the most wonderful time of the year

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

WHO: BATFAM and friends!
WHERE: The Bathouse
WHEN: Thanksgiving Day
WARNINGS: batangst, family drama, look who’s in this log
SUMMARY: holy shit Dick invited everyone now what do
FORMAT: words



[ When all is said and done, the place really does clean up pretty nicely. No visible cluttery mess aside from that half-assembled Christmas tree in the corner of the living room, and there’s appropriate mood music on in the background. Make yourself at home and grab some food before it’s gone. ]

Comments

open! (also super late /sob)

[birdcodename]

[Chilling, mulling about, wanting to just not be sleeping for once.]

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

[Cass hadn't gotten much of a chance to reunite with Babs since her return, so when the gathering starts to die down, she scampers over, hoping to catch her relatively alone.]

Hi.

[birdcodename]

[Have a huge smile from Babs.]

Hey. [Anyone who might try to interrupt is getting a punch to the face.] Been a while.

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

Yes. [She returned the smile and rested a hand lightly on Babs'.] Wasn't the same... without you.

[birdcodename]

[Babs gives Cass's hand a tight squeeze. A hug isn't that far off.]

I've heard you guys have been busy.

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

[Cass wasn't really one for hugs, but she'll make an exception in this case.]

Always. Everything's, um... weird right now.

[birdcodename]

[Pulling back, but still keeping pretty close.]

I heard a little about the parade from Charlie.

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

Yeah. And my boyfriend... has been, um, sick.

[She just shakes her head in frustration.]

And there's Steph.

[birdcodename]

[Babs' expression softens a little at that frustration.]

She won't come home?

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[She let out a sigh. She'd never been good at solving problems that you couldn't punch.]

Maybe you could... talk to her...?

[birdcodename]

[Babs nods firmly at Cass's words.]

Of course I can. She'll be home before you know it.

[batghoul.livejournal.com]

[She smiled widely. This was why she was glad Babs was back!]

Thanks.

<3333333

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Seeing her up and around is really kind of a surprise, but definitely one of the least unwelcome ones of the day. She looks better. She looks good.

When things have pretty much wound to a halt he'll wander on over with something resembling real tea in a mug. ]

Welcome back to the land of the living.

<333!!!

[birdcodename]

[Babs definitely has color back to her face and, while she's still taking it pretty easy, being up and about is really nice. When she spots him wandering over to her, she smiles widely. What's with them and being unable to stay healthy for more than a month at a time?]

Unless I'm the ghost of Thanksgiving Past, I think that's a pretty good bet, man wonder.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Whether it's the lingering buzz from the fear gas or not, seeing her here and healthy is... well.

It means something.

And that's definitely his cue to drag the nearest chair over and slide right in beside her, a mostly comfortable distance away. And that tea's getting handed over. ]

Swear I didn't sip it.

[birdcodename]

[Babs frowns at that distance between their chairs but accepts the tea.]

You can sit closer, you dope. I'm not contagious.

[Reaching for the arm of his chair.]

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ He lets her tug him a little, then finally just gives up and moves the chair where she wants it. And if his arm just happens to slide up and around her, he just...

All the sudden a hug seems really warranted. It's definitely the fear gas, this time.

Which is another subject he should probably broach with her sometime soon. ]

Didn't watch the news this morning, did you?

[birdcodename]

[Oh hello there hug. Babs gingerly wraps her arms around him in return before returning the hug in earnest. Something's wrong. Something's definitely wrong. She doesn't release him when he starts speaking. ]

Charlie told me about the parade; I was out of it this morning.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Yeah, he's... pretty okay with that letting that embrace linger a little longer. It's been a long day. And somehow he's gotten through all of it without realizing how much he needed a hug until right now. ]

Didn't go so well.

[birdcodename]

[Babs has a little experience in knowing when Dick needs a hug, even if he doesn't. She slowly, slowly starts to release him and sink back down into her chair, her gaze focused on him.]

You were gassed. [It's easy enough to jump to that conclusion.]

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

...Yeah. [ why does she know these things. :c ]

I think a few of the kids might've seen me.

[birdcodename]

[Oh sdkjfsdf Dick. Yeah Babs definitely released that hug too soon, she's wrapping her arms around his shoulders tightly again.]

Hey, we can move out of the living room if you want to.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Not-the-living-room actually sounds pretty good right now, but he glances up at her anyway, a little caught between surprise and genuine gratitude. ]

Roof? [ Why not make use of that sadly unloved elevator? ]

[birdcodename]

[Babs doesn't hesitate in her answer, not first considering some of the difficulties of being on the roof.] Let's go, man wonder.

[But she does know that privacy can help a great deal in just letting things move through you rather than trying to bottle them up. And that's what she plans to let him do.]

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Her hand gets a squeeze, cause damn if he's not feeling a little close to this side of self-indulgent. Then he lets go and stands up to lead the way, snagging a cookie from the table a little absently when he passes it by. ]

You try those? They're good.

[ Keep it light. Keep it simple. The elevator's right where it should be, since no one who lives here regularly uses it. He turns to look at her when he hits the button and then just. Offers a small, half-embarrassed shrug. ]

...All aboard?