7 Snowflakes and Gardens

Things have been going well so far. Since the defeat of Mirror Master and Saber. The local Rogues decided to bide their time to make their next heist. There have been a few crimes here and there, but the police were able to handle them without complications Throughout the day, he could see the occasional blur of red and yellow passing by.

Ben continued to train with Dinah, and she even invited Harley to come along. She was hesitant at first, but they eventually convinced her to join. Harley surprised both of them with her agility and dexterity with a few acrobatics moves and stances. She said that she used to do gymnastics in high school, but most of the recent practice came from battling the dynamic duo during her career.

It was fine for Ben since running the shop is more of a hobby and passion than an actual job. One would wonder how he stays in business and pays bills, but it helps a lot when people love his drinks. That's also not including spending late nights in his room, eating popcorn, watching movies, and literally "making" gold. Thank Azmuth for Master Control.

Mister Smoothie

Friday, June 11, 2010 13:30 EDT

The door to the shop chimed open, and a young Norwegian entered full of enthusiasm. Walking to the counter, she greeted Ben with a hug from behind while he was wiping down one of the tables. "Hey, Ben!"

He laughed at the surprise before turning around and returning the hug. "Nice to see you too, Tora."

"So, are you ready for our date?" Tora cheekily asked.

"Yeah, I'm just closing up right now. Harley should be in the back putting away our stock." Said blond just walked out from the back to hang up her apron.

Tora waved to her. "Hi, Harley."

"Hiya, Tora." While the two model besties couldn't visit for long, they did their best to come by when they could. All four of them ate lunch together often. During that time, they got acquainted with Ben's roommate Harley.

Harley was preparing her shift when she thought of something. 'I wonder if it's possible for me and Ivy to meet in a few weeks. She still needs to lay low from the bat and the police. "Hey, Ben, is it okay if I invite a friend to come over next week?

He blinked at her for a second before he shrugged with a smile. "Uh, sure. I'm glad to see you opening up again. What's he or she like?"

She smiled at his reply. "You'll like her. She has a knack for plants. You could even say she has a green thumb. Ha. Ha. She's one of my best friends back in Gotham. In a way, she is one of the few people who looked out for me..." The smile didn't look as bright anymore.

Ben and Tora both frowned at her expression. "Harley…"

The blonde shook her head. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. You two go and enjoy yourselves."

"Are you sure, if you want, we can just hang out here," offered Tora.

Harley shook her head. "No… No… I can handle myself. I wouldn't want to spoil your date. Besides, after work, I'll be visiting the store for something I want to try and cook tomorrow."

Ben complied, "Well, if that's really what you want."

"Don't hesitate to call us. We'll be here," added Tora.

Harley rolled her eyes jokingly. "I always have him on speed dial."

Ben turned to the Norwegian beauty. "Ready to go, Tora?"

"Yeah," replied Tora. As the couple left the building, the two said their goodbyes.

Ben and Tora were riding along Main Street, enjoying the midday atmosphere. "So, what do you want to do today?" asked Ben.

Tora shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. There are so many interesting places we passed last time that we didn't get a chance to visit."

He nodded. "Yeah, he did take a huge chunk of our time. Now that I think about it, I know where we should go first."

"Oh, what do you have in mind?"

"You'll see when we get there." With that, he took an on-ramp for the freeway and stepped on the gas. "Anyways, how have you been so far? I've texted you two a few times since then, but it feels great to get together face to face again."

It brightened Tora to hear her effect on him. "It's great to see you again too. It's been pretty busy this past week. A lot of preparation is being made for the event. We've had to meet with numerous managers and sponsors. The meeting today involved all the models in order to perfect the layout according to each of their styles."

"Wow. Seems like a very high profile event."

"It really is. Some of the up and coming designers are really trying to get their career to take off. In fact, my good friend Mari is both the designer and model."

He nodded. "I hope that it goes well. I've heard that it's a competitive niche."

"Yeah, well, enough about me and work. Anything new with you lately?" she asked.

