Summary:Tim and Stephanie ask the bat-family for personal help. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's late enough to edge into 'early', and Red Robin and the Spoiler have just returned from patrol. They've been patrolling together more often for the past month, arriving and leaving in the Redbird. Though it's Red's car, he doesn't always insist on driving, and tonight's another of those nights where the Spoiler drives them back into the Cave.
And as soon as they arrive, Red Robin leaps quickly out of his seat, slides across the bonnet, and opens the Spoiler's door for her. Some of that goofy chivalry comes out even when in costume, especially in more 'safe' zones like this. He rubs one eyepiece of his mask while he looks around, to see who else is in the Cave this… morning?
Catwoman is seated in front of the Bat Computer right this second, smirking a little as she eyes a little security camera in the corner as Tim opens the door for Stephanie. So sweet.
As the draw nearer, Selina swivels the chair around to face them, fingers steepled and legs crossed and kicking idly; still in full costume as she greets them. "Good morning, kids~" She says merrily, her goggles conveniantly disguising any 'late hour' bleariness.
HOnestly, Spoiler can open the door for herself, but having Red rush over to get the door draws a soft giggle from the blonde batling while taking his hand and using him as a counterbalance as she steps out of the driver's seat. The keys are tucked into her belt as she stands, a simple and subtle slide of hand. He'll notice sooner or later won't he?
But then, Selina's voice and Spoiler gives a tiny start.
"Good morning," she says, voice as 'cheerful' as usual.
Another who seemed to have arrived is Damian!
Yes, one of the newest member of the Bat Family, Damian enters the batcave with a bo staff in his hand and was performing some intense training when Tim and Spoiler arrive.
"Did you finish your date with any problems?" Damian asks Tim while sounding like a bit of an ass about it, and then he looks over at Selina. Well, this is one way to do a family event.
For one thing, Red Robin opening the door for his girlfriend is nice. For two things, it keeps him sharp, keeps him practiced at those short, quick bursts of movement. You wouldn't want Red Robin to stumble and fall over when he needs to leap over a car in the middle of some more significant action, right? Right. So let him practice. He squeezes Spoiler's hand as he draws her out of car.
Then he hears that voice. He's at least expecting someone to be here, so he doesn't give as much of a start as Stephanie. "Morning, Catwoman." Yes, everyone knows everyone, but using codenames here is just part of proper decorum. "Our date went splendidly as always; I know how to show a girl a good time. If you want, I can Cyrano for you next time you're with Miss Mary Jane, in case you need some pointers." All spoken with a tone of cheer, even as he jabs back.
And then… hm. He looks between Stephanie and Selina. With the particular timing of day-life activities and the scheduling of patrols, he hasn't had these two in the same room together for a while now. He looks to Stephanie, giving her a significant and probing look, and his hand strays to her shoulder. No mention of keys yet; there's something more important going on. He squeezes Stephanie's shoulder, centring her. "Catwoman, do you have a couple of minutes? We should talk." It sounds just shy of the kind of 'Talk' that needs an audible capital.
Catwoman's amused tight lipped smile when Damian speaks gradually grows into a grin as Tim retorts, the older woman purring, "So catty, you two~" Apparently not feeling the need to put the kibosh on any heckling just yet.
Selina tilts her head curiously as Tim speaks to her, with a soft "Oh?" Before she rises up out of the chair and sort of… half walks half saunters-because-she's-Catwoman closer to the pair. "I have all sorta of time for birds, you know that~" She says teasingly, then, crosses her arms and adds, with a bit of a smirk and a faux-accusing tone, "What'd you do?"
You know, Spoiler's old mask would have completely hidden the blush at Damian's teasing. This one? Hides most of it. Red's retort has her glanzing at him, pressing her lips together to keep from grinning and blushing further. She just lets it happen, and watches Catwoman seem to snicker about it all. Of course, then Tim's suggesting that they talk Right Meow and Spoiler swallows down nerves. Having his hand on her shoulder is nice. Still nerve-wracking, but nice. Especially as Selina 'accuses' them.
"Nothing," is Spoiler immediate (too immediate) reply.
Damian looks at Tim with a raised brow, and when Tim suggests to Damian that he can help him out whenever he's next out with Mary Jane, Damian narrows his eyes. "I can Cyrano for you next time you're with Miss Mary Jane in case you need some pointers." Damian tells Tim in a perfect mimicry of Tim's voice.
"I can handle my own problems, thanks." Damian tells him with a shake of his head. Though his attention shifts on over to Spoiler. He tries to read her by her stance and appearance. What kind of person she is, deductive reasoning.
Then he looks over to Selina as she speaks. "Something mischievous, most likely." Damian then sets his bow staff down and approaches so he can be closer to Selina and the dating (?) pair.
Oh jeez, that saunter. Tim's posture grows more rigid, keeping his gaze firmly above chin level. Of all the Robins, he probably has the least familial relationship with Selina, which makes that saunter all the more dangerous.
