Chapter Text
Steph’s perched on the rooftop with Cass, spying on Dick’s latest disaster of a first date. Hmm. That sounds bad. She was invited to watch, sort of. Either way, Dick knows they’re there and is fine with it. He’d figured out that Cass liked her, but not that they were dating. She’s not really sure how he managed that particular level of confusing perceptiveness, but well, that’s Dick for you. He was wonderfully supportive of course, except, well, he was trying to help. And uh, Dick’s not so great at relationships.
A couple weeks ago Cass had sat down beside her, holding out a bouquet of flowers for her, but looking rather confused. It was sweet, except, well, they were on a mission. The flowers didn’t survive the trip back to her place on her spoiler-cycle. And no. She’s not taking constructive criticism on her bike’s name. Then Cass pulled her aside at a dinner at Wayne Manor. Which was a bit strange for Cass, but she definitely wasn’t complaining. After though, she’d confessed. Apparently, Dick had found out that Cass was interested in her and was trying to ‘help.’ Somehow, Cass was the only one who’d yet to hear about how awful Dick was at dating, so she’d been listening to him. That explained the bad timing with the flowers and dinner, and a few of the weirder messages Cass had sent recently. Explaining to Cass that she really shouldn’t ever listen to Dick when it comes to relationships was a bit awkward, but it went ok. Since Dick was so genuine in wanting to help, Cass had never really considered whether or not Dick’s advice was any good.
Unfortunately, Cass had decided to come clean to her brother, telling him that she wasn’t going to be taking his advice anymore. Dick took her explanation poorly. He tried not to of course, pretending like everything was fine, but Steph didn’t need her girlfriend’s abilities to know Dick was hurt. Which, sucked. And that was how the two of them had ended up here, on a rooftop during daylight hours, spying on one of Dick’s disastrous first dates. He’d somehow gotten it into his head that the best way he could get Cass and Steph together (seriously? Had Cass just forgotten to mention that?) was by setting them up on a date to watch one of his dates. She didn’t follow his logic, neither did Cass, but they went along with it anyway.
According to Cass, Dick wanted to ‘set the atmosphere’ or something and get them alone in a romantic context. Apparently, Dick thought spying on one of your sibling’s first dates together was romantic context. Steph didn’t want to think about that too closely. Cass offered her some popcorn. Apparently, Cass had decided that this was going to be like going to the movies. She wasn’t wrong. Steph accepted the popcorn. Dick was waving one of his arms about, gesticulating wildly as he told some story or another. The redhead across from him, because of course she was a redhead, checked her phone. Ouch.
“That’s six times in four minutes she’s checked her phone.” Cass sounds amused. “That’s really bad right?”
“Yea. That’s really bad,” Steph replies.
They watch as the girl excuses herself to use the restroom. “She’s not coming back, is she?” Cass asks. Dick turns in his seat to look at them, flashing a beaming smile and a double thumbs up.
“Not a chance.”
“Do we tell him?” Cass stands up and smiles back, giving Dick a double thumbs up in return.
“Hell no.”
“More popcorn?” An angel. Cass is an angel.
“Of course.”
Shocking both of them, the girl does come back. Not only does she come back, she takes Dick home with her. Ugh. He’s going to be insufferable.
“I thought she was bored?” Cass asks, clearly confused.
“Oh, she was definitely bored.”
“But then why?”
“Cass, babe.” Cass stares at her blankly. Ugh, she’s really going to have to say it. “I don’t think she was interested in him for his conversation abilities.” Cass’s brow furrows further. Steph raises an eyebrow. Just one, she’s finally figured out how.
“Oh! Ew!” Cass throws a handful of popcorn at her, which Steph only partially dodges.
“You asked!”
“Why would she?” Cass scrunches her nose in disgust. It’s adorable.
Apparently, that’s her entire question. “She’s probably bored. There’s not too many guys that look like Dick does, shitty conversation or not.”
“Ew! You! Stop!!” Cass looks horrified, she pelts Steph with popcorn again. Steph covers her face, but takes no other action to defend herself.
“I’m just saying! I’m not into him, he’s just not awful to look at, that’s all.” Cass makes a strangled sort of noise. Steph’s pretty sure she said something wrong, but she’s not quite sure what.
“That is my brother! You! That’s so gross!” Cass has stopped pelting her with popcorn. Steph peeks out from behind her arms, the bucket is empty. Cass throws a candy bar at her, which smacks her right in the nose.
“Sorry! Sorry!” Steph reaches out and grabs Cass’s wrist, where she’s holding another candy bar, prepared to throw. Cass pulls her arm back, causing Steph to fall forward. She ends up propped up over Cass, one hand on her wrist with the candy bar, and the other on Cass’s waist. Her breath catches. Cass stares at her, incredulously.
“Seriously?!” Ah. Guess not. Cass slips out from under Steph, perfectly graceful. She glares down at her, arms crossed.
“Umm,” Steph says, perfectly elegant. “I’ll work on the pillow talk?” Cass scoffs. She walks right over to the edge of the roof and steps off. Steph walks over and looks over the side. Cass is marching towards Steph’s parked bike, somehow having jumped off a rooftop and slipped into the crowd without anyone noticing. She unlocks Steph’s bike and glares up at the roof. Steph looks at the drop. 8 stories? Hmm. Stairs it is.
Cass is tapping aggressively at her phone when Steph gets there. She leans over and tries to take a look. Cass slips her phone in her pocket and tosses Steph her helmet. “New rule,” Cass says, “no gross comments about my brothers.”
Steph resists the urge to poke. “Right, got it. No gross comments.” Cass eyes her skeptically, but leans over and kisses her cheek. Steph steps forward, reaching for her bike, but Cass stops her. “Uh, babe?” Cass asks nervously.
Cass smiles at her, “I’m driving.” Ah. Shit.
“I’m not so sure…” Steph trails off. She probably owes Cass this. She shoves down her nerves. “Right. Ok. You drive.”
Cass smiles. It’s wicked and mischievous. “Don’t worry.” That does NOT help. Cass only says that when she’s about to do something terrifying.
Steph was born in Gotham, raised right around the infamous Crime Alley. She knows exactly how Gothamites drive. The aggression is natural to her. She practiced for her license in the motherfucking Batmobile. In high speed chases with the villain of the week. She slips nervously onto her bike, sitting behind her girlfriend, gripping probably far tighter than she needs to. Cass laughs softly. Steph tightens her grip. Cass revvs the engine.