#im also like unsure about the characterisation of gar and rachel

[amvhel]

headaches

Hello again!

I was really in the mood to write so I went with this! I haven't seen any of the new episodes of Titans yet so please forgive me if anything is incorrect. I'm also not entirely happy with it but I wanted to get it out anyway.

I also wanted to touch back to everything with the nuclear family and the organisation cos I just feel like trauma is something you always have to deal with and overcome, especially since it hasn't been that long, I don't know.

Thank you so much if you've taken the time to read this, it all very lovely!

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The first and only thing Kory saw when she stepped out of the car was the blur of the green and purple tornado whizzing toward her right before it hit. The sheer force almost knocked her back through the open door if it weren’t for the grip of the slender arms around her.

‘Kory! We’re so glad you’re okay!’

‘Kory! We’re so glad you’re okay!’

Rachel and Gar’s overlapping voices filled her chest with a tenderness she had forgotten she was missing. The few months without them was a lot tougher than she’d expected, the focus on her quest being the only thing keeping her mind off them. But now, as they were wrapped around her, she allowed herself to bask in their warmth, encasing them both in an equally tight embrace.

‘Hi, guys.’ Kory let out a chuckle, gripping them just a bit tighter before releasing them. ‘I missed you.’ They both grinned up at her, eyes bright with excitement.

‘We missed you too!’ Again, they spoke in unison, causing Kory to frown. This was getting creepy.

‘Um, by any chance did Dick brainwash you guys while I was away?’  Kory questioned, only half joking.

Flashes of the nuclear family zipped through her memories, all of which endorsing the lunacy that was grappling with the lucidity of her psyche. She had spent the last three months trying to gain control of her sanity but moments like this, of pure vulnerability made it difficult to maintain that progress. If you could call it progress at all. She’d tried very hard over the last 3 months to manage her emotions as best she could until she felt it was time to process them for real and this was not that time. So, yet again she locked up that part of her brain and focused on this moment and appreciating being back with her family.

‘Hey, you tell me what else you’re supposed to do when you become the father of 3 rugrats.’

Kory lifted her eyes to meet Dick’s, her heart immediately dropping to her stomach despite a calmness simultaneously overtaking the rest of her body.  His mahogany eyes were wide with shock. She felt a flicker of confusion before realising that Dick hadn’t seen her with her new look. She felt uncharacteristically shy as he observed her, assessing her from head to toe. A small percentage of her wanted him to like it but the rational part knew that she didn’t need his approval. That being said, if the way his face lit up was any indication, it was definitely a positive reaction.  

‘Hi,’ she greeted simply. She’d missed him a lot, a lot more than she’d care to admit to herself. But as much as she’d missed him, his absence in her life left a heavy weight on her chest, one that she wasn’t planning to let go any time soon.

‘Hi.’ The corners of Dick’s lips lifted into a tense smile, the rest of his face betraying his true emotions. She’d seen that look once before, outside of the warehouse that sheltered her ship. Gentle but mystified; it was a look that said ‘I want so badly to help you but I don’t know a clue how to even start.’

‘How are you?’ The pull between them was magnified now they were in such close vicinity to each other and Dick was beginning to feel the effects of her presence at full force. ‘I mean - how have you been? Not how are you now, because you know...you can’t be great. What with being kidnapped and everything’ There was never a time where Dick had wished that the earth would swallow him up more than right at this moment. Even more so when his words were met with three separate raised eyebrows.

‘Uh, why don’t you guys go inside and get us some drinks ready and we’ll follow you in just a minute.’ Kory gave a comforting look to the two teenagers who gave her two tremulous smiles in response before Gar bolted up the concrete steps into the house, Rachel following behind at a slower pace.

Kory duplicated their steps but stopped when she reached Dick’s place in the doorway, her shoulder brushing his. Her body hummed being close to him and it ached to touch his. However, this intensity reminded her that she hadn’t felt it in months and he had in fact gone 3 months without even contacting her. She allowed herself to let this fury to grow sufficiently enough to steel herself in preparation for the difficult conversation she knew neither of them wanted to have but absolutely needed to.  

Leaning in close enough to hear Dick’s sharp inhale of breath she whispered ‘Why don’t you drop by whichever room is mine when the kids are asleep. I think we’re long overdue for a chat.’ Kory shifted back to catch his eye with a fierce stare. ‘Don’t you?’

Not even awaiting his reply, she stepped over the door frame of the building; the clacking of her heels strutting down the hallway mimicking the hands of a clock, winding down to his demise.

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Hours and what felt like a 90 slide presentation from Rachel and Gar later, Kory finally found herself alone in her designated room. They had given her the run down over dinner; about training with Dick, Rose as a new addition, the oddly normal life felt before Dick had sent them to bed, reminding them that they had to be up early for training.

Whilst it was lovely to spend time with the kids and watch their enthusiasm, the overload of information had left a dull painful ache in her head and she wanted nothing more than a peaceful nights rest. But tonight, it seemed like she wasn’t going to get what she wanted.

She restrained herself from letting out a long, unpleasant groan when a knock sounded from the door of her bedroom. She remembered her earlier issued semi warning intensely regretting it, knowing it was Dick on the other side of the door. She lifted her torso off the double bed despite her body begging her not to and made her way to the door, swinging it open.

‘Dick, I’m sorry. I was angry and I thought I wanted to hash this out tonight but I have a headache and I’m honestly so tired. Can we please talk about this in the mor-.’ Kory’s words were unexpectedly cut off by the vice of arms lifting her off the ground, leaving her unable to see nothing but a sea of white ceiling.