"As long as you're fine with me not being a canary." Since 'the cat who got the canary' is the idiom, not '…got the robin'. He shakes his head to Damian. "Even if you can handle your own problems doesn't mean you need to. It's a Bat-Family, not a Bat-scary-organisation-with-backstabbing-everywhere-so-you-need-to-watch-your-own-six-at-all-times." He takes a deep breath. That compound word was maybe too much.
But it does bring him to the other topic. His arm drapes around Steph's shoulders, pulling her in closer to his side. "No mischief." Dammit, he'd planned and replanned how to bring this up several times, and now that it reaches actual engagement, all the plans fly out the window. "To start with, it's about her car. She'd been keeping it together with duct tape for a while, but that has its limits. It's finally just fallen apart, and that's making some things… difficult." Steph doesn't have the budget of the Waynes or the Drakes.
Catwoman grins and says "Promising!" At Stephanie's jumpy reactions, and smirks a little as Damian approaches and notes "Ideally~" Before the exchange between him and Red Robin gets a bit heated, prompting her smile to gradually fade and for her to firmly say "Children." In a warning way that's way less Catwoman and way more 'Mother'. Let it never be said she hasn't got that part down. "Let's all remember we're friends here and keeping the bickering to outdoors and cute couples, thank you. Now then; Red Robin." She finishes, gesturing at Tim before he explains the situation.
Catwoman gradually purses her lips, then presses them together, pondering a myriad of directions this could be going. "Go on."
Spoiler straightens as Damian and Tim start in on each other. Her chin inclines by the tiniest of fractions. Her gaze does flit to Tim when he reminds Damian, as Tim had reminded her, that this was a Family. She doesnt have to face her problems on her own, like she had been trying to do for months now. By the faint shift of her shoulders and the tightening of her fingers into a fist, she values being independent and isn't really enjoying this asking for help thing Tim is doing. Less now that Catwoman has asked for more details.
"Red thought I should ask for some help… until I can get a car on my own," Spoiler says. She sounds so firm and collected. Tim can no doublt feel the tension in her shoulders, the stubborn streak of wanting to do it herself that led her to this life to begin with: wanting to spoil her father's criminal plans.
Damian keeps his eyes on Tim for a little bit. "Old habits." Is all Damian says to Red Robin before he crosses his arms, then looking towards Spoiler as Tim explains her particular situation. "I can assist with the repairs. I can help with cost too, but perhaps Catwoman can handle things on the financial side."
His attention falls upon Spoiler then specifically. He notices her tension. She's stiff. Being nervous is one thing, being stiff is another. His eyes narrow, but he says nothing at the moment. Tim will probably reveal it anyway eventually.
Damian proceeds to look at Catwoman. "Sure."
Tim glances across to Spoiler, straightening up; to Selina and her motherly tone. He takes a breath and nods, looking to Damian. "Sorry." He'd mostly been thinking of someone else when he insisted this was a Family; he hadn't meant it as a snipe, but that doesn't excuse thoughtlessness.
While Stephanie speaks, Tim supports her — standing beside her, arm around her, hand giving that firm squeeze. He watches her face while she speaks — as much as he can while she's wearing the mask, at least. As she finishes, he nods. "Something to tide her over until she's in a position to… give back. And I was thinking" Taking his own responsibility, so it doesn't sound like it's Steph asking for it. "would it be possible for her to get a room here? So she isn't all the way out in the university dorms. It'd keep her much closer to home for patrols, or if we need the Spoiler in an emergency. I've been wanting to ask Batman about it, but just haven't been able to get time with both of them."
Catwoman seems to watch Spoiler very carefully and quietly for a long time, betraying nothing facially, her goggles offering only a blank reflection of Spoiler and Red Robin. But at the end of the day, she's not Batman, and when the matter comes to Spoiler *staying with them* she arches an eyebrow. Then the other. Then crinkles her brow before dropping them back in a neutral position.
"… Hrm." Is all she says after a moment, pursing her lips to the side and turning on her heel to walk away a few steps, one hand cupping her chin between her thumb and forefinger. "… Repairs are one thing. Easy enough to cover. Sounds like you have an offer if you want to make it a personal project" she notes, briefly extending one hand to idly ruffle Damian's hair. "Could even lend a bike if you can think of a place to stash it. But…" she inclines her body so that she can look at the two of them over her shoulder, a quizzical look on the exposed lower half of her face, "… Living *here*? I don't know, little bird…"
Under Tim's arm, Stephanie's shoulders shift. On her face, her mouth smiles brightly.
"Oh, sure. No problem. Don't worry about it, then. I'll find a thing. Don't think I can get away with putting a bat bike in school parking," she bubbles on a bright giggle, and the light-hearted airy sound is false to those that know her best. What's clear is that she's back peddling Tim's offer way off the table, into the recycle bin, and out onto the curb for pick up. Nope nope nope! She steps from Tim's side now, half turning toward him that smile trying to falter.
"Anyway, thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow," she says as she tosses him the keys. Decoy! Smoke screen! Run for it!
