Symmetrical
Because I was asked for Tim-centric fic, though it isn't a sequel. I started writing a mirror fic first. So this is for mremre and ilyena_sylph. Much smut.
Symmetrical
Dick is brooding again. Tim flips through his weapons catalogue without really looking at it. Dick seems to be thinking hard about something. Tim hopes it isn’t Babs. For many reasons. The one he is most likely to admit to is that it hurts Dick, that she hurts Dick. He has other, less innocent reasons to want Dick to think about something other than Babs, but he pushes those away to the place where he’s been locking those type of feelings away for months now. Dick looks at him, and blinks oddly. Tim smirks.
“You know, coffee might help with that.” Dick gives a smile and nod, and he’s still not paying any attention. The man comes back with two mugs, and hands one to him. It sloshes and spills over the side a little, and Tim licks it off before it can drip on Dick’s couch. Dick nearly inhales his coffee, and Tim has to laugh. “I’ve heard that there actually is something called sleep, and that some people even get to enjoy it on a daily basis. For eight solid hours!” Tim can’t actually remember when he last slept for more than four hours in a row - and he has a good memory. He sips his coffee carefully, and watches Dick stare blankly at nothing.
He should distract the man, or at least get him to go to bed. A bed that Dick will certainly offer to share with him. Tim doesn’t think he’ll be able to do that tonight. He’ll sleep on the couch, away from Dick and his far too welcome need to cuddle when exhausted. Babs has broken up with him and it would be far too easy for Tim to entertain possibilities of things that could happen between them now. They’re not really possibilities. No matter how much Tim wishes they were. Dick is apparently fighting with himself, and Tim gives him a concerned look.
“Dick?” he asks gently, snapping the man out of it. “You haven’t paid attention to a single word I said, have you?”
“Sorry,” Dick yawns, “tired.” Obviously. Tim glances the man over. When did he last get a good night’s sleep? They have nothing to do in the morning - if he gets Dick to bed now the man may even be able to sleep in.
“Right,” he says, standing up. “You’re going to bed.” He pushes Dick towards the bedroom gently, steeling his resolve to sleep on the couch.
“I’m fine,” Dick protests, and turns towards the kitchen. “Just need more coffee.” Dick looks like all the coffee in the world wouldn’t help him right now, but sleep might not either, so Tim lets him go. He watches the man, leaning against the counter in that ridiculous bathrobe and feels his heart clench. Tim can’t not touch him, but restrains himself to a concerned hand on the shoulder.
“Dick, what’s wrong? You seem so tense.” It’s true, it looks like the man is going to give himself a cramp, thinking that hard. “Did you and Babs fight again or something?” Tim begins massaging Dick’s shoulders gently, working the tension out of them.
“No,” Dick sighs, “ No I haven’t even spoken to her since she dumped me. Again.” Two weeks. How on Earth did they manage to avoid talking to each other for two weeks? Tim glances over to where he knows Oracle has a camera hidden, and notices Dick has taped a sock to the wall there. There is a strategically placed can of soup in front of another one, and a stack of boxes blocking a third. Tim releases Dick’s shoulders, and moves to face him.
“Maybe it would help if you two talked.” It hurts to say that, it really does. But. Maybe it’ll make Dick happy. It’ll be okay if Dick can just be happy.
“I think it’s really over this time.” Oh God. That must be why Dick’s been so out of it this morning.
“You think she won’t come back?” he asks gently.
“No,” Dick says, and his tone is strange - careful. “No, I think I won’t.” Tim cannot help but stare, shocked. Dick doesn’t mean that. He can’t mean that, he never does, he may think so now, but -
“You’re not going to forgive her?” He will. He always always does.
“No, I forgive her,” Dick says, shocking him again. “I just don’t think I can date her anymore.” That leaves Tim reeling. Dick’s never been quite like this about breaking up with Babs before.
“Wow. Dick, I.” He what? He. Can’t finish that sentence. “Are you okay?” I love you.
“I think so. Or I’m going to be.” Tim nods. Dick will be okay. And Babs will call any day now, and eventually Dick will answer the phone. But right now the man looks so sad. Tim gives him a hug - he shouldn’t, he never hugs people, Dick will know something is off-because Dick looks like he really needs one. He lets go quickly - if he holds on much longer he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to let go. He pushes Dick gently towards the couch, getting him to sit down, and carefully works the tension out of Dick’s shoulders.
