Caving In | Titans

Chapter 5 - Late Nights In The Sparring Room

The rest of the night passed in a blur. Sam hung out with Gar until eleven. They just watched two of his favorite movies and he gushed about them the whole time. Sam was pretty excited to start training with Jason but watching movies Gar helped the time pass by a lot quicker. IT didn't even really feel like they watched two movies. And she even felt bad about bailing on a third movie when it got later but she knew she'd be late if they started another one. She promised they'd continue the marathon tomorrow though and that seemed to please the boy with green hair. So, Sam went to her room and waited out the extra hour.

Apparently, everyone is normally in bed around midnight if there isn't something going on. Rachel went to bed two hours ago and Sam hasn't seen Dick since he checked on her and Gar around 10:30. Gar's door is shut and there isn't a light coming from under the door when she exited her room. Sam's always been more of a night owl, it's always been the one time when she could be completely alone. Even in Gotham, the streets were quieter at night. It almost felt peaceful even but as she walks down the hallways and into the living room, she spots Gar sitting on his laptop on the couch.

"H-hey?" She asks as she gets closer. "What're you doing up?"

Gar looks at her with raised brows. "Couldn't sleep, you?" He vividly remembers her saying she was going to bed and she doesn't look panicked as if she had a nightmare again.

"Same." Sam lies with a nod. "Walking sometimes helps." Sam doesn't like lying, but sometimes it has to be done. She wants to trust him to not say anything, but she's not really sure if she can. For all she knows, he'll run right to Dick and tell on her and Jason before training even starts.

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Gar's hand goes to the top of the laptop as if to be ready to shut it.

She almost says yes because she likes his company but this is a secret between her and Jason. Gar doesn't seem like the type to disobey authority. She doesn't want to drag him into a mess they're potentially causing for the next week or so. What he doesn't know, can't hurt him.

"I'm okay." She says. "Thank you though, I'm just gonna....walk a bit but I'll come get you if I change my mind." Gar nods, understandingly, looking a little sad but confused by it. She didn't decline after last night's nightmare but she is now. He isn't sure why, he feels like there's something going on but it's also none of his business so he doesn't say anything.

Sam finishes her walk to the training room, putting her guilt about lying to Gar in the back of her head. When she enters the room, Jason is right there, waiting. A part of her thought maybe he'd still be mad and stand her up. It's a pleasant surprise that he's actually here.

"Midnight." Sam wiggles her phone, the screen lights up at Jason.

"Cutting it close." Jason taunts with a mocking grin.

"Shut up." Sam shakes her head, walking up to him. "Where do we start?"

A chuckle leaves Jason's throat, amused by her eagerness. Finally, someone else who gets it. "Have you ever punched someone?"

"A few times." Sam shrugs. "It wasn't really my thing." Sam scrunches her nose.

"How wasn't it your thing?" Jason questions, his brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" Sam's eyes go left and then right, trying to figure out what he's so confused about. Some people don't like to punch other people in the face.

"Seems like you'd be into hitting people." Jason chortles.

Sam's survival instincts is actually why he thinks that. The whole dealing with torture for a year thing, living on the streets of Gotham, her overall detached sarcastic attitude, it all makes him think she wouldn't be afraid to throw the first punch.