Selina's Sidekick

part eighteen

are they really going for *five* updates in one day?!?! yes. yes they are. 

"Hey, Cass, what's got Tim in such a...desolate mood?" Dick asked as he strolled into the Batcave in his civvies. 

The mentioned girl turned to her older brother, shaking her head slightly. "Boy."

Dick made a face of understanding. "Ah, well, he is at that age. I remember back when I was first...discovering myself." Cass made a face and Dick waved her off. "Not like that. I mean when I was exploring my identity, experimenting. Kory was my first kiss in general, but Wally was my first same sex kiss. And it really opened my eyes to a whole new world, you know?"

"No." 

"Well, you will. Eventually. Maybe." Dick shrugged. "Anyways, Tim just needs to get out of his own head and realize its  not that big of a deal to like people of the same sex and gender."

Tim, who was currently slouched down on the chair by the computer with his butt hanging off the bottom of chair and his head resting in the nook where his buttocks should be, a spare cape draped over him, shot up suddenly, glaring at Dick. "I know who I am, Richard. That's not the issue here."

Dick looked to Cass for further explanation. She whispered a moniker lowly, so lowly Dick had to strain to hear it. "Magpie."

After hearing that name, Dick turned back to Tim with a sympathetic look. "Tim, I may not have experience in that department - you know, crushing on a villain - but Roy does. Hell, he made a baby with one of the most deadly assassins in the world!" Tim grunted. "Do you want me to call him here for advice?"

"No! I don't need advice! I need...argh!" Tim groaned, slumping into the chair once more. "Why couldn't my life be simple?"

"Would be boring." Cass shot over her shoulder as she walked away from her brothers to go train, leaving them to discuss Tim's dilemma. 

"She has a point. Simple is boring." Dick shrugged, leaning against the computer with his arms loosely crossed, looking at his little brother. "So, what about Magpie has you...like this?"

Tim sighed, shaking his head. "Nothing. Everything."

"Could you be more contradictive?" 

"And could you reference less nineties television shows?" Tim snarked. Nightwing rose his hands in defense. Tim rolled his eyes, dropping his head into his hands. "Sorry, it's just...damn it."

"You wish he was anyone but who he is...but then that wouldn't make him, him." Dick put a hand on Tim's shoulder. "I get it."

Glaring up at Grayson, Tim smacked the hand away, standing up to put distance between the two of them. "You just said - repeatedly - that you don't get it." Running a hand through his slightly shaggy locks, Tim huffed. "I just...he's him...and I'm me. It could never...it could never work."

Dick chuckled, earning the fierce glare of Tim. "It worked - kinda - for Bruce and Talia. Why not you and Magpie?"

Tim deflated. "He...he seems to have his eyes on someone else."

"Well, he is a moron then. Who could he possibly have eyes for besides Robin, the boy wonder?" Tim mumbled something under his breath. "Sorry? You're gonna have to speak up."

Groaning loudly, Tim pointed at Dick. "You, you buffoon! Magpie likes you!"

Dick blinked. "I have never met him before, why would he - oh." The incident at the party came back to him, how Bruce had told Dick the teen that stole from him was Magpie. He gulped. This was not good. "Tim, we spoke once and you know how that went. Why would he like me?"

"You don't know Jason like I do. He likes a challenge, he welcomes them. You being hostile the only time you two spoke? He probably enjoyed that." Tim turned his head to the floor. "Besides, he always brings you up. He even calls you Dickie."

Furrowing his brow at that, Dick held his hand out. "Tim, let me see your phone."

"What? Why?" Tim questioned, but handed his phone over nonetheless. 

Saying nothing as he opened up Tim's messages and went to the ones with Jason, Dick's suspicions were confirmed. He started laughing, which Tim did not like. 

At all. 

Blushing, the young teen tried to snatch his phone away from the older male to no avail. "Gimme my phone if your just going to laugh at me!"

Composing himself, Dick explained why he was laughing. "Tim, pal, he doesn't like me. He is using me to bait you."

Freezing in his attempts, Tim stared in confusion at his big brother. "Come again?"

Dick chuckled, pulling up a conversation from the day of the chemistry partner dispute. 

Jason: I bet Dickie would've been my partner. HE understands the hoe code.

Tim: !!!!

Tim: are you saying dick is a hoe?

Jason: I ain't calling him a shovel, that's for sure.

Tim: will you ever get over me picking julie? it was one day!!!

Tim: not like it decided our fates for the rest of the school year

Jason: No, but it did solidify you as my second least favorite Wayne clan member.

Tim: ???

Tim: do i even want to know???

Jason: Absolutely, you do. 

Jason: Dickie <3, Alfred, Cassandra, Tim </3, Bruce

Jason: Notice the broken heart next to your name.

Jason: You did that to me when you chose Julie over me, you guapo monster. 

Tim: i think that is the most you have ever texted consecutively in...ever 

Tim: are you feeling okay?

Jason: Typical man, never listening.

Jason:  I'm HEARTBROKEN. You chose Julie over me. That's why I'm choosing Dickie over you. See you later, Drake. I have to go prep for when I sweep Grayson off his feet.

Tim: !!!

Tim: dick is NOT available!!!

Tim: and even if he were he's like, six years older than you

Jason: He can be my sugar daddy ;)

Tim: !!!!

Tim: bad jason! no! leave richard out of this!!!

Jason: No, I don't think I will. ;)

Dick looked at Tim's face, noticing the slight pink tinge to his cheeks. He ruffled his hair with a laugh. "He was flirting with you, you dingus."

"W-what? No! He said he wanted you to be his sugar daddy!" Tim squeaked. "How is that flirting?!"

Sighing, Dick tossed Tim back his phone. "Like I said, he was baiting you." Making his way back to the stairs, Dick stopped at the bottom. "Tim, do you know what 'guapo' means?"

"No?"

"It means 'handsome'. He is flirting with you." Dick walked up the stairs, chuckling to himself at the muffled scream Tim let out. He shook his head, sighing slightly.  "Clueless."