Batgirl II fic: Kissing (angsty fluff)
Dec. 7th, 2007 02:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Title: Kissing
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Cass, Barbara, Dinah, Batman, Tim/Steph
Word Count: 1,445
Summary: Cass's investigation leads her to a conclusion that makes perfect sense... to her.
Cass investigates life. She has nothing else to investigate. When she finds a criminal case, she has orders to bring it to someone other than Steph for supervision. This is because she lacks “context” and “experience.” Investigating life gives her both. She has already come to understand “television,” and by extension, “living vicariously.” She still does not understand “reality TV,” since people are not voted off islands in real life, but Steph says that no one understands reality TV. (Steph watches “American Idol” every week.)
Cass is now investigating kissing. Already she knows that kissing in other places is different than kissing in Gotham or Bigger Gotham (which is also called America and has idols). Kissing is like the inverse of a punch, because it can mean many different things. If you punch or kiss lightly, it means affection. Unlike a punch, kisses can mean sexual attraction. After having seen several people kiss in several difference ways, Cass is prepared to send messages in this new language.
Because Batman does not like speaking in emotions, she kisses him on the cheek. He adopts a defensive stance and doesn’t understand. She tries to tell him how thankful she is to him for giving her the Mission and fixing her brokenness, tell him on the lips, but he steps away.
“That is inappropriate, Batgirl,” he tells her.
She asks why.
He tells her how it would be irresponsible and an abuse of his authority over her. She nods, understanding. Once more, she does not have “experience.” If Batman kissed someone “inexperienced,” he would be like David Cain – a bad father. Batman is not like David Cain. (She is thankful for this.)
Cass talks to Barbara next. Barbara kissed Dick often. When she saw them kiss, Dick’s body wrote love sonnets he could never express in clumsy words. As soon as she asks, Cass notes embarrassment from Barbara and amusement from Dinah. (Dinah’s amusement is particularly easy to detect, as it has an auditory component.)
“Well, Cass, the intention of the kiss can usually be determined by where it’s placed,” Barbara tries to explain, falling into the lecturing body language. Cass dutifully adopts the schoolgirl body language to facilitate communication. (This teacher/student relationship is a way for her to make talking easier, like learning new words or not punching people when they tried to talk to her.) “The cheek or forehead means affection, the lips mean romance, the rest of the body is-“ Barbara blooms bashful “-sexual, the hand is polite…”
“The boot is dominance,” Dinah says, aglow with mischievousness.
“Yes, a kiss on the boot means-“
Barbara belatedly beans Dinah with a staple remover.
“How do I become proficient at kissing?” Cass redirects, an apt pupil.
“Practice,” Dinah suggests impishly.
Barbara shoots her a fierce look, the takes off her glasses to look at Cass. Her eyes are skeptical, curious, wary. The rest of her body is tense with support to go out. Cass recognizes the urge to help others, although she has rarely seen it without the stringing of impending violence.
“Cassandra, why do you have to be proficient at kissing?”
“To enter into a romantic, and later sexual, relationship.”
Even Dinah is taken aback. “They grow up so fast. Pretty soon we’ll have to call her Batwoman.”
Barbara ignores her. “Are you… sure you’re ready for that?”
“More than ready. My body is producing hormones which-”
“That’s not what I meant. The kind of relationship you’re talking about can be very emotionally… tumultuous. I’m not sure you’re mature enough to deal with that.”
Cass groans inwardly. “Experience?”
“Yes,” Barbara and Dinah say in unison.
Cass stalks around the room, trying to express her frustration without a punch to throw or a body to beat. Finally, she remembers her words.
“Everyone wants me to get experience, but nobody tells me how! Why can’t I just be…” Her body screams normal so loud even they can hear. “…like you?”
“Because life isn’t fair.” Barbara rolls forward until she can take Cass’s hands and rub them with motions new to Cass’s vocabulary. They mean things like I’ve been where you’ve been and we’ll make it better and don’t cry, I’m here.
