darthbatgirl | Birdwatching part 2 Eye on the Target (Reply)

Title: Birdwatching part 2: Eye on the Target

Author: darthbatgirl

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Characters: Roy/Tim, Alfred, Bruce

Summary: Tim's 19^th birthday party

Word Count:1913

Warnings: boy kissing

A/N: a thousand and one thanks to aravistarkheena for betaing for me

Even before Roy rang the bell at Wayne Manor, he could hear the sound of the band playing from. As he jabbed the doorbell, Roy recognized the music as being from a local band that Tim liked.

“Ah, Master Roy, Master Dick was worried that you would not be attending this evening,” Alfred said after he opened the door.

“Not a chance Alfred,” Roy said with a smile. “Got hung up in Star City with a bank robbery,” he said as he shook the older man’s hand. “So what’s with the band? Thought this was suppose to be low keyed.”

“That would be Master Dick’s contribution,” Alfred said with sigh as he lead Roy to the ballroom.

“Not exactly Beethoven,” Roy said with a laugh.

“Not exactly sir,” Alfred said with a small smile of his own. With that they stopped in front of the ballroom’s open doors.

“So where’s is the birthday boy in all this mess?” Roy asked surveying the crowded room.

“I do believe Master Tim was with Master Kon and Master Bart by the buffet table, they were in a heated debate about the latest sports car,” Alfred said as he took his leave.

Roy nodded his good-by as he descended into the ballroom. Roy scanned the room, seeing both people he knew and didn’t – knowing this was a gathering of both of Tim’s civilian friends and his friends from “the community”. For each hero that was invited Batman himself sent a note outlining the proper behavior that was expected of them.

Roy smiled at the memory of Ollie’s indignant shout as he crumpled up the note muttering about how the “Control freak couldn’t even throw a party the normal way.”

Suddenly a champagne flute appeared in front of Roy and he looked up to see billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, AKA the Batman, AKA the dark knight detective, AKA Tim’s adoptive dad, and suddenly Roy wished he had ran a lot later than what he had. “Roy,” came the baritone voice in greeting.

“Oh, hi Bruce,” Roy said as he took the glass from him.

“Roy I wanted to - it’s come to my attention that - I saw the bow you sent Tim, he’ll do well with it,” Bruce said with an air of someone finally deciding on a plan of action. Roy’s shoulder’s relaxed as he thought this I can deal with. “It’s similar to the one we used when he came to train with me. It’ll give him an edge but still keep him from being to close to the action.”

Bruce nodded as they walked through the crowd. “I was unsure of Dick’s idea of sending Tim for more training, but I didn’t like the idea of Tim joining the League either.”

Roy looked at Bruce with the hope the billionaire was joking, hoping that the anger that the urban legend had shown when called for the vote to invite his partner – his son – into the league had finally stopped. One look at Bruce’s face was enough for Roy to give up that hope. He could still see the resentment Bruce felt towards Superman for recruiting Robin.

“You know he’s just a reserve member, Tim will get more action with the Titans than with us,” Roy said with a half smile.

Bruce’s eyes narrowed at Roy, his lips set in a firm line. “He’s too young. He’s should not be getting involved. He doesn’t deserve to be hurt.”

Blue eyes locked with green and Roy knew exactly what they were talking about.

“Clark thinks that the League would do Tim some good, gives him some insight that he wouldn’t get with the Titans. He’s not a little boy anymore.”

“No, he’s not a little boy, but that doesn’t mean we throw him in the deep end and hope he doesn’t drown.” Bruce said.

“You talk as if he’s just starting out – Tim’s capable, he’s got an incredible mind, he’s a natural leader – people feel safe when they’re with him. I don’t think Tim would like it to know that you don’t think the same about him.”

“I know what Tim can do – I’ll never doubt him,” Bruce said a hint of steel and warning entering his voice. “Just because he has the experience, doesn’t mean he should dive into the line of fire.”

“Then tell him no, tell him to quit the league.” Roy said putting down his glass. “You could do it. You could get him to walk away from it. He’ll be safe that way”

“Because he wants this. I can see it in his eyes every time he talks about yo- the League. And it’s been a long time since he’s wanted something for himself,” Bruce said. “Just - I’m not going to be happy if he gets hurt.”

“The League takes care of its own,” Roy said with a hint of defiance in his voice.

“Oh? Will you protect Tim then?”

“With everything I have,” Roy said.

“I guess that will just have to do,” Bruce said. He placed his glass on a passing waiter’s tray and disappeared in the crowd. As he lost sight of Bruce, Roy let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. That wasn’t what he was expecting. Death threats and hidden explosives - yes, a veiled ‘take care of my boy’ – no, but maybe that was okay. This wasn’t about Bruce, this was about Tim and Roy, and what they wanted. And that was something they had to decide on their own.

