What IS Normal?

September 16, 2018:

As Stephanie sets up her new residence in New York, she and Drake meet for a long overdue stress-free date. Along the way, they try to figure out what "normal" means between them.

Gramercy Park

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\# None.]


Fade In…

*

Things have taken a nice little upswing lately in Drake's life. He has direction in life now; both in civilian standards and as something more. To add a cherry on top, things are looking up between him and Stephanie Brown after a much-needed decision and step forward.

It's that latter aspect that has him out in Gramercy Park today, soaking in the last vestiges of warm air before the season really starts to turn. It feels like a good time to take advantage of Stephanie's decision to move closer, and therefore actually have enough time for a more spur-of-the-moment date without stress. That is, provided no thugs show up. Either way, he's now walking along a trail in the park with her, one arm looped with hers. He drifts to the side to gently bump into her. "How many boxes do ya have to go still?"

*

Stephanie's steps stumble to the side to correct for the gentle bump and her retalitation. She smiles, relaxed as she hugs Drake's arm, enjoying the warmth and the quiet and the moment.

"About a half dozen, but that won't take me long to clear out," she says, mentally reviewing those boxes contents as non-vital.

*

Drake Riley believes her, naturally. He has no reason not to! But he hasn't seen her new abode! Certainly not from the inside, despite wanting to help her move boxes and such. "Tell me about it!," he encourages. His arm lifts to drape around her shoulders, his hand attempting to take hers in the process to hold her close as they walk. The pace is slow, leisurely, languid. "What's it like? Is it big? Cramped?"

*

She couldn't have him help her. Not if it was going to be a modified safehouse, one with a good enough for batling security system, he couldn't be there. Not that she told him that. She just thanked him for the offer and said she had it.

"It's not huge, and it's not tiny. It's… it's two bedroom, nice size living room, open floorplan tot he kitchen. Balcony…. It's not terrible." She's not good at this, is she?

*

"Pool? Jaccuzi? Or am I gonna have to keep dragging you out to the beach?," chirps Drake. "Where, y'know, Cthulhu-monsters seem to like grabbing ankles."

He jokes, butt he really hopes nothing insane happens during this outing. He isn't sure they've ever had a normal, stress-free date.

"You're planning on having me over, right? I get to see how the mysterious Miss Brown lives?"

*

There's that blush and on his arm, her right hand - the one she injured then - twitches in memory.

"The appartment building has a pool and hot tub on the first floor for tennants. The bathroom has a jacuzzi tub. So, we could mostly avoid chibi-thulu," Stephanie replies through the red on her cheeks. They really haven't had a stress-free date. Maybe this will be the first one!

"Of course. I was going to give you a key, if you wanted it. I just.. I want to get finished moving in fully first…" Code: Security systems set up.

*

Drake Riley doesn't understand that code. Personal security systems aren't a thing that's really entered his mind as a form of normality. So naturally, he says, "If you need help getting anything moved or set up, you /are/ dating a guy. That gives ya certain priveleges." At the moment, it just sounds like she's warming up to the idea of less privacy, or having guests. And he doesn't mind that. He's happy to be patient with her; moreso now that they're going in this positive direction.

"Did your people get upset by the move?," he asks suddenly, head turning to focus directly on her. She knows what he means, right?

*

She knows exactly what all of those codes mean. She's also not going to say that she's besties with a girl on Wonder Woman's league of strength and if she needed physical help moving things, it'd be easier for everyone for Stephanie to order an uncomfortable amount of food and calling Caitlin over. But there's a sense of pride for the boyfriend that Stephanie's aware of, and so that option hasn't been used either. Especially since the set up things are small wiring things in the walls that she's doing and the Fairchild couldn't help with that either.

"Thanks. I'll call you when I need help with something," Stephanie promises, mind setting itself to the task of finding something that would seem reasonable for him to help with and then making sure to set that for the last of the things so he can feel helpful.

"No," is her reply to his sudden question. And that's the only answer she gives for the moment, her own eyes forward.

