#but nonetheless i wish dick had been shown to remain in contact with her too

[roobylavender]

also something else tangential not to that ask but to the tangent of that ask: it is a wonder why the people to whom bruce affords the most interiority whether by circumstance of knowing him for so long (alfred, leslie) or by his own rare willingness to relent (talia), are never really used to help bolster understanding between him and his children despite the fact that they are aware of things the children aren’t. with alfred i think it owes to lack of consistency in his role from one writer to the next; sometimes he’s merely there for the occasional comedic quip, sometimes he has genuine commentary on bruce’s lifestyle and care for the children, other times he hardly exists as anything more than a prop who could just as easily be removed without any impact at all. talia is obv villainized before she has the chance to interact with any of bruce’s children in a truly constructive capacity. and then there’s leslie. i’m really curious why leslie (at least prior to war games) hasn’t been used more in this capacity. not that it’s the sole thing she should exist for but i think she offers a unique perspective in that while she does condemn vigilantism, she also understands where bruce is coming from and that his intentions are good, if misguided. so why is that never capitalized on to allow her to communicate with, if anyone at all, dick? i have far too many spiels on here about the leslie and jason potential but it’s really baffling to me there’s not a more significant rapport between her and dick considering the fact that year two and full circle establish her as having been a significant witness to dick entering bruce’s life. she was witness to him being partner to bruce for roughly a decade. how would that not result in some sort of relationship between them, and why wasn’t that ever used to provide a bridge to understanding bruce via the lenses of two very different people?

[nightglider124]

Stay The Night

So, I watched ‘Justice League VS Teen Titans’ the other night to amp my dickkory feels to motivate me to write an update for Bound but instead... this idea popped into my head. 

It’s based with DCAU at the end of the first TT movie.

We’re just ignoring the part at the end when you see Terra on her way to the tower. We’re pretending that doesn’t exist in this oneshot. K? Thnx. XD

Also; didn’t get a chance to update Bound today because I was writing this and now I’m about to work on another thing too so expect a Bound update on Sunday.

Hope ya like it. 

Kory reached into the large pizza box that Cyborg held in his hands, smiling when she noticed Damian sidling up beside her for the next slice.

She closed her eyes as she took a large bite, the mix of flavors tingling her taste buds. Cheese mixed with tomato, pepperoni and sausage; the spice from the meats making her want to nibble some more without bothering to swallow the first mouthful, but she reluctantly resisted the temptation. Pizza was worth savoring anyway.

She hummed a content sound to herself and sat on the sofa, surprised to see Damian sit down beside her. He had taken a seat on the far end but it was near enough and Kory decided to call that a positive. She hoped he would eventually warm up to them all in his own time; this entire situation with Trigon had already put him to the test and he’d shown great potential however, he still had a long way to go.

But, Kory focused on the good in him. He was trying and he was showing improvement nonetheless; no matter how small it was.

She smiled to herself as she leaned forward for the next bite of pizza.

Garfield hurried back over to his spot on the opposite sofa, grinning when Jaime gave him a playful shove and nodded towards the game controllers on the side table.

“Vic! Get your metal butt over here; you owe me a game from last time, remember?” Gar pointed out, smirking as he wolfed down his slice of pizza whole.

Cyborg chuckled and handed one box of pizza over to Kory, who placed it between her and Damian; something that seemed to perk the boy wonder up as he reached for another piece.

Raven then gracefully accepted the box of plain cheese pizza, taking a slice and lifting into a float, her legs crossed in a pretzel style, resting the box in her lap.

Kory smiled to herself; Diana had been right when she mentioned being proud of them. She was growing fonder and fonder of the little team crowded around the main room. She watched as Jaime showed off his bubbly nature that was occasionally so hidden by the burden of the scarab fused to his spine. Garfield; the goofball she had known from the day she crash landed on Earth. Even Raven appeared to be remaining in the room and socializing more than she usually ever did, opting for this instead of a night in her room with a novel.

And Damian, as much of a conundrum as he could be in the few days she had personally known him beyond Dick’s musings; he was still with them, hanging out. He could have easily gotten back from the depths of hell and gone to his room to brood and be alone however; he had chosen to remain with them.

