Watching Perseus fight Damian felt different now that Dick knew where all the experience had come from. It was finally making sense why she could parry nearly every one of Damian's moves despite his attacks becoming increasingly feral. But even then, his brother's demeanor remained surprisingly collected. Every time Perseus pushed him back or swept him off his feet, Damian just gritted his teeth and stood, coming back with a slightly different strategy.
Dick stood at a safe distance away, with the rest of his family, although 'safe' was only a temporary label, seeing as though they'd already had to back up twice after nearly getting sliced up. Damian feinted right, then tried to kick Perseus in the chest. She let the foot graze her, before turning sideways at the last second to dodge. Damian stumbled, but recovered quickly, whipping back around with his blade.
"How are they still going?" Jason asked, disbelief coloring the helmet's mechanical voice.
"I bet I could go put my clothes in the dryer and come back before they're done," Steph snorted, even though she was watching intently.
Tim broke his staring to turn to her, incredulous. "You do your laundry here?"
"Duh, why would I not?" she replied, frowning, ignoring Tim's quiet retort that she didn't even live there, "Actually, I probably should—"
"Stay," Bruce interrupted.
Dick glanced at the older man, who had yet to take his eyes off the fight. He was clearly watching carefully, but Dick couldn't tell which one of them he was analyzing. With the amount of normally forbidden moves Damian was performing, it was a miracle Bruce hadn't stopped the spar long ago.
"Watch her feet," he continued, using a very familiar voice that took Dick back to his training days.
He listened, and it was clear that the rest of them did too, all of his siblings falling silent to follow the order. The next time Perseus slashed downward with her sword, her ankles shifted, leaving her flank open and Damian instantly took advantage, trying to lay a hit. Dick tensed, unable to help himself, but just before the blade grazed her side, she twisted her foot again, and Damian's sword stabbed through empty air.
"On purpose," Cass said, almost smug, as she echoed exactly what she had noticed on the rooftop.
"I figured, yeah," Tim frowned, "But—"
Perseus attacked again, but this time she didn't shift her feet at all, and Tim paused, getting it.
A slow smile crept onto Dick's face as he finally noticed what Bruce was trying to point out.
"She's making it progressively harder," Dick realized, a little awed, "Forcing Robin to find a different opening every time he learns a new one. She's not sparring with him, she's teaching him."
"Looks like a spar to me," Jason snorted, crossing his arms.
"That's the point," Bruce said.
Finally, Perseus whirled around Damian's thrust, elbowing him in the upper arm. When he dropped his sword with a hiss of pain, she immediately held hers up against his neck. Damian tensed, limbs looking for a way out of the hold, but then slumped.
"You did great!" she beamed, and Damian grumbled in response.
"Let us go again," he commanded, retrieving his weapon.
Perseus laughed, easily sidestepping his raised sword to cup his face. "I'm serious, Robin, you learned a lot, but recovery's important too, and you should get some water."
She patted his cheek, then pushed him gently to where Bruce had set up a large cooler for training breaks. Damian, to Bruce's slight surprise, stalked over without much complaint.
"You seem to have experience with training others," Bruce said, as Perseus walked up to them.
"I teach a few classes in my free time," she replied.
She shot Dick a quick grin, like it was an inside joke only he understood, and it made his skin buzz a little. He knew she'd have to tell them eventually that she was a demigod and the classes she mentioned were actually survival skill sessions complete with magical moving dummies and spars to the 'death', but for now he enjoyed the idea of him being the only one privy to her secret.
Bruce hummed. "What other weapons are you proficient in?"
Perseus looked at him, a hand coming up to the back of her neck. "Knives, spears...most things that aren't bows or guns, really, but I'm best with a sword."
"What about hand-to-hand?" Bruce pressed, looking thoughtful.
She shrugged. "I'm no martial artist, but I'm not bad either. And I've wrestled, I guess. Why?"
Bruce hummed again but didn't answer. Instead, he turned, cape swishing, and walked back to his computer. Perseus watched him go with a slightly confused frown and looked at Dick for clarification.
"He does that," Dick sighed, knowing that it was less Bruce being purposefully cryptic and more just a bad habit the man had of never properly finishing his thoughts, "You get used to it eventually."
"Does that mean I get to come here again?" she grinned.
She said it teasingly, half joking, but it made him pause.
Just like the manor, the cave was his home. He had grown up down here, spent hours training with Bruce and fighting with his siblings, had bled and been stitched up so many times he lost count. This is where Robin had been born, and he wanted to share it with her.
"Whenever you want," he replied, with a soft smile.
Perseus's smirk wavered. "Did Batman approve that?"
If she wasn't going to wait for permission to tell him something that could get her in trouble, then Dick was going to return the favor.
