A/N: Convoluted timeline. Just roll with it~
The Criminal
Shawn Tsang was never what one might call a supervillain. Sure, she had served her time while she had masqueraded as the Defacer, but the greatest crime she had ever committed was theft and destruction of property. And while she had drawn the attention of the Bat and his apprentice, she never rose beyond the title of an Art Terrorist.
She was honestly just that—a petty crook.
A petty crook who had turned over a new leaf in the twilit city of Blüdhaven.
In her current life, Shawn did her part in giving second chances to former crooks just like her. And to her abject consternation, she still had run-ins with daring men in skin-tight suits.
A domino mask with a charming smile and the finest ass she had ever seen flashed through her mind. Her face flushed and, just like that, she was a teenager all over again.
God, that smile!
Her flush deepened—embers blossoming like roses on her face.
And when their lips brushed…!
Shawn Tsang's face burned with the heat of a thousand embarrassments and she bolted from her bed for a quick shower.
Today was the start of another day in the community center, and she adamantly refused to spend the whole day with butterflies in her stomach—not when there were troubled teenagers to help!
The Orphan
Shawn stared at the small girl before her. Well, small might have been the pot calling the kettle black, given that she was also a petite Asian, but the dark-haired girl before her seemed adorably tiny. Still, there was something off about the newest visitor to the Teens Afflicted by Violence program, and not simply because the girl's dark eyes stared straight into her own unflinchingly.
They were not narrowed as if she was being judged, nor were they wide as if curious, and neither were they the orbs brimming with distrust—the latter being something she was used to in her field of work. Rather, the teen's eyes just remained staring, as if she was being observed. Being read like a book, even.
It was unnerving.
Swallowing her nerves, Shawn smiled warmly at the girl.
"Hi, I'm Shawn Tsang. You can calm me Shawn." She introduced herself with a smile, placing both hands on the table in a display of good faith. "I work in the Teens Afflicted by Violence program. Welcome to the Blüdhaven Community Center. Would you like a drink Miss…?"
She trailed, patiently waiting for the girl to take the cue. It was a trick she learned—a way to subtly force teens to engage with her.
The girl didn't immediately respond. Instead, she continued to stare and Shawn had the eerie feeling that she was now being studied. Whether her visitor found whatever it was she was looking for or not, the girl finally nodded to herself and supplied, "Cass. Yes. Water. Please."
The girl, Cass, smiled, but it did little to dissipate the unsettling feeling in Shawn's stomach that she was a lab rat.
"Right away, Miss Cass." Shawn informed, her practiced smile never leaving her face while she poured a glass. She had encountered troubled teens before, but there really was just something in the way Cass moved and spoke that unnerved the former crook. Still, was this not her passion—to counsel troubled youths seeking a second chance?
"Here you go." She said, placing a glass of water and a bowl of assorted sweets before the staring young girl. Settling back into her seat, Shawn continued, "How are you feeling today, Miss Cass?"
"Cass." The teen repeated, and Shawn's puzzlement must have been apparent despite her practiced smile because Cass added, "Just Cass."
"Oh!" Shawn brightened. This surely was a sign that the girl was willing to connect with her, right? "Alright then, Cass, is there anything you wanted to talk about today?"
Cass remained stoic for seconds longer, still, and Shawn felt a cold sweat building at her nape as the awkwardness progressed. Had she said something wrong? She couldn't imagine what she had said that made her visitor act the way she did!
Maybe—did, did the girl know?
No!
Shawn mentally shook her head from such thoughts. She had served her time already and she had known there would be prejudice against her as an ex-convict. This place… this haven was her fresh start, and she would not allow her trauma and insecurities to get the better of her.
She was here to help.
With renewed resolve, Shawn willed her frantic heart to still and smiled patiently at the girl. It was then when she noticed that the girl had a small smile of her own to return, her hand—small but somehow rough—holding one of hers.
