AN: Well, I was instructed to write a sequel, so here goes nothing. Admittedly, this is a bit of a prologue, rather than a first chapter per se, but I had some scene-setting I wanted to do. I'll add chapters when I have time, but I'm off back to college in a few days, so they may not be enormously regular.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy it...
Angels Fear To Tread
I don't want to get up – lying here with Dick is the closest to heaven I'm ever liable to get. Still, whoever tops makes breakfast, so I don't have an awful lot of choice in the matter. After wriggling carefully out of bed, I take a left on leaving the room (I'm at Dick's apartment: if we were at my place, the bathroom would be in the opposite direction) to take a quick shower, before heading to the kitchen, wearing a towel around my hips. A brief scan of the cupboards and fridge alerts me to the fact that Dick really needs to go shopping, but that I have the right ingredients to make pancakes. Fine by me. I sing quietly to myself as I mix the batter, absent-mindedly dancing around the room to 'Take Me Home Tonight'. I've had it stuck in my head a lot lately, for some reason.
After narrowly avoiding burning myself through lack of concentration when flipping the damned things, I'm left with a decent stack of pancakes to share between the two of us. I pause for a moment to drown them in syrup; then grab two forks and make for the bedroom.
"Hey, Dickie, wake up!" I'm rewarded with a soft groan of protest. I shake his shoulder and try again. "Dickie, c'mon – I made pancakes." Aha! I have his attention now.
"Pancakes?" Isn't it wonderful how food gets priority over me?
"Yup, pancakes. You have a problem with that?" He throws a mock bat-glare my way and holds his hand out for a fork, which I obligingly hand over.
"When have I ever refused your cooking, Jaybird?" He presses a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth; then we both dig in, occasionally feeding each other mouthfuls for the hell of it. A few months ago, I would have found this alarmingly domestic, but I'm getting used to allowing sappy behaviour on the four nights a week I patrol Blüdhaven. Since the cats moved up to the manor, patrol inevitably leads to spending the night at Dick's, and then, of course, to a breakfast like this (though it's not always me that makes it) before we either both head out to work or, on our days off (because Bruce sneakily arranged for mine to match with Dick's, when he set up my job), find something fun to do. Today comes under the second category.
"You got any ideas for today, Dickie-bird?" Grinning devilishly, he slips the fingers of one hand under my towel and runs them around the makeshift waistband, sending delicious shivers down my spine.
"Oh, I can think of one or two…" I'm beginning to wish I hadn't asked. No, that's not true – I'm going to enjoy this – but I had been hoping we could go out somewhere. Still, take what's given, hey? We can always go out later.
"Only one or two? I'm disappointed, Wingnut." Funny how I can never quite resist teasing him.
"I think you know perfectly well I was being figurative, Jaybird." I freeze for a moment as his hand begins to work its way lower; and he takes advantage of my momentary silence to start nipping at my collarbone. Sometimes, I think he has a thing about collarbones, but that may just be my imagination.
"…Yeah. I – ah – definitely knew that… Your point is…?" Why is he so damned good at making it impossible to concentrate?
"You're an ass."
"And you're a dick. Shut up and screw me, already."
It's almost noon by the time we actually make it out of the bedroom. One of these days, I should really try refusing to let Dick fuck me, just to see the look on his face… Not that I'm liable to do that any time in the near future. What can I say? I like him. And now would be a good time to change my train of thought. Damn him for being the sexiest man to ever walk the Earth.
"Dickie, do you think Bruce is ever going to forgive me?" It was the first thing that came into my head, okay – don't judge me. Dick frowns slightly.
"To be honest, Jase, I think it's more a case of whether he'll ever forgive himself…" Of course. It was a stupid question, and now Dick's unhappy. Why do I always put my foot in it? I snuggle closer against him on the couch.
"I need to forgive him first, huh?" That brings a vaguely amused half-smile to his lips.
"Something like that. Is that ever likely to happen?" There's an edge of something in his voice, but I'm not entirely sure what.
"I dunno. Hadn't really thought about it, to be honest. I mean, I'm okay with the fact he didn't save me – I get that there wasn't really anything he could have done in that regard. Joker, though…it just doesn't sit right, Dickie." Dick wraps a reassuring arm around my shoulders and kisses my hair in response to my sudden tension.
"You're getting there, Jaybird. Give it time." His fingers trace tiny circles on my right bicep, gentle and soothing. This is why I gave up killing for him: he makes me feel human. Human and alive.
"Anyway," I'm eager to change the subject, "how's Timmy?" That gains me a genuine smile.
"Oh, he's alright. Still hasn't grown out of asking me for help with his homework." In other words, Time has been using Dick to keep Damian out of his room while he works. Smart move – for some reason, the Demon actually pays some attention to what Dickie-bird tells him to do.
"And Alfie?" Because, in all reality, I miss Alfred. Dick gives a soft chuckle.
"He thinks I should start bringing you along to Sunday dinners at the manor."
"What, despite the fact he knows I'll argue with Bruce?" Because, frankly, I can't imagine many situations more likely to end in bloodshed (or at least one hell of a shouting-match) than a family dinner that includes both Batman and the Red Hood.
"Yup. I said I'd ask you." Oh, so he's leaving it to me to face the decision between potential carnage and disappointing Alfred. How wonderful.
"You're an utter bastard sometimes, love." He flashes me an impish grin.
"You'll come, then?" I roll my eyes.
"Do I have any choice?" This raises a positively evil cackle from him.
"Nope!" He dives off the couch and flips across the room as I lunge after him.
After an hour and a half of chasing Dick around the apartment, I finally admit defeat and flop down onto the floor in the lounge, not even bothering to stay upright as far as a chair. Laughing, he sprawls out next to me.
"We should do this more often…"
"What, run round like a couple of kids?" Is he completely mad?
"Sort of, I guess. But I really mean we should just hang out – the way we used to sometimes before…you know…" He looks slightly uncomfortable, struggling with how to phrase it.
"Before I died?" No point dancing around the elephant.
"Um, yeah." He rubs the back of his head in a slightly embarrassed fashion. "We used to have fun, back then. Not that we don't have fun now, but…well, you know what I mean."
"Yeah." Back in the day, we could be so carefree. Somehow, I doubt we'll ever go back to that. "How about some lunch, hey?" When in doubt, change the topic to food.
"Sure, why not. I'll cook." I stare hard at him. Surely he's not serious? I mean, I trust him with breakfast, but there's a limit to how badly wrong you can get pancakes or waffles. Lunch is rather more of a step into the unknown.
"Er…What exactly were you thinking of making?" Please let it be something edible – I hate having to persuade him out of trying to feed me peculiar things.
"Wait and see." Oh dear…
I grin as I hop off my bike, glad to be back home – I'm looking forward to hitting the streets of Gotham. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy patrolling Blüdhaven with Dick, but Gotham's where all my contacts are, and I know the streets so much better there. It's also nice to get back into my old gear: I couldn't deal with wearing spandex all the time. Or Dick's cooking. One of these days I will have to buy him some recipe books. I didn't manage to figure out exactly what lunch was, but I'm pretty sure I'd rather not have it again. It took me most of the afternoon to digest the damned stuff.
Still, it's getting dark now, and I make quick work of arming myself to the teeth. I think I'll hit the docks for a bit; maybe drop in on one of my 'friends' round there for a heads-up on what's been going on over the last two days.
