Disclaimer: I do not own this maze of bone and flesh and word and wit. But I do swear, that if I dare, I'll make something of it.
A/N: Sort-of companion to "My Girl." An excuse for a tea party.
This isn't quite here and it isn't quite there and even though nobody is entirely sure what is really going on, it doesn't really seem to matter much because everyone looks so very nice in their suits and there doesn't appear to be anything dangerous about this place and anyway, they are all here together and so they are quite safe, aren't they, really?
Also, there is tea.
The doors open and the guests of honor arrive.
000
Green Arrow starts a little as a red-haired young man with a solemn face and a twitching mouth escorts a teenaged girl with a chip on her shoulder a mile wide over to him. At first he is confused, because who is this girl and why is she with him and what is going on here, but then she looks full in his face and his eyes catch hers and suddenly, he's accepting her hand with all the grace and respect she is due because this is Star City and she's come to have tea with the girls.
She is wearing dark purple, and she is smiling for the first time in a long time and it is for them.
000
The Flash grins, huge and bright when he sees his nephew and who his nephew is with. Unlike Arrow, he knows immediately who his visitor is and he drops to his knees and holds out his arms with a great big smile and an eager laugh. And she runs to him, pigtails flying, trailed by her delighted attendant, who tickles her gently as Flash lifts her into his arms. She wraps her own arms around his neck and offers one to his nephew, because Central City is only a little girl and she's here to have a tea party.
She is dressed in yellow and blue, and her hair is the red of carrots.
000
A frowning boy with a confused face holds his arm stiffly for the woman who is briskly approaching Superman. Said man swallows hard at the vaguely disapproving look she gives him –clearly, she is not pleased with whatever the boy has told her about their relationship. But she accepts his hand and allows him to remove her from the boy's arm –to his obvious relief– and press a cautious kiss to her cheek, because Metropolis City is a business woman, and she's taken time out of her busy schedule to have tea with her sisters.
She wears pinstripe navy dress pants and a blazer, and waves her Blackberry like she thinks they want to make something of it.
000
Aquaman is gravely reverent as he receives the lady's hand from his partner. The boy steps back, dark cheeks flushing, just the littlest bit at the smile he she graces him with. Her face is serene and pleased, happy to be here, happy in his company. Aquaman feels the flush himself as her eye trails admiringly over his robed shoulders, and she laughs gently, delightedly. And this makes them both smile, because that is the effect she has on them, because Atlantis City is a queen, and she's come to take her tea with her friends.
She is draped in flowing green silk and her feet never seem to touch the floor as she walks.
000
Gotham enters the room and draws everyone's attention, not because she is Gotham, though that certainly plays a part, but because she is surrounded by a quartet of black-haired, blue-eyed boys who dance attendance on her every move. Escorted on either side, defended from behind, and announced from in front, she sashays into the tearoom with a glittering smile and a toss of her head. Batman steps forward and his sons reluctantly hand her into his capable arms, only to stop in bashful and surprised pleasure when she drops a kiss upon each dark head, because Gotham is a lady, and she's here to play hostess for this tea.
She wears a dress of midnight sparkling with stars, and her lashes dip convincingly as she blows her boys a kiss.
000
Star and Central and Metropolis and Atlantis and Gotham are seated around their table, sipping Darjeeling and making each other giggle like schoolgirls.
Oliver and Barry and Clark and Orin and Bruce stand stiffly behind their ladies' chairs and nod to each other once in a while, still not completely sure what is going on.
And Roy and Wally and Connor and Kaldur and Dick (and Jason and Tim and Damian) sit on the floor underneath a nearby table and pretend that they aren't teenaged boys having a tea party of their own.
(Gotham is hostess.
Alfred made the tea.)
A/N: What is this? Besides an excuse to have a tea party, of course?
Why, my dears, it is an excuse to imagine our heroes in button-downs and suit jackets! What other reason could I need?
Also, this whole thing happened because I was thinking of Gotham, and how the other Cities must be jealous of her, because she has so many young, beautiful attendants who dote upon her every whim. I didn't get to the jealousy part, but meh. *shrugs*
Have some tea, everybody. I promise, nobody let Damian near it.