Dinah puts a hand on Cass’s shoulder. It wasn’t as fluent, but it spoke the same language. “Cass, if you think you’re ready, there’s a chance you are. Find someone you like and trust and ask them to do something with you. Who knows, it could be the start of something big.”
If Cass had been successful at investigating kissing, her next case would’ve been cuddling. Like twister, it was an activity whose social parameters were defined by nudity. Barbara and Dick liked to cuddle while unclothed, although discovering this had led to a lecture about privacy, which was the thing Barbara ignored to do her job.
Tim and Steph cuddled often, in various configurations. Cass felt certain that if they had sex, they cuddled unclothed. Most likely after, but possibly before or in an interval between foreplay and orgasm (the latter of which Cass had investigated on her own, on Helena’s advice).
Steph and Tim cuddled in the cave (which they did not do naked, to Cass’s knowledge). Batman always expressed irritation at this, and envy so small that only Cass could see it. Cass didn’t mind seeing them lock together, Steph’s body overlapping Tim’s like two trees grown together, or at least one tree with moss on it. (Cass isn’t very good at metaphors. She prefers to ‘call a spade a spade’, although she doesn’t know why anyone would call a spade something else. Perhaps she will investigate it after she has solved kissing and cuddling.)
Batgirl comes into the Batcave to find Tim alone. He’s working on the computer. Cass can detect Steph’s presence from her motorcycle and the purple cloak of her costume that hangs off a stalagmite. Like Batman had taught her, Cass hides and observes. Steph soon emerges from the training area, sweating and sore, as well as bruised from failed dodges. Her body sings odes of pride and weariness.
Steph climbs onto Tim’s lap and he pushes her away gently, complaining of her smell. Based on the relaxed motion of Tim’s joints, Cass knows he is actually aroused by Steph’s musk. This is part of the evening’s courtship; Tim playing “hard to get.” (This is a traditionally female role.)
Cass approaches, taking off her mask. Steph only notices her when she’s three feet away (Steph shrieks). Tim rolls his eyes and finishes his work. He knows that he is outnumbered now and most be roped into whatever they have planned. He thinks Steph is aware of Cass’s activity for him or vice versa. He is wrong.
Cass sits on his lap, trying her best to approximate Steph’s easy seating. It is difficult. Despite her balance, Tim’s leg is slender and it is not until Cass throws her legs across his other thigh that she stabilizes. Steph looks at them, head cocked in query. Cass doesn’t look at her yet.
“I wish you to be my boyfriend,” she tells Tim, knowing it is likely he will play “hard to get.”
“Uh, Cass-o?” Steph is tapping on Cass’s shoulder. “Tim can’t be your boyfriend. He’s my boyfriend.” Get your own, the cant of her hips say.
Cass swivels her head to face Steph, who instantly senses something is up. Steph and Tim both have more “experience” than her, but not as much as Batman or Barbara. This, among all the people she trusts and likes (friends), makes them well-suited for her purposes.
“I would also like for you to be my girlfriend,” Cass announces.
“That would be, uh…” Tim notices Cass is still looking at Steph, who is blushing very bright. “Over here?” Cass looks at him. “You mean… a ménage a trois?”
“Italian for three people in the same bed!” Steph cries.
“It’s French, actually.”
Cass kisses Tim before he can elucidate on this. (She is not proficient at kissing, but judging from the reaction she elicits, she believes this to be "beginner's luck".)
“Cass!” Steph yelps.
“Mmphf!” Tim says.
Tim is aroused by this. A look at Steph confirms she is also aroused. Cass kisses her, which elicits another positive reaction. (Cass is becoming proficient at kissing.)
“Well, I, err, this is pretty sudden…” (Tim is as confused with his body language as he is with the English language.) “Steph?” he defers.
Steph wipes her lips. “Seems like a good idea to me.”
“Can we investigate cuddling now?” Cass asks.
Steph hugs her against Tim, who holds onto the console when their combined weight starts to topple his chair backwards.