"I'll convince him," he said, watching her ears turn red.
"I should—" she broke eye contact, clearing her throat nervously, "—go, I have to visit my mom." Then, seeing the instantly concerned look on his face, she continued hastily, "She knows I'm not dead, but I should see her anyway."
Dick shook his head, exasperated. "Alright, I'll walk you out."
"You're staying?" she tilted her head, as he led them back to the zeta tube.
"I have to talk to B, remember?"
Dick turned to the panel and typed in a series of new commands.
"You don't have to," she blurted out, from her place on the platform, "I was only joking. I don't mind if this was just a one-time—"
"Sef," he interrupted, making her stop short, "I was being serious. I want you here."
She looked a little stunned, shifting her feet as she stared back. He watched her reaction, keeping his body language completely genuine, before finally, her lips twitched up.
"And if he says no?" she asked.
Dick smirked and pressed the final button to turn on the teleporter.
"I'll fight him."
The last thing he saw was her bright grin before the zeta beam scanned her form, called out Perseus B38, and swept her away.
LINEBREAK
When Dick walked back to the main area of the cave, most of his siblings had removed their masks, whiteout mode no longer being in effect. From his place on the computer, Bruce angled his chair to Dick and pulled off his cowl.
"You added Perseus to the system," he observed, dryly, "Does she know you also gave her full clearance to the cave?"
Dick made a show of looking around the room in feigned innocence. "Probably not, no."
Back to wiping down his motorcycle, Jason glanced over and snorted, loudly.
"You're an idiot, dickhead," he said, rolling his eyes, "Gave the girl a key to your place and you didn't even tell her."
"Should I put the mask back on?" Tim sighed.
Dick looked around at his family. They were all listening now, faces turned toward him, to see what he would say. Damian met his eyes, almost challengingly, and Dick realized they weren't just curious, they were waiting.
"No," he announced, some unseen weight leaving him as he finally made the decision, "I'm gonna share my identity with her."
He found Bruce's gaze first, but his father didn't protest like he thought he would, and instead searched Dick's face intently.
"You're sure about this?" he asked, and Dick nodded firmly, "And you trust her with it?"
He didn't even hesitate, the answer coming to his lips the instant he heard the question.
"Without a doubt."
Bruce glanced over at Cass, who was smiling proudly. "Okay," is all he said, before leaning back into his chair.
Dick nearly slumped in relief, but then gazed around the room at the rest of his siblings.
"You guys are good with that?"
Jason shrugged, not minding, while Tim nodded, saying "Sure." Cass was still beaming from ear to ear, and Damian scoffed, but couldn't hide his smile either.
"I vote yes, by the way," Steph huffed, "Even if nobody bothered to ask."
"You gotta be B's kid to unlock those privileges," Tim snorted.
Instantly, Bruce's ears twitched, and he looked over at her knowingly.
"Nope," Steph shook her head, "Still not signing those papers, old man."
Dick laughed at the way Bruce imperceptibly wilted. The remark started up another argument about the pros and cons of being adopted, each of his siblings chiming in with their points for both sides. Jason mentioned something about being able to fund a criminal empire, and Tim brought up the power of name-dropping in the presence of rich assholes, and Steph countered by saying she did both of those anyways, making Bruce frown and ask for clarification.
And even though he was listening, all Dick could think about was how he had just eliminated the only other thing that had been holding him back from taking off the mask in front of Perseus. He wanted it more than anything, to be able to see her during the day. To tease her and see her eyes crinkle with laughter, to call her by her real name, and hear her say his. Maybe she felt the same way. After all, she trusted him enough to reveal what she was so hopefully the 'who' wasn't too big a leap.
LINEBREAK
Family dinner was its usual affair. Steph and Tim trading cutting insults that made the rest of them question how they had even managed to get through a single date back when they were together, Cass gently kicking Damian under the table every time he lowered his guard and letting Jason take the blame, Alfred coming to collect money for the swear jar every few minutes.
Bruce rubbed his temples and declined dessert, fleeing to his office after they had finished the main course.
"More for me," Steph shrugged, watching him go.
Tim immediately reached his fork into the pie dish, but Damian smacked his hand away. "We're not heathens, Drake. Cut a slice."
Dick sighed and leaned forward with a knife to make portions before it devolved into another squabble.
"Yo, Dick," Jason hummed, "I got a question, and you're not gonna like it."
Dick paused, returning to his chair. Knowing his brother, this could only go a few ways, all of which were bad and probably destructive, and he should probably be sitting down to hear it.
"Have you spoken to Percy at all?"
The room went silent.
The knife in his hand clattered softly onto the table.
He had forgotten about her, Dick realized, with rapidly growing horror, how could he have forgotten?
