Friends with the Enemy

46) The Monster Behind the Man

I don't know the extent of Ivy's powers, so I gave her some a little cool ability because I think it's c u t e. Also, this chapter is long so... yeah! Enjoy!

"Right?" Selina added with a wink in Dick's direction. "Like, man. He should teach me a thing or two."

Ivy glanced at the boy with her calculating green eyes. "Well, I'm sure you could ask Dick to right now. Or should I say Robin?"

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"What?" Dick breathed after his brain registered what Ivy had just said. No, no, no, no... she couldn't know. Oh gosh, no. Robin's enemy knew his identity. That meant she probably knew Batman's identity. First day on the job and Robin already revealed their identities?! Had he really messed up that bad?!

"Come on, I'm not an idiot," Ivy reasoned. "You guys have the same height, hair color, body shape, and terrible fashion choice."

"Hey!" Dick exclaimed, offended. "I mean- what? No! He's... taller. And I can't even fight!"

Selina sat between them, wide eyed. Dick shot her a desperate and accusing look. The thief raised her hands defensively.

"No, she didn't tell me," Ivy informed. "It was just obvious."

"I ain't no blabbermouth," Selina joked weakly. Dick didn't laugh.

"Ivy, please," he pleaded, tears threatening to form in his eyes. "You can't tell anyone. If anyone found out, then we'd all be in danger. Bruce would never trust me again. I-I-"

"Dick, calm down. I'm not telling anyone," Ivy interrupted, her expression one of annoyance. "Like Selina said about herself; I'm not one to reveal information either."

Dick swallowed thickly with his lips pursed in a wobbly line. He liked Ivy and all, but he didn't know her all that well, and he didn't know if he could trust her with something this secretive.

Selina wrapped her arm around Ivy's shoulder as she looked at Dick. "Hey, no worries. Ivy's trustworthy. And if you don't believe her, then at least believe me. Okay?"

Dick wanted to believe her. This was Selina, after all. She'd never do anything that'd put him or Bruce in harm's way. "...Okay."

The cat lover examined him as Ivy went back to her magazine. There was a gentle sadness in her eyes. "So, since Ivy knows, can we talk about... what went down last night?"

Dick shifted uncomfortable. "I guess.. What d'you wanna talk about?"

"Anything. Just tell me something. How's your head? How are you feeling? What exactly happened?" Selina listed, her voice laced with concern. "Bruce filled me in on some stuff, but he didn't tell me everything."

"My head's fine as long as I don't touch it or move around too much," Dick said as casually as he could. He pulled a hangnail as he continued. "I don't know what Bruce told you about the Joker part, but basically he had people tied up around a store while a timer went off to release gas. There was a woman. I think her name was Harley Quinn, and-" Ivy lifted her head and looked at him, suddenly interested "- she worked with him. To make a long story short, I... I made Batman miss with a batarang because I thought he was gonna hit them.., and then gas went everywhere. Someone breathed it in. He- he..." he trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the rest.