I4.6
Chapter 37: Work Wife
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Adult themes. DO NOT read if you are underage or dislike controversial things.
Author's Note: I know I've been MIA, but depression will suck the soul out of anyone. This story is not dead though. I promise.
"So...is this a matching couple's costume for crime fighters?"
The loaded question is left hanging in the air as the reporters and gossip columnists wait with bated breath for the answer. Richard counts the seconds as he feels Rachel stiffen even more beneath his grip. He just continues to smile his good-natured smile as he allows the public to put two and two together. He knew it was only a matter of time before his lovely partner reacts.
He feels his smile widen as Rachel breaks out of his grip and stands in front of the microphone. She hesitates for a brief second before confidently stating "We do not have couple's costumes because we are not a couple. It was just a coincidence that both of our crime fighting gear features blue. There are plenty of heroes who feature blue in what they wear."
Richard nods along behind her with a smile still plastered on his face. His ears are able to pick up a sense of desperation from the tone in her voice which excites him in a way that he's never felt before. While her words are denying the truth, her body language screams to him that yesterday's seduction is still fresh on her mind. He idly wonders if she was able to sleep at all last night?
A reporter's voice breaks him out of his musings with, "Blue is a popular color for heroes, but blue and black doesn't happen often. Especially on the same team. That's a fashion faux pas!"
"I assure you," responds Rachel with a slight sigh into the microphone, "our costumes are not matching. The blue isn't even the same color."
She's not wrong. The bird imprinted on Richard's chest is a slightly lighter color than Rachel's navy blue cape, but did she honestly think she was fooling anyone with that answer? The whole world can see that they would make the ideal pair of love birds, even if her words are claiming the opposite.
"Forgive me, Raven," comes the smooth voice of the dark-skinned reporter who is still holding the microphone, "But I, and I'm sure many of my other colleagues, don't believe you. This is too much of a coincidence. Especially when you think about the reason why we're at this conference in the first place."
While he is unable to see her expression, Richard is sure that her normally stoic face is scrunched up in frustration at the push back that she's receiving. It just adds even more to his enjoyment of the moment. He knows that he should be more on guard since this is definitely a turning point in his life and there will be many changes down the road for them, but he just couldn't put this feeling of giddiness to the side. The overwhelming support that this crowd has shown towards his new suit and hero persona as well as their distrust about the non-romantic relationship between Rachel and himself has made Richard feel like a kid on Christmas morning. So many things have been falling into place here.
"We are not, never have been and never will be a couple," Rachel adamantly speaks into the microphone before placing her hand over it and whipping around to look at him. Her violet eyes are livid at having to be placed in this situation. At having complete strangers poke and prod at her private life and ask questions that she shouldn't have to answer.
"Aren't you going to say something," she quietly hisses at him. "This is all your fault."
Richard, ever mindful of the watching crowd, gently smiles down at his fuming lover. Her hood is doing a very good job at hiding her expression from prying eyes, but he can clearly see her disdain for this situation. She may not realize it, but the more she fights against the reporters' accusations, the less they believe her. Right now she is behaving like a cornered cat and Richard is thanking his lucky stars that she has enough self control to not storm off this stage.
He continues to keep his friendly smile plastered to his face as he nods at her. Richard brings his hand up and lightly places it on Rachel's shoulder. He knows that the hawk eyed reporters are watching both of them on this stage. Reading their body languages. Staring at the way his fingers tighten on Rachel's shoulder as he takes two steps closer to her. Closing the distance between their bodies. She tenses beneath his heavy hand because she no longer knows what he's capable of. Nightwing is no longer her beloved Robin.
Richard can practically hear the crowd stop breathing as he stands so close to Rachel that there is barely any space between them. He can feel their eyes tracking his movements as he raises his other hand and rests it on her pale one that is covering the microphone. Entwining their fingers crosses his mind, but he thinks better of it. She would surely pull away and possibly cause a scene at that act of intimacy. Instead, Richard leans in close to her ear. He watches as her expression shifts from frustration to dismay at the show that he's putting on, but she doesn't openly reject him because she is also very aware of the eyes watching them.
"You're just adding fuel to the fire," he mummers near her ear. Loud enough for her to hear, but too quiet to be picked up by the microphone. "If you want them to believe then you need to act as though you have nothing to hide."
