Barbara hated duct tape.
She ripped off a piece of industrial grade, clenching her teeth as it snagged with a quarter inch still to go and left the laundry in search of scissors or a knife or anything sharp really. The scissors she found in the kitchen drawer, right where she kept them – Dad, when he was home, avoided the kitchen and Barbara kept Jimmy at after school activities or friends' houses whenever possible. The neighbors and friends of the family understood even if Jimmy didn't yet.
The tape wrapped securely around the break in the dryer pipe, curling up and fraying a little at the edges, but that was fine, she'd smother it with other pieces, hold it in place even as the dryer exhaust seared and melted it. She surveyed her work and shrugged. It would only have to hold until the plumber came.
She did not know when the plumber was coming.
---
Babs hated duct tape.
Well duct tape and egomaniacs. And Jimmy in trouble. And clowns and cold and bombs and time constraints and soggy pizza and especially splinters digging their way through the denim in her jeans and pricking her in the– anyway, duct tape was the root cause of all her problems (except maybe soggy pizza).
It just wouldn't saw through. Her wrists were chapped with friction burn and the metal pole was warm even in the Gotham night, but still the stupid tape clung. Five minutes, four minutes, Dad will have found Jimmy by now, three minutes. . . two. . swishing behind her, what?
"Want a hand?" She nodded. There was a small tug on her skin as –a knife– cut through the duct tape, then she saw Robin cutting through the bits wrapped around her ankles. If he was here was Jimmy. . .?
"Your brother's outside. Lets go before things get a little too heated."
---
Batgirl hated duct tape.
"Duck tape is like the force– it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together."
"Shut up, Dick."
"Someone's in a bad mood."
"Dick . . . "
"It's not my fault that I knew duct tape can stop bombs from exploding and you didn't believe me."
". . . "
"But if you want to kiss me again. . . "
"It was merely adrenaline fueled hormones – apparently I might harbor some feelings for you if you were the last male on earth."
"Um-hmm."
"People have been known to act impetuously in life threatening situations."
"Hmm. . OUCH! What was that for?"
"Gloating is not attractive."
"Gloating is fun."
"Writing Amanda love letters signed R.G. is fun also."
"You wouldn't."
". . . "
"I just shared my first kiss with a fabulous, beautiful, and intelligent woman. Can't I be allowed to pursue happiness?"
"Mixing the Declaration of Independence and cheesy FBI T-shirts will only get you slapped."
"You kissed."
". . . "
