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“Major!”“Hello, Major!”“Will you be reading to us today?”“Oh please say you will!”“I’m sorry, tachikoma. I have an appointment with Bruce right now.” The slim, androgynous male pats one of the spider-like robots on the head, “Perhaps later.”“Yay!” The tachikomas roll around, lifting their frontal appendages in the air in a show of excitement.“Hey, Major?”The small man tucks a lock of his deep black – almost purple – hair behind one ear, “Yes?”“I’ve been wondering,” the tachikoma adopts a thinking pose, “Why do you wear that outfit?”He raises an eyebrow and looks down. It has a point: he’s definitely not wearing a standard military outfit. His halter-top leotard is armored, fitted to provide him with the greatest possible range of motion. It’s a rather revealing thing, but he wears black tights and an heavily armored jacket to help with his modesty.He smooths his hands over his stomach, “I suppose partly it’s Bruce messing with me, but I do like how much mobility this outfit provides.”One of the tachikomas giggles, “You’re so amazing, Major!”“Of course he is! He’s the fastest in all of section 9!”“The most flexible!”“What are you all saying?! Surely you haven’t forgotten he’s the smartest!”“Oh we could never forget that!”The man laughs a bit and rests his hands on his hips, “Now, now. I’m not really any of those things. What about Bart? Dick? Bruce? Barbara? Any of those names ring a bell?”“I have not heard any such sound!”“It’s a figure of speech, idiot!” another tachikoma hits the one who had spoken.“You’re the greatest of them all, Major!”He chuckles and shakes his head, “Whatever you say. Now, I have to go. I’ll stop by later, okay?”“OKAY!” the tachikomas say in unison. They wave as he walks out.There’s a man standing outside the doors; tall, muscular, and handsome, “Hey there, Tim. What was all that noise about?”Tim smiles lightly, “I believe you have been spoiling them, Jason. They are rather hyper today.”Jason looks up and away, scratching the back of his neck, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”“Uh huh…” Tim grins and walks past Jason, “Just make sure Bruce doesn’t find out.” He feels the man’s eyes on him as he leaves, burning even as he closes the door.
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Tim feels the weight of the 9 mm Beretta in his hand. Feels the cool, sleek metal.He squeezes just a bit and fires. It’s perfectly aimed, leaving a new hole in the target, right between the legs.There’s a groan from behind him – he can feel it – and Tim smirks. He fires again and hits the dead center of the target’s chest.Tim knows how Jason feels when he handles a gun.And he’s taking full advantage.He shoots twice more, one in the heart and the other in the center of the forehead. Then he sets down the pistol, takes off the goggles and the earmuffs, and cocks his hip while running a hand through his hair.He hears Jason shift in his seat.Tim replaces the gear, grabs a cleaning kit, and takes it and the pistol to the table. He sits across from Jason, who was doing paperwork (Tim had made sure of that. And done it in the training area, just to torture the man).He takes apart the weapon, smooth and steady, watching Jason’s reactions from behind his lashes.“So,” Tim slowly runs the wire brush in and out of the barrel, “how is the paperwork coming?” A little twist before removing the brush.Jason’s silent, until he shakes his head a few moments later, “Uh… Fine.”“That’s good.” Tim slips the cleaning rod into the barrel and gently threads a patch through. “I figured you’d have questions, but…” He holds the barrel and the rod steady as he dips the patch in the solvent.“Oh. I- Actually.”“Mm?” Tim hums.“I had a question about this report…”“Yes…?” Tim pulls the cleaning rod slowly, rolling it between his fingers to twist the patch inside the barrel.“I… Um…” Tim’s face is passive but inwardly he’s smirking as Jason fumbles for words. “That mission… We were protecting that lady governor, right?”“Mm hm,” the cleaning rod finally slips out and Jason’s tongue flickers over his lips. Tim laughs mentally.“You are the top agent in this facility. Why… Why exactly was I, of all people, assigned to go along with you?” Jason’s eyes haven’t left Tim’s hands since he started taking apart the pistol.Tim looks up and grins at Jason, finally drawing his attention away, “Oh, but missions like that are always so boring. I wanted someone to talk to, so I asked Bruce.”Jason stares blatantly for a moment, “There was a group of terrorists after her. Well-trained terrorists.”“Mm.” Tim grabs another patch and dips it in the solvent, “And?”He sees Jason run a hand through his hair, “You pretty much took them out by yourself.”“Hm.”“…How is that shit boring?”“Language, Jason,” Tim twirls the rod around in the barrel again, “And like you implied, I had no trouble defeating them, and they provided no challenge. So it was boring.”“Ah…” Jason’s eyes are on his hands again. Tim goes through two more wipes before Jason manages to speak again. “So why me? Why not Dick or Bart? They’re both chatterboxes.”“That would be why,” Tim smiles as the patch comes away clean. Jason stares. “They are much too talkative. You, however, are a good conversationalist without being to chatty. And I quite enjoy spending time with you.”“O-oh. Really?”“Mm hm~” Tim hums and gives Jason a half-lidded look. “Very much.” He takes a patch, dips it, and starts cleaning the slide and handle. He makes sure to rub and pet the weapon in an entirely suggestive manner.Jason’s little groan is near-silent, but Tim hears it.“So do you have any other questions?” Tim asks.“Uh… No. Thank you.”“Alright.”It’s quiet for a few minutes while Tim finishes cleaning and starts putting the gun together and Jason attempts to continue his work.Suddenly Jason looks up, flushed, and he opens his mouth –“Major!”The two of them jump just a fraction and turn. One of the tachikomas is rolling up to them, waving it’s arms.Tim sighs and slips the latch into place, “Yes, Tachikoma?”The robot looks between the two of them, looking rather fretful, “Oh, I’m sorry, did I interrupt?”Jason clears his throat and looks down. Tim purses his lips, but answers, “No, it’s fine. What did you need?”“Oh! Major, the Captain is looking for you!”“Dick? Hm. I wonder what he wants.” He packs up the cleaning supplies and inserts the empty magazine into the handle. “Alright, thank you Tachikoma.”“Nooo problem!” the gleeful tank gives a little salute and zooms off.Tim puts away the gun and the kit, before walking over to stand at Jason’s side. He rests his hand on the table and leans down just a bit.“Remember, I want that paperwork by 6 pm.”And he leaves, the sound of Jason’s shuddering breath making him grin.