Black Dahlia || Dick Grayson [Titans] ✔️

NOT MINE

Present Day

I didn't last very long after pulling the sheets from off the bed, curling up and passing out on the bare mattress. I really had felt exhausted and needed the sleep. Given that I wasn't awaken by flailing arms or Jason's cursing, however, I was confused as to how the bed I woke on had fresh sheets beneath and above me, the old ones no longer a heap on my floor.

I decided not to give it much thought as I cleaned up in preparation for the day; until I noticed the curtains over the windows were closed too. Even knowing I was safe here, I couldn't help the paranoid shiver that went through me.

I threw the curtains open, blinking hard at the undeniable presence of the moon. Either I hadn't slept as much as I thought, or I'd slept too much.

There was a knock at the door behind me and I turned to see Jason sticking his head in warily. Seeing me awake, he pushed the door open the rest of the way and stood in the doorway. "About time you woke up," he said. "I was about to declare you brain dead and in a coma, you were so knocked out. Even your nightly body guards were unresponsive."

"You're the one who came in here and changed the sheets?"

"What are you, high?" he scoffed, shaking his head, wild hair remaining like a flawless crown atop it. "I've learned my lesson about disturbing you in your sleep."

"So who was in here?" I asked, growing annoyed.

"Dick," he answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. In a way, I guess it was; when the plants started defending me while I slept, Dick and Donna were the only ones they never attacked. "He came in to give you the blankets but you were knocked out cold. He picked you up and asked Conner to super speed around and make the bed so there wouldn't be time for them to register a threat."

"Hmm, smart," I couldn't help but concede with a smile and slight flush in my cheeks. I never would've thought of that and hearing that I was in Dick's arms for even the briefest of times again, while unconscious, hit me in so many ways. "So what are you doing here now? You know, since you 'learned your lesson' and all, this seems unnecessarily risky for you."

"Definitely the dumbest thing I've done all day," Jason shrugged. "But I got bored. Gar and Conner are playing some nerd ops game and I have no idea where Dick disappeared to, honestly. All the other Titans are off on some assignment."

"Okay and what did you expect me to do about any of that?"

"I could use a sparring partner if you think you can handle it," he said with a smirk and I knew he didn't mean because of my injury.

"You're on, junior bird boy," I replied with a smirk of my own. "Give me five minutes to change clothes then I'll meet you in the training room."

"Bet."

* * * **

I don't know why, but for some reason I expected the training room to be different than the last time I was there. Despite Dick telling me no one had been around since us, it hit me surprisingly hard how identical things were.