2012-06-29 Rooftop Rendezvous, Take Two

Tonight, it's Supergirl's turn to wait. She sent a message to Robin, telling him she wanted to meet on the same building in Tribeca. She's hugging herself as she sits on the edge of the roof, night breeze blowing through and lifting her blonde hair
As quiet as a whisper, Robin lands on the edge of the rooftop, his cape gathering around him a moment as he squats to quietly absorb the shock of the landing. Rising smoothly, his voice sounds out of the shadow from which he arrived. "Three nights in a row." he starts, a light and humorous note to his voice. "What is your friend going to say now?"
Kara smiles to herself, having heard Robin approach before he lands. Still, she decides to jump a little bit when he speaks. Kara turns around, smiling. "She's not going to say anything..." Kara pulls out a small cell phone from her felt pouch, a touchscreen smartphone in a pink case. "You now get a direct line to me..."
The boy smiles as he approaches, wearing a different cape than he wore the night before. This cape falls a few inches shorter, and seems much less likely to get tangled into his feet. "Nice." he says, not letting on that he knew she had a new phone when she placed the call. Robin finishes his stroll across the rooftop to come to a stop next to the sitting girl. He reaches under his cape, and pulls out a small, plastic package, that crinkles slightly. "Got you something." he says, holding out a small snack size bag of gummie bears. "Figure its my turn to get dinner."
Supergirl smiles and takes a few gummi bears, popping them in her mouth. "Thanks." She chews for a while, still smiling. "Not really dinner, but still good." She takes a deep breath, steadying herself. "So...how did your day go?"
Robin takes a seat on the roof's edge next to the girl and sets the bag of gummies between them, popping one into his own mouth. "My day was....uneventful." he states, not really sure how to answer without revealing details. He seems to pick up on a tension that wasn't there the night before. "Is everything all right?" he asks, not sure if something has happened, or if its him.
Supergirl sighs. "I had a talk with my cousin. it...didn't go well." She looks down at the street below, idly kicking her feet. "I made a terrible mistake a few weeks ago. And he thinks I'm out of control and undisciplined." She stays quiet for a few moments. "He wants me to stay with him to train. No contact with anyone. No being a hero until he decides I'm ready. No negotiation; if I refuse...I'm on my own. Completely."
Robin brings his hand up to the back of his neck a moment, and frowns. "That's....harsh." he says. The boy seems unsure what to say in response, and then reaches over to take Supergirl's hand. "What are you thinking?"
Supergirl smiles at Robin, grateful for the contact. "Loose my cousin or be isolated from all my friends for who knows how long?" She sighs. "To be honest, this isn't an easy choice for me." Kara pauses then speaks quietly. "To tell the truth, I've been crying for most of the day."
The white coverings over the boys eyes grow a little wider, as he interlaces his fingers into Supergirl's and hangs on to her hand. "I'm sorry." he says. "That cannot be an easy decision, choosing between your life and your family. Did your cous...Superman mean that even in your private life, no contact, or just no hero contact while your training?" Robin's voice is filled with concern, and a lot of hesitation and doubt. He's trying to comfort, but not really sure how too.
"To be honest...he didn't say." Supergirl sighs heavily. "But he says he can't trust me to make my own choices. So, I imagine he's not going to approve of who I've chosen as friends." She looks over to Robin and smirks. "I believe when he said I was gallivanting with strange teen heroes, he was referring to you."
Robin tries to give a warm smile. "I can't imagine why he would think me strange and that were gallivanting anywhere." He's trying to be funny, while at the same time not stick his foot in his mouth and accidentally insult the girl's cousin. The boy ponders a minute, not really sure what to say next. "I..." he starts. There's that hesitant stutter again. Seems like he would rather face a cadre of armed gunman then finish this sentence, but he presses forward anyway. "I could never ask, or expect you to give up on family. I'd give almost anything to have mine back." he finishes, his voice going quieter. So much for no details....
Supergirl looks at Robin curiously for a bit, but she just nods, rather than press for details. "I'd give anything for my parents to be alive, too." She gives him a sympathetic smile. "The truth is....it's not an easy choice. And it's tearing my heart into pieces. But it's a clear choice." Supergirl takes a deep breath and puts her hand on top of Robin's. "I'm going to stay here, in New York."
That answer completely stuns the Teen Wonder. His eyes go wide as he turns his head to study the girl more closely. "That's...." he starts, then, unusually for him he actually finishes his original thought. "a rash choice. Your friends will be there when your training is complete, if they are really your friends. Your cousin may be wrong, but this isn't the way to prove it." he finishes. He knows this might hurt...a lot...but he continues anyway. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to go...." Wait. Did he actually just say that? Maybe he should have stopped to think before speaking this time. "...but family isn't something you should give up on. Not unless your absolutely sure."
Supergirl nods. "Believe me, I'm not making this choice lightly." She looks out over the city, towards the ocean. "My friends are the ones willing to compromise. To work with me. To treat me as an equal. My cousin is being completely inflexible, unwilling to compromise. You've been helping me find my own strength; he thinks that I've made a poor choice and a terrible risk by wanting to befriend you." Another sigh, then she looks back to Robin, smiling a bit. "He's been alone most of his life, and he continues to choose a path of isolation instead of finding friends and colleagues. I can't live like that. You all have shown me that there is a more fulfilling life when we trust and make friendships."
