exsiliumlogs | [closed] this christmas we don't need to get away

[He could tell her, if she really wants to know. That's pretty much his whole life.

She leaves him smirking. There's not really a decent response to that, and even if he had thought of one, that whistle would've blown it away.

Cue the rubbing of one ear.]

Jesus.

[Loud but effective; she grins over her shoulder at him as she opens the taxi door.]

Too loud for you, princess?

[He better be careful before he ends up with that nickname permanently.]

[That's so rude.

Saul makes a face, shoving his way past her so he can enter the taxi first.

And then, of course, he wraps an arm around her middle and tugs her in after him.

The driver already looks unamused.]

Don't you "princess" me.

[She huffs in protest, but doesn't falter at all as she slips into the taxi beside him, holding her coffee protectively.]

I'll call you whatever I want.

[There's a flash of a smirk, but it's disappeared behind a polite smile by the time Steph turns to the driver, says a cheery hello, and gives him the hotel address.]

[He's okay with so many things, but princess?

Really?

Why.

If anyone needs him, he'll just be right here.

Sulking.]

[His reaction is exactly why.

Whatever, dude, she's just going to drink her coffee and watch the city go by.

Except for how she gets bored after like five seconds and turns back to him, bumpbing her knee against his.]

What did you put on the list?

[Since she assumes that's what he was writing.]

[What if he was really just doodling hearts with nothing but "S+S" in them?

...he wasn't.

~~Okay maybe there might be one.~~]

Two categories: work and play.

[A grin.]

I bet we'll get everything we need, power supply-wise, from a Home Depot. Then I'll need to drop by an office supply place for Skyler — maybe Staples. Everything else we can get from a mall.

[She grins, too, but maybe that's just because of where her thoughts went at the word play.

She's a bad person.]

I wanna go to a Mac store, and a game store, I think I'll get Ellie and Robin a DS each or something. [a beat, and her smile turns more amused.] And we have to find go-gurt, just for Collette.

[His word choice there was intentional, of course.]

We can probably find those in the mall. Except the go-gurt, so I'll add a grocery store to the list.

[Do they even make that stuff anymore?]

I'm definitely gonna take you dancing.

[If she had anything to say about malls or grocery stores or go-gurt, it's lost as soon as he mentions dancing.

She ducks her head instead of saying anything, rubbing the back of her neck a little sheepishly, She's not entirely sure why she's reacting like that, maybe it's just the confidence in how he said it, like it was obvious.]

Okay.

[God, this is so stupid. She should be cooler than this.]

What kinda dancing?

[Maybe his hand on her knee will help her be cooler?

Probably not.]

Whatever kind you like.

[With his thumb moving in slow circles, he adds, almost thoughtfully:] I'm sure there must be a winter ball happening somewhere...

[That is literally the opposite of helping.]

Oh my god.

[She can't really help it, the exclamation just slips out, somewhere between awed and incredulous, because - just -

A winter ball.

She doesn't go to winter balls.

At least it makes her look up at him, shaking her head as she laughs at herself.]

I don't think I packed a ballgown.

[It takes some effort to keep from laughing at her, but he manages to hold it in.

She's so cute.]

I'm sure we can find a store that sells them somewhere in this city.

[frysquint]

I can't tell if you're joking or not.

[Because this is the sort of thing they might joke about, going to some fancy winter ball and buying a gown and - all that.]

I'm not joking.

[If they're gonna hang out in his home city at Christmastime, then by Jove, they are going to do something stupidly romantic and cliche and it will be wonderful.]

[Doing stupidly romantic and cliched things is a little scary.]

Where do you even get ballgowns from? I've only worn one, and I'm pretty sure-- [She stops, making a face, since she isn't sure how to talk about Alfred. It feels wrong to mention him by name to someone that isn't Batfamily, but it's not like he has a codename.] Well. Someone else got it for me.

[A little?

Saul smirks, gently squeezing her thigh.

...wait when did his hand move up that far?]

The ballgown store. Duh.

[No, he knows there's no such place. He's just kidding.]

[About forty seconds ago; she noticed.]

I'm not that stupid.

[She'd like to think she's not, at least.]

God, I didn't even go to prom.

[She was busy being "dead".]

Prom is overrated.

[It's no fun when you have to smuggle in booze and there are chaperones everywhere...!

Actually, no, that's part of what made it really fun.]

But if you don't wanna go, we don't have to.

[She's quick to shake her head.]

No, I wanna go!

[And she is, it sounds like it'd be nice, and she knows they'd have fun, since they're, well, them.]

I just-- I dunno, I don't do this sorta stuff.

[She's not sure how she feels being out of her element.]

And you think I do?

[Please. Saul might come off as fancy, but his life is way too full of sleaze for that.

But he's happy for any excuse to get himself in a tux and Steph in a gown.

She'll look gorgeous, he's sure.]

It'll be fun.

You can probably fake it better than I can.

[Which is... sort of a compliment. She's sure he'd make himself seem like he belonged with all the fancy rich people, while she'd just feel out of place.

But she knows he's right, about it being fun, and maybe she can just pretend for a night that she isn't who she is, from where she is.]

Do you think something by McQueen would be excessive...?

[She might not ever dress up nice, but that doesn't maen she doesn't pay attention to designers.]

We'll fake it together.

[Another squeeze, this time paired with a thoughtful hum. He can't think of any actual designs by McQueen, but the name is familiar.]

Steph, you can wear whatever — whoever — you want. The sky's the limit.

[That's oddly reassuring.]

I'm not sure I can handle that much power.

[When it comes to Bat related missions or expenses, she's allowed to dip into Bruce's or Babs' account, but that's different than something like this, that's just for fun.]

You'll get used to it.

[As long as they're siphoning money off of someone else, he has no problems with dropping Steph in the lap of luxury for the week.]

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