CATEGORY: Slash (Roy/Tim)
SUMMARY: "That's a double fudgesicle for me, and an ice cream sandwich and a firecracker for the immature geezers," Lian said.
CONTINUITY: Takes place a few years after my story "Finding Hozho"
NOTES: For Amarin Rose, who kindly begged for more Roy/Tim. Also meets Fanfic100 challenge #81, How?
The sun beamed, the grass was as green as could be, and not a cloud marred the perfect blue sky. Roy knew this because for once he had a day off with his two favorite people in the world and he was lying comfortably on the aforementioned grass, listening to Tim and Lian debate the relative merits of pepperoni vs. mushrooms on the pizza they'd been promised for dinner.
He let the words wash over him without paying much attention until someone splattered water on his face. "Hey!" he said, opening his eyes to matching grins. "What was that for?"
"You looked like you were falling asleep, Daddy," Lian said, shaking her head.
"And what's wrong with that?" Roy yawned, feeling his jaw crack. "I could use a nap."
Tim nudged Lian in the side. "He's getting old. Next thing he'll need a walker."
"A walker?" Roy launched forward to tackle Tim, rolling them through the grass. "I'll use my walker to beat you about the head, youngster."
"You mean you'll try," Tim said as he slid out from Roy's grip like a greased pig.
Roy dove after Tim, but they both stopped at a familiar tinkling sound. Roy looked at Tim. Tim looked at Roy.
"Ice cream!" they yelled, watching the truck roll to a stop nearby.
Lian groaned. "You guys're never gonna grow up, are you?"
"Nope," Roy said. "That mean you don't want ice cream?"
"Hey!" She sat up, hand outstretched.
Laughing, Roy dug out a few singles for her. "My usual, what about you, Tim?"
"The usual."
Lian jumped up. "That's a double fudgesicle for me, and an ice cream sandwich and a firecracker for the immature geezers."
Roy and Tim both tossed a handful of grass at her retreating back, before laying back in the grass laughing.
"We've got the best kid," Tim said.
Swallowing around a lump in his throat, Roy didn't respond immediately.
"Roy?"
"Nothing. It's just that never gets old."
"What?"
Roy smiled, looking at the cloudless sky. "We."
Tim paused. "Oh. Huh." Tim's hand slid into his, warm and strong. "So, uh..."
Roy's eyes widened and he turned to look at him, but Tim was looking up. Uh-oh. Tim hesitating never boded well. "Yeees?"
Tim swallowed. "You ever think about another one?"
"Another what?"
"Another child."
Roy's jaw dropped. "Hell if I know. Remember, I didn't plan this one."
"Oh." Disappointment couldn't have been more obvious in Tim's voice if there'd been a little bubble flashing the words 'I'm disappointed' over his head.
"Tim, hey." Roy squeezed his hand. "Look at me."
Tim turned, his blue eyes lidded.
"You just surprised me. I didn't say no." Hearing familiar laughter, he glanced over to look at Lian, joking around with other children gathered at the ice cream truck. "I've never thought about it, I guess."
Tim gave an infinitesimal shrug. "Maybe with our line of work we couldn't. It just sounded like fun."
Roy stared up at the sky again, but instead of seeing blue, he saw sleepless nights, dirty diapers...and the grin on Lian's face every time he came through the door, the way her little feet toddled as she ran to Daddy. "Yeah, it was something all right."
Already slurping on her fudgesicle, Lian dropped on the grass next to Tim, handing them their treats.
"So, Lian," Roy began.
At his tone, her head shot up. "What?"
"Whoa, it's nothing bad." Roy sat up and Tim followed. "I...we were just wondering how you'd feel about a little brother or sister."
Lian's eyes widened. "Oh...nuts," she said.
"Ah, that would mean what precisely?" Tim asked.
She stared at them. "I knew it. I just knew it would happen eventually."
Roy looked at Tim, hoping he'd have some idea what had just happened. "What?"
Lian had one hand on her hip and a glare Batman would be proud of. "I knew all this chasing magic and supervillains would catch up with you. Which one of you is pregnant?"
There was a long silence. Tim's lips twitched, but he seemed unable to answer her. Once more into the breach...
"Neither of us is pregnant, sweetheart," Roy said carefully. "We were talking about adoption or surrogate parenting."
Lian blinked. "Oh. Okay. That sounds like a great idea." She ate the last of her fudgesicle and ran back to the playground.
Tim stared after her. "On the other hand," he said eventually, "maybe my heart couldn't take the strain of more than one."
Roy could only nod in agreement.
--end--