"Heh, a lot actually. I'm glad that you two are getting along."

"She seems like a sweet girl. My heart goes out to her. Such toxic and abusive relationships should never be tolerated in today's society. I'm glad that you're helping her get back on her feet."

"It's a challenge, but I feel like she's making progress."

"Should I be worried about you coming onto her?" she slyly asked.

Ben knew she was joking, but it still stung as an insult to his character. "I'll admit that she's cute, but I wouldn't do that to you both. Harley's still healing. A lot of her issues still lie in interactions with those around her. She and I understand the effect toxic relationships have in the long term. People feel less confident and closed off from others. It would be wrong both morally and professionally for me to take advantage of her vulnerability."

"It's good that you are knowledgeable on the subject."

"Yup. While she and I are certified psychologists, the treatment is easier said than done. If things get worse, she'll show signs of sociopathy, a weakened conscience, and weakened empathy." 'I've also had to do counseling with alien couples back home.'

"I hope for the best with her recovery. Also, points for you."

"Points? What's that about?"

"I wanted to see a little more of your personality. I see a lot of compassion and empathy. You gave a great answer and more. I knew you wouldn't disappoint."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm glad a lovely lady as yourself has high expectations of me."

"Bea and I never settle for anything less."

"So, about these points, can I redeem them for some sort of... prize?" he asked suggestively.

She smirked. "That's for us to know and for you to find out."

"Let's hope that I go on a points streak," he replied with a small smirk.

They continued to talk more about each other with Tora explaining a bit of her early life and home. By the time they pulled into the parking lot, Tora realized where they were: it was the largest indoor mall in the state.

Inside

The two walked among the crowd with arms locked in each other. While the many shops and decor were, the large ice rink in the center of the plaza drew her attention. She raised an amused brow toward Ben for his choice of activity.

"With a person of your talent, I thought it would be nice for us to go ice skating."

Tora rolled her eyes in amusement. "A little bit on the nose there, but you're lucky that it's one of my favorite things to do." She smirked at him. "Have you ever skated before?

In an honest voice, he replied. "Not one bit."

This surprised her. "Really? You never had a chance to try?"

"Yeah. My place never really had one. The closest I ever got to ice skating is when I had to dash through a frozen river to stop an artificial spirit of Christmas from turning my grandpa into Santa."

Tora tried her best from holding in her laugh and disbelief. "You can't be serious?"

"I'm completely serious. The old Mayor built a machine years ago to keep the entire town in a moment of time."

"You definitely need to tell me more about that later."

"I know."

They finally reached the rink and paid the rental fee. All strapped up, Tora jumps onto the ice with no problem at all. Ben, however, had more difficulty.

"You weren't kidding. So, you want me to teach you?" she teased.

"If you're willing to," he asked with a wry smile.

"In that case, grab my hand, and I'll lead you."

From there, the rest of the day went off without a hitch. It took about half an hour before Ben could move on the ice by himself. Tora and Ben took slow laps around the rink, and they didn't mind at all. It gave them an excuse to stick together as the world passed by around them.

At one point, Ben hung around the wall to watch Tora glide across the rink. With a little bit of ice power, she was able to turn her cheap rental skates into temporary professional blades. She performed spins and leaps with the grace and elegance of an Olympic figure skater. To put it simply, he was stunned and amazed like everyone one else.

By the time she skated back into a hug, she asked with a wry smile, "So, how'd I do."

The words simply fell out of his mouth. "It was a work of art that no one else could ever copy."

She pressed her finger against the tip of his nose. "Points." Tora gave a light kiss on his cheek before wrapping arms around each other. "A bit cheesy, but still good."

Ben raised"Hey, I'll have you know that some people like cheese now and then."

She pressed her head against his chest."Well, you're not wrong since I'm one of them."

The two spent the next few hours exploring the area, finding new things to do every turn. After a sushi dinner and dessert, it was time to go home.

Right now, Ben and Tora pulled to the entrance of her hotel like last time and walked her to her room. "I had fun today, Ben."

