PRESENT DAY
IF THERE WAS one thing Veronica could never fully fathom, it was how there seemed to be no end to the torment in which life seemed to like making its souls endure.
She pondered if this was how it would be for the rest of her existence. Fight after fight. No room to catch her breath. Her bones were so sore, and her legs felt more like lead, the marrow that runs through them worn thin.
She was, simply put, tired. Not physically, at least in the current moment. But, she was numb and couldn't quite seem to find the right words to even begin to figure out how she was feeling.
Dick and Jason were chatting away in the front seats, occasionally including Evelyn as well, but their voices were dull and muted to her, falling on deaf ears. She didn't care to pay much attention. There was only few things about Zucco she would catch, mainly his name, which was enough to cause the weight on her chest and breathless panic to arise inside her once more.
She closed her eyes.
Breathe, Veronica. Breathe. You faced this once before, you can do it again, right?
The only thing she could really do was convince herself she could.
She cast a glance over to Dick then, and pondered how he felt about it all. Sure, he'd never exactly been face-to-face with the deadly acid per se, but it had withered away everything he once knew, turned wholesome things rotten and tainted with misfortune. His whole life had changed—quite literally—in the blink of an eye because of it.
A part of her wanted to just pull him into her chest and hold him tight, let him know he was cared for, not alone. That she was there and wouldn't leave him again this time. That she understood and wanted nothing more than to share the burden of this. That he had instilled, cemented and carved his way into her heart and there was no way she could part herself from him again without physically ripping that exact heart in two.
That, above it all, living a life without him in it wasn't something she could think possible anymore, nor was it something she even wanted to imagine.
The realization of it hit her like a blow straight to the chest.
She ignored it. Rather, tried her best to.
But, try as she might she knew it deep in her bones.
She would just have to refuse to admit it to herself.
His eyes met hers through the mirror in the centre of the windshield.
She gave him an emphatic smile. His gaze softened, and then his focus was back on the road once more.
Eyes were the window the soul, she'd learned years ago.
She wondered if he could see the images reflected in the glass of hers.
—x—
Soon enough, they'd reached the bar in which Clay the Strongman worked as a bouncer. Veronica knew enough about Dicks associates from the circus days to know which were which, but she had never met any in person.
She also knew Dick had wanted to move in with Clay before he'd accepted Bruce's offer, and he and the man were insanely close. She hoped nothing bad had happened to him in the length of time it took them to get here.
"The place is called Corvo. It's some kind of speakeasy." Dick explained as they all exited the car, doors slamming shut behind them. "Landlord said he bounces the late shift."
They stepped up onto the side walk and Jason placed his hands in his pocket—Evelyn fell in step beside him, her platinum blonde hair blown slightly in the breeze—and sighed. "That's too bad. Bouncers are assholes."
"Clay's not." Dick defended.
"How would you know anyways, Jason?" Veronica piped up, raising her eyebrow in question. A strand of her hair blew into her eyes due to the wind, and she tucked it behind her ear.
The boy looked over at her for a brief second before looking ahead and answering, "Uncle Ray would take me to bars with him all the time when I was little. Everyone thought it was cute until it wasn't. He was a fun drunk. Then he'd get stupid. Then he'd start throwing punches. Then the bouncers would kick our asses out." He looked around as he spoke, almost as if he was recalling the memory and living it in the current moment.
"Where were your folks?" Dick asked, brows knitted together in concern, but also compassion. Anyone who got taken in by Bruce never had an easy life prior.
"Mom was upstate. Dad was downstate. Uncle Ray was the man until he OD'd when I was 13."
"Where'd you go?"
"Wherever. Foster care. In and out of the system. Then the streets mostly after that."
Veronica looked at him with empathy. She too knew what that was like.
Jason let out a semi-bitter laugh. "It's not all bad. I survived. Now, look, man. We're living the dream."
And the dream it might've been. But dreams often seem sweeter in sleep, and one must wake up from them at a certain point. Jason would discover that soon enough.
They reached the door to the club then. Dick approached and knocked on the metal swiftly.
The tiny, square window in the middle of the door slid open to reveal half of a man's face. Dance music played faintly in the background.
Veronica could see Dick raise his arm and flash his badge, gold glinting in the streetlight. "Clay Williams working tonight?"
The man nodded, "VIP lounge."
"Okay." The door opened and the man stepped aside to let him in.
Dick cast a glance at Veronica, nodding his head for her to follow. She did so, passing the man with a polite tilt of her head.
Veronica turned around to see Jason handing an ID to the bouncer. Knowing him, it was probably fake. The man stared at it for a second, then scoffed in slight disbelief and amusement.
So, she'd assumed right.
"There a problem?" Jason queried with an air of confidence.
"Robert Plisskin? Nice try." He handed the card back.
"C'mon man. Be cool."
"Not tonight, Snake."
Jason looked over the bouncers shoulder at Dick and Veronica. "I'm 19!" He exclaimed.
The woman just let out a tiny chuckle. "Just both of you, stay here, okay? We'll be right back."
Jason looked at Evelyn and sighed reluctantly. "Fine. Guess I'm babysitting."
Veronica turned around, and heard a thwack and then a mumbled 'jerk', and she giggled once more.
Jason and Evelyn were quite the pair, and she had to be honest, they were both growing on her.
The club was quite obviously noisy with the chatter of people and loud music blaring over the speakers.
She remembered a time back in Gotham when her and Dick had went to one with Barbara. After that crazy night she'd decided clubbing was not exactly her scene.
