Bonding in the Interim By Reccea Cissie King-Jones landed on her ass. For the umpteenth time. Her sparring-training partner Dinah Lance sighed and shook her head. "God, has Roy taught you nothing?" Cissie, on her ass, frowned. "Well we haven't really covered the whole karate thing. We're more on an bow and arrow basis." Dinah arched an eyebrow. "I see." Cissie pulled herself up and dusted her butt off. "Don't even start." "So, how is Roy?" "Roy's fine. My butt is numb though." "Well you need to pay more attention to your opponents." Dinah executed a series of complicated kicks and flips only to end up right in front of Cissie. "See?" "You suck." Cissie frowned. Dinah grinned and patted Cissie on the shoulder. "It's okay kid, you'll get the hang of it." Cissie grabbed the hand on her shoulder and flipped Dinah over. (Dinah of course landed on her feet.) "Not bad." Dinah dropped onto the floor, slipping a leg between Cissie's feet and kicked the young archer's legs out from under her. Cissie landed on her butt. Again. "Damn it." Dinah stood up and brushed herself off. "I'm really going to have to talk to Roy. This is just disgraceful." Dinah grinned to herself, a little evilly. Cissie stood up, glowering. Dinah brushed her hair out of her face. "I would have thought you'd have learned to land on your feet and not your butt by now. You were in Young Justice right?" Cissie gaped at Dinah, who continued on. "I don't see Robin falling on his butt all the time. Can't really say the same for Superboy, but he's Superboy. When is that kid going to get a real codename?" Cissie jumped Dinah. They wrestled, a mess of legs, hair, and fists. Cissie clawed at Dinah, trying to get a good grip on.... well anything. But Dinah was a little too slippery. A little too skilled. And Cissie was dumped, once again, on her ass. Dinah chuckled. "You are so easy. Sheesh." Cissie, tired, covered in sweat, sat there on the ground, gasping for air. Dinah tossed her a towel. "You're just like Roy. Going off all half-cocked because you're pissed.You need to calm down. Getting thrown on your ass is not a big deal. You still have options then. Getting pinned on the ground by a villain of some sort leaves you with a lot fewer options. So why don't we call it quits for the day? Your butt's already a nice shade of purple I'll bet." Cissie stared at her. She picked herself –gingerly- off the ground. "You're dispensing random wisdom and butt-kickings and then leaving before discussion time. Gee, who's been hanging out with Batman?" Dinah winced. "Point taken. Would this be a 'bonding over chocolate shake' time, then?" "Shower. Then bonding." Cissie headed towards the door. "Got it." Dinah gave her a thumbs up. "Will I need to call around for a butt-cushion for ya?" Cissie came to a dead halt in the doorway. " I do NOT need the hiney-donut." "Sure you don't" Dinah grinned. "Meet you downstairs in twenty." Dinah headed off towards the training room showers. Cissie, grumbling under her breath about hiney donuts, trudged up the stairs. Twenty-five minutes later Dinah was waiting at the shore of the small lake surrounding Titans "Tower". Cissie wandered up, scuffing her feet lightly into the soft dirt. "So." Dinah turned around to face the younger woman. "Hungry?" "Food?" Cissie asked in a small, hopeful voice. "I knew it. Titans don't feed their members do they? I knew the JLA was cutting their funds. Knew it." Cissie managed, just barely, to keep a straight face. "You should really talk to Batman about it. I bet he could bully Aquaman into giving up more money. After all it doesn't take that much money to keep a pool of sea water on the moon. Right?" Dinah, straight faced, glared at Cissie. "Impudent guppy." Cissie stared. "He doesn't really say that. Does he?" "What do you think he calls people? Flounder?" "I seriously doubt he watches Disney," Cissie conceded. "So how do we get out of here again? " "Raft." Cissie glanced around for the vehicle. "How Huck Finn. Roy must love it." "Oh yeah. Lian too. They do the