"Cass?" She started anew. Strange. She never noticed when it was that Cass moved to comfort her. Likewise, Cass must have been uncannily empathic to pick up on her own inner turmoil.
Cass nodded her head and withdrew her hand. "Yes." She replied, and despite stating just that one word, Shawn could see how all the tension disappeared from the quiet girl.
Deciding to try again, Shawn asked, "What brought you here today?"
There was a smile in Cass's eyes as she seemed to sing, "Dick."
"Ah, you came for dick ri…huh?" Shawn blinked in confusion.
"Yes." Cass nodded again. She gestured with her hands. "Dick. Big. Strong."
The girl smiled wildly and Shawn nearly fainted.
Nymphomaniac!
"You okay?" Cass asked, her head tilted with concern.
"I—yes, I'm…" Shawn stammered. Who should she refer this minor to? Should she even…? "Why are you looking for… dick?"
"Dick. Come with me." She folded her arms.
Shawn's mind continued to spin at the girl's words. "Where are your parents?"
"Dead." Cass said, but the indifference in her tone made Shawn hesitate. It was neither warm nor cold—just factual. "Now, Dick. Where?"
And that threw Shawn for a loop. She just—she didn't know how to respond in a conversation like this!
Fortunately, the door chose to open and the newbie finally arrived.
"Alright, that's enough." The man said with an easy smile, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. He settled his hands on the girl's shoulders even as she looked up to him with a bright smile.
"Dick!" Cass stood and exchanged a warm embrace.
"You?" Shawn pointed in disbelief. She knew he was Bruce Wayne's heir, but were Asian minors really Dick Grayson's squeeze?
Wait, Dick…?
Cass turned back to her and smiled. "Dick here. Thanks."
Shawn stared with mouth agape at the sight.
"You done sizing her up, squirt?"
Cass folded her arms with a huff. "Don't know. You're stupid." She jabbed a finger at his chest.
"Sure you don't." Dick teased, making Shawn doubt their relationship once more. Cass kicked his shin, drawing a wince from the much taller raven.
"Go now." Cass huffed and pulled at his arm insistently. "Thank you, Shawn."
"You're… welcome?" She wasn't sure what to make of this situation.
"Sorry, chief." Dick apologized. "As you can see, my little sister's visiting—unannounced, might I add." He winced once more when he felt her shoe collide with his other shin. "Darn it, Cass! I need these to walk!"
The Asian girl gave an impatient huff and rolled her eyes. "Slow."
"That's alright. We're having a—a slow day today." Shawn murmured distractedly, "I'll see you later?"
"Yeah," Dick Grayson nodded before he was finally dragged out by the much smaller figure. Shawn wasn't entirely sure if Dick was just allowing her to drag him, either. "Take care, chief!"
"Bye-"
Cass kicked the door behind them closed, leaving a very confused ex-convict to slump in her chair.
What just happened?
The Mercenary
Still reeling from the unusual morning encounter with the enigmatic Cass, Shawn did the logical thing to do with such a benign morning: figure out what the hell just happened using Google.
And boy did Google deliver.
It seemed that, ever since first taking Dick Grayson under his wing, Bruce Wayne had adopted—or close enough to adoption, in some cases—several more orphans including her most recent visitor.
Say what you will about his womanizing ways, Bruce Wayne was a true bleeding heart. Bless him.
Cassandra Cain was, if the official news articles and opinionated blogs were to be believed, an abused child Dick himself found in the slums of Gotham. It did make her wonder what motivated Dick to take her in rather than send her to social services, and she resolved to find the answer to that question another time. Still, the circumstances leading up to Cassandra's adoption did explain the appearance of the young Asian teen.
She was likely checking in on her big brother.
Bless her soul.
Nodding to herself in satisfaction, she closed the tab on her computer screen and reclined in her seat. She raised her arms high in a stretch, unintentionally letting out a small mewl as she felt her muscles loosen.
