Gotham City
Later That Night
10:45. Shit. It was almost eleven o'clock, and she still had nine blocks to go.
Devon left the warehouse later than she intended, and, as a result, missed the last bus, and had to walk to the next bus stop, five blocks away.
She had waited at the warehouse until Larry had gone so that she could take a small handgun from the weapons cabinet. His unusual display of aggression had unnerved her, and she felt that she needed some sort of protection. It might do nothing against the behemoth except slow him down, but that was better than nothing.
So, as a result of that, she was bouncing along in a city bus on one of its last runs of the night, an hour later than she had intended.
She had also skipped dinner altogether, so she was ravenously hungry. And she still had to get home, shower, hide the gun, and grab something to eat before Nightwing came.
If he came. It wasn't as if he came every night. But, if he did, she wanted to be there. Not only because he might ask awkward questions regarding her whereabouts, but also because she wanted to be there. The thought that he might come, not find her there, and leave was – well, it was something that she didn't want.
It was after eleven by the time she unlocked the back door, and she ran up the stairs.
As she pounded through the apartment, her grandmother, watching television, called out to her. "Finally home?"
"Yes, Grandma! Obviously!" She threw open the door to her bedroom. The window was closed and the curtains drawn, and she gave a sigh of relief as she pried up the floorboard that concealed the sniper rifle. The handgun and ammunition joined it, and she set the board carefully back into place.
"What's that for?" Her grandmother had sneaked up behind her, and Devon jumped.
After she had calmed, she gave her grandmother an angry look. "Insurance."
"What kind of insurance?"
"The kind that insures that Larry won't find us defenseless." She pulled her bathrobe off the back of her door, and headed for the bathroom.
Her grandmother frowned, and followed. "Did something happen between you two?"
Devon was hesitant to tell her grandmother of the incident – she did not want to worry the older woman. "No. It's just that he – scares me sometimes." In the bathroom, she began disrobing.
Marie shook her head. "He's not like that."
Devon stopped and looked at her grandmother in disbelief. "Grandma, he's not really related to us! Why wouldn't you think he'd hurt us?"
"Because I've known him a long time, Devon, and, you know, when you've known someone as long as I've known him – " She was cut off by her granddaughter.
"Grandma, he's a criminal and an assassin, and he's trying to make me the same. Hell, he already has!"
"You haven't killed anyone."
"So I'm not a successful assassin. Big deal. I still aim a big gun at people. And shoot at them. What do you call that? I'm not an ice cream man!"
"He wouldn't hurt us, Devon. I'm certain of it."
Devon finished kicking her clothes off. "Whatever. Look, I'm going to take a shower, grab something to eat, and go to bed. I'm wiped out."
Her grandmother nodded. "I left some pasta for you."
"Thank you."
Marie looked at her with hurt eyes. "Good night, dear." As Devon turned to go, she continued. "I love you, you know. I only want what's best for you."
Devon sighed, tears tight in her throat. "I know, Gran. I know."
Gotham City
That Night
Dick was in a good mood as he sped on his motorcycle towards Devon's building. He really did have a good time with Barbara. It felt great working with her again, and he wondered why it was so different from other recent times. Then, it came to him. He didn't want anything from Barbara anymore. Well, he did want her to take Damian from him, but he didn't want anything else. For the first time in months, he didn't want her to take him back. He didn't want to change her mind about the break-up. She was a friend again – nothing more. He would always love her, and he would probably always feel an attraction to her, but the need – the gnawing need that he had had to be with her – that was gone. He could be in her presence and not be consumed by her.
And that was huge.
He slid his bike behind a dumpster, engaged the security, and sent a line up to the top of one of the buildings. He was starting to know this area of Gotham extremely well; he knew which buildings to launch to, how many steps he had to take on each roof before he had to launch the next jumpline, and how many minutes it took to complete his journey.
He lowered himself into the cedar tree's limbs and perched outside Devon's window. It was closed and the curtains drawn, and he experienced acute disappointment. She told him, the first night that they were together, that, if her window was closed, she was not available. Looks like she wasn't available.
He sat back with a sigh. Shit. He had gotten rid of Damian for nothing. And now Barbara was probably mad at him. Shit.