“Thanks,” Dick mutters, and Tim gives him a nod before going back to not looking through the weapons catalogue. He tries to focus on the pages, but can’t stop thinking about Dick, who is sitting right beside him, and just told him he’s not going back to Babs, and he probably needs comfort and... dammit.
Tim isn’t a saint. He looks up at Dick and kisses him firmly, and then gently pulls away. He searches Dick’s eyes, hopeful, and Dick pulls him into his lap, kissing him back. There’s a good possibility that this is just Dick needing comfort on a physical level, but Tim flicks his tongue gently into the man’s mouth, and finds he can’t bring himself to care. He presses into the man and pushes the stupid - adorable - bathrobe off him so he can grind their bodies together. He lets his hands roam freely over Dick’s body - this may be his one and only chance to do this. Dick’s hands roam over his back, and he has to push the man down below him on the couch, and begins grinding against him again.
“Tim. Please. I. I want you.” How long has he dreamed about hearing those words? Dick wants him, and it’s probably just a ‘now’ thing, but. A one-night stand is better than nothing. It might even last a few days, depending on how long it takes Babs to call.
Tim pulls them up off the couch and they stumble their way to the bedroom, not letting go of each other, and Tim trips them onto the bed. Pretty soon they are nearly tearing each other’s clothes off, and a small part of his brain is sane enough to be thankful they’ve already changed out of their uniforms, or they’d both have gotten quite the shock. And then he leans down to take Dick in his mouth. Dick arches into him with a moan, thrusting and fucking his mouth. Dick is trying to say something to him, but it just comes out in fragmented moans.
“Tim, God, just like that. Tim. Oh God. Yes. Keep. Right there. More. Please. Don’t stop. I love you.” And Tim isn’t really able to tell if he chokes because of what Dick says or because Dick is coming in his mouth. He swallows and pulls off, and he barely has time to breathe before Dick is kissing him again, fierce and slightly desperate.
“I,” he gasps when Dick finally lets go of his mouth, but he can’t finish the sentence because Dick is kissing him again, even more desperately than before. He wrenches his lips away from him. “I love you,” he says, because he has to tell Dick that, even if he seems to be trying to prevent him from it. And Dick kisses him again, without the desperation, slow and deep and tender. Tim is not thinking about how this could end any moment. He is definitely not wondering if Dick ever kissed Babs like this. Dick is kissing his way down Tim’s body, and then starts sucking him gently, making all thoughts but Dick and yes fly from his head. Tim’s hands move of their own accord, finding Dick’s head and holding him on, fingers twining in that soft black hair, clutching to him. Tim starts thrusting helplessly, and Dick rolls them over and holds his hips down. Tim can’t do anything more than gasp and whine and thrust, and Dick starts sucking harder and then he swallows. Tim comes with a moan.
“Tim.” And Dick shifts to hold him, and Tim can’t stop shaking and all he can feel is good. When the euphoria finally wears off, Tim notices Dick has rolled them over again, and he can’t stop himself from nuzzling into the man’s neck, planting a few sleepy kisses there before drifting off.
Tim wakes up because of an unfamiliar noise. He blinks, and realises it's Dick’s phone. Dick is awake below him.
“Gonna get that?” he asks with a smile.
“Not moving,” Dick replies, and pulls Tim closer to him. It’s comfy.
“It could be important,” he says, though he really doesn’t want to move either.
“It’s probably Babs,” Dick informs him, and Tim feels his heart squeeze. Babs is going to apologise and Dick is going to sulk a little and then go back to her. Tim’s heart squeezes even more. Babs makes Dick happy. Tim is not going to stand between Dick and happiness, even. Even if it kills him.
“You’re going to have to talk to her eventually.”
“Not if I don’t move,” Dick replies. The answering machine beeps on.
“Dick,” says Babs' voice on the machine, "pick up. I know you’re there, I can see your tracers.” Between Bruce and Babs, Dick probably would have to leave the apartment naked if he wanted to make sure no one was tracking him.
“Someone should pick up the phone,” Tim says.
