Why Heroes Can't Sip Champagne and Apples are A Girl's Best Friend
Chapter 4: Just to Pause Awhile

/

Life goes on for Nightwing only months later. He heads out to bring himself back up from the grave of love's broken arrow - and by the most unlikely of characters?

He ends up with his dream job, only to feel cheated and still something is missing in his life.

As Slade told him, maybe one day...but wait. Does that mean Kori's not afraid to say what she might really feel?

As Dick Grayson navigates his early twenties into the springtime, what shocking encounters might await out underdog of Blud's own badge of honor. To be called a hero was all he ever wanted, but what is that right if it means being left alone with no one to share in the spoils.

/

/

He had to look back on that time he'd acted like a total "Klorbag." While Kori just cheered him on but he…

It started with Slade, then X, then Hood and Joker…

Two face was old news…. then?

Nigma.

Shame he'd been a hero too long not to know how to bury his dead. Kori wasn't dead, even Babs had noticed.

He was still head over heels for the alien and they ALL knew it – wrong! All wrong! He…he, respected her, even if she refused to do the same for him…

He was useless to her, and now JAY?? Outlaws?? What was it he'd missed??

She was in Bludhaven.

The thought came as he searched for Red Hood, yet no. Jay had taken off, just a Bruce clone to the end.

Why wasn't Dick trying to rip his arm off?? Why was Jay not…because.

He didn't love Kori. They were partners once but there was no true dynamic.

There wasn't a chance. Kori had despised X because back then, Robin had created the face she now looked at with disgust. Anything else that close, she'd turn down and spill punch in their faces too.

And, damn. Jay could have, but…. he just had to get fisticuffed – up with Dick's ego.

Ego…

"I blew it…" Dick shoved his head down into his hotel pillow, afraid to get onto that plane. He'd caved and after so long he'd gone back to a dummy habit.

He didn't like to drink, yet this was not a function as in a "Gothonian, modern day ball" Bruce's galas involved sipping or unlike Wally, until you'd had enough of the entire spread.

As far as his experiences there, he was treated like a perfect prince…until he had to turn twenty. That, was harsh. No cheeks being pulled left Tim to drag his pouty face to bed earlier than the rest of the clan.

Back then. Jay was just coming out of hiding, Bruce being the one to drag his son to rehab.

Dick, being the golden child he was, said very little even with his lighthearted joking. He just, never believed he'd hit a rut.

He. Dick - fucking' - ass – mazing - Grayson, had hit a rut. A rut??

And with his crime fighting career still well being his mentor's; his job as a gym instructor being what had him staying in Blud, and his credit to the academy he'd be giving a good lovely hoot over? He was ecstatic to get there…

He was, really.

But…

Dick had to do something. He was riding the wave to posttraumatic station, so why not expect a few road blocks?

Because. Perfect Dickie didn't do im – perfect.

He grumbled and shut off the lights, then shrugged off the sheets. No. He couldn't stand it. He had to say something.

Dick needed to get rid of that blasted itch. The idea that he was being watched made him wary, or could, but he swung out as Nightwing to stay out and watch the moon on high above Jump's pier.

He could feel it, that pang of guilt at having broken up the heroes with a solo career. For what? He had something, but…

Dick squinted, seeing below a face in the dark as it stalked a separate rooftop. That was, until the male it looked in heavy armor, removed the cloth mask. A bandana style.

Dick let his mouth fall open – and dear god, the thing gargantuan and rugged, it heard.

" Humph. He's having fun for once." The person turned to look over and meet his stalker's acquaintance.

"Funny seeing you out of the big city, Dick."

…………

And, of course.

Eh, dynamic as it was.

Joey had stayed the night. Rose was there too, maybe.

"Deathstroke." Dick's persona stayed. Nightwing was what protected his fragile mind from this crude baddies' exemplary tongue. A sharp wit to boot.

Just like his twin katana.

Slade cocked his unmasked head, trying to let Dick drag out the memory of unmasking him in Blud. How he'd turned to riot and exposed a parof himself that…wasn't being very fair. And Slade had applauded him, then left. No shake of the head, no words to cry over. Nothing.