Losing himself in the crowd and music, Roy was just about to walk over to join Donna and Kory, when another champagne flute appeared before him. Mentally sighing Roy took the flute, “Look Bruce if we have to talk about me deflowering Tim can we just be honest about?”

Looking up, Roy suppressed a startled gasp as he looked into Tim’s smiling face.

“You and Bruce are talking about deflowering me? I don’t know if I should be scared or intrigued. I was to take a step outside – get a little bit of fresh air. Did you want to come?” Tim asked.

A smile spread across Roy’s face as he fell in step with Tim, who hadn’t waited for his reply. The two slipped out of the ballroom and onto the balcony, tucking themselves in the shadows away from the light that came out of the open door.

“Nice party,” Roy said as he leaned against the railing.

“Yeah,” Tim said as he reclined against the brick wall. “Remind me to knock my big brother upside the head for this after the party.”

Roy smiled at Tim’s scowl, “A little more than what you had in mind?’

“It went from having twenty people over for a nice dinner, to inviting everyone I’ve ever meet in my entire life. I think Dick was even thinking about inviting Lady Shiva.”

“I’d love to see Shiva’s reaction to Bruce’s note.”

Tim slapped his palm to his face, “The notes! I wanted to burn them all when I saw them. I can’t believe Bruce did that.”

Roy threw his head back and laughed, before long Tim joined in, “Do you think anyone will notice if I quietly did away with both of them?”

“I think Clark would breathe a sigh of relief if you made that happen,”

“Yeah, I think he is getting tired of Bruce’s glares,” Tim said with a sigh. “So . . .

you and Bruce were talking? About me – about us”

A cloud moved from in front the moon, and moonlight shined down on them. Roy regarded Tim for a moment; black tousled hair, piercing blue eyes, full, inviting lips, and everything else dropped away. It was as if Roy was looking down at a target with Tim as the bulls-eye and all Roy had to do was aim true to win the prize. “We talked, it was as interesting conversation, but it wasn’t anything more than that.”

“It wasn’t?”

“What Bruce or anyone thinks about ‘us’ is secondary to what you and I think about ‘us’. I mean if there is an ‘us’. I mean if we want to be an ‘us.”

“Roy, I want that, I want to find out if what we have is ‘something.’ But I’ve never had a good relationship, what if . . .”

“What if we find out that we’re madly, deeply in love with each other; and we get to have our happily ever after with each other. Everything else comes in second compared to that, all we have to do is take a chance,” Roy said.

“I think I can do that,” Tim said. With one swift movement Tim placed a quick, kiss on Roy’s lips.

Before Tim could move away, Roy took Tim’s hand and place a small box in it, “Here, I got you something for you. Happy Birthday Tim”

Tim looked at the box with a mixture of amusement and confusion. “You already gave me a present, the bow . . .”

“Was a present from Red Arrow to Robin. This is from Roy to Tm.”

A blush spread across Tim’s checks and Roy, for a moment, forgot to breathe. Tim un-wrapped the box to reveal a small jewelry box, inside lay a pendant of a robin with an arrow in its claws.

“Roy,” Tim said, his voice dropping to a whisper, “It’s perfect.”

Roy took the pendant out and fasten it around Tim’s neck, “Simple beautiful.”

A moment passed as the two stood and looked at each other, bathed in moonlight. Tim placed his hand on Roy’s chest, stroking through the thin material of his shirt. Roy bit back a moan as Tim’s fingers skated across a nipple.

Roy wrapped an arm around Tim’s waist and rested his head on Tim’s shoulder as Tim continued his petting.

“So did the birthday boy get everything he wanted?” Roy asked, his breathe warming Tim’s skin.

“Almost everything,” Tim said as he threaded his hand in Roy’s too short hair. “No one gave me a birthday kiss.”

“No kiss?”

“Not a one,” Tim said as he began to un-tuck Roy’s shirt to touch the skin underneath. Roy pressed himself fully against Tim, pushing them both up against the brick wall. His other hand cupped Tim’s chin and held it at an angle that gave full access to Tim’s mouth. Roy covered Tim’s mouth with his own. Tim moaned as Roy’s tongue easily slid across his own. Tim tasted of frosting and champagne as Roy mapped out Tim’s mouth.

When the kiss ended Tim cast a glance at the open door leading into the party and then a glance over the railing of the balcony. Roy followed Tim’s gaze and saw what looked like an old horse stable that someone converted into a guest house.

“Follow me?” Tim asked as he tugged Roy toward the railing and jumped on top of it. Roy smiled as he vaulted the railing falling into the shadows after his Tim.