Chapter Text
It starts with a joke, preceded with some unusual contact. Just a simple off-handed comment, one that is so commonplace for Tim and his friends nowadays. Tim almost didn’t catch it when Kon said it. But he definitely caught the touch, the kind he's longed for. The kind he dreamed about on the rare night that his dreams aren't nightmares.
They are bopping around the tiny kitchen in Cassie’s new apartment. Kon, Bart, Tim and Cassie. Bodies crashing into each other as they all try to cook and bake the various dishes for their all night movie marathon bonanza. Tim is flipping the veggies roasting in the stainless steel pan, part of a set Tim bought Cassie as a housewarming gift for her very first apartment years ago. He had removed his jacket earlier, due to the warmth from cooking and the movement. His shirt, a cropped tee, leaves a sliver of bare skin above the top of his jeans. Tim had thought nothing of it. His teammates have seen him in far more scantily clad outfits both during and outside of missions.
Kon brushes past, one hand trailing across Tim’s lower back. Tim stills, utensil clattering onto the pan. Kon keeps moving, but leaves his hand on Tim, and points at the oven door with a knee. His other hand hoists a freshly prepared pie.
“I ‘kneed’ the oven, move over hot stuff.” Kon says after a second. Tim nods, stepping back from the stove to allow Kon past him. Kon places the pie on the rack carefully, using both hands, and continues like nothing happened. Tim picks the spatula back up to stir the vegetables before they burn.
It's strange. Tim and Kon are friendly. They frequently come into contact with each other, in various states of dress. It's part of the job. Part of their friendship. It has never felt like this before.
His body feels alight. Like someone has electrified every nerve ending. Kon doesn't acknowledge it. Tim finds himself latching onto every incidental touch, trying to figure out why it feels different tonight.
Tim finishes cooking his dish. They all serve themselves and crash onto the couch to watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The opening theme plays while Tim processes. Kon has sat next to him. Bart is sandwiched between Kon and Cassie. Kon finishes his plate about halfway through the scene where Will and Jack swordfight. He sets his plate down on the coffee table in front of them, stacked high with snacks and candies.
Tim sets his plate on the side table, leaving a bit of pie. His appetite has left him. All Tim can think about is how Kon’s thigh is pressed against his. How Kon stretches his arms out on the back of the couch, around both Bart and Tim. They’ve jokingly called each other names along the same lines as ‘hot stuff’. But combined with the touch, and that tone, it feels different.
Tim can feel the tips of Kon’s fingers rest against his shoulder, a few strands from Tim’s bun are caught in his hand. But Kon doesn’t seem to mind. He rubs small lazy circles into the tense muscles there. Tim fights every impulse to melt. He stares at the screen, wiping his face into a blank mask. His mind runs through all possible explanations, including the one Tim wants so bad to be true.
Kon leans over when Elizabeth tumbles into the water, Jack diving in to rescue her. Tim turns toward him. “You didn’t like the pie?” Kon asks quietly, nodding at Tim’s plate.
“No, it was good.” Tim whispers back, captivated by Kon’s cerulean eyes. “I got full.”
Kon’s eyes flick down to Tim’s lips. Tim wets them.
“I bet you did.” Kon whispers, leaning back against the couch once again. Tim frowns, trying to parse Kon’s meaning.
Bart makes a snarky remark about the movie and Cassie puts it on 2x speed to hold his attention. Tim tears his gaze away from Kon and watches as the closed captioning blurs across the screen. A small tendril of TTK pulls Tim back against the couch.
“You’re hunching like a gargoyle.” Kon teases, back at a normal volume. Cassie laughs and says something about Tim being dour and gothic.
Tim doesn’t focus on responding, though. His body buzzes where Kon’s TTK touched him. Kon’s warm body presses into Tim’s side, and Tim makes a mental note to reevaluate this interaction later when he’s less light headed. All these feelings, sensations, why tonight? Tim sorts through all his interactions since he started crushing on Kon years ago. Nothing has changed recently. Except that touch which proceeded the stupid joke. The tone and pitch when 'hot stuff' passed those plump pink lips.
As the movies play, Tim gets more relaxed. He melts into Kon’s side. At some point he must drift off, because when he wakes up a blanket is tucked around him and under his chin. Kon is snoring softly beside him. Some random action movie is playing on screen. Cassie seems to be the only one left awake.
