Chapter Eighteen

Now that the humour had faded, nothing about this situation was comfortable, as far as Dick was concerned. Two of the three woman seated in the shithole he pretended was a home shouldn’t be here, and the third shouldn’t have had to deal with any of this. It was his mess, his fucked up head and life. Harley had her own struggles, she didn’t need him complaining about his.

Unfortunately, it seemed it wasn’t going to be avoided.

“I am going to begin with what I believe will be the simplest answer. Nightwing, am I correct in believing that this criminal knows your civilian identity?”

He grimaced at Donna’s tone. And at the question itself. And- “Don’t call her a criminal.” The words escaped before he could stop them.

All three women raised an eyebrow at him. He ignored it, and moved on before she could respond instead. “Yeah, Harls knows, I told her the other week. And, before you ask, it was also when I brought her here. So no, she wasn’t lying about that.”

Donna and Kori progressed from raised eyebrows to full-blown surprise. He got it, really. He’d always been very private with that information, thanks to Bruce, but he also really couldn’t begin to explain how much he wasn’t going to tell them the reasons behind Harley getting to know.

Instead, he just crossed his arms- owwww, yep, that wound was open again- and sat back into the cushion behind him as he asked, “Why are you both here?”

Donna merely drew her brows together as Kori responded. The redhead was wringing her hands, and nervousness filled her in a sudden and very uncharacteristic display. “I was… It has been many of the days since I last received communication on the texting from you, Richard. I felt concern.”

It took a truly steel-grip control of himself, the kind that only performers could ever master, to stay neutral and polite to her. He deserved an award, honestly. “I see. Sorry for worrying you, Star. I’ll do better.”

For some reason, that didn’t seem to make her happy. Instead, she pulled back with a confused look so clearly painted on her open features. Confused and concerned?

Before he could work it out though, Donna cut in. “Dick, that’s-” She stopped and exhaled sharply. When she continued, it was at a very controlled and measured pace, as if she was stopping herself from being angry. That made sense, at least. “I am here because I received an SOS message from Oracle that told me you were in danger.”

“B- Oracle?” He asked, baffled. “I didn’t have my comm, how-”

Realisation kicked him with a memory, back before Spyral, when he handed her a monitor with a direct link to his suit for basic health info. Back when people let him bother them with pointless shit like that. She appreciated the emergency value of it, and accepted it after enough wheedling. He had just liked the idea of Babs being able to always see his heart beating.

Stupid.

“Oh. Sorry about worrying you like that. It won’t happen again.” Again, for some reason, that didn’t seem to make the woman relax. If anything, it seemed to incense her further, and Dick just didn’t understand.

“I found you bleeding out on a rooftop, almost ****, with a crim- with Harley, that is, next to you. Starfire arrived to find us only a short time after Quinn removed shrapnel from your body! How in Hades was it that a text on my civilian mobile was the best emergency aid you had available?”

Dick looked away, “I guess everyone was busy. It happens.” He shrugged. “Sorry that O called you away from whatever you were doing. I’ll make sure she knows not to bother you with it again, okay?”

“Wha- I-” Donna stammered, apparently at a loss for words. What did he say wrong this time? Was his reassurance not good enough?

“Richard… why did you not have the piece-in-ear device?” Kori asked, and concern was starting to outweigh confusion on her face.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, the comm. I forget it at home sometimes, that’s all.”

Red curls bounced as the alien woman’s head tilted, “You never forgot previously. You were most insistent that all the Team wear their-”

“Yeah, well, not exactly part of the Team anymore, am I?” He snapped, the slightest hint of a bitter bite escaping his control, the memory of how his time at the Team had ended coming forwards. Mirage, the insults, the assumptions he had cheated, the way nobody even cared to listen to what had happened, the- It was something he usually had a better control over, but with how on-edge he felt with this situation, and Kori being right here, he just found he couldn’t hold back the edge that slipped into his words.

It was enough, apparently. Both Donna and Kori reeled back, shock and worry creasing the Tamarean’s finely sculpted features clear as day. Fuck.

“Dick-”

“Look, can we just not?” He interrupted, trying to mitigate the backlash beginning to form. He was so not up to navigating this right now, but apparently he didn’t have a choice. He lifted a hand and ticked things off as he spoke.

“It’s not a big deal, alright? Just a series of mistakes. Everyone must have been busy tonight and I left my comms at home, which meant O brought you in, WG. I didn’t realise you wanted a text to know I hadn’t died again, which brought you in, Star.”

He pointed a big smile at Donna first. “So, I’m sorry. I’ll shoot Oracle a text and tell her not to call you again, plus make sure to turn off the extra monitor so she doesn’t freak again.” The smile turned to Kori. “And I’ll be sure to send you at least a weekly proof of life, so you can stay home without a guilty conscience. Boom-boom, all fixed! Sound good?”

Nobody responded. The silence returned, but rather than awkward, it was- that was what was on their faces. Horror. The silence was horrified. Why? Why were they looking at him like that?

Harley nudged his knee from where she sat, “I think ‘cause of ya, Dick. Probably don’t help that ya inside thought just became ya outside thought.”

He blinked at her, and then looked back at the other two with a sinking feeling.

“...Richard, what is wrong? You are concealing truth from us. I- I do not understand-”

Donna took over when Kori paused, “Why? Why aren’t you letting us in, trusting us?” Her eyes slid to Harley, “If it’s because Quinn is here-”

His control cracked to the sound of scornful scoff. “Harls isn’t the damn problem. She’s the only one that isn’t, for fuck’s sake. Take your judgemental assumption and shove it, Dee.”

He stood, pacing back and forth, unable to sit and pretend anymore. His control had cracked, and he’d regret it tomorrow, but right now it meant he could end this.

“I fucking apologised. I said sorry, and I am. Neither of you needed to deal with me tonight. I got the message before, loud and clear, and I won’t put myself where I’m not wanted. Tonight? I made a damn mistake, got distracted, whatever. Just pretend I said whatever will make you happy that I won’t be your problem anymore, whatever you need to tell Ba- Oracle. Stop pretending to give a shit about my life, and more importantly-”

He stopped moving and glared at the two meta women, his body suddenly unnaturally stilled. “-stop trying to blame Harley. Because I swear on my parents’ grave, if you ruin the new life she’s finally getting to live I will never forgive you.”

He glared a moment longer, then clawed back his control, slapping some duct tape on that crack. He rolled his shoulders, unclenched his fists, and relaxed his body. And fuck, he knew it was a mistake, but he couldn’t help it. A friendly smile crossed his face, as he turned to face the two.

“Both of you should leave.”

The room was still and silent. Dick could have tried to interpret the expressions on Kori and Donna’s faces, but frankly? He didn’t actually care right now. He just wanted them to leave.

“That wasn’t a suggestion. Get out of my house, or I’ll set off the intruder system. It’s far better than the Titans one- or the Team’s- ever was.”

Surprisingly, they both stood and left without a word. Thankfully, they did. Dick honestly didn’t know if he could have dealt with it otherwise.

Several seconds after the door clicked shut and the security system rearmed before a voice reminded him that he still had a houseguest, “Jeeeeeeeesus, Dickie, that was some heavy stuff.”

Against all odds, Dick’s lips pulled into a tiny genuine smile.