The drapes twitched back then, and the window opened, and a huge smile came over his face as he saw her in the dark.
"Did you sense me out here?"
She stepped back to let him in, and he landed next to her without a sound.
She was in a short bathrobe, her hair was wet, and he could smell the sweet scent of soap. He wanted to strip her naked and bury himself in her – bury himself in the softness and the scent.
"Sorry. I had to shower and it was cold in here, and –" He interrupted her by pulling her to him by the bathrobe belt.
He had a wicked smile on his face. "I don't mind." He accidentally slipped back into his natural voice, low and throaty, as he bent down to kiss her neck.
Her hands came up uncertainly to push through his hair. God, she loved his hair. It was so thick and black and smelled so good. Be honest, Devon, there is nothing that you don't love about him.
His fingers pulled the end of the belt, and he slid the robe from her shoulders. She was nude beneath, and his legs became weak. Shit, I am the luckiest man on Earth.
He picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to the bed. He laid her down, and, with optics on, he stood looking at her. She was perfect. Everything about her was perfect, from her face to the size of her breasts to her long legs to – well, everything.
She lifted her arms to him, and he leaned over, his hands bracing himself as he lowered himself for a kiss.
She smiled against his mouth, and ran her hands up his arms. "Don't you think that you're a little overdressed?" She asked as he moved to nuzzle her ear.
"Let's remedy that." He whispered.
Gotham City
Later That Night
Damian gave a perfunctory wave as Batgirl drove from the Batcave, and, when she was out of sight, raced to his room, blowing past a startled Pennyworth and followed by Titus, barking merrily.
He slammed the door after the dog entered, and locked the knob. He threw open the drawer on his bedside table, and pulled out a small electrical device. After punching in his code, the screen leapt to life, and a small red light winked at him.
He smiled. The tracker was working. He called up the GPS coordinates on it, and, interfacing with the Batcomputer (through an untraceable log-in), he found the address and the name of the business there: the Fifth Street Diner in downtown Gotham.
"What the hell is Grayson doing at a diner after midnight?" He looked at Titus as he pondered it. Could it be an all-night diner? And, if Grayson had simply been hungry, couldn't they have gone to get food together? And since when did Nightwing disappear to go eat? In his uniform?
Well, he didn't know, but he was going to find out.
Gotham City
Later That Night
Dick pressed a kiss to Devon's head and lay there, stroking her back lightly. He could feel goosebumps on her flesh. "Are you cold?"
She shook her head against his chest, and ran her hand over his abdomen. "No. Your touch just – does something to me." She smiled up at him. "Something good."
"I'm glad."
There was silence for several moments, until she spoke. "Is – this – what we do – cutting into your hero time?"
He chuckled. "No. Not really. I mean, I realized a long time ago that I couldn't – we couldn't – stop every crime."
"We? You and Batman?"
"Yeah. Although there are more of us now."
"A whole gaggle of crime fighters?"
"Well, not a gaggle exactly."
"So, do you – fight crime – with them, or on your own?"
"Mostly on my own."
"No sidekick?"
He laughed. "Are you volunteering?"
"How does it pay?" She kissed his pectoral. She loved the smoothness of it, and the evident power in its size.
"Sourly."
"I guess I'll pass. I'll just do my community service by – um – servicing you."
"Works for me."
"Do you ever – regret the choice you've made?"
"Which one?"
"Being this. I mean, I know that you said you like protecting people, and I get that – I really do. But your life – can it be normal? Do you want it to be normal? Normal's overrated." She seemed to answer her own question.
"I don't know. I've been thinking about it a lot more often lately. I'm not getting any younger, and I kind of need to decide what I want to do. I don't know if I want to be swinging from buildings and getting shot at with a wife and kids at home."
Startled, she sat up, and his arms fell to his side. "I – I wasn't hinting at anything. You know that, don't you? What we have – here, this is great. I wasn't suggesting..." She trailed off.
"No. I know. It's a good question. It's a valid question. It's okay. Really. I know you didn't mean anything – else."
