batfakes | (no subject)

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[ Adjusting to life in the past wasn't the hardest part about any of this. For the most part, Terry could live without the automation and the other conveniences future living brought to Neo Gotham. Of course, he had to learn how to work a coffee maker that wasn't voice activated and use a manual elevator and remember to use cash because he was pretty sure if he tried to swipe his cash card, he'd be arrested. But it wasn't all bad. Not ideal, but not bad.

So if anyone asked, he'd be quick to tell them. It wasn't hard living retro. It was hard living with Bruce friggin Wayne. He'd always thought the old man was a hard ass, no question about it. But he also got a break from him. He got to go to his own home and sleep in his own bed and maybe sometimes have a social life if his own little merry band of misfits decided they'd behave long enough he could see the inside of a night club.

He thought - stupidly, foolishly he knows - that maybe a younger version of Bruce would be. He didn't know. Mellow? Chill? Not so tightly wound? But he was none of those things. If anything, he was more intense than ever. He'd spent hours interrogating Terry, vetting his story, confirmed what he could of it, looking at the suit and checking the tech in it. And at the end of it all, he still suspicious.

Terry supposed he should have been grateful Bruce hadn't just kicked his ass and tossed him into Arkham the second he popped into existence and claimed he was Batman from the future. And he was! He was even more grateful when Bruce agreed to help him get back to where he belonged. But that meant sitting tight. And it also meant no more Batman of the Future.

He tried. Terry really did and for a while, he was kind of glad to have the time off. There was time to catch up on sleep. To see movies and hang out with the other Bats, when they had the chance. He learned how to boil water and make tea from Alfred, instead of relying on a electric kettle to do it for him. It was nice seeing Bruce's life when it had people other than himself in it. But after a while? It got old. Really old and he found himself itching to get back out there again. When Bruce said no, it made Terry feel like he was going to lose it. He didn't have to be Batman, but Bruce couldn't keep him locked up in the manor forever.

But that was exactly what Bruce intended and that's how Terry found himself on the doorstep of Dick Grayson, after his latest clash with Bruce. It'd been a particularly nasty one and he just needed a few days to cool off. So he packed his shit (he didn't have much) and left. He's leaning against the frame of the door when it opens. ]

Got room for one more?

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[ Dick's been expecting the whole Terry situation to implode one way or another, it was pretty much inevitable when Bruce is being Bruce and Terry is in a situation that he personally finds intensely relatable. It wasn't that long ago that he was gaining independence and Bruce was deeply disapproving of it, but long enough that he now recognizes where they were both being unreasonable while still having valid points, and though they've both learned from that he can only imagine what Bruce must be feeling when confronted with someone like this new, very young Batman. If absolutely nothing else it represents a complete upheaval of Bruce's plans, and he's never taken well to that.

He doesn't know all the details yet, but he knows enough.

Plus Alfred called him not long after Terry stormed out, no one's surprised that he's taken to the young man and is doing his best to help guide him along, however much time he has here with them. But there's not much he can do to solve the impasse between Terry and Bruce's stubborn refusal to let him help.

Maybe he can. He's at least going to try. ]

Hey, man. Come on in.

[ He's just pulled on a shirt, his hair tousled from where he just rolled out of bed, but he's sharp, they're all too used to waking up ready for anything. But some coffee won't hurt, so he's headed toward the kitchen after closing the door behind them. ]

So did he kick you out or am I helping to cover up a prison break?

[ Terry never had the opportunity to meet Dick back home. The old man never spoke to him and Dick never stopped by to visit. He's asked why once or twice and was always given the brush off. Same with Tim and Barbara. Everyone talked endlessly about their partnership, but never what ended it. Now that he has met Dick - or at least a version of him - he can see why Bruce liked him so much. It was hard not to like him.

It's why Dick's the first person he thinks of when he leaves the Manor. He didn't really have anywhere to go. His parents were here, technically (he'd even seen Warren from afar once), but that was best left untouched. Dick was the closest option and Terry didn't want to go wandering off . He knew Neo Gotham, but Old Gotham was still a bit of a maze.

He steps in and toes his shoes off so he's not tracking dirt into Dick's space. ]

A little of both. He said if I didn't like the rules, I could leave. I don't think he expected me to really do it. Thanks for letting me in.

You should be thanking me for not immediately selling you out like Tim would.

[ Dick says it lightly though, chuckling a bit. It's true enough, Tim would be the first one to tell Bruce, and where else could the kid go? Jason is... Jason, he'd identify with rebelling against Bruce but he can be prickly about new people. Otherwise he'd be loose on the streets of Gotham, and that's definitely worse, even if he's good there's too much potential for him attracting more attention than he can handle. There are a few big names that Dick doesn't want anywhere near any of this.

While he's getting the coffee going and digging out a mug— ]

You want some coffee?

[ All things considered he thinks that Terry is handling things as well as anybody could. He's not even sure he'd be taking it well if he was thrown back into the past, or to a different future, or anywhere away from home, he'd be stressed and frustrated and worried, probably eventually to the point of getting way too reckless to distract himself. And Terry's here, not out there kicking in doors looking for trouble. Yet. ]

Yeah, thanks for that too. Bruce already wants to slag me. Thanks for not making it worse.

[ That was a risk he was taking running off to someone who probably had more loyalty to the original Batman than to this newcomer who hadn't even proven himself. Mainly because Bruce wouldn't let him, but that wasn't the point. For all they knew? Terry was a liability. Dick didn't have any reason not to tell Bruce he was here.

But Terry's grateful he's not going to. He didn't think he could sit through another lecture. ]

Sure I'll have some.

[ Two mugs then.

He passes one steaming cup over to Terry before turning to dump sugar and cream into his own as he mulls over how to phrase what he's thinking. It's not that he isn't loyal to Bruce, he is, to a fault, but that same loyalty doesn't blind him to Bruce's biases, as much of a force of nature the man is he's not invincible or above reproach. It's why they work so well together, they tend to counter each others' weak spots.

And trust has always been a big ask. ]

It could be worse. If you showed up maybe a decade ago even I couldn't have helped you. [ He chuckles dryly, leaning back against the counter. ] You're a problem he doesn't understand and can't fix yet, it's got him in a bad mood, and it takes him a while to warm up to new people anyway.

[ He doubts that ever changes much, no matter what dimension Bruce is in. ]

You used to doing patrols every night?

[ That, Terry gets. Even with his own Bruce, trust was not something given freely. It took months to build something close to it. It didn't help that their relationship had a rather rocky beginning. Stumbling into the Batcave uninvited, discovering his secret identity, and swiping the suit hadn't exactly endeared the two of them to each other. But it was the start. And starting over had proven a lot more challenging than Terry had imagined it to be. Sometimes, it felt like all that progress they'd made hadn't meant a thing. To this Bruce, Terry supposed it didn't. ]

I get it. I'm not asking to be his best friend. Just for a chance. He did train me.

[ He sips his coffee. ]

Yeah. There's a radio and a vid-link in the cowl. Everything I heard and saw, the old man did too.

[ At least he doesn't have to explain that nothing is ever easy with Bruce. That's got to be another constant no matter which Bruce they're talking about. And he's really suspecting that Terry reminds Bruce a little too much of Jason moreso than the rest of them, which wouldn't make things any easier either. But that's just speculation. ]

He'd be just as suspicious of his older counterpart. That would be kind of funny to watch.

[ Maybe it would be a little too much like Bruce having a dad around though. ]

Right. Do you have the suit with you?

[ It won't be the most popular idea he's ever had, but Terry needs something to do, something important that isn't just basically taking an extended vacation, he understands that, and who else would be better qualified to keep an eye on him? He can (mostly) manage Damian after all, and that's a tall order. Terry seems pretty reasonable, all things considered. ]

[ Terry cracks a smile at that. It's true if the roles were reversed, suspicions would run just as high. That part, he did not miss. Not even a little. ]

Next time I go dimension hopping, I'll bring the old man with me.

