A gentle breeze blew through the meadow, pale yellow blooms dancing along with it delicately. Against the trunk of a thick shady tree sat a girl with hair the shade of cappuccino, her ankles crossed as she had spread her legs out in front of her. And in her lap rested her boyfriend's head, her fingers curling softly at his fluffy brown hair.
Tim and Dora had come to their favorite picnic spot after a very long time yet the pleasant weather and the beauty of the place hadn't changed from how they had seen it last. In a sense, it had become prettier with all the lovely flowers and lush green grass that was so different from the dull city of Gotham.
The place always offered serenity and calm that the two appreciated a lot. And with all that had recently happened in their lives and after all the turmoil they had gone through, the serenity which that spot offered was much needed at the moment.
They had almost lost each other forever in the past year and finding their way back to each other was not as easy as it sounded. It took them time to figure everything out but just like Tim had promised her, he didn't let her regret her decision of giving him a second chance.
Despite all that had happened, they had taken a fresh start and with time proving to be a relieving ointment on past wounds, they had slowly but steadily drawn closer to each other; reaching the same level of intimacy, love and trust they had shared before Tim had had to go after Deathstroke.
It seemed as if Tim had drifted off to sleep for his blue eyes were closed, a very pristine expression lingered on his face and his breathing was calm. Almost asleep, she judged, twirling another strand of his hair in between her fingers.
Dora looked down at him, her finger tentatively tracing the scar under his left eye and right then, he stirred, blue looking up in soft brown.
"This one is permanent, isn't it?" She asked in a soft tone, watching as he took her finger away from the scar but pressed a gentle kiss at the tip.
"I guess. It hasn't faded in the least."
"And these?" Her hand brushed against his chest until she felt the familiar heartbeat underneath her palm, "are these scars permanent too?"
He understood what she meant; Dora was referring to the scars on his heart that had formed as a consequence of all the two had been through in the past one year.
"I don't think so," he replied, "I feel them fade each time I'm with you. I believe these are going to heal very soon."
Silence lingered between the two yet her left hand was still entangled in his hair, the right one feeling the steady rhythm of his beating heart. The silence was broken at last as she spoke, "Tim... Why are you like this?"
"Like what?"
"Like so damn precious that I feel bad for ever pushing you away from me," she mumbled, her hand that was resting over his chest felt his heartbeat quicken.
He lifted himself up, blue eyes not leaving her features for even a second and his hand gently cupped her face, "you never pushed me away, Dora. You only asked for some time and I couldn't deny you."
"I put you through a lot of guilt."
"No you didn't..."
"And even made you think that I might never be the same Dora you had fallen in love with."
Hearing those words, he shook his head, realizing what she was implying, "but Dora, I love all sides of you. The cheerful happy side, the one that tastes like sugar, the clever detective side and even the strong side of you that kept you going even when I wasn't with you. Each side of you is equally lovable and admirable for me, no matter if it tastes like sugar or is a little salty."
A smile broke out on her features, "salty?"
"Well, there must be salt in our life too or too much sugar causes diabetes."
The smile turned into a light laugh and his fingers that still lingered on her face gently pulled her close. Her laugh was what made him feel alive, the pure sound of it resonating as his blue eyes observed each soft feature of hers.
"Funny you're the one saying that."
"Just stating a fact," he replied, "too much sugar also gives a sugar rush."
"Like this?" She brushed her lips against his for a brief second, pulling apart almost immediately afterwards.
Blue eyes sparkled as he remarked, "Dora, are you teasing me?"
"Whatever you want to think of it, birdboy."
"That wasn't enough to actually get a sugar rush," he added, his nose brushing against hers as he leaned closer, watching the beautiful crimson spread on her face, "allow me to give a slight demo."
Her heartbeat raced as his hands closed on to her wrists, his lips capturing her own in a deep unrestrained kiss. Her head arched back and she felt him pull her away from the tree trunk she was sitting against until her delicate body touched the soft flower bed underneath.
Hair spread out on the yellow petals, skin blushing a deep red as he left a trail of kisses from her jawline to her neck, at that moment Dora was nothing short of an ethereal vision he could never forget.
Her hands that were no longer pinned down to the ground, reached up to weave into his soft brown hair, a blazing fire erupting in her body as his lips tainted her skin.
"You said a slight demo...?" She gasped as his fingers glided up her thigh, heart beating fast at the spin of events.
"Or we could take it up one level," he breathed, blue looking down in her coffee brown irises until his lips closed on hers again.
"But we're in a meadow!"
"Our meadow," he corrected her, "and we're alone."
She tried to sit up, her hands cupping his face, "Tim, not here. Take me home first."
A slight look of disappointment crossed his features but she leaned closer to kiss him, making it fade away, "okay and then?"
"Stay the night."
He nodded as if agreeing but then spoke up, "and what about Al?"
"He'll be at Helena's," she replied, "I'm not asking you to wait till night falls, you have me all to yourself for the entire evening and the entire night but not here. Not in a meadow."
"Any specific reason?" He teased, forehead gently touching hers as he watched the blush on her cheeks deepen.
"In case you forgot, this isn't a place specific to us only. People other than us might come for a picnic here anytime."
He shrugged, "it's been years, Dora, and no one except my family and you know that this place exists. So no picnics are gonna happen."
She pinched his nose slightly, "but what if your family came for a picnic instead?"
Silence engulfed him and he shuddered, "now that is something I would rather not imagine."
She laughed at the way his cheeks turned red too. Probably the thought of his family finding him in such a state would have been embarrassing because knowing the Waynes, if they did show up, Jason in particular would have made it his mission to tease Tim about it all the time.
And that would not be a very preferable situation, judging by the expression on Tim's adorable features.
"Alright, let's go back then. I am not gonna take any risks because there is a chance they might show up and Jay would never let me have even a second of peace."
"See, my place is a far safer option," she remarked, her hands brushing his hair back from his forehead, watching the twinkle in his blue eyes.
"I agree."
He stood up, holding his hand out for her to take and gently pulled her up to her feet as well. His arm wrapped around her waist as the two walked back to where he had parked his bike.
Before he handed her the helmet, she had flung her arms round his neck, wrists crossing at the back as she pulled him closer and kissed him. When she pulled apart at last, the three words he loved to hear from her voice greeted his ears, "I love you."
A soft smile graced his features as he replied, capturing her lips with his own in another sweet kiss, "I love you too, Isadora."
Tim and Dora's loving bond had suffered a huge risk of being torn apart but even then, the two had managed to find their way back to each other, crossing the hurdles that came in their way and were together at last.
They had had times that were sweeter than sugar and yet experienced bitter darkness in their lives as well but what mattered most was the fact that their love was strong enough to make it through all the ups and downs they had faced.
What mattered most was that their love was pure and nothing could take that away from them.
***