DesertedMirage Says: So this is just a little lyrical piece I came up with last night. I wasn't planning on writing a songfic at the moment, but I heard this awesome song and couldn't resist. I just knew it needed a songfic.
Not tied to any particular fanfic. Just Terry's thoughts and actions in regards to Max. It's set before she learns his secret identity.
Also, I don't usually like to explain the lyrics in my songfics, because I like the reader to gather from it what they will. But I will note that this chorus can be viewed in different ways, and I'm intending an ironic take on it. I think the songwriter may have meant "stupid things" as in neglecting a love interest. But my meaning is "stupid things" done out of love for someone. That silent cry for attention. ;)
The song is very, very "shway" with a lazy sort of cute sound, and I highly advise listening to it while reading this, if at all possible! Search it online. You'll find it. ;)
Song: "The Stupid Things" by Robin Thicke
Characters: Terry, Max
Terry stared at her, completely unashamed. He wouldn't have minded looking foolish even if she had caught him watching her. She knew him all too well for him to care. She was seated a couple of desks away, her side profile facing him, brown eyes focused obediently on the teacher. She was pretty, with short, blazing pink hair. He remembered when she first switched to pink. He hadn't immediately liked it, until the look began to grow on him, drawing him toward her even more. But that was freshman year; they were juniors, now. He smiled goofily. The more time passed, the more his attraction deepened.
"Just charge it to my account
I hope I haven't gone over my limit
With interest rates so swift"
She didn't know that he was Batman. Sometimes, when they talked on the phone, he had to stop himself from telling her about his job. She was so into heroes, though, and he held the knowledge that she harbored a "secret" crush on Batman. And yet, she didn't know that her hero was actually Terry.
The teacher concluded, and everything was moving. Terry stood up, squeezing through the eager class to the exit. Sliding his backpack over his shoulder, he waited patiently at the door for her to finish talking with the teacher. She was well on her way toward becoming Valedictorian, and they often studied together, although Terry's attention wasn't always on the homework…
"No need to scream and shout
No doubt if women are from Venus now
I'll get to them somehow"
She was walking in his direction now. He reached to hold open the door.
"That interesting, huh?" he poked fun at her ever faithful love for math.
She rolled her eyes as they strolled into the hallway. "Not like you were interested enough to do your homework, though, McGinnis."
Terry smiled easily as they moved along to the cafeteria for lunch. She could be more severe than his own mother when it came to his studies. But he enjoyed it. He had to keep her attention somehow.
"Well, I was too busy to get it done. I'm a working man now, remember?"
Her eyes slid his way, a skeptical smile appeared on her lips.
"All I wanna' do is please you
Please myself by living my life too
And all the stupid things I do
Have absolutely no reflection on how I feel about you
How I feel, oh"
The two found a spot away from the noisy cafeteria, outside in the green grass, beneath the trees. Terry lay on his back after finishing his hamburger, staring up at the sky. She sat quietly eating next to him, knees hugged to her chest. Terry turned his head to look up at her. He chuckled. A book was in one of her hands, a cupcake in the other.
"Don't you ever just sit and eat anymore?" he ventured, rolling over onto his stomach, propping his chin in his hand.
She nodded vaguely, too engrossed in her book to respond with any more than a mumble.
He rested his cheek on his arm, feeling exhausted from last night's battle with criminals. For a moment, he allowed his thoughts to daydream about what she would think if he told her that he was Batman.
"Wow,"
Terry looked up at her sudden statement. She was setting the book down now, looking amazed.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"This guy is so sweet,"
"Who?" he quizzed before yawning.
"Dillon, the guy in this book,"
"Well, what'd he do?"
She downed the last bite of her cupcake, then leaned back against the tree with a blissful sigh.
"You wouldn't understand, Ter. You'd think it's lame."
He rubbed his head. "Try me."
"Well," she began slowly. "He gave her a blanket."
"A what?"
"A blanket."
Terry blinked. "What's so sweet about that? I thought you were gonna' say a diamond ring or something…"
"All the stupid things I do have absolutely no reflection on
How I feel about you
How I feel about you, yeah"
She laughed at his obliviousness. "Told ya' you wouldn't get it,"
Terry felt himself blushing slightly, although they were best friends.
"Well, I think I'm romantic--"
"Says the guy who hasn't called his girlfriend in days."