He vaguely remembered staring at her contact in his phone blankly, before throwing it to the side and pushing through the ache in his chest to continue his day. Now that the shackles of grief had been lifted, Dick registered that he had basically ignored Percy for a whole week following the traumatic event. He had promised her he would schedule a playdate for Estelle and Damian, made her see his colleague's burnt body, and then never talked to her again.
"I'm guessing that's a no," Tim winced, seeing Dick crumble in shame.
"I—I don't know," he stammered, heart rate increasing, "She didn't say anything, and then I—"
"Breathe," Cass said firmly, reaching over to grip his hand.
"I'm gonna have to let her go, aren't I?" Dick whispered, staring down at the table.
He felt strangely numb about it all. The combination of shame for not speaking to her and guilt toward Perseus for being conflicted was making a mess of his insides and in the end, it was too much to process.
Cass sighed, squeezing his hand to make Dick look up. Her expression was gentle as she spoke.
"Not a betrayal," she said, shaking her head, then signed, "You chose to reveal your identity for a reason. Follow your gut."
Dick blinked, not having expected her to support him so firmly, but he couldn't deny that the first thing she said struck him. It meant a lot to hear her say he wasn't making a mistake.
Tim and Jason, who had initially taken their sides and stuck by them, remained impassive this time, nodding along. Even Damian kept his face carefully neutral. Cass must have said something to him earlier, after all the times he had outright told him who to choose.
He didn't feel fully confident, and the swirling emotions didn't dissipate entirely, but at least Dick didn't feel like he was choking anymore. He made his decision, and now he had to stick by it.
Across the table, Steph frowned.
"Does anybody wanna fill me in on who P—"
Tim elbowed her sharply.
LINEBREAK
Percy twisted her feet on the welcome mat after she rang the doorbell, anything to distract from the waiting. When the door was flung open, she found herself attacked in a warm hug, and she opened her mouth to spew apologies, but Paul pulled back, shaking his head with vaguely shiny eyes.
"You're just in time for dinner," he said, smiling.
Percy swallowed the lump in her throat and followed her stepdad into the house. Milling by the fridge, she watched him set out an extra plate for her.
"Paul?" she heard Sally call out from around the corner, "Who was that at the door?"
"Hey Mom," Percy grinned nervously, when the woman came into view.
She could see the instant her mom's body sagged with relief, right before she crossed her arms.
"Your father said you woke up yesterday," Sally accused.
Percy grimaced. "Nightwing didn't know I had survived, I had to fix that first. I'm sorry."
"I'm not mad, Percy. I'm happy you went to see him. You probably gave that poor boy a heart attack," her mom sighed, "Just please stop going missing."
Walking over to embrace her, Percy leaned her head down, resting her cheek on her mom's shoulder. "I promise I'll try."
Sally snorted, both of them knowing that it was the best she could do.
"Anyways," she said, gently peeling Percy off of her, "It's not me you have to apologize to."
Percy paled.
"Oh yes," Sally nodded, "You're forgetting your sister isn't used to your tendencies like we are."
Before Percy could protest, her mom turned and called out Stella's name, asking for her to join them in the kitchen for dinner. She heard the instant scramble of feet rushing towards her. Percy put on a brave face that immediately fell the second Estelle laid eyes on her and promptly burst into tears.
Percy scooped up her sister, apologies and platitudes falling from her lips as she tried to soothe her crying. Estelle threw her hands around her neck, blowing snot into her shoulder. Percy rocked her gently, catching her mom's eyes with a slight grimace. Sally raised an eyebrow, refusing to help.
"Nico said you weren't—gone," Estelle babbled, between hiccups, "But he gets attack points wrong sometimes, so maybe he didn't know—"
Percy stifled a laugh, a hand on the back of her sister's head. "Nico's wrong all the time," she corrected, "But not about this kind of thing. I'm not going anywhere, seastar, I promise."
Estelle sniffled, finally picking her face up to look at her.
"Annie said if you mean your promise then you should swear on the Styx," she said, lips still wobbling.
"Did she really?" Percy laughed, narrowing her eyes playfully, "Or are you lying to me because you know she's always right and you think I'll listen?"
Estelle blinked innocently. "I dunno what you mean."
LINEBREAK
At dinner, Estelle insisted on sitting in her lap, so Percy had to shift her plate to the side and lean over to eat around her sister's head. She had looked pleadingly toward her parents, but both adults sat back, not saying a word and watching her struggle.
"Consider it punishment," Paul snorted, "For faking your death."
"I'm twenty-three!" Percy exclaimed.
"Percy, honey, I've wanted to ground you for years, but then it would have been my fault if the world ended. At least give me this."