The hug was over almost as quickly as it began, leaving Kory breathless and unsteady on her feet. She steadied herself before dropping her eyes from the ceiling to meet Dick’s apologetic face.

‘Sorry it’s just - Can I come in?’ His request was met with a sigh as Kory stepped aside to let him in and closed the door behind him.

She leaned across the doorframe, watching as Dick made a beeline straight for the bed before settling down on it. He looked up at her pleadingly, silently asking her to take a seat next to him. To which she ignored, if he wanted to do this now then she needed to keep a clear head and that wasn’t going to happen whilst she was anywhere near him.

‘You’re awfully affectionate for someone who hasn’t made contact in 3 months.’ Kory remarked dryly, fiddling with the hem of the pink panda pyjama shorts she’d been given during her abduction. Attempting to suppress her time connecting with her home planet, she made her way to the vacant wheelie chair at the desk opposite the bed currently accommodating Dick.

‘Obviously you’re within your right to be angry but please hear me out.’ Dick leaned forward, dropping his elbows to his knees, a coil of hair flopping against his forehead.

Kory ignored the urge to swipe it back with the rest of his chestnut locks instead used her exhaustion her shield herself from succumbing to him before her point is made.

‘I’m listening. Make your point.’ She retorted, leaning back in the chair.

‘You said you needed your space and I was trying to give you that. Every time I was going through something you gave me what I needed; I was just trying to do the same for you, you know? You pushed me to talk when I didn’t think I needed it but you also gave me space when I said I wanted it. I was just trying to give you the same courtesy. Wait for you to come back to me. I just didn’t think it would take 3 months. I swear to you I wanted to call.  Every day. A-And it’s a weak excuse I know but you always wanted me to be honest. So I’m being honest.’ Dick confessed, feeling a little tight along the collar with his admission.

Kory didn’t respond right away, part of her wanting him to sweat a little and the other part of her genuinely considering his words, knowing he was right. If it were anyone else then this declaration wouldn’t uphold his radio silence. Yet she knew of his control issues, his trauma, his emotional stuntedness. Knowing that every admission like this was a step forward.

So instead of replying, Kory stood, slow and deliberate, watching him watch her saunter over to him. Settling herself next to him, she grabbed his hand from thigh threading her fingers through his.

‘Okay.’ She relented.

‘Okay?’  

‘Okay, I forgive you. I mean I could of reached out too I guess.’ She added smiling coyly, rolling her eyes to the ceiling before meeting his.

Dick let out a breathy chuckle clutching her fingers tighter, feeling a heat bloom across his chest. ‘So what happened with you? Obviously I’m glad you’re okay but-’

‘I’d rather not talk about it, now. I’m not even sure I understand it enough to talk about it,’ Kory shuffled closer to him, their legs now touching, leaning her head on his shoulder. ‘But once I do, you’ll be the first to know.’  

Dick moved his head to look down at her, grateful that he could do so with ease but missing dearly the mass of coils that usually sat atop her head. She was beautiful with her new look but her curls gave her an element of individuality that he loved. Coupled with the extravagant outfits she wore, it was safe to say that this was a drastic change, one Dick wasn’t sure he liked entirely.

Kory looked up at him then, gazing at him through her eyelashes, eyes sultry and inviting. Dick suddenly felt as if there wasn’t enough air in the room, as if it had all been replaced by her intoxicating scent; earthy and rosy and every bit as delicious as her. The look Kory was giving him set his skin on fire and he could hear nothing but his heart thumping in his ears. Kory abruptly let go of his hand and opted instead to swing her leg over his, settling herself comfortably on his lap. There was no longer a single thought in Dick’s mind, his body acting on its own accord and pulling Kory closer to him, their chests now flush against each other.

‘I thought you had a headache?’ Dick’s voice sounded foreign to him, low and breathless.

Kory looked down to him, eyes dark and filled with desire. ‘Hm, did I? You do know what the best cure for a headache is don’t you?’ She lifted her arms to rest on his shoulders, her bottom half shifting in a way that caused a shudder to roll through him. Simultaneously wanting her to do it again but unsure of whether he could handle it if she did.

Dick took the plunge and closed the gap between them, pressing his lips firmly to hers. God he’d missed how she felt. How soft and supple her lips were, how warm and perfect she felt in his arms and how irresistible she was. He pulled her even closer crushing her to him, wanting to be as close to her as he could possibly get.

He broke the kiss to lift them both, swinging her so she fell roughly against the mattress underneath, causing a surprised but delighted squeal from Kory. Hovering above her, he pressed his lips behind her ear before making his way down her neck, earning him a gratifying breathless moan from Kory as her eyes fluttered closed.

Dick paused as he reached the collar of her shirt, leaning back to look at her. He wanted to suspend this moment, after so much time apart it felt unreal that she was here with him, in his arms. Kory swept her eyelashes upwards to see the gentle smile Dick was giving her, unable to stop her own from spreading.

‘What?’ She questioned, feeling slightly self conscious from his staring.

‘Nothing. I missed you, that’s all.’ He revealed, smile growing nervous.

Kory felt touched by his words, taken aback by his honesty.

‘I missed you too.’ She whispered softly. Looping her arms around his neck, she grinned up at him as she said, ‘Why don’t you show me how much you missed me?’  

Her order was met with a mischievous spark in Dick’s eye right before he bent his head down to capture her lips with his own once more.

The throbbing in her head a distant memory.