gourmetburgers | [dickva] love in a hopeless place ;(

[dickva] love in a hopeless place ;(

[ The Magistrate held Gotham City in a tighter chokehold than any before it. Where Gotham has seen corruption swell in the ranks of its police before, ameliorated only by the interventions of Batman in his early career, the city has seen the entrenchment of a more dedicated police state in recent years. The gerrymandering towards the interests of politicians acting as puppets for the Magistrate, in a more clandestine and concerted effort than even the Court of Owls had ever mounted, divided the city. Swayed public opinion to favor and rationalize the excessive force of the police, who then could dispense gratuitous violence upon Gotham's citizens with impunity. Every little thing was micromanaged, the slightest mistake punished with the severity of a Special Tribunal.

This couldn't have happened at a worse time. Justice League personnel were either missing or scattered, mired in turmoils of their own. Though Bruce had a plan in motion and was ready to execute it against the Magistrate, he had suddenly vanished. As time passed, it was becoming increasingly plausible to just presume that Batman was dead. But Bruce has pulled a disappearing act before, lost in time thanks to Darkseid's omega beam, only to restore himself to the present. Dick wants to believe Bruce is still out there, biding his time with some miracle he's preparing-- something to put an end to the Magistrate's impositions of martial law. Though the Magistrate represents a larger tide of authoritarian power moves across the globe, Dick sees a chance here to flip hegemony's chessboard.

Because he can't wait for Bruce. He can't hold out for something not guaranteed.

Nightwing has to act.

And his first measure was to found an insurgency, comprised of allies and former enemies alike. Gone now were the days of mysteries, conspiracies, wars for criminal capital. The stuff that Gotham's heroes tended to fight had become a bygone luxury in hindsight, a luxury compared to the violent surveillance of the Magistrate. Nightwing has had to spread himself thin, fighting the Magistrate's forces at every step. Protecting independent subversives from being targeted in their homes, protecting innocent people from being attacked out on the streets... it's everything Dick has ever done, with greater intensity. A political urgency.

Without the Justice League to call upon, Dick has had to expand his network of contacts. Pull from the world of heroes he grew up in, whose ideas raised him as much as Bruce's have. Clark had the Legion of Superheroes to count on, at times. Hal, the might of the Green Lantern Corps. Bruce, the Batmen of All Nations. And while Dick had the Titans, who were themselves spread thin across all corners of the globe, he had the Outsiders here in Gotham. He had everyone who's ever been impacted by him and Bruce enough to join their war on crime.

And now, he has Overwatch.

There's no denying that the Magistrate was getting extra firepower from Talon, supplying the regime with organic and omnic muscle alike. The escalation this brought forth warranted Dick's own, bringing him to his multi-monitored terminal in Arkham Asylum, whose inner chambers he's turned into his own secret headquarters. ]

Connect me to Winston, Tim. It's time.

[ In a text message on the screen, Tim assents. Winston appears on screen, ready to address Dick. ]

I know you have some action ongoing in Gibraltar.

But for the mission ahead, I'm gonna need some extra firepower. Cover for what I plan to do in the shadows.

Anybody on standby?

[ Upon receiving confirmation, Dick receives coordinates. He knows who's being sent his way, and where. Amidst the chaos of everything necessitating this situation... it's who he hoped it would be. But part of him has to bury that hope, for now, the joy of anticipation so at odds with his task.

The coordinates Winston sent correspond to a rendezvous point on top of Oracle's former clocktower. ]

Thanks, Winston. I'll debrief when I reach the rendezvous point.

[ Best not to communicate everything here. Dick knows better than to be too candid on encrypted channels.

With that, Dick gears up. Puts on a reinforced version of his typical Nightwing ensemble, all to protect him when facing down more cybernetic threats. Clandestinely, he exits the asylum and grapples high, keen to avoid detection by the Magistrate's searchlights. He anticipates reaching the clock tower in five minutes, the speed and fluidity of his body utterly compelled by the importance of his mission. Everyone has their place, active throughout Gotham to make the Magistrate fight a war on all fronts.

As leader, Dick has his place. Making sure everything goes according to plan. He just needs a little help to do it.

Because if Bruce isn't here to produce a miracle, Dick will. ]

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[ Hana's not the only one who can put up a good front. Dick can manage a more convincing one under better circumstances, though. Right now, he can't help but wince every so often that he moves his wounded arm a certain way, Slade having cut deep. While he has better first aid equipment back in Arkham, he's going to have to manage with what he's got equipped. Fortunately, the prospect of a Denny's drive-thru makes any amount of pain worth it. And by far, Dick has taken a lot worse. ]

Regardless, I'm planning to keep mine for as long as possible.

[ He also wouldn't wish upon himself what was once a curse for Victor, a.k.a. Cyborg. Fortunately, the advancement of technology and the rising abundance of prosthetics for many, including some among Overwatch and its associates, have ameliorated any residual angst from Cyborg's early stint with the Titans. Dick himself would welcome the idea if he sustained any injuries, but he's not counting on it happening. Though important, the necessary learning curve might take time away from the mission. ]

Despite masterminding this shadowy uprising, I've actually had most of my meals alone.

[ For the past few years, he neglects to say. ]

This will be a nice change. You'll find yourself saying the same for the wifi.

[ And before long, they're finally in the drive-thru, waiting for the vehicles in front of them to make their orders and receive them further down the lane. It's then that Hana starts asking him about gaming: a subject that, woefully, he could be more acquainted with. ]

Honestly, I don't remember.

But if you consider that my M.O., then I guess you'd be the first.

[ So he teases back. He's not so much worried about any hint of jealousy, but he sure is willing to attempt to fluster her if he can help it. ]

Good. Not saying a blue metal arm wouldn't be pretty badass but – you're pretty good the way you are.