She gaped at her mother, watching Sally take a bite of her food nonchalantly. Percy had to admit, when put like that, stretching her neck to avoid dropping sauce into Estelle's hair didn't seem so serious after all.
"By the way," Sally continued, pretending like she hadn't seen Paul shake with slight laughter at her comment, "How did Nightwing take your return?"
Percy blinked and she was back at the docks, being squeezed so tight like he had expected her to fall through his shaking fingers.
"He's okay now," she half-answered, clearing those images from her vision, "I told him about the demigod thing."
"Oh good," her mom said, with a small smile, "I've been wanting to invite him over for dinner."
When you meet my parents, she had almost said to Nightwing. She had meant it then, and still did, but now realized the small caveat that stopped it from happening.
"He doesn't know my identity," she mumbled into her food, frowning.
"Why not?" Paul hummed, "I didn't think you cared too much about that."
Percy shrugged, absently brushing away some crumbs that Estelle had dropped onto her lap.
"I don't, but he never said anything, and I don't want to make him feel like he has to share his too."
"He could be thinking the same thing about you," Sally pointed out.
"Oh," Percy said, intelligently.
"Can Dick come over then?" Estelle asked, seemingly recovered, "I wanna show him my action figures."
Percy's face tightened, as she was reminded of how she had let him go. "I don't know, Stella," she managed to say, forcing her tone to remain casual.
Her sister twisted in her seat to look up at her, frowning. "But I wanna see him," she protested.
Although her sister was usually well-behaved, she was also still a child, and Percy could see the tantrum building behind her eyes. Percy shifted, trying desperately to think of a way to calm her, even though she couldn't say what the girl wanted to hear. Thankfully, her mom noticed her discomfort.
"Stella, honey, if you're done with your food, you still have homework to do," Sally interrupted, sending a girl a knowing look as she stood.
Estelle pouted, but then hopped off of Percy's lap and followed their gesturing mom out of the kitchen. After they had gone, Paul narrowed his eyes.
"Did he do something?" her stepdad asked, concerned, "Do I need to—"
"No, no," Percy cut in, then slumped miserably, "I think I did. I... chose Nightwing. I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" Paul said, incredulous.
She picked her head up to see his wide eyes, utensils resting on the plate as he stared at her.
"You were on his side," Percy stammered, "I don't know."
"Percy, stop," Paul frowned. She closed her mouth instantly, not used to seeing him this serious. "Us going back and forth, picking sides, we were just joking. I see now that we shouldn't have done that, so I'm the one who's sorry."
Percy opened her mouth to dismiss him, but the man held up a hand.
"But, none of that changes the fact that you didn't do anything wrong. It's not up to us what you decide, and if Estelle continues to bring it up, then your mother and I will speak to her. I'm proud of you, Percy, and I believe that you will do whatever is best for you."
Paul finished his rant, and this time, it was her turn to look at him with wide eyes. She felt a surge of love for him that hit the back of her eyes.
"Thanks, Paul," she mumbled, with a watery smile.
The man stood up and crossed the table, squeezing her shoulder and dropping a kiss into her hair. She had no idea how she had gotten so lucky to have him in her family, and she was too grateful to be able to put it into words, but the gentle smile he sent her when he asked for help cleaning up made it clear that he knew how she felt.
LINEBREAK
Percy leaned up against the back of a building, trying to stare up into the sky. The hot Texas sun glared back at her, creating spots in her vision that she had to blink away. Maybe she should ask Leo to put UV protection into her mask, she grumbled. At the very least, her suit was sleeveless, a brief source of respite in the heat.
Right on schedule, she heard the muted engines of a jet and glanced back up to the harsh sun to see an aircraft descend slowly to the small unpaved parking lot. The wheels clicked out, kicking up dust as they touched down.
When the ramp peeled open, Nightwing was walking down it, holding hands with Kai, guiding him off the plane. The boy looked much better than when they last saw him, Percy noticed, his skin almost completely back to a healthy hue. Kai stumbled briefly when he stepped onto the ground, but recovered quickly, and broke away from Nightwing to reach her.
She knelt, fingers brushing across his bare neck, power-suppressing collar no longer on, and gave him a brief hug.
"Thank you," he said, almost shyly.
"Of course," she replied, softly.
When she stood, Nightwing was behind him smiling slightly at the scene.
"Hope you didn't get in too much trouble last night," he teased.
"My little sister bawling her eyes out was punishment enough," Percy winced.
Over his shoulder, she saw another figure emerge. The new woman was clad in a cropped blue jacket, blonde hair spilling over its lapels, with a stern yet strangely welcoming look on her face. The Black Canary eyed Percy with interest as she stood at the edge of the ramp.
"So you're the person I have to thank for giving us Blockbuster," she said.
Percy frowned instantly. "And Nightwing."