whole straw hat thing." "Sick." Dinah nodded, as they watched the raft approach. They got on the raft and headed across the lake. Getting off the small raft they headed towards the car that Oracle had sent over for them with one of the other Titans. They climbed into the black convertible. "Nice wheels." Cissie sunk down into the leather seat. "Pays well when you work for the big guns." Dinah gunned the engine. "Remind me to work for the big guns." Cissie leaned back as Dinah cranked the music. They drove-rather quickly- for a short while and then screeched to a halt in a parking space in front of a not-so-nice- looking diner. "Uh, Dinah?" Cissie wasn't exactly impressed. "Trust me." Dinah jumped out of the car, forgetting the doors entirely. Cissie, rather skeptically, followed Dinah into the shabby looking restaurant. The walls were covered in old movie posters, framed pictures of stars, and other random Hollywood memorabilia. But the walls were unpainted wood. It was a strange blend of rustic and tourist. Dinah walked passed the "seat yourself" sign and headed towards a small corner booth. Dinah dropped into the booth, leaning against an uncovered bit of wall. Cissie slid into the other side, peering around Dinah at scenes from "The Maltese Falcon". Dinah picked up a menu of a small rack at the side of the table. "The orange and cream malts are really good." She bit her lip, pondering the menu. Cissie picked up the menu skeptically. "Sure they are." "Okay, fine have no taste. I mean Roy likes the chocolate peanut butter ones." "Oh ew." Cissie perused the menu, which had things from burgers to pancakes. A young man, the waiter, came up the table. His hair was a light blue, he had multiple piercings, and was wearing a black tank top with loose jeans. "Hey Mike," Dinah smiled at the boy. "You figured out what you want?" She glanced at Cissie (who was just this short of drooling.) "Orange and Cream shake." Cissie sputtered out the first thing that came to mind. "Good choice," Mike smiled at her, his white teeth nearly sparkling. "You, Di?" Mike turned to his favorite customer. "I want a chocolate banana malt and a large fry to share. Ranch dressing on the side, right Cissie?" Cissie nodded, not trusting her ability to speak. Mike grinned and flipped his order book shut. "You got it Di." He walked away, showing off his rather cute rear end. "I like Mike." Dinah put her menu back in the slot. "Mmm hmmm." Cissie watched him disappear into the back. "He is single." Dinah sipped her glass of water. Cissie snapped back to attention. "What?" "Though I'd imagine if he came to pick you up, there'd be quite a scene." Dinah tilted her head to the side. "All that macho bullshit as the guys tried to prove they were better than him. Roy especially." Cissie cringed at the thought. "Want me to set you up?" Dinah smiled helpfully. "I don't think that would be a good idea." Cissie took a sip of her own water. "See, I knew I could make you talk again." Dinah unwrapped a straw for her water. "You're very mean," Cissie told her solemnly. "Part of my charm," Dinah informed her brightly. "Bet that's what the Bat sees in you." "You'll never know." Dinah wiggled her eyebrows. "I'm all disturbed now." Cissie unwrapped the top of her straw and blew into it. The wrapper flew across the table and into Dinah's nose. Off Dinah's nose and into Dinah's water. Cissie looked at it thoughtfully. "I give it a ten." Dinah looked down at her water. "Okay fine. Maybe you and Roy *have* been practicing." Cissie put the straw in her water. "Nah, learned that from Impulse." She blew bubbles into her water. Dinah fished the wrapper out of her water. "Bet he'd be so proud," she muttered under her breath. "Actually I think he was really proud when Wonder Girl blew her wrapper into the Flash's eye this one time. We didn't have the heart to tell him it was an accident." Dinah blinked a few times at her. "Okay. Sure." Mike came back over, humming under his breath and dropped off the fries and dressing. "Shakes'll be ready