Richard slowly pulls himself away from her because he knows that these more deliberate movements will register as intimate in the reporters' eyes. He watches as Rachel's head drops to gaze at the floor. He can only guess as to what she's feeling since her face is still covered by her traditional navy hood. If he had to guess, he'd say that she's fuming but she allows him to pull her hand away from the microphone so that he can step up to it. His eyes quickly scan the crowd. Some people are furiously scribbling on their notepad or typing away on their devices while others are making sure that they're recording everything they can. Richard continues to smile brightly as he loudly reiterates Rachel's point.
"I would like to echo what my lovely teammate has said," he begins, "Raven and I have never been in a romantic relationship. She is someone that I have worked with closely throughout the years and, as is normal, we've developed a very close bond with one another. She helps to keep me on task and provides support during very stressful times. I admire her. I appreciate it her. But most of all, I respect her…"
"Ha!" someone shouts from the back, "She sounds like a work wife!"
"Work wife," Richard says as he gently strokes his chin in thought while the crowd mumbles and chatter among themselves. "I'm not sure that we check off all the boxes. We're just friends…" for now.
"That's not what those pictures say," responds the woman with the microphone in her hand. "That's the reason for this conference. Those pictures that were released last week has made it's way around town and even on major media outlets. What do you have to say to that?"
Richard licks his lips in preparation for the bold faced lies that he's about to tell. "Those pictures were taken at an awkward angle, taken out of context and have been heavily photo-shopped. Raven was sitting on a large rock and I was kneeling in front of her. Everything else has been heavily doctored by someone with too much free time on their hands."
The likelihood of someone believing that is slim. Those pictures were definitely not photo-shopped nor were they taken out of context. Richard knew what he was doing when he had set up those cameras in the first place. He knew what he was doing when he hand selected the specific images that would be released to the public. He knew that people would invest their time and energy pouring over them in an effort to figure out if the pictures were fake or not. However, he couldn't openly admit that to the public, especially with Rachel standing at his back. She was practically hiding behind him and as much out of sight of the reports as she can get. Richard assumes that all of the agitated and excited emotions, which are rolling around in the sea of people, are taking a toll on her ability to keep herself calm and under control.
I need to wrap this up soon so that she can rest.
"Then what about those 'hugs,'" asks someone else in the crowd. "You weren't holding each other like friends."
Leave it to the crowd to start asking the real questions, so how is he going to walk himself out of this bind? With a casual, nonchalant shrug Richard confidently speaks into the microphone. "Raven is like family to me. We've been through a lot together over the years. I'm sure that you've got that well documented. Have you never long hugged a family member or close friend before?"
There was a quiet murmur rippling throughout the crowd. Not everyone was buying that explanation for a variety of reasons. Richard can feel Rachel making her way around him. He is forced to take a step back as she comes to stand in front of him so that she can speak clearly to the audience.
"Rob...um, Nightwing is right," she begins with her hood still obscuring her expression from the eager crowd. "He is like family to me. In fact, he and the rest of the Titans are the only family that I have on this planet. I am neither willing nor able to risk jeopardizing that for a romance that won't work between us. Please understand that I am not willing to lose the family that I have worked so hard to build for myself for the unknown. There is no romance between him and I...there will never be one either. It cannot happen because it will cause me to lose people who I truly lo...um care for."
Richard is desperately hiding the grimace that wants to mar his handsome features. He knew these words were coming, but to hear her say them with such a sincere tone makes him second guess his decision to make her his. He understands that she is saying this as much for him as for the crowd. Rachel is attempting to hammer home the idea that they could never be together. Hearing her openly admitting to the public that she doesn't want to lose her long standing relationships tugs at his own heartstrings. He is not heartless or emotionless. She speaks of the same people who he has also spent years with. Created memories with. However, unlike Rachel, he recognizes them as a phase in his life. A phase that has to come to an end someday. In order for her to truly be his then she will have to redefine her friendships and even let some people go. Her concerns and fears are real enough for her to share with a crowd of strangers. Something that he never thought that she would willingly do. Well...semi-willingly.
He is secretly thankful that she didn't call him a "brother." There is no way on god's green earth that she could still think of him like that after her hand roamed across his body and held his erection. She has enough presence of mind to not question his manhood on a public stage. However, he does feel a bile of guilt bubbling up within him as he thinks about the position that he is forcing her to stand in. Does he still think that the end justifies the means? Yes. That has not changed, but he is starting to feel some sympathy for her plight. For the losses she will have to suffer because he wants her. Desires her. Needs her. Does he really want to hurt her so that he can have her?
What a quagmire we are in, my love.
His musings are cut short when someone from the quiet crowd shouts, "Take off your hood! We want to see your face!"
