Chapter Text
Sunday dinner at Ma and Pa's is something sacred. That was one of the first things Kon learned after he moved to Smallville and started living with the Kents. It's a day when everyone is home – Clark, Lois and Jon included – and any disputes are to be set aside and left at the edge of the Kent property while everyone helps Ma with dinner and they sit around the table, eating good food and catching up on everyone's goings-on. It's not only tradition, it's mandatory. It's the only way Ma figured out how to get her son to come home more than once a month, if she was lucky, and as the family grew, the tradition stuck.
The only times they're allowed to miss it is if the world is about to end. And even then, they might still get scolded for not finishing their mission in time for dinner.
But when Kon's phone lights up with Tim's ID, and when Tim's soft, hesitant voice asks if he'd like to come over, Kon doesn't even hesitate to fly downstairs – literally, just to save time, despite Ma's rules about not using powers in the house – shrugging his jacket on and patting his pockets to make sure he has his phone and some cash on him, and tells Ma that he's meeting Tim and he doesn't know when he'll be back.
Surprisingly, she doesn't rip into him and drag him to the kitchen by the ear. She doesn't even scowl at him in that way that still makes him feel like a few months old clone still getting the hang of this ‘life’ stuff. Ma gathers him in a firm hug, kissing his temple before she pulls away, and presses a container into his hands with a worried but fond smile afterwards.
“Give this to Tim but buy some ice cream on your way to Gotham, you know the one he likes. Now shoo, don't keep the boy waiting.”
Kon shoots her a wide grin and nods. He's out the door and up in the air headed for Gotham before she can blink and he's clutching the hot to the touch foil tray he knows is filled with fresh-out-of-the-oven apple pie to his chest protectively. Tim isn't really a sweets kind of guy, preferring savoury snacks over sweets any day of the week, but Ma's apple pie with ice cream on top is the one time Kon has seen his boyfriend forget his table manners and simply inhale the food placed in front of him. The first time he had Tim over at the farm and Ma gave him pie, Tim blushed from head to toe when he stopped for a second to breathe and realised how utterly he forgot himself. His red cheeks were blown out like a chipmunk's and he had some melted ice cream in the corner of his mouth. Kon thought he was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on.
Ever since, Ma has always made it a point to bake more pie than they need and either tell Kon to invite Tim over and send him out the door with explicit orders to deliver the goods to his boyfriend. She's always complaining about how skinny Tim is and plying him with apple pie is the only way she's found to rectify that glaring oversight. Tim pretends to complain that he won't fit in the Red Robin suit anymore if she keeps baking him pies, but he's never turned her down in the entire time he's known her.
Kon stops to get ice cream before he reaches Gotham, knowing better than to step foot in a supermarket in one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country after sunset – he loves being a hero, he really does, but he'd rather not get delayed stopping a robbery when he's about to finally see his boyfriend after getting him out of that ninja fortress in the desert and then being banned – though not in so many words – from the Manor until Tim settled back into the routine of being home.
Tim is waiting for him outside when he touches down on the perfectly manicured grounds of the Manor. His hair is still long – Kon isn't sure if he just hasn't had time to cut it yet or if he's decided to keep the look – but gathered in a truly haphazard bun at the top of his head, with strands hanging out of the loosely tightened hair tie and falling all over the place. He's wearing booty shorts that Kon is pretty sure Cassie lent him that one time the AC broke down in the Tower during one of the hottest days of the summer and all of Tim's clothes were waiting to be washed in his hamper, and hanging loosely off his bare shoulders is what Kon is very sure is his favourite t-shirt that he thought Jon ruined in the wash last year but was too chicken to admit. The orange fading light of the sun falls across Tim's exposed pale skin like a halo, giving him an ethereal glow, and when blue-green eyes fall on Kon from behind thick, dark lashes, Kon feels like all the breath has been knocked out of him.
He lets the plastic bag he used to carry the ice cream and pie the rest of the way fall on the grass without care as he steps closer. A tentative but excited smile blooms on Tim's face and he starts walking too, slowly at first, then sprinting at full speed towards Kon, and he is helpless to do anything but open his arms and catch him when Tim throws himself into his chest.
He clutches his boyfriend like he'll disappear if he loosens his hold even for a second. Tim buries his face in Kon's neck, shaking with silent tears that drench the collar of his shirt, and Kon doesn't give a shit if he ruins all of his clothes with his tears as long as he stays right where he is, safe and sound in his arms.
They stay like that. Kon doesn't know how long, doubts that time really has any meaning now that Tim is in his arms, but he comes back to the present when Tim starts tugging on his arm. He gets the message and sinks down to the grass, taking Tim with him as he goes, and they sit together, intertwined like two beings fused into one, as the garden lights turn on all around them.
“I brought you pie,” Kon says, deciding he'll be the first one to speak.
Tim makes an interested noise and perks up, looking up at Kon from underneath his lashes with wide eyes.