[ There were a lot of debates, hot takes, and conspiracy theories about those who went to cybernetics – that graft bone and flesh into metal. Hana, fortunately, has not felt the need or desire to. It wasn't... a fashion accessory and while it can return some to their 'old selves' after injury? Maybe she's lucky it hasn't gotten that far in her recklessness. Same with him.

Her head tilts to him a bit when discusses the meals. She wants to say something, but opts not too – instead nodding in agreement for the time being. A small laugh here and there, she goes from chatty to musing – until, of course, they were in the drive-thru with more swag than they know what to do with. ]

I don't even know what your M.O. could be nowadays! And – and – [ He got her shield down with the mention of her being the first. She shakes her head and tries to play it off, wagging her finger at him with a scold. ] Careful, we did our best to keep things professional before... what if the Denny's worker gets wind that Nightwing and D.Va really were something than a fandom ship, huh? Huh?

[ Yeah, there's no doubt there's healthy fic out there... :/ ]

More like black with blue highlights, if I had a say in it.

[ Now he's just being facetious about it, but he knows that it's only in some parts of the world that prosthetics of the caliber he's thinking of can be a luxury. The fact it's even an option for him is nothing he plans to take for granted, let alone trivialize as some kind of accessory.

But this isn't urgent enough to occupy his attention entirely. Not with food on the mind, and the Denny's guy behind the drive thru window willing to take their order. Dick takes a brief moment to disengage from the conversation with Hana, all to order what they'd previously discussed on the way here. With it done, he hits the gas pedal to proceed towards the subsequent window, where he can expect to be handed their to-go order. ]

So, about us. That guy didn't seem so suspicious of any "juicy tension" back there. Must've been a long night for everybody.

[ Surprisingly, there are fics out in the world of D.Va x Nightwing and D.Va x Dick Grayson, with people never making a connection between the two. Who would assume that the daring, assertive, and confrontational Nightwing - leader of the Titans - was anything like Dick Grayson, notorious cereal lover and giver of hugs to his many adopted siblings?

Dick finds the tabloids have been kinder to him than to Tim, at least. And he's not gonna pretend he hasn't looked up what people have been writing about him and Hana... at least until the world forgot and moved on to hotter topics. The tabloids had a field day juxtaposing these two's very supposed obsessions with doritos and cereal. No one could predict, then, that they'd be getting their unhealthy fix from a Denny's instead. ]

Taking the secret path back to base, now.

ETA five minutes, and thank god for that. We've been through a lot, but cold Denny's would just be the worst.

[ Having never been so fussy, doesn't mean that-- and it shows in his amused smile. He just keeps hoping to entertain Hana, not fully realizing just how much her approval matters to him. ]

[ Food was a necessity. It was fuel. It keeps them going, even when the night was beginning to drag on towards morning bit by bit. Hana can smell how good everything was – and feel the heat of the bag against her ankles as she plays bodyguard to their meal. ]

Oh? Is that what it is? Sure it's not the burger?

[ She plays it coy, plays it calm. Maybe she leans forward a bit to open the bag as if trying to peek into it – and maybe steal a fry or two. He can either stop her or let her get away with potato murder. ]

You're right in the middle of the action now! Driving distance from a Denny's... and hopefully a good view?

[ She almost asks if he had roommates, toying with the idea – maybe one of his friends being up to pull double duty for patrols. ]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely is it that I'm going to have to help you eat with that arm?

[ It's her round-about way of asking if he was okay... even as they approach to 'sanctuary', she gives him a concerned glance. ]

[ What Hana's smelling is her burger, as well as the collective aroma of Dick's grand slam slugger. That's going to be haunting them both for the duration of the ride, but fortunately, the roads are deserted enough that Dick can disobey traffic laws to make efficient progress. ]

We can call it whatever we want while we're still talking through it.

[ He doesn't seem any less relaxed, but where she plays it coy, he lays it on pretty thick. The air between them isn't just the intoxicating smell of Denny's food, but the weight of much that remains unsaid. Stuff between them that's aching for expression, for release, made all the more salient by what they've been through on this night.

But then they're interrupted by a fall. Later, darkness. The Batmobile plummeted into a canal, accelerating across its length before finding a cavernous tunnel exit-- what one would dismiss as an entrance to the sewers. But at the press of a button on Dick's dashboard, an entrance opens up in the distant darkness of the tunnel, on what will be a wall to the Batmobile's left. This entrance is shown to be outlined by neon blue lights: something evocative, somewhat, of the Nightwing suit. ]

Excuse the turbulence.

[ Dick takes a sharp turn and the Batmobile stays on the course, the entrance and its lights closing behind them. With the exception of the Batmobile's headlights, they traverse complete darkness. ]

Arkham never offered many scenic views from the start. I work from a sublevel well below the first floor, and that requires clearance I only share with the other operatives.

We're rarely in the same place at the same time, though, unless for certain missions. Harder to catch all of us that way.

[ He can also kind of tell what she's implicitly attempting to ascertain. Hana is speaking to a detective.

But by the time she asks her last question, the one about the status of Dick's arm, the Batmobile finds light. A garage in one of Arkham's sublevels, decked out with other vehicles that are presumably at Dick's disposal. After he parks it, the Batmobile's cockpit opens, allowing its passengers to disembark. Dick himself vaults out of it (using his functional arm when doing so), less to show off and more because it's second nature.

After landing outside of the vehicle, though, he turns around to reach into the car snatch the bag of takeout from Denny's. ]

Follow me. My "pad" is actually several more levels down, but there's the elevator.

[ He points at it on the other side of the garage, and starts towards it. ]

As for my arm, I'd say 11. Can't raise this thing without it hurting, and that won't change once I apply better first aid.

[ It didn't just sustain a cut, after all. Like other parts of him, Dick is stomaching many aches and pains from bruises administered by Deathstroke and the rest. ]

[ They didn't have a single cop daring to pull them over. No sirens, no lights. Just the temptation that was Denny's best food off the menu. They earned the ability to hyperload on carbs. ]

That's a discussion for when we're both not starving and you're patched up. Promise.