"Now that's just lewd." A sultry tease cut in and Shawn's eyes blew wide open when she realized she wasn't alone.
"He-wh-?" She stammered when she found herself the subject to a predatory pair of steel blue eyes.
"Hello to you too, precious." The platinum haired teen leered, leaning forward ever-so slightly but nonetheless noticeably predatory. It sent a nervous shiver down her spine as she suddenly felt cornered. "As for who I am? Just call me Rose."
"R-Rose?" Shawn repeated uncertainly, heart still drumming with embarrassment and shock. She glanced at the door and realized it was closed—locked, even. Her mind raced as it tried to figure out how she missed the girl waltzing in. Swallowing nervously, Shawn attempted to regain her foothold. "Welcome. I'm-"
"Shawn, right? Such a pretty name." The girl—Rose—cut in.
"How did-?"
"It's on your desk, sweetums."
Shawn couldn't help but notice that not once did Rose's steel eyes leave her.
She was on her hind legs again. This was transpiring almost like her encounter with Cass except, rather than studied, it felt like she was about to be interrogated. Or tortured, if the gleam in Rose's eyes were any indication.
Shawn swallowed nervously.
"I'd rather you address me as Shawn or Miss Shawn, Rose." She returned as sternly as she could. She forewent with pleasantries, knowing she needed to regain her authority.
"Aw, that's precious." Rose mocked. It was very clear she saw right through her and called her bluff. "Did you learn that somewhere? Maybe in Gotham City PD?"
Her blood ran cold at the callous reminder. And then fire threatened to spill forth from her lips.
Her jaw tightened. "Why are you here, Rose?"
Was she being harassed? Maybe. Her past wasn't really a secret—none of her friends' were, but the way Rose said it had her bristling inside.
But maybe Rose was just another troubled teen that needed her help. An obnoxious teen, but a potentially troubled one all the same. This wouldn't be the first time she had a difficult case, but her experience never made dealing with them any easier.
Subconsciously, Shawn squared hers shoulders.
"How cute." The platinum-haired jerk continued her mocking. "I suppose I can respect you for that. But likely only for that."
The grin Rose wore continued driving Shawn mad.
"Do you have a problem, Rose?" She inwardly cursed at how quickly she snapped. It truly was an uphill battle reigning her temper in, and Rose's behavior was definitely not helping.
Rose placed her hands on the table, but unlike Shawn's earlier gesture of openness towards Cass, Rose instead leaned forward, seemingly growing bigger and menacing as she looked down on Shawn.
"I suppose you can say I do have a problem, Miss Shawn."
Seeing her so close, it was only then when Shawn noticed how incredibly muscular the younger girl was. It made her look that much larger than Shawn.
Still, Shawn refused to be intimidated even as her heart raced for what was to come.
If the girl wanted a fight- well, she was no pushover!
"And…" Shawn closed her eyes for the briefest of moments and gathered herself. Facing the predator before her, she spoke unfalteringly, "And what might that be?"
Rose continued staring at her, eyes of steel piercing into her own. "I just want you to know that I'll turn eighteen next year."
She was so uncomfortably close that Shawn could actually feel Rose's steady breaths against her cheek, and inwardly, Shawn wondered if she appeared just as calm.
Probably not, but she would be damned if backed down now.
Rose's eyes suddenly darted to the side before she quickly retreated into her seat.
Shawn was about to speak up when the door abruptly burst open and a haggard-looking Dick Grayson came through.
"Hey there, handsome." Rose's voice was suddenly sweeter than Shawn had heard, and the girl actually turned towards him with her hands on her lap. She feigned an innocent smile. "I wasn't expecting you so soon."
To his credit, Dick wasn't fooled.
"Rose." Dick's exasperated voice was like an angel's song as far as Shawn was concerned.
And then their words words sank in, and Shawn wondered how the hell Dick knew this crazy girl.