"You'd abandon your post, yet I'm sure you have a reason for being tardy to return to your city. And, It's late." Slade was, conversing and lovely. He was ridiculing, like a dad might to some other army brat of their unfortunate offspring.

"I can handle the pressure, and the city won't go under in a day." Dick huffed, holding his stance, defensive yet withdrawn. Slade could pounce onto him as quickly as he could deflect that man's blades with his staff or escrima sticks.

"I was in the neighborhood for a job, south of here, and then I found out telepathically from my son that he needed some time off."

"You still talk?"

"Sometimes he shouts at me to switch sides." Slade shrugged. "Other times, to keep me from thinking about…Well, that's not really an issue. I just came to see him off, but it may be too soon."

"Well, do it at the airport." Dick crossed his arms. "You know better; step foot in Jump, and you'll break our –

"That truce lost its merit after YOU left, boy blunder. Don't act as if this is your city anymore." Slade turned to move, his feet shifting to gather up for another leap.

As if struggling to drag himself back to bed, Dick flewafter the character, trying to keep him there. To, listen.

"I had to finish you, someday." Dick sung out his foot as Slade evaded from the side. "Shit, kid. I can't f –

"You won't stay in this city. It's still too important!" Dick took out his tension on the merc, pushing, racking the ground with marks by his electrified staves.

"We can tussle in Blud. Make it or –

"No!"

Slade groaned and tugged out a double barrel pistol. " Stop. Tell me why you're up for taking me out, kid." Slade watched as Dick's breathing became more stable. He wiped a few beads of sweat from his brow, the rain coming down had only to drizzle as Dick cutely sneezed.

"Kid, get back to your city." Slade lowered his mask, trying to put down his gun but Dick…was he crying??

"Shit. Come on, this rain wasn't in the forecast." Slade offered as Dick dumbly followed.

~ Then again, neither were you. ~

/

A diner; twenty-four hour and with a wallowing pup to feed, and pups to wish farewell back the next morning. Wilson had his coat on and Dick had stashed his clothing away in case he'd felt hangry, come midnight.

"If you say cheeseburger, then I'm not sticking –

"Coffee, light…no sugar…"

Slade blinked. "What? Too chicken to have pie this late? Fine, soup. Two. The special."

"Anything else?"

"We're good. For now." Slade curtly replied and handed his menu to the waitress. This place was in fact a genuine experience. A diner without a crabby waiter.

The two were left to brood, more one, than two. Slade tapped his fingers against the tabletop, looking out the window and then at the kid. Damn. He had too much sympathy left…

"So. Anything good happen to the "easy living," Mr. Grayson? You must be the real deal to have your own city safe and sound…any partn –

"I'm not going to join you."

"Didn't say that." Slade buttoned his trap, the coffee coming sooner than expected. Still, he could drink water and stare the kid down until he spilled.

"Why did you attack me, Dick?" Slade fussed, but it was natural. The kid was an equal match, and still his emotional side seemed to hold him back. Still…something was dragging him away from his role as a dutiful protector.

Heck, all by himself he'd cracked Slade's mask and then beaten him until sirens sounded. It was brutal, but yet…Slade expected Robin to find his roost.

Wherever that was.

"I had a bad day. Got into the police academy… if you were wanting to know why I'd not been on the same routes in Blud for awhile." Slade kept tabs on his targets, so Dick made sure to do the same like this was "border patrol 101" for evil masterminds. Refugees found Blud as a sanctuary. He had cared for everyone and yet…

He groaned and put his head down.

Slade stirred the bendy straw in his water glass and frowned. "More like the new year let you down, despite all of that good fortune?"

"Yeah…a real sucker punch…" Dick acted hung over, but he was a mellow dramatic cry baby, a good actor too.

This was… why Slade didn't like this time spent dragging the boy to stand. He was not a kid, not to anyone else.

Not unless you meant his elders, like Slade for example.

"I can't stand it…I can't do anything too fix what…what I did…"

"So, did you finally break the bat's –

"My heart…every time I think about it…I feel like shit. Totally and utterly, a real Dick."

