Snippet #2488358

After Vivienne dropped the group going with Arin off at Galaxy, she brought the rest of them home to the Batcave. Arey immediately made a beeline for the training room, intent on working off some of her frustrations on an innocent punching bag. She needed to calm herself down before she said or did something that was going to hurt people.

Tim looked lost as Arey took off. He wanted to talk to her, to get her to talk to him but all she wanted to do was run away from him. He watched her leave and with a sigh turned to head to his room to shower and change.

There wasn't enough soap in the world to make him feel clean after that. Tim took a hot shower, leaving his skin red from the heat and scrubbing he gave it. He dressed in a sweatshirt and worn jeans. He pulled the hood up, took the carefully folded clothes and jewelry and left his room once more. He wanted to return them to Viv.

Kat was waiting for him when Tim got back to the room, sitting indian style on his bed with a stack of comics and a couple cans of Pepsi with crazy straws to go with the giant bowl full of popcorn. "I got you covered dude. we'll talk through your women problems." She said flipping through one of her Batman comics. "Think pizza's too much? I can totally call in for pizza if that's your thing."

He almost jumped out of his skin at the sight of Kat sitting on his bed. He had figured everyone would just avoid him. Course Kat had come over to him. "I don't really want to talk Kat. I feel lousy and..." He smiled a little at the sight of the pop and straws. "You really came here to keep me company? I thought you hated my guts or at least were joining the club of people who did." He was sulking, feel pity for himself.

Tim put his hands in his pockets and crossed to the end of the bed. He sat down, shoulders slumped and head down. The hood covered his face, hiding it from anyone who might look. He didn't want people to know how upset he was. He was supposed to be strong, a man. This wasn't how men behaved.

"Duh. Didn't you see the crazy straws of friendship?" Kat joked as Tim came an sat down next to her. He was really upset, she could tell, and she didn't like seeing him that way. It made her want to do mean things like put blue dye in blondie's shampoo. "Tim." She started really seriously. "You can be a completely oblivious idiot sometimes, but I don't hate you. You're kinda...my best friend ok, but you are not allowed to repeat that. Capeesh ?" She said sternly before pulling him into a hug. Admitting her lack of normal social life was kind of embarrassing, but she figured she could own up to it for the moment it it would help cheer up Tim. The fact that it was also kind of true helped as well.

Tim paled, "Why the hell would you want a guy who makes you so incredibly upset as a best friend? Didn't you see the memo? I am a big idiot who makes things worse when he is trying to do the right thing. I thought taking the seal would be better...she'd have gone after Arin you know. Just to piss off Vivienne, because she could. I thought that if I played the distraction I was doing the right thing. I am a dumb body who isn't good for anything." Kat was hugging him and it was nice but also made him feel like a child. Why couldn't he just get mad at Arey? At Maighdlin? Why couldn't he stand up for himself and prove that he had done the right thing? "I hurt Arey, Kat. I have hurt you. I should stop trying to do the things I think are right." Tim mumbled as he tried to bury himself into his shirt. He wanted to sit in the dark or lose himself in stupid movies. Anything so he didn't have to think about what he had done and how Arey didn't need him, was mad at him.

"Fucking screw that noise." Kat growled as she hugged him tighter. "You aren't just anybody's dumb body, and anyone who says otherwise is gonna have their ass get real well acquainted with my foot." Tim was wallowing in self doubt and loathing, and she could really really relate to that, but he didn't deserve that, any of that. "Yeah well, I did that to myself, no biggie. And you know what? Screw Arey. You didn't do anything wrong, you followed the plan and had to get molested by that freaky fae chick. She should be in here trying to kick me out so she can make you feel better, not acting like you did something wrong. She's just jealous and being stupid, because you're worth being jealous over." Kat asserted as she pulled him against her in the hug.

Tim wanted to believe it was just jealousy that drove Arey away from him but he couldn't wholeheartedly believe that. "It isn't that simple Kat. I made a decision and I should have been thinking of her. I didn't and I hurt her, a lot." His hands rubbed his thighs. "What if she doesn't need me Kat? What if I am not enough? She is Arthur. She is a smart woman in her own right too. What if I just keep fucking up?" He wasn't making a lot of sense, he knew that. There were too many thoughts in his head, too many doubts and questions. "She isn't stupid and she isn't here because I should have gone to her but....she doesn't want me around. I can't force myself where I am not wanted."