[ you know, for the laughs.

Dick's getting his hopes up as he looks at Dick over the lip of his mug. A careful sip and then he's setting it aside and glancing at the bag his suit's tucked away in. It's technically twice stolen property. Bruce's been tinkering with it, trying to understand the tech behind it. Terry swiped it on his way out. He didn't have a choice if he wanted to get the thing back home in one piece. ]

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

I'm thinking that I can either find a way to patch in to your mask or fit it with something that will interface with the tech I've got.

[ Babs will help. Probably.

Dick can tell that Terry's trying to play it cool, act like it's no big deal, and of course he would. Bruce had set down a hard 'no' when it came to letting him go out in the suit, and that tended to be the end of things around here unless it was a really dire situation. This isn't dire, but Dick's still decided that he's going to do this, and handle the responsibility if anything goes sideways. What's the point in turning down help, when it's important to Terry too?

It's not just some side hobby for him, that's pretty clear. ]

You won't stand out that much, and as long as you're not going out alone... [ He's already pouring himself another cup of coffee, and rummaging to see if he has any bagels left. ] You've never worked the city with a partner, have you?

[ Yeah, he's used to Bruce watching, no doubt obsessively keeping tabs on him, it's a little different with someone out there. ]

[ It's something he tried to explain to Bruce when they had their Joker situation. Batman made him feel like a worthwhile human being. It was a chance to help people who were trouble - to pull them out of bad situations. It's a chance to be the kind of person he needed when he was breaking his parents' hearts.

It wasn't a hobby. It was everything. ]

Bruce's been messing with it. He may have saved us some time.

[ It's just a few short strides and Terry's scooping up the bag and finding the cowl hidden in the false bottom. He offers it to Dick so he can look it over. Terry didn't know much about Bruce's tech here. It's familiar enough that he doesn't break anything, but when Bruce benched him, it meant he didn't get to spend a whole lot of time in the Cave either. Not if Bruce wasn't there to supervise. Guess he wanted to make sure he didn't swipe another suit. Joke's on him, to be honest. ]

No. Not unless you count the mutt.

Edited 2025-02-28 06:07 (UTC)

[ It's too bad that he can't call Bruce, he'd be the best one to ask about setting this up, but it's fine, they'll manage just fine. Babs will do it, and she'll keep an eye on the kid too, if just for his sake. And she won't immediately rat them out, though it's not like Bruce won't catch on pretty quick as it is.

Maybe not as quick if he asks Tim not to be an immediate sell-out. ]

That reminds me, you're gonna have to meet Haley when Babs gets back with her. But yeah, it's not the same as having a human partner. Honestly I'm impressed at what you've managed to do when you basically took the 'sink or swim' approach to all of this, most of us started out as the side-kick first and worked our way up.

[ He's holding the mask up and peering through it, assessing, and also wondering a little about how Terry's Bruce back home would feel about all of this. And speaking of... ]

So you really don't know much about why your Bruce doesn't talk to the rest of us? Or why they don't try to talk to him?

[ That's been a tough one to wrap his head around, even if it's not necessarily relevant for their current situation with Terry. ]

[ For how much he complains about Ace, it would be easy to think Terry didn't like dogs. That wasn't the case at all. He loved Ace a lot - the mutt's saved his ass more times than he'd like to admit. They just had a rocky start to the friendship. Haley, he suspects will give him a much nicer reception. So he's looking forward to it. ]

Bruce was already retired by the time I ah acquired the suit. So I had to do some on the job training. Now he makes me run his training sims for at least an hour before patrol.

[ While Dick inspects the mask, Terry continues to sip at his coffee, finishing it up and pouring himself another cup. ]

With Tim, I heard the story back when we had our Joker situation. But with you - or I guess the other Dick? Not a clue. Nobody really wants to talk about it.

[ Dick shakes his head a little, suppressing a frown. They've gone through some rough times, sure, and they still butt heads on plenty of things now, but he can't imagine what could happen that would divide them like that, for so long. Just like he can't grasp what series of events would lead Bruce to a situation where he would find himself depending on a new kid like this— which is nothing against Terry, it just has him questioning everything else about the situation.

If he ever gets to meet anyone else from Terry's Gotham maybe he can figure it out, but until or unless that happens he's just got to put that aside. He might have to try to get their Bruce to talk about this though, after he's done being annoyed at him for taking Terry out with him. ]

I'm sure it's not an easy conversation to have.

[ When are they ever easy? ]

But what about you? What got you into all this?

[ He's heard some of the story, but not from Terry directly. ]

[ Terry’s asked. More than once and Bruce brushed him off every time. He would have reached out to Dick if he knew how. Look him up was about all the direction Barbara had been willing to offer.

There’s a beat of silence after Dick’s question. The circumstances had been fraught at the time. Difficult. He thought it would get easier to think about as time went on, but it still feels like it’s only just happened. ]

An executive at Bruce’s company was into some shady things behind his back. My dad was…murdered by him. I went to Bruce with it but he refused to help and told me to take it to the police.

[ another pause ]

So once I figure out he was Batman, I swiped the suit [ gestures to the cowl ] to solve it myself.

[ It always starts with at least one dead parent, doesn't it? It's hard to imagine how something like that could have gone on to the extent where someone was murdered before Bruce caught on, but it's impossible to know what the circumstances were, let alone the fact that this Bruce isn't the one he knows so well. For as much as they have in common there's still a lot that could be very different.

He's taken the cowl and his coffee with him to the table, pushing aside a stack of old police files so that he has some elbow room, angling himself so that he can still see Terry. He'd have to admit that part of this is easy because he has exactly the right kind of look to fit right in with the rest of them, handsome and broad-shouldered with the dark hair and blue eyes, a shade or two lighter than his own. ]

I'm sorry about your dad. That's how most of us ended up here, but it doesn't really get easier. [ Or safer to be around them. ] Was he just saying that to try to get you to leave it alone?

[ Bruce wouldn't have just brushed it off, would he? Even if his age had caught up with him, and he wasn't physically able to keep up anymore. ]

Or to get me to leave him alone. Before me, it was just him and Ace in the manor. For, like, twenty years.

[ For all the ways Bruce annoyed him, Terry did feel sorry for the old man. He'd pushed everyone away and was spending all of that time alone. He hadn't embraced Terry at first - not that he could be blamed for that. Terry did steal from him. But he really hadn't needed much convincing once Derek Powers was exposed for the murderer he was. As much as Terry liked being here, meeting the others, spending time with them, he knew he had to get back to his own Gotham. If only to keep Bruce from being alone. ]

He was lonely in that house. I think he appreciated the company. He'd ever admit it though.

[ This is really going to drive him crazy. He just doesn't get it, and despite the fact that it shouldn't matter, he already knows of several places where Terry's dimension has diverged from their own, it's hard not to want to get to the bottom of it. To try to help, for one, but also just to understand.

It's definitely not going to happen unless he somehow gets to talk to at least one other person, so he also knows he has to be realistic about it. ]

Yeah, I can see how he would do that.

[ Without anyone around to barge in on his isolation? Without Alfred? Of course he'd be alone. And he wouldn't dream of admitting it was lonely. That he missed anyone.]

A lot of this doesn't make much sense without the context, but I'm gonna do what I can. Not just to get you home, but I'd like to help you help him, if you know what I mean. Whatever happened to them, there has to be a better way to deal with it.

[ Bruce isn't immortal after all. Eventually he would be gone and Terry was going to need his people, and doing it all alone clearly isn't the way. ]

We can talk about that. For now you can help me unravel this smuggling operation and wrap up some rowdy local gangs while we're at it.

[ Dick is not pleased.

