July 20th
Flatwoods Kentucky
1325 EST

"So, you don't want to tell us who you are under the mask," Maria said, still trying to get answers. "Can you tell us what you do at least? Can you fly or lift cars or something?"

The woman was relentless. Barbara couldn't hate that. "No, that's all him." She said, putting her hand on her boy's arm. "I don't actually have any powers."

"That's arguable." Deke muttered. Barbara colored pink at her boy, he doing a good job of keeping her crushing on him. "You're scary smart."

"I hope you're going to college then." Maria said as she re-folded the laundry.

"I am. I'm going for computer science at Gotham U." Barbara said with pride. Deke had rested his hand against the small of her back while they both leaned against the counters in the kitchen, the warmth of his fingertips comforting to her.

"Well that's good. Can you maybe tell me better how you two met?" Maria asked, setting the basket of clothes aside. Hector walked back in from his phone call and sat down with her at the table.

Deke and Barbara conferred for a few moments, and finally Barbara spoke up. "Batman isn't the only hero in Gotham, and since he's in the Justice League, several other people have stepped up. Deke was one of them. He and I were both working different cases one night, which turned into the same case."

"I took it too personally, and I got a little unhinged, and she was able to reign me in. It got her hurt though, which I still feel horrible about," Barbara swatted at him lightly for that one. He should know better by now. "And I stuck around her while she healed. It was kinda a one-thing-leads-to-another sorta deal, and here we are."

Hector heard the way they talked about one another, and saw the way they were so comfortable in each other's proximity. As an artist, he made his living recognizing the signs and trying to encourage people to act on them. "Mijo, why don't you take her downstairs and show her around for a few?"

"Sure papi." Deke said, and gently guided his love towards the basement door. He spared another glance at his second father, and read the intention on the man, recognizing why he'd suggested they head to the basement.

"Maria," Hector began once the two teenagers (adults really, just very young ones) were out of the room. "You and I need to talk a moment."

"Por supuesto. Why?"

"Stop interrogating them. This isn't Cuba, and they're in love, just let it happen." Hector said to his wife.

"I know that Hector, I saw it plain as you did. I just get excited though. You can tell she's been through things too, and I'm happy for them. Can you blame me for planning a wedding too early?" Maria said, taking her husband's hands.

"There's early and there's too early." Hector said, kissing his wife's hands. "Let them be young lovers a while first, see if they even fit together."

Downstairs, Deke was showing Barbara where his otra papi did his work. Part of the basement had been turned into a small recording booth, while several instruments sat around. Deke just winked at her and sat down in front of a small keyboard.

He flicked the power switch on, and ran his fingers across the keys, plinking out one of the most iconic four chord songs ever written. Barbara giggled and sat down next to him on the bench, surprising him by adding her fingers to the mix, taking over a portion of the song.

The two sat and played Journey for a moment, neither of them singing remarkably well, but they were so busy laughing at one another that, even if they were capable of truly powerful vocals, it still wouldn't have happened.

"You know, believe it or not, I actually did take the midnight train to Gotham." He said to her.

"Hey, we shared the night over a smile too." She replied, snickering. "So, we're obligated to never stop believing."

"That's the easiest thing in the world to do." He said, and turned towards her, planting a kiss on her. She made a happy sound and kissed him back, lots of little pecks turning into something deeper.

He put his hand on her thigh, near her knee, and slid it up her leg, feeling the still smooth skin beneath his fingers. She put the brakes on that, putting her hand on top of his, but still continuing to kiss her boy. He rewarded her by not trying harder, but it was a pyrrhic victory, because he turned a sensual act into tickles. While her powerful physical responsiveness was a benefit in more passionate endeavors, it also made her horribly ticklish, both things he took advantage of.

"Hey, knock it off you!" Barbara said between giggles. "I can't kick your ass for this!"

"I can though. Knock it off mijo." They heard Hector say. "If you two knock over my new keyboard, I'll have you both doing my lawn until it's paid off."

That quickly stopped their behavior. "Sorry Papi."

"It's okay, just be careful. I heard you two down here playing though, I couldn't keep away. Music is how I won Maria's heart." Hector said as he sat down on the small loveseat against the wall. "And dancing, but somebody never could get the hang of it. I'm glad it didn't get in his way."

Deke just shrugged. "Not my strong suit."

"We can't all be perfect Mijo. I wanted to ask, where are you two staying?" Hector asked, though he was pretty certain he knew the answer already.

"The old house." Deke said casually. Barbara wasn't sure how his parental figures would take to the two of them alone like that, but her boy had answered easily enough. "It needed somebody in it, for a little while at least."

"It needs love within the walls Mijo." Hector said, his inner poet coming out. "It's been too long without it."

"Es verdad." Deke said, and spent a long moment looking at his love. She noticed him and smiled, those blue eyes so damn bright. After a moment, she took on an amused and puzzled look. By way of explanation, he bottled some of how he felt and pushed it towards her. When she felt the pressure, she allowed it in, and was able to taste what he was feeling.

