thoughtformed | (no subject)

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Gwen, Jack, it'll be just the two of you at the New Brew for the next few days. I'm trying the next stage of my physical therapy, and it's probably going to leave me too tired to be up during the afternoon, even wired on espresso.

On the plus side, after that I should be up for good.

In celebration of getting off crutches and braces, I'm going to go dancing, just as soon as I feel up to it. Anyone want to come with me?

[Locked to Vigilance]

Effective immediately I'm resuming my patrol routes. Batgirl, Supergirl, I'm sure neither of you would admit needing or wanting time off, but at least with me carrying my own weight you should be able to call it a night by 2 or 3 AM instead of 4 or 6. I'll be taking it easy at first, but I've been up on the rooftops on my own time a couple different times now, and it's been working pretty well.

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It's like my feet don't even touch the ground. Ask Kate.

No need. You'll show me. When are you going?

Tomorrow night, maybe? Unless you can't wait.

Really, really can't. Where should we meet?

Two blocks past the Italian restaurant we went to, and one up. Eight o'clock?

I'll be there. Bring... your dancing shoes.

[Someone watches way, way too much television. But she will be there waiting for him, clearly looking eager to see him on the dance floor.

She's expecting it to be very funny.]

[It's been a while since Tim's brought his tux out of the closet, but it doesn't take him long to change, and it's easier than ever to slip out the window after dusk and make his way down to the club over the rooftops. He does, in fact, bring his dancing shoes, and he drops down into the alleyway just off of the club, ignoring a necking couple with the ghost of a smile and pausing just before he steps into Cass's view, nostrils flaring as a cascade of thoughts occurs to him.

The moment she sees him, she'll know something has changed. Body language, posture, gait: all will indicate he's as healthy as he's ever been, far more than since she's seen him last.

But she may not know what that means. Well. It will make for an interesting game. He steps forward, into the halo of the streetlamps.]

Edited 2013-10-30 12:38 (UTC)

[At first, she's mostly just surprised by the fact that he's so dressed up. That alone makes him look different, even though it's not exactly a new sight it's still an uncommon one.

But it's his body that's the distracting thing. It's almost like he's wearing the skin of someone else but settled into it so well it's become his own, some new power that he's taken to and bent to his will. So she stares at him, eyes scanning him from head to toe and back again before she meets his eyes again. She needs to see him move more to get more answers, so she'll just play it normal for now.]

Should have told me... you were dressing up.

[She looks down at what she's wearing, just a pair of jeans and a black long sleeve shirt, nothing at all matching him. She's not even close, but at least she's wearing a pair of boots instead of sneakers.]

They accessorize with my dancing shoes.

[He walks closer, moving smoothly and casually until he's just within reach of her, not too close to be unusual. It's an indicator of trust, of ease - and meant to put her at hers.]

You look good. Were you going to dance, too? Or just... watch, and laugh if I mess up?

[His voice is every bit as confident and relaxed.]

[When he's close enough, Cass reaches up to run her fingers over the lapel of his jacket. He really does look nice all dressed up, she just sort of wishes she matched him now.]

Will do both, probably.

I can take you to a tailor next week, if you want.

[The insight is just a little keener than usual. Tim reads situations well, and logistics well, but people more unevenly, especially in small-scale interactions. Still, he's moving past that right away, heading in, hand moving down in a casual, friendly gesture to catch hers. His skin is just the slightest bit cooler to the touch than would be expected, but it's a cold evening, and he made his way here over the rooftops.]

[And it catches her off guard a bit, the way he can tell guess what she's thinking like that. She's used to being the one who does it, it's odd coming from someone else. Still, she links her fingers with his and follows after him, staying close as they walk.]

You could. Would be good, having nicer clothes. Just in case.

Just in case.

[He's not quite teasing as he echoes it - and then they're inside, the music loud enough to drown out almost anything that could be said. But he doesn't need words to pull her towards the dance floor. He knows there's plenty he can't hide from her, can't lie to her about, but some of that he might be able to drown out.