It's bad enough that he's been running in circles, basically chasing his own tail, trying to pin these guys down, trying to figure out exactly where these weapons have been getting into town and exactly who's behind it. That's par for the course, one of the endless struggles the city's thrown at him, and he wasn't going to tell Terry that he couldn't help, as if he wasn't good enough to tackle anything worse than the average mugger or attempted bodega robbery. And he couldn't expect Terry not to follow a lead either, even though he did say not to dig into it without backup on hand— it doesn't matter. What matters is that Terry is in one piece, and after Dick gets him out then he'll work on making the most out of this break in the case.

They're probably expecting a full on assault, not just a rescue mission. Dick's going for a more subtle approach that may or may not turn into a full on fight. He doesn't really want to dive into an all-out brawl here and now, leaving this place intact will make it easier to track down to the source later, but it all depends on how hard it is to get Terry out of here. If he's gotta do more than knock out a few strategically placed lookouts? He will.

No obvious alarms have gone off by the time he makes it to the cramped space where Terry's tracker is transmitting. After dropping the two guards at the front, with a slightly louder scuffle than he would have liked, he stops to analyze the door itself, checking for any potential tripwires. ]

You done in there, pal?

[ He'll stay vague, just in case Terry is actually somewhere else. ]

[ Terry could admit this had been reckless.

They'd been tracking these guys for weeks and there had been hardly any movement and after too many nights of listening and doing nothing, Terry had decided it was time to force them into some action. It was reckless. It was rash. Maybe even a little boneheaded. And it had worked. Anything to get the job done is what he would have told Bruce. And for the most part, it worked for him. But there were a few times it decidedly didn't. He'd put this little mishap somewhere in the middle.

He knew where the smuggling operation was operating out of it. But only because they'd chucked him into something he could only describe as a utility closet. It's a trap and they couldn't have broadcasted it any louder, considering they hadn't bothered to even restrain Terry or jam his ability to call for help.

They expected Batman - the real one or whatever. Who they were getting would be less inclined to yell at him for being reckless.

He can hear the scuffle outside and when it's quiet, he steps back from the door, half expecting it to swing open wide. But he hears Dick's voice instead and it's honestly the most beautiful sound in the world. ]

My hero.

[ It's way too soon to be relieved that he's found Terry, that he's in one piece and Dick won't catch hell about this later despite the fact that, all teasing aside, he's not actually a kid and he's not a side-kick on his first day. They still have to get out of this place, and then figure out how to dismantle it, unless they're forced into some kind of direct confrontation and they can't risk letting all of this slip through their fingers. Dick didn't plan for that, and while he's not at all averse to improvising this isn't his first rodeo and he knows it's always better to get some recon under his belt before he tries anything drastic.

If possible. Sometimes it's not.

He did kind of manage to put the other conversation they had tonight, before all of this went downhill, aside, focusing instead on the immediate situation, but he definitely hasn't forgotten about it, and hearing Terry's voice, actually seeing him once he's pried the door open, brings that right back into focus. He's... honestly not completely convinced that it wasn't some kind of misunderstanding, maybe some kind of joke? As unrealistic as that would have been. Occam's razor would suggest otherwise.

First things first— ]

Are you alright?

[ Thankfully, Terry isn't a stranger to Kobra and how they operated. This version seemed to be in its infancy, all things considered so dismantling it might not be the daunting task it is for him back home. It may not be all the same, but there seemed to be enough overlap that they could at least slow them down until they figured out how to bring their operation down for good. Aside from that, he's not doing it alone. Most times he prefers the solo act. Right now? When it's Dick? He doesn't mind the company at all.

He grins as the door is pried open and there's Nightwing standing in the glow of the hallway. Terry's only ever seen the suit in the display case back home. Seeing it in action does make his stomach drop somewhere in the vicinity of his knees. He doesn't mean to stare, but god, he didn't expect it to look this nice on him. If Dick thought their previous conversation was a joke, maybe the way he stares now helps put that theory to rest.

One awkward cough later Terry nods to answer his question. ]

Fine. Roughed me up a little, but nothing I'm not used to. Let's get out of here before more of them show up.

[ Dick does plan on following up on the fact that Terry's dealt with these people before, whatever differences they probably have been dimensions and decades it's hard to believe that it would be a coincidence that they would be here after Terry was dropped into their Gotham. And if nothing else they're causing plenty of trouble with or without intentionally yanking people into the wrong dimension, he doesn't intend to let them dig in here. It's already hard to throw a rock in this town without hitting an assassin, they definitely don't need another entire faction of them setting up shop, whether or not the League would take kindly to it. Bad guys fighting bad guys sounds good in theory, it always turns out messy, and gets a lot of innocent people hurt in the crossfire.

It's... a good thing that Terry has his own version of the suit. They all evolve over the years, some more drastically than others, so it makes sense, though it's still hard to imagine Bruce wearing it. In any case Terry's made it his own, it reminds Dick more of Jason than anything else, which makes this less awkward than it would have been if he kept glancing and thinking that it was Bruce at the corner of his eye.

But no, it's definitely Terry under that mask, staring, though not in a way that makes him uncomfortable. It feels complicated, yeah, but he doesn't not like it.

Maybe he likes it more than he should. ]

Right, and I'd rather not spook them into clearing out and relocating.

[ Back out the way he got in then, through the narrowest, dustiest corridors and access panels that he could navigate without getting himself cornered into some dead end. He could call back up if he needed to, but he'd get teased relentlessly for that kind of rookie move. ]

How did they get the drop on you anyway?

[ Kobra and the League of Assassins will clash eventually. In Terry's Gotham, the League had lost much of its influence as Ra's' body had deteriorated and he took over Talia's. So Kobra was essentially an unchallenged presence, outside of Batman of course. They won't find that to be the case here. League aside, there were far more Bats here than in the Gotham they'd come from. They weren't going to have an easy time with whatever they were planning on either side of the coin.

He's grateful Dick doesn't say anything about his staring. It's embarrassing enough to do it while they're out in the field. He'd really rather they didn't talk about it just then. Maybe later when they were back in Dick's apartment. He keeps up with Dick easily enough, the way he moves hallmarks of Bruce's training. He knew Dick's question was coming. You didn't have to be a detective to figure that out. So he's not thrown by it at all. ]

They had a laptop they were hovering over and I assumed it had information on it. Wanted to get a look at it myself. One of the goons wasn't as knocked out as I thought.

[ Beaned him right in the back of the head. He still doesn't know what they hit him with, but he did remember waking up with a massive headache. ]

Still got the intel though.

[ It's a little challenging to carry on a conversation while they're prying themselves through the winding path that Dick took to break in, especially since he's particularly talented at exactly this kind of thing strong and flexible and almost unnaturally good at knowing exactly where the best handholds are, and exactly how to balance his weight to land both silently and steadily. It would have been a challenge to try to navigate someone else through it, but Terry's right behind him and watching his every move, so it works. He's not intentionally showing off, just... doing his usual thing. Which does tend to be pretty indistinct from a performance at times, admittedly. He can't help it.

He's not going at a break-neck pace though, especially not now that he knows Terry's taken a good solid hit of some kind, for all he knows he could have been drugged with something too, it's hard to say what they would do to keep a Bat down for the count. God knows he's had plenty of experience with concussions himself, it's probably a miracle that his brain still seems to be in fairly good condition after how many times it's been severely rattled. ]

We can go over that back at my place.

[ He won't really breathe a sigh of relief until they're back out in the cool night air, and even then it's still cautious. They'll have to make sure that they're not being followed, which is a definite likelihood if their escape has been noticed. He's absolutely not going to lead anyone to his apartment, though that's almost certainly nowhere near as exciting a locale as they would be wanting. ]

... I didn't distract you, did I?