*

"No?" Drake stares at her a few more seconds in silence, then looks ahead. "Good. It's.. yeah. Good." It's important that her people don't dislike him. She has to work with them, and he's /itching/ to work with her in a more effective way. That could be a problem if they didn't approve of him.

The arm are her shoulders constricts, tugging her into him for a side-snug.

"I'm so glad you're doing this. I-" He startles. "I have to get you a housewaarming gift!"

*

They didn't get mad the first time. It'd be hypocritical if they got mad this time. Steph just nods in wordless agreement of this being a good thing. Pulled into a sidesnug, Steph leans, blinking when he startles.

"Um… it's fine, Drake. You don't have to, really."

*

"Of course I do!" It's that obvious, and Drake won't hear otherwise. His free hand places to his chin, eyes lifting in thought as he ponders the options. "…Pool noodle. Girls like pool noodles, right? Yeah," he considers to himself. Case closed!

Of course he's joking. But he plays it straight, baiting his girlfriend to react.

*

React she does. A not so subtle narrowing of eyes and pressing together of lips.

"Mm-hmm.. Love the stuff," she 'growls'. The corner of her own lips twitching, hinting at wanting to smirk.

*

"Perfect. A bright pink pool noodle. You could hang it on the wall like a surfboard for when you're not at the pool!," chirps Drake. His head tilts to cuddle oh-so-affectionately towards her temple.

*

It makes Stephanie giggle lightly and leans into the cuddle some more.

"I've got the perfect wall for it," she replies, adjusting her arm to wrap about his waist, and hold him about the middle as she walks at his side. Where? She's only marginally aware of their surroundings. Enough to spring into action if it was needed, but beyond that, she is just enjoying the moment.

*

Drake Riley has the same level of soft focus, not worrying too much. Things seem peaceful now. He concerned aabout sinking too deeply into the moment, though. He feels like he might jinx it! But he doesn't manifest that outwardly. "Sounds good. But, ah, what'cha gonna do with that spare bedroom?," he asks. His head draws back to look curiously her way again. "Gonna.. uh, what's it called, sub-let? Rent it out? Wait, can you rent it out?"

*

"I can't rent it out. That's against contract. But I can have a roommate… or turn it into a workout room or something," Stephanie says, knowing those two options are completely at odds with each other. She grins faintly, shifting so she can watch his face out of the corner of her eyes.

*

Drake Riley perks an eyebrow at her. "Oh~. So there's a chance I could see more of sportsbra-Stephanie." He nods simply. "I like sportsbra-Stephanie." No, he didn't miss the nuance of a roommate. He still can't do that yet. He's too new to his group. His training is too intensive.

*

And she's aware. It's just.. a possibility. For now, workout room. For now, she blushes at his teasing sing song like tone.

"Maybe~" she half coos back, tucking her head back against his chest and listening to his heartbeat.

*

Drake Riley tilts his head again, though this time to affectionately nosebump her scalp. "Steph'," he says, the weight of his tone shifting. "How're you doing?" Drake translation: are you okay with this big change?

*

Nuzzled into, Stephanie hums softly. She lets her eyes close, relaxing off of ever watchful for a few moments.

"Hmm.. I'm okay," she replies, truthfully. It was scary to think about, having a boyfriend again, having Drake know what she was, but now thta she's taken that leap.. things are… for the moment, okay.

*

"Nervous?," asks Drake. "Or just.. peaceful?" Peaceful by itself is a weighty word between them. There's been precious little of it, despite how much they enjoy each other. Stress, time constraints, thuggery - all these things detract from the notion of 'peaceful'. So that's the goal; some measure of peace, of relaxation and contentment.

*

"A little nervous, but trying really hard to ignore that part, so, mostly peaceful," replies the blonde. A tiny measure of tension had returned at the N word, and so she breathes out to try to get it back to relaxed again.