She lay back down next to him, twining her legs with his. "I kind of wish I had a full-size bed." She wanted to change the subject.
"Why? Don't you like being so close to me?" He teased.
"No, it's not that. Believe me. I could sleep tangled up with you for hours. It's just that," she reached down to close her hand around him, and he jumped. "Sometimes we're limited by – you know – room."
One of his hands cupped her rear. "We'll make do."
Gotham City
The Next Day
Dude, I need your jelp.
Dick looked at his phone and smiled. Wally.
Dude, I ran out of jelp last night.
Ha ha. Funny. I need your muscles.
Dick chuckled and pushed away from the kitchen counter. He walked his breakfast dishes to the sink, and smiled at Alfred, who took them from him. Damian had eaten earlier and had disappeared into his room. He was still miffed at being dumped two nights in a row, and he was giving Dick the silent treatment.
Sounds INTERESTING. Dick typed.
Sick. I need your help moving furniture.
Then call Mal. Or Conner. He walked to Bruce's study, where he had left his laptop.
I did. They're both busy.
Dick's jaw dropped. So I was your THIRD choice?
There was a long delay in Wally answering.
Of course not! I just know how busy you are.
Dick laughed and shook his head. Kiss ass.
I've been told that before. Can you do it?
When?
Like now-ish.
Is this because you need a car to pick up this piece of furniture?
No. Really. It's sitting in my front room. I need help moving it to the bedroom BEFORE Artemis gets back. At ELEVEN.
Dick sighed. What are best friends for?
To move furniture.
I'll be right there.
I owe you, buddy.
Yeah, right. He walked back to the kitchen. "Alfie, I've got to go help Wally move some furniture. I'll just go to class after that."
"Will you be back for dinner, Master Richard?"
"Of course. I don't get a chance to eat your cooking enough. I am not missing even one night while I'm here. What's on the menu?"
"Chinook salmon and saffron risotto."
"The end of the run on the Deschutes River?" Bruce always had salmon flown in from Washington state in the fall, when the salmon runs occurred.
"Indeed, Sir. They were a bit late this year."
"I can't wait. Sounds delicious."
"I do hope it turns out that way."
"If you're the chef, A, I'm sure it will."
"Thank you, Sir."
"I'm going to say good-bye to Damian. He's been in a bad mood all morning."
"He doesn't like to be left behind when you go out patrolling alone, Sir."
Dick sighed. "I know. But he can't be involved in everything I do. Bruce makes him stay home sometimes."
"And he resents it then, too, Master Richard. He is just less used to it from you."
Dick frowned in thought. He really had sacrificed time with Damian in favor of being with Devon. He was a shitty brother. Well, he would patrol with Damian tonight – all night, if his little brother wanted.
"I'll talk to him about it."
"That might be best."
Dick took the stairs two at a time to Damian's room and knocked on the door. There was a bit of a commotion inside, and then Damian ripped the door open. He scowled when he saw who it was.
"What do you want, Grayson?"
Dick smiled uncertainly. "Just wanted to say goodbye. I've got to go – do something, and then go to class."
Damian turned and threw himself on his bed. "What do I care?"
"Oh. Well, I just didn't want to be – rude."
"And abandoning me two nights in a row isn't rude?"
Dick sighed and came to sit on his brother's bed. "I'm sorry, Dami. I just had – things to do. I promise, tonight, that we'll patrol together – and I won't leave you behind."
Damian waved his hand carelessly. "I can't go patrolling tonight."
"What? Why?"
"Colin got an Xbox, and we're going to play Call of Duty online." Colin was one of Damian's only friends, an orphan about the same age as the youngest Wayne.
Dick was taken aback. "Oh. Oh. I guess that his foster family's working out okay."
Damian shrugged. "I guess. He doesn't talk much about it. But he says they may adopt him."
"That's great! And they bought him an Xbox! That's a good sign."
Damian shrugged again and pulled out his mp3 player. "Whatever." He put the earphones on, and closed his eyes, clearly dismissing his older brother.
Dick looked at his brother and sighed. End of conversation.
He got up and left, shutting the door behind him.
As the lock clicked, Damian opened his eyes. He wasn't playing Call of Duty with Colin that night. He just wanted Dick to think that. He had other plans for the night.