[ Is he actually worried that he was indirectly responsible for this? No. Mostly no. More so he's wondering if they're even going to talk about that, or if it was... a fluke? Somehow? ]

[ A challenge but not impossible. When it was quiet and safe to do so, Bruce and Terry would have debriefs over the comm line, discuss different angles of the case, argue when they disagreed, or if things were personal? Talk through it. It's different having Dick here with him instead of in his ear, but it's familiar enough that it doesn't throw Terry too badly. He can still keep up. He's not as graceful as Dick in how he moves; he lacks the same finesse and ease and fluidity. But he's clearly not an amateur. He's always taken being Batman seriously and kept up his acrobatic training, even after being totally displaced.

What is a challenge, is not stopping to admire Dick. It's not a performance and they're not in a place for it. Terry's gotta keep the quips to himself.

It helps that Dick isn't going so fast that keeping up is impossible. He can follow Dick's lead and wiggle his way through each tight passage until they're out in the open air again. Terry waits until they've cleared the building before he even begins to offer an answer. ]

No. It wasn't you. [ not in a way that Terry could blame him for anything. He should have stayed focused. He knew better and still got caught out. That would never be Dick's fault. ]

I've just had a lot of time to think about this. About us. I mean if there is an us. [ ahem ] Which way we heading?

We're taking the scenic route.

[ Dick has a number of routes back to his apartment that take him through secure spots where he won't be seen vanishing from a clearly observable skyline or ducking down into one particular alley, even the specific location of that corner was calculated. It had to be, because now that his secret identity is properly secret again he has no intention of blurring that line again. But the farther they go the less concerned he is about being followed, and his scans haven't picked up any trackers. It's entirely possible that Terry's sudden absence hasn't been noticed yet at all.

So his focus keeps slipping back to the other thing. So Terry has been thinking about it, unlike him, where he's been entirely oblivious if there have been hints dropped somewhere along the way. In hindsight he can easily see how he could have dismissed any distant or evasive looks or replies as just being a part of Terry adjusting to this, and inevitably thinking about the Gotham back home.

Also in hindsight he does realize that he's been treating Terry a lot more like a Robin than a Batman. Not a kid, as if he can't be trusted to hold his own, maybe at least in part because he's accustomed to Damian, who would bristle at the mere suggestion that he needed help, but... definitely still mindful of the fact that he's young. Actually he didn't even ask how old Terry is, he just assumed it was at least a few years younger than him. Let alone whether he was romantically unattached, or what kind of person he'd be interested in if not.

He's got one hand on the fire escape, back in the familiar narrow alley behind the apartment building, dangling casually as he watches Terry make his way over, considering— well, a lot of things. ]

A lot of time to think about kissing me, huh?

[ The suit thankfully has several tamper proof measures to keep outsiders from getting into the tech or hacking it while Terry's inside of it. The kill switch is a dimension away, but from what he could tell, the rest of the security is still in tact. All of Terry's readouts were clean. Still the scenic route's a good way to go. If only to shake off any would be pursuers in the sprawl of the city.

It really hadn't been an accident that Terry turned to Dick when he had his original falling out with Bruce. He was easy to like. Easy to trust and didn't treat him like he was an outsider and maybe to the others he was. But Dick had welcomed him, embraced him. Let him help. That meant a lot. The routine helped ease the homesickness and it made Terry enjoy Dick's company just that little bit more.

Dick's neighborhood is becoming more and more of a familiar sight. Terry's not sure if it's a good thing that he's been here long enough to recognize so many of the buildings here now, but it doesn't feel to bad to think of it as a sort of second home. It at least felt better being here than at the manor. When he reaches the fire escape, he smiles at Dick. ]

Yeah, well, you should stop looking so kissable.

[ Terry is cute. Straightforward and honest in ways that most people he deals with these days aren't, which isn't a slight against them, it's just... either there's so much history, ups and downs, uncomfortable truths and ugly fights, or it's someone who doesn't even know about this side of their lives, someone who's unarguably better off staying out of it. Terry has mostly a blank slate, so it makes sense. And Dick likes to think that they have a good thing going here anyway, he's tried his best to make it clear that Terry can be honest with him, that he's not going to judge.

He leans forward, nice and casual, a little too close for a normal conversation. It's kind of a shame that he can't see anything of Terry's face underneath that cowl, not really even his mouth. Definitely a suit design that Bruce would have come up with, though he's the last person Dick's thinking about right now. ]

Or what?

[ His own eyes might be obscured, but his lips quirk into a warm, pleased flicker of a smirk. He can be playful, even while he's still kind of catching up on this entire situation. Usually he's better at picking up on it, it's a bit novel to be caught by surprise.

But he'll pull himself up before Terry has too long to think about that answer. ]

Come on. I need to get a good look at you to see how badly they scrambled your brain when they knocked you out.

[ It's good that their rapport seemed near effortless to build. The banter came easy and so did their good-natured humor. Any other feelings that might have followed? It's because Dick made it so easy to just exist around him without feeling like he was being evaluated or judged or sized up. And he likes that. He hoped that Dick felt the same way. Though if he could judge by the way he's leaning toward him and closing the distance a little too much for it to be anything other than flirting (right?), he'd say Dick felt something. If Terry didn't have the cowl on right then, he might have just kissed him right then and there. That's or what.

It's that playful smirk that gets him every time. He slips into the apartment after Dick and shuts the window and moves away from it before he peels the cowl off and checks the back of his head where he'd been struck. He didn't feel a lump, but it was sticky where blood had gathered and it was tender to the touch. He winces but his face smooths out a moment later. It could be worse. ]

Should have told that guy to practice his swing. My head's still attached.

[ While Terry's feeling that out himself Dick's taking off his own mask, setting it aside next to the couch before turning back to get a good look at those eyes so he can gauge exactly how much of a concussion Terry might have going on here. It's almost too perfect of an excuse to reach out with a gloved hand, a gentle touch tipping just at Terry's chin, to draw his gaze. And honestly? He knows what he's opening himself up for, and if he wasn't comfortable with that he wouldn't have done it, but his hand is steady and he's not shying away from the closeness of it, of being regarded by those pale blue eyes.

There's so many reasons he should gently dissuade Terry from thinking about him like that. This. Right now he's circled around to the one that's all about the fact that Terry's presence here isn't going to be forever, they're actively trying to get him home, and there's no reason to expect that they'll ever see him again. And sure, it doesn't have to be that deep, there's nothing wrong with indulging in some companionship, god knows they're all fairly deprived of anything that stable and normal, but...

But he's not good at casual. He knows that. ]

I think I'd rather not encourage them to try to decapitate you.

[ That's not a level of violence they have to deal with too often, not least of all because everyone knows that's off the table with Batman. He's still careful though, and there's much less dramatic ways to a kill a person. ]

[ It's not that going home had stopped being a priority. The Joker situation had left it in a strange sort of limbo, like a powder keg waiting for the next spark to ignite it. Terry had not forgotten that and going back to keep an eye on things is definitely on his to do list. But the longer he's here, the easier it becomes to think about what if he couldn't go back? Could he settle here? Could he make a life here? When Dick turns his head so Terry could look at him, it feels like it. It really, really feels like it.

It didn't have to be deep. It could just be casual and easy and something they could be put to rest when it came time to part ways. But there's a part of him that doesn't want to do that. He wants Dick to always look at him like this. So he puts the thought of leaving away for now. For now, he just wants to be here in the moment. Terry smiles, he can't help himself. ]

Like my face where it is, do you?

Yeah, I do, actually.

[ He can't put his finger on it but sometimes it feels like Terry's been here all along, like he's always been a part of their 'family,' as completely unconventional as it is, like somehow the real displacement was happening before, when Terry was basically isolated from everyone else except Bruce. He can only imagine what kind of drastic change it's been from Terry's side of things though, going from that to suddenly having a whole team to back him up. Dick's pretty much always had that, and on the rare times he didn't it was because he was intentionally going off to do his own thing and had to cut everyone off in the process.

Which almost unanimously turned out to be a bad idea, in the end.

