks. You have family and friends who would all gladly help you but you never ask.
“Although,” he continues in a different tone, “They could probably have asked as well but I guess it’s so ingrained into all of you that you don’t even notice anymore. What’s up with that actually, you’re all richer than god and yet the worst workaholics I have ever seen in my entire life.”
Tim snorts at that and shakes his head, “No idea, but yeah I guess we’re all kind of terrible at asking for help.”
“Only ‘kinda’?”
“Shut up.” Tim grumbles without any heat and snuggles closer into Bernard.
“What’s up! Come on up you get you two we’re going places!” Rings out across the houseboat and makes Tim shoot up in bed, suddenly wide awake.
Bernard is a bit slower to rise, yawns and rubs his eyes before looking around in confusion.
A loud banging is heard from the direction of the door and then another shout. “You both have two minutes or I’ll break in!”
Tim groans and struggles blearily out of bed. “Steph why.”
Bernard snorts, “It’s Steph, did you expect anything else?”
Contrary to Tim who is still waking up and walking around the room like a real life zombie, Bernard has already rolled out of bed, chipper and ready for the day. Absolutely awful.
Bernard laughs and gives Tim a morning kiss before shrugging on a bathrobe from the floor and going to greet Stephe because she would kick the door in. Or at least break the look and then set off Tim’s whole elaborate set up of alarms.
To be fair it would probably wake him up fast.
He hears Bernard let Steph in and greet her, likely escorting her to the kitchen and Tim hopes that that also means he’s gonna brew some coffee. He’s going to need so much today. Slowly, and mechanically Tim takes some loose pants from the floor and puts them on - definitely Bernard’s but who really cares - and a t-shirt that he thinks he might have stolen from Cassie some time ago.
Tim shuffles into the kitchen and is immediately bombarded by a Steph shaped hug-attack. He barely has time to brace himself and then she’s already on him and hugging the life out of him, disposing some of her hair in his mouth.
“Hi!” She beams.
Tim makes a noise that could have been anything from a greeting to ‘fuck off’ but he sags further into Steph and hides from the brightness of the kitchen.
Steph laughs and puts his arm around him, guiding him to the chair and Bernard is the one who sets some coffee in front of him.
“Zombie-boy not yet awake, huh?” She asks cheekily and Tim grunts.
“You know him,” Bernard replies from the stove, “Pancakes?”
“Oh hell yeah, I’ll never say no to pancakes, if I do you know I've been replaced by an imposter.” Steph says and plops herself down opposite from Tim. “Also your pancakes are to die for.”
“Thank you! I do try,” Bernard smiles.
Tim meanwhile has latched onto the coffee and is drinking it slowly but surely, watching the scene unfold.
“Bad night huh?” Steph asks sympathetically and Tim nods.
“Nightmares,” he rasps and Steph pulls a grimaces.
She knows about that. Bernard meanwhile comes over and pours Tim his second cup and gives Steph her own, pressing a kiss to Tim’s head walking by and doing a fist bump with Steph.
They sit in comfortable silence for a while, Tim and Steph drinking their coffee and Bernard preparing the pancakes, humming a near silent tune that Tim has heard on the radio a few times prior.
Speaking about the radio, it’s like Steph has read his mind as she looks over where they have a small one inside of one of the kitchen shelves. She looks at him and then over at it, questioning and Tim thinks a bit before nodding. Could be nice today.
Grinning, Steph bounces up and gets it out, putting it on its customary spot before turning it on to some station that seems to be playing some cheerful morning music likely intending to wake the people up.
It doesn’t do anything for Tim but he can at least appreciate the sentiment. And it’s fun watching Steph dance through the tiny kitchen, humming the songs along while trying to not collide with Bernard who hums in tandem and slowly sways on the spot. Tim feels the tension leave his body as he continues to watch and relax into the chair.
Not long after the pancakes are done, they’re all sitting at the tiny little kitchen table, stuffing their faces full to the sound of cheery music and the sun streaming through the windows. Bernard laughing at a joke Steph told that has Tim grinning silently into his plate of pancakes.
