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Hurried footsteps could be heard by the vigilante, Red Robin, who was resting, leaning against a wall in the lonely alleyway.
He listens intently to the police, rambling about tonight’s case report.
As Tim lets them conclude today’s investigation, then he recognises a familiar sound of footsteps heading his way.
Superboy.
‘Kon,’ he smiles warmly, gazing at the out-of-breath silhouette in the shadows. He asks politely, ‘Do you need anything—?’
Slowly, he walks out into the light that captured Conner Kent, sweating profusely, and perhaps a little red in the face.
Tim blinked, looking at his face could already tell him something was wrong. His hand dug into his pocket, ‘Want one?’ he said with mild concern, holding out a pack of cigarettes, ‘It reduces stress,’
‘Hi, Rob,’ Conner waved, grinning sheepishly, kindly refusing Tim’s offer with the excuse that “he doesn’t smoke” which earned a shrug from Tim.
He eyed Conner sharply, ‘So what exactly are you doing here?’
‘Oh,’ he nervously looked away, scratching his head.
Tim raised an eyebrow.
‘It’s just,’ Conner felt his heart beating furiously, while he tangled on his words trying to form a proper sentence. ‘I’m sorry, it’s hard to say…’
‘Kon, it’s alright,’ Tim nodded encouragingly, ‘Just take your time.’
The two stood in the dark, while Tim patiently waited for Conner to open his mouth, crows squeaking were the only noise going through their awkward silence.
‘So here’s the thing,’ Conner fidgets anxiously, ‘Rob, you know, I kind of… uh. I like you, seriously. Like love, you know?’
He said it.
He finally said it.
But what worries him is Tim’s reaction.
Tim was bewildered by this confession, he hadn’t anticipated it, at all.
Truthfully, he thought that they were already dating.
Besides, who would’ve acted like that as friends? Sharing a sundae together romantically, sleeping together (they didn’t do anything but sleep, though), and wearing one another’s clothes… isn’t all that a “boyfriend” thing to do?
Oh, whatever. They never actually expressed that they “love” to each other before, so, this could be… a great start to a relationship. Well, at least that’s what he logically concluded.
‘Kon,’
Conner held his breath.
‘I like you too.’
He covered his face in embarrassment. Though, he knew that Tim might’ve accepted him as his… b-boyfriend. But he doesn’t know how to process that information.
‘Kon… what’s wrong?’ He teasingly asked, which earned a very flustered Conner.
‘Well, also, happy birthday Tim,’ he exclaimed excitedly, ‘I had something planned out to celebrate your birthday!’
Tim chuckled, ‘How punctual,’ as it just hit midnight. ‘Well, then, what is it?’
‘Obviously we’re going on those aquarium dates or watching a movie together in the theatres, seeing the sun rise together and—oh, but, making you happy is my top priority, so just let me know what you want to do, but also—’
He rambled on and on while Tim enjoyed every last second because of how cute Conner was.
‘So, like, you cool with that?’
‘Yeah, I’m cool with it.’
Conner beamed brightly. ‘That’s lit! Well, what are we waiting for?’
‘Where are we going first?’
‘You haven’t ate breakfast yet, right?’
Tim leered at him, ‘The day just started.’
‘Give me your hand,
I’ll carry you to the ends of the world.’
‘Sweet.’ Tim snickered.
＊＊＊
‘Never expected this would be what you were cravin’ for,’
Tim happily munched on his hamburger, ‘Come on, we’re teenagers, and I haven’t eaten junk food in a month,’
‘Can’t argue with that, huh.’ Conner taking a sip of his drink.
‘This isn’t any romantic like the old days, but, no restaurants are opened after midnight except fast food ones.’
‘Fine, point given.’
‘What next?’
‘The iconic aquarium date.’
‘Kon, it’s a quarter to two, you think it’ll be open?’
‘Isn’t that great? We have the whole passionate fish viewing to just us, nobody interrupting,’
‘That’s trespassing.’
‘I can be bad,’
‘It’s not ethical, Kon—‘
Seemingly unamused Tim Drake still lets himself get persuaded by the lawful good Superboy, who is indefinitely not committing a crime as of currently.
‘What’s that?’
Tim stares at him with a weird expression, ‘It’s a stingray,’ he points, ‘never seen one before?’
Conner shook his head slightly, ‘Nah, I was created like three years ago in a lab by Luthor, made for crime fighting,
I mean, I’ve never got the time to hang around places like these. Oh, but I had been to an arcade!’
‘Well, I’ll show you more of places like these in the future,’ said Tim.
‘Oh, man, is that cool?’
‘Yeah, it’s cool.’
‘I’ll look forward to it,’ said Conner.
‘Those stingray fishes have patterns!’
‘Kon, those are manta rays.’
‘How do you differentiate them?’
‘Stingrays are typically smaller in size and possesses a flat, diamond-shaped body with a long, whip like tail that is pretty, most probably, venomous,’
Tim explains,
‘While manta rays are much larger and have a distinctive fin that resembles wings, well, as far as I know—‘
‘Enough, I didn’t come here for a lecture on sea creatures!’
‘Did I ruin your fun?’
‘I wanna see the dolphins,’
‘Let’s go then.’
‘And, the seals.’
‘Sure.’
‘Oh, I also heard they perform mermaid shows or somethin’,’
‘It’s the middle of the night, there is no shows right now,’
‘How long can you stay underwater?’
‘Oh, like a few minutes, I’m trying to be as good as Batman—‘
‘Cool, be my mermaid for tonight’s show, then,’
‘What?’
He pauses, with a puzzled look,
‘No, no, absolutely no way in hell,’
‘Pfft— your reaction is gold!’
‘…’
‘Wait, Tim! Don’t leave without me!’
‘Idiot.’
＊＊＊
‘Wow,’
Conner could only utter one word, seeing the sun rise magnificently on the rooftop with his… partner, made him sure he would cherish this moment forever with his life.
‘This was all a first for me,’ said Conner. Witnessing a bellowing sight of the beautiful clear sky.
'Can’t say I’ve ever done this before,’ Tim narrowed his eyes, ‘It’s like, straight out of a cheesy rom-com,’
Conner cackled, ‘That’s a good thing, ain’t it? It’s been so freakin’ fun!’
‘I suppose you’re right. Looks like sacrificing another day of sleep was worth it,’ He said, yawning, rubbing his eyes.
‘However, it’ll be nice to go and reunite with my bed soon,’
‘I think so too, you do look exhausted,’
‘That’s ‘coz you’re a pain in the ass.’
‘Evil! That hurts my feelings!’
Their laughs filled the cold air of Gotham, with the sun glowing in the vibrant blue sky.
‘Oh, give me a minute,’
Conner winked, and jumped, flying downwards.
In a blink of the eye, he’s back.
‘This is for you,’
He handed out a small slice of a tiramisu cake, served on a silver platter.
Tim’s eyes glimmered with awe.
‘This is adorable.’
‘Isn’t it? I tried being charming,’
He lit the singular candle,
‘How did I do?’
‘Completely charmed.’
‘I’m flattered.’
‘Make a wish,’
He shuts his eyes and blew out the candle.
‘Happy birthday, Tim.’