Black Canary laughed sharply, glancing over to Nightwing with a look that she couldn't really decipher, despite the fact that the woman didn't wear a mask. Her partner tilted his head like he was rolling his eyes, but the side of his neck tinged faintly pink.
"I hear you're joining the league," she continued, ignoring Percy's previous statement.
Nightwing raised his eyebrows. "Did Diana tell you?"
"I have my sources," Canary hummed, secretively, and it sounded almost like a low buzz.
Percy didn't really know what was going on, but the woman didn't seem hostile, so she just scratched the back of her head.
"Apparently the council has to vote on it," she answered, shrugging, "So hopefully."
"You've got mine," Canary said, then smirked, "And Batman's."
The woman nodded to Nightwing, turned on her heel, and walked swiftly back up the ramp. In a matter of seconds, the jet's engines thrummed back to life and Percy cupped her hand over Kai's eyes against all the dust whirling around as the plane lifted back up into the sky.
"B must've told her something," Nightwing frowned, but Percy shrugged again.
She would find out eventually, and right now, they had something more important to handle. She looked down to meet Kai's gaze.
"You ready?" she asked, and the boy nodded determinedly. "Then let's go, we're only a few blocks away."
LINEBREAK
Perseus led them through the neighborhood like she knew the streets by heart. Dick had been a little nervous about civilians, but it seemed that most people were at work, or school, and if anyone saw them through the windows, they minded their own business.
In just a few minutes, they arrived at their destination, a large open-faced garage saddled next to a moderately-sized house made of pale stone. Instead of walking up to the front door, like he expected, Perseus guided them into the garage, around one of the large, suspended cars.
It was completely chaotic, Dick noticed upon entry, inventions decorating every corner, tools strewn haphazardly across the floor. It seemed like a nightmare for children, but when he glanced down at Kai, the boy looked excited, like he couldn't believe what he saw.
"Leo! Caly!" Perseus shouted over the constant low thrum of machinery, and it was Dick's first time hearing their names.
There was a faint crash in the distance, and the sound of rushed footsteps, before a guy stumbled into view. He had a shock of curly hair, machine grease streaked across his face, and a wild grin that made Dick instinctively take a step back. Behind him, a girl emerged much more calmly, with dark eyes and a strange, mystical sort of elegance.
"Kai, Nightwing," Perseus smiled, "Meet my friends Leo Valdez and Calypso."
"Like the goddess," Dick nodded in greeting.
Leo's lips pressed together, his eyes shining with mischief, while the girl in question just looked on, amused. Perseus's head swiveled slowly to look at Dick, staring at him with unexplainable weight.
"Oh," Dick said, flushing, as he realized she hadn't provided a last name.
It wasn't really his fault, his brain argued. He knew several other people with mythologically themed names, and none of them were actually who their names implied. Artemis, Diana, Persephone—Dick shut that thought down, hard.
"Anyways," Leo said, waving it off and looking down at why they were actually here, "Kai Rivera, right?"
The boy nodded, a little dazed as his eyes flitted between his new guardians and the rest of the garage.
"Great!" Leo exclaimed, "You're gonna love it here, I promise! I got your room all set up, and after you settle in, I'll give you a tour of all the machines, and we can meet the rest of the neighborhood kids—"
Suddenly, he paused, noticing that Kai was starting to look overwhelmed by the onslaught of information. "Hablas español?" he asked.
Kai's eyes widened, and he nodded enthusiastically. Leo immediately switched over to rapid-fire Spanish, speaking so fast even Dick was having a little trouble translating, but it seemed like Kai was having a much easier time keeping up.
"Son of Hephaestus," Perseus leaned over to whisper, "They'll fill Kai in eventually."
Dick figured that the guy was a demigod, but now he knew which one, and it make sense why he had built her suit.
"And in case you missed it, that's the real Cal—"
"I got it," he interrupted, with a pained smile, making her snicker.
"Esper—uh, wait," Kai suddenly said, catching their attention, "I have—powers, and I don't know if you..."
He trailed off, looking nervous again. As much as he seemed to already take to Leo, Dick knew Kai would never allow himself to be fully comfortable when there was always the possibility of fear.
"Lo sabía," Leo assured him, though his eyes glinted with curiosity, "What can you do?"
Kai glanced over at them, but Perseus nodded encouragingly. The boy swallowed and held out his hand, palm facing up. Nothing happened at first, but slowly, it started to glow, until his skin was bright red. Dick could feel the heat emanating, even from a few feet away.
Scared of their reaction, Kai tilted his head to the ground, but then Leo knelt in front of him.
"Wanna see what I can do?" he grinned, almost manic.
Wordlessly, Perseus extended her arm out to the side like a seatbelt, making Dick back up a step. Kai nodded, and Leo's head promptly burst into flames.
