![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sylph_ficsTitle: There Arose Such A Clatter
Cowriter:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
merfilly
Characters: Bats, Arrows, the Bird, and a very special guest or two
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5,944
Continuity: HappyVerse
Disclaimer: DC Comics makes the money, people
Notes: It's official... HappyVerse is our refuge from the meaner things in comics.
Summary: Things don't go smooth. Or, the trouble with twos.
Alfred repressed his sigh and disinclination to go further into the suite. The alert was too much to ignore. The connection to Mister Dent had lain unused these many months, to have to chime now... Master Bruce had to be notified...even if he was in the midst of more human occupations. He let his footsteps fall more heavily than normal, hoping it would alert the members of the household in the bedroom of the master suite. He rapped three times on the door and stood back, carefully not listening. "Master Bruce!" His urgent tone carried just slight traces of fatherly distaste for having to intrude on such non-conventional reunions.
Dinah slapped both her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and laughter bubbling up as she grew still on Ollie's hips. The archer bit a knuckle to repress the moan he let loose at feeling her just stop their rhythm, having been right on the edge.
Bruce stilled completely, eyes narrowing as he realized just how urgent the situation must be for Alfred to even consider disrupting them, "Yes Alfred?" His voice was startled--and very, very few people would have known to pick up that he was vaguely embarrassed by Alfred's presence.
"An alert, sir. On the emergency line." Alfred cleared his throat. "Mister Dent." He then walked away, not waiting for the reply or embarrassing his ward further.
Dinah's eyes narrowed, even as Ollie sat up, holding onto her, both looking at Bruce with concern.
Bruce frowned, "If Harvey's actually calling... I'm sorry, Ollie, Dinah..." He ran a hand down her shoulder, sliding away from them--body saying just how much he hated it, but this was who he was. Dinah wrapped her hand around his wrist, making him meet her eyes.
"My city too," she said in a low tone. Ollie caught the hard undercurrent in her voice, and knew better than to argue. Not that he would... he would no more let Bruce go out alone than he would ignore the Pretty Bird's need to go with him.
Bruce's lips tightened a moment, then he nodded. There was no use arguing--and unlike his partners, she didn't take his orders unless it suited her. "All right, Dinah. Ollie?"
"Right there with you, Bats." He steeled himself as Dinah moved off him, then made his way into the bathroom for a quick clean up. It was going to make the after fight all that much more potent to go without having finished this.
"If we take the boys, provided our eldest aren't caught up in each other, we should have overwhelming numbers for whatever it is," Dinah pointed out, going to her bag to find her costume.
Bruce followed Ollie, listening to Dinah. "We should," he agreed, sliding into a robe to head downstairs. "I'll get them, if you'll find Connor."
He was no more pleased by the abrupt halt than either of his mates were, but left the room to go to Dick's door, rapping his knuckles against the doorframe. "Dick, Roy!"
"Yes." Dinah ducked into the bathroom and kissed Ollie in passing, getting herself cleaned up and dressed quickly. The Archer came out and dug to the bottom of one of his bags, pulling out his gear to dress in.
"I almost pity whoever it is, if Roy and Dick were anywhere near the bed..." he groused good-naturedly, sliding into the heavy hunter's costume, with its panels of armor cunningly worked into the design.
Roy groaned, stopping in mid pull on his shirt. "Bruce?" he asked, with just enough whine to it to show he did not appreciate the interruption into their tryst.
"Yeah?" Dick asked, voice no more pleased, hands stilling. He'd coaxed Roy into going slow, both of them savoring the opportunity--and now Bruce was interrupting?
"Harvey sent an alert out on the emergency line, and if he's actually willing to call for help..."
Dick's eyes flashed, hard as he'd tried to bury the old rage and resentment of his father's one-time friend. "It's got to be bad, yeah. Shit. We'll be right there."
Roy nodded. "Yeah... let us gear up."
Message delivered, Bruce continued on his way down to the Cave, pulling on the armor even as he spoke over the comm. to Harvey.
Dinah left the master suite in her 'nets and leather, boots and jacket clutched in one hand as she flew downstairs. "CONNOR!!!!" she called, breaking the quiet of the manor with her full-throated call to the younger Arrow.
"Dinah?" he asked, from the great room, having been staring out at the stars.
"Gear up. Trouble." She paused at the bottom of the stairs to pull her boots on.
Dick sighed and slid out of the bed slowly, pulling his shirt back on. "See you downstairs," he told his mate and headed out the door, getting his body under control.
It took a long moment for the yell to break through the passion-haze in Tim's mind, but he froze when it did, hands stilling on Kon's side and shoulder. "Shit, there's trouble..." //No, no, no, not now...// They'd barely talked, only enough to be certain what they both wanted, how deep it ran, then Kon had tumbled him backwards into the bed... and everything was a little fuzzy, from that point.
Kon had heard the call but didn't really care, Dinah didn't call him that, but when Tim started to pull away he whined, holding on to him tightly. "Damn." He kissed him again, hard, holding him skin to skin, //don't want to let go, Tim..//
Mia came to the railing, and Dinah turned to regard her. Ollie exited the room then and saw his daughter opening her mouth.
"Hell no," Ollie swore. "You and Tim went out last time; it's only fair you baby sit Lian this one, and you're not quite ready for Gotham yet." He said the last in a tone that was worried, a concerned Dad trying to protect his children.
Mia bridled, knowing she was good enough.
"I agree with Ollie. Not until Tim has given you the full brief on all Gotham's insane rogues," Dinah said, regretfully. "Please just watch over Dart tonight."
"Yes, momma," Mia said with a teasing smile, to hide her disappointment. She knew Dinah had grown up here, and had to trust her judgment.
Tim pushed at his shoulders, trying--rather regretfully--to get up and go see what was going on, trapped under Kon's weight.
Bruce might have headed straight down to the Cave after getting Dick moving, but the elder bird stopped at his brother's door, knowing Tim must have heard Dinah trying to wake the dead. "Don't know, or care, what you two are up to but we've got it covered, stay put!"
Tim managed to free his mouth, "You sure, Dick?" his voice barely level.
"Yes, I'm sure; you and Mia had all the fun on Thanksgiving; we get it this time! Stay with Kon; Tim, it's okay."
Mia went in search of Lian, watching as Dinah got caught by Roy and Dick and shown how to get to the cave from the manor, followed closely by Ollie and Connor. She sighed, and made a note to pester Tim for his data on Gotham rogues for future visits.
Harvey let Bruce know he was stressed by a two-pronged attack, one on 2nd Street and one on Doubling Boulevard, both hostage situations.
Bruce's lips were set thin, and he said easily, "We'll take the one on Doubling, if you don't mind, Harvey?" He wanted to keep him from having to make that decision, it was too close to the old coin-flip, with too many layers of his personal psychosis this time, and that was the last thing Harvey needed. //Whichever one of you is playing this...// the Bat thought darkly at his rogues, leaving it unfinished.
Tim relaxed and pulled Kon close again, shaking his head at Dick's tone--it was going to prey on his mind until he knew what was going on, but he could handle that. Kon kissed him again, rocking against him, trying to get them back into the moment... //god damned interruptions, Tim, c'mon back to me...//
Dick ran down the stairs to get changed, sliding into the armor as fast as he possibly could and joined Batman, standing at his shoulder as he listened. The archers had ringed the Bird, and looked well able to take down a small army. Ollie's free hand was on Dinah's shoulder, and Roy stood behind her, arm lazily over her shoulder, while Connor stood at her right.