[ It wasn't a deflection, it was responsibility. Had she less restraint, she would have given his thigh a pat, nudge his good arm, or even just touch him in any capacity. There were things left unsaid, but Hana can get impulsive too when she trusts someone.

She abandons her attempt to sneak fries, but... it was worth it. With the view outlaid so clearly, Hana was in awe. This was definitely an upgrade and her jaw drops a little in some form of being impressed. Maybe it wasn't the fanciest. The Meka Squad's HQ was government funded, but that was so long ago... This was... still taking some getting use to.

By the time they park and it's getting closer and closer to grubtime... Hana's question falls at the right time. Where she instead hops out and takes the bag away from him as if he was some damsel. It swings between her fingers, dangling up with a smile. ]

Then I guess I'm playing Mercy's assistant. You have pride, yes, but... it's my promise to help you out. That carried on from the rooftop to your "pad". Don't fight me – you will lose!

[ Maybe it'd be a different story in Bludhaven. Naming police corruption in Gotham was like saying water's wet, but Bludhaven boasts a whole different story. Which is to say police might've been more willing to throw down with the Magistrate if their conquest began there. A fleeting memory of such considerations occurred to Dick while he was driving Hana through Gotham's streets, its overall silence and emptiness a monument to the Magistrate's grip on the city. ]

Pinky promise?

[ Not that Dick offers a pinky to promise with. It's the last facetious thing he says in response to broaching their responsibility to each other. Because if they're both going to help this city get better, they also have to help themselves. Get their heads straight, and become exactly the team that this city needs to rout the Magistrate's forces. ]

I think I learned my lesson, so don't worry. I'm not against you looking out for me in the least.

Besides, I'll need you to point the healing beam at me later.

[ He's sure she'll understand what he's implying. Mercy's caduceus staff is proprietary, but Winston gifted Dick a less effective prototype a long time ago. Something that can't heal as efficiently as Mercy's device, but that doesn't it mean it fails to heal at all. ]

But I'm more hungry than in need of healing.

[ And he'd hate to repeatedly cry out "I need healing!" at Hana. At least not without Angela present to punch him for it. ]

So here we are. My "pad."

[ There are some tables past the wall beside Dick's terminal, but no chairs. From the ad-hoc, ramshackle state of things, he and Hana are gonna have to settle for standing while eating. So Dick proceeds to the edge of one of the tables, where he sets down the bag of takeout. From there, he removes both boxes and leaves Hana's on the other side of the table. But then... he pulls it back. Places it beside his own box, as if in expectation of Hana coming to stand beside him.

Silently, then, he opens his. He takes the plastic utensils provided and begins cutting one of the eggs. ]

This'll sound sad as hell. But if it weren't for you showing up, this would be the highlight of my evening.

[ Hana will find him smiling, though, with a self-deprecating sort of amusement at his own words. ]

Ehhh, pinky promise is a big commitment!

[ She toys with him that much, but he knows what she means. Can count on her words and admittance to be honesty. Hana's concern had been as close as it could be without saying as much and pleading with him to take it easy. There's some trust there, the kind that was honest with her own feelings and having faith in him to continue doing what he does best: survive.

Wrong girl, but the sentiment was there. If Mercy wasn't on call in some weird Europe countryside... she'd already be dialed in and on her way by now. Hunger was the name of the game and she doesn't spam anything to insist they hurry up. She's a good girl! Hana's letting her eyes gaze around, noting the small intriciacies she can, pinpoint any decor that may be familiar. It was all new and by the time he sets his food now – she is hovering right next to him. ]

Oh, this one's mine?! [ Don't mind if she does, she flips the container open and immediately pulls her gloves off to snatch up a few fries. ] Mmmph, so worth it. Saving the world has its perks...

[ When he mentions the highlight of his evening, she chews a bit slower. More thoughtfully, and she gives him a bump with her hip. ]

I'd be 2 Nano Cola Blitz in and probably downloading cup ramen... so you're not alone, you know? I'm here now, so...

[ Take this fry as an offering? She nearly wags it against his face from how she tries to lighten the mood... to give them a sense of normalcy. ]

So...

[ Dick looks on at Hana with something of a wistful grin. One of understanding. He'd been so hyper-focused on just getting here, and parking, and properly situating his and Hana's food... that he'd distracted himself long enough from the pain. But it resurfaces here, as he relaxes now to begin eating his food. He relaxes just enough for his body to remind him of the aches, of the first aid that barely sustains his wounded arm. Yet brazenly, perhaps, he's hungrier than he feels he's in need of the prototype caduceus staff.

He also knows Hana's hungry, too. But here she is, offering him a French fry. He relinquishes his hand - the one belonging to his injured arm - from the table, and with his other hand lets go of the utensil still cutting the egg. Instead, he reaches - his own gloves off too - to snatch the fry on offer. ]

Thanks. Can't remember the last time I even had French fries.

[ And so he chows down on that, before proceeding to cut the egg into pieces, a single hand using a knife. He trades that for a fork to consume the egg piece by piece, noticeably transfixed in the act of manipulating his food. It's almost like he feels... awkward, around Hana, to be eating like this. Because he doesn't seem ready to look at her till she's ready to offer another piece - whether from his to-go box or her own. ]

Actually, I do.

From, y'know. Before you and I-- well. Before things changed.

[ Now he manages a furtive glance at her, having swallowed the last of the egg. There's still more left of the grand slam slugger, though. ]

Things were... good, before. Y'know? There's a lot from back then that I don't regret.

[ Defensively, she opens her mouth as if to challenge him. To ask if he had something to say. The girl, at the root of it, could be fairly competitive but this was far from a game of cat and mouse. She instead doesn't comment, instead shaking her head with a coy look of her own. It was a nice moment before reality sets in. That they were both seeing better days – but it didn't stop them from enjoying something as simple as a French fry. ]

I haven't had plain ones in a while. We have some killer kimchi fries from some corner stand near the piers! The owner lets us stop by late if we call ahead – but... these are not so bad.

