A/N: I've been wanting to write this story for a million years...( or 6 months-ish) but couldn't quite put words to 'paper' until now. I know I normally love focusing on the cuties that are Richard Grayson and Roy Harper, but this one is definitely more Dinah Lance POV with BruceXDinahXOllie as the forefront. So. Read on if you're up for drama and romance. Might get "Lime-ish"? Idk. It might not. xD
"It's not the fact that you kissed him yesterday. It's the feeling of betrayal, that I just can't seem to shake" -Be Alright
She woke up with a start, for a split second, she had thought she was in a different billionaire's bed; but that was silly, wasn't it? Because if that had been the case, she would have woken up to a mix of blond hair, and laughter and always his perfect smile... this was different. This was cold.
Not the covers, but why DID Gotham always seem gloomy? There was no sunshine coming through the dark navy curtains. There was no movement from his side of the bed, just soft, even breathing that made him seem vulnerable.
The man WAS beautiful...he was , and as she watched him sleep, fair skin clear, dark hair a clashing contrast, he almost looked peaceful. But she knew better. She knew the demons that haunted him, perhaps because she had similar ones, always dancing around her as she tried her best to have a life.
The man stirred, whispered her name and touched her hand... and for a moment, for a 'blink and miss it' moment, she could convince herself that she was happy in this man's bed.
In Bruce's bed.
Despite it being a Saturday, the man had rushed off to the office at some point, and when she woke up again, the bed was empty. She took her time showering, changing into jeans and a white t-shirt, and then brushing her teeth so intently that she only stopped when she tasted blood. She spit out into the porcelain sink and hated herself.
She didn't want to go downstairs. Downstairs was an overly cheery child that would want to talk to her, try to make her smile, or just be adorably optimistic...
It was hard to be around Dick Grayson, the spirited 9 year old that Bruce had adopted, because it reminded her of her boy. No. Not her boy.
Not anymore, maybe not ever...
When she finally did make the long trip to the kitchen counter, she found who she expected. A bright, blue eyed boy having chocolate chip pancakes and fruit.
"...Good morning, Ms. Lance." He smiled widely at her, and it made her sigh before sitting in front of him.
"Hey kid."
"Are you hungry?"
"No." She mouthed, barely audible before resting her head on the counter. The child giggled and pushed his bowl of cut up fruit in front of her, which she ate miserably.
"We could go to the park-"
"No."
"Watch a movie?"
"No."
"Spar?"
"Absolutely not."
This was their thing. Dick, the overly happy child, would want them to hangout while they waited for Bruce to return home, and she pretended to hate it, and him, and the arrangement in general, but in the end she'd give in. Like that particular morning.
They ended up outside, kicking the soccer ball around. It got so competitive that at one point she was cursing at him- she, a mature, 27 year old, 18 years his senior, was calling him all kinds of names as he zoomed past her never seeming to lose any energy.
"You are entirely too much, kid." She groaned as she finally got him to settle down and go inside for a drink of water.
"You're fun. Alfie never wants to kick the ball around with me." Really, before she had come to live with them, he had been all kinds of lonely. Her presence brought a list of pros and cons...
Pros. She knew how to spar, she liked adventure, and she made Bruce happy.
Cons. She always slept in, took too long brushing her hair and putting paint or whatever on her face, and...she made Bruce happy.
"Well, now I'm going to have to shower again. Can't show up to 'fancy-dinner' all stinky..."
"No, Alfie would be most displeased." He agreed. 'Fancy-Dinner' was a charity event being hosted by the beautiful, rich Ms. Jennifer Goodenough . Naturally Bruce had been invited. He hadn't wanted to go, but hadn't made a 'public' appearance in a while and the media was starting to notice. Dinah wasn't going to go...until Bruce had promised her and Dick cheesy super nachos after the event- provided they 'behaved'. The stipulation had been directed at the 9 year old, but the blond woman had decided to do Dick a solid and join him in nacho solidarity.
Dinah was about to start walking toward the grand staircase of the manor, when Dick Grayson decided to open his mouth yet again. Really, did that boy never shut up?
"You could invite your little boy, maybe...?" He knew that the woman missed the little green eyed hellion. It was in the way she often looked at Dick with a sigh, and the way she tensed up whenever the raven haired boy brought up her past...
"Dick. I ... I don't have children."
"I know, I just meant Roy-"
She froze at hearing the name. When the topic was placed right in front of her, it was difficult not to remember that she had had a whole different life before she'd met and started dating Bruce Wayne.
She had been a kick-ass superhero, thank you very much. She had met the most obnoxious loud mouth...the one she had completely fallen in love with; and she WAS happy, with him, and his son...and it had been so good, and felt so right...
Not in the way that Bruce felt. Not secure, and gentle, with a gnawing feeling that she wanted to run...
No, being with Oliver Queen had been... messy, and wildly freeing... and their bodies had fit together. She had allowed herself to believe that they could be a family, and that was the most infuriating part of all; she had opened her heart to him.
She wouldn't make that same mistake again. Not ever, ever...
"I don't think that's a good idea." She mumbled, already halfway up the stairs. "Dick?"
"...Ya?" The child looked up.
"Don't forget what we're working for tonight." She told him, very seriously, because after all, it WAS a very serious issue.
"Super nachos!"
To Be Continued...