Gotham City
Later That Morning
Dick knocked lightly on Wally's door, and, before his knuckles had left the wood, the door opened.
"Hey, friend. Pal. Best buddy." Wally smiled too brightly.
Dick groaned. "I'm going to regret this."
Wally stepped aside to let him enter. "No, no, Really. It's not too bad."
A large cedar blanket chest surrounded by cardboard evidently ripped from its sides, sat in the middle of the entrance hall.
"It's a – chest." Dick said unnecessarily.
"A hope chest."
"A hope chest?"
"Yeah, you know. Girls used to get them before they got married, and they filled them with stuff – like dresses and sheets and stuff."
A huge grin split Dick's face. "Have you two set the date?"
Wally blushed. "No. But I'm hoping this will – move it along a little." He ran his hand over the wood of the chest reverently. "She always wanted one of these. Apparently Larry's mom had one, and, when she was little, Artemis used to sit on it to read books. She always talks about how she and Jade used to read to each other, and how she loved the smell of the cedar."
"That's nice, Wally. Really. Hey, have you guys heard from Jade?"
Wally nodded. "Yep. Believe it or not, she went back to Star City, and Roy – took her back."
Dick smiled again. "That's good. I always wanted them to make it a success."
"Yeah, me, too." He clapped his hands. "Ready to do some heavy lifting?"
"Let's do it."
They each took an end, and, with some lifting from the knees, they started to move it towards the bedroom.
"So what prompted you to buy this now?" Dick asked as he walked backwards through the apartment.
"Early Christmas present."
"Way to think ahead!"
"What can I say? I'm a wonderful, thoughtful boyfriend. And there was a sale."
"Always good."
Wally changed topics. "Did you talk to Babs yet?"
"Yeah, a little. Last night."
"Did you guys patrol together?" They maneuvered through the bedroom door.
"A little. We caught some car prowlers at the mall."
"Living dangerously at the mall?"
"Something like that."
"So did you two sort it out?"
"Sort what out?" They lowered the chest to the floor at the foot of the bed.
"You two. You getting back together?"
Dick shook his head. "I told you we're not getting back together. I'm with Devon now."
"What?!" It was a good thing that Wally had put his end of the chest down, because he would have dropped it. "You two are an item? The date worked out?"
Dick blushed. "Not exactly."
Wally's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean – not exactly?"
"Well, we went on the date, and she gave me the whole 'can't get involved' deal again, and then she left, and then..." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Then what?"
Dick sighed and squeezed his eyes shut for the lecture that he knew was coming. "Then she caught me outside her window and I came in and then..." he trailed off, and a grin came to his face with the memories of that night.
"You slept with her?!" Wally was aghast
Dick looked down at his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah."
"Holy – Dick, you were hanging around outside her window in civvies?!"
He looked at Wally sharply. "No! Don't be ridiculous. I was wearing my uniform and mask."
"What? She knows who you are?" He looked around in alarm, as if someone might be eavesdropping.
"No! Of course not!"
Wally blinked at his friend for a long while, working through everything in his head before speaking. His eyes narrowed. "You had sex with her as Nightwing?!"
Dick put a hand to his forehead. "Yeah."
"Oh, my God! Have you lost your mind?! You had sex with her as Nightwing?! Didn't you take off your mask at all?!" His voice was scandalized.
"No. I told her that I wouldn't, and she – didn't care!"
Wally ran his fingers up through his hair until it was sticking up in clumps. "I don't believe this! You really have lost your mind! You're sleeping with a girl as your alter ego! There has to be some sort of law against that!"
Dick was miffed at Wally's overreaction. "Oh, yeah. I'm certain that I saw that in the City Code."
"Well, if you didn't, it's probably in the Justice League code!"
"Wally, I'm not doing anything wrong."
"Not doing anything wrong? You've been a voyeur, violating her privacy, you're misrepresenting yourself, and you're using your position to coerce her into sex with you."
Dick held up his hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I am not coercing her. She lets me in her room every night. It is entirely consensual, I assure you."