“Dick,” says Babs’ voice on the machine.
“You talk to her then,” Dick says. Tim lets out a sigh. It is painful to stretch and reach for Dick’s beside phone, but not physically.
“Hi Babs.”
“Tim!” she sounds surprised, “I didn’t know you were in Bludhaven.” Which is frankly a small miracle, and shows how determinedly they have been avoiding each other. “Can you put Dick on?” Dick shakes his head firmly at Tim and gives a pleading look that he can’t say no to.
“He’s currently hiding in bed and refusing to talk,” he informs her. He avoids mentioning he is on top of the man. Babs sighs.
“Can you tell him I’m sorry?”
“He can hear you,” he says, and gives Dick a look.
“I’m sorry, Dick. I really am.” Dick sighs.
“Hand me the phone,” he says, and Tim hands it over with an encouraging look. Better to get this over with now, it will hurt less. Or it will hurt Dick less. “I’m sorry too, Babs,” Dick says. Tim feels his heart break.
“Can you forgive me?”
“Yes. But Babs, it’s really over this time.” Tim can’t hold back his gasp. Did Dick just -
“What?” asks Babs, voicing Tim’s question.
“I’m sorry,” Dick says, and he sounds really sad, and Tim doesn’t know what to do.
“Are you still angry?” Babs asks in a small voice.
“I’m not angry, Babs. It’s just over.”
“Why?” Dick gives him a smile, and there is no sadness in it. Maybe this is okay?
“I’m in love with someone else.” Tim has to smile back at him.
“Oh,” says Babs quietly. “I. Oh. Okay. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not going to ask you to be my friend, Babs, because I know exactly how much that hurts. But I am going to tell you that I’ll always be your friend.”
“Okay. Right. I’ll - go. Bye, Dick.”
“Goodbye, Babs.” Dick hangs up, and pulls Tim back down on him, kissing him again. “Hey,” he says gently.
“Hey,” Tim says back, and then gives in to the urge to snuggle into the man.
“Gotta make a quick call.”
“Okay,” says Tim, confused and slightly worried.
“Dinah? Hi, it’s Dick.”
“Dick? What’s up?”
“I was actually wondering if you’d be able to make a stop in Gotham today.”
“Uh, probably, why?”
“I need you to drop by the Clocktower and check on Babs. I’d come bearing ice cream.” And that is just so Dick to do, too.
“What happened?”
“I told her we couldn’t date again.”
“What?!”
“You know how she broke up with me two weeks ago? Well she called to apologise, and I told her we couldn’t date again.”
“You mean right now, or…”
“I mean we just can’t date ever.”
“Wow. Right I’m on my way to the Clocktower. What’s her favourite ice cream?”
“Rocky road. But if you can’t find any I’d go with chocolate.”
“Right. Bye Dick.” Dick sets the phone back down and glances at him. He gives the man a soft kiss.
“Dinah and ice cream?” he asks with an accompanying eyebrow raise.
“She’s going to need it. You’ve seen me after Babs breaking up with me.” And it just about broke Tim’s heart. He is never never going to hurt Dick like that. He doesn’t think it’s even possible for him to.
“God, I never knew one person could eat that much ice cream and still be able to move.”
“It makes you feel better. Then again, so does this.” Dick kisses him passionately, pulling him close. “Not letting you go ever.” Tim can’t help but smirk.
“It’s going to be rather hard to patrol like this.”
“You know what I mean. Now come shower with me.” That sounds like a very good idea.
~
Dick is grinning from ear to ear as he heads towards the Tower. He’d snuck into the Cave and stole some of Tim’s equipment so he could drop by on the pretence of returning stuff Tim had left in Bludhaven. Of course, once he was there, the Titans would undoubtedly invite him to stay, and he has arranged it so he has nothing else to do on the weekend. It’s shouldn’t be too hard to keep from groping Tim in front of the others.
This resolve, however, flies from his head the second he sees Tim, and he hurries into the room, swings Tim into his arms, pins him against the wall and starts kissing him. Probably not the smartest idea he’s ever had, but Tim certainly doesn’t seem to be protesting. He pulls away gently.
“I missed you,” he says, and kisses him again. Tim pushes him away.