*

Drake Riley adds a tiny 'smewp' of a kiss atop her head. "That's natural. It's a change of scenery, change of pace… but a lot more freedom. And a lot more me. And you know me. I'm all about the good vibes."

*

The kiss helps more than she expected it to, and Stephanie sighs lightly back against Drake's ribcage as she walks with him at his side. Her head is nodding, eyes opening half mast to track the scenary around her.

"All about the good vibes," she repeats.

*

"Good vibes, bro," continues Drake. "Minus the tie-dye, round sunglasses, and roaches." He crinkles his nose.

Suddenly, the teen stops and attempts to whirl the blonde around to face him. If successful, he'll lean in to press a quick kiss to her lips. "I'm /really/ happy you're here. You have no idea how much you've done for me."

*

While Drake crinkles his nose, Stephanie giggles. She can just picture Drake in tiedye and an attempt at a goatee. It's the giggles that keeps her from reacting in time to stop his whirl of her. Not that she really would have, but it means that not only is he successful, but she hadn't been braced. And so she's whirled and kissed and blinking up at Drake a bit owlishly. Those words leave her blushing and her eyes falling awya.

"I'm happy I'm here, but really.. I haven't done that much… Really." Because in her mind she hasn't.

*

"Not true," argues Drake. "When you first met me, I was /so/ stressed out. Total duck." He cants his head. "You know what I mean when I say that?"

*

"Um… yeah. Calm on the surface. Frantic on the underside," Stephanie says as she brings her gaze back over. She nodded with her words, but by her gaze she's not sure why he'd say that. She was the one making things complicated, after all!

*

Drake Riley nods at her. "Right. People usually don't get that." His head tilts. "Kudos." Back to straightness. "But then I met you; this beautiful, free-spirited, bright-eyed girl who was nice, and inviting, and funny, and laughed at my jokes…" His hands move to her shoulders. "You made it like I wasn't weird. Like things were normal. You were just you, and you made life better. The frantic ducky-feet slowed down just to, like, be in the moment."

*

Stephanie smiled at the kudos. She watches him as he explains. Her lower lip tucks into her mouth, bitten down upon by her teeth.

"Well… being honest? You aren't the weirdest thing in my life so… Yeah. You're pretty normal, actually. And.. I really need normal in my life."

*

"Really? I'm normal? And /that's/ what you need?" Drake's brow knits. That's not good news. Nothing about him or his life is normal. And between the two of them, she's the human. He expects he has espionage, counter-terrorism, political upheaval, and superpowered menaces in his future. In short: this worries him. "I-.. I hope.. I can stay normal for you?"

*

His brow knits and suddenly Stephanie's stomach pulls into a knot. Of course he's the normal one. He's just a super-powered mutant. She's the Gotham-born vigilante with the criminal father working for two of the biggest and most well known super hero teams in the world. There is definitely espionage, counter-terrorism, and superpowered menaces in her future. None of that really worries her.

"… Is… that… Is it… Are you okay?"

*

But if she's not the normal one and she has the same shenanigans, how could he be the normal one?

"I just- I'm worried now," he admits. His hands drop to his sides. "I dunno if I'll be normal for much longer. Things are moving in my life, and I think you know what I mean. The more things move forward, the less.. uh.. 'normal'.. I'll get to be. I hope it'll be a good thing for you, or that it won't run you away, or make you not want to be with me."

*

His hands fall away and he lets her in on his worries and it occurs to her that he means that he'll be like her, on a superhero team, fighting superpowered stupids and trying to keep everyone safe. Stephanie reaches out to catch his hands in hers.

"My first boyfriend was exactly the same sort of thing I am. My second, the same sort of thing you are. I know what it is to date someone like myself, not really 'normal'. So.. that's what's 'normal'… for me. Drake, you are perfectly normal… and unless you turn into some crazed supervillian that I'll end up having to lock up in Belle Rev or Arkham? I'm pretty sure you're not ever going to be not-normal," she says, hoping that reassures him.