Robin stays quiet a moment, then squeezes Supergirl's hand and nods. "Then you've made the right choice." he says. "I get the feeling that you're stronger than you realize, Supergirl. I think people distrust Superman because he holds himself apart from the world. And if this is the path you want to take..." the boy smiles, the easy charm that seems to come so naturally to him lighting up his face, "then your friends will be here for you. As will I."
Supergirl nods, holding Robin's gloved hand for a moment, then she wraps her arms around him, hugging him a bit stronger than he's uses to, but still within human tolerance. "Thank you, she says. And she's content to stay like this for a while.
Robin oofs a little, grinning at the girl before following her lead and placing an arm around her as well. "Are you going to be all right?" he asks softly.
"Yeah," Kara says with a nod as she breaks the embrace. "It's going to be rough, I know that. But my friends will help me get through it." Then she sighs and shakes her head. "And now, I'm back to wondering if this is the right choice." Supergirl smiles helplessly. "I'm sorry I'm being such a pain here. I'm just so screwed up right now..."
"I run around fighting crime with a bunch of gadgets I made in a basement, wearing armored spandex. I think screwed up just places you in good company." he says, trying to lighten the mood. Pausing a moment, Robin offers up the package of gummie bears. "You don't have to make the choice right now. Not to me anyway. Try the red one, it's delicious." he grins, and sings the rest, "Don't believe me, ask the dishes.." Oh yeah...he just started singing Disney.
Supergirl doesn't recognize the reference, but she smiles and pops a red one in her mouth. She chews thoughtfully, then looks over at Robin. "When you said you didn't want me to go...." she starts speaking quietly. "Why don't you want me to go?"
"I...uh..." Robin stammers, looking away as he blushes and tries to find an answer that doesn't make him sound like a complete dork. He brings his arm up and places a hand on the back of his neck, before shaking his head and plunging forward. "I don't get to talk to anyone.... not really. And not about stuff like this." he says, that ring of honest emotion entering his voice. "And now that I've found someone that I can talk too...I'd miss you." It gets hard for a moment to tell the difference between the boys face and his uniform, but he seems to need to push on. To get this out. "I know we've just met and everything, and this is ironic since were both pretending to be other people half the time, but...this is me." he says, motioning to himself. "I'm wearing a mask right now, but that other life....that's the one that's fake."
Supergirl watches Robin as he makes his explanation. She smiles gently and nods once he's done. "I know how you feel. My 'normal' identity...that's my mask too." Her smile is dazzling, feeling closer to her rooftop companion. "So...we're two heroes, both orphans, and both use our civilian ID's as our masks."
The boy can't help but stare a moment at that smile before it spreads to his own face as well. "Aren't we two of a kind." he jokes. "Amazing how we can feel more free with someone that we don't even know their real name." Robin pulls one knee up, leaning his elbow on it. "So your not a Disney girl, I take it."
"Disney?" Kara blinks in confusion. "Oh! You mean the animated films! I watch them sometimes; they're amazing!" She blushes some. "I guess I just don't know them well enough to know which one you're talking about, though."
Robin grins and holds his hand out. "May I borrow your phone for a second?" he asks, a mischievous grin on his face.
Supergirl blinks a bit more, but pulls the phone out and draws a complex pattern to unlock it. She hands it over to Robin, watching curiously.
With practiced ease, Robin spins the touch screen through a few menus, and then holds the screen up so they can both see. Animated characters leap to life, playing the song "Be Our Guest", giving reference to the little tune he was badly singing before.
Supergirl's eyes go wide as she watches the scene unfold. Watching her is like watching a child at their first Christmas. She claps along as the song continues, giggling at the foibles of the characters on the screen.
The boy can't help but feel good as the song comes to a close, and then gets a bright idea. "I’m really surprised you haven't seen this before." Robin says, "But it gives me a great idea." He brings the phone back down and holds back out to its owner. "We could make our own little theater somewhere and watch a Disney movie."
Supergirl takes the phone back. "I....I'd really like that." she says with a blush. Kara takes a deep breath. "Robin...I'm...not sure how this is supposed to go..." She looks at him, locking her eyes onto his. "I...I like spending time with you. Not doing the hero thing, I mean. But...like this. Us. Talking, watching things, sharing snacks and food." She takes another breath, getting ready to continue. "I don't know if...you feel the same way...."
"I like spending time with you too." Robin quickly interjects, before stammering a little. "It's really nice to...be real with someone, even though it almost feels like I'm lying to you half the time." He grabs the back of his neck again, arching and stretching his back a moment, before seeming to come to a decision. "These last two nights have been amazing. Some of the best nights of my life. And I really want nothing more to spend a hundred more up here, talking, laughing, watching silly cartoons just to see that smile on your face again..." he trails off again, the color rising in his face. "But the truth is, I go back to Gotham at the end of the week. I won't be close enough to just pop over to our rooftop and hang out. My duties and my life will be all around me again, and...." he stops, seeking Supergirl's eyes with his covered, vainly hoping she could just see through the material, see the fear in those blue eyes of his of all this ending, just when its started to begin.