"Hey daddy." Rose chirped back, sliding up against the raven-haired man in a way that made Shawn uncomfortable. She batted her lashes up at him. "Miss me?"
Something settled inside her stomach. And it wasn't jealousy, no.
It was horror.
"It depends." Dick, bless him, had the decency to take a step back and away from the minor. His hands settled on the girl's shoulders, and Shawn recognized the action as not for reassurance but, instead, to keep the seductress in place. The only man in the room leveled Rose with an accusing stare. "Have you been spreading lies about me again?"
Rose shrugged an admission. "It got your attention, didn't it?"
"So would actually calling my phone. You know—like normal people?"
A sly smirk formed on Rose's lips as she gave a brief, sideways glance back at Shawn before returning to Dick. "Well, where's the fun in that?"
Shawn caught the smug look and felt her blood turn into ice.
Dick sighed and shot Shawn an apologetic look. "Sorry for all the trouble she's caused, Shawn."
"It's…alright." Shawn hoped she managed to sound convincing. She wasn't able to convince herself, though. "Talking with Rose was…an experience."
Rose grinned a Cheshire's grin. "Hit me up if you really want an experience."
"I'll bet." Dick muttered and frowned at the unapologetic girl. "Well, you've got my attention, Rose. Why are you here?"
Rose gracefully spun out of Dick's hold, only to sidle up against his side and hook his arm with hers. "Do I need an agenda to meet with my old mentor?"
Shawn had gotten very perceptive over the years, and the way Rose addressed him spoke of double meaning.
And knowing what she knew about Dick…
"No, I suppose not." Dick sighed. His shoulders slackened as if in resignation—he probably gave up trying to figure out the crazy girl. "So long as you're not out to kill anyone here…"
"Hey, I've got reputation. I don't go for cheap stuff." Rose pouted, looking offended by Dick's statement.
For the life of her, Shawn could not figure out if Dick and Rose were joking. Dick's narrowed eyes certainly didn't help her decide, either, because she knew that look.
Dick was also unsure if he should take Rose's word seriously.
It confused Shawn immensely.
"I suppose you don't." Dick seemed to finally decide to let whatever he was thinking of slide. "Well, come on, Rose. Let's let Shawn get back to her work."
"It was nice meeting you, Shawn." Rose waved with her free arm. Shawn let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Good talk." She returned her gaze back at Dick as he led them both out. Her face suddenly contorted into a scowl. "Wait—Cass is here, already?"
Dick grinned triumphantly at the girl. "Nothing gets by you, eh?"
"Ugh." Rose was visibly disgusted.
Shawn made a mental note to send Cassandra Cain a present.
"Can't we—I don't know, ditch her somewhere? I recommend with a speech therapist." Rose looked at him with pleading eyes.
Dick swatted her shoulder. "Rose, you play nice."
"Yes, daddy."
"Stop calling me that!"
Shawn wasn't able to hear the rest of their conversation as they steadily moved out of earshot.
She slumped back in her seat and silently wished Dick luck with his newest guest. She sure as hell was glad to be rid of the crazy girl.
It was then when she came to a sudden realization.
She never did figure out what the hell just happened.
The Alien
It was still early in the afternoon and already Shawn was exhausted.
Placing down the empty cup that once held warm hugs—her wondrous coffee—she reclined back in her seat and sighed. Idly, she wondered how Dick was faring with his two guests.
She hoped he was taking care of them properly. While she didn't know how far Rose had travelled, she knew Cass likely came from Gotham and so Shawn assumed Rose had come from a similar distance.
It was strange, really. From what she observed, the two were close with Dick—close enough that they didn't bother telling him they were coming, but knew where to find him all the same.
Her brows knit in thought.
Was that right? Thinking back on it, the two teens came to her first. If they were as close to Dick as she believed them to be, then surely they would have known where he lived or dropped him a call.
So why go to her?
What, exactly, was the reason why they came to the haven?