The sensations were warm, strong, and comfortable, but more important, not at all overwhelming. She was able to just experience it, and let it pass naturally. "Sorry Mist… erm, Hector. We were being rude." Barbara said, poking her boy in the abs.

"Yeah, doing the brain thing, sorry Papi." Deke said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"It's no problem. The pizza should be here soon, that's actually why I came down here." Hector said. "I got your favorite Mijo."

Deke just turned to his beloved. "You are gonna love this."

Barbara had indeed loved it, but her stomach less so. She felt as though she might burst, even now, hours after lunch and some errand running. They'd eaten, talked a while, and had basically taken the chance to get to know her. The Delgado family was extremely welcoming, even though she got mixed signals from Maria. Barbara wasn't sure if she was being judged, or measured, but she didn't get the feeling that there was malice.

It was different from the other boys she'd gone out with. Mostly because she'd dated, not committed, but she hadn't met parents before. She knew why she'd insulated boys from her father, but she wasn't sure why the converse was so far true. She was reasonably certain that it wasn't out of shame, and only once or twice were her dates ever really hyperfocused on sex. She had to assume it was something to do with mothers having strong opinions on who could or couldn't see their boys.

"What are you thinkin' about?" Her boy asked. She was sitting leaned up against him and between his legs, her back against his chest, while they looked out over the field next to his house. The air was filled with tiny yellow-green flickers, the fireflies (they were called lightning bugs here) doing their summer dance, seemingly just for them.

"It just hit me that I've never really committed to a person before." She said, resting her head back against his shoulder. He kissed her on the temple for it, and nuzzled her.

"Getting second thoughts?" He asked her, not sensing distress on her, and in this close proximity, even the best poker face wouldn't hide it. "Mami can be kind of intense."

"No Cowboy, no regrets." She said as a lightning bug landed on her arm for a moment. She watched its bottom light up green before flittering off. "What about you?"

"Oh hell no, none." Deke said, kissing her temple again. Barbara had noticed a long while ago that he had a habit of raining tiny kisses down on her when they'd cuddle up like this. It was one of her favorite qualities of his. "I love you Barbara Joan."

"I love you too Marshall Deacon." She replied, turning her head to nuzzle into his neck. He snickered and reflexively twitched from being tickled, which brought a pained noise he tried to hide. "I can move." She offered.

In answer, Deke just wrapped his arms around her. She took his hands and held them against her body. A cool wind blew across the trees, carrying the scent of night flowers and honeysuckle, serving to backdrop the low setting sun over the treeline. "It's beautiful here." Barbara observed.

"It has its moments." Deke said, his voice echoing through his chest and into hers. "Though it's never been more beautiful than tonight."

"Excuse me sir, but are you trying to hit on me?" Barbara said, showing him the tip of her tongue.

"I dunno, maybe. Is it working?"

"It might be, so long as you think you're up for it." She said, worried that trying to please her would aggravate his injuries, which would sort of defeat both her enjoyment and his. He apparently had his own plans about this though, which began to reveal when he leaned forward slightly with her, and began kissing and nibbling along her neck.

Goosebumps, always with the damn goosebumps, erupted across her arms and chest as she inhaled, making a pleased sound. His hands worked their way up her arms to her shoulders, where he brushed her hair out of his way.

Barbara felt his hands slide down the front of her shoulders, barely grazing her breasts. Immediately, her body reacted, causing her nipples to stiffen, though he continued the motion and pulled her shirt up. Stopping at her sternum, he put one hand low against her stomach, the warmth of his touch doing as much for her as the feeling of his lips on her skin.

She shivered as his other hand crept up her body to rest against her cheek, using it to gently guide her head to more advantageous positions to reach. He was lighting her fire, but taking his sweet time to do it. She couldn't help but move against his body, she was almost as kinetic as she was vocal.

He nibbled at her earlobe, something she seemed to enjoy doing to him, and was rewarded with a quiet whimper. A smile spread across his face at that. He could have just started listening to her thoughts, but he was having too much fun exploring without using his talents. Besides, there were plenty of times she'd do things to him that he didn't know he wanted, until she did them, it was a learning experience.

He kept at her for a while, observing her very enjoyable reactions, before going further. He pulled her tee shirt up over her breasts and slipped a hand between her skin and the soft material. When his fingertips brushed across her nipple, she made a small low moan, and when he pinched it lightly, she drew in a sharp breath, the sensation electric.

Barbara was feeling perfectly blissful as he pulled her shirt over her head, saving her the trouble. The cool night air, so different than the oppressive heat of the day, felt refreshing on her increasingly bare skin. She raised her arm up and around, resting her hand on the back of his head, letting her fingers slip and tangle into his hair.

Deke moved the hand against her abdomen down, slipping into the front of her shorts. The way his fingertips tickled her as he moved made her shiver in excitement, which seemed to work well for him. When he got past the waistband of her panties, he felt the still very smooth skin around her most secret place. The fabric covering her was soaked already, a testament to his efforts.