"Every night?!" Wally's hands came up to his cheeks. "You're sleeping with her every night?"
"Well, not every night. Almost every night."
Wally's eyes were huge, and, with his hand over his mouth, he paced the floor. Finally, he turned back to Dick. "What does Bruce say?"
"Bruce? Bruce doesn't say anything. He doesn't know."
"Don't you think he should?"
"Why? Devon and I are adults. It's really none of his business."
"You say that now, but when he finds out, and he will – you know he will! He'll have your head!"
"Let me worry about Bruce."
"And who's going to worry about you? Do you have any idea what would happen if this gets out?"
"Who's it going to get out to, Wally?"
"Who knows? The media would have a field day!" He held up his hands, as if writing an imaginary headline. 'Nightwing Forces Co-ed into Sex!' Film at eleven! Oh, God!"
"Stop freaking out!"
"Stop freaking out?! You're my best friend, Dick. I have to freak out when you so something so incredibly stupid!"
"It's not stupid, okay? I'm going to be fine. We're going to be fine."
"Who's we, Dick? Because it's not you and me – and Artemis. And Damian. And Bruce. And Tim."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"You say that you're going to be fine, but what about us? What happens to us if it does come out? If your secret identity comes out? It's not just you in this, you know. It's all of us. All of us."
"It'll be fine, Wally. Trust me."
Wally's eyes narrowed. "Dude, you've asked me to trust you one too many times. I don't know if I can."
"Well, thanks, buddy. I appreciate that." His face and voice were sad.
He started to leave the room, but Wally, his anger deflated, stopped him. "Dick, don't go."
Dick turned to him, expectant.
Wally sighed. "You've painted yourself into a corner. Don't you see that? If you're serious, really serious about this girl, how can you make a future with her if you've lied to her?"
"I don't know." Dick shook his head. "I don't know. I – I never planned on this happening. It just – did. And, now, I don't want to give it up."
"So you're going to just keep sleeping with her as Nightwing?"
"Yeah. For now."
Wally blew air out through his lips. "I need coffee. You want some?"
"Yeah. I'd love some."
They walked to the kitchen, and Wally put on a pot of coffee and got out two mugs. "So she really doesn't know that you're Nightwing?"
Dick pulled out a chair at the small table. "No."
"So, on this date of yours, she told you she couldn't get involved, but, then, the same night, she sleeps with you – who she doesn't know is you?" At Dick's nod, he shook his head. "Didn't that strike you as – weird?"
Dick blushed. "At the risk of sounding conceited, I think she slept with me – Nightwing, because she couldn't have me – Dick."
"Yeah, that's not conceited at all."
"It's just that she couldn't – or said she couldn't – be responsible to someone else right now. She doesn't have the time for a relationship – you know? She didn't want the dating and the phone calls and all that."
"Just the sex?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I offered her that, you know, as Dick. No strings attached."
"And she said no?" The last of the coffee dripped into the pot, and Wally poured them both a mug
"Yeah."
"Why? It looks like that's what she's getting from you – er, Nightwing."
He shrugged, and wrapped both his hands around the cup. "She basically said that I – Dick – am – is – damn, this is complicated! Anyway, Dick's too nice a guy to just – you know – bang."
Wally looked into his mug, and began chuckling.
Dick reddened. "It's not funny."
Wally nodded, and looked at his friend. "Yes, it is. You're too much of a boy scout to get down and dirty with."
"She didn't mean that! She meant that – well, she said that – that she didn't think that we could get involved on only that level. That, if we started, it would just naturally turn into a relationship."
"Which she doesn't want."
Dick felt relief that Wally understood. "Exactly."
"So you think that she's sleeping with Nightwing because she can't have Dick? In a manner of speaking."
He nodded. "Yeah."
A mischievous smile came over Wally's face. "This is serious, and I know that it's serious, but I have to say it."
Dick rolled his eyes. "No, you don't."
"She's getting Dick anyway."
"Really? You had to go there?"
"Sorry. I couldn't resist it."
"Whatever." Dick looked disgusted, and Wally became serious again.
"But I don't get it." Wally took a sip of coffee. "She really, really doesn't know you're the same person? I mean, nothing personal, but I never thought your disguise was that good."
