Quiet moments are to be savored in Titans Tower, lest the next adventure or next apocalypse come a-knocking. While the world is left without peril, two Titans pass the time at the kitchen table.
Somehow the conversation leads them here: Bart showing off some photos on his phone and Rose — to her own surprise — actually listening. Perhaps she doesn’t have anything better to do.
Said photos depict the most recent occurrence of the “Flash Family Picnic,” as Bart calls it. The event is exactly what it says on the tin — Bart meets up with every other speedster in his little clan, as well as their loved ones, and they dine like families do in public parks. Sometimes they’ll haul a grill over, other times Wally or Max will make a pizza run. Sometimes a touch football game will be instigated, other times Bart and Irey will decide to light firecrackers despite it not being the 4th of July. According to Bart, each picnic sounds like a cheesy event akin to a Hallmark card, yet Rose notices the genuine smiles in every single photo he shows.
Even she has to admit that everyone looks like they’re having fun.
“How often do you guys do this?” Rose asks, curious.
“Every third Friday of every month.”
“That specific, huh?”
“We gotta be,” Bart says simply. “I gotta, like, set six reminders on my phone to not miss it.”
He swipes right on the screen to show a picture of him and Irey — aka the new Impulse and the latest speedster to join the Titans — tossing a softball back and forth on a grass field. In the corner of the image sits a young boy in the shade of an oak tree, doting over a small green reptile sitting in his hands.
Fittingly, Bart points to each detail. “Look, that’s me, that’s Irey, that’s Jai, and that’s Jai’s turtle — Shellington Wellington, but we just call her Shelley.”
Rose raises an eyebrow. “He brought his turtle to the cookout?”
“Well, yeah, all family members are invited,” Bart replies as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
He swipes through a few more photos. One shows Irey getting a piggyback ride from her Grampa Jay and another depicts Bart and Wally goofing off with Jesse, all while her husband holds their newborn son in the background. An image that particularly amuses Rose is one where Bart is holding the infant up in the air, a pose akin to that one movie about an animated lion. What really makes the photo amusing is Jesse looking like she’s having a heart attack behind him.
“You know, we’re allowed to bring guests,” Bart brings up nonchalantly. When he turns to her and meets her gaze, he gives her a soft, boyish smile. “I’m sure Irey would love it if you came.”
Rose’s first reaction is to scoff. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
The offer is tempting, but her instincts tell her otherwise. She doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the superhero community — being the daughter of the world’s greatest assassin will do that. Even if Bart and Irey vouch for her, she’s sure she’ll stick out like a sore thumb.
“Too many goody two-shoes around this crowd,” Rose continues, shaking her head. “I’m sure Deathstroke’s Daughter would stick out like a sore thumb.”
Bart seems unconvinced. “Are you sure?” he asks, sounding almost concerned.
Rose swallows whatever feeling is lumping up in her throat and goes onto her usual defense. “Why are you even inviting me?” she replies, cross.
Unfazed, Bart shrugs. “Because we’re friends, aren’t we?” he tells her with ease. His tone is casual in contrast to her sharp tongue.
The answer catches Rose off-guard. The feeling is very slight, yet it’s something she can’t deny. She doesn’t even know what her gut instincts were predicting, but somehow Bart’s utter simplicity of speech practically startles her.
Taking in a breath, Rose says the first thing on her mind.
Switches on the daily depending who’s feeling more vulnerable and who’s feeling more protective. Honestly, Bart loves being the little spoon because it makes him feel safe but he also loves being the big spoon because he loves holding Rose.
What is their favorite non-sexual activity?
They both have their own strengths in the kitchen but they love to cook together. This leads to Bart nearly setting the house on fire while starting the grill so Rose can make steaks and Rose mixing the sugar and flour measurements for the banana bread Bart was baking and them ending up with a strange, but good, dessert that sparkled when you spread butter on it (based on true stories). However, they make it work and they both enjoy the adventure and the laughs they get out of their mishaps.
Who uses all the hot water in the morning?
Rose never stood a chance. Bart’s alarm may go off after hers but he normally wakes up the moment she sits up in bed and is in the shower before she can even blink. Jokes on him, she prefers to take her showers at night anyways.
What they order from take out?
These two live on takeout when they don’t have time to cook (which happens more often than they’d like). Their favorite place is an incredibly cheap Chinese food place that delivers. The delivery crew knows them well and always know they’ll be in for some heavy lifting when their names come up. Bart eats a lot so they order a lot.
What is the most trivial thing they fight over?
Rose’s precog ruins their tv shows for them all the time and Rose has decided if she gets spoilers so does Bart. Bart was most upset when he found out Jon Snow was Daenerys’s nephew before they even started that season. He didn’t talk to her for three whole days after she told him.
Who does most of the cleaning?
Neither of them are good at cleaning but eventually the house does get to the point that Bart can’t stand it and he’ll clean it all in less than an hour. Super speed helps a lot.
What has a season pass in their DVR?
Bart loves scifi shows like Star Trek and Kill Joys. Rose doesn’t watch tv much but she does like Trevor Noah and Stephen Colbert.
Who controls the netflix queue?
Tim does considering they stole his password for it.
Who calls up the super/landlord when the heat’s not working?
Rose, Bart hardly ever feels cold so he doesn’t notice.
Who leaves their stuff around?
Both of them. They’re not neat people.
Who remembers to buy the milk?
Rose, Bart is a little too scatterbrained.
Who remembers anniversaries?
Rose barely wanted to actually get married because of the hassle and a fear of happiness, she’s bad at remembering “normal” dates like that because she doesn’t feel like counting how many days until it all gets ripped away from her.
please imagine Bart and Rose dating and Bart spoiling her because he likes seeing her smile and on the days he can actually get her to laugh he’s ecstatic because he loves her laugh
please imagine them getting closer and closer until one day, while having dinner, Rose’s precog kicks in at just the right moment and she knows that Bart is about to propose
she excuses herself and calls Joey in a near panic because she’s happy and the last time she was this happy Slade came and ruined it all by hiring her uncle to murder her adopted parents
she doesn’t know what to do and she wants to run but she doesn’t want to do that to Bart and she’s absolutely terrified that something will take it all away