A large arm shifted, coming around Kat to pull her in against him. "Thanks half pint. I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. I really do." The hooded face moved to kiss the top of her head. "She really was a scary fae."

"If she doesn't want you, then she's the dumbest chick I know." Kat growled back. "You were just trying to protect everyone, so what if you didn't talk it over with her? There wasn't time to, and she knew what you were supposed to be doing. You didn't fuck up at all, and if she's Arthur then you're bad ass Sir Ywaine too. If she can't see how awesome you are, then screw her. You don't need her either." Kat said with an indignant huff on his behalf.

"Scary and entitled and a completely possessive stalker from the sounds of things." Kat agreed solemnly. "Bitch looked like she was trying to make you her own personal giant man-dy bar."

If she doesn't want me... Tim felt deflated. Just one day ago he had asked her to be his girlfriend and now he was trying to wrap his head around the idea that maybe Arey didn't want him. Had she ever? A knot formed in his throat again.

"Ye-yeah she seemed like the kind of person who keeps people for pets and playthings. Wasn't exactly how I hoped things to go but we sort of forgot the whole seal the deal discussion before we left right? I had to do something. It was gonna be me or Arin, I could just feel it. I couldn't let Vivienne watch that woman seal the deal with Arin, have a bond with him when his fae blood is already enough if she wants him. It would be like making him the easiest target for her ever." Tim sighed. "There was no convincing her to go after Arey or Deirdre. I just did what I thought was right." And that was all he had to go on.

"I know right." Kat shuddered slightly. "I was pretty sure Arey was gonna try and jump her with the sword there for a minutes too. Kind of wish she had." As he went on, Kat nodded and agreed emphatically. "See! Right there, you made the right call. She doesn't get to make you feel bad for that, because it's way not cool. You already had to take a hit for the team, she doesn't get to make you feel bad now for protecting everybody!" Kat growled again, plotting the untimely disappearance of the contents of Arey's underwear drawer.

Tim grimaced, "Her jumping the fae queen would have been really bad." He squeezed Kat. "It's not just that Kat, it was just sort of the icing on the cake." He said softly.

"I bet you'd make awesome frosting. The good vanilla buttercream kind you put on birthday cakes." Kat teased, kissing him lightly on the forehead. This conversation was going nowhere fast, and so it was distraction time. "The kind that goes super well with berries and fruit, and tastes pretty much just awesome on anything!"

Tim chuckled, "I am icing? What does that make you? A cookie? Eclair? Bite sized cream puff?" He nudged her playfully. "Thanks Kat." He hugged her once more.

"Cream puff? You calling me fat?" Kat joked back with a grin, returning the hug eagerly. "So, what should we do first? I've got a greatest hits collection from DC and Marvel, and a new upgrade on my zombie game that reeeaaaally needs two players." Kat piped up, not about to be denied and leave him to his own devices right now.

"Hardly! Cream puffs are awesome and bite sized. Like you half pint." Tim chuckled. "I was just gonna study. Or watch a movie or something. I am sure you have better things to do than babysit me Kat." His smile fell away. He glanced over at the comic books. "Maybe..." Tim warred with himself a little.

"Babysitting? Pssht! If babysitting means hanging out and eating junk food with an awesome hot guy, then I should get in on this babysitting action more often." Kat scoffed, staying rooted to the spot. "Come-ooooon, you know you want some Arkham Asylum action." Kat said grinning as she held the comic up near his face.

"Maybe. And pizza? With all the training not like I have to worry about getting fat and I could use a bit of overdoing it on something other than stupid actions." Tim took the book from Kat. "Anyone ever tell you that you are a persistent little thing?" His eyes flickered up to her. They were just visible in the shadow of his hood.

"Pepperoni, bacon and mushroom?" Kat grinned innocently. "Persistent? Moi? Now that doesn't sound like me at all." Kat joked as she pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial for her favorite local pizza joint, putting in for the order she knew Tim would like, and a meat lovers for herself.