"Yeah, me too."

Tora's Hotel Room

Earlier

Beatriz just came from a long day of preparation for next week's event. At the moment, she was getting a drink from the mini-fridge. She scrolled through her social media feed until she heard familiar voices coming from outside the room. To fill her curiosity, she peeked through the peephole.

Ben and Tora were standing close to each other, still holding each other's hands. 'Tonight just got more interesting,' thought Beatriz.

"I had fun today, Ben."

"Yeah, me too."

'Go for it. Do it. You guys better not leave me hanging,' the emerald beauty exclaimed in her thoughts.

Outside

Their faces started to draw close to each other. It didn't take long for their foreheads to make contact and for them to be looking into each other's eyes. To them, it felt like an eternity waiting for something to happen.

'Screw it.' He started off with a forehead kiss. She felt so warm. A kiss on the tip of her nose followed. A small giggle left her mouth. Finally, after cupping her face in his hands, he went in for a kiss. Tora pulled him closer by the waist. A few seconds later, they separated. "Vanilla," commenting on her lusting taste.

Tora smirked. She grabbed Ben by his coat and pulled him in, softly pressed her lips against his once again. While Ben was surprised for a second, he quickly recovered and followed her lead. Both of their hands wrapped around each other. They kept soft eye contact as they eased into the kiss.

They kept them soft and tender at first, kissing the top and bottom of the lips. Tora teased him by putting the tip of her tongue in his mouth for just a second and then moving your head back slightly. So sweet and seductive… She began grazing her tongue between the lips and slowly added a little tongue. Soon, it became a little game where they chased each other's tongue for a couple of seconds and then sucked on the top and bottom lip. The intensity continued to grow between them. As Ben ran his fingers through Tora's hair, Tora gently scraped hers along his back and neck.

His hands slowly started to lower from her back to her hips. In return, she started to kick it up a notch; they began using tongue, a lot of tongue. 'Thank God for nose breathing.'

Contrary to what's seen in movies, they followed about a gentle use of your tongue. There were an ebb and a flow, at times slow, tender and sweet but gradually increasing in intensity.

Light moans and deep breaths escaped both of them. The taste of her saliva had hints of vanilla from dessert. Their eyes would occasionally make soft contact. She pressed her modest breasts against his chest. Her fingers lightly dug into his back. It didn't take long for his hands to slowly creep towards her butt. Ben waited to see if she wanted him to stop, but her lips and hands were telling him to keep going. His hands finally reached her curve to an increase in her moans, and it only got him riled up even more.

What followed were varying intensities of squeezes, clawing, and moaning. They let go and got lost in the moment. They started going through a wide variety of things.

She ran the tip of her tongue around his teeth, played with his tongue, and even sucked on his tongue gently for a few seconds, which felt surprisingly amazing.

There were combinations of kisses with sweet kisses, slow and soft kisses, neck kisses, cheek kisses, etc.

It took a few minutes before they needed to take a break When they separated, they were left hot, bothered, and a little ragged.

Tora moved stray hairs from her eyes. "Wow…"

"Took the words right out of my mouth." He chuckled. "Sorry, if I got a bit carried away there."

"Don't be. I don't mind. I may not be like Beatriz, but I know passion. I'm sure she'll enjoy herself with you as much as I have."

He shook his head in amusement. "I swear. Every time I see you guys, I hate it when I have to leave."

She whispered into his ear in a seductive tone. "You know what they say, always leave the other wanting more." With that, she kissed him one more time and entered her room, leaving Ben alone in the hallway, a bit dumbstruck and staring at the door.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down before leaning against her door. With a smile, he whispered, "She just knows how to push my buttons, doesn't she?" 'I need a cold shower when I get home.'

Inside

When Tora entered her room, she also leaned back against the closed door. Looking up, she saw Beatriz wore a teasing expression lying on her bed.

"So…" Beatriz smirked. "How was your date?"

"Long story short, it went well."