[ However, even among Hana rambling about the difference in potatoes, she stops short of picking up her burger and chowing down. He was definitely using one hand and instead, she picks up and unwraps her plastic cutlery. An accusing point of her fork, she deflects hard. ]

I regret letting you think you can get away with doing things alone. [ Bold, sure, but maybe it was what he needed to hear. They both had their own skeletons that filled their closet. ] Even now. Here...

[ The sausage links were left alone, but she cuts into the bacon to half it and hold it up towards his face. She didn't infantize him – it wasn't that, ever. He was older than her, had a lot of history but... ]

They don't have to just be good in the past. The world is trying to heal and people like us are trying to speed things along. [ If he doesn't take her offering of his bacon, he'd hear her speak in her native tongue: ] Eat.

Sounds like a place to visit some other time.

[ She'd nudged him with her hip, so he nudges her with his elbow. ]

If you're willing to stick around a little longer.

[ Then he watches her point the fork at him, looking down at it with an amused grin. His expression here represents his own deflection, like he can maintain something of a light and casual demeanor despite the severity of all that they'd survived this past evening-- despite the severity he carried so readily in the way he comported himself when Hana first arrived. It's like he wants to take it all back, a part of him not ready to embrace the here and now... even as another part of him already does. ]

Well, relearning how to be a team player won't just help me. It'll help everyone in this insurgency.

So you won't hear an argument from me.

[ Though saying such words indicate his presence of mind, he's momentarily distracted by his own thoughts. The bacon is left hovering in front of him until Hana bids him to eat, and it's only then that he takes the offer, catching it with his mouth. It's after chewing and swallowing the piece that he continues, ]

It's a very daunting tug o' war. For every effort of ours to expedite the healing, there are those like the Magistrate keen on inflicting more wounds. The whole conflict is just so cyclical, and yet it worsens by the day.

[ By speaking, though, Dick leads himself to realize something. ]

Then again, that was always the same dilemma. Even before.

The threats we dealt with back then seemed endless. Impossible. But we never gave up.

I think I needed this, Hana. Needed you. The fire in me was fading, but you've reignited it.

So I'm getting back up, alright? And I'm gonna be the leader this insurgency needs to put a stop to the Magistrate. Just watch.

[ Yet for all the seriousness of his words, here, he looks down at his to-go box. ]

Uh, another bacon though, please.

Maybe. If this burger is any good, I'll definitely be more willing for this. For sticking around.

[ Hana smirks with a confidence on her, knowing that even if they had once been tense and almost at odds with one another... they both wanted the same thing deep down. Maybe Hana was a little bit more of a Gen Z, finding time to hyperfocus on video games and having to balance a social life akin to a celebrity once upon a time – but they really did want to make a difference.

And that was the foundation of why brings them together. A small gesture like this – where Hana sacrifices her own meal to cut up bacon and feed it to him. His words were staggered between bites, laid out like a plan he devises confidently... ]

They won't stop. You know that. We could have thousands of people in our radar wanting to make the world better, but – something would always cause conflict. Peace, even for a little while, is still worth fighting for.

[ She agrees with him too, and by the time he mentions needing her and the fires that were more like an ember dulled by coal... she pokes and prods at his meal thoughtfully, getting lost in his words even now.

It wasn't until he asked for bacon again that she snaps her mind away and doubles up – two strips crispy and prodded by her fork. Offering it with a tilt of her head and a small smile. ]

I will. Watch you, I mean. And don't be hesitant to call me directly... instead of going through Winston.

[ Even after a shared kiss, even after their pleas were so clear – they dance on a tightrope again over a subject. She smiles softly, enough understanding in her eyes. ]

Buuuuuttt.... if you do, you can't keep getting hurt. Never got around to finishing Meka's medical training.

[ It was a half-assed ultimatum, masking her own concern for him. ]

Hope your stay in Gotham doesn’t really rest on the quality of the Denny’s menu.

[ It’s with that that he continues accepting Hana’s help, letting her take further command of the food, as she feeds him when she’s not taking her own bites from her burger. To Dick, it’s actually quite... difficult, right now. Difficult to fathom. How often has he spent time, even before this period of crisis, just leading people? Watching over them and managing so many different variables, without ever really stopping to take care of himself? He’s been known to push it too far, expect too much of himself. He can remember how volatile he used to be when he was still Robin, leading the Teen Titans in a very strict and disciplined way.

That hardly changed as he became Nightwing, and he’s always been grateful for the respect he earned. Respect that he’s certain he deserves. But for all the respect Dick commands from other superheroes... does he really respect himself?

That’s too much to think about while eating Denny’s. ]

You’re right. If only one life is saved, every sacrifice we’ve made is still worth it.

We’re changing the world whether we want to or not. Everyone is, in their own way. So let’s make the right damn choices.

[ He stops speaking to accept another piece of bacon. Then some hashbrown clumps collected on the same fork. Hana, during this time, bids him not to go to Winston first. And given how things have gone between them, the connection they’ve managed to restore over the pretext of a mission, Dick accepts her plea. ]

Don’t you mean Overwatch me?

[ He braces himself for certain destruction. ]

Nah, I get it. No Winston. He was never a good wingman, anyway.

As for medical training, you won’t need much. Winston gifted me a prototype of Mercy’s Caduceus Staff.

Nothing as fancy as the one she actually uses. But it should do the trick of mending my wound.

Now, we both kinda stink. I think I’m due for a shower after this... if you are.

Beforehand, I’ll show you where I keep my staff.

[ The accidental innuendo just then? Definitely crosses his mind. ]

[ She plays coy, teasing the thought of her only reason being a good burger. He knows she's just being her usual smug and carefree self. Sure – she has to force aspects of that sometimes... but when she feels comfortable, feels safe? She can still be the girl people expected her to be. It makes her forget about things weighing her down.