"Ha, ha."
"No. I'm serious now. All it does is cover your eyes."
"People see what they want to see – you know that."
"Yeah, I guess. But she didn't even think that you guys kiss the same, or anything?"
"I – Dick – actually only kissed her once. The first time we went out – for coffee. It's been a while."
Wally looked confused. "Man, I need a diagram to understand this."
Dick gave a chuckle, and Wally continued. "You realize it's going to be impossible for you to stop being Nightwing and start being Dick with her, right?"
Dick looked miserable. "Yeah. I know."
"Are you – in love with this girl?"
Dick sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah. I really think I am."
Wally's face fell. "Oh, Dick. Again?"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Dude, I have been in love exactly one time in my life." He held up a single finger. "Most people only fall in love once. You have already been in love at least four times, counting Devon."
Dick's face was stony. "I didn't know that love is a limited quantity."
"It's not. I just think that – maybe – you're confusing love and sex."
"I'm not."
"Look, you've always been kind of a dog –"
Dick threw up his hands. "So because I've had three serious girlfriends –"
"Dude, don't make me go through all of your 'girlfriends' – serious or not..." He used air quotes, and Dick crossed his arms on his chest.
"So this is going to be a lecture on my love life." Dick's eyes were narrowed.
"No!" Wally sighed. "I don't mean it to be. I just want you to – think about what you're going to do."
Dick pushed his fingers through his hair distractedly. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I really don't. I just – I don't want to stop seeing her."
Wally decided to give Dick a break, and just be his friend. "So the sex is good?"
A slow grin spread across Dick's face. "It's effing amazing. And so is she. We talk – a lot, afterwards. She's so – great. Open, and honest. She has no agenda – there's nothing that she wants from me."
"Except incredible sex."
"I can provide that." Dick's grin was cheeky now.
Wally looked at him for a long time, then, finally, shrugged.
"Okay. Whatever. It's your life. You just better have an exit plan. I think you're going to need it."
Author's Notes: Poor Dick thinks he's found a girl who isn't in "the life." That may come back to bite him in the butt! Also, this conversation fits in well with the canon that was set up in the "Young Justice" comic series, in which we find out that Wally has called Dick a "dog" in the past due to his romantic history!
Also, a note on Colin Wilkes. Colin appeared first in a Batman arc about Scarecrow, in which Colin was injected with a form of Venom that caused him to transform, much like Bane. Colin then appeared in Streets of Gotham, and was befriended by Damian. The two boys teamed up to fight Zsasz (with Colin as his alter ego, Abuse), and successfully took Zsasz down. Damian later gave him a custom motorcycle as a gesture of friendship and gratitude, perhaps, for saving Damian's life, and it was dubbed the Cycle of Abuse. He is one of Damian's only friends – and the only one Damian's age.
By the way, the word "jelp" in the first line of Wally's text is intentional. I accidentally typed that when I first wrote it, and decided to keep it because I thought that a texting super-fast human might make a mistake like that every so often!
On another, Nightwing-related note, I got a chance to chat with Kyle Higgins, the writer of the Nightwing comics, as ECCC this week, and he dropped some SERIOUS intel on me about the upcoming arc, which will commence with Nightwing #19 (#18 being an issue dealing with the aftermath of Damian's death). He swore me to secrecy, though, so I won;t be able to share. : ( He also shared some artwork from issue 19, from a new artist who is coming on board. It looks great, and I am relieved, because I haven't been super happy with the art on Nightwing since the reboot, but especially since the early teen issues. Eddy Barrows is not my favorite artist for faces, and Nightwing's face is SO important that I am very picky!
ALSO, I met Grey Delisle at the con, and she was great - funny, sweet, and VERY pretty! She also gave me some info on characters she will be doing on Legend of Korra this season. I got her to sign some Azula/Aya art, and I am giving it away on tumblr. So check out my blog later today (3/3/13) and the info will be up. You can find me at sea-dilemma at tumblr. it is a giveaway linked to our efforts to save Young Justice. Check it out!
Anyway, I hoped you liked this chapter, and PLEASE, PLEASE review!