Now that he's assessed Terry's pupils and decided that his brain wasn't rattled too badly those fingertips skim lightly across his jawline, his own gaze flicking down to Terry's lips. He has all the time in the world to step back, or even just to his head away, but Dick knows he won't, he's got to be just as interested in how it'll feel to press their lips together. ]

[ It had been overwhelming at first. So many people to meet and relationships to forge. Bruce hadn't made it easy, but honestly, Terry hadn't expected he would. He never made anything easy. But slotting into the family, like he'd always had a place here felt--well it felt better than Terry had anticipated. He missed home, of course. But it was so easy to think of this place as home too. Maybe even more so now that he knows Dick maybe feels the same way he does.

It still feels surreal, if he's honest. That Dick would even consider this. He probably seemed like an amateur tonight. But he hadn't made him feel foolish or stupid for getting caught. He just swooped in and helped him out of that tight spot without any judgement. It's more than he could have asked for. Terry's lips part as he leans into Dick's touch and it feels like he's only got a moment to decide. Eventually he does. ]

Slag it.

[ Dick's right. He's curious. Curious enough to close up the space between them and press a kiss to his lips. If he's read this all wrong? He'll just blame his head injury. ]

[ Dick could have told Terry that if he didn't want this to happen he wouldn't have been very subtle about it. He wouldn't have been harsh about it, but he's politely declined advances before, and all teasing aside he's never been the type of guy to lead anybody on, not if he can help it. He didn't do that this time, at first because he was surprised, yeah, and then because it took a little while to let it sink in, and now... now he just wants to feel this out. Not just in a physical way, though there's that too, but how that settles deep in his chest, and how Terry feels about it now that those idle or not-so-idle thoughts have manifested in at least a small way.

Never let it be said that Dick Grayson isn't a good kisser though. He's aware that Terry must be sore from that blow to the head, as much as it could have been a lot worse, so he won't risk pressing against a bruise. Instead Dick's fingers continue that line down alone his jaw, a feather-light caress that wanders down alone his neck before that hand comes to a rest on his shoulder, all while Dick's lips are pressing warm and soft against his.

It's definitely not chaste, but it is careful, maybe a little coaxing. If there's any tongue getting involved it'll only be if Terry starts it. Pushing it would feel too much like taking advantage, so he's being particularly attentive.

... He's still human though, and he hasn't kissed anyone in a while, actually. ]

[ If Terry's nervous, it only shows in the slight tremble of his fingers. He brings them up to touch the curve of Dick's neck, right where it connects with his shoulder. It'd been some time since he's kissed anyone either. Back home, Dana had made it pretty clear she never wanted to see him again. And he couldn't blame her, if he was honest. Bruce and Batman made demands on his time that left very little for a social life. So, kissing - and relationships in general - hasn't really been a priority. Not until he met Dick and realized he'd be okay with kissing him. And he's so glad that he did.

He's not new to it, but he is out of practice. Still, the longer it lasts and the gentle way Dick touches him tells him he's doing something right. Or at the very least not doing it terribly. It gives him the confidence he needs to push for more, to slip his tongue between his parted lips to coax Dick open so he could have a taste for himself.

It's all way better than he'd ever imagined it to be and he's spent a fair bit of time imagining it. How warm and soft his lips would be. What angle might be the best. They'd all be fleeting thoughts he'd been a bit too nervous to ever give voice to. He's glad he didn't really have to.

He doesn't want to stop, even when he needs to breathe. But he does. It'd be super embarrassing to faint during their first kiss. There'd be another he tells himself. He allows himself to hope there'll be more. ]

Is there nothing you can't do, Grayson? [ he grins ] Not that I'm complaining.

[ Now that he's fully relaxing into it, letting go of that nebulous feeling that he shouldn't, Dick can really appreciate how that warmth floods through his chest, kissing has always been nice but there's a certain tactile intimacy to it too that he's been lacking, and finding it here in a completely unexpected way is... nice. Very nice. Though that makes it almost too easy to lose himself in it, to part his lips and invite more, despite his previous determination that he wasn't going to get carried away.

He's still got a handle on it, enough to let Terry break for a breath without making that unreasonably difficult, even if the temptation to nuzzle right up against his throat in that pause is there. It's enough that his hands have settled lightly on Terry's hips, holding them both steady maybe, or possibly just to anchor himself right here, all too aware of exactly where Terry's body is in relation to his own. But it also brings to mind several other ways he could be touching Terry right now, and as unreasonable as those are they still send a flush of that heat much further down.

That's a mildly inconvenient problem that could too easily turn into a very obvious one. ]

If there is I haven't found it yet. [ He teases, a soft, low chuckle close to Terry's lips. ] But there's still some things I haven't tried yet so if you wanted to test that...

[ That kissing isn't much of an excuse for letting his mouth get so far ahead of him but here he is, not taking it back. ]

[ There's a lingering shouldn't in the back of Terry's head too and if he's not careful, he could pick at it until it overtook him. He knows he shouldn't, but he did a lot of things he shouldn't all the time. Dressing up like a bat and beat the shit out of people seemed the most egregious. Kissing Dick Grayson? Probably the safest thing he's done since becoming Batman. He spent years sacrificing his life for other people and for Gotham herself. If he wanted to be a little bit selfish, well, maybe he deserved that.

He's well aware of Dick's hands on his hips, holding him just close enough and Terry finds himself wondering what his hands would feel like without all of this kevlar and spandex in the way. The thought makes him shudder a little, and he's sure Dick could feel it. He wants to ask, but he's can't help but wonder if maybe it's too soon for it. ]

I just might. [ He's still close enough to kiss and Terry steals a brief one. ] Tell me something you haven't tried. Maybe you and I can try it together.

[ Dick should be well past the point where he would flush at any kind of flirting or proposition, he's heard it all before and he honestly just invited exactly that response, but somehow that's what happens, though it might be hard to tell when Terry's kissing him again and he's letting that linger long enough to catch that lower lip with his teeth, reflexively, a heated breath hinting rather obviously at something deeper. At impulses that he's keeping under careful restraint, not because he doubts that Terry knows what he wants, he doesn't, but he's barely had a chance to consider where the boundaries should be at this point. They've already blown past the ones he was taking for granted.

So he's catching a breath or two more as he's watching Terry's face, one of his hands sliding a bit further to rest low on his back, his fingertips caressing lightly over the suit, with just enough weight that Terry will definitely feel it. ]

It might make more sense to start with you, I bet you've got a longer list.

[ Even if Terry's had particularly wild teenage years, which... who knows, maybe he has, understandably it hasn't come up in casual conversation.

He does nuzzle in against Terry's neck then, more affectionate than teasing, but mostly inviting. Leaving himself open, giving Terry the space to touch him however he might like to, that's deliberate. If this is just an idle curiosity or a passing urge for something warm and intimate, he's good with that too. If there's genuinely more to it though... ]

[ Honestly, Terry didn't really know what he was stepping into here. He'd likes the way Dick looks at him and the way his teeth catch his bottom lip when they kiss that second time. It makes his heart flutter a little in his chest. Maybe that's a little bit sappy, but Terry's alright with that as long as they're close like this. As long as they stay close like this.

The weight of Dick's hand on his back is welcomed, makes him feel anchored in place. And it makes him feel like Dick really does want him this close and this isn't some fever dream brought on by that blow to the head. ]

I've never really been with a guy before.

[ So he wasn't sure where to start. But he knows what he likes and spends a little bit of time thinking it over. His head tilts back, sighs as Dick nuzzles him there. His hands slide over Dick's shoulders and then down his arms, where he squeezes Dick's muscles gently. ]

Let's start simple. I want to touch you.

[ Dick has plenty of reasons to be careful, some more pressing than others, and he does sense that Terry's following his lead, which isn't surprising either given a professed lack of experience and just the way things have been working out lately. He's been here to help guide Terry along, to give him outlets while staying close enough to watch out for the pitfalls he'd naturally run into while learning a whole new version of the city he knows back home, and unlike some people he's not so fixated on having control over every little detail that he's stifling.