"Mom's bike is in the driveway; Dick, think Tim would mind if I take his? Connor's small enough to ride with me," Dinah said as they prepared to move out. "You and Roy can ride double on yours, right?"
"Yeah, no problem," Dick said with a grin--and the Cave's computer whooped a warning. The police band had thrown up an identification, and Bruce nearly cursed as he read it, "No information on the 2nd Street disturbance, but there're plants behaving strang--"
"IVY," came from Nightwing, his expression dark.
"Hold, Canary," Batman ordered, moving rapidly to the medical bay, Nightwing hard on his heels. "Everyone," he called as he unlocked a coded cabinet and started removing vials. "This is antitoxin, standard injector."
"Translated, please don't lose it?" Dick joked as he took the vial from Bruce, pulling the old one out of his boot.
"Ivy," Ollie said, hand tightening protectively on Dinah's shoulder, making her reach up and pat it.
"Past, not now," she reminded. "You and Bruce saved me then too." She took the injector and slid it into a hidden space in her jacket. Roy secured one, then Connor. They matched up to their riding partners, and Ollie went with Batman. He drew his hood up, getting away from lover and into Archer, noting the subtle differences in his family as the masks took over. Only Dinah never really changed, though the sensuality was less evident now, and the hard, flowing grace of her body was.
The change in the Bat was probably the most extreme--and he was very thankful for Alfred's diligent care of their equipment as the Car purred to life without a moment's pause. He started towards the scene, alert to Nightwing's bike behind him--and a few moments later the Canary and her passenger joined them, roaring up to a spot on his left.
It was notable that Canary was not taking point--Batman knew it was her habit, from having long ago learned to be the visible and audible distraction. However, she also was smart enough to concede his better knowledge of the opponent.
"She changed much since I worked with you against her six... seven years ago?" Ollie asked.
"Other than becoming more of a sociopath? No. She still behaves in the same patterns," the Bat replied, and reached out, attempting to connect to Dinah's comm gear... "Canary?"
Dick and Roy were checking their own gear as Dick drove--and Roy was even behaving, despite being plastered against his lover's back.
"I'm here, Batman. Oracle won't be riding in on this one... stuck at the station." She signaled a low turn to Connor and nodded when he flowed with her, as the three vehicles moved into the city proper.
//I wondered,// "Understood. Out." Now that he had her channel, it would be simple to keep in contact. He drove to a preferred hiding spot for the Car and slid back out, expecting Green Arrow to follow as he went to the rooftops, Nightwing following barely a moment later. Green Arrow was fast on his heels, and showing a good form as he kept his mind on the fact this was not his city. Arsenal did not even gripe at the rooftop express, even as Canary turned off again and went up ahead. She and the junior Arrow were the flanking maneuver or the distraction, depending on which way Ivy was paying the most attention.
As it was, Black Canary and her partner were first on the scene, eyes on the sight of a Kraken like mass of tendrils and vines grasping a pair of hostages, Ivy nowhere in sight until Arrow pointed to the small inner city park. The chloroform woman was smiling as her plants entwined the hapless people within it in pairs, trapping and slowly cocooning them in a grisly tableau. The real problem, Canary thought, were the shambling hulks of men that reminded her vaguely of Solomon Grundy, though not so large.
"Batman," Canary called, before relaying the scene in detail, including that she could see eight of the shambling plant men. "The Kraken... oh crap... that's Montoya and her friend." Everyone knew what Dent had done to Montoya... and why.
//Thank god we're here,// Bruce thought behind the Bat's detachment. "Arsenal, Nightwing, you're on hostage retrieval."
"Of all the days to forget the flamethrower," Nightwing bitched, drawing, "It's in the Car. Go," from his elder.
"Canary, Hawke, up for handling her pets while Arrow and I get her under control?"
"I've got the Kraken," Canary called, and he could hear her draw in a few breaths, getting her pipes clear. She signed to the hulking things for Hawke and he nodded, wishing for once he did use trick arrows.
"Shouldn't be too hard to get the park people," Arsenal said, looking for the rooted areas of the tendrils making the cocoons. Not many had been out this late at night in the New England cold, thank god.
"She's got a twisted sense of the theatrics," Green Arrow growled.
"Always," Batman replied to Arrow's comment, on the move to close Ivy's position, waiting for Dinah to open the battle--Ivy would react poorly to the attack, making her more unpredictable but easier to manipulate.
Arsenal could just hear what Connor was thinking, but he was going to need every one he had... and Nightwing rejoined him, his own eyes going towards the root systems. "Watch yourself," he whispered softly, waiting to hear the Cry and go.
Hawke was the only one who saw the Black Canary get to open the battle. She moved from their cover and into the open.
"Hey Stinkweed!" As she thought, the Kraken drew itself up, clutching the pair in its tentacles all the tighter…and making a gap underneath the bulk of its body. Ivy and her handmade goons turned on her, but she was in motion almost faster than Hawke could track, throwing herself under the monster. The cry came almost on the heels of her motion, but its effect...
All the combatants saw as the monster in the street exploded from the force of the cry, aimed at it from its nether region, rather than its more protected outer surfaces. Arsenal let out a war whoop and started firing, almost in synch with his brother. Hawke's arrows were moving for eyes; he thought they'd be less able if they had no way to see, while Arsenal's arrows tore through roots mercilessly, sparking fires where he had used pyrotechnic arrow tips.
Green Arrow let his pride take a back seat as he dropped a rain of arrows down in Ivy's direction, trying to contain her.
Nightwing hoped Renee was okay after that even as he launched into motion, hitting the ground in a roll. Arsenal was playing merry hell with the root systems, that left him to the actual rescues, and flame leapt from his hand at one lashing tendril as he cut the first pair free and half-dragged, half-carried them out of the range of the damned thing, flung an acid pellet at it, and went for the next one, following in the wake of his partner's work, wishing they had enough brain to be worth the breath to insult.
"Pamela," the low, ice-cold word came from a few feet behind her as she twisted out of the way of the arrows. "Stop this."
Canary went to the pair she had just dumped hard on the pavement, glad to see Montoya had managed to roll enough to take the fall well. The blonde hurried to the civilian Renee had been captured with, vaguely recognizing her as the woman that had been categorized as 'lover' in Oracle's files.
Hawke had to switch tactics when the shambling plant men kept closing, and he looked for true weaknesses in their form, targeting the thick sap carrying vessels in their throats.
"You... you left... you are not supposed to be here!" Ivy said, stamping her foot and throwing an accusing finger his way, as her namesake vines lashed upward, seeking to ensnare the arrow-firing hunter above.
Nightwing heard that and howled with laughter as he moved, "Oh, Ivy-Ivy-Ivy, haven't you learned yet that we're always where you don't want us to be?! And man, girl, that's the weakest comeback I've ever heard from you!" He flambéed some more lashing tentacles and worked at dragging the next pair out of the way, grateful they weren't very heavy.
Batman failed to react to Nightwing's commentary, and shook his head slightly at her. She had to know she didn't have a chance, was she really going to make things so difficult? He was alert to the vines around him, razor-edged batarang waiting for the first attack.
"Interesting tactic, Pamela, this sudden fascination for twos you have..." he said, despite the fact that her obvious machination infuriated him.
Ivy smiled with perfect malice as she contemplated him, aware that her minions were going down quickly now that the younger archers had begun to work together, seeing that Nightwing had the hostages in hand. She coaxed one last plant up as she regarded the bat nemesis of their city.
