Rooftop Confessions

May 22, 2018:

Cassandra experiments with having a crush on someone. It's about as awkward as one might expect.

East Gotham

A rooftop in Gotham late at night. There's been a power outage.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\# None.]


Fade In…

*

It really is the best practice. Because the summer mini-mester classes are in full swing and Spoiler is taking the 'lighter load' to catch up on some not so light reading that she needs to do for a test tomorrow. Thus, Spoiler doesn't even react when Cass appears. She doesn't seem to notice as the girl slips a bit closer. The moment Steph is aware of anyone else is far too close for any Batling's safety, and is obvious when Spoiler jumps with a gasp, fumbles her book, and loses the highlighter to the building's gutter.

"AH! Ohmygod! You scared the dooy out of me. Goodness gracious! Hi." She rambles, closing her book without marking her place. (crap)

*

Cassandra glances at the book as Spoiler closes it and then quietly nods once. She teakes another step closer, dark eyes seeking out her friend's in turn. Cass seems to understand, at least. There's a difference in how she reacts from when she firstemt Stephanie, even if Cass hasn't said a word since that night at the cafe. She takes a deep breath, her chest expanding slowly, and holds it for several beats before exhaling.

Then Cass darts forward, lightning swift, and wraps her arms around Spoiler tightly, hugging the taller girl clse to her almost as tightly as she can manage. This goes on for at least a few long seconds.

*

Spoiler's retracted the lens so her blue-green eyes are visible, so eyes meet eyes. Steph can see that there's something, and so the blonde's head tilts.

"Is everthing oka-!" Hugged!

Steph isn't hugged near as much as she'd like, and it takes a few heartbeats for her to react. But when she does, she returns the hug warmly, leaning her head down. Her worry only grows.

"Hey. It's okay," she says, concerned that something's upset Cass.

*

Cassandra stares in to Spoiler's eyes for a moment buries her head against the woman's armored chest. Afterward, she takes another deep breath. She straightens only slowly, staying in fairly close confines with the blonde in purple. An arm remains around Spoiler's waist even as Cassandra turns toward the city. Silence follows. No explanation for the closeness yet. Not even a cessation for that matter. For whatever reason she does seem far calmer with Stephanie in tow.

*

All of which is worrisome. It's easily seen in her eyes and on the light frown of purple lips. As the silence carries on, the blonde turns with the brunette to peer over the city with her.

Steph can't guess why she seemed upset or why she's calmer now that she's near, but Steph won't question for now. She'll just let her friend draw what comfort she needs from the proximity. In truth, there is something calming about another person sharing space and silence with you. Steph had that once… twice… none of it worked out. Spoiler sighs softly.

*

Cass lets that silence settle in for a time, still holding Steph close against her while she studies the city below. After a time she points out toward Gotham, gesturing slightly ass if to indicate the ciy as a whole beneath their little stretch of skyline. Cass Looks up at Stephanie then tils her head toward i with a questioning expression. Then Cassandra begins to walk. Her movements are relatively aimless and she keeps looking up at Steph as if to say, "Coming?" But coming where? Perhaps Stephanie is meant to choose.

*

She spoke! Words, so few and far between from Cass, surprise Spoiler and she blinks a few times.

"Sure," is replied after Steph gathers herself and time is taken to put her book away. A moment of silence is given to her highlighter.

You were a good study buddy. You will be missed. RIP Sharpie Liquid Accent

And with that, Spoiler moves to follow Cass, setting her hover bike to follow them several hundred feet above the roof tops.

*

They are forced to part enough to take a leap in order to make the next rooftop. Cass is able to do it standing somehow though only an insane person would even attempt it. She seems to be intent on leading Stephanie toward a furhest edge of town, where it doesn't smell of refuse and the rooftops are quieter. They are moving rapidly out of the cloud of smog that hangs near the industrial areas and the docks.

They end up traveling a fair way, toward the edge of town where things are quieter and the skies are clear. Cass finally comes to a stop atop a building that is strangely dark, like the power's been shout off nearby and even the street lamps are dark. It's never truly pitch black out in the City, but this is the closest it gets.

Casandra tilts her had back and scoops up Spoiler's hand as she looks upward. It's hard to see anything at all, but the girl points at Spoiler's mask and moves as if to take it off. With the mask gone and eye lenses open it soon becomes clear that there are stars. An impossible number. It might be the only place in Gotham the yare actually visible, even if this is due to a power outage. When the lights come back all of this will be invisible again/

*

The blackness is not lost on Spoiler, but when her mask is pointed at her head draws back a half inch. Of course, Cass doesn't actually remove it, or reach for it, and so Steph ponders the meaning… then the safety. She glances about once, then pushes back the cowl before looking up.

The gasp is an echo on the breeze.

"….that's… amazing," she breathes out in wonder. Even sitting on the roof of her home, there aren't these many stars.

*

Cassandra nods on in agreement when Stephanie speaks to her. Her expression is one of solemn observation but she does step close to the blonde now that the cowl has been removed and study the sky above them. Cassandra slowly reaches out and snags Stephanie's left hand, squezing it gently in her own. A breeze sweeps past, leaving Cassandra's long black tresses flowing behind her and bringing with it a slight chill to which Stephanie's suit is most likely entirely impervious.

Cass seems to be content with staring upward in complete silence, with brief glances at Stephanie and held hands doing the majority of the communicating. Those nerves seem to be entirely absent now. The world is empty save for the two of them. At this distance even Cassandra's careful breathing audible.