As he starts dancing, movements as graceful as anyone else on the dance floor but a trifle more deliberate, he lets just a little of his hunger show in the way he looks at her. It's a calculated risk, but it looks, he thinks, very close to a different kind of interest, one that ought to keep her off-balance, and move things in the way he'd prefer.]

[She doesn't join his dancing right away, just stays out of the way to observe him with a hint of a grin on her lips. It quickly becomes apparent that he isn't bad at all, he moves well and gracefully.

And then things she isn't quite used to seeing from him start to sneak into his body language, things she hasn't seen since she wore Barbara's Batgirl suit. Not exactly the same, but it's close enough.

When she finally starts to dance too, it's close to him, close enough for her to speak into his ear so he'll hear her over the music.]

You're different, tonight.

I know.

[He's skirting a line, but there are ways to make it easier, being as honest and as straightforward as he can be; staying close to her as they dance so that he's harder to observe. He'll incline his head to one side, indicating the darkest corner of the dance floor, where they'd have the most space, and saying nothing about why he wants to go there. Letting her draw her own conclusions is safer than trying to trick her.]

[It quickly becomes obvious that he's up to something, but she isn't worried. It's Tim, even if it does come to a fight she isn't in any danger. It's not going to, though. His body language is far too friendly for that.

He wants her in the dark corner so she breaks away from him to go there, moving through the crowd easily without looking back to be sure he's following.]

[Once they're there, it's back to dancing, keeping a little space between them and everyone else, but every little space between one another. This time, it's his turn to lean in and whisper.]

I'd like to show you what's different.

[She watches him closely for a minute before she nods, lifting one hand up to his shoulder.]

Show, then.

[Without waiting, and to anyone but Cass, without warning, he leans in for a kiss. In order to sell this, his intentions have to be sincere, his body language needs to read that this is really what he's trying to do, and so it is.]

[She might see it coming a mile away, the decision to kiss her, but it's still a surprise. There had been hints, an almost date that she hadn't put too much thought behind actually being a date, but she isn't expecting a kiss now.

She can see there's an underlying reason for this, something he's still hiding, so when their lips touch she doesn't close her eyes all the way. They're still half open, still reading him to see what he's doing.

It's nice, kissing Tim, but she's to distracted by what he's trying to get from her to let herself enjoy it completely.]

[He won't get closer than he is now - better trust, a better moment, a better setting. When he breaks the kiss, as he breaks the kiss, his fangs extend, and he's ducking to bite at her throat with a speed Tim couldn't possibly muster - but even if he's faster than her, if she sees it coming he might not be fast enough.]

[She could stop him. She could easily have him on the ground the second she saw that change, the intention behind it, and then last of the fangs.

It would be easy to keep this from happening or from going down this road, the guilt that will follow from an attack like this, but she doesn't stop him. She lets it go on, feels his teeth break her skin and reaches for his arm to steady both of them, lips parted in a gasp. Yeah, she saw it coming, but the actual thing itself is still surprising.]

[After the initial pain, there follows a sort of euphoric lassitude as he drinks - for both of them. His hands slowly tighten on her, but very carefully, he disengages after a minute. A pint, no more than she would give by donating, enough to leave her light-headed but not enough to risk her.]

That's... probably not what you expected.

[His voice is still smooth, confident - but a little rueful. Vampire or not, he's still Tim.]

[She keeps her grip on him when he pulls away, but whether it's for balance or to keep him from running off or simply because she needs the help standing is unclear. She's a little flushed, a little out of breath, and very confused.]

Not... exactly, no. Why did you...

[She trails off there, not sure what to even call that.]

It's what I am now.

[There's a tension in his voice as he says it, something between smugness and anxiety.]

I had to drink from someone. I picked you because... there's no-one I'd rather have at my side, and no-one else who could stop me.

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