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Cass, Barbara, Dinah, Batman, Tim/Steph
Word Count: 1,445
Summary: Cass's investigation leads her to a conclusion that makes perfect sense... to her.
Cass investigates life. She has nothing else to investigate. When she finds a criminal case, she has orders to bring it to someone other than Steph for supervision. This is because she lacks “context” and “experience.” Investigating life gives her both. She has already come to understand “television,” and by extension, “living vicariously.” She still does not understand “reality TV,” since people are not voted off islands in real life, but Steph says that no one understands reality TV. (Steph watches “American Idol” every week.)
Cass is now investigating kissing. Already she knows that kissing in other places is different than kissing in Gotham or Bigger Gotham (which is also called America and has idols). Kissing is like the inverse of a punch, because it can mean many different things. If you punch or kiss lightly, it means affection. Unlike a punch, kisses can mean sexual attraction. After having seen several people kiss in several difference ways, Cass is prepared to send messages in this new language.
Because Batman does not like speaking in emotions, she kisses him on the cheek. He adopts a defensive stance and doesn’t understand. She tries to tell him how thankful she is to him for giving her the Mission and fixing her brokenness, tell him on the lips, but he steps away.
“That is inappropriate, Batgirl,” he tells her.
She asks why.
He tells her how it would be irresponsible and an abuse of his authority over her. She nods, understanding. Once more, she does not have “experience.” If Batman kissed someone “inexperienced,” he would be like David Cain – a bad father. Batman is not like David Cain. (She is thankful for this.)
Cass talks to Barbara next. Barbara kissed Dick often. When she saw them kiss, Dick’s body wrote love sonnets he could never express in clumsy words. As soon as she asks, Cass notes embarrassment from Barbara and amusement from Dinah. (Dinah’s amusement is particularly easy to detect, as it has an auditory component.)
“Well, Cass, the intention of the kiss can usually be determined by where it’s placed,” Barbara tries to explain, falling into the lecturing body language. Cass dutifully adopts the schoolgirl body language to facilitate communication. (This teacher/student relationship is a way for her to make talking easier, like learning new words or not punching people when they tried to talk to her.) “The cheek or forehead means affection, the lips mean romance, the rest of the body is-“ Barbara blooms bashful “-sexual, the hand is polite…”
“The boot is dominance,” Dinah says, aglow with mischievousness.
“Yes, a kiss on the boot means-“
Barbara belatedly beans Dinah with a staple remover.
“How do I become proficient at kissing?” Cass redirects, an apt pupil.
“Practice,” Dinah suggests impishly.
Barbara shoots her a fierce look, the takes off her glasses to look at Cass. Her eyes are skeptical, curious, wary. The rest of her body is tense with support to go out. Cass recognizes the urge to help others, although she has rarely seen it without the stringing of impending violence.
“Cassandra, why do you have to be proficient at kissing?”
“To enter into a romantic, and later sexual, relationship.”
Even Dinah is taken aback. “They grow up so fast. Pretty soon we’ll have to call her Batwoman.”
Barbara ignores her. “Are you… sure you’re ready for that?”
“More than ready. My body is producing hormones which-”
“That’s not what I meant. The kind of relationship you’re talking about can be very emotionally… tumultuous. I’m not sure you’re mature enough to deal with that.”
Cass groans inwardly. “Experience?”
“Yes,” Barbara and Dinah say in unison.
Cass stalks around the room, trying to express her frustration without a punch to throw or a body to beat. Finally, she remembers her words.
“Everyone wants me to get experience, but nobody tells me how! Why can’t I just be…” Her body screams normal so loud even they can hear. “…like you?”
“Because life isn’t fair.” Barbara rolls forward until she can take Cass’s hands and rub them with motions new to Cass’s vocabulary. They mean things like I’ve been where you’ve been and we’ll make it better and don’t cry, I’m here.