Had they maybe had some candlelight dinner in a fancy restaurant or even grabbed some boba before going on a mission... the conversation would feel easier. It would almost feel romantic with her concern lingering over like water boiling in a pot. Even as she feeds him now, she still listens and carefully with her free hand snags a few more fries of her own. ]

Uh huh. It's – shut up! [ He'd feel her palm press into his cheek and pushes him away, whether he was downing hashbrowns of contending with waiting for Hana to find it suitable to feed him. Over half his plate was done, a few bits of pancakes chopped into but the syrup was really messy, so she doesn't go there. ] So, you have mercy and you still think you can get away with horrible, bad, bad puns like that.

[ Hana abandons him! A few bites of her own burger finally, letting Meka's leader eat last like it was back home. He gets to see her cheeks puffed out and her face scrunch up at the innuendo, at the offer of a shower. Wiping away at her mouth, she takes a step back and sets her food down, dusting her hands off on her suit without a second thought. ]

Soooo, do you always call your exes stinky? [ A sharp, pointed glare give but – ] Right, right, your tour. Show me!

[ Sure, her mind lingers to what he may have meant. Part of her was a little... curious on what awaited them. Despite how they play nice right now, Hana felt like she did when she first met Dick – hanging on his words, starry-eyed and confident of the future. Maybe that was what she needed now... more reason to look forward to living. ]

[ When Hana pushes on his cheek in jest, Dick lets out a hearty chuckle. True, sincere delight shows itself here, not just in the satisfaction of making a stupid pun, but in utterly irritating Hana for it. After everything the two of them have been through tonight, and how distantly they'd drifted apart beforehand... this might be the happiest Hana's seen him. It's as if Dick, in his own way, has learned to forget about the things weighing him down. To put them aside for later, when he's ready to face them. ]

Never thought I would. [ Get away with the puns, that is. ] Especially not with you around.

Maybe things have gotten this bad because I had no one to stop me from making my jokes.

[ That's new, too. That Dick can finally make light of the situation that's caused him so much darkness. The two of them might just be eating Denny's in the dankness and dinginess of a repurposed Arkham sublevel... but between them is a soft flame that they both kindle. The hope of something brighter than the present is forming at their fingertips, growing possible with every minute that they make each other smile.

Exes, she says? Stinky? ]

Nah, Hana. Just the ones I wanna shower with.

[ Hana can take that as a joke, Hana can be totally disarmed by it... but it seems Dick's no longer pulling his punches. Or at the very least, he sees no reason to hesitate any longer. To instead take the plunge before it's too late, before he just gives himself more to regret. ]

Well, it won't be much of a tour because there's not much to this place.

[ With his free hand, he gestures in the direction of the large terminal behind them, across a window on the wall that separates this room from where he 'works.' ]

That's where I interface with the rest of the Insurgency. Got a supercomputer with a fancy monitor... which is also connected to one of the last remaining PS6s before the great purge.

[ Subsequently, he gestures to the shower stalls right in front of them. ]

This side's self-explanatory. But beside them are lockers, cabinets, and pantries you can use to your liking.

I've got the staff in one of the tall lockers. Let me go get it.

[ Never mind that he has yet to finish his meal, or that Hana does as well. But he returns to leave the staff on the table, horizontal from where they both stand as it's placed parallel to the table's length. ]

Again, it's a prototype. Up to you if you'd prefer to play doctor already and heal me.

I mean, the healing can't take too long. I just wanna tear through this slugger while it's hot!

[ Whatever Hana decides, Dick's not gonna start forcing himself to use two hands. What he plans to do is diligently make use of a single fork with his free hand. When it comes to Dick having a meal with one hand and working case files or computers with the other, Hana should know how proficient he can be at multitasking.

How proficient he can be with his hands.

...But if he's gonna be healed soon, this shouldn't be an issue. The fact of his proficiency's just worth pointing out. ]

[ There was not many chances for her to be this open. To play, to flirt. Even with her friends on Meka squad, even her friends she went to high school with... Hana keeps herself guarded. Just as Dick buries himself in work and obligations, she had to as well. It keeps them going. Keeps both of them alive long enough to celebrate more silly victories like this. With Denny's or without, there was a win on their hand, a dent into the blight that the world has to deal with. ]

Ohhh, I don't knoooow. That's a big responsibility. May need to have someone on your comms 24/7 keeping you at bay!

[ But, when push comes to shove... it was him that has a bit more experience playing this back and forth. Hana... didn't have much chances to date, really. So, she fumbles with a sputtered lips and eyeroll at his comment about showering.

Until... it did sink in. He can see the moment where she dismissively scoffs only to look away and replay what he said to her.

And then she glares to him. ]

That so? Okay... we'll see if you know how to treat guests, then.

[ She'll see him to it then. Stinky ex and all.

Hana grubs as fast as she can while she deals with the impromptu tour – and in reality, it wasn't much smaller than the tech room of their base back home. It was enough to at least feel... like it was good enough. Part of her wonders if anyone's been here – or if there's been any desire to bring anyone here. The walls didn't tell her any stories so she was left to piece things together, to think of what Dick did when he was able to relax. For once.

By the time Dick returns after his retrieval of the staff, she's inspecting it curiously and soon, scoops it up with both hands. A prototype or not, she's messing around with it to try and find the on-button, to find the way to light this bish up. ]

Okay. PS6 is totally going to get used before I go back home. Make sure I don't forget!

[ And, with some aim, Hana's at his side and the hum of the staff fizzles to life, enough to at least show it was still functioning. It takes some test of proximity, until it warms against his arm shortly after – it's not as strong as Mercy's so it'll take some time. ]

Then finish! Let me take it from here. Call me Dr. Song, unofficially.

Desperate times call for desperate measures then, huh?

Though I don't know about getting all of Overwatch involved. Don't want my jokes to have too many casualties.