... Usually. He does have his moments, probably at least in part a learned habit, but obviously Terry hasn't been complaining. The bias probably doesn't hurt either, whatever this is it didn't just spring out of nowhere this evening, and maybe he could have seen it sooner if he'd been paying closer attention.

Maybe. ]

With how busy you've been I doubt there's been a lot of time for guys or girls.

[ His chuckle is a warm breath on Terry's neck, and he needs to stop but... it only takes a second to press his lips there for a lingering kiss. But then he does lean back, taking a slightly deeper breath. ]

Come on. I need to get a better look at your head before you get too distracted.

[ The bias certainly helps. Stifling hasn't endeared Terry to Bruce in the way it had with Dick. If only because Dick had also been willing to give him a chance, while Bruce only wanted to keep him locked down, with no room to move. Even without the Batman stuff, Terry needed room to move. He could have pushed harder, he supposed. But things with Bruce were tenuous enough. He didn't want it getting any worse. Because despite everything, Terry still really cared about Bruce and didn't want their differences to wedge them apart.

He's stuck here after all and setting himself at odds with the big Bat in charge wouldn't do him any favors.

Besides, the distance had helped. Being with Dick helped more. ]

You're not wrong. I had a girlfriend but she dumped me not long before I got here. Hard to spend time with her when I'm running off to save the day all the time.

[ He's content when Dick kisses his neck, warmed at the affectionate gesture. Dick's not wrong about him being distracted either. It'd be too easy to forget about that head wound when Dick's close to him like this. It'd be too easy to forget about everything. ]

I feel fine. Just a little sore.

[ But he's obedient, if only so they can get back to kissing. ]

Tell me where you want me.

Edited 2025-04-27 22:35 (UTC)

I know exactly how that feels.

[ Dick's sure that he's picked up on the history between him and Barbara to some extent, whether or not anyone's mentioned it directly. They're still close, they still have a kind of bond that's hard to describe as just friends, but they've missed the boat when it comes to committing to 'more than friends' so many times, and it's almost always because of everything else they're committed to, it's hard to do romantic relationships justice while keeping up with everything.

Granted there's also been times where he... just balked, and couldn't truly blame it all on the vigilante life, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway it's not as if he's got any kind of monopoly on tumultuous romances, that's the point.

Once he's pulled back he's already heading toward the bathroom, it's not a long walk since his apartment isn't exactly huge, and gestures toward the toilet before turning to pull out his first aid kit and some towels from the cabinet. He doesn't think stitches are going to be necessary, but he has to make sure, and it definitely needs to be cleaned at the very least. ]

Have a seat. [ He also has to swap out his suit's gloves for a clean, medical-grade pair before he's poking around Terry's scalp to assess the wound. ] So what happens when you need stitches back home?

[ Terry can't help himself; he smirks at Dick. ]

I believe that. You look like a heartbreaker.

[ There'd been something between Dick and Barbara back home, though it evidently fizzled out. She was never forthcoming with the details and for once, Terry didn't think it was his place to ask anything about it. Life happens. Sometimes things don't work out. And that's as satisfying an answer as any. It really just means he wasn't surprised to notice something happening between them here. Or that it had ended. He's once again content to let those sleeping dogs lie.

He follows Dick into the bathroom, plops down on the toilet and lowers his head so Dick can get a look at the gash back there. The sharp pain had long since dulled into a low, persistent ache. He isn't forgetting he's been hit in the head any time soon. But there's no real headache to speak of. Just a concentrated bit of pain where he'd been hit. ]

Wayne's got a pretty steady hand, actually.

[ He's patched him up more than once. Terry's picked up a few things but when the injury's harder to reach, Bruce is the one to do it. ]

The suit is usually pretty good about absorbing a lot of damage though. I don't get hurt too often.

[ Dick has to smile at that. ]

I know.

[ He's heard it all before, so he knows exactly how to toss around that charming smile and lean into it, it's fun. And it's not a facade, he really does like to flirt, he likes attention, and he especially likes inspiring people, there's just a lot underneath it that only his friends, the ones who actually know him, get to see. It's been maybe not so surprisingly easy with Terry, to let someone completely new in like this, extending trust is a thing with him too but it never felt like a leap of faith this time.

It's a gentle touch around the edges of his wound, brushing hair aside and wiping away the blood, and Dick's satisfied that it's not as bad as it could have been.

Without Alfred around to do these things Bruce would have to do more himself, the only alternative would be to outsource and that's obviously not in the cards. Dick keeps coming back around to that, a much older Bruce brooding alone in his cave, shutting out everyone except Terry, and that's going to stick with him whether or not he ever figures out why things got so bad.

At least Terry clearly doesn't want to do it all alone. ]

Give it a few years, you'll feel more of it. [ He's half-teasing. ] Alright, this will sting a bit.

[ He'll still flush it with antiseptic and dab that away, just to make sure it doesn't get infected. Yeah, Terry could manage it himself, but... well, he's here already, and Dick doesn't mind taking care of him. ]

[ Problem is that charming smile is charming him and he didn't hate it. In fact, he quite likes being charmed by someone as handsome as Dick. Terry's aware it could be part of the performance and that Dick likes the attention being handsome and charming brings. Terry gets it because honestly he feels the same. But he also hopes they're close enough, that Terry's been endearing enough to get beyond that. It feels like he is. He just hopes he doesn't mess it up somehow. ]

If only I knew someone who could take care of me.

[ He's prepared for the sting and only winces a bit when the antiseptic hits. Dick's already a much gentler touch than Bruce. Which isn't that hard to be, honestly. Terry can appreciate the differences in approach. Bruce is usually pretty clinical. Efficiency over anything and sure that works. But there's some comfort in being handled with a little bit more care. ]

Well...

[ Dick sets the bottle back into the cabinet, and tosses the bloody washclothes toward the laundry bin he keeps in the corner so that he's not leaving trails of dirty clothes everywhere anymore. He's not the neatest person in the world, though he has been making an effort to keep things more reasonably picked up ever since Terry started staying over, not that he was overly concerned about any judgment there.

And now that he's got his hands free and Terry's been properly assessed there's no particular reason he shouldn't reach to tip Terry's face up toward him.

Aside from all of the usual ones that he's put a temporary hold on, for now. ]

I haven't been doing a bad job, have I?

[ That first kiss felt a little surreal, this one is warmer, still gentle but more confident, he's holding less back now that he's sufficiently convinced that Terry didn't just have his brain rattled around a bit too much and was really just thinking about kissing someone else entirely. Or, less concerning, that he was just casually curious about what it would feel like to kiss a guy at all but it didn't actually mean anything. ]

[ Dick's well fills Terry up with anticipation. He sucks in a quiet breath, more than when he was having his wound looked at. What might come after it makes his heart beat a little faster. He really hasn't felt like this since...well it's been a long time. Truth be told, it's exciting to be desired, if that's how Dick's feeling and Terry's not reading too much into it. ]

No complaints so far.

[ Judging by the way he tilts Terry's chin up and the way he looks at him, he's not reading too much into it at all. Maybe he's underestimating it a little bit. It's a defense mechanism, you know, if he comes to senses about this. And so the heartbreak that might follow wouldn't sting so bad. Dick doesn't look like he will and that's confirmed when he leans for a second kiss. It takes a moment, but his confidence grows the longer they linger in the kiss. And when he's feeling bold, Terry loops his arms around Dick's neck. Just so he'd know what that feels like too. ]

[ It's a subtle thing, but Dick is pretty sure that Terry seems tentative, if not a little (pleasantly) surprised that he's being kissed again, but that thought gets temporarily shuffled aside in favor of focusing on the warmth and taste of Terry's lips, and how nice it is that he can take his time in appreciating that, without worrying potentially deceptively dangerous head wounds. There's still recon to do after his little escapade with Kobra, he hasn't forgotten about that either, but they'll get to that too. It wouldn't be a good idea to go back in tonight anyway, and they'll probably spend that long chasing their tails trying to figure out how Terry got out anyway.