"Why Batman, it is so unlike you to work in such crowds... perhaps we've both turned over new leaves." The concentration to coax this last plant up was taxing, but the effect... one she wanted for Harvey Dent... would be worth it.
And then even that came to an end as the new plant cried out in freezing death along her senses, transfixed and flash frozen by the hunter above the roofline.
"NO!!!!" she screamed, and then all the plants went wild.
Nightwing dove frantically out of the way of a lashing, spiked vine, flinging himself into the air as quickly as he could--okay, grabbing a tree branch that was listening to Ivy wasn't the brightest thing ever, but it was better than being on the ground, and the trees were dormant. He threw himself to another, perching on it despite the thrashing to see where his team was.
The Bat was in motion, the gasp for breath before the scream all the warning he'd needed and still a tendril lashed along his shoulder, ripping at the cape--but he avoided the others. They were not directly under her control and lashed wildly, giving him the gap he needed to reach her and push a taser hard against her side, voltage lashing through her as the heel of his hand slammed her jaw up and back.
From that point on, with the plants flailing madly and slowly dying, it was mostly a clean up effort. Canary obligingly demolished the hulks of decaying plant matter with her Cry, as the archers policed up their arrows. The hostages were being handled carefully, and realizing that sometimes, Gotham got lucky. Not a one was without thanks to the heroes, even if the main one, Batman, stuck to the shadows.
He had guarded Isley until a transport arrived for her, and growled softly at the arriving staff, "Keep her, this time," then simply vanished, going to determine how Harvey was doing with his problem.
Nightwing stayed with one young pair until the police arrived, then handed them off and vanished just as quickly.
Harvey was just finishing putting Harleen Quinzel in cuffs when Batman arrived to scout the situation. No fatalities could be seen, and the police looked satisfied.
//Harley and Ivy, of course it would be her helping... As though one psychopath's manipulations weren't enough....// He left without showing himself, content with the night's work.
Dick got back to his bike and waited for Roy, then took off back home. Much as he'd rather sweep the city, Batman would probably kill him for exceeding the limits.
"Batman," Black Canary purred in his ear. "Heading home with Hawke. GA will meet at rendez-vous, other pair also leaving area." She gave one more word to one of the police that had arrived. "I've taking a shower separately, hot as possible... I know I'm covered in sap and I'm taking no chances. Told Hawke he'll have to hang onto the sissy bar."
"Understood. En route. Save some to test, Canary, I'll work on it." He didn't trust Ivy not to have done something to the sap. He made the rest of the trip rapidly and dropped to street level a few feet from the Car.
Green Arrow was waiting there, his go-to-hell grin still in place. "Just like the old days, but with more sidekicks."
Batman shook his head slightly and slid into the Car. Once the hatch closed, he said idly, "I'll tell Dinah you said that..." but Ollie was right, it was, and the old reactions were burning through his blood, not aided at all by the earlier interruption.
"She told me to keep some distance... something about toxic reactions to some of Ivy's tricks?" Ollie watched his lover closely, knowing better than to dispute a Gothamite about Gotham creatures.
"Ivy's been known to leave a variety of nasty surprises in her plants makeup, and she was fairly well coated in the sap after that stunt of hers..." Excellent tactical move it might have been, but she obviously knew better than to expose herself to that kind of risk.
"She was warning me about you, as you got closest to the source," Ollie pointed out.
"I'm fine. Nothing got through the armor," Bruce replied with a slight shrug. He'd checked. "And if she was releasing pheromones it wouldn't have lasted past her panic. I'll run a test, to be certain, but I'm fine."
"Good. Because I am ready to pick up where we left off." Ollie pushed his hood back. He then settled in for the ride, and got a good chuckle at Connor when they reached the Cave, seeing how frazzled he looked from having to ride with Canary without hanging more securely onto her to get all the microsecond warnings of turns.
`~`~`~`~`
A green glow dropped through the atmosphere like a comet, then leveled out and stilled over the Midwest. "Ring, where's Connor?" he asked as he poured his will into finding his lover and fiancé.
The ring took a few moments, but the answer came, "Connor, location: Gotham City, NJ."
//Oh. Right, Bruce's...// he turned in that direction, flying fast, cursing Guy all over again as he realized again how late it was there, full dark and past... He dropped a few feet from the front door of Wayne Manor and walked up to ring the doorbell. He also hated that he didn't have presents, but, "Sorry, I was in another galaxy and didn't have time to shop" ought to be a good enough excuse, right?
Well, that wasn't quite true. He had one present burning a hole in a 'pocket' of the suit, and he couldn't wait to deliver that one.
The door opened, and he found himself face to face with Kon-El, aka Superboy. His ring pricked on his finger, and he was vaguely aware that he was being covered by a bow and a birdarang. Kyle's jaw dropped at seeing the young man he'd heard was dead, "The rumors were exaggerated?" he asked, looking past the teen of steel at his little sister and brother--neither of whom were in their costumes, despite the weapons aimed at his chest. "Gonna tell him to let me in?"
Tim snorted. "Hey, Kyle. About time you made it. Kon, it's okay, Kyle's expected..."
"About time, Kyle. Connor's been pensive," Mia said, unlimbering her bow. "All clear, Lian." The girl slipped free of a hiding spot, also unlimbering. "If you need to clean up, Kyle, I suggest you do it quick. I'm sure the others will be back soon."
"Back?" Kyle asked as he stepped in, shaking his head at the fact that even the littlest had been armed. "What were you guys going to do if I was some poor civilian?"
"No civilian would have gotten past the gate without my knowing it, Kyle," Tim replied. "You were either ally or enemy. And yes, back, there was trouble in the city."
Kyle's heart slammed into his throat--he knew the reaction was stupid, knew Connor could handle himself and was careful, but that damned reaction, the fear, still wouldn't let go of him.
Kon shut the door behind them, and looked questioningly at the back of Kyle's head, "Rumors? Exaggerated? Huh?"
"Pop culture reference, Kon," Tim replied, "And no, Kyle. Black Canary fished him out of a lava flow the other day, somehow. As far as we can tell, this's a true resurrection."
"..." Kyle shrugged after a moment. "Welcome back, then. Nah, I'm okay, Mia, I just need to drop the suit..." he did so, and was standing there in casual dress clothes, present shifted into his own pocket. "You said 'pensive'...?"
"Missing you," Mia clarified. "They'll be back any minute now, I'm sure, Kyle." She glanced at Tim. "Room across from where Connor was put?" She was not about to ask Tim to show Kyle to his room. "I should let him see the room he's supposed to be in..." She giggled at her future brother-in-law.
"I think Alfred gave up," Tim replied. "If you noticed, Roy stuck his bags in Dick's room without a problem..."
"Some battles are not worth fighting, Master Tim," Alfred replied, annoyed that the children had beaten him to the door. "Once you've seen your room, Master Kyle, could I bring you anything?"
"Alfred, I'm starving," Kyle replied. "Connor can show me where we he gets back--and I'd rather not be eating when he does..." He looked hopeful.
"As you wish, Master Kyle. This way, please?"
Lian had made it down to them by this point, and wrapped herself around Kyle's legs. "Unca Kyle! You're home!"
Kyle blinked, startled, then reached down to pet her hair. "Ah, hi, Lian..."
She reached her arms up, and was not budging from him until he picked her up. She leaned into him, arms wrapping around his neck once he gave into her not-so-subtle demands.