Barbara reached down with her free hand and undid the snap and zipper of her denim shorts, allowing him much easier access. In response, he lightly stroked her opening, feeling her arousal. Lacking anything better to do with her free hand, she placed it over top of his, feeling his hand tease and toy with her.

The electric fire within Barbara began whipping up brighter as he dipped his fingertip into her, sinking in only a little. He explored her, trying to better learn her body, which suited her just fine as she relaxed into him even further. He hadn't stopped his attention on her neck either, still kissing and nibbling at her. The sensations would go between conflicting and complimentary at times, keeping her on her toes.

As Deke brushed her opening, he noticed her free hand move away from his to her own breast, which she gripped and squeezed more tightly than he would have considered. The sight of her touching herself was a powerful image too, the way she kneaded her own skin and pinched at her own nipples. She apparently wanted to go further, and faster, so he obliged her, flicking his finger against her nub.

The spark shot across her body, which forced another whimpering moan, louder this time. He began to make small circles across her most sensitive place. Barbara gripped his hair tightly, trying hard not to yank, as he went to work on her. He made no pretense to really teasing her, no building her orgasm up and pulling it away too soon. Instead, Deke just worked torturously slow.

She could feel it building, the explosion behind her eyes threatening to happen. Every part of her wanted to ask him to go faster, and in her state, her request couldn't be anything but pure eroticism, but she struggled to let her boy work, knowing her patience would pay off.

He did pick up the pace though, his wrists starting to pain him. He could have shut down his pain receptors, but he was deeply committed to getting her off the old fashioned way. Barbara whimpered and bucked against his body as he used two fingers, one to either side, to stroke against her quickly.

Barbara's body trembled as she felt the inevitable creeping up on her. When he'd put more direct contact, more pressure against her, the blackness and the stars took her, causing her to pinch down tightly on one of her nipples, which only compounded the sensations. She moaned loudly through panting breath, her body to ripple and shake.

Remembering a previous reaction, as she climaxed, he slipped his finger deep into her, and began stroking her inner walls with that same come hither motion that had done good things for her in the past. In the depths of one orgasm, Barbara felt herself sinking into another, this one ripping across her body, leaving her arms and legs numb. This did elicit a scream, and much more.

Reflexively, she pushed into that full body explosion. Deke, still working to please her, was surprised as her body gave release, quite thoroughly soaking his hand and her pants. Her body went perfectly still for a moment as she was overwhelmed by the sensations. He slowed himself down quickly, but didn't stop abruptly, not wanting to take her from what he'd done to nothing in an instant.

"Oh. My. God!" Barbara said several moments later, once she could formulate coherent thought. Her limbs were still numb, though she tried desperately to untangle her hand from his hair. He patiently let her without complaint, though she was sure she'd yanked more than once while her body spasmed in climax.

She wiped at her eyes, which had watered while she'd clenched them tight in orgasm, and felt her boy's excitement against her back and bottom. "You're gonna have to give me a minute." She muttered breathily, trying to speak clearly, but still feeling wrecked at his attention.

"I'm good babe, this one's on me." He said, neglecting to say literally. He withdrew his hand from her panties and, as surreptitiously as possible, wiped his hand on his own jeans.

"Are you sure?" Barbara said, her head rolling around slowly to glance at him. "I did kinda just pee on your hand. I feel like reparations are in order."

Deke shrugged at her. "Nah, I know that trick wrecks you, so you're off the hook, also I knew you might cut loose a little going in. I bought the ticket so I'll take the ride."

"You're certain? I can tell part of you wants it." She said, and wiggled her bottom against him, though the effort felt a bit halfhearted; her muscles still not exactly wanting to behave.

"Well yeah, he does that, but I'm fine. Besides, I wanted to do this blind, no powers or anything, and I can barely handle you on a good day. Catch me tomorrow though." He said, kissing her at the very corner of her eye.

"Ooookay then." Barbara said, secretly relieved, trying to stand up. She'd have to toss these shorts and panties into the wash immediately, but she was going to change clothes when they went inside anyway. Deke rose behind her, going slow to try and mitigate the pain. He grabbed her shirt for her, but scowled at the vicious ache in his body. He'd hoped to dodge another painkiller, but it was looking like that wasn't going to be the case.

Deke followed his girl into the house, and watched her peel herself out of the rest of her clothes. He took them, and added his own clothes to the mix, and tossed them into the washer. Barbara didn't miss the thoughtless ease at which he'd stripped before her. Even after they'd made love a few times, he still seemed shy about undressing in front of her.

She also couldn't ignore his body, still very plainly aroused. She instinctively wanted to take another go at convincing him to let her reciprocate, but her rational mind reminded her that such behavior was not something she was interested in. She instead made a mental note that she owed him one. They didn't hover favors over one another, but it'd be fun all the same.