Tim shook his head and smiled as she ordered the pizza. He wondered if she remembered what he liked from the night they met. He slipped back on the bed, his back contacting the wall and he flipped through the comic. When she'd hung up he looked over. "You are persistent and just awesome." His attention went back to the comic as he tried not to think about Arey. "Story or art? Which one gets you?" Is she envisioning my face as she punches things? Is she getting ready to break up with me?

Kat flopped down beside him once she'd finished with the order. "Oh yeah? Maybe I should make you write up a list, detail my awesomeness in pen." Kat teased as she wiggled her eyebrows. "Both." She answered more seriously. "Comic style's awesome, makes it special. The story's the heart of it though. Can't really have one without the other, otherwise it's just not the same."

Tim nodded. "Yeah." He sighed and tried to focus on the book.

They sat in silence for a moment before Tim looked up at Kat. "I didn't have much of an option did I? I had to be the one to seal the deal and be the distraction. D made a good deal and I couldn't let that get fucked up." He looked sad, like he needed something to help him come to terms with his actions. "I feel like I did the right thing for the group, the team but messed up with Arey. I can't win can I?"

"You did the right thing. Your heart was in the right place, and everyone got out of there without ending up some kind of fae love slave ok. We did good, you did good." Kat emphasized, poking him in the shoulder. "You don't know, maybe tomorrow she'll get over herself and apologize. Maybe she's just mad at the situation and not you. Maybe she just needs time to deal on her own. Either way, we can't do anything about it right now, so we're gonna shelf the Arey baggage, stuff our faces with pizza, and do fun shit until we pass out. I know where Viv keeps her top shelf booze too if we're feeling real adventurous." Kat said with a wink.

Tim felt like a needy ass. "Right, no more Arey talk. And no booze. Bad idea for me and as much as I am not quite myself you know I can't let you drink." Tim sighed and went back to the book. He did feel a bit better. Kat said he had done well. She also said that maybe Arey was just mad at the situation. He could sort of understand that but why wouldn't she have said anything to him then? Anything to let him know he hadn't totally fucked up with her? Maybe I should have gone to her, hugged her. She just seemed so mad. What if I made it worse by not being there for her? What if I was wallowing and I should have been thinking of her? God you are a moron. If Arey wasn't mad at him before than she sure as shit was now. Tim bent his knees, resting the comic book on his thighs.

"Yeah yeah, Mr. responsible, we know." Kat said rolling her eyes playfully. "Why'd ya think I broke out the Pepsi stash?" She wiggled over closer to him, giving Tim another one armed hug as he seemed to begin thinking too much again. She was really gonna have to limit this dead air. "So, you ready to come out of your turtle shell yet or do I need to steal it from you?" Kat asked with playfully narrowed eyes.

"Turtle shell?" Tim looked up at little. "Steal what now?" He eyed Kat warily.

Kat tugged lightly on the hood of his sweatshirt in answer, which he was hiding behind, both literally and metaphorically.

"Oh...I just haven't combed my hair is all..." Tim tried to shrug it off. "What difference does it make if I have it on or not. Pass a can?" He held his hand out. He was hoping to distract her. He wanted to hide a bit and Kat wasn't letting him. He wasn't about to pout or push her away but he was going to try and hold out.

"Ah-huh." Kat replied flatly. "Gonna have to steal it then." Kat said with a mischievous grin blooming on her face putting a can on the bedside table next to him.

"You just let my messy hair stay hidden okay? Buzz off little bee." Tim chuckled and gently pushed her to the side.

"Nope. I think the world needs to get a glimpse of your bed head." Kat grinned evilly as she dove in for a sneak attack, grabbing hold of the hem of the sweatshirt and pulling up.

"Gah! Kat! Come on!" Tim tried to gently fight her off. "Hey comic! Don't damage it! Back cream puff! Back I say!" Tim was laughing as he put his hands under Kat's arms and tickled her.

Kat full on giggled when Tim started the tickle war. Arin was the only one who knew she was ticklish, but she always gave as good as she got. "This means war!" Kat declared laughing as she simultaneously tried to tickle him back and pull his sweatshirt off with tenacious multitasking.