"I'm going back to the den, guys," Mia said, waving at the pair of Titan teens.
Kyle picked her up, a little unsure, and held her as she somehow glued herself to him, from the way Tim's expression shifted, his own face must have been quite the study. He turned it into a wry smile and followed Alfred.
Tim started to follow her--then realized Kon was looking torn between the den and the kitchen. "Hungry again?"
"Yeah," Kon admitted.
"I could eat," Tim admitted. "Hey, Mia, we'll join you in a couple, okay?"
"Gotcha, Tim," she called.
Alfred had set five places around the kitchen table, then withdrew the fifth when Mia did not join them. The sandwiches and cookies were piled high on Tim and Kon's plates, whereas Kyle had a full plate of the dinner they had all eaten earlier. Lian had cookies and fruit.
After the thank-yous, there wasn't a word from any of the males for a little while, until Tim pushed back from the table with a sigh, wondering what was up with Mia. He watched Kon eat, amused by the sound of Kyle devoting just as much dedication to his food.
Kon finished his sandwiches and looked up at Tim, then back out the door, and Tim nodded. "Alfred, thanks again," he said as he stood up, both boys headed back to the den, Tim walking in first.
Kyle finally finished with dinner, "Alfred, thank you. I've been eating in mess halls and alien cafeterias for the last month, and there is nothing like home cooking after that."
Alfred smiled at the young Lantern. "I do remember the inconvenience of mess hall dining." He smiled at Lian as she slipped into Kyle's lap and curled up against him.
Mia was playing her game with single-minded concentration. She did not look up at Tim's entrance, but did glance back as Kon entered.
"Hey, she said before focusing again on the puzzle.
Kyle looked down at the child in his lap, wondering just when she'd decided to adopt him, and petted her hair, then looked back up, "You do?" He didn't know anything about the man that apparently ran the Bat's household, barring what he had seen.
Though it didn't show, Tim relaxed. //Oh, okay. She's just still frustrated with the game...// He walked over by her and settled on the couch, waiting for Kon to sit next to him so he could lean against him. He wasn't going to relax until everyone was home safe, but he didn't mind being social--too much. As long as it was just Mia and Lian. Or even Kyle.
"I did a small turn of service for Her Majesty," Alfred said in a properly modest fashion.
"Unca Kyle, you gonna marry Unca Connor still?" Lian asked. "Can I be the flower girl if you are?"
Mia slipped a final piece into place a second before the timer ended, and paused the game to do a victory dance in place on the couch. "Yes! Finally!" She leaned back into Tim completely out of her easy connection with him, then straightened swiftly as she accidentally brushed against Kon's hand over Tim's shoulder.
Kyle's questions about that were sidetracked by the little girl in his lap, and he smiled down at her, "Yes, Lian. I'm still going to marry Connor. Just as soon as I can... and... we'll have to talk to him about that, but I sure don't know why you couldn't be... You'd be a pretty flower girl."
Kon wasn't sure which startled him more--that Tim didn't react when she leaned back against him, or that she jumped away again when she felt his hand.
"Hey, great work, Mia," Tim laughed, then frowned slightly, reached out, and pulled her back again. There was no reason for her to jump away like that.
Lian nodded. "I'm the prettiest girl ever. Daddy says so all the time." She snuggled into the man her forehead lying on his neck as she settled.
Mia hesitated against his pull, then relaxed and went with it. "Didn't want to crowd you two." She flashed a shy smile up at Kon.
What the hell did you say to something like that? Kyle just chuckled softly, patting her back gently.
Tim followed her look up at Kon, and frowned slightly at the expression there. "You're not crowding me, and I'm the one you're leaning on. It's cool."
Kon knew that look; that was the Robin look of 'shut up and go with it'... so he did. "'S fine Mia. I don't know how you managed to get inside the "don't touch me"-ness that is Tim, but if he's okay with it..."
Tim grinned at Mia, a little wickedly, thinking about just how she'd managed that one. After that, he'd never seen the point of trying to keep his distance, especially after they kept getting closer.
"Tim's just tried to be a good friend," Mia said, making it seem that he had pitied her, though she knew better. They had both chosen their paths. They had both stepped into legacies that were full of flash and history that few could measure up to. Both had mentors with issues, and both had other 'related' heroes always watching them. It had just been... right, to build a friendship. And, if it meant they got ribbed or silently misunderstood for being Speedy and Robin all over again.. it would serve a purpose.
Alfred heard a distant noise and stood. "Miss Lian, I do believe it is time for bed, if you wish Santa Claus to not pass by this house." He looked at Kyle. "Master Kyle, will go check that the grandfather clock in the study chimes on the hour? It is nearly time, and I want to be sure it is working." He estimated that waiting for the hour would give one of them time to get upstairs, sure that had been Master Dick's motorcycle.
Lian started to pout--then remembered that she couldn't and reached up for Alfred obediently. "Okay, Alfie..."
Kyle blinked, then nodded. "Of course, Alfred." He walked out into the hall, then to the study, looking for this clock.
Tim snorted. "I'm trying, my ass. You are."
That won her some serious points in Kon's book, and he warned her. "Better just give up, that's the 'I'm never wrong' voice.."
"Yeah. Dick gets that one a lot." Mia giggled, having heard a lot of Tim rejoinders to Dick when they were on the phone together.
Kyle had found the clock and was waiting for the hour, a puzzled look on his face, when it suddenly moved, revealing an entrance…and Connor in full kit.
"KYLE?" Connor's joy lit up his entire body as he stepped fully into the manor and his fiancé's arms.
Kyle smiled and pulled him close, tugging him out of the way just in case anyone else was coming through, holding him tight, "Sorry I'm late..."
Kon tilted his head, "Yeah?"
Tim shook his head, "No, it's the 'you know I'm right'. 'I'm never wrong', I leave to Bruce."
"You're.. .you're here. It's all that matters." Connor laced his fingers in Kyle's and drug him upstairs, not wanting to share a minute of Kyle's time until he absolutely had to.
"Sounds like Connor found Kyle," Mia said as the sound of feet on the stairs echoed.
"Wait a... GA and GL?" Kon sounded absolutely incredulous, "Tim, is anyone in your family straight?"
Tim blinked. "Um... Alfred is... Mia?"
Kyle let Connor drag him upstairs willingly, only leaving their feet on the ground because he didn't know where he was going, and once Connor'd let them inside the room he knocked it closed with the ring, chin tilting to kiss Connor deep, holding him tight.
"I'd say straight as an arrow... but that would not be reassuring. So I'll say straight as Black Canary and be safe that way." Mia pressed into Tim's arms, a backwards hug, then sat up and picked up her controller again. "And I think the boys... with exception of Connor, must be equal opportunity lovers, from what I've heard." She started playing the game again.
Connor was more than willing to let that be the way of their loving for now... he had all night to enjoy the many ways of love they shared.
Tim started to chuckle before she even finished talking... and Kon wasn't far behind, trying not to howl as loudly with that laughter as he wanted to, but damn... "No, no it wouldn't... but that is..."
Tim got control of his laughter long enough to nod, "Yeah. Nobody could ever claim our oldest brothers don't have an eye for pretty women..."
Kyle just kept kissing him, moving them both back towards the bed, "Anyone... going to come... looking for you?" he asked between kisses, "Or are you mine... for the night?" As he pulled bow and quiver off his fiance's shoulders and settled them to the ground, hands trying to get under the armor.
"All yours," Connor promised. "Mia will make sure of it."