Richard's quick eyes lock on to a young, slender reporter in the far left corner of the conference room. He takes in the light flush that adorns the woman's cheeks. He can tell by the dreamy look on her face that she is soaking in everything that Rachel said, but truly heard none of it. Based on her far away gaze, he can practically predict how this one reporter will twist his love's words to make them suit the narrative that she wants to tell. He's willing to bet money that it'll be a tale of star-crossed lovers who could never be together because their family "forbids" it. That's just the kind of reporter he needs.
His eyes bounce back to Rachel to see how she will react to the rather rude request. He knows that she dislikes showing her face to the public unless she absolutely has to. In every conference that they've ever had as a team, she has always kept her face covered. She is the one who sits the furthest away from the microphone and the center of attention. This is probably the most that she's ever spoken to reporters in her time as a super hero and she is only compelled to because she knows that he would lead them down a rabbit hole by leaving bread crumbs all over the place.
Richard watches as her shoulders stiffen at the request and her head sinks a little lower. He can tell from the way that she is shifting positions from one foot to the other that she is unwilling to remove her sole source of comfort on this stage. He notices that Rachel's spine straightens as though she has come to a decision. Slowly. Ever so hesitantly, she lifts both of her small, pale hands up towards the large hood that is casting her face into shadow. Her slender fingers gently curl around the edges of the covering and there is a millisecond of a pause before she forces herself to peel the cloth back and away from her face.
Rachel doesn't make it very far before Richard's hands shoot out to stop her mid motion. The thought of her baring her face to a public who only wants to witness her drama and turmoil angers him. They don't really care about the person beneath this hood. Not like he does. They don't respect her as a person. Not like he does. They don't want to see her happy. Not like he does. They don't deserve this side of her. He had brought her onto this stage to lay the ground work for their future relationship. They both know that they are going to have to make sacrifices and major changes to their lives. He knows it's worth it. She's not so sure but Richard is confident that she can be convinced. She isn't perturbed by the notion of being with him. She's not rejecting him because she thinks that there is something wrong with him. She's worried about the ramifications of that path. The toll she will have to pay to cross that bridge. What Richard couldn't understand is why she would cling to the makeshift family of her memories when she can build a brand new one with him? Can two people not be considered a family?
Multiple pairs of eyes are trained on the two birds standing on the stage as Richard firmly grasps Rachel's wrists before she can pull her hood down. Their hawk like gaze is glued to and analyzing the suggestive positions of their bodies. Taking special care to note the way that Rachel's smaller, softer body is encased in Richard's protective bear hug from behind. The pose screams intimacy and possession. They watch as he slowly lowers her hands before closing the space between them by leaning down so that he can whisper in her ear. "Do not let them cross your boundaries and make you do things that you don't want to do."
"Bullshit. You've been trampling my boundaries for weeks. Let. Me. Go!" Richard has to stifle a snort of mirth at her quiet response. As feisty as ever. He wants to wrap both of his arms around her and squeeze, but knows that that is not acceptable in this moment. Instead, he leans further over her so that he can address the crowd with her wrists still in his grasp.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he starts with a pleasant smile on his face but the sound of something dangerous in his voice, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't make my work wife uncomfortable. She is a very private woman who would like to maintain that privacy as much as possible."
After the last word left his mouth, Richard knew that he has about .5 seconds to release her before she really does pummel him to the ground. She had been working so hard to open up to the crowd and share her legitimate reasons for not wanting to be with him and here he was playing into the fantasies of these deranged spectators. Her anger and frustration is palpable.
There was no doubt in either of their minds that the fanfictions will write themselves after this press conference. She's playing hard to get while the other is looking at her with love and affection in his eyes. Writers and artists who don't know any better will be spinning this into a fluffy story of cat and mouse. Of awkward situations leading to unrealized love. Of petty arguments unearthing true feelings that just can't be denied anymore. Happy endings that are wrapped up tight with a neat bow. If they only knew the thorny truth of what's lurking beneath the surface they would be very concerned. They would be shocked to learn that the boy wonder that they thought they knew entertains dark desires and a willingness to bring them to fruition. That the demoness they thought was evil and destructive is actually full of life and hope. Nothing is ever as it truly seems and Richard is confident that the public will only see what it wants to.
Richard clears his throat once as he crosses his muscular arms across his broad chest. "I believe that we've said everything that we've come here to say. It is time to end this press conference so that we can all get along with our day. I would like to reiterate that Raven and I are not currently dating. I would also like for the public to respect my decision to retire my persona as Robin and recognize Nightwing as the next step in my evolution as a crime fighter. That is all. Good day."