in a minute Di." "Mike you're the best," Dinah smiled at her waiter. "Nah," the young man shook his head. "Oh hey I got a new tongue ring since you last came in. Wanna see?" "Sure," Dinah sat up and angled forward. Mike stuck out his tongue and both girls leaned forward to get a better view off the off-white stud. "Ith glow in the dahk" he told them, tongue still hanging out. Dinah looked pretty impressed. Cissie looked pretty in love. Mike, Mike looked pretty proud. Dinah nodded. "Score." He pulled his tongue back in and the women could see it glowing slightly in the dark of his mouth. "MIKE?" someone from the kitchen hollered. "Your shakes are ready. Be right back." Mike scooted off quickly. "He's hot." Cissie announced to her water. "You should see his tattoo." Dinah dunked a fry into the dressing and popped it into her mouth. "Tattoo?" Cissie looked around the corner for Mike. "He has a tattoo? Where?" "Don't you wish you knew." Cissie reached over for a fry. "You're not going to tell me?" Pouting, she dunked the fry into the dressing and shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes got wide and she chewed as quickly as she could, then gulped down water. "Hot hot hot." she whispered. "You don't like fries straight out of the oven?" "Tongue is burnt." Cissie murmured dejectedly. "One OC shake," Mike appeared next to Cissie setting a pale orange shake in a large glass down in front of her. "And a CB for you Di." He winked at Dinah. "Anything I can get you for ladies?" "I'm good," Dinah glanced across the table. "You Ciss?" "Nice Tongue. Ring. Tongue ring. All glowy." Ciss managed. Mike grinned broadly. "You think so? It's not, y'know, too over the top?" "No, no. It's cool." Cissie smiled at him. "Cool, thanks doll." He smiled back at her. "So what's your name?" "Doll. Cecilia" She shook her head. " Cissie. Call me Cissie." "Cissie," he smiled. "Sweet." "MIKE!" There was another holler. Mike winced. "Um...I'll be back." He ran off, screaming back, "Yeah????" "Very smooth Cissie." Dinah smirked, sipping her shake. "Shut up." Cissie hung her head miserably. "I think he thinks you're cute." Dinah took a fry, dipped it into her shake, and then ate it. "Ew." Cissie grimaced. "I can't believe you just ate that." "Are you going to try your shake or what?" Dinah waved another fry in Cissie's direction. "But it's orange." Cissie looked down at her shake dejectedly. "You ordered it." Dinah dipped another fry in her shake. "That is so not my fault," Cissie pulled her straw out of it, watching the thick orange liquid slowly slide down the straw. "Just try it." Dinah took a long sip of hers, a look of rapture on her face. Cissie frowned and pulled a fry from the stack. She poked it into the dressing and took a tentative bite. Satisfied with the heat of it she finished the fry off. They saw Mike bustling around, dropping off other people's orders. "So where is his tattoo?" Cissie pulled and pushed at her straw, sniffing her shake. Dinah took another sip of her shake. "You're far too young to know." Cissie rolled her eyes. "Oh c'mon now." She took a tentative sip of her shake. It was orange, sure. But not bitter. It was sweet and "Mmmm." "Good huh?" Dinah seemed to be eyeing the fry in her hand and Cissie's shake. Cissie slipped a hand around her shake protectively. "No fries. My shake." "My, aren't we greedy?" Dinah dipped the fry into the dressing instead. Cissie ate another fry. She watched as Dinah dipped another fry into her own shake. "That can't possibly be good." "Well you don't know, do you?" Cissie dipped a fry into Dinah's shake and tried it. Dinah stared at her. "Hey. What about the whole 'my shake' bit." "Applies to you and not to me," Cissie explained. "That was pretty good." "You really need to trust me more," Dinah informed her. "I could show you whole worlds you never knew." "Would one of them be a Mike-world?" "Roy would kill me." Dinah tore a fry in half, dipping the first piece in dressing and the second one into her shake. "Bah." Cissie rolled her