Kory wouldn’t be drawing attention to that anytime soon but it made her inwardly very happy that he wasn’t running from them like he had in the first day of knowing them, refusing to so much as even acknowledge their existence.

There was a warm glow in her chest as she glanced around the room and she smiled to herself.

When Dick and the other former Titans had left to go and pursue different routes in their lives, Kory had felt panicked and concerned, figuring she would be all alone. Gar stayed; decided he wanted to play hero in a team for as long as possible even if the team member count had dwindled.

But, Kory had felt a sense of loss for a while and when the younger Titans had turned up, it was far from the wholesome family feel that the past Titans radiated. She wanted that feeling back and she hoped that the younger generation would allow her this, even if it did take baby steps to get there.

Suddenly, Kory’s thigh vibrated and she flinched, forgetting that her phone was stashed in the pocket of her purple skirt. Setting the crust of her pizza slice down in the box, she stood up and wandered into the hallway, pulling her phone out from the fabric confines.

She checked the caller ID and beamed, immediately accepting the call.

“Greetings,” She chirped, leaning her back against the wall, just outside the doors of the main room,

“Hey, beautiful. How are things?” Dick greeted, a rustling of wind in the background of his voice,

“Good. And you?” Kory replied, an ache of sadness blooming out of nowhere in her chest,

She had missed him these past few weeks. Less and less did they get the chance to talk with one another. Whilst Dick was doing his own thing in Bludhaven, he had been rarely available hence why she had been so very happy to see him when he dropped Damian off to them the few days beforehand.

In front of the Titans, they maintained an air of professionalism and tried to cover up the fact there was anything more between them although; Gar gave them cheeky grins anytime they were within a foot of each other. He knew the truth; being one of their longest friends and teammates. Kory had a sneaky suspicion Raven and Jaime and even Damian most likely knew the true nature of her relationship with Dick too but they wisely didn’t tease or question it.

Of course, she knew Dick tried his hardest to contact her most days, apologizing profusely when he missed a day or two. She couldn’t be angry with him in the slightest, he was trying and that was enough for her.

It didn’t stop that hollow feeling in her heart though.

Dick chuckled, “Things are fine down this way; criminals and assholes doing their usual activities.” He paused, “How has Damian been? Still ready to throw him out a window?”

Kory snorted and there was the familiar fluttering in her stomach that only Dick managed to conjure up inside of her, “Mm... no. It has shifted to... a mild annoyance but he is learning. He has proven already that he is capable of working within a team. It seems to help him mellow out a little.”

“Damian? Mellow? I’m sorry, Kory. I don’t think I heard you right.”

She grinned and shook her head, “You would be surprised. He is taking teamwork seriously so far.”

“Well, good.” Dick briefly stopped talking and sighed, “What happened?”

“What do you mean?” Kory wondered, idly twisting a lock of her hair around her index finger,

“I saw reports and feeds on the city. Demons... fire... I’m assuming it’s connected with Raven.” Dick murmured, his tone one of dread,

Kory exhaled and stared at the floor beneath her feet, “It was a... challenging day.”

“Kory...”

“We took care of it; as a team. There is much to tell you about it but just know; things were handled.” Kory reported back,

“Why didn’t you call me for backup?” He asked, his voice tinged with hurt,

“I... well... you are busy in Bludhaven... you’re not a Titan anymore-”

“You know I would be there in a heartbeat if you needed me, Kory.”

Kory felt unexpected tears prick her eyes and she argued with herself over why she was feeling so fragile. She pinned it down to missing and being so far from him. It wasn’t like he was in the room just next door anymore. He was her confidant; her trust and her heart.

It was difficult; the distance and the space between them.

“Kory?” Dick prompted,

“I know you would but it was under control... even Batman seemed impressed with our ability to save them and the world from demonic destruction.”

“Them?”

“As I said, I will need to update you on the details but... the league were affected by Trigon’s power.”

There was a long stretch of silence and she wondered if Dick sensed she was trying to steer the conversation back to the way it was going.

“Well, you guys must have really shown off if you saved the league from this thing.” He retorted, his voice softer now,

“I think it helped Damian to know Bruce was proud of what he had done.” Kory murmured,

“Sometimes, I think that’s all Damian wants; Bruce to be proud of him.” Dick admitted,

“Not always the easiest person to get that from.”