“You’ve got some…” Bernard says then, still grinning, pointing his finger at Steph’s nose, “syrup right there, Steph.”
Steph then crosses her eyes to see and starts a valiant effort to get the syrup off with her tongue alone, teasing out another round of laughter, Bernard wheezing and Tim choking on a bite. Of course it doesn’t work and Tim leans forward, grinning as he swipes the droplet away. In retaliation Steph steals a bit of his pancake and Tim rolls his eyes.
“Real mature there Steph,” Tim says, fake annoyed.
Steph grins unrepentantly, “whoever said I was mature? I’m barely an adult.”
“You’re nineteen,” Bernard points out, smiling and Tim wonders how his cheeks don’t hurt from grinning this much.
Steph rolls her eyes at Bernard, “Exactly! That’s barely an adult, just because we can do most shit on our own now doesn’t mean we’re adulting well or anything. Can’t even drink.”
“Did you just say adulting?” Tim asks.
“It’s a valid world, nerd.” Steph grins and pops another piece of pancake from Tim’s plate into her mouth.
“If you say so,” Tim mutters and pushes his plate towards Steph so she can reach easier. Bernard always puts too much food on his plate that Tim is never able to finish. It’s good in a way that whenever Steph is over she eats it because she can’t function without a proper breakfast. Tim would be fine with just coffee like he had been for years until Bernard came along and started eating breakfast with him.
Tim could just not eat anything but he’d feel bad for letting Bernard eat all by his lonesome even though he would be sitting at the table with him.
Steph blows him a kiss and takes the plate to inhale the rest of the food, much to Bernard’s amusement.
“You know I could just make some more, right?” Bernard asks.
“I know you could,” Steph says between bites, “but you don’t need to, this is fine and Tim barely eats breakfast anyway. I’ll just need the energy if I’m driving most of the way today.”
“That’s fair,” Bernard laughs. “Are we going to switch who drives depending on the day?”
“I think that would be best to be honest,” Steph hums. “Tim can probably take the afternoon and night drives if we do some. What about you?”
Bernard shrugs, “I’m honestly fine with everything but you’ll need to give me some time to figure your van out because I’ve yet to drive with such a big car.”
Steph nods, “Yeah that’s fair. I love my van but it can be a hassle.”
Tim pipes up, “I can do the afternoon and night drives yeah, we all know I should probably not man a car in the morning.”
All three of them laugh.
“Yeah,” Bernard says and nudges Tim’s foot with his own, “I don’t think mornings are for you, babe.”
“Well we all know that,” Steph says and also nudges Tim’s foot with her own.
Tim rolls his eyes and grins, “I’m surrounded by bullies.”
“Oh woe is you,” Steph replies dryly and accentuates that with a theatrical half-swoon.
Tim rolls his eyes and - being very mature - sticks his tongue out. “Anyway, do we have any further plans than a destination?” Tim asks, trying to steer the conversation towards the trip again.
“As I said the trip is the vacation!” Bernard says cheerily. “I honestly haven’t planned much of the trip itself to be honest because I thought for once spontaneity would be best, we drive and take a break wherever or whatever catches our eye.”
“Yep!” Steph says, “Plus we’ve got the camping gear in the back so we can also do it like real troopers and sleep under the sky when we don’t find a motel or hotel to our liking.”
“Joy.” Is what Tim says to that and gets two eye rolls and another round of nudges out from that.
Bernard grins, “Come on city boy, I’ll bet we can sleep rough for a bit.”
“Bern, you’re just as much of a city boy as me and excuse me I have experiences with sleeping rough.”
“We’re all city boys yes, yes,” Steph butts in, “But we’re city boys with a backbone, some hard ground ain’t gonna kill us.”
Tim snorts, “I mean. Yeah okay, fair. Although I am to point out that you’re not a city boy.”
“Gender is a social construct and also for losers, if I want to be a city boy, I can damn well be a city boy. Also it’s about the vibe.”
Bernard snickers while Tim groans, “You’re overusing ‘vibe’ again, Steph.”
“Well, you’re underusing it so I gotta balance that out somehow!”
“Girls,” Bernard interrupts them with such an outrageously bad slimy Bristol man voice that could put Brucie Wayne to shame. “No fighting, you're both very pretty.”