There was a nagging itch at the back of her head…
The answer was at the tip of her tongue…
And there was an insistent knock on her door.
"Hello?" A girl's voice came through followed by several more knocks. Shawn was tempted to ignore it but, after a few seconds of consideration, as well as the very real possibility that the girl was a teenager-in-need, Shawn slowly stood from her chair. "Shawn, can you open the door?"
"Coming." Shawn called back, picking up the pace at having her name called. As she approached, another nagging feeling bothered her about the way her newest visitor called, but as she turned the knob and found a blonde teen with striking blue eyes staring back at her, she quickly banished it.
She was likely just tired.
Placing on her warmest smile, she greeted the newcomer. "Hi, I'm Shawn Tsang. Sorry for the wait. Do you want to come in?"
"I'm Kara and that would be nice." The blonde returned with a kilowatt smile of her own. "I'm sorry for bothering you as well when you looked very deep in thought."
Inwardly, Shawn beamed.
Finally.
Someone normal.
Shawn stepped aside to allow the girl entry before closing the door behind her to afford privacy.
In doing so, however, she paused and had a random thought.
Her door didn't have a window. Neither did it have her name plastered across it.
She wasn't sure why that was bothering her but it did.
"Shawn?" The polite girl called, breaking her out of her musing.
"Sorry." Shawn said as she swiftly rounded the table and sat opposite the blonde teen. Mentally, she banished the confusion and placed on her business smile. "Kara, right? You've got a last name to that?"
"Danvers." Kara supplied, and then quickly added when she saw Shawn take out her pen, "But I'm not here for counseling. I mean, not the counseling you're giving. That is, well, not exactly, but I wanted to speak with you…?"
Shawn blinked as her mind tried to process the girl's rambling. Drawing a blank, she quickly honed in to the last thing Kara said. "Okay?"
"Thank you." Kara smiled apologetically and combed through her hair in what Shawn identified as a nervous tic. "I wanted to talk to you about…" Kara's brows knitted as she struggled to find a way to broach the topic. "I know it's weird that a total stranger is asking you this, but are you in a relationship?"
"Huh?" Shawn's eloquent reply showed just how startled she was at the unexpected question. At Kara's insistent eyes, Shawn decided that she could divulge just a bit. "Yeah. It hasn't been long, though."
"Is he—that is, have they been… good?"
"He's a he." Shawn clarified for the nervous girl. "And I guess 'good' is one way of describing us. Him."
Kara leaned forward, clearly gaining confidence. "How else would you describe?"
Shawn smiled at her coyly. "Exciting."
"I know, right?" Kara nodded her head and Shawn could feel that the girl understood. Just as she was about to steer Kara, however, the teen threw her another curveball. "Have you two been intimate?"
"Excuse me?" Shawn spluttered.
"Sex." Kara's ears were red, but still she continued. "How far have you two gone?"
Oh dear, was it getting hot in here?
Shawn swiftly tried to deflect. "I don't think this is an appropriate topic."
Especially not to a stranger! And a minor at that!
"I just want to know what he likes." Kara explained with a reasoning smile, and yet it left Shawn even more confused.
"Again, not appropriate. Not yet."
"I just want to know." Kara wouldn't budge. "I've only gone as far as cuddling."
"There's no harm in that."
"But I want to be more."
"Urk." Shawn was ever-eloquent. "I'm sure… someday…?"
Kara pouted. "I don't know anymore. He seems smitten." Her eyes became downcast. "Maybe even in-love."
Shawn blinked again.
Was… was Kara looking for love advice? What should she say?
Wait, why was she giving love advice in the first place!
"Maybe you should give up on him?" Shawn tried to soothe the sad—heartbroken?—teen.
Kara shook her head. "I don't really want to. He's been very sweet to me."
Shawn folded her arms. "Sweet men are sweet to everyone."
"I know." Kara grumbled. "But—at least, I want him to know. And I want to fight."
"Then fight for him."