[ The divide between them, less by time apart and more by experience, reveals itself in Hana's reaction. How unsure she seems of what to say, whereas Dick is already so forthright about his intentions. Like he's read the room and knows there's nothing to fear from a little nudge in the direction they both - so very possibly - want. But he wouldn't take this kind of chance or hazard this kind of guess against just anybody.

And Hana's eventual acceptance of his offer only cements the notion. No suspicion lingers between them that she's any less special to him than she was years ago. That for all their time apart, they still want each other.

Her talk of "guests" causes him to smirk. Another thing he's more than happy to clear the air about. ]

You'd be the first. First in a long time.

So forgive me if I'm a bit rusty.

[ And when Hana finally readies the staff, keen to get it over with rather than prolong his suffering, Dick turns so that his wounded arm faces her. Shouldn't be a problem for the healing beam at this point. Straightforwardly, it should begin mending his wounds, even if the tech doesn't act as quickly as the model currently in Mercy's hands. ]

Don't worry. You know as well as I how conspicuous the damn console is.

[ Now Dick readies himself, watching the beam Hana had triggered into existence finally travel into his body, casting an angelic aura around him. And though he can feel the pain diminishing, however gradually, he feels that the wound itself isn't mending all the way. At least not yet. ]

That's weird. Something must be interfering with the beam's potency.

There's gotta be a way to expedite the process...

[ Even while the aura still radiates around his body, Dick turns briefly to face an empty table, where he begins placing his accoutrements. His mask, his gauntlets, shoulder pads, chest plate, all of it-- as well the bandage he'd wrapped around his wounded arm. All until he can finally remove the top half of his Nightwing suit. In the dim lights of this facility, every striation of muscle is harshened by shadow. Every scar, for that matter, is all the more pronounced. More, it seems, have accumulated since the last time Hana's seen him in this state. But from his disposition, unperturbed by the need to undress if it hastens proceedings, Dick's no worse for wear.

Instead he turns to make his wounded arm face the staff once more. ]

That's better. The thing can finally do what it's meant to.

[ And truly, his theory works. Several moments pass as his wound gradually seals, until nothing is left but a fresh scar to indicate its former presence. ]

Definitely gonna need some cover fire if we ever use this out in the field.

But what do you think, "Dr. Song?" Am I good?

I dunno - might have to tag them in. Sounds exhausting already!

[ She tries to play it cool, keep it light. He knows where she stands. If he needed her, she was there – reluctant of if they had squashed their unsolved mysteries prior. It was fortunate that they did... that something clicked with them tonight to just... let things hit a boiling point. Of longing for simpler times, of attractions that was based on their synergy.

Stubborn as she was, she was... glad he kissed her. Glad he said the dumb things he said. If he didn't, she wouldn't truthfully knew where she stood. It would have been an assortment of awkwardness, of forcing a smile that she didn't want to.

Now – she can't help but show a toothy grin while she rods it up for him. Chat, go ahead and clip that. ]

I'm just saying... If you're going to take all my attention, leave some for gaming.

[ Hana isn't a healer by any means. Even if she wanted to... it wasn't her speed. The hum of the staff was just giving her a sense that she was really doing something. She thought she really was healing him good enough! She leans back when he calls out something being a little – ... off. Did she do it wrong? Was she maybe turning it on the wrong mode?

It clicks when he starts very clearly undressing. Hana feels red rush to her features but... she doesn't pull her gaze away. Sure, if they hadn't nearly got turned into a kebab kissing on the beach – she'd have looked away out of respect but... she's not a child. He wants her to look, she guesses, and she still plays her Dr. Song role while standing next to him at enough distance to let the aura work into him. There's some scars she remembers – the ones on his arms and shoulder blades... she's ran her fingers against those more times than she'd like to admit. ]

Dinner and a show. Nice.

[ An innocent whistle was followed by a snicker. Either way, the Hana was his medic today – and the staff does a fair enough job. It wasn't as strong or even as thorough as Mercy's... but it was good enough. Safe and sturdy when it needed to be. As his wound heals before her, Hana finally switches the staff "off" once it closes up. ]

Another paintstroke to the canvas.

[ And soon, he'd feel her palm press into his muscle softly, running her thumb over the scar as if trying to test something. Rougher, then soft – back and forth she strokes at him with a curious glance. ]

Is it tender? Hurt?

If after everything that went down tonight, this is what exhausts you...

[ He can't finish the sentence without a sinister little laugh. ]

...you've got great stamina.

[ An appraisal that implicitly sets expectations. She knows the dance he's already doing, what it's drawing out of her just as it rescues her from the uncertainty she was stewing in before. Perhaps it's a certainty she needs, just as much as he does. It all definitely beats the the suspension of not knowing, of the maybes and should haves that they've been living with until now. Either way, Dick's tired of the variables. Of letting fate, or even the mission, dictate matters of the heart. If he really wants this, he'll put in the work.

If she really want this, he'll do all the overtime it takes. ]

Your attention's not all I plan to take, Hana. I need to score a few wins that are long overdue.

[ They held a close tie in Hana's favor on the PS6 port of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. The fact she murdered him with a perfectly executed Daigo parry two matches in a row? Absolutely criminal. Dick has had no choice but to consider himself a 'dead Robin' ever since.

At least the scars surface to show how often he's only ever come close to death. Sustaining many a blade wound and bullet graze, Dick maintains an eclectic collection of scar tissue. A sign that for all the kevlar lining and fancy tech that reinforce his Nightwing suit, he can never get too complacent with technology. So much will always rely on his wits and his skill - things you can't equip on a dime, like armor. ]

Call it compensation. At least I didn't outright tell you "I need healing."

[ Though the labor involved in pointing the Caduceus Staff isn't a high cost. It heartens him to listen to Hana's laughter, his own smile insinuating his enjoyment. Not in the voyeurism he's letting her indulge in, but in the mere sound of her laughter. The humor they can still share, even as she's trying to heal a wound that was made in an attempt on Dick's life. And when the work is finished and the wound is sealed, leaving a scar as the only trace of it, Slade can go wallow in his cell. Nightwing's gonna be fine enough to handle whatever Deathstroke throws at him next. ]

Huh.