Tim gripped her arms in one hand and moved the comic with the other. "War? Well I am pretty sure I have you taken down half pint." He quickly resumed his tickling. "Leave my armour alone." He laughed and moved away from her attempts as he continued to tickle her. "I see you are quite ticklish, this does not bode well for you little cream puff." Tim lowered his voice and made it sound bigger, as if he were a giant looking down at a tiny village.

"Yeah well don't go counting your chickens just yet!" Kat got out between giggled as he secured her arms away from him and continued his tickling assult. She shifted around, trying to evade his hands before wrapping her legs around his middle and twisting, trying to yank him off balance.

Tim was laughing, harder than he had in a while as Kat tried to twist around. Her legs went around his stomach. Tim shook his head. "Sorry Kat but you are not gonna be able to get me off balance. You are too small...I am a giant remember?" He tickled her more to get her laughing before letting her arms go to grab her armpits. With a pull and twist Tim pulled her off of him and flipped her onto her stomach. Tim laid across her torso and began to tickle her again. "Sorry half pint. I win."

With a last tickle Tim jumped up and off the bed, releasing her. "Pizza should be here soon. I'll go get it if you want." He was smiling now, some of the tension released by the good natured rough housing. "Hey Kat, thanks. I know you have better things to do than cheer me up but I appreciate it."

"Reeevengeee!" Kat called up dramatically as she shook her fist in a cliche hand gesture. "I know where you live!" She grinned evilly as Tim hopped off the bed. She looked up when he mentioned pizza, all talk of epic vengeance gone. "We can go together." Kat said hopping up. "We can eat it in the shop and play games on my Wii. I got that new Just Dance game in, and I've been meaning to try it out anyway."

"Pizza in the shop cool. Dancing? Yeah, not so much but I am happy to watch." Tim stuck his hands in his pockets and followed Kat out of the room. He pulled his hood down as he walked. "You saw me at the club, I don't move well to music."

"Nuh-uh!" Kat said pulling on his arm as she bounced toward the shop. "You're gonna bust out your awkward white-boy moves, and you're gonna like it!" Kat said grinning before jump up and yanking the hood back again. "I will sneak attack you!" She warned as he tried to hide in his sweatshirt again. "And I am very good at sneaky."

"Alright, alright. I get it." Tim smiled. He entered the shop and found a chair. "So why does Viv bother with the shop? She told me she has a lot of money. She is going to help Arey, of course I have to talk to Arey about it still..." Tim frowned. "Maybe things will be better tomorrow, maybe she will talk to me again."

"To keep me busy mostly." Kat said off handedly as she fired up the electronics in the corner to set up the game. "I wasn't always the most acclimated person to modern society. Schools...kind of freaked me out for awhile. This was just easier."

Tim looked thoughtful, "You didn't...don't go to school?"

"Nope, never been. Not to a real one anyway." Kat said popping open the game case and slipping in the disc.

"So what, like online courses?" Tim hopped up at the sound of knocking on the door. He took care of the pizza delivery guy and returned with their food, setting it down. The box was popped open and he took a piece. "When did you move in with Viv and Arin?"

"Something like that I guess." She'd been home schooled mostly by Viv and Theo, and the rest she'd figured out on her own through the internet. Her education at the compound had focused her attention on the more electronical and practical advantages of her talents, but they hadn't neglected her ability to read either. "When I was almost seven I guess..." Kat replied heading back over to Tim and grabbing a slice of her own. "When the um...compound I was living at before finally got busted, I didn't really have another place to go. Most the other kids had families, but some of us didn't." She was chewing her pizza a bit more passively now, but this was the most she'd ever really opened up to someone about this except for Vivienne or the shrinks.

Tim chewed his pizza, "But how did you end up with Viv?"

"She was part of the rescue team." Kat explained before taking another bite of pizza. "They screwed up when they took Drew. Thought her sister was some kind of messiah or something, and grabbed the wrong kid. Their mom's some kind of freaky powerful witch though. She's kind of scary actually..." Kat shuddered a little, remembering Olivia Harris.

"I see. So Viv was working with their mom and she found you and took you in?" Tim bit down, enjoying the pizza and learning about Kat. "They came and rescued you? That is great. The people who had you...who were they?" He remembered the woman from Kat's memory.