Dick's eyes widened at the same time Kai gasped. Behind them, Calypso shook her head fondly as the two boys started to laugh.
"You were right," Dick leaned over to Perseus, when his heart started beating again, "About him fitting in here, and about Leo being the right person to take him in."
"Thanks for believing me," she replied, smiling at him, and he had to remember they had an audience.
When Dick forced himself to turn back, Leo was touching Kai's still red-hot hand experimentally.
"Have you ever welded anything before?" he asked, grinning when the boy shook his head no. "First time for everything."
"Can I make a car?" Kai asked, excitedly.
"How about a dragon?" Leo asked, wiggling his eyebrows, as he pulled the now gaping boy into another room of the garage.
"So, Perseus," Calypso spoke up, watching them go. She said the name with weight, and it reminded Dick that these people knew who she was under the mask. He found himself feeling faintly jealous again, for an entirely different reason. "I hear you went missing again."
Perseus threw her hands up. "I swear, that's all anybody wants to talk about these days."
"Again?" Dick raised an eyebrow, "Exactly how many times have you done this?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, at the same time Calypso said, "Three."
He paused, and there was a small beat of charged silence.
"Mount Saint Helens," Calypso offered, with a small smirk, "When you came to my island—"
"Really don't think he needs to know about that," Perseus cut in.
"And the time you were gone for almost a year."
"That was so not my fault," his partner groaned.
"What about the thir—" Dick began to ask, but he didn't miss the way Perseus instantly tensed, so he dropped it. "I didn't know you got caught in that explosion," he said instead, deciding that the year-long thing was something he would definitely ask her about in private.
Calypso laughed, loudly, making Perseus hunch into herself slightly.
"I think I'm going to go make sure they are not burning down the building," the other girl said, shooting his partner a knowing look before leaving in the direction Leo and Kai had gone.
Dick turned, a question on his lips, but then he saw the almost guilty expression on Perseus's face, and something she had mentioned recently hit him, a title her father held. Earthshaker.
His mouth dropped open.
"Did you—"
"It was an accident!" she blurted out immediately.
"You made a volcano erupt," Dick echoed, each word impossibly slow, "By accident."
"Yes!" Perseus exclaimed, arms coming up in her defense, "Obviously I wouldn't have done it on purpose."
That was not even close to the point he was trying to make, but it was such a Perseus answer that Dick couldn't help but laugh, running a hand over his face disbelievingly.
"What's so damn funny?" she huffed, crossing her arms.
"How many surprise powers are you hiding from me?"
He meant it as a joke, he really did, but Perseus tilted her head, thinking.
"I can talk to fish."
Dick paused. "Does that mean every time you talked about James and Lula, you weren't just making up stories?"
"When did I say I was?" Perseus raised her chin, challengingly.
"I—" Dick furrowed his brow, "Does his mom really not like Lula because she can't hunt?"
"Nah, she got over it."
"Oh good, I was worried."
Dick looked at Perseus, unsure how they had gotten here in the conversation, but the minute he caught her fighting back a smile, she burst into laughter, and he couldn't help but join in.
LINEBREAK
Patrol that night was impossibly fun. Percy wasn't sure what had changed between them, since being around Nightwing had always been so comfortable, but it was like that feeling had swelled up, completely magnified.
The only unfortunate thing was that in the wake of Blockbuster's defeat, the city had quieted, and they roamed rooftops for nearly an hour without a single sign of a crime. It was supposed to be a good thing, but she only really saw Nightwing when things were going wrong, and she didn't like what the peace meant for their relationship.
"Should we call it a night?" she asked hesitantly, leaning against the edge of the roof.
A few feet away, Nightwing paused in his scan of their surroundings. As he gazed at her, Percy hoped to the gods that it was obvious what her own answer was.
"I don't want to," he admitted, and it made her sigh with relief. Then he smirked, "Come on, I know a spot."
Percy spluttered with laughter as he dove off the side of the building.
"That was so—" she huffed, jumping after him and catching up easily, "goddamn cheesy, and if anything, it's my spot—"
Nightwing just laughed, picking up the pace so she practically had to chase after him. Every so often, he would look back and wave, before flipping into another somersault Percy had no hope of recreating, just to show off, as if he knew exactly how much the grace of his moves distracted her.
Naturally, he got to the docks first, turning back when he reached the end and raising his arms like it was the end of an elaborate performance. Percy slowed into a walk, rolling her eyes as she made her way to him. When she got close, he brought a hand to his waist and actually folded to bow, so Percy placed her palm on his head and pushed.
Nightwing stumbled, yelping, as his foot hit the ledge and he slipped, falling backward into the harbor with a loud splash.