So he's back to the realization that this is better than nice. That it's way too easy to let his thumb trace a line down Terry's throat, feather-light, while the rest of his fingers curl around the side of his neck.

He still shouldn't let himself get carried away. ]

I should probably let you shower.

[ When he pulls away, which he hasn't yet, and lets this go, if Terry lets him go and no one mentions it again... then that's probably for the best, right? ]

[ It's only tentative for now. He's not ready to commit until he's sure where things between them are heading. Sure, he could ask and he probably should. But there's something awkward about being direct like that so soon. He's impulsive about a lot of things, rash when patience would better serve. It hadn't ended well with the last relationship he allowed to happen too fast. He didn't want to make that mistake again - especially not with Dick.

Not that he'd call kissing on a toilet a relationship specifically. But neither of them seemed to be adverse to seeing what might happen if they took this a step farther. ]

Yeah, I could use one.

[ but he doesn't let Dick go, arms still resting on his shoulders. ]

Might need someone to wash my back for me. If you're up for it.

[ It may be too soon to call this anything in particular but it's definitely something. Dick has kissed more than his fair share of attractive women that he barely knew, and it didn't necessarily mean anything other than there was a mutual attraction between them, but a guy? A part of their extended 'family,' someone he feels protective over, much like he would with another Robin? Yeah, it's all different.

He's more tempted than he would have expected at the suggestion, he's abruptly confronted with the idea of hot running water and how smoothly he could slide his hands over Terry's chest and hips and... everything else with it coursing over them, just touching.

He's already let this get so far away from him.

There's an obvious pause as he lingers, long enough for another slow kiss before a quiet exhale, and he does pull back, a slightly wry smile quirkiness his lips. It's as much at himself as this whole unexpected situation. ]

I'm pretty sure I'd be more of a hindrance than a help. You go ahead, I'll wait for you.

[ He needs a shower too, he'll get to that eventually. Later. Probably when Terry isn't actively distracting him so much. ]

[ Sometimes, he still expects Dick not to take him too seriously. He's got that habit of being a bit mouthy and a lot of times it works for him. When people think of Batman, they think of that stoic, intimidating shadow with eyes. Not a guy like him. He's not built like Bruce and there's no cape and Joker told him the ears were too long (they're not). And he talks. A lot of times it's irritating, throws them off so he can swoop in and deliver the metaphorical kill shot.

Other times, it doesn't and that's alright. Sometimes he takes a bomb to the back. He still won that fight. This time? He gets a kiss out of it. So not a total loss.

As Dick lingers, Terry takes the opportunity to smooth his hands through Dick's hair, even though the actual feel of it is lost while he's still wearing the suit's gauntlets. It's just the motion of it, the tenderness of it. The smile is nice. It certainly doesn't diminish how handsome Dick is. He doesn't want him to go, but understands why he does. Things are new. They should go slow. Figure out how to navigate so it doesn't backfire. It makes sense and Terry won't argue it. ]

Alright, Boy Wonder. [ he finally pulls his arms away so he can start getting the suit off. ] Try not to miss me too much while I'm in here.

[ It is new, Terry's young and inexperienced, especially compared to how much he's gotten himself into since he was even younger, it just wouldn't feel right to keep going past a certain point. It's not that he thinks Terry would have trouble saying exactly what he wants or doesn't want, but... well, it's always harder to tell when it's all caught up in a moment. He's been there, and while he would never say that he's ever taken advantage of that, or been taken advantage of in any way, he has kissed a few people who, in hindsight, he probably shouldn't have. It's a different kind of trouble.

It's hard to imagine this being a regret. but... who knows how things could change when they're not coming right off of an intense situation, when they've had a chance to clean up and get some sleep and see how things feel in the morning.

He has to chuckle when Terry calls him by old nicknames. To be fair that would be ancient history for him normally, he just happens to be living it here and now. ]

I'll throw in some clean clothes for you in a minute.

[ Back home, Bruce wasn't really in any condition for training Terry directly. And in reality, it wasn't entirely necessary. He spent several years in the company of some of the more unsavory elements of the neighborhood he grew up in. Learning to fight meant learning to survive clashes with other gangs of kids or Jokerz if they were feeling adventurous. He took up wrestling in high school and that helped too. The rest came from Bruce's simulations and holograms. Terry's style is scrappy and unrefined but it worked for him.

Living here has brought some refinement to his moveset, though, now that Bruce was able to be more involved in his workouts. He often left Terry sore and bruised and sometimes Terry wondered if he had to work him over so hard. It always felt like he was trying to prove a point. That Terry wasn't good enough yet or something. Either way, he's grateful when Dick offers to help him out instead. He wasn't looking for an easier time or anything. He could do the work. He just wanted to do it outside of Bruce's scrutiny. Training with Dick sees an improvement with his final readout and only really proves to Terry that Bruce is too hard on him for no reason other than he can be.

When they're finally back in Dick's apartment, Terry steals the shower first and spends a good few minutes letting the warm water just flow over him, soothing the quiet ache in his muscles before he finally scrubs himself clean and gets dressed. When Dick is done, he'll find Terry sitting on the couch, towel still draped over his damp hair. ]

I don't usually let anyone pin me down without taking me to dinner first.

[ Dick knows better than anyone that Bruce is hard on people, on everyone, and especially on every Robin he's ever had. And Terry kind of fits that category, except not, there's a lot going on that has nothing to do with Terry's abilities, just because of where he came from and what that represents, it all compounds. There's not much anyone can do about it though, they just have to work through it in their own ways. As for him, specifically, he's not treating Terry any differently than he did Jason or Tim or Damian— at least when it comes to the suit.

It doesn't matter if he's the Batman or not, or how Bruce feels about the inevitability of getting old and losing the physical capacity to keep up, Terry's working hard, and he's getting better every day.

He's not going easy on Terry of course, that wouldn't be doing him any favors. But his training isn't like Bruce's.

Outside of the suit, on the other hand... that's something else entirely, and it would have been hard not to feel it when they've pushed themselves so hard physically, even if that wasn't the point of having their hands on each other with so much intensity.

So he's not at all surprised that it's still on Terry's mind too, as he's strolling out from the bathroom, freshly showered and damp too, in a clean t-shirt and sweatpants. ]

I guess we did that a little out of order, huh?

[ Dick settles into an easy sprawl next to him, still feeling warm and relaxed from the shower, and, honestly, from earlier in the evening too. ]

But I don't think you let me do anything.

[ It's something he really appreciates about Dick. He's honest without being overly critical or harsh. Unlike Bruce, who barked corrections if Terry so much as breathed out of turn. Dick's got a way with words that makes Terry reflect on how to improve without necessarily dwelling on how it was delivered. And Terry might be slightly biased. While Dick had him pinned, there'd been a fleeting moment where all Terry wanted to do was kiss him. It passed just as quickly as it had come to him, but he couldn't really deny it existed.

They've kind of, sort of been dancing around this thing between them anyway. Sitting closer when they're on the couch together or brushing by one another while they navigate the kitchen for some quick breakfast before the day starts. But Terry's been a little more careful about being direct while they were still figuring things out. So it didn't bother him really. He just likes having Dick close.

Sparring with him is about as close as he could get with their clothes still on. It's got him wired, but not in a bad way. It just makes him shift closer when Dick sits next to him so that his arm brushes against him if Terry moves just the right way. ]

I wanted to take it easy on you, actually. Looked like you were having a hard time keeping up.

[ He grins. ]

Next time, I won't be so nice.