“My room, now,” he demands, and all but drags Dick out of the room. Not that Dick minds.
Not at all.
Symmetrical
Dick is brooding again. Tim flips through his weapons catalogue without really looking at it. Dick seems to be thinking hard about something. Tim hopes it isn’t Babs. For many reasons. The one he is most likely to admit to is that it hurts Dick, that she hurts Dick. He has other, less innocent reasons to want Dick to think about something other than Babs, but he pushes those away to the place where he’s been locking those type of feelings away for months now. Dick looks at him, and blinks oddly. Tim smirks.
“You know, coffee might help with that.” Dick gives a smile and nod, and he’s still not paying any attention. The man comes back with two mugs, and hands one to him. It sloshes and spills over the side a little, and Tim licks it off before it can drip on Dick’s couch. Dick nearly inhales his coffee, and Tim has to laugh. “I’ve heard that there actually is something called sleep, and that some people even get to enjoy it on a daily basis. For eight solid hours!” Tim can’t actually remember when he last slept for more than four hours in a row - and he has a good memory. He sips his coffee carefully, and watches Dick stare blankly at nothing.
He should distract the man, or at least get him to go to bed. A bed that Dick will certainly offer to share with him. Tim doesn’t think he’ll be able to do that tonight. He’ll sleep on the couch, away from Dick and his far too welcome need to cuddle when exhausted. Babs has broken up with him and it would be far too easy for Tim to entertain possibilities of things that could happen between them now. They’re not really possibilities. No matter how much Tim wishes they were. Dick is apparently fighting with himself, and Tim gives him a concerned look.
“Dick?” he asks gently, snapping the man out of it. “You haven’t paid attention to a single word I said, have you?”
“Sorry,” Dick yawns, “tired.” Obviously. Tim glances the man over. When did he last get a good night’s sleep? They have nothing to do in the morning - if he gets Dick to bed now the man may even be able to sleep in.
“Right,” he says, standing up. “You’re going to bed.” He pushes Dick towards the bedroom gently, steeling his resolve to sleep on the couch.
“I’m fine,” Dick protests, and turns towards the kitchen. “Just need more coffee.” Dick looks like all the coffee in the world wouldn’t help him right now, but sleep might not either, so Tim lets him go. He watches the man, leaning against the counter in that ridiculous bathrobe and feels his heart clench. Tim can’t not touch him, but restrains himself to a concerned hand on the shoulder.
“Dick, what’s wrong? You seem so tense.” It’s true, it looks like the man is going to give himself a cramp, thinking that hard. “Did you and Babs fight again or something?” Tim begins massaging Dick’s shoulders gently, working the tension out of them.
“No,” Dick sighs, “ No I haven’t even spoken to her since she dumped me. Again.” Two weeks. How on Earth did they manage to avoid talking to each other for two weeks? Tim glances over to where he knows Oracle has a camera hidden, and notices Dick has taped a sock to the wall there. There is a strategically placed can of soup in front of another one, and a stack of boxes blocking a third. Tim releases Dick’s shoulders, and moves to face him.
“Maybe it would help if you two talked.” It hurts to say that, it really does. But. Maybe it’ll make Dick happy. It’ll be okay if Dick can just be happy.
“I think it’s really over this time.” Oh God. That must be why Dick’s been so out of it this morning.
“You think she won’t come back?” he asks gently.
“No,” Dick says, and his tone is strange - careful. “No, I think I won’t.” Tim cannot help but stare, shocked. Dick doesn’t mean that. He can’t mean that, he never does, he may think so now, but -
“You’re not going to forgive her?” He will. He always always does.
“No, I forgive her,” Dick says, shocking him again. “I just don’t think I can date her anymore.” That leaves Tim reeling. Dick’s never been quite like this about breaking up with Babs before.
“Wow. Dick, I.” He what? He. Can’t finish that sentence. “Are you okay?” I love you.
“I think so. Or I’m going to be.” Tim nods. Dick will be okay. And Babs will call any day now, and eventually Dick will answer the phone. But right now the man looks so sad. Tim gives him a hug - he shouldn’t, he never hugs people, Dick will know something is off-because Dick looks like he really needs one. He lets go quickly - if he holds on much longer he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to let go. He pushes Dick gently towards the couch, getting him to sit down, and carefully works the tension out of Dick’s shoulders.