Tim and Steph burst out laughing, soon joined by Bernard who only managed to keep the illusion of a serious face for about zero-point-one seconds.
“Holy shit,” Steph wheezes out, “I am begging you to do something like this again when Bruce is there. Please .”
“He’d get an aneurysm,” Tim points out, still chuckling, “But it would be fucking amazing to see, yes please.”
Bernard seems both horrified and so amused beyond measure that his face is doing a complicated dance of emotions that makes it look like his brain is rebooting.
Tim and Steph just laugh even harder.
“Should we make a pitstop in Philly?” Bernard asks.
“Bear, we haven’t even been driving two hours.”
“Yeah but they have like, museums and stuff?”
“Philly is so close we can make a weekend trip out of it if we wanna do it again, let’s drive for at least half a day before we even think about doing anything else.” Tim says, not unkindly and squeezes Bernard’s knee.
“Boys,” Steph cuts in, “I love you both but if you don’t shut I will accidentally drive the wrong way, one of you, be useful and look at the map.”
“Steph, you have GPS.” Tim points out.
“‘Steph’ is currently looking very hard at the road so we do not end up in Canada.”
“You gotta merge here, then the next one right before it's straight forward again,” comes Bernard’s voice who taps around on his phone currently and looks at the map.
“Thank you, Bernard.” Steph says, “See, that’s how you’re helpful Tim. Learn from your boyf.”
“Oh my god did you really just call him my boyf.” Tim says, particularly enunciating ‘boyf’ with undisguised horror.
“Suffer.”
“Steph.”
“I don’t know, I think boyf is a fun word.” Bernard says, smiling widely.
“Bern, not you too.”
Steph sticks her tongues out but considering she is staring at the street it lacks impact. “Ha! You’re boyf is on my side.”
“I’m on the side with the most fun words.”
“Very diplomatic of you babe.” Tim huffs.
“Aw, don’t be salty.” Bernard grins and gives Tim a quick kiss.
“Too late, he’s been made out of salt since he was born.” Steph deadpans, “Salt ‘n spite, that’s Tim.”
Tim pulls a grimaces, “for fuck’s sake Steph.”
“I mean…” Bernard begins, grinning.
“Bern!”
“Why are we sharing a hotel room again?” Tim asks from his position on the bed, which he is pretty sure is an Alaskan King and could fit another three people in addition to them.
Bernard, who also booked the singular room, raises his eyebrow, “is it really a road trip if we don’t bunk together?”
“I see where you’re coming from,” Steph says as she exits the bathroom, only a towel draped around her, “but normally people doing these road trips aren’t billionaires and it’s cheaper to bunk together.”
Bernard rolls his eyes and throws her a hoodie that he’s pretty sure Dick wore when he kidnapped Tim for brother bonding last month. “Steph, don't backstab me now, it's about the vibe.”
Steph snorts surprised and then laughs, while Tim groans.
“Also, these fancy type hotels creep me out, would you have really wanted to sleep in such a liminal space all alone? The bed is also big enough we could lose Tim in it, we don’t have to cuddle.” Bernard adds and then has to dodge a throw pillow.
“Just losing me huh?” He asks with narrowed eyes, corner of his mouth twitching.
“Babe, I love you but you’re seventy percent elbows, nevermind your ability to hide and curl up in the most absurd positions to sleep, you bet your ass I could lose you in that bed.” Bernard laughs before striding over and pressing a kiss to Tim’s cheek.
Steph meanwhile has changed into the hoodie and something that looks like Tim’s boxers and then wastes no time to take a running leap onto the bed with a war cry.
Tim nearly falls off the bed if not for Bernard’s steadying elbow. Bernard just laughs as Steph lays herself out on the bed, arms and legs akimbo and still not even filling the bed halfway.
“You’re both talking too much, hurry up and get into the bed it’s comfy as fuck,” Steph calls from her positions and then groans loudly while stretching out her whole body. She yawns, “Come on we’re gonna get up early again and I’ll need sleep to drive.”
“Yes ma’am,” Tim replies sarcastically and rolls his eyes.