"It was that or the foster system, and Viv said that probably wasn't a good idea for someone who'd been hacking bank accounts since they were three." Kat replied with a shrug. "They called themselves the Cult of the Mother. Bunch of weirdo fae supremacists who thought some chick called Iridwain was destined to come to earth and take over the world. They're some legend about her making vampires and werewolves or some shit like that. They think when she comes they're gonna be her army and rule with her after they burn everything else down. S'pretty messed up..."

"Cult of the Mother? That woman...no, nothing motherly in her or what they did." Tim growled a little. "That is some fucked up shit. Three? Hacking since you were three? Geez I knew you did things with tech that are you know, hard and stuff though you make it look easy but...wait how old were you when you went to them? Did they like steal you or something? And where are your parents?"

Tim lowered his pizza, "Shit sorry Kat. I know it is a lot of questions. You can tell me to fuck off and not answer them. I get caught up in questions, finding things out. I think it comes from taking statements for cases, you know making sure you have all the information to nail the assholes but you aren't some case...I was curious and I shouldn't be so nosy."

Kat chewed at her pizza slice quietly for a minute. She didn't really like talking about her parents, but it was more from the guilt over the fact that she didn't really remember them very well. "I was almost four, just a couple months away. I remember because we were supposed to go visit my dad's friends in Florida for it, and it was all he could talk about for a while." She said trying to remember. "They broke in the house...I think my dad tried to fight them off 'cause I heard him yelling in spanish. He only did that when he was really upset. They didn't...some people with fae blood have powers that hardly affect their lives. Some of them can do things that would make your stomach turn to watch." She didn't really want to explain further than that. Explaining that she'd worked for people who had pretty much murdered her parents in cold blood in front of her wasn't something she wanted to do tonight in so many words.

Tim put his pizza down and moved to Kat's side. He put an arm around her. Giving her a squeeze Tim sighed softly, "The world is full of really terrible people." He let her go. "You want to change the subject half pint?" He felt bad, as if he was prying too much. She had told him more than he expected and he could tell it was hard for her. Tim didn't want this evening all to be about pain and hurt. "You are going to have to show me how this game works, I don't think I am going to be good at it."

"Yeah it is." Kat agreed as she returned the hug, trying to re-center herself. She'd spent so much time trying to hide an suppress that part of her life that it felt kind of freeing know that a select few knew. Like she didn't have to worry about hiding it all the time anymore. "But there's a few pretty good ones too."

"There are." Tim grabbed pizza. "So you gonna demonstrate the game first?" He smiled at her.

"Sure thing." Kat said grinning before she pecked him on the cheek. "And don't think I'm goin' easy on you just 'cause I think you're cute." Kat taunted before grabbing one of the remotes and selecting one of the solo songs, deciding on Starships by Niki Manaj. It was a footwork heavy song, but not the hardest one in the game.

Tim chuckled, "When does anyone ever go easy on me?" He sat back and watched her dance.

The twirls and body curls were a little off putting, but Kat managed a four star rating on her first run through and she grinned as she turned back to Tim, face a little flushed. "Your turn toots. Pick something." She said handing him the remote. "You just copy what the dude dancing on the screen does, and try to match your movements."

Tim frowned, "Oh no...I ugh, think you need to show me another one. I don't think I get the idea." And I can't make my body move like that. "Plus, pizza!" He grabbed another slice, shoving it into his mouth, "Sorry can't dance, eating." He mumbled, mouth full.

"Yeah no, you're not getting off that easy." Kat said grabbing his arm and yanking him forward before putting a controller in his hand. "We'll do one together." She insisted, hitting the multi-player option.

"But...mouth full! I could choke!" Tim protested. He stood and reluctantly took the controller.

"If ya choke I'll give ya the heimlich maneuver. Don't worry doll face, I got you." Kat said scrolling through the duo options, settling on the less complicated "C'Mon" by Ke$ha. "Just follow the dancing panda dude, I've got faith in you." Kat said giving Tim a wink as the music started to play.