He ignores the rush of voices and raised hands of the reports shouting their last minute questions in the hope that he will pause and answer. Instead, he strides off the stage with all of the confidence of a man who is used to being in a position of power. He only looks back once to see that Rachel is no longer there. She must have sunk into the shadows to get away from the prying eyes of the public. He can't blame her. This much attention is more than what's she's used to.
Richard makes his way to his dressing room. Mr. Ricktor is standing by his door with his device in hand. Making sure that he is checking as many things off the list as he can. Richard nods to him once. The message is clear. Things have gone smoothly. There were no surprise attacks. No one rushed the stage. All in all, it was a good conference. Now, he has to focus on the aftermath of what he has done on that stage.
He pushes open his dressing room door, hoping to see a pretty violet head of hair sitting in one of the chairs while bouncing her booted foot in annoyance. The room was empty and Richard allows a frown to spread across his face. He was perfectly ready to deal with whatever punishment she would deem necessary, but she wasn't present to dole it out. He decided that it's for the best. She probably took herself back to the Tower so that she can meditate and decompress. There were a lot of emotions swirling around the place, including his own. He has made many life altering choices today. When he gets back to the tower he'll have to deal with the questions and accusations of his fellow teammates. He doubts that they will be as receptive as the public has been.
With these thoughts, plans and feelings swirling around his mind, Richard gives his dressing room a once over before zipping up the small suitcase that houses his old Robin suit. He takes a deep breath before exiting the room with his bag in one hand and helmet in the other. He slow walks himself to the secure garage where he parked his motorcycle. He tries his best to ignore the inquisitive glances of the workers bustling about. They want to approach him for a better look at his new gear or to ask invasive questions about his personal life, but they keep their distance. Mr. Ricktor prides himself on professionalism and anyone who steps out of bounds will more than likely be fired. For this Richard is grateful because the adrenaline of the moment is starting to wane and he can feel his shoulders beginning to droop.
He makes it to the garage without incident. He hears the familiar beeping of his communicator as he finishes strapping his luggage to the back of his bike. The rapid succession of beeps lets him know that it's Batman on the other line. With shaking fingers, he slowly withdraws his device from a pouch pocket that is strapped to his thigh. Richard stares at the little device that's aggressively vibrating in the palm of his hand. His mind is racing a mile a minute trying to anticipate what kind of call this will turn into. The only way to find out would be to answer it.
Richard clears his throat and straightens his face into a neutral expression before clicking the "accept" button. He is greeted by Bruce Wayne's unrelentingly stern face. It didn't take a genius or empath to figure out that his mentor was beyond livid by what Richard did on that stage today. He broke just about every one of the rules that the older man laid out for him. Not only did he just bring Rachel to this conference instead of the whole team, but he also fed the public fire even more suggestive material. His body language, consistent touches and vague wording can be twisted to mean whatever those hungry reporters need it to mean. Not to mention his brand new suit that is noticeably similar to Rachel's. All in all, Richard is pretty pleased with how angry his mentor is. Even if he decides to remove him from his position as leader, the younger man wouldn't kick up much of a fight.
"Are you alone?" Bruce's rough, grumpy voice cuts through his thoughts.
Richard whips his head around to do a quick scan of his surroundings before looking back at his communicator. "I am alone, but this is not a secure location."
"Understood," is the response. "Report to the Batcave asap. You already know why Nightwing."
Richard frowns at the way Bruce sneers his name through the device. Already spitting on a persona that he has tried so hard to bring to life. Of all people, he would have thought that his mentor would understand the labor of love that it took to create Nightwing. The time, the energy and the resources to think through and construct a fully functional combat suit that is also appealing to the eyes. It's light years ahead of his old Robin gear. As much as Richard wants to fight back and defend his choice, Bruce doesn't give him an opportunity. Without a proper farewell, the older man abruptly ends the call.
"He doesn't sound happy and I understand why."
The deep gravel like voice of his love almost makes Richard jump out of his skin. Sometimes it can really be unnerving how easily she melts in and out of the shadows. Like she belongs there. Like they will always protect her. Richard doesn't bother turning around to face her. He's confident that she won't do anything to him and he doesn't have the energy to face her in this moment. He has to mentally prepare and strategize before stepping into the Batcave. Instead, he kicks back the stand of his bike and begins rolling it towards the entrance of the garage. He would normally just ride out of there with all the confidence of a self assured man, but couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Batman is always unhappy," he replies. "For as long as I've known him, he always has something to critique or complain about."
