Tim blinked slowly, upside down on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV boredly.
He was bored. Exceedingly unentertained. Losing his barely-intact mind.
Bruce was sitting on an armchair to the right of the couch, reading a book on something.
Ignoring Tim’s obvious boredom.
Duke was to Tim’s left, texting someone, but he kept looking at Tim, then Bruce, confusedly.
Still ignoring Tim.
“Bruce,” Tim spoke up, turning the TV off and staring at the black screen, boredom weighing heavy on the single word.
Duke looked up from his phone.
“Yes, Tim?” Bruce didn’t put the book down, but his eyes stopped moving across the page.
“I’m bored.”
“I know, Tim.”
“Really bored.”
“I know, Tim.”
“Bruce.”
“Yes, Tim.”
“Bruce I want a fish.”
Duke blinked. Tim ignored him.
Bruce put the book down and gave Tim a confused look.
Victory.
“Why do you want a fish?”
Tim shrugged, still upside-down. “Why not? I’m bored.”
Duke and Bruce looked at each other, but Tim ignored them, inspecting the remote in his hand. He traced the buttons with his finger, still oh-so bored.
“Bruce. My fish. I need him.”
Duke got up and walked out, saying something about paintballing with Jason. Bruce looked betrayed.
Tim rolled his head to look at Bruce, raising his eyebrows.
“My fish, Bruce. He needs me.”
“You haven’t even met him.”
“We’re spiritually connected.”
“Timothy.”
“Brucelie.”
A pained expression formed on Bruce’s face. “That’s not my name.”
Tim shrugged. “So? I needed something. I came up with Brucelie.”
Several seconds passed in silence, Bruce and Tim staring at each other, a silent battle of will.
Finally, Bruce sighed.
Tim grinned, flipping right side up and sticking his hand out to Bruce, thrilled at his little win.
“To Bruce.”
Shaking his head, Bruce grabbed Tin’s hand and stood.
“I assume we’re going to Walmart?”
“Wherever your heart desires, B-man.”
“Hn. Where will you keep the fish?”
“My place.”
Bruce nodded, and released Tim’s hand, starting for the garage.
Tim whispered a very quiet, “Yes!” and followed Bruce.
Roughly an hour later he had Bruce the beta fish in his hands, the dark blue fish swimmimg around in his small cup-thing. Container? Tim didn’t know.
Two hours later found him at his apartment, Bruce setting up Bruce the beta fish’s tank.
Thirty minutes after that, Tim was sitting with Bruce and admiring his new fish, cups of tea in hand.
Smiling, Tim turned to Bruce. Bruce raised a brow as he took a sip of his tea.
“Thank you,” Tim said, nodding toward his happy fish.
Bruce grinned a little and ruffled Tim’s hair. “Of course, Tim.”
“I thought you were gonna say no.”
“I said yes.”
“Yeah but I didn’t think you would.”
Bruce shrugged and took another sip of his tea. “I aim to surprise.”
Tim snorted.
“No you don’t.”
“I don’t.”
Bruce the beta fish wiggled to move across the tank quicker.
“I think Bruce does though.”
“Maybe he just doesn’t like going slow.”
“I should have named him Barry. Or Wally. Or Bart.”
“You should have.”
“His name is still Bruce.”
“I’m proud.”
“You should be.”
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