"But I don't want to be the cause of his sadness if he breaks-up with his girlfriend."
Shawn mentally rolled her eyes. Teenagers. "Kara, you're already assuming you're going to win. Don't count your chickens before they've hatched."
Kara stared at her.
It wasn't the stare Shawn was expecting, however, and that gave her pause. Instead, Shawn was being stared at with the same scrutiny as her two previous guests—as if she was being studied.
It was still just as unnerving.
Apparently satisfied, Kara smiled triumphantly. "I like my chances."
Shawn shook her head. Really, the invincibility of youth! "Kara, you're still a teen."
The blonde shrugged. "I know what I'd look like when I grow up."
"Sweetie, it's not all about the looks."
"I know." Kara nodded. "But at least I've got that one covered."
Spotting a conversation she knew she wouldn't win, Shawn reclined in her seat in defeat. Really, why was she talking about this again?
"Just—don't do anything crazy, alright?" Shawn advised her vaguely. She, herself, was unsure about what was happening to her.
Love advice! When she was supposed to be counseling teens victimized by violence!
Fortunately, her savior knocked on the door.
"Dick!" Kara turned around before the door even opened.
"Dick?" Shawn blinked again before sighing. "Of course. Dick."
With how her day went so far, she really should have expected Dick to be involved!
"Hey, boss." Dick Grayson greeted with a placating smile as he entered. He looked neat and tidy this time compared to when he picked up Rose. His eyes then settled on Kara. "I really should've just waited. It's always the three of you, isn't it?" Dick said, shaking his head incredulously.
"I resent that." Kara stuck her tongue out childishly. "You make it seem as if we have some secret sorority."
"Well, don't you?"
Kara shook her head. "We have a Viber thread."
"Of course." Dick grumbled. Still, Shawn could tell he was in a far better mood than when Rose had stopped by. "Should I be expecting more guests?"
Kara paused in thought before her eyes widened as if she remembered something, "Well, there's-"
"I was just kidding." Dick cut her off, palming his head.
"So was I." Kara giggled at the look of betrayal she was given.
With a sigh, Dick's shoulders slumped and he turned to his boss. "Well, Shawn. There you have it. I'm just going to take Kara out to meet up with the other two."
"Aw, don't be like that." Kara teased, hooking an arm around Dick and flashing him a winning smile before her crystal blues settled back on Shawn. "I'll see you around, alright? Gotta split before Mount Dick blows."
"Alright?" Shawn answered uncertainly. She really was lost at how quickly things escalated.
Dick's look of betrayal intensified. "Must you word it so?"
Kara looked at him innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I swear." Dick sighed. "Rose is definitely a bad influence on you two. Especially you."
"C'mon, grumpy. I can already hear Rose talking behind my back."
Shawn watched as Dick was… pulled?
Manhandled?
…
As the two headed towards the door.
"Dick." Shawn called just before they left earshot.
Dick turned towards her—but with the firm and apparently strong grip Kara had on him, he only managed to shoot her a glance over his shoulder. "Yeah?"
"You. Me. Tonight." Shawn said, laying down the law. "Explanations included."
Dick paled but nonetheless nodded.
"Yes, boss."
The Acrobat
As the Defacer, Shawn Tsang was hardly a supervillain in the past, and might be a part-time vigilante in the present. She wasn't really committed to the vocation, in all honesty. And while the adrenaline rush that came with thrilled her like no other, she put on the mask primarily to spend more time with one person.
"Hey there, blue." The sleek form of Nightwing gracefully landed before her. He flashed her that smile. "Missed me?"
Don't get distracted!
Pulling back from their embrace, she fixed him with her hardest glare. "What was today about?"
"Huh?"
The Defacer folded her arms. "Don't play dumb with me. I can understand Cass, but Rose and Kara?" When Nightwing opened his mouth, she quickly preempted him. "And don't try to Jedi wave this away. I've never been so stressed talking to people as I did with them!"