Steph leans up on her elbows and looks at Tim, “Careful there Timmy, if you aren’t vigilantI’ll steal your boyfriend for cuddling tonight.”
Tim looks right back, expression and posture all looking like an offended cat, “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would,” Steph says smugly, “one night cuddling with Bern all for me.”
“You realize,” Bernard says, “that I have two hands right? We can all cuddle.”
“Tim, your boyfriend has officially tossed you from the pedestal of genius.”
“Terrible,” Tim deadpans. “You’re really alright with that, Bear? We were just joking around.”
Bernard rolls his eyes hard, or it looks like it at least. “Yes I would love to, I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. Now up you get, get changed, you're the last one.”
Tim huffs but then smiles and gets changed while Bernard is already worming his way under the covers to be in the middle, and Steph rolling off from where she’d been laying to join him.
Not long after Tim joins them as well but not before turning off all the lights in the room and then slipping in besides Bernard’s other side.
Steph snuffles a little and somehow seemingly half asleep already when she mumbles, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Bernard and Tim murmur together before Tim leans in and presses a kiss to Bernard’s jaw and then snuggles deeper into his side.
It doesn’t take long after that for all three of them to fall into a deep sleep.
“I can’t believe that we’re so far out from Gotham and still somehow get involved in a mugging,” Steph says, stretching herself out on the shitty motel bed and watching the raindrops against the window. “Even the rain is following.”
“There’s desperate people everywhere,” Bernard points out, sitting against the headboard next to Tim and watching out of the window as well.
Tim has his phone in hand and is playing sudoku, he doesn’t look up when he says, “At least this didn’t end up in someone getting shot or otherwise injured.”
Bernard frowns, mouth in an unhappy line, “I did say I was sorry but I just couldn’t stand there and just watch.”
Tim still doesn’t look up but his face tells that Bernard hit the nail on his head. Steph pokes him and gives him a look that Tim knows means he’s being a hypocrite but he can’t help it. He was terrified.
He doesn’t know if this is because of the vacation or because of the mood or the time of day but Tim decides to jump over his own shadow and try to articulate his thoughts.
“I was…” He starts unsure and suddenly feels both their eyes on him. “I was terrified, Bern. When I saw that guy point the gun at you - It scared me to death. I could suddenly see you laying there in a pool of your own blood and. And gone.”
“It didn’t happen,” Steph whispers softly but she understands him. She knows what that's like, the what-ifs, the close calls.
“It could have happened,” Tim says and sighs. “It could have happened and I wouldn’t have had any idea what to do about that.”
“I’m sorry,” Bernard whispers, voice thick. “I- I didn’t think. I just did it.”
Tim bobs his head in the approximation of a nod, “Yeah. I know how that is and I know how impossible it sometimes is to act against your body in flight or fight. I don’t blame you. I’m angry, yeah. But not at you.”
“At the situation,” Steph adds knowingly.
Tim nods, “Yeah, it feels like nowhere is safe, even if we try to escape it we still end up in the middle of it.”
“Maybe,” Bernard says and he’s frowning, eyes shiny. “But is thinking like this really a way to live? Bad things can always happen but there are so many good things too.”
“You could have died,” Tim whispers, hoarse and shaking and he finally closes the phone, letting it fall on the bed. “You could have died.”
Bernard makes a wounded noise and turns into Tim, throwing his arms around him while Steph lays a comforting hand on his ankle.
“I’m so sick of losing people,” Tim forces out, eyes now shiny as well and takes a few deep breaths. “I know I can’t ask this, it’s selfish and awful but please- Please don’t make me go to your funeral Bernard.”
“I’m sorry,” Steph breathes out, voice as thick as Bernard’s and she pushes herself up so she can lean down and put her head against his knee. Her hand reaches out and without thinking Tim grasps it on his own, squeezing tightly.
“I forgave you long ago, it was a shit situation but for a long time…”
“Yeah.” Steph whispers, the anguish barely hidden in her voice. “I know."