`~`~`~`~`
Cowriter:
merfillyCharacters: Bats, Arrows, the Bird, and a very special guest or two
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5,944
Continuity: HappyVerse
Disclaimer: DC Comics makes the money, people
Notes: It's official... HappyVerse is our refuge from the meaner things in comics.
Summary: Things don't go smooth. Or, the trouble with twos.
Alfred repressed his sigh and disinclination to go further into the suite. The alert was too much to ignore. The connection to Mister Dent had lain unused these many months, to have to chime now... Master Bruce had to be notified...even if he was in the midst of more human occupations. He let his footsteps fall more heavily than normal, hoping it would alert the members of the household in the bedroom of the master suite. He rapped three times on the door and stood back, carefully not listening. "Master Bruce!" His urgent tone carried just slight traces of fatherly distaste for having to intrude on such non-conventional reunions.
Dinah slapped both her hands over her mouth, eyes wide and laughter bubbling up as she grew still on Ollie's hips. The archer bit a knuckle to repress the moan he let loose at feeling her just stop their rhythm, having been right on the edge.
Bruce stilled completely, eyes narrowing as he realized just how urgent the situation must be for Alfred to even consider disrupting them, "Yes Alfred?" His voice was startled--and very, very few people would have known to pick up that he was vaguely embarrassed by Alfred's presence.
"An alert, sir. On the emergency line." Alfred cleared his throat. "Mister Dent." He then walked away, not waiting for the reply or embarrassing his ward further.
Dinah's eyes narrowed, even as Ollie sat up, holding onto her, both looking at Bruce with concern.
Bruce frowned, "If Harvey's actually calling... I'm sorry, Ollie, Dinah..." He ran a hand down her shoulder, sliding away from them--body saying just how much he hated it, but this was who he was. Dinah wrapped her hand around his wrist, making him meet her eyes.
"My city too," she said in a low tone. Ollie caught the hard undercurrent in her voice, and knew better than to argue. Not that he would... he would no more let Bruce go out alone than he would ignore the Pretty Bird's need to go with him.
Bruce's lips tightened a moment, then he nodded. There was no use arguing--and unlike his partners, she didn't take his orders unless it suited her. "All right, Dinah. Ollie?"
"Right there with you, Bats." He steeled himself as Dinah moved off him, then made his way into the bathroom for a quick clean up. It was going to make the after fight all that much more potent to go without having finished this.
"If we take the boys, provided our eldest aren't caught up in each other, we should have overwhelming numbers for whatever it is," Dinah pointed out, going to her bag to find her costume.
Bruce followed Ollie, listening to Dinah. "We should," he agreed, sliding into a robe to head downstairs. "I'll get them, if you'll find Connor."
He was no more pleased by the abrupt halt than either of his mates were, but left the room to go to Dick's door, rapping his knuckles against the doorframe. "Dick, Roy!"
"Yes." Dinah ducked into the bathroom and kissed Ollie in passing, getting herself cleaned up and dressed quickly. The Archer came out and dug to the bottom of one of his bags, pulling out his gear to dress in.
"I almost pity whoever it is, if Roy and Dick were anywhere near the bed..." he groused good-naturedly, sliding into the heavy hunter's costume, with its panels of armor cunningly worked into the design.
Roy groaned, stopping in mid pull on his shirt. "Bruce?" he asked, with just enough whine to it to show he did not appreciate the interruption into their tryst.
"Yeah?" Dick asked, voice no more pleased, hands stilling. He'd coaxed Roy into going slow, both of them savoring the opportunity--and now Bruce was interrupting?
"Harvey sent an alert out on the emergency line, and if he's actually willing to call for help..."
Dick's eyes flashed, hard as he'd tried to bury the old rage and resentment of his father's one-time friend. "It's got to be bad, yeah. Shit. We'll be right there."
Roy nodded. "Yeah... let us gear up."
Message delivered, Bruce continued on his way down to the Cave, pulling on the armor even as he spoke over the comm. to Harvey.
Dinah left the master suite in her 'nets and leather, boots and jacket clutched in one hand as she flew downstairs. "CONNOR!!!!" she called, breaking the quiet of the manor with her full-throated call to the younger Arrow.
"Dinah?" he asked, from the great room, having been staring out at the stars.
"Gear up. Trouble." She paused at the bottom of the stairs to pull her boots on.
Dick sighed and slid out of the bed slowly, pulling his shirt back on. "See you downstairs," he told his mate and headed out the door, getting his body under control.
It took a long moment for the yell to break through the passion-haze in Tim's mind, but he froze when it did, hands stilling on Kon's side and shoulder. "Shit, there's trouble..." //No, no, no, not now...// They'd barely talked, only enough to be certain what they both wanted, how deep it ran, then Kon had tumbled him backwards into the bed... and everything was a little fuzzy, from that point.
Kon had heard the call but didn't really care, Dinah didn't call him that, but when Tim started to pull away he whined, holding on to him tightly. "Damn." He kissed him again, hard, holding him skin to skin, //don't want to let go, Tim..//
Mia came to the railing, and Dinah turned to regard her. Ollie exited the room then and saw his daughter opening her mouth.
"Hell no," Ollie swore. "You and Tim went out last time; it's only fair you baby sit Lian this one, and you're not quite ready for Gotham yet." He said the last in a tone that was worried, a concerned Dad trying to protect his children.
Mia bridled, knowing she was good enough.
"I agree with Ollie. Not until Tim has given you the full brief on all Gotham's insane rogues," Dinah said, regretfully. "Please just watch over Dart tonight."
"Yes, momma," Mia said with a teasing smile, to hide her disappointment. She knew Dinah had grown up here, and had to trust her judgment.
Tim pushed at his shoulders, trying--rather regretfully--to get up and go see what was going on, trapped under Kon's weight.
Bruce might have headed straight down to the Cave after getting Dick moving, but the elder bird stopped at his brother's door, knowing Tim must have heard Dinah trying to wake the dead. "Don't know, or care, what you two are up to but we've got it covered, stay put!"
Tim managed to free his mouth, "You sure, Dick?" his voice barely level.
"Yes, I'm sure; you and Mia had all the fun on Thanksgiving; we get it this time! Stay with Kon; Tim, it's okay."
Mia went in search of Lian, watching as Dinah got caught by Roy and Dick and shown how to get to the cave from the manor, followed closely by Ollie and Connor. She sighed, and made a note to pester Tim for his data on Gotham rogues for future visits.
Harvey let Bruce know he was stressed by a two-pronged attack, one on 2nd Street and one on Doubling Boulevard, both hostage situations.
Bruce's lips were set thin, and he said easily, "We'll take the one on Doubling, if you don't mind, Harvey?" He wanted to keep him from having to make that decision, it was too close to the old coin-flip, with too many layers of his personal psychosis this time, and that was the last thing Harvey needed. //Whichever one of you is playing this...// the Bat thought darkly at his rogues, leaving it unfinished.
Tim relaxed and pulled Kon close again, shaking his head at Dick's tone--it was going to prey on his mind until he knew what was going on, but he could handle that. Kon kissed him again, rocking against him, trying to get them back into the moment... //god damned interruptions, Tim, c'mon back to me...//
Dick ran down the stairs to get changed, sliding into the armor as fast as he possibly could and joined Batman, standing at his shoulder as he listened. The archers had ringed the Bird, and looked well able to take down a small army. Ollie's free hand was on Dinah's shoulder, and Roy stood behind her, arm lazily over her shoulder, while Connor stood at her right.