Slade; out of all of their transgressions in the past,barked out a dry laugh. "Oh, I get it alright. You got dumped, then? Luck isn'–

"It wasn't…. no." Dick's head rose as those messy blue eyes wavered. Trying to bottle it all up.

"I had a shot and blew it! That….and Red…. he

fricking did everything I was trying not to!" Dick slammed a fist onto the table, but immediately bawled into his hands right after. "Fuck! She was already there, but I messed up…. she hates –

"Stop." Slade put up a palm, the conversation going absolutely out the window.

"If your two "personae" can avert the world going down the toilet, then maybe you can learn to survive your very "normal" heartbreak."

"What? Did you ever succeed with –

"We don't talk about that person." Slade said with a monotone voice. "I did, but you have yet to move on. If she comes back, then maybe one day, maybe." Slade sighed and looked at his watch.

"Want to take the soup for your trip? I have a flight to catch, so you can take mine. I made a good bit of scratch this time around."

"Why, aren't you trying to push me?"

Slade cocked a brow, "Why?" He snorted. "Because kid, you already look like shit." He smirked and leaned on his elbows to look Richard squarely in the eye. "Besides. That would be cheating and I like to have the full experience of breaking a person. You know that."

"Damn...you had a shot."

"Always another time, pretty bird. For now, you'll just have to say you ate at "Larry's" with a celebrity."

"That's my line. Don't go acting l…" Dick realized that his tears were dry. Had Slade's sass actually…

"You think I look like an idiot, don't. Just…" Dick raised a finger as the waiter shuffled over. "We'll take the soups to go." Slade watched as the kid pulled out his card. As if he'd let himself be treated like the simpleton here.

"I made the mess; I'll clean it up." The smile of a dozen doe – eyed , bratty angels was back. Slade nodded, relieved this brat out of the many children of the cowl knew when to stumble. He was humble enough, even letting Slade go had been a shock.

Slade denounced in saying it wasn't a big deal but…Dick was just that.

Wild and untamed. He had his way or things got messy very quickly. He'd be just fine, though time would only tell how much of that heartbreak was for naught.

/

The fact that the heart to heart had been refreshing to say, was just normal enough that he could brush past the doldrums. She'd be here in Jump today, then he'd never see her again. Orr maybe…

Dick wondered as he kept a few Dramamine capsules on hand. Damn. Lack of sleep was a real killer. He'd only had the soup for breakfast and a roll from the coffee shop next door before his departure. No Slade, but the man did at least hand him the money for the soups. Was that ok?

It was enough to take care of his lunch, so he forgot all about the party and the punch.

/

As of the spring, Dick was flying out to meet his staff at the academy. Somewhere in the next city or two after Blud, Dick took up the role with gusto like he always did. He ate, slept, and worked to impress no one but his own expectations. He even made them call him "Wonder boy" when he'd accidently showed his fellow cadets how high he could twirl. Accidental as into stop a dish from the mess hall from busting over the tallest, biggest scout's head. It wasn't boot camp, but at least there wasn't too much pressure to get back home.

/

Months, three was too long, he was jammed into Blud's poorly managed team to file away what they'd just turn their noses up to. Blud. Cousin to Gotham, yet in ethics, he had to say it did a lot better. To a degree, he wasn't without pay, even if he was technically the new guy.

/

A few weeks later, there was a terror heading some district that required Swat and the big guns to take it out.

A monster.

/

Well, typically your average Nightwing adversary wasn't as tall, dark and brooding as the Bat's. It was more a monster who liked to play his game very well and laughed at the cops whenever he got caught to be hung bythe rafters.

Bruce had shot Richard a ping to not engage with this criminal since I had escaped Batman's turf in a hurry.

For a while, that seemed ok.

Until the other monsters in Blud got bored.

/

Sirens, silent. Horns blazing with smoke one day, right into the damn street sign across from the news stand, that Dick always seemed to find time for.

He jumped, nearly spilling his java all over himself.

The man was off to work, not off to become a vigilante at six am! He grumbled and dropped the cup, running to find a place to swap gear.

He had time; take out the traffic violator and then he'd be fixed at his desk until the end of his shift.

Good to go.