Bernard puts his hand on top of their clasped ones and tightens his grip on Tim. He doesn’t have the full story and Tim for once doesn’t care to keep it straight even if it raises questions, if Bernard asks he’s going to answer the best he can but even he knew that Steph was ‘dead’ for a year.
They stay like this until the early morning when the sun starts peeking through the clouds and washing the world in grey and yellow-orange. During that time Steph has slowly migrated towards Tim’s other side, her face pressed to his stomach and all three of their hands still tangled together.
And it’s like this that they lay for several more hours, far into the morning. Only catching bits of fitful sleep here and there and especially Tim waking from nightmares near immediately after nodding off.
They don’t do much at all the following day, just content to be in each other’s presence.
Seeing that they are still alive.
“Thank you for having us over Mrs. Kent,” Steph says, only barely having swallowed her food before talking.
“Nonsense dear, Timothy and his friends are always welcome here, and I already told ya to call me Ma!” Ma says cheerfully, bustling around the kitchen and the small dining room.
Bernard is too busy eating as to say anything and Tim has already finished, leaning back and waiting on the other two.
“Now say what are you three strapping young’uns doing here, I doubt you just drove all the way out here for little old me.” She says smiling and offers Tim another piece of cake that he has to decline if he doesn't want to explode.
“We’re on a road trip,” Bernard says grinning. “Tim needed a vacation, so badly and so Steph and I organized something but then I noticed that Steph is basically as bad as Tim so we kidnapped her on the excursion.”
Steph snorts, “you didn’t kidnap me, you couldn’t. I went of my own free will to make sure both of you idiots didn’t end up in a car crash or something.”
“And this isn’t because you were bribed with Bernard’s cooking?” Tim asks slyly.
“Of course not, I get that one way or another anyway,” Steph says and sticks her tongue out before realizing she still has pie left and getting back to eating.
Bernard laughs, “I’m flattered you like my cooking that much but Steph is right, she’s at ours at least three to four times a week anyway, no need to bribe her with my cooking.”
“Oh,” Tim says and then suddenly looks like he’s had a realization. The epitome of a computer having to restart is what Tim’s face looks like.
Bernard quietly grins to himself, Steph doesn’t seem to have noticed the rest of their conversation, engrossed into whatever she saw on her phone just now. When he looks up he sees Ma looking in their direction, looking amused. She looks at both Tim and Steph, then at Bernard and grins, winking at him.
Bernard can feel his entire face redden.
Is he really this obvious?
Entirely likely considering how badly gone he is for both Tim and Steph. They’re the biggest idiots and he loves them a lot if only they could finally realize how badly they’re pining for each other.
Not that Bernard is any better considering it took him until this road trip to figure out that he also liked Steph. Liked liked. He feels like a teenager thinking this but it’s the best way he could describe it.
Steph is awesome, she’s funny and chaos incarnate and ride or die. If she decides that you’re her friend, that you’re worth it, she’d go through fire for you in a heartbeat. Just like Tim would. They fit very well in that regard, maybe a bit too well, in fact.
Bernard knows that they broke up because the relationship stopped being good and healthy for the both of them but he also knows that at that point they were in really awful situations, and there was also the fact of being teenagers to boot. Yet it is so very clear that they still love each other and Bernard is very sure that, should they enter a relationship again now, it would be far healthier and better. They’ve grown enough to see where they went wrong the first time around.
Plus of course they have him. He doesn’t want to toot his own horn but he thinks he balances them out well, they all are their own brand of chaos but they don’t clash.
“Oh dear,” Ma says and everyone swivels their head around to her.
“What’s wrong?” Tim asks, concerned.
Ma waves him off, “It’s nothing dear, I just seem to have forgotten to get the apples for the pie from old Will, I’ll drive by and pick them up no problem.”
“We could-” Steph starts and gets interrupted by Ma.
“Nonsense, you’re guests and these bones aren’t yet so old I can’t swing ‘em in the truck.” Ma says cheerfully, already getting ready to bustle out of the door. “If you need anything, Tim knows where everything is, heaven knows that boy has been over enough time.”
“Yes Ma,” Tim laughs.