[ He doesn't hesitate to let Hana appraise the wound, or where once there was one. She's as close now as she was before they started kissing, though. Back on the beach. ]

It's like new, is what it is. Can't say "good as" because of the scarring, but... good enough.

[ While Hana's still appraising his tricep, Dick reaches with his opposite hand to take hers, interrupting its discernments. ]

You, on the other hand. More than good enough.

Maybe more than I deserve.

[ That's him just attempting flattery for once, instead of self-flagellating over his perceived shortcomings. Because then he pulls Hana in close, until her chest meets his (by their height difference, that really means his sternum). He wants to kiss her again, looking down at her with a wistful smile. But then... he hesitates. He lets go of her hand, though he doesn't step back to distance himself from where she's standing. ]

Thank you.

Maybe we should finish our food first.

[ He'll be reminded that her stamina hasn't gone down a bit with 'age'. The spunk she has wasn't just reliant on adrenaline or energy drinks. She was youthful to a fault, teasing and in with the times – but the girl had some energy to burn. He sets the mood light, keeps the punches rolling in terms of flirtations and challenges, as if trying to get back to how they were... A late dinner/early breakfast, a shower, a game... and some rest. It sounds like the formula for a good night until Hana has Winston blowing her phone up for a scheduled pick-up.

We'll see how that goes: do not threadjack or I will delete the community.

When he talks of taking, there's quite a few ways she could take that but she appraises the situation and just hums a sing-song kind of way in response. He knows what she's thinking – it's written all over her face. ]

Wins are what we're calling them, uh huh. [ But, he'd notice the humming is definitely more akin to the title screen of some of the fighting games they've played together. Like this, which totally got a remix or something. ] Do your worst, Grayson.

[ But, with the healing being the complete opposite of worst – Hana was pretty pleased with the visual. The scars were part of the territory... even Hana has a nice growing collection. One on the side of her hip, another on the inside of her forearm, a few leftover marks from scabbed knees or burns. She's far from perfect either but – maybe that's why they were here. This was badges of honor but they were both smart enough not to glorify it at least.

Her cheeks puffed out comically when he said I need healing. ]

AUGHHH, we hear that enough!! [ She laughs with an annoyed tone, but before she can realize the gravity of the situation... he brings her back down to Earth. Their closeness noted, his hand taking hers. Words peppered sweetly as if that was a prize hard-earned. Just as badly as he wants to kiss her, she looks up and expects it. When he falls short... she shakes her head. ] When will you get it? You're nerfing your chance at living if you think you deserve certain things... What if I say... you don't deserve another bite of food?

[ It's bold, a bit cruel with how she speaks it. Standing on her tip-toes, she's nearly brushing her nose against his... eyes serious: ]

And... maybe you deserve a shower.

[ Whether he wanted to or not, she settles back on her soles and starts... back-stepping. Guiding him slowly when her fingers hook into the waistband of his costume. Her eyes don't leave his, the tension and synergy reaching a point of no return now. But, of course, Hana has to be a shitlord: ]

Stinky.

[ Oh, Dick doesn't doubt it. Not in the least. Underneath the typical accoutrements of any gamer worth their salt is indeed just straight up Hana Song. The brilliant young woman he fell in love with. Who he finds himself falling for, again. And here she is smirking at him, humming the songs of fighting games past quite facetiously, though her sound is nonetheless... melodic, to him. Like he could listen to her for hours. It's not lost on him how "down bad" he is now, how being told to "do his worst" opens the floodgates in his mind.

Now, the prospect of being with her is no longer just some pipe dream. It isn't just some bygone, dead past he's futilely attempting to resurrect. No, this is better than any past. When he looks down at Hana, at her youthful and hopeful eyes - all despite any burden she may shoulder - he sees the future. And once he laughs at her disdain for the cursed saying, "I need healing," he knows it's a future he can look forward to. In the darkness that's enveloped Gotham under the Magistrate's dominion, Dick's finally getting some light around here. Maybe it's just the power of Hana's rig, RGB lighting and all. Or maybe it's just the power of Hana. ]

I'll never say "I need healing" ever again if you can beat me with another Daigo parry.

Not that I'm trying to say you're rusty or anything.

[ He wouldn't know, though. About her gaming habits. He wouldn't know if they've changed in the tide of struggles across the globe, the planetary entrenchment of malevolent forces. Even then, Dick isn't foolish enough to truly suspect that Hana's lost her touch. After a certain point, her level of skill stays. And if her performance piloting the Meka tonight is any indication, nothing can take her skill away. ]

Well...

[ It stuns him, frankly, to hear her response. All that she's saying about what one "deserves." Far from offended, Dick takes a moment to absorb what Hana's saying, not even speaking as she begins tugging him in her direction, leading him by his waistband to who knows where. Only when they've escaped the tables does Dick regain the wherewithal to respond, to find the words. ]

If you put it that way, I'm definitely open to a buff.

And if that requires no longer thinking in those terms, of what I "deserve" and what I don't, I can try.

Try, that is... if you can help me.

[ By the time he's finished speaking, Hana's already led him in front of the shower. There's a shelf on one side with all the bath products they'll need. Despite the state of things on the surface, it's not like there's been an apocalypse leading to a shortage of supplies. The toilet paper shortage earlier in the Magistrate's rule was definitely a sobering moment in Gotham's history, though. ]

Yeah, that too. Help me get less stinky, while you're at it.

[ Then he grips his waistband, ready to pull down his pants. Hana's hand, though, still lingers on the hem. ]

Hey. Do you mind?