"Well, this time he has something legitimate to complain about," Rachel retorts as she picks up her pace to keep up with him. "You've been acting...your behavior has be uncharacteristic for you. You're putting the team in jeopardy!"
"Change is never easy. You know that. If we can't change, then we won't grow."
"This isn't growth, Dick," she shoots back, "This is…"
"Watch what you say!" Richard snaps at her. "We're still in public."
"Ha! Now you want to talk about public behavior?" she snaps back. "Where was all this common sense when we were on stage? Where was this concern about the public when you decided that now would be the best time to reveal your new suit? Hmm? You don't give a shit about the public."
"For superheros like us, public perception is worth its weight in gold," Richard responds as he continues to push his motorcycle out of the garage. The rays of the lowering sun makes him squint as he stares out into the distance. There is a part of him that feels guilty for being so short tempered with her. She's flustered because of his actions, but the thought of what awaits him when he gets to Wayne Manor has him on edge. He knew it would come and he had decided the aftermath of his choices would be worth it, but that didn't make this impending meeting any less daunting.
"If you cared that much, then you wouldn't have acted the way that you did on that stage," Rachel grumbles as she folds her arms in annoyance. "Now the whole world is going to think that we're hiding a dirty little secret which we are not because we are not romantically involved."
"Then why are you worried?" he asks. "You know the truth. I know the truth. Our teammates know the truth. Does it really matter if a few people think that we are?"
"I know that's the truth. I know that there isn't anything between us. Do you?" she asks with heat in her voice. "I've told you that there can never be anything between us besides friendship. We are..."
"Why?" he cuts her off. For the first time since encountering her in the garage he turns to look at her as he asks his question again. "Why can't there be anything between us? Is it because of Star? Are you worried that she won't be able to get over the fact that we're more compatible than she and I?"
"She's not the one I'm worried about…" Rachel grumbles in response.
"Really? Because you could have fooled me," he says while staring at her. "You seem to care more about what she and Beastboy have to say than about what your own heart and emotions are telling you."
"How?" Rachel asks in disbelief as she shakes her head. "How am I supposed to be with someone who doesn't listen to me when I tell him what I'm thinking and feeling? I am telling you that I can't give you what you want. Why won't you listen?"
"What is it that you think I want?" he hisses at her. The setting sun is highlighting the angular plains of his face and making him appear very intimidating.
"If it's anything more than platonic friendship then I can't give it to you," she tells him with earnest desperation in her voice.
"But you can give it to Beastboy?" he asks.
He watches as she grimaces at the mention of their teammate's name. The one that Richard exiled in order to keep him away from Rachel. He barely hears her mumble "That's different…" before turning her head away from him.
"How is it different with him but not for me?" presses Richard. God help them both if she dares to say that she views their youngest and most immature teammate as more manly than him. That she thinks the changeling is a worthier partner than him. That level of disregard and disrespect will trigger something in him that he has barely been holding back.
Richard watches with the eyes of a predator as Rachel takes one step back and away from him. She is frowning at she is trying to process the whirling emotions that are lashing out around him. He has never looked so unhinged in her eyes. Before she can lose her nerve, she quietly says, "It just is."
Richard feels his frown deepening at that quiet admission. His eyes are tracking her as she slowly starts levitating into the sky. He barks "Where are you going?"
Rachel pauses in midair but decides to answer him anyway, "I'm flying back to the Tower. You have to go see Batman. Don't come find me when you're done."
In all of the years that they've known each other, she has never told him not to look for her. This is a first, he thinks as he watches her fly away. In a moment of rage that is fueled by her words and anxiety about the future, Richard begins bashing his helmet against the concrete on the side of the garage entrance. His normally calm and cool composure crumbling at the thought that Rachel isn't as willing as he wants or needs her to be.
One. Two. Three. Four.
By the fifth strike against the concrete, Richard can feel some of the tension give way long enough for him to glance back at the sky. The image of his love becoming smaller and smaller as he continues to watch; as she continues to move away from him in more ways than one.
He is so caught up in his own thoughts and emotions that his mind can't quite comprehend the flash of light that strikes her from below or the way that her body goes limp before free falling to the ground. He only realizes what he is witnessing when he feels his heart plummet to his stomach.
I know that I've been away and I still have the audacity to leave you on a cliff hanger. Who do you think the culprit is? Slade? Batman? Richard, himself? *cackles in evil author*