“Nope.”

The bout of silence returned and Kory chewed on her lower lip, unsure of what to say. There was an unspoken cloud that hung over them like this sometimes; when they had been apart for so long.

“So, what’re you guys doing now?” Dick asked,

Kory shook her head and forced an upbeat mindset, “Well, Victor came over and brought pizza with him. He and Garfield and Jaime are playing video games. Raven and Damian are even sitting in and watching. It is nice that they’re all socializing together.”

She heard the smile in his voice as he replied, “You’ve made a good team, Kory.”

Blushing, she rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see her.

“I have nothing to do with-”

“They’re becoming a good team because they have an amazing leader.” He told her, firmly,

She was quiet for a moment and shyly smiled to herself, “Thank you.”

He chuckled, “I knew I left the right person in charge.” He paused, “And you? Are you okay? Having fun with the others?”

“Of course.” She chirped, in a tone she hoped sounded convincing. It wasn’t that she wasn’t enjoying spending time with the team and Victor’s appearance certainly lifted her spirits but... she still wished someone else was with them and yet, he was not. She was talking to him over the phone instead of face to face.

“I miss you, y’know.” Dick blurted and Kory leaned further back against the wall, her eyes downcast. She inhaled deeply and felt a touch of hope swell within her.

“Perhaps... you could join us? If you are available... I-” He cut her off with an apologetic sigh,

“I can’t. I’m following a lead tonight on a string of recent thefts. Maybe next weekend?” He offered, trying to at least make up for his absence this evening,

Kory’s shoulders sagged and her heart sank, a crushed feeling sweeping through her. She knew what his answer would be; knew he was busy protecting Bludhaven and she couldn’t fault him for that. It was one of the reasons she loved him; his determination to help and protect the innocent from threats and danger.

But, she couldn’t help the disappointment that flowed through her.

“I’m sorry, Kory.” He told her, earnestly,

She closed her eyes and sniffled, shaking her head and smiling, “Do not be. It was merely a suggestion if you were able to. I understand.”

“I wish I could-”

“But you cannot. I know. You should go; you are busy and I should get back to the team. I believe they wish to start a movie night.” Kory replied, quickly.

“Kory-”

“I shall speak with you soon...” He paused, “I love you, Dick.”

He was silent for a moment before he exhaled and returned the sentiment, “I love you too. You know that, right?”

Kory felt another wave of sadness wash over her. She did know that but she sometimes considered their distant relationship; wondered if there would ever be a time where they didn’t communicate mostly through scattered calls and video chats.

“Of course I do.” Kory swallowed, “Bye, Dick.”

He bid her goodbye and Kory pulled her cell phone away from her ear, ending the call. She frowned and her brows knitted together as she drummed her fingertips against the back of the device, staring aimlessly at the wall opposite her.

“Kory! You in or out for movie night!?” Garfield shouted, “If you are; we’re doing this pajama style!”

Kory blinked before she burst out laughing, “I will be there in a moment!”

She smiled in the direction of the main room. Despite Dick not being able to spend time with her as much as either of them would like, she appreciated that she was not completely alone. She was in good company.

With that thought in her head, she walked towards her room, intending to do what had been asked of her and change into her bed clothes, consisting of an off the shoulder sweater that was a little too big for her and a pair of little grey shorts, revealing her long legs but it was nothing less than she showed in her uniform so she deemed it acceptable.

When she returned to the main room, she jerked in surprise. Gar had been busy shifting the couches around so they ran alongside each other rather than being situated opposite. Cyborg stood there chewing on a bite of pizza and watching as the changeling panted, out of breath from moving the furniture.

He stood back and grinned, dressed in his own pajama set, “There. Now, it’s better. It’s like a real movie night.”

Vic rolled his human eye and set the pizza down on the coffee table before making his way over to Kory. He threw an arm around her shoulders, “Everything okay there, Princess?” He paused and gave her a soft smile, “You were out on the phone for a while.”

Kory favored her friend with a warm smile and hugged him around his middle, “Everything is fine. Dick was checking in.”