*

[Stephanie Brown teleports to the Quiet Room.]

*

The hand taken is given a glance. Stephanie's chin falling down to look before her eyes lift to Cass's face and and then back up to the stars. She holds that hand of Cassandra's in the growing comfort of their shared silence. The concern for her friend remains, hand holding firm and supportive. The blonde isn't know what happened to rattle Cassandra so, but her mind is no slouche in offering suggestions as to what it might have been.

*

Cass shivers faintly, her slender body quite susceptible to the chill. She doesn't complain, but the slight prickling of flesh that becomes goosebumps is visible on the girl's arms if Stephanie cares to give it a close look. So she shifts her weight a little closer yet and leans herself against her friend, her chin coming to rest on the blonde's shoulder in a vvery familiar way. This isn't how hugs are typically given. Stephanie can feel the warmth of Cassandr'as slight, athletic frame and the movement accompanying each careuflly measured breath. From this vantage Cassandra's attentio nis wholly on the stars. Still, she wraps an arm around Stephanie slowly, as if to keep her close. Cassandra is a patient sort, and if given what she wants she is likely to stand like this for a very long time.

*

The shiver catches Steph's notice, and her head turns to look at the girl more closely. Cold? Why is she…?

The chill wind against her own cheeks finally registers. Her suit keeps her body temperature, so Steph hadn't even noticed the chill. Typically, she doesn't unless she looks at the temperature readout on her HUD. About to speak, Cass moves to make hte hug more intimate and Stephanie blinks a few times.

"Is… Are you sure everything's alright? I mean, it's cold out here," Stephanie says, not really thinking she'll get a response while still hoping for one.

*

Cassandra looks up at Stephanie for a second. She raises the fingers of her right hand to her mouth and gives them a lick before lifting them into the wind. The girl waits a half second, then shrugs. The wind isn't such a concern. Not cold, then. Cass isn't really shivering. And her manner is too calm and self-assured for her to be afraid or worried any longer.

Cass finally ventures to add a small piece to the puzzle which might change everything. She offers Steph a quiet smile, one that makes the girl look a bit closer to her age. That's something she doesn't do often.

*

Stephanie giggles softly at the 'temperature check'. She smiles and nods, relenting to Cass's 'statement' about it not really being cold. It's the smile that draws one of her own. It lights her eyes, turning them almost teal.

"Hi," Steph says to the expression, greeting it as if it were a whole other person. Or just warmly regreeting Cass now that she's smiling, but in any case the blonde gives Cass her full attention. Stars be damned. The girl smiled!

*

"…Hi," Cassandra responds slowly. she continues to stare into Stephanie's eyes. There's the faintest hint of a flush creeping throuhg her cheeks now, the whisper of her breathing faintly audible if Stephanie concentrates on her competely. Amber eyes search the blonde's green-eyed gae for a moment, and Cass's smile returns. She holds it for just a split second longer this time. "…Hi," Cass repeats again, in a most solemn, careful way.

*

She's smiling, and speaking and Stephanie lights up further, hand squeezing and offering support.

"Hi," she says again, tone warm and happy and relieved and eager all at once.

*

Cassandra squeezes Stephanie's hand in turn. She's small for her height but her grip is incredibly strong, though that strength is felt only indirectly. when Steph's hand meets hers. Cassandra watches Stephanie's expression light up and she nods once. She takes a quick breath and nods once agian, as if steeling herself for something.

Casandra reaches up and gnetly places a hand against Stephanie's left cheek, cradling her jaw lightly. They're only a handsbreadth apart right now, meeting one another's gze. Cassandra, wit hehr solemn intensity marred by only a hint of trepidation. Stephanie, with her glriously elated smile. For now, other than that gesture, Cassandra doesn't move.

*

The smile's brightness dims ever so slightly when Cass's hand comes up to her face. Teal-like eyes blink a few times and dark purple lips part slight on a silent wordless question: Umm… what?

Steph doesn't try to pull away, but neither does she close the distance. Her hand stays as it was, holding Cass's, while the blonde reads the body language: solemn, intense, trepidation.

Why?!

*

Cassandra's heartbeat flutters though the rest of her remains strong. She almost entirely quellls the slight trembling in her knees. Cass blinks a few times, eyes wide as saucers. Then the girl rises slightly onto the balls of her feet and leans forward to close the distance. An inch… Two…

Cassandra presses a kiss to Steph's lips. Gentle, slow, and sweet. It has the awkwardness of a first kiss but she doesn't let that deter her.

*

What the.. hey how wait who?!

Stephanie watched Cass inching closer, not really sure what the other girl was lookin gto accomplish. It's when lips met lips that Stephanie's eyes widened and her whole frame went shock still.

She's never been kissed by a girl!

It's soft and sweet and so much like some other rooftop first kiss she could reminise about and yet nothign at all like that kiss. It takes Stephanie a full three seconds before she leans back away, slowly, gently, easing away from Cassandra's tenderly awkward …Pink dusts her cheeks.

"Umm…." yeah. Steaphanie.exe is not responding.

*

Cassandra starts to turn very red as well. She seems to have caught on to the uncertainty of that response. Cass's cheeks are a fairly rosy hue at this point and she retreats a couple steps at once, still watching Stephanie's reaction. The girl glances back over her shoulder then, as if judging the distance to the next rooftop. Like she might turn and flee into the night. Of course, should Cass do that Stephanie would never catch her…

*

Stephanie beats Cassandra to the punch and bolts into the night.

*

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