"That sounds like an understatement when you compare it to what happened outside just a minute ago.

Tora's face glowed red. "Oh my god. Were you watching us in the hallway?"

"A little." Beatriz had her own red glow. "You weren't being subtle with all those sounds."

Tora groaned into her pillow. "You're killing me, Bea."

"Oh calm down. If anything, you two almost made me want to open the door just to join."

Tora moved from her pillow and gave a grin. "Oh, you'll love him. He's definitely a keeper."

Mr. Smoothy

Tuesday, June 15, 2010, 13:32 EDT

It all started out like any other workday. It wasn't till around 4 o'clock that a woman with luscious red hair walked through the door. In Ben's honest opinion, she was a beauty, rivaling even Beatriz. "Welcome to Mr. Smoothy." Instead of walking to the counter to order, she flipped the door sign and shut the blinds. "Can I help you?" Ben had a feeling that this was no ordinary customer.

She smiled mischievously. "Yes. Yes, you can. But before that, let's get more comfortable." She raises an arm, and the nearby ficus soon grows rapidly. The branches wrap themselves around Ben's ankles and lift him off the ground.

Ben stared at his new predicament. 'A chlorokinetic. I did not expect that…'

She soon pulled out a chair for her to sit right in front of the dangling owner. "That's better."

'Who is she?' he thought with a dumbfounded look. "... Are you robbing me? If you are, why are you robbing me? It's a smoothie shop, not a bank." 'That's not including the piles of gold in my room safe.'

The redhead rested her chin on her hands. "Well, that all depends on whether or not I found who I'm looking for? Is Harley here?"

Ben blinked at the mention of his housemate. 'She's here for Harley? Wait… Didn't Harley mention a friend coming over, the one with… the green thumb.' "Huh. Harley invited you, right."

She smiled in amusement. "So, I am in the right place. Has she told you about me?"

'Not enough apparently...' he thought dryly. "Well, you're her best friend with a knack for plants. She said that you had a green thumb, but I didn't think of that in the literal sense. Now that I think about it, Harley never told me your name."

She rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't be surprised. Friends call me Pam. You, however, can call me Ivy, Poison Ivy."

Still hanging upside down, Ben introduced himself. "Well, my name's Ben, and it's nice to finally meet you,... given the circumstances. I see that the name fits. Is Pam short for Pamela?"

She raised a brow at Ben's attitude. "Yes. In fact, it is."

"Ah… So… how did the whole plant thing happen?"

"Oh, you know, science, genetics, and whatnot. You're taking this situation rather well."

'Well, this is way better than being over molten lava on a planet about to explode.' "Would you believe me when I say that I've had worse."

"Really?" Her curiosity about the man before her increased.

"If you've looked at the news lately, it's a pretty crazy world. Am I right?"

Ivy nodded in agreement. 'And that's why I don't leave Gotham often.' "So... you're the one that Harley's living with?"

"Yep. We take turns running the shop. She's gotten the hang of it so far."

She waved off the latter half of his statement. "Enough with pleasantries. What's your angle?"

Ben blinked at the change in tone. "Uh... what?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Your angle. What are you trying to do here?"

Ben was confused, but he gave an honest answer anyway. "Run a smoothie shop?"

Her scowl didn't let up. "Don't play dumb with me. No one just takes in a random person off the street. Why did you take Harley in? Are you using her for some sick pleasure?

"What? No! What kind of person do you take me for?"

The scowl continued until she thought, 'Right... we're in Central City. Some people here couldn't compare to those in Gotham. That Flash guy deters a lot of lower-class criminals.'

Harley's voice echoed from the staircase. "Hey, Ben! I'm almost ready for my shift."

He looked at Ivy for what she wanted him to say. Instead, she shrugged. Ben shook his head in slight annoyance. 'Being Harley's best friend certainly explains the somewhat hostile first impression.' "That's good," he called back. "By the way, that friend of yours came over."

"Oh my God! Ivy? Is that you down there?" Harley ran down the staircase in her work attire.