"Mom's bike is in the driveway; Dick, think Tim would mind if I take his? Connor's small enough to ride with me," Dinah said as they prepared to move out. "You and Roy can ride double on yours, right?"
"Yeah, no problem," Dick said with a grin--and the Cave's computer whooped a warning. The police band had thrown up an identification, and Bruce nearly cursed as he read it, "No information on the 2nd Street disturbance, but there're plants behaving strang--"
"IVY," came from Nightwing, his expression dark.
"Hold, Canary," Batman ordered, moving rapidly to the medical bay, Nightwing hard on his heels. "Everyone," he called as he unlocked a coded cabinet and started removing vials. "This is antitoxin, standard injector."
"Translated, please don't lose it?" Dick joked as he took the vial from Bruce, pulling the old one out of his boot.
"Ivy," Ollie said, hand tightening protectively on Dinah's shoulder, making her reach up and pat it.
"Past, not now," she reminded. "You and Bruce saved me then too." She took the injector and slid it into a hidden space in her jacket. Roy secured one, then Connor. They matched up to their riding partners, and Ollie went with Batman. He drew his hood up, getting away from lover and into Archer, noting the subtle differences in his family as the masks took over. Only Dinah never really changed, though the sensuality was less evident now, and the hard, flowing grace of her body was.
The change in the Bat was probably the most extreme--and he was very thankful for Alfred's diligent care of their equipment as the Car purred to life without a moment's pause. He started towards the scene, alert to Nightwing's bike behind him--and a few moments later the Canary and her passenger joined them, roaring up to a spot on his left.
It was notable that Canary was not taking point--Batman knew it was her habit, from having long ago learned to be the visible and audible distraction. However, she also was smart enough to concede his better knowledge of the opponent.
"She changed much since I worked with you against her six... seven years ago?" Ollie asked.
"Other than becoming more of a sociopath? No. She still behaves in the same patterns," the Bat replied, and reached out, attempting to connect to Dinah's comm gear... "Canary?"
Dick and Roy were checking their own gear as Dick drove--and Roy was even behaving, despite being plastered against his lover's back.
"I'm here, Batman. Oracle won't be riding in on this one... stuck at the station." She signaled a low turn to Connor and nodded when he flowed with her, as the three vehicles moved into the city proper.
//I wondered,// "Understood. Out." Now that he had her channel, it would be simple to keep in contact. He drove to a preferred hiding spot for the Car and slid back out, expecting Green Arrow to follow as he went to the rooftops, Nightwing following barely a moment later. Green Arrow was fast on his heels, and showing a good form as he kept his mind on the fact this was not his city. Arsenal did not even gripe at the rooftop express, even as Canary turned off again and went up ahead. She and the junior Arrow were the flanking maneuver or the distraction, depending on which way Ivy was paying the most attention.
As it was, Black Canary and her partner were first on the scene, eyes on the sight of a Kraken like mass of tendrils and vines grasping a pair of hostages, Ivy nowhere in sight until Arrow pointed to the small inner city park. The chloroform woman was smiling as her plants entwined the hapless people within it in pairs, trapping and slowly cocooning them in a grisly tableau. The real problem, Canary thought, were the shambling hulks of men that reminded her vaguely of Solomon Grundy, though not so large.
"Batman," Canary called, before relaying the scene in detail, including that she could see eight of the shambling plant men. "The Kraken... oh crap... that's Montoya and her friend." Everyone knew what Dent had done to Montoya... and why.
//Thank god we're here,// Bruce thought behind the Bat's detachment. "Arsenal, Nightwing, you're on hostage retrieval."
"Of all the days to forget the flamethrower," Nightwing bitched, drawing, "It's in the Car. Go," from his elder.
"Canary, Hawke, up for handling her pets while Arrow and I get her under control?"
"I've got the Kraken," Canary called, and he could hear her draw in a few breaths, getting her pipes clear. She signed to the hulking things for Hawke and he nodded, wishing for once he did use trick arrows.
"Shouldn't be too hard to get the park people," Arsenal said, looking for the rooted areas of the tendrils making the cocoons. Not many had been out this late at night in the New England cold, thank god.
"She's got a twisted sense of the theatrics," Green Arrow growled.
"Always," Batman replied to Arrow's comment, on the move to close Ivy's position, waiting for Dinah to open the battle--Ivy would react poorly to the attack, making her more unpredictable but easier to manipulate.
Arsenal could just hear what Connor was thinking, but he was going to need every one he had... and Nightwing rejoined him, his own eyes going towards the root systems. "Watch yourself," he whispered softly, waiting to hear the Cry and go.
Hawke was the only one who saw the Black Canary get to open the battle. She moved from their cover and into the open.
"Hey Stinkweed!" As she thought, the Kraken drew itself up, clutching the pair in its tentacles all the tighter…and making a gap underneath the bulk of its body. Ivy and her handmade goons turned on her, but she was in motion almost faster than Hawke could track, throwing herself under the monster. The cry came almost on the heels of her motion, but its effect...
All the combatants saw as the monster in the street exploded from the force of the cry, aimed at it from its nether region, rather than its more protected outer surfaces. Arsenal let out a war whoop and started firing, almost in synch with his brother. Hawke's arrows were moving for eyes; he thought they'd be less able if they had no way to see, while Arsenal's arrows tore through roots mercilessly, sparking fires where he had used pyrotechnic arrow tips.
Green Arrow let his pride take a back seat as he dropped a rain of arrows down in Ivy's direction, trying to contain her.
Nightwing hoped Renee was okay after that even as he launched into motion, hitting the ground in a roll. Arsenal was playing merry hell with the root systems, that left him to the actual rescues, and flame leapt from his hand at one lashing tendril as he cut the first pair free and half-dragged, half-carried them out of the range of the damned thing, flung an acid pellet at it, and went for the next one, following in the wake of his partner's work, wishing they had enough brain to be worth the breath to insult.
"Pamela," the low, ice-cold word came from a few feet behind her as she twisted out of the way of the arrows. "Stop this."
Canary went to the pair she had just dumped hard on the pavement, glad to see Montoya had managed to roll enough to take the fall well. The blonde hurried to the civilian Renee had been captured with, vaguely recognizing her as the woman that had been categorized as 'lover' in Oracle's files.
Hawke had to switch tactics when the shambling plant men kept closing, and he looked for true weaknesses in their form, targeting the thick sap carrying vessels in their throats.
"You... you left... you are not supposed to be here!" Ivy said, stamping her foot and throwing an accusing finger his way, as her namesake vines lashed upward, seeking to ensnare the arrow-firing hunter above.
Nightwing heard that and howled with laughter as he moved, "Oh, Ivy-Ivy-Ivy, haven't you learned yet that we're always where you don't want us to be?! And man, girl, that's the weakest comeback I've ever heard from you!" He flambéed some more lashing tentacles and worked at dragging the next pair out of the way, grateful they weren't very heavy.
Batman failed to react to Nightwing's commentary, and shook his head slightly at her. She had to know she didn't have a chance, was she really going to make things so difficult? He was alert to the vines around him, razor-edged batarang waiting for the first attack.
"Interesting tactic, Pamela, this sudden fascination for twos you have..." he said, despite the fact that her obvious machination infuriated him.
Ivy smiled with perfect malice as she contemplated him, aware that her minions were going down quickly now that the younger archers had begun to work together, seeing that Nightwing had the hostages in hand. She coaxed one last plant up as she regarded the bat nemesis of their city.
