Chapter Text
"This is pathetically sad," Tim said with a hint of empathy, but mostly disbelief.
"What is?" Conner, who sat beside him devouring his third burger, asked.
"Gar's obvious feelings for Rachel," Tim explained as he watched Gar look at Rachel longing, Rachel, who obliviously continued playing another arcade game.
"GO PIN BALL!" Rachel let out excitedly as she jumped up and down. It's cute how she found excitement in the mundane things and from the look Gar was giving Rachel he too agreed.
"Gar has feelings for Rachel?" Conner questioned now looking at the pair, "cool," Conner smiled, the food he didn't swallow sticking out. "Dude, please swallow," Tim chided, "and what do you mean by "cool" ?" The boy wonder questioned, "I mean considering the fact Rachel is head over hill in love with him," Conner shrugged as he took another bite out of his burger.
Tom furrowed his brows at the Kryptonian before letting out a-
"Huh?"
"Yeah," Conner shrugged.
"You're delusional, straight up," Tim rolled his eyes at that, because what an absurd notion. Rachel in love? With Gar?! Tim knows Gar is an amazing person and an even better friend, but girls like Rachel don't go for guys like Gar, they go for problematic boys with daddy issues and rage that would put any dictator to shame.
So Jason "I'm better than Grayson and Bruce is a deadbeat" Todd.
Gar is sweet, soft, kind, understanding, and half the time head-empty, with no thoughts despite being incredibly smart.
So Conner "I'm gonna punch my way through life and refuse to use my brain because I am Superman's clone" Kent
"No, seriously," Conner insisted, "look at her," Conner said, making Tim look back at the duo, who now were sitting eight tables away from him, "Increased heart rate, blushing, and increased sweating," Conner stated, and Tim wondered if killing a Kryptonian could legally be considered manslaughter.
"Kon-El, I'm not Kryptonian," Tim stated flatly, making Conner frown at him, "so?" The raven-haired teen implored, "Me no powers," Tim reminded him mockingly, "Me no see or hear what you do."
That made the Kryptonian laugh despite it being an aim at his intelligence (or a lack thereof.)
"Well, the signs are there," Conner insisted, before taking a sip from his smoothie, "You're a detective Timothy just look at her," Conner said, sounding a little too smug and condescending.
Ego much.
There wasn't much to watch to look at. Rachel looked content, she was smiling gently at Gar who was explaining something she was actively listening to, but other than that there wasn't much to go until some girl wearing a green shirt with a green tiger approached, "wait a minute-"
Rachel's smile faded as she looked between Gar and the girl.
"The girl is a Titans fan, but mostly a Beastboy fan," Conner informed him about what was being said in the conversation.
"She wants a selfie with Gar," Conner said, "Gar's cool with it."
Just like Conner said Gar stood up and the girl looked at Rachel and asked Rachel to take the picture.
And like a true fan who does not know the concept of boundaries grabs Gar by the shoulders and Gar, bless his soul, doesn't show visible discomfort, in fact, he reciprocates the action.
Tim sees it happen in real-time.
Rachel's eyes flashed with anger, jealousy, and then reluctant acceptance. In that order.
"Well colored me surprised, who would have guessed," Tim muttered as he watched the whole scene unfold. The picture was taken and the girl happily received the phone and then she took it a step too far, she kissed Gar on the cheek. Gar was startled, but "fangirl" didn't wait for his reaction she took off right after.
Rachel glared at the girl's retreating form, she looked scandalized like she was the one who was essentially assaulted, but then her face turned from one of rage to one of defeat and what Tim gathers is realization, because Gar, the "victim" didn't mind, because he was smiling shyly as he touched the spot the girl kissed.
"Oh, this is really sad," Tim said again, but time with more sadness of his own.
After the arcade the whole atmosphere shifted. The car ride home was awkward.
Rachel was upset (with Gar), which meant Gar was upset, and when Gar was upset everyone was upset.
Tim's phone buzzes: a notification. A message from Conner.
Conner: We need to do something.
Tim: Agreed.
Conner: Awesome! I'll see whether or not the Justice League needs two extra members. There's only so much tension these two can have until it explodes taking everyone, including us, with them. So we need to go.
Tim wondered how Conner and him became friends.
Tim: Conner!
Tim scolded.
Conner: I'm kidding 😂
Conner: So what's the plan?
Tim looked up from his phone and smiled mischievously at the other boy, who smirked back at him.
Conner: what do you have in mind?
Tim: Operation: Garchel is a go.