*

Drake Riley immediately squeezes her hands. He's worried, but she's still his girl, and he remains affectionate. "No matter what happens or how things go, I'll always be me. So if /that's/ what you're attached to, I can promise I'll keep you coming back." His hands shift to lace his fingers with hers. "But I am /so/ not normal," he counters. Though now, there's a level of hopeful mirth in his tone.

*

Stephanie giggles at this, finally feeling like she can laugh with someone about the odd that is her life.

"Well, then neither am I, so… I'm going to call this Normal and you're gonna like it," she states, grinning and eyes dancing.

*

Drake Riley raises his eyebrows at her, looking accosted. "Is that so? I have to just like it?" He squints with a smile and eases in a step closer. "And what if I don't? What're you gonna do about it, shorty?"

*

He looks accosted and she just grins brightly. Challenge sits in her gaze and her lips take on that very batling smirk.

"I could hip throw you into a tree," she quips softly so it won't be over heard by the very few pedistrians in the park.

*

Drake Riley eases a little closer, meeting her gaze and smiling a little more wryly. "I could hip-throw /you/ into a tree," he murmurs back playfully. He's been getting training! He can't come right out and say that in the open, but he's trying to say it without saying it. Are they at that point in the relationship where they can read each other's obscure subtext?

*

If they aren't they're getting there, and what she gets from his subtext has Stephanie smirking further. She steps in closer, shifting to ever so subtly telegraph that she's setting up to do said hip-throw. What's the correct counter shift, her body is asking.

"Could you now?" she quips.

*

She steps in, and he turns to counter, denying her hip the opportunity to dig in and gain leverage. He /has/ been trained! "Yuh-huh," he replies afterwards, gaze lidding over a little more to a flirtatious degree. Most people probably wouldn't view this as flirtation.

*

Stephanie hmms softly, her smirk turning into a mildly impressed smile as he shifts to the right counter. Never one to like being out done, Stephanie counters that counter. She's not actually going to hip throw him. She's telegraphing way too much and she's in a nice blouse and a pair of jeans. And there are people around who are going to think Drake's attacking her. Nope. This shifting could just look like a couple of love birds dancing to music only they can hear.

And it is totally batling flirting!

*

When she steps in again, Drake's hips pivot to counter again! It's a sort of dance, but less cooperative and more… perhaps tribal? Though this time as he counters, he flows into it a little more to suggest he might go for a throw of his own! Naturally, he doesn't. And he wouldn't. But what he /does/ do is try to lift her arms to duck his head beneath, and in so doing gain the leverage to heft his girlfriend a couple inches off her feet. It's completely playful and flirtatious with zero intent to actually do anything with her, and would read more like goofy romanticisms to any onlookers.

"Nyah."

*

It's that playfulness, something that NEVER happens when she's sparing and training, that makes Stephanie laugh brightly. Her body tenses only enough to help support her own weight as Drake pulls her up and off her feet. She's pleased to see that whomever is handling his hand to hand training seems to know what they are doing, and that Drake's learning well.

"OH! you got me," she chirps happily.

*

"And I'm not letting go." Drake tilts his head in to press a kiss to her lips before disengaging to let her back down to her feet. Oh yes, they're definitely a flirty couple. "Maybe sometime I'll show ya a little more. In.. y'know, that workout room. Maybe with sportsbra-Steph'." He playbops a fist towards her midsection.

*

Out of reflex, Steph's midsection tightens up, bracing for a full punch.

"Yeah… maybe in that workout room," she nods back, grinning. Or, maybe in her den. The practice space in there is better and if things get rough and there's a minor injury, she'll have a better first aid kit.

*

Drake Riley notes the tension, and so he nudges his fist more into her midsection. No point hiding it at this point; his girlfriend has abs, and he loves that. "Hope it's a big workout room. We won't have any trees to break our falls," he murmurs to her.

*

And that's what makes the decision. Stephanie smiles that mysterious woman's smile.

"I've got this covered, Sparky," she quips, finally granting Drake his first ever powers based nickname. #SorryNotSorry

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