[ The bitterness she felt for him was fleeting, at best. Time to time, when she looked over the waters surrounding Meka's base, she can recall on one hand the time she felt wondering why he never fought her. Why they both agreed to go their separate ways? Such a short relationship, so little opportunities of connection but when they did? It was sparks. The synergy filled her heart with joy, the laughter would linger for hours and she saw in him the type of hero she wanted to be.

Events faded away. Sponsorships ended. Meka advanced. ...Their enemies got better. But, here and now? It's the same Dick Grayson that both attracted and infuriated her. It makes tugging him by his waistband easy, to be vulnerable even if sore muscles and hungry bellies wanted them to refocus elsewhere. Time was not on their side... so they act on instinct. To make the best of it. ]

I got your back, don't worry.

[ Maybe literally now that a shower was calling their name. Her tongue sticks out when he emphasizes on the stinky – going with the joke she sets and keeping things light. Was Hana a little... excited for this? To enjoy some downtime? Maybe. He can tell by how she snaps at his waistband when she lets go – taking a step back to finally undo her ponytail and reach back to fumble with her own suit. The zipper (or whatever stupid fashion technology) keeps her suit snug on her frame, and she struggles to clasp it – so... while he may undress or not, Hana was already working on herself too. ]

Well, can you help then?

[ They bicker idly, friendly in ways that make her smirk as she looks over her shoulder. Was Hana purposefully returning the show...? To give him a glimpse from behind, to tempt him with her hair back down...? It was hard to tell, but that's what ya get with her – playtime activated. ]

[ Maybe it was the fact it was so fleeting that made Dick regard their shared past so fondly. It’s built into him to make the most of what he knows to be ephemeral— what he suspects won’t always last. A childhood on the flying trapeze can do that, Dick always facing down certain death so casually when he performed high-flying stunts with no safety net (in a way, that made his parents’ deaths a possibility he had to grow accustomed to, though it didn’t hurt any less when they did perish). But as far as Dick was always concerned, can’t have the fear of the rug getting pulled from under your feet when you’ve been trained to go without a rug.

Then again... something clearly changed because of the Magistrate. Made Dick second-guess himself, no matter how much faith others placed in him. Maybe, for once, he had to admit to the need for a safety net. For help. He’d become so used to taking charge, but he didn’t stop himself from taking charge from a distance. Far enough from his allies to shoulder too many burdens on his own, as if he could only trust himself to do the right thing. Whether he liked it or not, he was becoming more like Bruce before Hana’s intervention. And whether he wants to admit it or not, Bruce’s way led to his undoing— hence why Batman is so glaringly absent in the struggle. Dick can’t invest hope in the possibility that Bruce is only missing, and thus presumed dead.

But he can invest hope in Hana. Something tangible between them, that doesn’t have to be fleeting to matter. That can beautiful because it lasts. ]

Sounds like you want me to have your back in exchange.

[ Now he’s taunting her as she waits expectantly. With the way her suit’s designed, she can’t quite unzip herself, now can she? ]

You sure you want this to be easy mode, though?

[ He laments none exists that he can select, like life has become an accursed From Software game.

Fortunately, Dick’s only kidding. Because he steps forward to close the distance between himself and Hana, planting a hand on her hip. ]

Messing with you. Now hold still.

[ Supposedly, it’s to steady her as his other hand takes the zipper and begins pulling it down. He watches intently as her suit, a fine reinforced material, splits in two, exposing the skin of her back the further down he pulls the zipper. Once it reaches the bottom, the zipper ending just above Hana’s backside, Dick lifts his other hand away from her hip, to instead place both hands on her shoulders.

All so he can pull her sleeves down, help her begin doing away with her suit in its entirety, while he... leans forward, when up close. When Dick’s hands have rolled her sleeves down to her wrists, Hana will feel his lips, soft and warm, planted on the side of her neck. His kisses are languid, slow. Tentative. Dick still gauging his own want, while hoping to see how much Hana may want, too. ]

Edited 2021-06-10 15:48 (UTC)

[ Being a hero wasn't just about fighting baddies or staying 'on-call' as much as possible... it was making a name notable. Hana has learned it wasn't like a copyrighted name, a name spanned across cola cans or on marquees of movie theaters (which weren't really good). It was building something that will outlive them, that someone can pick up if something happens. Hana was figuring this out – figuring out that she put the work in as much as Dick had to make up for lost time.

She figured it out later than him, but they both suffer the same fate. Burnout, lonely nights, and weights that nearly suffocate them. This... took a lot for them to agree on. It wasn't a transaction, it was a happenstance of them both allowing themselves to be happy. The kiss was a catalyst, bringing back feelings she regretted losing sight of.

And now, there was a small pocket of time they can be Dick and Hana. The shower isn't going anywhere, but time was against them.

It was foolish to believe she would pick a suit she couldn't undo. Hana was sneaky like that, biting her bottom lip in anticipation as she presented her back to him. It was childish games, but they both benefitted – didn't they? ]

If it was easy mode, we'd be in the shower already!

[ She nearly stands on her tip-toes when he touches her, when that suit begins to peel down her petite frame. He sees the familiar canvas of skin – of a few cute birthmarks here and there, scars she can't even remember getting. It's nothing like his... but he's not alone. Not now.

If he's looking for proof of her own wants, the sigh of relief was the first indication. No wisecracks, no deflecting... Hana sighs at the feeling of his lips but it was the acceptance of what they were doing. His name escapes her lips, a trembled bit of excitement from his efforts. Good job, buddy.

Hana reaches up to help and tug her upper half down – unfortunately hers wasn't a two-piece. It pools downward to her hips – her bare upper body (because plot) an after thought as she bends forward just enough to hook her own thumbs against her suit and start sloooooowwly tugging it down. The aftermath? Her ass hiking back into his front half with a slight roll up, pinning against him but ultimately? She still fails to pull the suit completely off. It hugs halfway over the shape of her backside – and here was Hana, ever the tease. ]

Not done helping... I hope.

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ignoring this mfing monkey......

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