(no subject)

[outthinks]

[It's a few days before Christmas and Tim has dragged Conner to an upscale department store in Gotham where even the cheapest trinkets are way out of Kon's budget. Tim is wandering throughout the displays on the floor, his eyes scanning each piece of merchandise on the shelf critically before moving on to the next.]

I really have no idea what to get Bruce this year. How do you shop for a billionaire who just has the technology division of his corporation make whatever he wants?

Comments

don't look at me like that

[outmatches]

[ never felt more out of place in his life before, Kon is just spending all the time inside the store trailing behind Tim, looking at the extremely pricey stuff on the shelves from afar and not even daring to touch anything.

as uneasy as he might be, spending some time with Tim was enough for him not to complain. at least not too much. ]

You know, I don't think I'm the most qualified person to help you think of a present for Bruce of all people...

But, anything that can that he can transform in a new and deadly "you-know-what"-toy will be great, I'm sure.

[outthinks]

I'm sure these leather gloves will work. [He jokes as he picks up an obscenely expensive pair of black gloves and drops them back down on the table.]

[Then he sighs and looks at all the people bustling around them, picking up gloves and bracelets and scarves, shaking his head slightly.] I should have planned for this months ago...

[outmatches]

He'll think of something to make with those, definitely. [ he says when Tim picks up the gloves. ]

I want to ask you if you really think there is nothing that he might want, but this is Bruce we are talking about...

Mighty task ahead of you, Drake. I'm glad I'm not in your shoes right now. [ there is a pat on Tim's shoulder and a half smirk on his face now. ]

[outthinks]

Thanks for the sympathy, Conner. [His response is dry and he half-heartedly eyes the gloves again before admitting defeat and moving on to a set of shelves in a corner.

The ceiling of the whole store is decorated with fake tree branches and lights and the corners are even worse, with the tendrils extending down to eye level. On the shelves are stacks of scarves made of high quality fabrics. Tim picks up a dark navy one and a corner of his mouth lifts in amusement.]

Look, [he points to the carefully-stitched delicate S shield in the corner of the scarf] fancy Superman merch. I wonder if there's anything monogrammed with the Bat symbol here.

[outmatches]

Don't count too much on it. You know how much more popular Supes are than Bats. [ there is a teasing tone in his voice that he knows only Tim can understand the meaning of.

he scoots closer to check it out though when Tim points out the s shield because, hey that's actually a really nice looking scarf.

...not that he can afford it. ]

This IS Gotham, though, so maybe you're lucky.

[outthinks]

Yeah? Well, Batman isn't exactly too full of Christmas cheer. We might have more luck around Halloween.

[Tim sees Kon eyeing the scarf and he can bet there's going to be one in his stocking this year. Tim makes a note to come back to the store tomorrow to pick one up. In the meantime, he starts flipping through the folded scarves in front of him, looking to see if the different colors indicate different superhero symbols.]

[outmatches]

[ he'd help him in the search, but there is no way he is going to touch anything in there. he feels like he'd set the whole store on fire if he even only tries to.

his eyes wander off around, maybe thinking that he might find some bat-engraved scarfs like that somehow, but they instead end up on something else entirely that catch his attention. there is a full-on grin right now and if Tim knows enough about Kon he'll know that that's definitely not good.

Kon walks a little closer to him, not enough to make him too uncomfortable... but it's not like what he is about to tell him would help that somehow.

his voice is almost like a whisper when he speaks and the grin is still there. ]

Tim, what if I told you that we are standing right under some really dangerous plant and we won't be able to move 'till we do a very, very specific thing?

[outthinks]

[Tim stiffens out of instinct at the words "dangerous plant" but relaxes when he registers the tone Kon is using. Mid-scarf check, he looks up and sees that someone had decided mistletoe would be a fun decoration to put up in a store and then his gaze switches to Kon. He raises an eyebrow, weighing the factors that pop into his mind.]

Conner, we're in a high-end store in Gotham with middle-aged women in fur coats all around us. [Even as he says this, he doesn't sound too convinced that they shouldn't kiss. The woman next to them does give him a look before moving down a few inches to look at other scarves.]

[outmatches]

Exactly. Imagine the look on their faces when we do it. It's gonna be priceless.

[ and he just scoots a little closer. you need more than that if you want to dissuade him, Tim. ]

[outthinks]

...Think of what the papers will say? [That's really the best he can do and even he knows it's not that good. It's not like there are any reporters in the store, he thinks as his fingers curl into one of Kon's belt loops.]

[outmatches]

I was actually hoping for a picture or two... [ he takes Tim from the sides and turns him towards his face, looking at him right in the eye with a sly smirk while ignoring everyone else entirely.

it's not like Gotham didn't know about Tim Wayne's boyfriend, anyway. the only problem is gonna be a very angry Bruce... but when is he not angry at Kon. ]

[outthinks]

[Instead of responding, Tim just gives him a small smile and gives in, leaning up to kiss him. He can hear the woman next to them shuffle away with a small huff but it just makes him press his lips more firmly against Kon's.]

[outmatches]

[ Kon kisses him back, his hands still on Tim's hips. their kiss is sweet and short, not wanting to cause too much of a ruckus. when their lips part away he looks at him again in his eyes with a smile, almost as if he doesn't want that moment to finish just yet. ]

How shocked are those women on a scale of one to whippersnappers?

[outthinks]

[The question draws a laugh out of him and Tim breaks eye contact to look at the handful of women edging away from them, pulling their furs tighter around their bodies.]

I'd say they're at the level of a "back in my day..." story.

[outmatches]

Then it worked better than I thought it would.

[ he breaks physical contact and takes a step away from Tim. ]

I think Bruce is going to kill me for real when he finds out, but it was pretty much worth it.

[outthinks]

I'd better get him a really nice scarf, huh?

[With a smile, he turns back to the shelves of scarves and finishes sifting through the pile he was examining before he got distracted. Finally, he pulls out a black scarf and holds it out to look it over.]

It looks like they do have Batman merch here.

[outmatches]

And I get to live another day! Thanks very pricey store for the opportunity. [ he says, with his typical sarcastic tone. ]

Anyone else on the list? Dick? Alfred? Damian?

[outthinks]

Everyone else has been taken care of. Yes, even Damian. [Honestly, Damian was the easiest to shop for, even easier than Dick.]

Let's go pay for this and get out of here? Now that the "dangerous plant" isn't keeping us hostage.

[outmatches]

Are you really sure about that? Maybe we should kiss again just to be safe. [ teasing again, but he's okay with that plan. just walk onward, he'll keep trailing behind you like he's done till now. ]

[outthinks]

Just to be safe. [he repeats and leans up quickly to give Kon a quick peck of a kiss. Then he's moving past him through the crowd to make his way to the cashiers, Bat-scarf in hand and trusting Kon to follow him.]