Percy squatted down, chin in her hand, and waited until he emerged. He shook his head, droplets spraying from his hair, but the drenched strands still fell limply across his forehead.
"Maybe I deserved that," he grinned up at her, completely unphased.
She couldn't help it. Almost entranced, Percy reached down to push his hair out of his face, except, as soon as her fingers made contact, Nightwing's arm shot up to grab her wrist. With one sharp tug, she teetered forward.
When she came back up laughing, her hair was wet, splayed over her shoulders, and her face was inches away from Nightwing's as he treaded water.
Percy tugged on her gut, just barely.
"Stop moving," she told him, "Just—relax your legs."
He shot her a slightly confused look but listened, slowly letting go control of his limbs until the water went almost still. It was nearly silent, no more splashing, just the quiet up and down of their bodies, bobbing along with the water.
"This feels weird," he admitted, "Floating without effort."
"That's 'cause I'm the one putting in the work," Percy shot back.
Nightwing's hand came across the surface to splash her, but the water turned around, hitting him in the face and making him splutter.
"Okay, okay," he relented, laughing and wiping his face, "Your turf, I get it."
They fell quiet again, smiles not quite leaving either of their faces, and he was so close Percy could see the texture of his cheeks, the divots in the leather of his mask, the creases of his lips. She swallowed, and she knew he saw the way her throat moved.
"What happens now?" she found herself asking softly.
Nightwing furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
"Now that Blockbuster isn't a threat, what happens?"
"Nothing, I guess," he hummed, "You're not used to the peace and quiet, are you?"
Percy pulled a face, before dropping it. "Lifetime of quests," she sighed, "It just kind of feels like I'm always waiting for something else to go wrong."
"I get it. Maybe not completely, but more than most. There's always another big villain to stop, but that's the thing, there's always another villain," he said, stressing the distinction, "We did good this time, saved a lot of people from getting hurt. And we're probably gonna have to do it again, but in the meantime, we're allowed to just enjoy the quiet."
She took a second to do just that, letting the water gently lap against their bodies, listening to the thrum of insects by the edge of the harbor.
"So we just, meet up for patrol, kick some mildly criminal ass, go home, then rinse and repeat?"
"Sounds kind of lame when you say it like that," he huffed, "But yeah."
Percy's face fell visibly. "But—" she chewed her lip, nervous all of a sudden even though that emotion in Nightwing's presence was absolutely ridiculous. She remembered what her mom said, that he could be feeling the same way, and took a deep breath. "But what about all the time in between?"
Nightwing stared at her, so intently that she could feel it through the whites of his mask, until a small smile crept into his lips.
"Give me your hands," he said, finally.
"What?" Percy blinked.
"Still don't trust me?" he teased.
"You know I do," she said, rolling her eyes, "But—whatever, fine, here."
Percy brought her arms out of the water, and Nightwing did the same with his, gripping her wrists gently, and pulling her hands to his face. He slowly guided her fingers over the leather, and as soon as Percy felt a soft buzz when her thumb brushed over a certain spot, she inhaled sharply, finally understanding what he was doing.
"Damn bat paranoia," she said, with a choked laugh.
Nightwing chuckled, pushing her other index finger against the top of his left brow. Percy felt another buzz as he showed her how to bypass the next locking mechanism.
"Last one," he told her, pressing down on both of her thumbs.
Fingers right up under his eyes, Percy felt the divot of his skull through the fabric and skin and heard a barely audible click. Nightwing's arms fell back to his sides.
"Take it off," he said, smiling.
Heart beating so impossibly fast she could've sworn he could hear it, Percy grasped the edge of the mask, and peeled it away.
Her brain stuttered to a complete halt.
"Oh," she whispered.
He opened his eyes, a shock of deep blue that crinkled at the corners as he grinned widely.
"Oh?" he echoed, "That's all I get?"
Percy blinked, feeling a rush of something completely indescribable shoot through her limbs.
Of course. Of course it was him. There was no one else in the entire world that could've been Nightwing.
"Oh," she repeated, unable to say anything else.
"I forgot," he said, eyes lighting up, "We've already met, that day in the alley, when you handcuffed me. Nice to properlymeet you, Sef, my name's—"
"Dick," she finished for him, breathlessly, making him raise his brows, "Dick Grayson."
Percy had seen that expression on his face nearly every day for the last few months, but all of a sudden it felt like the first time, and her heart stuttered in her chest.
"You know who I am?"
His surprise, the slight confusion that she no longer had to deduce by the downturn of his lips, because she could now see it clear as day in his eyes, as he asked if Percy knew who he was. As if she could ever forget.
The absurdity of it all, the way they had been dancing around each other for so long, the way she had spent hours upon hours beating herself up for liking two people who had been the exact same person all along. It bubbled up in her throat, and Percy couldn't help but let it out.