[ Dick was definitely thinking about kissing him too, when they were tangled up together and he had Terry pinned down between his legs, even though there was nothing overtly sexual about it. That's just what they were bringing into it, he would have needed to be incredibly oblivious to not notice the tension that's lingered between them. And... there's a non-zero chance that he might have been, if they hadn't already kissed, but they had, and he's absolutely noticing it all now. Even thought about making a comment about it, just something to let Terry know that he's not stuck in some kind of intense moral dilemma about it.

It's complicated, sure, but isn't it always with him? With all of them?

But Terry seems to be fine, he's not overcompensating by being evasive or apologetic or distant, which actually puts him ahead of a lot of other people Dick could name. It's nice, just letting things be and not worrying about it any more than what comes by default.

A smile plays across his face when Terry just incidentally brushes up against him, he'll just casually slide that arm over the back of the couch, conveniently putting his fingers at the back of Terry's neck while leaving an open invitation for him to shift even closer. ]

If that's true then you're saying you wanted me to pin you down.

[ As if that's some kind of revelation. ]

[ It's complicated but what about being trapped in Bruce's orbit isn't? He's used to complicated, could deal with it. Bruce has trained him to navigate those kinds of problems. Granted, he probably hadn't expected Terry to apply those lessons to a situationship with Dick, but what the old man didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

The point is, Terry likes this. He likes the easy way they've slipped into a routine and Terry doesn't feel like he's in the way anymore. He likes these little moments between them that feels comfortable and easy to exist in. They're not making things harder for themselves. Just letting it see where it takes them.

Right now, it's taking Terry closer, curling up a bit closer against Dick's side. His fingers on the back of his neck make him smile at nothing in particular. ]

I don't know what you mean. I'd never do something like that.

[ This is all so much easier now that he's past the point of internally debating on whether or not he should, and if so is he letting it spiral away from them too fast before they know what they're getting into, at this point it's settled well enough to convince him that it's not a passing curiosity for either of them. Which isn't to say that he's got everything all figured out, he definitely doesn't, he just knows that he's decided that it's not worth ignoring and later wondering what might have been if they'd given it a chance, Even if it doesn't turn into anything serious, or, the other very possible option, something that would end abruptly when Terry goes home.

Because as well as he's adjusting and handling this whole thing, this place isn't home, and Dick doesn't think that there's anything anyone could do to change that, even if they wanted to try.

He's not thinking about that now. His attention is on stroking his fingers against Terry's neck, not bothering to pretend that it's anything but open affection, and not very platonic affection at that. Of course he's not going to drag Terry toward him, but if he's moving anyway Dick won't resist the impulse to gently urge him to lean in, if not for a kiss then at the very least a brushing tease of one. It's all way too easy.

Which is kind of what got them into this in the first place. ]

Would you rather be pinning me down then?

[ Home is starting to feel like a nebulous concept. He doesn't doubt Bruce is working on reversing whatever Kobra has done to send him spiraling into a place that's home, but off just enough to feel surreal. He still thinks of Neo Gotham as home, even as he adjusts to life here. But it's also starting to feel distant. Like his hometown he's moved away from. It's a weird sort of feeling.

It isn't something he spends a lot of time thinking about now that he has things to do again. He's living now, instead of waiting for something to happen. And a lot of that is thanks to Dick. Bruce certainly wouldn't have been open to him operating again without Dick's influence. Even if he's put limits on him, it's still more room to breathe than he had when he first got here.

Terry tilts his head up toward Dick, a half smile tugging his lips. ]

And I can think of a few things I'd do while you're down there.

[ Terry's already right there. It takes so little effort to lean forward and press their mouths together, his fingers curling at Terry's neck, not at all subtle in either holding on or encouraging him to press into it too. Dick could make a dozen different excuses as to why now, when they're running high on the exertion and the adrenaline of a good fight and there's no injuries, outside of a few harmless bruises, to tug at his attention, an unnecessary distraction. But honestly? Now that they're here, with the way things have been going lately, he doesn't feel the need to even try to excuse anything. It's not like he has to explain anything to Terry.

He can save that for the side-eye he'll inevitably get from other people. That's coming, he can feel it, if it hasn't started already. Bruce is mildly frustrated with him already, though it's impossible to know for sure exactly what's going through his head, he has plenty of reasons to disapprove of any part of this as it is.

They can worry about that later. ]

I'm not completely convinced that you would know what to do with me.

[ Dick has to tease, a smile quirking his lips when there's a breath of space between them. His other hand is already drifting, his fingers trailing along Terry's leg where it brushes close, then digging lightly against those soft, thin pants. He was so careful last time, and while this isn't completely reckless he will tug Terry into straddling his lap, if he's getting closer anyway. ]

[ It's easier to accept that Dick actually wants to kiss him the more it happens. Cause, yeah, the first time could have been a fluke. Maybe the results of adrenaline and relief that they'd gotten out of a rather tough spot with relative ease. But anything beyond that has got to come from a place of wanting to. And it makes him feel flushed and warm to think that Dick actually wants this with him of all people. He won't complain about it. He wants it too. Maybe even a little more than going home.

It doesn't take much to get Terry to lean into the kiss, not with Dick's fingers on his neck and Terry liking that weight, that assurance that this is okay and they're okay. Bruce wouldn't like it. Neither Bruce. But was there anything Bruce did like besides the sound of his own voice? He didn't need Bruce's approval and clearly, neither did Dick.

Straddling Dick's lap is the most unexpected part of this and there's a flush in his cheeks. But he's smiling wide, hands lifting to cup Dick's cheeks. ]

I'm sure you could show me. I mean unless you're a terrible teacher.

[ He's teasing back, but leans forward for another kiss, lips parting so Dick could get as deep as he liked. ]

[ Dick is very much distracted, but not so distracted that he's not keenly aware of how Terry is responding to him, and if he sensed even a little hesitation or indecision he definitely wouldn't push. He's getting the exact opposite right now, so instead he's far less inclined to restrain all those impulses that have been teasing around those previous brushes that lingered too long and felt a bit too warm. Not that Terry has given him any reason to think that he's had second thoughts about anything that's happened since, and including, that first kiss, and he's not thinking of how much Bruce, any Bruce, would disapprove of this.

Does he want Bruce's approval? Yes, he always has, but. But he's also grown more independent over the last few years, he's willing to stick to his metaphorical guns when it's important. And this... is actually important to him, it's not just a fleeting curiosity, that much he knew from the start, whether that thought had completely coalesced in his mind at the time or not.

So he's not too shy to slide his hands over Terry's back, warm and caressing, letting them drag all the way down until he's gripping Terry's hips and tugging them forward, more into his lap rather than just hovering over it. While he's sliding his tongue into Terry's mouth, obviously, with a depth and rhythm to it that's pretty blatantly suggestive. It's as much of a response to that tease as anything else, though he'll still have something to say about it when he can be bothered to pull away from Terry's mouth for a minute. Right now he's busy.

At this rate they might be busy for a while. And he's more than okay with that. ]

[ A distraction Terry would gladly keep providing, if it meant Dick would keep his hands on him. There's no hesitation in how Terry returns the kiss or how his hands slip from Dick's face down to his shoulders. There's an easiness in the way they kiss, a familiarity that Terry's grateful for. It helps him remember the warm press of Dick's lips and how to tilt his head to get the best angles. And Terry didn't want to ever pull away. He didn't need to breathe. He just needs to keep kissing Dick like this.

And his hands on Terry's hips as he tugs him forward. Terry needs that too. He doesn't need much encouragement and slides closer so that their chests press together and his weight settles more on Dick's thighs. Terry's pleased when he feels the suggestive slide of Dick's tongue in his mouth and makes it no secret when he moans, quiet and a little desperate.

Warm desire spreads through him and all of it starts to pool right in his cock. He shifts in Dick's lap, as if he's trying to get comfortable. But it's not too much longer before he pulls away, hands pressing against Dick's shoulder, breathing heavy as he tries to catch his breath. ]

Careful, Dick. You're working me up again. You ready for that?

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