La Jolla (does not mean The Jewel)

Arms stretched over her head, skin warmed, shades on and and toes freshly painted, Cissie was content. Helping Kon move into his new place had definitely been a good idea. Not that Kon really needed help; he just wanted an excuse to throw a beach party. Cissie was only too happy to comply. Closing her eyes against the sun, she basked in the sunshineyness.

"Hey, gorgeous." A definitively Not-Tim voice tickled her ear. "Aren't you afraid of tan lines? I can suggest something for that."

"Kon, you have two seconds to get out of my sun or else."

"Or else what?"

"Or else, I yell 'Superman, Superboy stole my bikini to--" Kon muffled the rest of her words which was just as well. The rest of it came out as laughter anyway.

Tim loped over, Frisbee in hand. "Are you suffocating my girlfriend?"

Kon pouted at them both. "Your girlfriend is MEAN."

"Yep."

With a sigh, Kon flipped onto his back beside Cissie. "I'm this close to kicking you both out, y'know. You're both taking total advantage of my hospitality."

One of Tim's eyebrows arched. "So last night, you DIDN'T threaten to feed us so much pasta that we'd sleep through our flight?"

"Nope. You're hearing-- my pasta!" Kon jumped up. "Campanelle breaks down easily if you let it boil too long. I've got to go back in there, oh, and the asparagus should about done..." His voice drifted away as he walked back to his house.

Tim took his place beside Cissie. "Hey gorgeous. About those tan lines--"

Grinning, she pinched his side, eyes still closed. He squawked and captured both her wrists, holding them to her sides. With a twist of her hips, Cissie unbalanced him. His hold loosed on one of her wrists which she used to pin him down by the neck. However, his hands were still free and he used them without apology on her ticklish spots. Cissie howled, her legs jerked up conpulsively.

"Ow! Hey! Watch it!" Tim had to laugh too as he fell forward onto her chest.

"Oh, THAT'S convenient."

"What can I say? I'm charmed."

"Uh-huh."

"I think I hurt my back in the struggle. Can't... move. Must... prevent spinal injury."

"Ha!"

"Your lack of concern is heartbreaking."

"Oh, it's concern you want?" Cissie pursed her lips and batted her eyes as she brushed his bangs away. "Awww, lookit my poor pookey-wookie cuddle-muffin woobie bear is hurt? Is him has owie? Awww, him has biiig owie! Let Cissie fix!" And with that, she dumped her pina colada on his bare back.

Tim screeched-- honest to goodness screeched-- ase ice sluiced down his spine. He jumped up, dragging Cissie with him. "You're going to help me wash up."

"Tim! I just did my nails!"

"You should've thought of that before you made me a cocktail garnish."

"Timmy! The water's cold--aaaaaggh!"

They flopped into the surf, laughing and choking on salt water.

To many of the Titan's amazement, Kon was an excellent cook. Whatever he'd done during those months with Superman turned him into a regular Martha Stewart. Tim suggested that this was out of self-preservation-- he'd seen Superman mess up instant noodles. Tonight, dinner was asparagus salad with a goat cheese dressing, olive bread to dip in balsamic vinegar or hummus, bell-shaped campanelle pasta in a thick pepper, mushroom and tofu sauce and ice cream for dessert. Somewhere along the way, Kon had become a vegetarian just like Superman. The minute he started making disapproving speeches instead of cracking insults, Tim would whack him on the head with a kryptonite hammer.

"You're cooking like the rest of the gang is still here!" said Cissie.

"That's why you're scooping our double helpings," Kon pointed out with a wink.

"I'm just storing up in preparation for college cafeteria food. Alfred only cooks for us once a week." Mournfully, she tore out a slice of olive bread.

"You can't cook yet, Timbo?"

"Alfred cooks for us once a week," said Tim.

"Spoiled brat."

"Hippie surf bum."

They toasted each other with Chianti and dug in.

Cissie snuggled up to Tim on their bed. He buried his fingers in her hair, like he always did. She pressed a kiss to his collarbone. "How much are your thoughts going for tonight?"

"Blue light special just for you. A penny." He sighed. "I'm worried about Kon."

He didn't say anything else for a long time. Most people would have assumed that he had fallen asleep or prodded him but Cissie just waited.

"He's lonely. And... and I think he's wanting it that way or something. Why else buy a house on a spit of land instead of right in the heart of La Jolla?"

"Prevents neighbours from becoming collateral?"

"If he was THAT worried, he could have lived in the Tower. SF is only a minute away the way he flies. I just... I don't know. I just get this vibe."

"We've all paired up," said Cissie. "Everyone in the team has someone except him. It can't be good to see Cassie with someone else on top of all the other changes that happened while he was... gone. Everything is so different but in a weird way, still the same. It's got to be a head trip."

Tim grunted his agreement. Suddenly, he pulled her on top of him. Her hair cascaded around his face like a curtain. He searched for and found his lips with one hand. With that as a marker, he pushed up for a kiss. There were a few minutes where neither one came up for air. After that, Kon excused himself from the house, speeding up, up, up and away to give his friends some privacy.