“Oh, shit, did I interrupt family dinner? I totally forgot what day it was, I'm sorry.”
“If you think I was going to sit quietly at the table with Clark and my annoying little brother while you waited for me here, then you're really not as bright as I thought you were, Rob.”
Tim laughs and shakes his head, slapping Kon's chest playfully.
“Well if you're just going to sit here and insult me after I so bravely stood up to my whole family when they said I should take more time before I see you in person…” Tim trails off and pushes against Kon's chest to lift himself up, clearly intending to leave. Kon has no intention of letting that happen, though, so he tugs him back down into his lap and wraps himself around Tim like a limpet.
“Nope, you're not going anywhere.”
Tim struggles, more for show than anything else since they both know he could escape Kon's arms if he really wanted to, super strength or no, then groans pitifully as he gives up.
“What if I need to pee?”
“Well, Jimothy, there comes a time in every couple's life where they must learn to let go of inhibitions and-”
“I am not going to pee myself while you keep me hostage in your lap,” Tim protests vehemently, sounding so genuinely horrified that Kon can't stop himself from breaking character and laughing himself silly.
“Okay, okay, no peeing on ourselves or each other,” he agrees breathlessly in between peals of laughter.
“Thank you.”
A blanket of silence falls over them like the first snowfall – gentle and serene. Kon breathes Tim in and he can't get enough of the pomegranate scented shampoo and the coffee hair mask Tim uses left lingering in Tim's hair every time the breeze ruffles the silky black strands. Tim is snuggled up to him like Kon is the most comfortable armchair in the world and that makes so much warmth explode and blaze in his chest that he's sure his torso must be glowing from within.
It's simple and peaceful and Kon is so happy he could burst.
“Did you get me ice cream, too?” Tim pipes up after some time as he's fiddling with one of the studs on Kon's jacket.
“You know I did,” Kon replies with a fond smirk. “Wanna eat?”
Tim hums in agreement and sits up properly so he can eat without causing a mess, but he's still glued to Kon's lap and his back is touching Kon's front like they're two magnets that can't be pried apart.
Kon uses his TTK to fetch the plastic bag he left lying forgotten in the grass. Thankfully, the pie is still plenty warm and the ice cream is only slightly melted. He silently thanks Ma for being one step ahead and packing a fork for the pie and a spoon for scooping because he sure as shit didn't think of that, and hands Tim the opened container of pie laden with ice cream when the grabby hands start getting impatient.
“God, this is amazing,” Tim moans around his fork, chewing like a neanderthal without a care in the world that ice cream is carving a path down his chin and towards Kon's shirt (Tim's, really, at this point). “Is Ma single? And is she looking for a rich, younger man to look after her?”
Kon barks out a laugh. “Sorry, babe, she's happily married and has a firm policy against dating twenty somethings who are currently dating her grandson.”
“Damn, okay. Have I mentioned I'm really rich, though?”
Kon wets the pad of his thumb with his tongue and wipes the ice cream streaks away from Tim's face.
“I'm sure she'll be happy to make you more pie without needing to become a cougar. Just tell me when so she has time to prepare.”
Tim swallows, pausing his eating to aim a beaming smile up at Kon, and leans up to peck Kon's lips sweetly before he goes back to finishing his pie.
“Okay, I will. Thank you, Kon. You're the best boyfriend in the entire multiverse,” Tim chirps happily.
Kon gazes down at him with what he's sure is the most idiotic, besotted smile in existence, but can't really bring himself to care much. He licks his lips, tasting apple and pecan praline from Tim's kiss, and thinks yeah, this is what love tastes like.
“No, I'm pretty sure that's you,” Kon murmurs with a lovesick sigh and leans back on his elbows so he can watch Tim eat and wave his fork around as he starts explaining how actually, he's pretty confident it's Kon because he's studied the multiverse extensively and he knows what he's talking about so it's rather pointless of Kon to contradict him. Kon is so happy to have his Rob back that he doesn't even pretend to be annoyed at Tim being a smartass. He just lets him prattle on and then shuts him up with a long makeout session when the pie is officially gone from the tray.
Tim doesn't fight at all when Kon pulls him down to lie on top of him and protests even less when he spins them around and traps Tim's body underneath him, covering him like a shield and tasting every inch of exposed skin he can get his mouth on. They only break apart and say goodbye when Alfred steps outside, late into the night, and clears his throat before telling them it's time for Master Tim to retire for the day. Kon blushes, embarrassed to have been caught mauling Tim like a horny teenager in the Waynes’ backyard, and takes off towards Kansas after receiving one last kiss from Tim and an amused eyebrow raise from Alfred.
He only realises he forgot Ma's fork and spoon in Gotham after he's slipped into his bedroom through the open window. Well, he hopes he has a nice funeral after Ma is done with him in the morning. The memory of kissing and being kissed by Tim all evening is definitely worth the hell Ma has in store for him for abandoning her cutlery so carelessly.