“I don’t suppose the others know about you and- Oof!” He winced as Kory squeezed him that bit tighter,

“Possibly but... it is not a common topic no... I would prefer not to...” Kory murmured,

Vic held his hands up, “Right, right... I get it... keep it professional and all.” He tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eyes, “As long as everything is good between the two of you?”

She smiled, her heart swelling at Victor’s brotherly nature. He had always been this way and she cherished him for it; he made her feel looked after when she felt alone or upset,

“We are fine.” Kory told him, effectively shutting down his doubts.

He gave her one last squeeze and then released her, “Glad to hear it. Cute pj’s, by the way.”

Kory beamed at him and moved to help Gar with blankets.

Soon enough, Jaime emerged in his night clothes followed by Raven who had a book tucked under her arm but was still trying to be a team player by remaining out in the main room with them all.

Damian returned, maskless and wearing a simple pajama set consisting of a long sleeved red t-shirt and black sweatpants, surprising practically everyone else.

“What?” He snipped, brows creased and his arms folded over his chest,

“Nothing... just... weird seeing you not all, ‘I am robin merh!’” Gar admitted, puffing out his chest to impersonate him,

Damian scowled, “You said pajamas were a requirement for the movie night. I am obliging.”

Raven nudged Gar and gave him a look that asked him to give the uptight teen a break. Gar swallowed his laughter and nodded at Raven,

“That’s true. Glad you’re joining in.” Garfield smiled, earning a nod from the young, dark haired boy,

“I’m just glad none of ya’ll are opting for onesies.” Cyborg mentioned as he wandered in from the kitchen with three bowls of fresh popcorn which he placed on the coffee table,

Raven smirked and raised an eyebrow, “Onesies? Really?”

“I mean I have one but-” Gar mused but Jaime stared at him incredulously,

“How old even are you?” He snorted,

Gar huffed, “I’ll have you know onesies are appropriate for any age!”

“Mhm... keep telling yourself that.” Cyborg snarked, taking his seat in the middle of one sofa whilst Damian sat beside him. Raven curled up against the corner of the second sofa, opening the book she had to her bookmarked page.

Jaime sat beside her and rolled his eyes as Gar dropped to his knees in front of the large TV, sifting through the movie choices. Kory pushed thoughts of Dick and their relationship out of her head as she toyed with the silver bangle around her wrist; a present from her masked boyfriend himself. He’d gifted it to her after she had been with the former team for a whole year.

Of course, it had been a couple of months before they started dating so he was shy and awkward but completely adorable; especially when she gave him a big hug and a kiss to the cheek, making him turn as red as a tomato. It was something Wally still enjoyed teasing him about.

She let her fingers drop from the piece of jewelry and sat, cross legged on the end of the first sofa, just beside Cyborg.

“What movie are you putting on first, Garfield?” Kory asked, smiling at his enthusiasm,

He grinned and turned to her, holding out a DVD cover, “Bloodbath Baby doll 2!”

Kory grimaced but nodded so not to discourage his cheerfulness. Horror was not something she took great joy in watching; she’d witnessed enough in real life to last a lifetime. But, Garfield and Jaime were big fans so she endured it for them.

“Oooh! Is that the new one!?” Cyborg chimed in, sitting forward suddenly,

“Dude! You know it! Came out 2 weeks ago!” Gar squealed, inserting it into the player and jumping in his seat between Raven and Jaime.

He grabbed the remote and loudly hushed them all. Raven turned the page of her novel and raised a brow, “You’re the only one talking.”

Gar blinked and turned to her, “Technically you are now too.”

She rolled her indigo eyes at him, “Ooh. You got me.”

He smirked and turned back to the screen as the red, dripping letters of the movie’s title appeared. The blankets were tugged across their laps on each couch, Kory snuggling into the arm rest of the sofa, leaning her face against the cushioning.

She was half asleep when there was a beeping that came from the panel at the main doors. Cyborg was halfway through a cold slice of pizza, his wide eyes on the scene unfolding on the TV when it went off. He flinched and shook his head, brushing his hands together and stood up,

Garfield, with the blanket pulled to his mouth, eyed Cyborg going to answer the alert.