"Why Batman, it is so unlike you to work in such crowds... perhaps we've both turned over new leaves." The concentration to coax this last plant up was taxing, but the effect... one she wanted for Harvey Dent... would be worth it.
And then even that came to an end as the new plant cried out in freezing death along her senses, transfixed and flash frozen by the hunter above the roofline.
"NO!!!!" she screamed, and then all the plants went wild.
Nightwing dove frantically out of the way of a lashing, spiked vine, flinging himself into the air as quickly as he could--okay, grabbing a tree branch that was listening to Ivy wasn't the brightest thing ever, but it was better than being on the ground, and the trees were dormant. He threw himself to another, perching on it despite the thrashing to see where his team was.
The Bat was in motion, the gasp for breath before the scream all the warning he'd needed and still a tendril lashed along his shoulder, ripping at the cape--but he avoided the others. They were not directly under her control and lashed wildly, giving him the gap he needed to reach her and push a taser hard against her side, voltage lashing through her as the heel of his hand slammed her jaw up and back.
From that point on, with the plants flailing madly and slowly dying, it was mostly a clean up effort. Canary obligingly demolished the hulks of decaying plant matter with her Cry, as the archers policed up their arrows. The hostages were being handled carefully, and realizing that sometimes, Gotham got lucky. Not a one was without thanks to the heroes, even if the main one, Batman, stuck to the shadows.
He had guarded Isley until a transport arrived for her, and growled softly at the arriving staff, "Keep her, this time," then simply vanished, going to determine how Harvey was doing with his problem.
Nightwing stayed with one young pair until the police arrived, then handed them off and vanished just as quickly.
Harvey was just finishing putting Harleen Quinzel in cuffs when Batman arrived to scout the situation. No fatalities could be seen, and the police looked satisfied.
//Harley and Ivy, of course it would be her helping... As though one psychopath's manipulations weren't enough....// He left without showing himself, content with the night's work.
Dick got back to his bike and waited for Roy, then took off back home. Much as he'd rather sweep the city, Batman would probably kill him for exceeding the limits.
"Batman," Black Canary purred in his ear. "Heading home with Hawke. GA will meet at rendez-vous, other pair also leaving area." She gave one more word to one of the police that had arrived. "I've taking a shower separately, hot as possible... I know I'm covered in sap and I'm taking no chances. Told Hawke he'll have to hang onto the sissy bar."
"Understood. En route. Save some to test, Canary, I'll work on it." He didn't trust Ivy not to have done something to the sap. He made the rest of the trip rapidly and dropped to street level a few feet from the Car.
Green Arrow was waiting there, his go-to-hell grin still in place. "Just like the old days, but with more sidekicks."
Batman shook his head slightly and slid into the Car. Once the hatch closed, he said idly, "I'll tell Dinah you said that..." but Ollie was right, it was, and the old reactions were burning through his blood, not aided at all by the earlier interruption.
"She told me to keep some distance... something about toxic reactions to some of Ivy's tricks?" Ollie watched his lover closely, knowing better than to dispute a Gothamite about Gotham creatures.
"Ivy's been known to leave a variety of nasty surprises in her plants makeup, and she was fairly well coated in the sap after that stunt of hers..." Excellent tactical move it might have been, but she obviously knew better than to expose herself to that kind of risk.
"She was warning me about you, as you got closest to the source," Ollie pointed out.
"I'm fine. Nothing got through the armor," Bruce replied with a slight shrug. He'd checked. "And if she was releasing pheromones it wouldn't have lasted past her panic. I'll run a test, to be certain, but I'm fine."
"Good. Because I am ready to pick up where we left off." Ollie pushed his hood back. He then settled in for the ride, and got a good chuckle at Connor when they reached the Cave, seeing how frazzled he looked from having to ride with Canary without hanging more securely onto her to get all the microsecond warnings of turns.
`~`~`~`~`
A green glow dropped through the atmosphere like a comet, then leveled out and stilled over the Midwest. "Ring, where's Connor?" he asked as he poured his will into finding his lover and fiancé.
The ring took a few moments, but the answer came, "Connor, location: Gotham City, NJ."
//Oh. Right, Bruce's...// he turned in that direction, flying fast, cursing Guy all over again as he realized again how late it was there, full dark and past... He dropped a few feet from the front door of Wayne Manor and walked up to ring the doorbell. He also hated that he didn't have presents, but, "Sorry, I was in another galaxy and didn't have time to shop" ought to be a good enough excuse, right?
Well, that wasn't quite true. He had one present burning a hole in a 'pocket' of the suit, and he couldn't wait to deliver that one.
The door opened, and he found himself face to face with Kon-El, aka Superboy. His ring pricked on his finger, and he was vaguely aware that he was being covered by a bow and a birdarang. Kyle's jaw dropped at seeing the young man he'd heard was dead, "The rumors were exaggerated?" he asked, looking past the teen of steel at his little sister and brother--neither of whom were in their costumes, despite the weapons aimed at his chest. "Gonna tell him to let me in?"
Tim snorted. "Hey, Kyle. About time you made it. Kon, it's okay, Kyle's expected..."
"About time, Kyle. Connor's been pensive," Mia said, unlimbering her bow. "All clear, Lian." The girl slipped free of a hiding spot, also unlimbering. "If you need to clean up, Kyle, I suggest you do it quick. I'm sure the others will be back soon."
"Back?" Kyle asked as he stepped in, shaking his head at the fact that even the littlest had been armed. "What were you guys going to do if I was some poor civilian?"
"No civilian would have gotten past the gate without my knowing it, Kyle," Tim replied. "You were either ally or enemy. And yes, back, there was trouble in the city."
Kyle's heart slammed into his throat--he knew the reaction was stupid, knew Connor could handle himself and was careful, but that damned reaction, the fear, still wouldn't let go of him.
Kon shut the door behind them, and looked questioningly at the back of Kyle's head, "Rumors? Exaggerated? Huh?"
"Pop culture reference, Kon," Tim replied, "And no, Kyle. Black Canary fished him out of a lava flow the other day, somehow. As far as we can tell, this's a true resurrection."
"..." Kyle shrugged after a moment. "Welcome back, then. Nah, I'm okay, Mia, I just need to drop the suit..." he did so, and was standing there in casual dress clothes, present shifted into his own pocket. "You said 'pensive'...?"
"Missing you," Mia clarified. "They'll be back any minute now, I'm sure, Kyle." She glanced at Tim. "Room across from where Connor was put?" She was not about to ask Tim to show Kyle to his room. "I should let him see the room he's supposed to be in..." She giggled at her future brother-in-law.
"I think Alfred gave up," Tim replied. "If you noticed, Roy stuck his bags in Dick's room without a problem..."
"Some battles are not worth fighting, Master Tim," Alfred replied, annoyed that the children had beaten him to the door. "Once you've seen your room, Master Kyle, could I bring you anything?"
"Alfred, I'm starving," Kyle replied. "Connor can show me where we he gets back--and I'd rather not be eating when he does..." He looked hopeful.
"As you wish, Master Kyle. This way, please?"
Lian had made it down to them by this point, and wrapped herself around Kyle's legs. "Unca Kyle! You're home!"
Kyle blinked, startled, then reached down to pet her hair. "Ah, hi, Lian..."
She reached her arms up, and was not budging from him until he picked her up. She leaned into him, arms wrapping around his neck once he gave into her not-so-subtle demands.
"I'm going back to the den, guys," Mia said, waving at the pair of Titan teens.