LINEBREAK
"You know who I am?" Dick asked, tilting his head.
He should feel bare, exposed, vulnerable even, out here in the open water, with the Nightwing symbol blazed across his chest and his mask gripped loosely in Perseus's fingers. But he didn't, not even a little bit. He did fidget in the silence that followed his question though, feeling the urge to kick his feet in the water and then reminding himself that he didn't need to tread, that she was holding them up with her powers.
Dick watched her process, wanting so badly to know what she was thinking. Maybe in some other situation, he would've teased her about rendering her speechless, but he had already brought up the night in the alley and she had barely reacted so now all he could do was wait.
Finally, her lips twisted, up, then down, and up again, and a strangled sound escaped her throat. Dick's brow furrowed in concern, but Perseus slapped a hand to her mouth, and the next noise that came through her fingers was a disbelieving laugh, that melted into almost a hysterical one.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, prying her hand free.
"We—" she gasped, between breaths, "We're so stupid. I just can't believe—"
She cut herself off, shaking her head, and the water around them rippled along, responding to her emotions.
"Sef, what are you talking about?" Dick asked, hands coming up to cup her face in an attempt to calm her down.
"This entire time, I just—" she wheezed, before finally, she stilled, looking at him properly.
When Perseus smiled, he felt her cheeks crease under his palms.
"Your turn."
She floated another inch closer, and a few feet under the surface, their knees knocked against each other. Brushing a few damp strands away, Dick complied, slotting his fingers under the edge of her mask as his brain kicked into overdrive.
Her reaction didn't make sense. We were so stupid, she had said. We. Both of them. Perseus recognized him the second he had revealed himself. She had said his name, not with surprise, but with an aching familiarity. This entire time. He didn't have many close, purely civilian friends, none that could have been demigods, and none that smiled at him like how Perseus was doing now, soft and bright all at the same time. Except one.
Heart hammering with the theory he desperately prayed was true, Dick lifted her mask.
It was just a single piece of fabric that separated the two, and the second it was gone, everything she had shared with him over the last few months slotted together like puzzle pieces. The penchant for trouble, the fighting, the summer camp, the plural use of god, the mysterious attackers in the alley that he now realized were monsters. She was right. They really were stupid.
As soon as the mask came off, and he saw Percy smiling at him, eyes sparkling the same color as the ocean, Dick leaned forward, one hand shifting to cup her neck, and pressed his lips against hers.
Her fingers instantly settled around his torso, pulling him in closer, until he was flush against her chest. It was like his entire body released a pent-up sigh, every stress that had built up wrestling with his feelings utterly melting away as she kissed him back.
He could have stayed like that forever, the taste of salt on his tongue, but out of breath and dizzy, and not just from the lack of air, Dick pulled away to meet her gaze again.
"Percy," he breathed, needing to say it once, and then hopefully over and over again. Her eyes were shining suspiciously as she nodded. "Are you—crying?"
"Yes," she sniffled.
"Why?" he asked, with a half laugh that got stuck in his throat.
"I'm crying because you are," she shot back, in the same tone.
"I'm not crying!"
Percy huffed, reaching up to his face with a fully dry hand and brushed her thumb along the underside of his eye. Dick felt the tear catch.
"Oh," he said, faintly, then tried for a teasing smirk but it just came out as a full smile, "That's just ocean water."
"My turf, Dick, remember?" she replied, laughing wetly, "I think I know the difference."
Everything hit him all over again, looking at Percy and hearing her say something else that directly linked her to Perseus. It couldn't have ever been anyone else, Dick realized.
He dropped his hands, wrapping them around her waist instead and resting his forehead against hers.
"Sef," he whispered, and she hummed in response, "I think—I love you."
Percy pulled her face back, a teasing smile at her mouth.
"It's a shame we're not on the same page," she said, mockingly serious, and Dick's heart might've skipped a beat, if her eyes hadn't completely given her away, "Because I know I'm in love with you."
Warmth spreading through his chest even in the cold November water, Dick felt his throat bubble with exasperated laughter. "I just didn't want to come on too strong," he protested, "I love you, I do—"
Percy laughed brightly, interrupting him. She draped her arms around his neck, and whatever else he might have stammered out was lost as she kissed him again, smiling against his lips.
A.N.
jfc finally :)
I hope you guys enjoyed this, and would love your thoughts <3
also i suck at real drawing so i used an image of jl: war's wonder woman by glee-chan on deviant art and added percy's suit + modifications. literally went fuckin bananas on picsart and the iphone photo markup feature, but it was so worth it.
anyways here are wing and sef posing for the camera. you see them standing over you like that wyd?