For Kon

[slowspeedster]

Bart had been looking for Kon in a relatively half-hearted manner. He wanted to see him, sure, but he didn't know what to say. Tim was here, his Tim, or near enough. But there was also that strange encounter with Clark. So while his feet had brought him near Kon's hut, and the compound, and then back towards the treehouse, his mind was elsewhere.

So when he entered the clearing where Kon's statue stood, he was totally taken back by the figure sitting on the pedastal. Kon was there, brooding. At least, it sure looked like a brood from here.

"Hey, you hear about the new arrivals?"

Comments

[not_the_s]

"Tim's here," Kon said and that part, at least, was good. Then his shoulders slumped and he shook his head. "And Clark." That should be better than it was. He remembered having high hopes way back when he'd first met Clark that maybe they'd be able to have something in common now that they were both more or less the same age.

"I've met this one before. Lex's Clark. He was...worse than ours."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"What family relationships do any of us have that aren't complicated beyond belief," Bart said, putting a hand on Kon's shoulder. "And if you keep brooding, I'm going to track down Tim to give you lessons in how to do it right."

He let the hand drop, looking out. "Clark thought he knew me. Which is...really weird. Because apparently he works with and actually likes the Bart Allen in his world."

[not_the_s]

Kon snorted. "Oh, come on. Who wouldn't like you? I mean, come on. You're entirely likeable. I'm just...not, apparently." He shrugged and shook his head. "There's other stuff. Stuff that happened here and maybe I shouldn't hold it against him. But I do."

Funny, he didn't hold anything against Bart or against Tim, but he's holding this against Clark.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"Batman, Wally, need I list more," Bart said, ticking them off on his fingers. "Brainy probably counts on that list, too.

"But, well, I guess some things are harder to take than others. I mean, he's not even Superman yet, how is he supposed to take having a clone sidekick?"

[not_the_s]

"He didn't, last time. He ignored me even harder than his older counterpart did. He says it's different now, but…" He sighed. "But I'm not sure I want to believe him even if I could. I don't know that… I don't know. I've already screwed up things with Cassie. I don’t need to ruin something else."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"I'm drawing a blank on the last time you and Cassie didn't spend half your time yelling at or avoiding each other," Bart had to say, shrugging a little. "You've got Lex, as strange as that still sounds. He's even not evil. As for...well, I don't know what's going to happen with you and Clark. Just let it, I guess."

[not_the_s]

Kon was about to say something, but he was brought up short by Bart's statement. "Wait, what? What about me and Cassie? We never fought. Not that bad or anything. I mean, even when Wonder Woman threw me off the tower."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

Bart blinked, surprised by that. "You know, I never actually asked when you were from. Originally, I mean. But definitely since we both came back, it's been a total roller coaster ride with the two of you," he said.

He glanced up at the statue, thinking. "It's still strange, seeing this one without Superman's."

[not_the_s]

"From the future. I mean, after I dragged you all into the future and we screwed up on when I went back." He said all of that quickly in favor of what he really wanted to focus on. "What do you mean 'roller coaster ride'?" Things had been perfect between them, right? They were supposed to be perfect.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"I mean the fact that there've been times when you guys wouldn't even talk to each other for a whole weekend. Or she got mad because she thought you were spending too long giving out autographs to cute girls," Bart said, shaking his head slightly. "Relationships are like that. You fight, you make up."

[not_the_s]

"But, I mean...she…" Kon gave Bart a confused look. That wasn't what it was supposed to be like. It was supposed to be perfect. It had been perfect until he'd screwed it up. Right? Right.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"She actually told you not to act like you were dating at the Tower, once. That she couldn't be the leader when you were....I don't even know what she thought," Bart said, shaking his head. "Perfect? Even the people I've known who say they're happily married fight. I'm not sure there really is such a thing when it comes to people. Haven't you told me stories about Mrs. Superman?"

[not_the_s]

Kon frowned. "Well, that's just Lois." He looked away, thinking about all the times over the last who knew how long where he and Cassie had gotten into fights. "Really? You're sure about this, then?"

He didn't even have to hear Bart's answer. He was already letting out a long sigh of relief.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"So, is that the only thing bugging you?" Bart said, trying not to laugh at the relief on Kon's face. "I think we can skip Tim for the time being. Aside from Red Robin flying solo, there isn't much that's changed. And that happened before we came back."

[not_the_s]

Kon shrugged. "It's just like we're supposed to be this perfect couple or something." He wasn't sure why he felt that way. Maybe it was the way that Cassie looked at him...when she was in a good mood. When she wasn't, he wasn't even sure that they were supposed to be friends, although he couldn't imagine not being at least friends with her. That was just crazy-thinking.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

Bart smacked him on the back of the head. "No such thing as perfect. Haven't you learned that one yet?"

[not_the_s]

Kon yelped and turned and tried to pounce Bart. "What do you mean? I am perfect."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"And here I thought if you wear the S, you're not supposed to lie," Bart teased, backing up just enough to keep out of reach. It was worth it to see Kon teasing instead of brooding.

"And if you were perfect, you wouldn't keep eating my dust."

[not_the_s]

"I'm not lying," Kon said smugly. "I'm just that..." Without giving any intention - he hoped - that he was moving, he turned and attempted to pounce Bart again.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"Arrogant? Self-centered," Bart responded, managing to mostly get out of the way, although he'd have to watch the ground more than he was to keep this up. He hadn't paid enough attention lately to be completely sure of his footing.

And no sooner had he thought that when he backed into a hole and ended up flailing, reaching instinctively for something to catch him.

[not_the_s]

And Kon was there, of course, grabbing Bart's hand in a firm grip. "Hey, this is supposed to be play, not 'fall in a hole and break your ankle'." He bit his tongue against any comment wondering whether Bart really meant those. He knew Bart didn't. Still, it stung a little.

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

Bart ducked his head, embarrassed about letting things get out of hand. "Yeah, well, I knew there was a hero nearby."

[not_the_s]

"Dork," Kon said with a quiet sigh. He ruffled Bart's hair. He looked up at the statue and shook his head. "Come on. Let's go trawl the beaches for pretty girls or something. I need to distract myself."