Nightwing scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Alright. I guess I can tell you." He moved to sit on the roof's edge, and patted the spot beside him invitingly. Nodding, she sidled against him. "They're… my mentees, of sorts?"
"What do you mean 'of sorts'?" She tilted her head questioningly.
"Exactly how vague it is. I've helped them on occasion. I guess, now that our relationship is out, they just wanted to visit?" At her narrowed eyes, he added, "They're sort of protective of me."
"Yeah, I experienced that." She told him wryly. "That Rose girl, especially. She's dangerous."
"I know."
Strange. The way he said it made her feel as if it was she who was understating Rose.
Well, so long as he knew.
Closing her eyes, she leaned against him. "What are they doing now?"
She felt his head shift for a moment as if he was looking elsewhere, but before she could comment, he rested cheek against hers crown once more. "Oh, you know. Teenage girl things."
"So long as they're keeping out of trouble."
"Yeah." Nightwing's voice was rather firm if a bit distracted. "Wouldn't want them getting caught."
Her senses were telling her there was another double meaning in his words, but she really couldn't care at this point.
She just wanted this time to for them. She barely saw him today, and she could hardly speak with him in-between inquisitions by his so-called mentees. That really threw her in a loop.
It was why she missed the three shadows that were previously spying on them withdraw. The first seemed to blend into the darkness cast by Blüdhaven's skyline, while the second grabbed the unwilling third by the shoulders and swiftly flew off.
"Dick?" She murmured, drawing his gaze into her own.
Once more, he flashed her that handsome, sheepish smile that sent butterflies fluttering inside her.
"I'm really sorry about today."
A wicked thought raced through the former criminal's mind.
"You should be. I was so stressed today." She punctuated the reminder with a playful pout, and she could see Nightwing's brows raise questioningly from behind his mask. "It's got me with so much energy I need to burn."
Having an inkling at what his girlfriend was getting at—because, really, it didn't take the world's greatest detective to figure out what a woman wanted when she plants two incredibly toned legs on either side of your lap—Nightwing's hands immediately fastened themselves around her slim waist, securing her.
Coyly, he looked up at her.
"What did you have in mind?"
The Defacer's grin widened.
"How good is your balance?"
As her hands made their way to his cheeks to draw him in, Nightwing smiled back at her.
Her heart raced.
"Like a trapeze artist."
A/N: Got too much rust in my joints, I'll admit. But yeah—where do I start?
Once upon a time, and I mean a long time ago as this was just as the Terror Titans mini concluded, I had a fanfic here that FFnet's bot deleted because it contained one swearword in its summary. Granted, it wasn't finished; it was only two chapters in, but I was still furious that it was gone. I wasn't able to find the softcopy of it in any of my external storages either, so I gave up trying to recreate it.
The basic premise of that story was Dick helping Cassandra Cain, Rose Wilson, and Kara Zor-El through their respective troubles at the time, with the unlikely trio forming their own albeit dysfunctional Birds of Prey of sorts after Cassandra breaks Dick's ankle for pissing her off. Alright—maybe I should have thought of a better premise, so I guess all's well that ends well.
But back to this story. This is basically set with that in mind. So now, Dick's three unofficial protégés are checking up on him and sizing Shawn if she's good enough. Jury's still out. And so is their relationship, I suppose.
I'll be honest: I dropped Nightwing as soon as Tim Seeley left. Like, I know the tail-end of his run wasn't magic, but I don't think "Ric" Grayson is, either. Heck, I think Ric ranks even lower.
There might be a couple of inconsistencies with this one-shot. That's because this has actually been sitting inside my laptop for months with the occasional 100-200 word update when I had time. It was only now that I've actually decided to finish the darn thing, but I'm too knackered to proofread it. Just chalk it up to amateur writing, I guess.
Anyways, that's about it.
To the 1% that made it this far, hope you're having an awesome day.
And if it isn't, make it.