catgirl ! crushed (nightwing)

«chapter eight: friends»

"Thank you," I say before I take them and straighten up.

Wolf comes to greet me, nudging me forward slightly, causing me to laugh and scratch him behind his ears.

Lily watches him with fascination, and I say, "Why don't you and Wolf go hunt for more flowers?"

She nods and pets him, despite him being almost as tall as her.

Wolf nudges her this time, into the field, and she giggles.

I can't help but smile. She laughs sometimes, but it's so rare that anytime I do hear it, I can't help but just be happy for her.

When they are far enough away, I move next to Dick, his eyes not meeting mine, his body not moving toward me like you used to, but not moving away either.

I guess that's good.

"She's so young." He says, his eyes on her as he crosses his arms.

I surprised me that he said something first, so it it takes me a moment to respond before I say, "She is six, almost seven. When I saw her..." I clench my fists subconsciously, "I just couldn't leave her. Not with just anyone and when she would stay with Aqualad... I didn't feel like I had a choice."

I'm not sure why I explained it again. I just needed to. I needed him to hear the words again and to let him know that I would purposely endanger her life. That I didn't want kids involved in the game we play and that despite us starting at a young age, I didn't think it was right.

"She loves you. I don't think you would have even had a choice regardless." He says, and I keep from outwardly reacting, though his words make me feel better.

We aren't fighting. We are being civil. And gosh I missed hearing his voice.

We sit in silence for a few moments, both of us unsure what to do next, how not to set the other person off.

When I decide I can't take the silence anymore, I decide to break it,"How... how is Damian?" I ask hesitantly.

I wanted to keep contact with him. I wanted to tell him everything, but I knew him. Damian Wayne wouldn't have let me do anything on my own after everything we went through.

Dick keeps his eyes on Lily running in the field, a smile on her face as Wolf follows her.

He doesn't respond for a moment and I feel my heart drop. Damian probably hates me. It was him and me in that stupid place and I left him then and I left him now.

"He blames me," He says at last, before he adds, "Sometimes he blames himself. He doesn't say it, but he does. He makes comments about him not being good enough." My eyes soften at that and Dick finally looks at me. He finally looks at me. He studies my face in a way he hasn't in so long that it makes me nervous.

He turns away a moment later and says, "Which is pretty scary considering he runs around calling everyone else inadequate because he is the 'blood son.'" He jokes, causing me to smile a bit as I think about the spikey haired boy.

"He just has to adjust," I defend, half joking.

This was a conversation we had many times before. We both watched over Damian and his transition to a society not run by a crazy man or assassins at every corner.

Bruce tried to reason with him most days, and he did teach him that killing wasn't the answer, but when he couldn't get through to him, he knew Dick could.

Dick is almost like a second father to him. I don't think he realized it, maybe he still doesn't, but he is. He and Damian have a bond I don't think anyone was expecting. He spends most of his time as Robin to Dick's Batman when Bruce is doing league business.