“Oh! Before I forget,” Ma exclaims and turns around in the doorway, foot halfway out the door already, “You tell my Connor that he better not bring any space slime into my house again when he returns! I know you can get him a message he’ll read before he comes home, but intergalactic mission or no I don’t want to replace the floor boards again.”
With that Ma walks out of the house, either blissfully unaware of the bombshell she just dropped or, too aware.
Bernard sees how Tim and Steph are frozen to the spot where they’re sitting and honestly if he didn’t already guess or, well, know about the implication that Ma dropped he would have probably fell from the chair. As it is he just tries very hard not to laugh at Tim’s and Steph’s faces of constipation as they’re both probably trying to come up with anything to explain Ma’s choice or words that don't have anything to do with vigilantes or heroes.
Although his non-reaction might have been too suspicious he realizes when Tim is the first to snap his head towards him, narrowing his eyes.
“You already knew?” Tim asks, somewhat accusingly while Steph breaks out in peals of laughter.
“I. Uhm.” Bernard starts and scratches the side of his face. “Well. Yeah kind of, I don’t think you remember but you kind of came in banged up and half in your custome still some…eight months ago? From there I could pretty reliably figure out, who is who and uh. Not to be mean but Superboy basically does not have a secret identity, he looks the same and doesn't even change his piercings and his style.”
“I can’t believe,” Steph wheezes, “I can’t believe the boy genius got outsmarted by his boyfriend, man are you bad at that.”
“Shut up,” Tim snaps without heat, color rising to his cheeks and ears before turning to Bernard again, “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“I wanted you to tell me yourself,” Bernard admits, “I found out by accident, I know you didn’t expect me there when you came in and I know that this is something pretty huge and personal that takes time to share with others especially since I’m…well not. ‘In the game’ as it were.”
“Tim has so many neuroses and he’s chickened out at least three times already,” Steph says grinning and gets an elbow from Tim for her trouble which she easily dodges.
“It’s difficult!” Tim says, a little grumpily and then shifts uneasily. “I really did want to tell you but I never have had to tell anyone before. It’s…scary. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you.”
Bernard shakes his head immediately and then leans forwards to gather Tim’s hands into his own, “I know. I’m not angry, I know that this was probably pretty difficult for you and I don’t think it has anything to do with you trusting me or not.”
Tim sags into his chair and it really does seem that he was incredibly worried about Bernard’s reaction. “Still, I don’t like keeping things from you.”
“Well, sometimes we don’t always get what we want because our brains are stupid,” Bernard says, making Tim and Steph laugh.
“Brains are so stupid,” Steph says grinning.
“Sometimes,” Tim agrees, smiling softly.
Bernard really can’t do anything but stand up and kiss his stupid, loveable, genius boyfriend.
And when he impulsively presses a kiss to Steph’s cheek while clearing the plates and pretends to not see her ears going red and her mouth falling open, then that is for no one to know but him.
Tim swallows, head and neck craned backwards so he can stare at the sky. “This is…beautiful.”
After a very long journey, they finally arrived at the Grand Canyon, where they had enjoyed the sights for about two days before jumping into Steph’s van once more and heading up the Dead Horse Point.
This is the first time that Tim has seen a dark sky area and is also able to appreciate it.
“I’ve never seen the sky like this,” Steph whispers next to him, just as fascinated by it as Tim is.
Bernard has also not ever seen a sky like this, it’s beautiful and awe-inspiring but he can’t bring himself to look away from Tim and Steph for too long. The sheer joy on both their faces makes the whole trip worth it. It makes Bernard’s heart soar that he managed to do something good and nice for two of the most important people in his life.
“Come on you both, we have an extra thick blanket here, help me roll it out and we can all lay down before you get cricks in your necks,” Bernards says, smiling and rustling the admittedly pretty heavy blanket he’s been carrying under his arm.
“Gimme,” Steph says immediately and Tim and her help him set it up in the perfect spot for stargazing.
All three of them lie down next to each other to watch the stars.
“This really makes one feel small, huh?” Bernards asks softly.
Tim hums in agreement, as does Steph.
Bernard watches the sky and thinks, feels where all of them are pressed together, cuddling and keeping each other as warm as possible.
“Do you think we should wish for something?” Tim is the one to ask, surprisingly.