“Don’t! It’s gonna be the baby doll!” He whispered,

“If it is, we’re sacrificing you first.” Damian mumbled, his face bored as he watched the movie,

Cyborg rolled his human eye and went down to answer. Kory yawned behind her hand and rested her chin on her palm, considering letting herself just fall asleep. She had to admit, battling an interdimensional demon was pretty exhausting.

She heard the brief sound of the main doors opening again and Cyborg’s voice,

“Well, look here. Got another visitor.” Cyborg announced, the grin in his tone,

“Hey, Titans.”

Kory’s green eyes snapped open and she swiveled towards the deep voice, her heart racing like it so often did with him.

There he stood, in his dark, sleek uniform; the blue bird sweeping across his chest. She glanced up into his smiling face, looking quietly smug and pleased with himself.

“Grayson. What are you doing here?” Damian asked, mildly interested,

“Thought I’d stop by and see how you were settling in.” He explained, eyeing Kory who still appeared a bit shell-shocked at his appearance.

“Gee... thanks.” Damian deadpanned, returning his attention to the horror playing on screen.

Dick stepped into the room a little more, crouching down on the other side of the arm rest that Kory was leaning against.

“Hey.” He murmured,

“Nightwing... but you said-”

“I know... I was actually on my way here when I called you...” He grinned sheepishly, “Surprise?”

Kory blinked before she beamed at him with a happy glow that could rival that of the sun’s. He peeled his mask off so she could see his eyes and she inwardly cursed that she couldn’t casually lean in to kiss him like she wanted to. He sensed this and kissed her cheek, Cyborg’s bulk blocking them from the others if they were even looking in their direction.

“Told you I missed you.” Dick whispered as he pulled away from her cheek,

“Dick...” She murmured, already feeling the soaring of her mood.

It was so good to see him; even if it was only for a short while that he would be stopping by before heading home, it was enough for her. She was just happy to get 5 minutes with him in person.

He winked at her and stood up straight again, wandering around the sofa. He raised a brow at Cyborg and shooed him, “Make room, Vic.”

The half robot snorted but bit his tongue on commenting, opting to shuffle down the sofa instead. Kory offered the blanket to him which he took, sat between her and Vic and placed it back down across their laps.

Kory straightened up, feeling wide awake now. She couldn’t help the tiny smile on her lips as Dick shifted in his seat, leaning his shoulder against hers, just so they had contact.

“Would you like a drink or pizza, Dick?” She asked, politely,

“I’m okay, thanks, Kory.” He returned, glancing at her again.

She nodded as he flashed a smile her way before they both turned their attention to the movie. A woman was sprinting away from the demon baby doll that was wielding a machete.

“God, baby doll is gonna get her!” Garfield fretted,

Raven pulled a face, “If she wasn’t stupid like all horror movie characters, she’d know to run... I don’t know, maybe not into an alleyway with no escape.”

Jaime chuckled and looked at the empath with approval, her comment one of pure truth.

Kory found herself taking interest in the cliché slasher scene and jumped when she felt Dick’s hand on her thigh beneath the blanket.

Her cheeks became warm and she eyed him cautiously, silently asking what he was doing. Dick smirked and shook his head, indicating he wasn’t planning on being naughty or anything; not with the team around them.

She smiled and slid her hands under the blanket as well, finding his one against her skin. She touched his hand and he turned it over, intertwining their fingers. Kory felt a swell of love in her heart; it was such an innocent gesture but one that meant so much.

Kory clasped their joint hands with her other one and gently leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. Dick smiled and relaxed, kissing her hair briefly whilst Cyborg once again unknowingly provided them cover in the darkened room.

They stayed that way whilst the rest of the movie played out and resumed the same position when Garfield decided to have a movie encore with ‘Massacre Season 4’.

“Why do they bother with sequels when it’s the exact same thing each movie?” Dick voiced, narrowing his eyes at the screen and wondering if he had already seen it but ultimately realized it was ‘Massacre Season 2’ that he had seen.

Kory smirked and breathed in his scent as he moved the pad of his thumb in circles against the back of her hand.

Gar glared over at the man, “They are not the same.”

