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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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[ 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.

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