Comments | jla_watchtower: Guess who's coming to dinner?

oracle_watching in jla_watchtower

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Dec 14, 2006 15:49

I am a grown woman, Babs reminds herself as she rolls back and forth in the kitchen. I survived growing up in Gotham. I survived being shot by the Joker. I refused to sit in a corner and do nothing when so much was taken away from me.

The soup needs more pepper. The bread is ready to come out of the oven.

I lived through the year of No Man's ( Read more... )

nightwing, oracle, superman, mary grayson, lois lane

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oracle_watching December 28 2006, 03:30:02 UTC

After dessert, Babs suggests they all move into the living room. "Honey, do you think we need to put Mary in her hoverchair?" she asks Dick, looking at their daughter. "I don't want her annoying the Kents with her usual post-supper run-around."

_nightwing_ December 28 2006, 03:40:41 UTC

Mary needs a few wipes to the face and a brushoff, first. She burps somewhat loudly once her father's done.

Well, that was healthy. Yeah, I can do that.

He lifts her from the chair, tugging her bib free once she's situated in the small device.

No, no chasing the cat, kiddo.

_man_of_steel_ December 28 2006, 03:42:46 UTC

Clark chuckles at Mary's gas expulsion. "I'll score that a 5.2. Good volume, needs a bit more finesse. But then, that's true of most rookies."

oracle_watching December 28 2006, 03:45:32 UTC

The blush of a redhead is pretty noticeable. "We're still working on table manners. But she's doing much better with feeding herself these days."

_nightwing_ December 28 2006, 03:55:35 UTC

Dick grins. Mary gripes as she realizes she's being restrained rather than allowed to wander freely.

Anyone want coffee?

_man_of_steel_ December 28 2006, 15:00:59 UTC

"Sure. I'll be glad to help, too."

Glad to let the women chat for ahwile as well.

_nightwing_ December 28 2006, 15:11:59 UTC

Ooohboy. The grin tightens almost imperceptibly before he turns away.

Sure.

Dick heads to the kitchen. He knew it was coming. Sorta inevitable, really. He'd been meaning to talk to him anyway, right? God. Coffee. Think about the coffee. Don't think about S.T.A.R. in ruins. Don't think about breaking Bruce's back...

Too late.

Dammit. What is it about this guy that makes him feel three inches tall?

Filter. Mugs. Coffee.

_man_of_steel_ December 28 2006, 15:16:43 UTC

Clark looks over at what Dick's doing, and can't help but smile. "Dick, do you know you're about to make a pot of filtered oatmeal?"

_nightwing_ December 28 2006, 15:22:24 UTC

.....

Yeah, just like that.

Cringe. An embarrassed grin.

Heh. That's usually my first-thing-in-the-morning screwup... shows how little sleep I got last night.

The oatmeal's returned to the bag. COFFEE, Grayson. Jeez.

_man_of_steel_ December 28 2006, 17:08:24 UTC

Clark nods. "Dick, your heartrate just went up roughly 10 beats per minute. It's about the same everytime you're feeling like you're in the principal's office when you're around me." He reaches for the coffee. "Make you a deal. I brew, you talk. Now, what's up?"

_nightwing_ December 29 2006, 08:15:55 UTC

No, he thinks. It's infinitely worse. He really needs to work on that Zen thing. Dick stares at the coffee machine for a few moments, the muscle in his jawline tensing visibly. Unlike his adoptive father, he's never found it easy to keep his work and his personal life separate. Mouth suddenly dry, he hands off the coffee to the Krpytonian, and uses the pretense of getting mugs to get a little physical distance.

What's up? Where should he start?

He looks over his shoulder briefly, towards the living room and Barbara.

I meant to talk to you sooner, but... uh. I've been...

Avoiding it.

...preoccupied.

_man_of_steel_ December 29 2006, 16:51:12 UTC

Avoiding it.

"OK." Is all he says, pouring coffee into a filter.

_nightwing_ December 29 2006, 16:57:19 UTC

He turns around, folding his arms across his chest as he leans against the counter.

It's about the incident at S.T.A.R.

_man_of_steel_ December 29 2006, 19:32:29 UTC

"Yeah, that. BTW, tell Grant he packs a mean punch." Clark smiles. "Anyways, what about that incident has you so uptight nearly two months later?" He pauses. "You know, if I personally or professionally had an issue with you regarding the incident, I would have come to you first."

_nightwing_ December 29 2006, 19:41:29 UTC

Has it really been two months already? It doesn't feel like it.

I know that, sir. Logically.

Habit.

I know we weren't exactly firing on all our own cylinders there. And I saw what it did to us, to our morale. I was the one who made the call for us to go out there, influenced or not, and that makes me responsible - for the Titans' actions as well as my own. We let everyone down, and we hurt innocent people in the process, and that... that's what stings the most. I wish I could say it'll never happen again, but I can't do that. I can't guarantee it. We saw sides of ourselves we'd never --

A break, as he looks toward the refrigerator as if looking for inspiration.

-- that we hoped we'd never see again. And for that, sir... I'm sorry.

_man_of_steel_ December 31 2006, 00:27:27 UTC

"And don't be surprised if you're forced to go there again, and again, and again." Clark says plainly. "If I had a buck for every time someone bent on world domination tried and succeeded to bend my mind to their will, I could buy Wayne Enterprises. Almost." Clark puts a hand on Dick's shoulders. "What makes us who we are is how we deal with times like this. We can either retreat into fear, regress into anger - or stand and face what comes. Both of your fathers raised you well enough to know that you'll always face what comes. So will they ( ... )

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