“Thanks,” Dick mutters, and Tim gives him a nod before going back to not looking through the weapons catalogue. He tries to focus on the pages, but can’t stop thinking about Dick, who is sitting right beside him, and just told him he’s not going back to Babs, and he probably needs comfort and... dammit.
Tim isn’t a saint. He looks up at Dick and kisses him firmly, and then gently pulls away. He searches Dick’s eyes, hopeful, and Dick pulls him into his lap, kissing him back. There’s a good possibility that this is just Dick needing comfort on a physical level, but Tim flicks his tongue gently into the man’s mouth, and finds he can’t bring himself to care. He presses into the man and pushes the stupid - adorable - bathrobe off him so he can grind their bodies together. He lets his hands roam freely over Dick’s body - this may be his one and only chance to do this. Dick’s hands roam over his back, and he has to push the man down below him on the couch, and begins grinding against him again.
“Tim. Please. I. I want you.” How long has he dreamed about hearing those words? Dick wants him, and it’s probably just a ‘now’ thing, but. A one-night stand is better than nothing. It might even last a few days, depending on how long it takes Babs to call.
Tim pulls them up off the couch and they stumble their way to the bedroom, not letting go of each other, and Tim trips them onto the bed. Pretty soon they are nearly tearing each other’s clothes off, and a small part of his brain is sane enough to be thankful they’ve already changed out of their uniforms, or they’d both have gotten quite the shock. And then he leans down to take Dick in his mouth. Dick arches into him with a moan, thrusting and fucking his mouth. Dick is trying to say something to him, but it just comes out in fragmented moans.
“Tim, God, just like that. Tim. Oh God. Yes. Keep. Right there. More. Please. Don’t stop. I love you.” And Tim isn’t really able to tell if he chokes because of what Dick says or because Dick is coming in his mouth. He swallows and pulls off, and he barely has time to breathe before Dick is kissing him again, fierce and slightly desperate.
“I,” he gasps when Dick finally lets go of his mouth, but he can’t finish the sentence because Dick is kissing him again, even more desperately than before. He wrenches his lips away from him. “I love you,” he says, because he has to tell Dick that, even if he seems to be trying to prevent him from it. And Dick kisses him again, without the desperation, slow and deep and tender. Tim is not thinking about how this could end any moment. He is definitely not wondering if Dick ever kissed Babs like this. Dick is kissing his way down Tim’s body, and then starts sucking him gently, making all thoughts but Dick and yes fly from his head. Tim’s hands move of their own accord, finding Dick’s head and holding him on, fingers twining in that soft black hair, clutching to him. Tim starts thrusting helplessly, and Dick rolls them over and holds his hips down. Tim can’t do anything more than gasp and whine and thrust, and Dick starts sucking harder and then he swallows. Tim comes with a moan.
“Tim.” And Dick shifts to hold him, and Tim can’t stop shaking and all he can feel is good. When the euphoria finally wears off, Tim notices Dick has rolled them over again, and he can’t stop himself from nuzzling into the man’s neck, planting a few sleepy kisses there before drifting off.
Tim wakes up because of an unfamiliar noise. He blinks, and realises it's Dick’s phone. Dick is awake below him.
“Gonna get that?” he asks with a smile.
“Not moving,” Dick replies, and pulls Tim closer to him. It’s comfy.
“It could be important,” he says, though he really doesn’t want to move either.
“It’s probably Babs,” Dick informs him, and Tim feels his heart squeeze. Babs is going to apologise and Dick is going to sulk a little and then go back to her. Tim’s heart squeezes even more. Babs makes Dick happy. Tim is not going to stand between Dick and happiness, even. Even if it kills him.
“You’re going to have to talk to her eventually.”
“Not if I don’t move,” Dick replies. The answering machine beeps on.
“Dick,” says Babs' voice on the machine, "pick up. I know you’re there, I can see your tracers.” Between Bruce and Babs, Dick probably would have to leave the apartment naked if he wanted to make sure no one was tracking him.
“Someone should pick up the phone,” Tim says.
“Dick,” says Babs’ voice on the machine.
