(sequel to this)

“Okay, that one.” Steph points subtly to the newest barista, who’s just stepped up behind the counter of the coffeeshop they’ve been sitting in for the last three hours.

“Too lanky,” Jason judges, one eyebrow raising above his tinted sunglasses. Steph really wants to ask how those work while he’s staring at his shitty laptop screen, but they’re holding a delicate peace between them for now, and it’s easier to just shrug it off. “I prefer my guys with some meat on their bones.”

“Okay, but look at his hips when he moves,” she points out, before taking another long draw from her frappuccino. It’s her third one this afternoon, because patrol last night had been hell on wheels, and she’d taken more hits than had been strictly comfortable. Jason’s fingers pause on the trackpad for a moment and his head tips up slightly, taking a brief moment to watch.

“Nah,” he finally says, decisive. Steph narrows her eyes.

“Okay, what gives? Two weeks ago, you would have asked him for his number.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jay replies in a monotone that clearly implies that he’s lying. Steph reaches out to swipe at the stupid sunglasses, but he catches her wrist before she can make contact. Stupid Bat-training. “Please. Like I didn’t notice you barely even winked at the girl who made your drink. If I’m talking about it, you have to too.”

Steph slumps in her chair, then winces a little bit when the back presses against a bruise right below her shoulderblade. 

“This sucks,” she finally says, snatching her wrist back. “Liking people sucks.”

“Truer words were never spoken,” Jason agrees, fingers flying over the keyboard. Steph knows he’s taking a few online courses from GU, and it’s good to see that he’s keeping up. That he’s actually committing to it. Not that she’d say that, of course.

“What am I supposed to do?” She asks miserably, because it had been awful when Cass was in Hong Kong, but it somehow seems to be worse now. Now that she can see Cass and talk to her and hug her and—

Okay, maybe she had’t realized she was in love with Cass until she came home. Sue her.

“Why are you asking me? Does it seem like I have any idea about anything?” Jay fires right back. Steph concedes that he does have a point.

“Yeah, when you figure out the stuff with Roy let me know, kay?” She asks, lighthearted, and Jason groans theatrically.

“Speaking of which, wasn’t he supposed to be here an hour ago?” Knowing Roy, that wouldn’t be surprising. Steph shrugs and closes her own laptop, shoving it into her bag sloppily. She has the sudden urge to go to the batcave and punch something, bruises and scrapes from the night before be damned. 

And hey, maybe Cass will be there.

Steph bids a brief farewell to Jason, who looks like he knows exactly what she’s thinking and approves, even from behind those stupid sunglasses. 

Steph is really coming to value their weekly meet ups. Not that she’d ever tell him that, of course.