“Oh-ho but they are.” Vic chimed in, staring pointedly at the DVD cases on the floor; the image was identical bar different actors on the fronts.

The changeling followed his gaze and opened his mouth to fight it but seemed to understand that he would be fighting a losing battle. He clamped his mouth shut and turned away, huffing and grumbling under his breath, leaving Dick and Vic to chuckle.

By the end of the movie, time had ticked away and it had gotten late, the moon high in the sky outside of the tower.

Damian yawned as the credits rolled before he got to his feet and stretched his arms above his head, “Thank god that’s over.” He paused, “I thought I’d die of the boredom.”

“What!? That was horror at its finest!” Gar protested, brushing the popcorn kernels off of his lap.

The boy wonder pulled a face, “That’s a shame.”

Gar threw his hands up as he stood, “You are all terrible critics!”

Jaime rolled his shoulders and smirked, “Because not all of us agree that it’s the scariest thing ever?”

“Well yeah!” He paused and glanced down at Raven who was marking the page she was up to, “Right, Rae? It was scary, wasn’t it?”

Her dark eyes met his and she sighed, “Oh yeah. Petrifying. I don’t know how I’ll sleep tonight.”

Garfield frowned and crossed his arms, “You guys are young; you don’t know what good horror is yet but don’t worry, you’ll learn.”

Dick rolled his eyes as he got up from the couch. He turned and smiled at Kory, offering her a hand to help her up. She smiled and accepted it, letting him pull her up to his chest, sharing a moment of closeness before she cleared her throat and stepped away.

“Ahem...”

Raising his eyebrows, Dick looked back to see Vic cheekily waggling his fingers at him, “Where’s my helping hand, hm?”

Dick smirked and shrugged, “Beats me.”

Cyborg laughed and hauled himself up, following suit as everyone else.

Kory bent down slightly and began collecting the pizza boxes and empty glasses from the coffee table, carrying them through to the kitchen. She wasn’t much of a fan of leaving the place in a mess after they indulged in movie nights. Otherwise, it would be left until morning when it still wouldn’t be cleared away and the cycle wouldn’t end.

“Do you need some help, Kory?” Raven offered, her voice quiet with fatigue,

The Princess smiled at the girl who she had come to love a bit like a younger sister, “That’s alright, Raven. I can manage. You get some sleep.”

Raven hesitated but nodded and smiled, turning away and heading down the hall to her room.

Garfield yawned loudly and waved to Kory, Dick and Cyborg, “Night pals.”

Jaime shook his head and followed after with Damian scowling at Gar’s volume level,

“Does he need to be so loud?” Damian asked,

“Need to be? No but he chooses to... as annoying as it is.” Jaime muttered, “Night guys!”

“Goodnight.” Damian called, barely looking over his shoulder.

Kory smiled as she watched them all filter through the doors to get some rest, “Goodnight, Titans...” She softly replied,

She quietly hummed to herself as she filled up the basin with hot water, intent on cleaning the glasses now before she lost the motivation to do so.

Dick sat on the arm rest of the sofa, his eyes in her direction, merely watching her move. Cyborg whistled from behind him as he pressed at buttons on the console of his arm,

“I should get going too. Early session with the league.” He sighed,

“Sounds fun.” Dick teased,

Vic shrugged, “Y’know, you’d fit in well with them.”

“And be under the watch of Batman again?” Dick scoffed, “Pass. I’ve done my time of that already, thanks.”

Cyborg chuckled, “The suggestion is always there.”

“Yo, Princess...” Cyborg grinned and wandered into the kitchen to give Kory a kiss on the cheek, “Time for me to go.”

From what Dick could see, she gave him a hug and he heard her faintly speak,

“It was lovely to see you, Victor and thank you for helping us with Trigon.”

Dick felt a slightly sharp bolt of jealousy; Vic had been there to help them but he wasn’t. Inwardly, he tried to reason with himself. The league were involved in this whole thing which means Vic inevitably would have been too.

Still, he wished he could have given the Titans some help. He wished he could have given Kory some help.

There was a brief burst of laughter before Cyborg came ambling out of the kitchen again, “Night, Kory.” He called, waving over his shoulder,

Setting the last digits on his console, Cyborg set up a boom tube, a glowing portal manifesting behind him.