"Panda?" Tim watched the person in the panda outfit appear on the screen. "Why am I the panda?" Tim tried to follow along. He felt foolish and about three steps behind at all times. "How the hell am I supposed to know what to do? Those little people icon things make no sense!"

"Would you rather be the chick with the cat ears?" Kat shot back doing the clapping movement on the chorus. "Just follow me then, we're just mirroring each other's movements." She suggested on the twirl.

"Mirror?" Tim grumbled. He was trying but failing at the task of keeping up with her. "Kat I can't move like this." He swung his arms and almost threw himself off balance. "This game is stupid. The panda is stupid."

"Oh stop being a baby!" Kat said rocking her fists out in a bumping motion while trying to keep herself on rhythm. "It's just your first run through. No one's good their first time!"

"No one dances like this. Not for real." Tim tried to follow her actions with her fists. He was stiff and looked like he was milking a cow or something instead of dancing. "My hands and feet don't move together like this. I have no dance ability at all! I am not being a baby."

"Big panda baby!" Kat grinned as she stuck her tongue out at him, hand twirling in the air. "Just focus on moving your hand then with the movements. That's the only thing the remote sensor can pick up anyway."

"I'm the baby? Who is sticking out their tongue huh?" Tim tried to focus on his hands like Kat said. He turned a little and bumped her with his hip. "Sorry! Sorry! I am not coordinated!"

"S'ok, we're supposed to do that anyway." Kat said without heat as the began doing the weird wave like move. "Don't think about it so much. Just move. When you think, you don't dance."

"Don't think...you'd think I would be better at that." Tim stopped at looked at Kat, confused at the motions she was making. "Seriously? How the hell..." He tried to mimic her.

"It's coming on the chorus!" Kat called quickly. They were only on three stars right now, and she wanted four. "Switch foot clap!" She instructed.

"A what now?" Tim tried to clap on time.

"Better!" Kat complimented as Tim managed to hit a few 'goods' and 'oks' in the move. "Now crouch! I have ta jump on you!" Kat said quickly moving behind him.

"What!?" Tim crouched. "On or over?" He was confused and tried to make himself a low to the ground. "How is this dancing?"

"On!" Kat answered in brief warning before launching herself on Tim's back and throwing her hand in the air. "Epic fist bump!" She grinned before jumping back down and getting into place. "Last chorus line!" Kat warned.

"There is more?" Tim grunted a little as he tried to hop back up in time. "No one dances like this in a club Kat! I feel stupid!" He was breathing hard and trying to move his arms like her.

"How do youuuu know?" Kat taunted with a grin as she clapped her hands in time. "And if you look stupid, at least we look stupid together."

"Great...that makes me feel so much better and I didn't see anyone dancing like this in the club when we went." Tim clapped, half a second behind her. "I don't get how you know when to clap!"

"I'm a quarter Puerto Rican!" Kat said like that answered everything as the song wound down. They barely managed to edge into a four, but it was a victory none the less. "Yeah!" She whooped, grabbing his arm and jumping around.

Tim was breathing hard and he watched Kat bounce up and down. "What are we celebrating? How bad I am at that?"

"We got a four!" Kat said still bouncing. "That's good!"

Tim frowned, "Four what?" He looked back at the screen. He started laughing, he couldn't help it. She was bouncing up and down, smiling. He didn't know what he had done but she was happy and that was great. "I need a drink half pint, how about you?"

"Yeah sure." Kat agreed easily, pulling him over toward the water cooler in the corner.

"You like pulling me around like a child eh?" Tim trudged along with her and then poured out a glass of water from the cooler. "I feel like your pet." He chuckled. He handed Kat a glass and got another one for himself. "So that is fun for you? Dancing with a weird panda?"

"Pet huh?" Kat said teasing with another of her evil smiles. "Maybe we should throw a dog collar into that photo shoot huh?" She took a big gulp of water before he asked the second one. "Yeah so? That game's got a 4.3 product rating on Amazon! Totally legit stuff." She defended mildly.

Tim groaned, "Still with the photoshoot huh? Damn...no, no collar. I ugh, I am not much of a submissive kind of guy. At least not like that." Tim turned red and took a drink of water. "Hey if you like it that is great. I just don't know that I could spend a lot of timing playing it. I feel clumsy."