Steph laughs lightly, “Isn’t that only when we see a shooting star?”
“I mean,” Bernard butts in, “Who’s going to stop us wishing on normal stars?”
“True,” Steph says and he can hear the grin in her voice. “Is there anything you’d both wish for?”
“Not really,” Tim says, “I…I think I’m currently pretty happy with my life.”
Bernard sits up, and immediately Tim’s and Steph’s attention snaps to him and they both sit up as well.
“Bern?” Tim asks.
“I wish,” Bernard says and narrows his eyes at the two of them. “I wish you both could stop pining and mooning over each other and kiss already.”
Both Tim’s and Steph’s mouth fall open and they splutter.
“I’m- We’re not. We aren’t pining!” Steph exclaims, “and I’m not going to just kiss your boyfriend!”
“Would it help you if I kissed you?” Bernards asks her, amused, before looking at Tim who still seems to be reloading his brain.
“What.” Steph says.
“What.” Tim says as well, having finally rejoined the conversation.
Bernard sighs and smiles fondly, “You are both so dumb. You’re both pining for the other and have been for ages now, and I know you would like to try a relationship again. And no this is not a breaking up talk because I also like you a lot Steph. I love you like I love Tim and would really love for us all to be in a relationship, officially because if you look at it we actually already are and have been…for ages.”
Steph makes a strangled noise, “You love me?”
“Of course I do! You’re funny, smart, and kick ass. You’re dependable and awesome to be around. You love my cooking and try even the most absurd dishes and eat them completely even if you don’t like them so you don’t hurt my feelings. You’re so kind and you love Tim and have not once been jealous when I started dating him and then still became good, even best friends with me. What’s there not to love?” Bernards lists out and is slightly out of breath after rattling it down but he wants her to understand how great of a person she is.
Steph lurches forwards and crashes their mouths together in a searing kiss that starts out with clacking teeth and bitten lips before they smooth into something more sweet and in sync. And when they part for breath, Bernard realizes that Steph is half in Tim’s lap, half leaning over him. Tim looks at them both with so much love in his eyes that Bernard’s heart nearly gives out at that. Slowly, Tim reaches out and pushes a lock of hair behind Stephs ears before tugging her towards him and giving her her own kiss.
And Bernard can see where it could go wrong, where it did go wrong because they’re competitive and headstrong but they try and keep it gentle. Sweet and slow.
Bernard surges in after Steph is done to steal his own kiss from Tim, just as sweet and lovely as always. Made even better by Steph by their side who has her arms around them and presses her head into Tim’s neck while Bernard and him kiss.
“Did you,” Tim starts breathlessly, “Did you organize this trip just for this?”
“Of course,” Bernard laughs and peppers kisses to Tim’s and Steph’s faces. “Well, not just for this, you all did really need a vacation badly but I do admit that I was hoping for the outcome and you stopping the pining after so long in close quarters with each other.”
Tim and Steph laugh, their bodies shaking with mirth.
“And instead you basically had to hit us over the head with it,” Stephs says. “I can’t believe it, in hindsight it's so obvious. How long have we all been dating without us realizing?”
“Probably at least four months,” Bernards says and laughs with her. “But to be fair I also didn’t realize until a bit later.”
“We’re really a bunch of idiots, huh?” Tim muses while grinning. “I’m glad you put our heads on right, Bern.”
“Honestly you might have needed that outsider’s perspective.” Bernard says slowly, “You’ve known each other for a long time and maybe the love you had for each other changed and grew, and grew fainter at times before rekindling and because it’s just been like this for so long you didn’t really realize.”
Tim and Steph look at each other and nod.
“It does make sense,” Tim says, pressing a kiss to Steph’s head as she lays her cheek against his shoulder. “I never noticed, I knew I loved Steph but…”
“Yeah, same.” Steph says and then leans forwards to kiss Bernard again. “Thank you for pointing out the obvious to us, Bern.”
“Always,” Bernard says grinning.
This is how they spent the night, watching the sky, quietly talking and kissing each other until their lips are red and swollen, cheeks pink and eyes as bright as the stars in the sky.