Wing leaped up as people on the street shouted and took pictures. He was ok with it, the mask made his vision of getting out of the bat's shadow a possibility.

The one thing he'd not though believed possible…was the one driving the vehicle he'd helped to keep from going up in smoke.

The thing had arms that were if anything, in a suit. And Dick saw the face, the mask.

Sionas.

/

"Black mask…" He grunted. Escrima sticks up, he saw this as a chance to do something that mattered again. He linked up to Batman in his ear, catching the signal with a sigh. "Got a culprit outside of a crash. He's fine, but the BCPD will be here any minute."

Dick lowered his hand. "What happened to someone else taking the wheel, Mask? Aren't you afraid of touching it?" The agoraphobia of Roman Sionas; a Gotham city crime boss that went deep to the heart and had a rotten one to start, he didn't know Dick was there. That Robin from Bat's side, he did however. So he jibed,

"How the hell would I know? The guys were waiting to put me out, permanently." He snarled back. Mask was a bit offended, yet hurt like a wounded animal.

"Come on. I have to take you in, regardless of looking like you do. Can't do a thing. The law is the law."

"Testify…I just –

"Your lawyers got you out, but I know your game more than you want me to, Sionas." Dick gripped the man and twisted his wrists back to cuff the crime lord. "You said they, as in the cops." He nodded. "You won't get off the hook a tenth time, not in my city."

/

A week later, Blockbuster shook Wing up until his spine feltready to still. When he knew damn well to put that balooka in his place.

A few kicks, a flip and a bash in the shoulder more, and BBwasn't looking so tough. The press came this time, and Dick just smiled, waved,then sped off to grapple up to a leaning ledge above the city.

It wasn't Gotham. Heck, but…it was home. A home. For someonewho had no idea what came last.

/

A ring alerted Dick as he benched a few sets in his apartment that he was needed on a case so he jumped up an threw on his gear. The academy had only kept him thinking ahead, but Nightwing was a good teacher. Well, he was that time…Right now, Dick felt lost, at the time when he needed to reach out and call a friend to get out after a long day.

/

The city was fine, but then Wally dragged Dickie to open his eyes once a vacation was there and for his own pleasure to own. He had a day off. Was that really real?

"Dude! You came back to us….ah! I though Jay scared you off, and what's with those pecs?? Damn!"

Dick had been training non stop since Slade had picked on his to go back to Blud and put on his big hero pants. After that, he kind of wondered if Slade was off selling his load of "death" globally. Something about a company that he was spotted in through Wayne's work.

Anyway (Deathstroke Inc.) Wally was here, and Dick needed to get out of his house for one day. Just one.

Yet Wally wasn't a very slice of life planner for a tourist. He wanted to go down to shop – and by shop, he meant fashion.

And where there was a clothing line envied the world over…

A screen on the highest towering city building would show her face as Wally dropped his jaw down to the floor.

"Oh….my…."

Dick bolted, he couldn't say it, let alone the publicity.

She was a star, while he was just yesterday's –

" Omph!"

Dick fell back, smacked into his backside; bruising those perfect glutes, his eyes wanting to open by who he saw looking down at him with orbs of that same glorious emerald.

A dream, he was only dreaming!

No…. nonono….

"I…H –

He stuttered, but she interrupted him, nearly just as shocked as he was.

"Are you ok..." She stepped back, her mouth agape and a hand barely there to keep her designer sunglasses from falling off of the brim of her nose.

" Richard??" She exclaimed.

Dick gave this woman; this fallen angel a sign, a goofy grin that he gave anyone when ever he suddenly found himself in a place he didn't want to be.

He raised a hand, casually portraying a man so meek that it didn't suit his character.

"Hey, Kori…. long time no…. see?" He chuckled, bashful as she dragged him in. Her glasses up, as if she'd shoot her beams directly through them and to his heart.

They just stared for a straight twenty more seconds before a yell from Wally brought Dick scrambling to his knees, before all else…. But she'd been so close…

Was Slade right? Was this world so small that he still could grab lady luck by the…um, and tell her she'd been dead wrong?

She stood, watching him as her eyes never changed.

She still wanted to know why he wouldn't let her go.

/