"Mmmmhmmm." Kat teased with a knowing look. "I can start calling you puppy if you want..."

Tim spit his water out. "No, that is just fine. Not need to call me that." He wiped a hand across his mouth. Grabbing a paper towel he cleaned up the drips from the floor. "So what other games do you like?" He desperately wanted to change the subject. The heat in his face was rising.

"Or something a little more personal, like Spot or Rex? I don't know, you look more like a Sandy to me..." Kat continued to muse relentlessly. "Is that too girly? I think we can work something out. I can get the tag worked out ahead of time on this if we brainstorm!"

Tim rubbed his head with one hand. "Okay...okay enough of that." He was bordering on uncomfortable. "So games...what else do you have?"

"Up for some zombie apocalypse action?" Kat asked after a moment of thought.

"Sure, sounds good." Tim exhaled, relieved that she let the teasing go now. He wasn't good with the idea of being submissive. Sure a girl could push him back on the bed, straddle his hips but in the end he liked to be the one in control. Collars and stuff were a bit too much out of his comfort zone.

"Then step into my office!" Kat said grinning as she ran over to grab the pizzas in one hand and then back to Tim, grabbing his hand and pulling him back toward the Batcave, a boundless mass of energy.

"Holy cow, you never stop do you?" Tim chuckled as he once again followed her. He couldn't help but look towards the batcave, towards the training room where he knew Arey was. Was she okay? Was she upset? Was she still angry? "Hey Kat, should I check on Arey? Do you think it is a good idea?"

Kat slowed down at Tim's question. Regardless, she didn't really want him to go running off to Arey, but she didn't really know the answer to that question either. She figured either way, whether Arey was mad and they had words, or if she had cooled down and tried to make up, Kat's hang out time with Tim was over. Kat just shrugged. Just because she didn't want him to leave didn't mean she was going to stop him either. "What do you wanna do?" Kat asked back. Because in the end, that was what was important.

Tim sighed, "I want to talk to her but she was so angry and wanted to be alone. I don't think I would be a welcome intrusion but what if she is upset? What if she wants someone to come and see her? Girls do that. They get mad and want the guy to come chase them down. What if that is what is going on?" Tim shook his head. "I don't know what the right thing to do is."

"Honestly, I got nothing here." Kat said sympathetically. "You just gotta do what you feel like you gotta do. You know blondie better than I do. What do you think she needs right now?" Kat asked reluctantly.

Tim inhaled slowly. Did he really know Arey that well? "I think she needed to blow off steam and then I think she needs to learn to talk about things but doesn't know how. But I don't know that I am the person she wants to talk to. I want to be that person but I am scared that I am not..." Tim looked down at his feet. He hated admitting he was scared.

The part of Kat that had always been jealous about Tim's open feelings for Arey, the part that sometimes fantasized about cutting off her ponytail at night or something equally as passive aggressively petty wanted to tell Tim he was right. Arey had issues to work through, and there was no telling if he was the man for the job. He should just wait for her to come to him. They'd all be better off that way.

"Well you're never going to be that person for her if you don't step up and try." Kat said instead, cursing at herself for not just being selfish about this and not just pulling Tim along with her for a fun filled night of pizza and zombies. "I know you're scared about how she's gonna react, but if she really has a problem talking about things, then sometimes you just have to be the bulldozer and get in there. If you want to be that person for her, you have to at least try."

Tim nodded. "You are right. I have to try. If she pushes me away, I'll know where I stand and it is better than this feeling of the unknown." He smiled a little and leaned down to kiss Kat's forehead. "Thanks half pint. You are one smart cookie." He gave her hand a squeeze. "We will do zombies another time okay?" She was right, he had to try and talk to Arey. He had to try, to show her he cared. He had to show her she wasn't alone and he was willing to give her some space but he wasn't willing to go away unless she told him outright she didn't want him anymore. Tim stood a little taller, felt marginally more sure of himself.

"Right. Go get your girl." Kat forced out with a convincingly fake smile before wandering off toward to kitchen to put away the pizzas. She wasn't really hungry anymore.

Tim turned and headed off to the training room. He stood in the doorway a moment before finding the push to step inside.