eyes. "Roy'd be macho. But he would not go postal or anything." "Okay." Dinah dunked a spoon into her shake. "Okay?" Cissie raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What?" Dinah looked innocent. "You know something I don't know." Cissie stared at her. "I know many things that are beyond you." Dinah informed her in a very wise voice. "Tell me?" Cissie asked hopefully. "Not a chance. I'd rather show you Mike's tattoo." "Oh how you suck." Cissie replied sadly. Mike screeched to a halt in front of them. "Everything cool here?" He looked at Cissie and pointed to her shake. "Told you it was a good choice. Like those ice- cream bars you get from the ice-cream man. Too good, huh?" "Uh huh." Cissie replied, her mind now completely awhirl. "Dude, I used to wait and wait for the ice-cream man to come by. He always had the best candy cigarettes." "Oooh the powdery ones?" Dinah asked. Mike nodded knowingly. Dinah played with her straw. "I actually think I like the bubblegum ones better. Powdered sugar blew out from the ends." "Di, you are too cool." Mike told her. Dinah shrugged, 'cause hey she knew that. "I liked the Fudge Bombs," Cissie offered. "You know the rocket ship shaped popsicles that were chocolate and banana?" "Fudge bombs!" Mike roared. "Hell yeah. I loved those!" Dinah's cell phone rang and she picked it up as Mike did a sexy little dance about the table. "There was nothing better than fudge bombs!" Cissie smiled happily at Mike, her eyes following his every move. Dinah listened to the other line. "Yeah. Your baby- sitter is right here." "So okay," Mike leaned forward conspiratorially. "Fudge Bombs or lik-Em-Sticks?" Dinah smiled to herself. "Yes. Yes she did. Several times. Nope. She doesn't look like she needs the donut." "Lik-Em-Sticks were all sugar..." Cissie mused. "Flirting with Mike," Dinah replied. She waited and was rewarded promptly. "No she doesn't know where it is. Well I might tell her. It's just a tattoo Roy, calm down." "Sugar versus chocolate ice-cream," Mike replied. "It is a hard choice." "Yeah, yeah he does. Glow in the dark." Dinah grinned to herself. "Actually it's not. It's very cool." "I'm going to go with Fudge Bombs," Cissie declared. "Is that Simon and Garfunkel in the back again Roy?" Dinah shook her head. "Wally needs to pick a new song." "I'm right with you there doll. Cissie." Mike bent down so he was eye level with Cissie. "Yes I know he's doing it to bug you. Well it is funny Roy." Dinah smirked to herself, keeping a careful eye on Mike and Cissie. "I, ah, gotta get back to work Cissie." Mike said softly, his face inches from Cissie's. He took a napkin from behind her and scribbled seven digits onto it. "If, y'know you don't come back with Di for a while, give me call huh? We can talk cartoons and Sesame Street." "Still flirting actually." Dinah managed to say this softly, waiting around for Cissie's reply. "Cool," Cissie replied, grinning crookedly. She took the napkin from Mike's hand, their fingers brushing. "You'd just die." Dinah informed her phone buddy. "MIKE!!!!!!" there was the holler again. "Comin' Paulie!" Mike hollered back. "I'll check back with you gals later." He winked. This time at Cissie and not at Dinah. Cissie, grinning madly held out the napkin to Dinah proudly. "She got his number." Dinah told Roy. "Who're ya talking to?" Cissie asked. "Roy. He was worried about your butt." Dinah dipped a fry into Cissie's shake. Cissie reached across the table and snagged the cell phone." My butt is fine. No matter what she says." Cissie paused for a moment and then laughed. "Seriously? You too? No way. You needed the donut! That's great!" Dinah smiled smugly. Just as she'd thought. One minute: all about Mike. The next? All about Roy. "Oh yeah," Cissie leaned back in the booth. "Just splat right there. So horrible, I'm telling you. Probably bruised." Dinah flagged down Paulie for the bill and listened as Cissie ran down a list of injuries and commentary. Oh yes, Dinah thought to herself, they're going to be cute together.