Dinah puts a hand on Cass’s shoulder. It wasn’t as fluent, but it spoke the same language. “Cass, if you think you’re ready, there’s a chance you are. Find someone you like and trust and ask them to do something with you. Who knows, it could be the start of something big.”
If Cass had been successful at investigating kissing, her next case would’ve been cuddling. Like twister, it was an activity whose social parameters were defined by nudity. Barbara and Dick liked to cuddle while unclothed, although discovering this had led to a lecture about privacy, which was the thing Barbara ignored to do her job.
Tim and Steph cuddled often, in various configurations. Cass felt certain that if they had sex, they cuddled unclothed. Most likely after, but possibly before or in an interval between foreplay and orgasm (the latter of which Cass had investigated on her own, on Helena’s advice).
Steph and Tim cuddled in the cave (which they did not do naked, to Cass’s knowledge). Batman always expressed irritation at this, and envy so small that only Cass could see it. Cass didn’t mind seeing them lock together, Steph’s body overlapping Tim’s like two trees grown together, or at least one tree with moss on it. (Cass isn’t very good at metaphors. She prefers to ‘call a spade a spade’, although she doesn’t know why anyone would call a spade something else. Perhaps she will investigate it after she has solved kissing and cuddling.)
Batgirl comes into the Batcave to find Tim alone. He’s working on the computer. Cass can detect Steph’s presence from her motorcycle and the purple cloak of her costume that hangs off a stalagmite. Like Batman had taught her, Cass hides and observes. Steph soon emerges from the training area, sweating and sore, as well as bruised from failed dodges. Her body sings odes of pride and weariness.
Steph climbs onto Tim’s lap and he pushes her away gently, complaining of her smell. Based on the relaxed motion of Tim’s joints, Cass knows he is actually aroused by Steph’s musk. This is part of the evening’s courtship; Tim playing “hard to get.” (This is a traditionally female role.)
Cass approaches, taking off her mask. Steph only notices her when she’s three feet away (Steph shrieks). Tim rolls his eyes and finishes his work. He knows that he is outnumbered now and most be roped into whatever they have planned. He thinks Steph is aware of Cass’s activity for him or vice versa. He is wrong.
Cass sits on his lap, trying her best to approximate Steph’s easy seating. It is difficult. Despite her balance, Tim’s leg is slender and it is not until Cass throws her legs across his other thigh that she stabilizes. Steph looks at them, head cocked in query. Cass doesn’t look at her yet.
“I wish you to be my boyfriend,” she tells Tim, knowing it is likely he will play “hard to get.”
“Uh, Cass-o?” Steph is tapping on Cass’s shoulder. “Tim can’t be your boyfriend. He’s my boyfriend.” Get your own, the cant of her hips say.
Cass swivels her head to face Steph, who instantly senses something is up. Steph and Tim both have more “experience” than her, but not as much as Batman or Barbara. This, among all the people she trusts and likes (friends), makes them well-suited for her purposes.
“I would also like for you to be my girlfriend,” Cass announces.
“That would be, uh…” Tim notices Cass is still looking at Steph, who is blushing very bright. “Over here?” Cass looks at him. “You mean… a ménage a trois?”
“Italian for three people in the same bed!” Steph cries.
“It’s French, actually.”
Cass kisses Tim before he can elucidate on this. (She is not proficient at kissing, but judging from the reaction she elicits, she believes this to be "beginner's luck".)
“Cass!” Steph yelps.
“Mmphf!” Tim says.
Tim is aroused by this. A look at Steph confirms she is also aroused. Cass kisses her, which elicits another positive reaction. (Cass is becoming proficient at kissing.)
“Well, I, err, this is pretty sudden…” (Tim is as confused with his body language as he is with the English language.) “Steph?” he defers.
Steph wipes her lips. “Seems like a good idea to me.”
“Can we investigate cuddling now?” Cass asks.
Steph hugs her against Tim, who holds onto the console when their combined weight starts to topple his chair backwards.
no subject
Date: 2007-12-09 08:06 am (UTC)