He sighed. She had a point, he hadn't been the best boyfriend to Dana. Yet still, he wasn't even sure if he was with the right girl in the first place. It was stupid to be playful with his best friend, to be more flirty with her than he was with his own girlfriend. But Max was just like any other friend, right? She just happened to be a very pretty…very attractive best friend…who just happened to be a girl.
"Yes, I recall
Skipping on breakfast to play basketball
Then feeling two feet small
Sometimes you read like William Shakes
Your scent is sweet like Betty Crocker bakes
I'd love to have your cake and eat it too"
She had scooped up the book again, getting lost in the love story. Terry took advantage of the moment to reach for the second cupcake in the wrapper on her tray.
"Don't think I'm gonna' let you eat that, McGinnis."
He looked up, the cupcake inches away from his mouth. He grinned playfully.
"Sure you won't," he snickered at her warning. Setting aside the book, she reached for the cake, but he quickly moved it away. She tried again, grasping his wrist. She only thought she could match his strength. Both of them were chuckling now, and he finally let her win. But the cake dropped into the grass and was accidentally smashed by his arm.
"Terry," she was trying to scold, but smiling too much to be convincing.
"All I wanna' do is please you
Please myself by living my life too"
Terry watched her walk off to her door, then turned to go back to the apartment parking lot. Once in his car, he drove to the Batcave. When he returned to his room that night, he lay on his bed, weary and very bruised. His arm dangled over the edge of the bed, fingers caressing the carpet. Closing his eyes, he remembered the brighter side of his day, eating lunch with her, driving her home from school. It was easy to feel unshway when around her, since he was falling for her so quickly.
A smile curled onto his lips. She had mentioned Batman during their chat in the car ride, several times. He had tossed in his thoughts on the matter every now and then, trying to sound neutral. But he enjoyed hearing her obsessed talk about his alias. In a way, it was as though she actually did like him after all, wasn't it?
He pulled his blanket over himself, staring blankly at his tossed Batsuit. A moment later, he smiled slowly, a thought occurring to him. He stood up and pulled the suit back on.
"And all the stupid things I do
Have absolutely no reflection on how I feel about you
How I feel, oh oh
All the stupid things I do have absolutely no reflection on
How I feel about you
How I feel about you, yeah"
The next morning, Terry ambled somewhat nervously in the school hallways. His blue eyes searched the area. Finally, he spotted her, parked at her locker, talking animatedly with Chelsea. He halted in his tracks and stood hidden around the corner. He listened.
"So wait, Max. You mean you got something from…Batman?"
"Yeah, Chelse! It was a warm, soft blanket, wrapped up with a ribbon. It was outside my door this morning."
"But how do you know it really was from Batman?"
"Well…I mean, it was signed, 'From: Batman,' and it had a batarang on it…"
Terry frowned. Her confident tone was beginning to fade.
"But anybody could've gotten a batarang replica, Max. I think you just have a secret admirer," Chelsea giggled.
"I guess…"
Terry sighed softly.
"But I think I'd really like to think of it as being from Batman. Who knows?"
Terry grinned.
"Well, maybe Batman's got a crush on you," laughed Chelsea. "I've gotta' run. See you at lunch."
"Okay, see ya'."
Terry moved to the middle of the hallway as Max approached.
"Wait up, Ter," she called. He paused, then turned, waiting for her to catch up. His heartbeat was galloping, but he kept his cool. He slid his hands into his pockets as they walked along to their first class in silence. He sensed her thinking beside him.
"Guess what?" she finally spoke.
"What?" he volleyed casually.
Her eyes darted fleetingly up to his every now and then, and she kept touching her ear.
"Well, don't laugh, but…I think I got something from Batman."
Terry had to struggle to keep his smile relaxed. "Oh yeah? Such as?"
She opened her mouth to answer, but thought against it. She smirked, shaking her head. "You'd think it's lame - you wouldn't understa--" her sentence was cut-off. They stopped walking, and she stood scratching her head in consideration.
Terry held his breath. Did she know?
He chided himself. It hadn't occurred to him. It was stupid of him to have given her something so obvious from Batman. He was probably the only one who knew about the thing she had for blankets. Of course she would remember their conversation from the previous day at lunch, wouldn't she?
And yet, maybe he had secretly wanted her to know that it was also from Terry when he planted it.
"Uh…nevermind," she concluded, awkwardly rubbing her arm.
Terry gazed at the floor, feeling a tinge of disappointment as they walked forward again.
But now she was the one staring at him…wondering, hoping.
"And all the stupid things I do
Have absolutely no reflection on how I feel about you
How I feel
Oh how I feel about you