Kyle picked her up, a little unsure, and held her as she somehow glued herself to him, from the way Tim's expression shifted, his own face must have been quite the study. He turned it into a wry smile and followed Alfred.
Tim started to follow her--then realized Kon was looking torn between the den and the kitchen. "Hungry again?"
"Yeah," Kon admitted.
"I could eat," Tim admitted. "Hey, Mia, we'll join you in a couple, okay?"
"Gotcha, Tim," she called.
Alfred had set five places around the kitchen table, then withdrew the fifth when Mia did not join them. The sandwiches and cookies were piled high on Tim and Kon's plates, whereas Kyle had a full plate of the dinner they had all eaten earlier. Lian had cookies and fruit.
After the thank-yous, there wasn't a word from any of the males for a little while, until Tim pushed back from the table with a sigh, wondering what was up with Mia. He watched Kon eat, amused by the sound of Kyle devoting just as much dedication to his food.
Kon finished his sandwiches and looked up at Tim, then back out the door, and Tim nodded. "Alfred, thanks again," he said as he stood up, both boys headed back to the den, Tim walking in first.
Kyle finally finished with dinner, "Alfred, thank you. I've been eating in mess halls and alien cafeterias for the last month, and there is nothing like home cooking after that."
Alfred smiled at the young Lantern. "I do remember the inconvenience of mess hall dining." He smiled at Lian as she slipped into Kyle's lap and curled up against him.
Mia was playing her game with single-minded concentration. She did not look up at Tim's entrance, but did glance back as Kon entered.
"Hey, she said before focusing again on the puzzle.
Kyle looked down at the child in his lap, wondering just when she'd decided to adopt him, and petted her hair, then looked back up, "You do?" He didn't know anything about the man that apparently ran the Bat's household, barring what he had seen.
Though it didn't show, Tim relaxed. //Oh, okay. She's just still frustrated with the game...// He walked over by her and settled on the couch, waiting for Kon to sit next to him so he could lean against him. He wasn't going to relax until everyone was home safe, but he didn't mind being social--too much. As long as it was just Mia and Lian. Or even Kyle.
"I did a small turn of service for Her Majesty," Alfred said in a properly modest fashion.
"Unca Kyle, you gonna marry Unca Connor still?" Lian asked. "Can I be the flower girl if you are?"
Mia slipped a final piece into place a second before the timer ended, and paused the game to do a victory dance in place on the couch. "Yes! Finally!" She leaned back into Tim completely out of her easy connection with him, then straightened swiftly as she accidentally brushed against Kon's hand over Tim's shoulder.
Kyle's questions about that were sidetracked by the little girl in his lap, and he smiled down at her, "Yes, Lian. I'm still going to marry Connor. Just as soon as I can... and... we'll have to talk to him about that, but I sure don't know why you couldn't be... You'd be a pretty flower girl."
Kon wasn't sure which startled him more--that Tim didn't react when she leaned back against him, or that she jumped away again when she felt his hand.
"Hey, great work, Mia," Tim laughed, then frowned slightly, reached out, and pulled her back again. There was no reason for her to jump away like that.
Lian nodded. "I'm the prettiest girl ever. Daddy says so all the time." She snuggled into the man her forehead lying on his neck as she settled.
Mia hesitated against his pull, then relaxed and went with it. "Didn't want to crowd you two." She flashed a shy smile up at Kon.
What the hell did you say to something like that? Kyle just chuckled softly, patting her back gently.
Tim followed her look up at Kon, and frowned slightly at the expression there. "You're not crowding me, and I'm the one you're leaning on. It's cool."
Kon knew that look; that was the Robin look of 'shut up and go with it'... so he did. "'S fine Mia. I don't know how you managed to get inside the "don't touch me"-ness that is Tim, but if he's okay with it..."
Tim grinned at Mia, a little wickedly, thinking about just how she'd managed that one. After that, he'd never seen the point of trying to keep his distance, especially after they kept getting closer.
"Tim's just tried to be a good friend," Mia said, making it seem that he had pitied her, though she knew better. They had both chosen their paths. They had both stepped into legacies that were full of flash and history that few could measure up to. Both had mentors with issues, and both had other 'related' heroes always watching them. It had just been... right, to build a friendship. And, if it meant they got ribbed or silently misunderstood for being Speedy and Robin all over again.. it would serve a purpose.
Alfred heard a distant noise and stood. "Miss Lian, I do believe it is time for bed, if you wish Santa Claus to not pass by this house." He looked at Kyle. "Master Kyle, will go check that the grandfather clock in the study chimes on the hour? It is nearly time, and I want to be sure it is working." He estimated that waiting for the hour would give one of them time to get upstairs, sure that had been Master Dick's motorcycle.
Lian started to pout--then remembered that she couldn't and reached up for Alfred obediently. "Okay, Alfie..."
Kyle blinked, then nodded. "Of course, Alfred." He walked out into the hall, then to the study, looking for this clock.
Tim snorted. "I'm trying, my ass. You are."
That won her some serious points in Kon's book, and he warned her. "Better just give up, that's the 'I'm never wrong' voice.."
"Yeah. Dick gets that one a lot." Mia giggled, having heard a lot of Tim rejoinders to Dick when they were on the phone together.
Kyle had found the clock and was waiting for the hour, a puzzled look on his face, when it suddenly moved, revealing an entrance…and Connor in full kit.
"KYLE?" Connor's joy lit up his entire body as he stepped fully into the manor and his fiancé's arms.
Kyle smiled and pulled him close, tugging him out of the way just in case anyone else was coming through, holding him tight, "Sorry I'm late..."
Kon tilted his head, "Yeah?"
Tim shook his head, "No, it's the 'you know I'm right'. 'I'm never wrong', I leave to Bruce."
"You're.. .you're here. It's all that matters." Connor laced his fingers in Kyle's and drug him upstairs, not wanting to share a minute of Kyle's time until he absolutely had to.
"Sounds like Connor found Kyle," Mia said as the sound of feet on the stairs echoed.
"Wait a... GA and GL?" Kon sounded absolutely incredulous, "Tim, is anyone in your family straight?"
Tim blinked. "Um... Alfred is... Mia?"
Kyle let Connor drag him upstairs willingly, only leaving their feet on the ground because he didn't know where he was going, and once Connor'd let them inside the room he knocked it closed with the ring, chin tilting to kiss Connor deep, holding him tight.
"I'd say straight as an arrow... but that would not be reassuring. So I'll say straight as Black Canary and be safe that way." Mia pressed into Tim's arms, a backwards hug, then sat up and picked up her controller again. "And I think the boys... with exception of Connor, must be equal opportunity lovers, from what I've heard." She started playing the game again.
Connor was more than willing to let that be the way of their loving for now... he had all night to enjoy the many ways of love they shared.
Tim started to chuckle before she even finished talking... and Kon wasn't far behind, trying not to howl as loudly with that laughter as he wanted to, but damn... "No, no it wouldn't... but that is..."
Tim got control of his laughter long enough to nod, "Yeah. Nobody could ever claim our oldest brothers don't have an eye for pretty women..."
Kyle just kept kissing him, moving them both back towards the bed, "Anyone... going to come... looking for you?" he asked between kisses, "Or are you mine... for the night?" As he pulled bow and quiver off his fiance's shoulders and settled them to the ground, hands trying to get under the armor.
"All yours," Connor promised. "Mia will make sure of it."
`~`~`~`~`
Tags:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-11-12 02:14 am (UTC)