“You talk to her then,” Dick says. Tim lets out a sigh. It is painful to stretch and reach for Dick’s beside phone, but not physically.
“Hi Babs.”
“Tim!” she sounds surprised, “I didn’t know you were in Bludhaven.” Which is frankly a small miracle, and shows how determinedly they have been avoiding each other. “Can you put Dick on?” Dick shakes his head firmly at Tim and gives a pleading look that he can’t say no to.
“He’s currently hiding in bed and refusing to talk,” he informs her. He avoids mentioning he is on top of the man. Babs sighs.
“Can you tell him I’m sorry?”
“He can hear you,” he says, and gives Dick a look.
“I’m sorry, Dick. I really am.” Dick sighs.
“Hand me the phone,” he says, and Tim hands it over with an encouraging look. Better to get this over with now, it will hurt less. Or it will hurt Dick less. “I’m sorry too, Babs,” Dick says. Tim feels his heart break.
“Can you forgive me?”
“Yes. But Babs, it’s really over this time.” Tim can’t hold back his gasp. Did Dick just -
“What?” asks Babs, voicing Tim’s question.
“I’m sorry,” Dick says, and he sounds really sad, and Tim doesn’t know what to do.
“Are you still angry?” Babs asks in a small voice.
“I’m not angry, Babs. It’s just over.”
“Why?” Dick gives him a smile, and there is no sadness in it. Maybe this is okay?
“I’m in love with someone else.” Tim has to smile back at him.
“Oh,” says Babs quietly. “I. Oh. Okay. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not going to ask you to be my friend, Babs, because I know exactly how much that hurts. But I am going to tell you that I’ll always be your friend.”
“Okay. Right. I’ll - go. Bye, Dick.”
“Goodbye, Babs.” Dick hangs up, and pulls Tim back down on him, kissing him again. “Hey,” he says gently.
“Hey,” Tim says back, and then gives in to the urge to snuggle into the man.
“Gotta make a quick call.”
“Okay,” says Tim, confused and slightly worried.
“Dinah? Hi, it’s Dick.”
“Dick? What’s up?”
“I was actually wondering if you’d be able to make a stop in Gotham today.”
“Uh, probably, why?”
“I need you to drop by the Clocktower and check on Babs. I’d come bearing ice cream.” And that is just so Dick to do, too.
“What happened?”
“I told her we couldn’t date again.”
“What?!”
“You know how she broke up with me two weeks ago? Well she called to apologise, and I told her we couldn’t date again.”
“You mean right now, or…”
“I mean we just can’t date ever.”
“Wow. Right I’m on my way to the Clocktower. What’s her favourite ice cream?”
“Rocky road. But if you can’t find any I’d go with chocolate.”
“Right. Bye Dick.” Dick sets the phone back down and glances at him. He gives the man a soft kiss.
“Dinah and ice cream?” he asks with an accompanying eyebrow raise.
“She’s going to need it. You’ve seen me after Babs breaking up with me.” And it just about broke Tim’s heart. He is never never going to hurt Dick like that. He doesn’t think it’s even possible for him to.
“God, I never knew one person could eat that much ice cream and still be able to move.”
“It makes you feel better. Then again, so does this.” Dick kisses him passionately, pulling him close. “Not letting you go ever.” Tim can’t help but smirk.
“It’s going to be rather hard to patrol like this.”
“You know what I mean. Now come shower with me.” That sounds like a very good idea.
~
Dick is grinning from ear to ear as he heads towards the Tower. He’d snuck into the Cave and stole some of Tim’s equipment so he could drop by on the pretence of returning stuff Tim had left in Bludhaven. Of course, once he was there, the Titans would undoubtedly invite him to stay, and he has arranged it so he has nothing else to do on the weekend. It’s shouldn’t be too hard to keep from groping Tim in front of the others.
This resolve, however, flies from his head the second he sees Tim, and he hurries into the room, swings Tim into his arms, pins him against the wall and starts kissing him. Probably not the smartest idea he’s ever had, but Tim certainly doesn’t seem to be protesting. He pulls away gently.
“I missed you,” he says, and kisses him again. Tim pushes him away.
“My room, now,” he demands, and all but drags Dick out of the room. Not that Dick minds.
Not at all.