“Dick, you need a boom back to Bludhaven?” Vic queried,

Absently, Dick’s eyes shifted back to the humming woman in the kitchen and rubbed his neck, “Uh... no, I’m good. Thanks though.”

Vic followed his gaze and smirked, “Uh huh... I bet you are. Wanting some time with your lady?”

Dick narrowed his eyes at his friend, “Might wanna catch that portal before it closes. Goodnight, Vic.”

Laughter erupted from the cybernetic man and he shook his head, “Night Dick.” He bid before stepping through the portal and having it close up behind him.

Dick exhaled, glad that the room was finally empty and quiet, meaning he was free to go and greet Kory how he had initially wanted to.

Standing up, he followed the serene sound of her humming until he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, leaning up against the door frame. He stood and watched her a moment before he couldn’t help himself any longer.

He crossed the space between them, using his stealth skills to creep up on her. His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his broad chest.

Kory gasped and stiffened for the briefest of moments before she relaxed and leaned back on him,

“Dick?” She murmured,

“I should hope so since I’m assuming you don’t let anyone else hold you like this.” He whispered, kissing a spot just below her jaw,

She tilted her head, “Well...”

“Don’t even.” He hushed, making her giggle,

“I thought you would be going home with Cyborg’s boom tube.”

“Thought about it for all of a second but... I was kinda hoping to stay the night... if you don’t mind.”

She stilled and dried her hands with the paper towels just beside the basin, filled to the brim with sudsy bubbles. Kory turned slowly and her jade eyes locked on his cerulean ones,

“Really?” She whispered, her eyes on his lips,

“Well, yeah. It’s a long trip back and I’m tired and... you always warm me up so quickly when we have sleepovers.”

She laughed and rested her forehead against his, “I would love for you to stay.”

“Good because I’ve been meaning to do something since I got here.”

“What-”

He cut her off by pressing his lips against hers, one hand on the small of her back whilst the other traveled up the path of her spine, into her mane of fiery red hair until he cupped her cheek, angling her face towards his a little more so he could deepen their kiss.

Kory gave into a breathy sigh and her hands moved from being pressed to his chest to up and around his shoulders, pulling him close enough so that her breasts were flushed against his chest,

The heat grew between them, their lips never leaving the other’s for even a second. Dick was the one to take it further, teasing her and swiping his tongue along her bottom lip, seeking permission to engage in more play.

She giggled and obliged him, opening her mouth enough for him to entice hers out for some fun. The hand still on her lower back delved even lower until it found her backside. He grinned into their kiss and gave her ass a playful squeeze.

Kory gasped and broke away from him, swatting his chest, “You are terrible.” She laughed,

“I’m just a man who has been missing his girl, is all. I need to catch up on kisses.” He told her,

“Mm, that is true. You need to catch up.”

“And I mean... here’s hoping to more than just kisses tonight.”

Kory raised an eyebrow at him, “Someone is presumptuous...”

Dick smirked, “You know as well as I do that we both really enjoy it, Kory.”

She rolled her eyes, “Again... true.”

He chuckled and brushed a loose lock of red hair behind her ear, “I’ve really missed you, babe.”

“I have missed you as well... it’s been weeks since we’ve properly been together, Dick.” She whispered,

“I know, I know... I’ll try to make more time to come and visit. I’ve been really crap lately-”

“Not at all... you are constantly trying, my love and that is enough for me.”

Dick brushed his nose against hers, “I love you so much...”

Kory leaned into his hold and his touch, “Mm and I love you.”

He sighed and smiled at her, “So, you about done here?” He paused and smirked, “I want to get a head start on the ‘more than kisses’.”

She blinked and laughed, “You are impatient.”

“You just said it’s been weeks and... you try having your hand on your thigh for almost 3 hours without moving it any higher.” Dick complained,

Kory shook her head, her luminous eyes making his breath hitch in his throat,

“Well... I think... I am just about done so...”

He pecked her lips and released her, grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the doors,

“Let’s get going then.”

Kory giggled, her heart full and fluttering like the wings of a butterfly; a feeling he never failed to make her feel, no matter where or when.