She did have to admit however, this one was much more posh. Her gaze drifted around the place, the funky flashing lights and all, until it finally rested on Dick, and then his hand, which had grabbed hers to lead her through the throng of people.
"What, think I can't maneuver my way through here on my own?" She joshed.
He turned his head back at her, grinning that signature Dick Grayson shit-eating-smirk. "Figured you might need some assistance. After all, shorter people do tend to get trampled more often."
"Asshole." She muttered.
She could tell he heard, even with the loud scene around them, by the way his lip quirked up the slightest bit more.
Of course he was amused, why wouldn't he be amused by being a pain in the ass? It seemed to be his favourite pastime.
Smug bastard.
It wasn't long before they reached a clearing of people and Dick immediately honed in on Clay.
Veronica followed his eyesight, and saw him too, then. He was a dark, tall man, dressed in an all black suit with a golden badge pinned on his left side that read SECURITY in all capitals. His jet black hair was trimmed close to his head but his beard reached down to his neck. He had a sense of authority to him, yet a gentle aura all the same.
Dick practically beelined towards the man, Veronica in tow.
"Excuse me." Dick said, as he dropped Veronica's hand once they reached the VIP lounge.
Clay turned, clearly not recognizing Dick, "Yeah?"
"So, uh, how does someone get into the VIP lounge?"
Veronica watched the interaction intently.
"Give me the password." Clay stated matter-of-factly.
Dick smiled softly, "Haley's Circus."
It took a few seconds for it to register in Clays head, but once it did, his eyes went so wide Veronica thought they might actually pop out of his skull, true to cartoon style.
"Dicky?" He exclaimed.
Dick chuckled at the nickname.
Clay grabbed and pulled him into a tight hug then, and Veronica couldn't help but laugh at Dicks expression. He looked like he might suffocate from how hard he was being gripped. Which was fair—after all—Clay was a strongman. "Is this really you?" Clay had to confirm what he was seeing.
"Yeah, it's me. I can't breathe." He rasped out.
"Oh, damn." Clay dropped him.
"Man." Dick chuckled.
"What in God's name are you doing here?"
Dick just smiled once again, "Can we talk?"
—x—
"Murdered?" Clay asked in disbelief.
The three sat at a table near the bar. Dick had exchanged pleasantries, and introduced Veronica (to which Clay had asked if they were an item but both just laughed nervously and did not answer), but after that had gotten down to business and informed Clay on what had happened.
The man looked simply distraught at the news.
Dick nodded sadly, "And I'm worried you're next on the list."
Clay exhaled slowly, and took another swig of his beer. He didn't speak again until he'd set it down with a soft clink.
"Have you seen anything weird at home? Any people following you?" Veronica questioned, compassion laced into her tone.
"Not that I've noticed."
"You still in touch with anyone from the circus? Since it shut down?" Dick queried.
Clay thought for a second before he replied. "I spoke to Abigail a few years ago, after her husband died. I wanted to get in touch with Percy but I could never find him. After the..." He gave Dick a disheartened and anxious glance, Veronica could tell he didn't want to bring it up directly, but she could tell what event he was referring to. "We all went our own separate ways."
Dicks eyes had seemed to cloud over, unresolved grief over his parents death in his gaze. "Yeah." Was all he said.
"I think the last time I saw any of them were...at your parents funeral."
A cloud of sorrow hung above the table.
"I should've kept in touch." Clay continued. "Especially with you."
Dick brightened up a bit then, "Hey, it goes both ways. I'm just glad you're okay."
"Why don't you guys exchange numbers?" Veronica suggested, and the two men nodded in agreement with her statement.
"I think that's a wonderful idea." Clay smiled.
So they did just that. As the woman watched the interaction, she couldn't help but feel the contagious joy and relief that radiated off Dick from finally reuniting with Clay, especially under the circumstances, where he hadn't known if he was even still alive a half an hour or so prior.
"Okay, no excuses now. We stay in touch." Dick grinned.
Clay sighed then, looking Dick up and down proudly. "Can't believe you're a cop."
"Detective, actually." Said Dick.
"All I know is that I'm just so proud of you, kiddo."
The tender exchange and Clays fatherly personality made Veronica think back to her own family, more specifically, her own dad. The memories she had with him that she could actually recall were very limited.
She only wished she had more time with him, a chance to talk to him again. It was why she was more than glad for Dick that Clay was okay.
Dick and Clay conversed with each other while she pondered in thought, taking occasional sips of her drink.
There were bits of their conversation she heard, but for the most part she tuned it out.
It wasn't until there was a loud explosion from outside that she broke from the trance she'd been in.
AUTHORS NOTE!
i'm so sorry this update took forever you guys. i'll be honest and say it wasn't exactly on my top list of priorities 😭 with finishing up work for school before the holidays and such, it was just a hectic and tight schedule. but i've got time now, so i'm hoping to pump out more chapters over break! once said break is over though, updates will probably be a little scarce again, and for that i'm very sorry. but i want to thank you all for sticking with me and the story thus far. it genuinely means so, so much.
also i finally finished s3 of titans! and can i just say, wow. definitely my favourite season so far, even though i am very iffy on some parts. but red hoods character arc? i loved it ohmygosh.
nonetheless, i hope you're all having a wonderful holiday so far, and are enjoying the story. your support means the absolute world to me.
i mean, 91K reads?? it's so crazy, and i'm beyond grateful. reading all your comments genuinely makes my day.
i love you all so much 🤍🤍🤍