Damian apparently doesn't have any specific kind of ill-will towards Tim for making such a thoughtless comment. Life is cruel, why should 'family life' be any different? Either way, Damian looks over to Catwoman as she seems to make a call. "There's a thing called trust. We don't trust her." Damian looks like he's about to perform a full background analysis!
But he's not exactly wrong.
Then he looks at Stephanie as she tries to immediately back out of it. "Why do you run?" he asks.
Tim watches Catwoman, his lips pursed with thoughtfulness while he listens. Ultimately, he nods. "Alright. Thought it was worth a shot, at least." He turns to Steph to kiss her cheek, but she's already slipping away from him. He chews his lower lip, but reflexes are still enough to catch those sailing keys. "You still need a ride back, don't you?" Staten Island isn't exactly walking distance from her dorm.
He winces at the way Damian puts it. Jeez, that'll put a crowbar into the injury. "If you still want to help with the repairs, I'd appreciate it. Just have to warn you, it'll be a doozy: she wrung the absolute limit out of every component." And now they've given up their ghosts.
"Damian." There's a bite to the way Catwoman says his name, her gaze now turned to him. "A word when we're alone." She mutters, and then turns to Tim and Stephanie, her expression softening. "I'm sorry, you two. I don't like making the call alone; and I can run it by Batman if you want, but…" Selina shakes her head, "… Off the top of my head, it just raises too many questions. Not the least of which with your mother."
'We don't trust her.' Stephanie manages not to wince at that, though her smile tightens. She keeps her gaze from the younger batling, not even seeming willing to acknowledge that he asked her about running away. Instead, she focuses on Selina.
"Of course. Not a problem. Understood completely," Stephanie replies, tone now much more functional and work-mode than the earlier bright and airy almost ditsy blonde sound. She shakes her head at Tim, the smile again straining.
"Oh, no. Don't worry about it. It's a long drive for you to make. I can get back on my own," she says, one hand waving the whole thing off, even the thing about her mother which Stephanie does NOT start to answer. She leaves it at 'no body Stephanie Brown moves into Wayne Manor rises too many questions' instead.
Damian isn't quite up to date on appropriate social actions, so while others might wince or be upset with him, he grew up in an environment where not saying exactly what you mean is punishable. So when Catwoman speaks his name, Damian isn't thinking about any of it. "If you wish." He agrees to Catwoman's offer.
Then he turns his head to Stephanie. He honestly doesn't know what he's said wrong. To him, this is bloody normal.
Back to Tim. "Then it will be an adequate challenge for me to spend time on, after I've spoken with Catwoman."
Tim nods to Selina. "I understand. And we can run it by him later, I just wanted to get the thought actually out there." It's had a month to hover, waiting for The Right Time. Speaking of Selina and Damian having a word when they're alone, though, it looks like time for Steph and Tim to exit.
He hurries to catch up with her. "It's a drive I insist on making. I have classes in the morning anyway. So, your choice — we stay the night at my family's place; or we head back to your dorm tonight and we're both right there in time for class; or I leave you be, you take the subway or an Uber home at this time of night, and I go back to my family's place and then in the morning haul ass to make it to class." The way he presents it definitely leans towards one of the former two options, but he still is giving her the option of that, er, last one.
He nods to Damian, giving him a quick wave — they'll figure out these repairs later — but for right now, he's got a blonde to chase.
Catwoman winces a little at Spoiler's growing retreat, inclining her head a bit but choosing to say nothing at the moment. She nods once and simply agrees with Tim "We'll stay posted." unable to suppress a bit of a smirk as Tim persues Stephanie with a bulldozer of scenario construction.
"It's not a co-ed dorm, Red. You'd have to come back again anyway," Spoiler is saying, over her shoulder, headed to the locker room thing where batlings can clean up and change after patrol. Her strides lengthen, cape fluttering behind her.
"So, it's fine. Not a big deal. Really." Which just screams that it really is a big deal that she's trying to keep anyone from seeing is a big deal.
Damian looks over at Tim as he gives a wave, not waving back. He did nod though, so that counts for something, right? Alas, his attention falls then on Catwoman as she informs Tim that they would all stay posted, or at least just Selina, Bruce, and Tim himself. Damian moves over to Selina at that point then, looking her in the eyes.
….is he expecting that she'd want that conversation now?
Eh. Probably. He does look over to Spoiler and Tim as they make a hasty exit.
Tim gives Selina a quick nods; yep, they'll stay posted. His focus is on Stephanie, hovering nearby while she puts things away into her locket. She may be saying it's not a big deal, but he can see every individual detail that screams how big a deal it is, how it's weighing on her… but adding to the pressure isn't going to help anything. Sometimes, she just needs to do something by herself, for herself.
So Tim sighs and gives her a squeeze on the shoulder — brief, and then taking his hand away. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
Selina frowns slightly and sighs. Poor kids.
Then she eyes Damian as he approaches.
There is a pause.
"Personal space, Robin."