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fandomweekly2024-04-07 04:40 pm
fleetsparrow) wrote in fandomweekly2024-04-07 04:40 pm
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[215] Your Mileage May Vary (DC Comics)
Theme Prompt: #215 - Normal
Title: Your Mileage May Vary
Fandom: DC Comics
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 500
Summary: Sure, none of their lives are necessarily normal, but some things are just too weird.
“I told Bruce if he doesn’t want to know, then he shouldn’t watch.”
Dick had just finished telling the Titans about an ongoing argument between him and Batman around the concept of privacy. Apparently, bugging and planting cameras in your ex-ward’s apartment was just how Bats say “I love you.”
When they were kids, Dick would almost never share Gotham problems, but ever since they’d grown up into new identities—ever since they’d “flown the coop,” as Ollie put it—Dick didn’t seem to mind complaining. He never told them anything terrible, never revealed any horrible secrets, but he was definitely freer than he’d used to be back when he was still the second half of “Batman and”.
“Does he do that often?” Donna asked.
Dick nodded as he took a drink. “At least he’s not putting trackers on me again.”
Again.
“You know that’s weird, right?” Roy said before he could stop himself.
“What is?”
“All of it.”
Dick shrugged, not meeting Roy’s gaze. “He’s just worried.”
“I think that goes a little beyond ‘worried,’ Dick.”
Dick stared into his drink as Roy stared at him. Roy was very aware of the way Wally and Garth were trying to signal to him to drop the topic, but he ignored them. If they hadn’t been in public, he might’ve listened to them and let Dick worm his way out of this fight.
Not this time.
“What about Lian?” Dick asked, still not looking up.
“What about her?”
“You feel safer knowing where she is. Isn’t it normal to want to keep your kids safe?”
“She’s four. And I still don’t put trackers on her,” Roy said. “Besides, you’re the one who always says he’s not your dad.”
“Hey, why don’t I get us another round?” Wally said, grabbing the nearly empty basket of fries on the table. “Give the rest of you a chance to have some.”
“It’s just weird that you’re a grown man and he still needs to know everywhere you go,” Roy said.
Finally, Dick looked at him. “At least Bruce cares about me.”
For a flash, Roy felt that old hurt come back, the echo of the voice that reminded him that not only had Ollie kicked him out, but that he had been right to do it. It bubbled up like burning blood, exactly as Dick had meant it to.
Roy inhaled, glaring fiercely back at Dick.
Then he exhaled and blinked, softening his gaze.
“It’s just weird,” he said.
Dick didn’t look away, but his shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, well, Gotham’s weird.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Garth said, lifting his glass.
With a last glance between them, Roy and Dick smiled.
“To Gotham weirdness,” Dick said.
“To the weirdness that is our lives,” Donna said.
The five toasted each other and, with the tension broken, the conversation turned to lighter topics.
Roy would let it rest for now, but hopefully Dick would stand up to Batman a little more. On that front, at any rate.
Title: Your Mileage May Vary
Fandom: DC Comics
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 500
Summary: Sure, none of their lives are necessarily normal, but some things are just too weird.
“I told Bruce if he doesn’t want to know, then he shouldn’t watch.”
Dick had just finished telling the Titans about an ongoing argument between him and Batman around the concept of privacy. Apparently, bugging and planting cameras in your ex-ward’s apartment was just how Bats say “I love you.”
When they were kids, Dick would almost never share Gotham problems, but ever since they’d grown up into new identities—ever since they’d “flown the coop,” as Ollie put it—Dick didn’t seem to mind complaining. He never told them anything terrible, never revealed any horrible secrets, but he was definitely freer than he’d used to be back when he was still the second half of “Batman and”.
“Does he do that often?” Donna asked.
Dick nodded as he took a drink. “At least he’s not putting trackers on me again.”
Again.
“You know that’s weird, right?” Roy said before he could stop himself.
“What is?”
“All of it.”
Dick shrugged, not meeting Roy’s gaze. “He’s just worried.”
“I think that goes a little beyond ‘worried,’ Dick.”
Dick stared into his drink as Roy stared at him. Roy was very aware of the way Wally and Garth were trying to signal to him to drop the topic, but he ignored them. If they hadn’t been in public, he might’ve listened to them and let Dick worm his way out of this fight.
Not this time.
“What about Lian?” Dick asked, still not looking up.
“What about her?”
“You feel safer knowing where she is. Isn’t it normal to want to keep your kids safe?”
“She’s four. And I still don’t put trackers on her,” Roy said. “Besides, you’re the one who always says he’s not your dad.”
“Hey, why don’t I get us another round?” Wally said, grabbing the nearly empty basket of fries on the table. “Give the rest of you a chance to have some.”
“It’s just weird that you’re a grown man and he still needs to know everywhere you go,” Roy said.
Finally, Dick looked at him. “At least Bruce cares about me.”
For a flash, Roy felt that old hurt come back, the echo of the voice that reminded him that not only had Ollie kicked him out, but that he had been right to do it. It bubbled up like burning blood, exactly as Dick had meant it to.
Roy inhaled, glaring fiercely back at Dick.
Then he exhaled and blinked, softening his gaze.
“It’s just weird,” he said.
Dick didn’t look away, but his shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, well, Gotham’s weird.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Garth said, lifting his glass.
With a last glance between them, Roy and Dick smiled.
“To Gotham weirdness,” Dick said.
“To the weirdness that is our lives,” Donna said.
The five toasted each other and, with the tension broken, the conversation turned to lighter topics.
Roy would let it rest for now, but hopefully Dick would stand up to Batman a little more. On that front, at any rate.
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