Seeing that her friend was safe, Ivy gave her a warm greeting. "Harls."

"Pam!" She practically leaped from the bottom of the stairs into a tight hug. "Oh, I've missed you so much"

Pamela laughed at her attitude. "You call me all the time."

"Pssh. It's still nothing like the real thing."

"I'm glad to see that you're okay."

"Yeah. Things didn't go so well until I met Ben… Now that I think about it, where is her."

Ivy laughed and whispered. "He's right there." She pointed behind the counter.

Harley turned her head to the overgrown ficus and her friend dangling from it. "Oh, crap. Ben, how long have you been like that?"

Ivy stopped controlling the plant a while ago, so Ben was left rotating upside down. "About a good eight minutes or so."

That surprised the blonde. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I haven't seen this happy in a while, and I didn't want to ruin the moment."

Harley chuckled. "Idiot…" She turned to Ivy. "Would you mind letting him go?"

"Sure." Ivy waved her hand again, and the plant released Ben to his feet and regressed back into the pot.

Harley sighed. "Sorry about that, Ben."

Ben rubbed his lower back. "I'm just glad my blood is circulating again."

"Pam, this is the guy I told you about, Ben," gestured Harley.

"He and I have already exchanged greetings." Ivy shrugged.

"I hope you guys had a good first impression," Harley sweat-dropped.

"He/She seems alright," stated the two people in green in sync.

"That's good."

"Hey, Ben. You don't mind if I steal Harley for the afternoon. Do you?"

The young blonde frowned. "Pam, I can't. It's my shift."

Ben interjected, "I don't mind, actually."

"Really, Ben. Are you sure."

"Come on, Harley. You and I both know that being with supportive friends help the process that we've been talking about before. I'll still be here tomorrow, but I don't know how long Ivy will be."

"Actually, I'll be vacationing here for the week. Mr. Cobblepot finally paid back his debt, so I have some vacation days to use."

"Really! Oh my god. We're going to have so much fun!"

"You two enjoy yourselves. I can manage an extra shift."

She gave Ben a sweet hug. "Thanks, Ben. I'll make it up tomorrow morning."

"Go ahead and get yourself ready. Just remember what I asked you before."

Harley rolled her eyes as she recited, "Don't do anything illegal, and don't show up on the morning news."

While Harley was upstairs, Ivy and Ben tried to restart their previous conversation. Ivy asked first, "I understand the illegal thing, but why the news?"

"Would you believe me when I say it started with crows attacking, a firetruck, and a bikini?"

Ivy blinked at that statement before she laughed a bit. "Ha. That's Harley alright."

"It's kinda exhausting to have the person sitting next to you on the couch also on the news for doing something outrageous the day before." Ben asked, "So, how did you first meet Harley?"

Ivy thought for a bit before she answered. "I first met her when she was my therapist. My profession can be overbearing at times."

Ben nodded. "I understand. I would assume that it's something along the lines of botany."

She shrugged. "Yeah. As you can see, I went through a little bit of a change during my career." Her eyes narrowed a bit. "This isn't going to be a problem. Is it?"

It didn't really faze him. "Not at all, really. Harley trusts you, so I do too." 'Besides, I've met stranger people and aliens.' From there, more small talk happened. Ben even offered he a smoothie for the road, and that led to a conversation about how he's cultivating Gros Michel bananas in the backyard."

Soon, Harley came down the stairs with a black miniskirt and red blouse. "Okay, Ivy, I'm ready to go." She turned to Ben. "How do I look?"

After a short look over, Ben replied, "You look great. You two are definitely ready to hit the town."

"Thanks," beamed Harley. She turned to Ivy. "I can't wait to take you to the pho restaurant Ben showed me to last Tuesday."

Ben gave one last goodbye to the duo. "You two take care, now."

Ivy smiled back. "We'll be alright." Harley left, but Ivy held the door open and looked back at Ben. "Also, please, call me Pam." With that, she left the shop behind Harley.