Supergirl looks at Robin, trying to meet his eyes. "I know." She slowly reaches up and puts her hand on Robin's cheek. "We're so different, in so many ways. But I want to spend more time with you too." She closes her eyes, trying to focus. "I know my cousin would think I'm being rash. And I don't know how Batman would feel about this. But you're becoming very special to me, Robin. And i want this bond we're sharing to continue."
"Batman would tell me to stop this nonsense in a heartbeat. Attachment destroys objectivity and clouds judgment, and gets people killed." Robin says, the tearing at the truth he has been taught to believe evident in his voice. "I didn't get a chance to be a kid." he continues. "Meet girls, go on dates, dance at the prom.....I spent my highschool training with martial arts masters on 300 ways to disable a man with only one hand." the boy's voice breaks a moment. "And everything I've been taught goes right out the window when you smile." He leans his face a little into Supergirl's hand as it brushes his cheek, before pulling away and reaching up to take her hand with his. He seems to want to say more, but can't bring himself to voice it just yet.
The Girl of Steel nods symathetically. "I know. I've never been a cautious one, but still, I have to hold myself back when we meet. Because there's a lot that we need to consider and talk about first." Not the least of which is Kara's origin. She moves her hand away from Robin's cheek and gently places it against his chest, over his heart that she can hear beating. She closes her eyes and leaves her hand there, feeling the heartbeat. "This...could be another good reason for me to spend the time with my cousin. So that we can both work out how we feel here. Because showing him that I can be trusted to make good choices...what he considered to be good choices, it would mean that he would be more accepting of me...finding someone. Someone amazing, brave, and funny that can make me smile so easily." Kara smirks at Robin. "You're the one with the harder road when it comes to mentors, I think."
The Teen Wonder seems crestfallen for a moment, his heartbeat quickening beneath Supergirl's palm. "Are we saying what I think we're saying?" he asks, already knowing the answer but not wanting to hear it. To hear it, is to make it real and right now, in this moment, there is a flash of wonderful potential. Long talks, moonlight walks, stolen kisses. He doesn't want to be the one to break such potential, but at the same time, doesn't want to force Kara to make that choice either. "I'll still come, if you call." he says at last. "If I am able." Robin takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before reaching up and to take the girls hand in his own and bring it to his lips.
The kiss on her hand makes Supergirl smile and close her eyes. She shivers a bit at the tingling feel on her hand when it's kissed. "Yes," she says. "Yes, we are talking about...dating." She lets the word sink in for her benefit and for Robin's. "We've still got a long road ahead, here. But it's one I want to walk with you, to see where it leads." She smiles gently and then leans her head forward, touching her forehed to his. "Of course, I'll come if I'm able. And, unless it's totally forbidden, we can set up email and chat to talk while we figure things out. Show our respective 'parents' that we can be trusted to make good choices. And Gotham's not that far for me to fly. I won't come into the city limits, of course, but I can pick you up and we can spend time together. Once I'm not grounded...."
The boy smiles, lifting his hands to lay them lightly on Kara's hips as they hold their heads together. "Dating." he chuckles. "Never thought that would even be a possibility wearing this outfit." The possibilities fly rapidly through his mind. "I can set us up a secure, dead drop server through your phone and the communicator I gave you." he says. "We can email and text each other through that. And if your cousin needs to meet me...." Oh hey Superman...I'm Robin...I wanna date your cousin...*bang, zoom, straight to the moon!* "I think I can arrange that...."
"Small steps first," Supergirl says with a smile. She puts her hands on Robin's hips. "We still have to get past our masks. And that means we'll have to be ready to trust each other absolutely. Because it's not just our names we're giving each other; it's the names of people that we care about. My cousin's already nervous enough about certain secrets, the name being just one of them." Patience, something Kara's had a lot of issues with in the past.
"Small steps." Robin agrees. "Lets start with Beauty and Beast, and see if we have a tale as old as time." he says, grinning. He starts to grin mischievously again, not wanting to end the embrace, his heartbeat thundering at Supergirl's touch. "That will be hilarious tomorrow night." he adds.
"I'll take your word for it," Kara says with a smile. Then she shifts her head and kisses Robin on the cheek, lightly. "But now...I need to get back to the Embassy." She sounds pained at ending this meeting, but it was necessary. "I've got more thinking to do. Maybe talk to Diana as well. But...tomorrow night. Same roof, same time?"
If his heartbeat was thunderous before, it skips a beat when her lips touch his cheek. He steps back, grinning from ear to ear. "It's a date." he says, before turning and leaping off the roof. He dive bombs several stories before the grapple hook fires out and he swings away. Not nearly as cool as flight, but with his cape streaming into the moonlight, Robin does what he can with what he's got.
Kara smiles and hugs herself, shaking her head in amusement as Robin swings off. She'd known boys back on Krypton before, of course, but none of them had ever made her feel the way Robin did; like she could do anything, defeat any obstacle. And suddenly, a couple months of Kal's rage didn't seem so bad...
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