Tim takes the scene in. Their bodies are lit intermittently by the flickering glow of the screen. Bart is curled into Cassie’s side, and she absent-mindedly drags her fingers through his wild hair. Kon is fully wrapped around Tim, and somehow Tim has migrated onto Kon’s lap while he slept.
“How long have I been out?” Tim whispers to Cassie. She turns to face him with an amused expression. “You slept through five movies, and crawled onto Kon’s lap after he came back from a bathroom break sometime during the second one.” She answers, quiet.
“Why didn’t Kon move me? He must be warm with me and the blanket on him.” Tim says, beginning to move. Kon’s arms tighten around him, and he whines softly in his sleep. Tim freezes, looking to Cassie for help.
“Kon is exactly where he wants to be, Rob.” Cassie says softly, stifling a laugh when Kon shifts and floats an inch off the couch cushions. “Trust me.”
Tim scowls. Something here isn’t adding up. Kon’s odd behavior in the kitchen. The strange comment about being full. At least the cuddling is somewhat normal, they haven’t really done it all that often since Kon and Bart died, but they used to all the time.
“Just go back to sleep Tim.” Cassie insists, not unkindly. “Worry about it in the morning.”
She has a point, Tim concedes. There is nothing Tim can do about it now. Kon has him wrapped in his grasp, and, if Tim is being completely honest with himself, he really doesn’t want to be anywhere else.
He huffs and lays his head back down. Kon hums happily, curling a tendril of TTK to card through Tim’s hair. His bun has come mostly undone now, and normally it would irritate Tim. But with Kon carding it out of his face, Tim doesn’t mind it down.
“You’re hot.” Kon murmurs, concerned and sleepily. Cassie covers her laugh with a cough.
“I’m fine. Just warm.” Tim murmurs back, trying not to wake him. Kon squirms, pulling the blanket halfway down Tim’s back.
“Better?” Kon mutters. Tim nods against his shoulder. Kon sighs contentedly.
“Boys.” Cassie remarks, shaking her head. “Useless, all of you.”
Tim ignores her, letting himself drift off in Kon’s arms. He should be freaking out and overthinking everything, like he always does. But everytime Kon’s TTK cards through his hair, Tim feels all resistance and panic melt away. The steady rise and fall of Kon’s chest soothes him. Tim can hear Kon’s calm heartbeat, it’s consistent and even rate lulls Tim to sleep.
Things weren’t weird the next morning when they both woke up. Bart and Cassie had already peaced out. Bart to work and Cassie for a cape-related call. Kon woke up first, Tim could tell from the low sounds of the TV behind him and the light from the screen washing over Kon’s face.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Kon says softly, with an odd look on his face. He leans forward and Tim’s breath catches in his chest. Kon stares deeply into his eyes, Tim can feel his hot breath cross his face. Then Kon…. dumps Tim and the blanket onto the couch next to him.
“Finally.” Kon grouses as he stretches. “I never knew you were such a clingy sleeper Tim.”
“Me?” Tim squawks, indignant. “You’re the one who wouldn’t let me go, tightening your arms every time I moved.”
“No clue what you’re talking about.” Kon teases, grinning as he slips on his shoes. “Anyway, I gotta jet. See you at the tower next week?”
“Yeah.” Tim confirms, dragging a hand over his tired face. “I’ll see you then.”
“M’kay.” Kon chirps happily, wrapping Tim into a tight hug before he floats toward the window.
“I’ll lock up after.” Tim offers, knowing Kon is probably itching for his daily flight in the sunshine.
“Thanks, Rob.” Kon adds, that odd expression back on his face. Tim bends down to lace his boots back up and he hears Kon bump into the window. Biting back a grin, Tim turns, eyeing Kon’s distracted state.
“You good?” Tim asks gently. He watches in fascination as Kon’s ears turn pink.
“Um, yeah.” Kon says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Just drowsy.”
“Drowsy?” Tim repeats, smirking.
“Yeah, slept too much.” Kon says, almost convincingly.
Interesting. Tim turns the excuse over in his mind, poking holes in it. Kon is definitely flirting with Tim, isn’t he? Tim so badly wants that to be the case. There is a way to test his hypothesis, gather more data to support it.
“Okay.” Tim accepts the excuse. “If you say so.”
Kon nods, only tearing his gaze away from Tim to open the window. “See you soon?”
“At the tower.” Tim confirms. “It’s a date.”