stranger things | dick grayson

nineteen

word count: 3.1k

~

Opening her eyes, Eleanor winced at the pain in her back. It hasn't hurt like this in years, she thought to herself as she rolled onto her side and pushed herself onto her knees.

She looked at everyone else in the same position as her; confused, dazed, and in pain. She rose to her feet and helped both Jason and Kory stand up before looking out at the fog and smoke in the field in front of them. What the fuck happened?

Rachel then emerged from the smog, looking completely different from the last time Eleanor had seen her. A great weight was lifted off her shoulders knowing she was safe. Looking to her right, where Gar standing, Eleanor almost passed out when she saw the state he was in. He looked only minutes away from death.

'Gar!' She cried out and raced down the porch, almost knocking Hank over, and she would have if he hadn't jumped out of the way. Gar looked at her and laughed quietly as he stopped cradling his ribs to open his arms to welcome her.

'Oh thank God you're back to normal,' he muttered into her shoulder as Eleanor hugged him close, trying not to hurt him. 'You really did some damage, you know?' He laughed.

Eleanor's heart dropped to her stomach as she stepped back to observe the full extent of the damage.

'I did this to you?' She asked quietly, gently running her hand over the top of his head where his damp green hair sat. 'Gar, I am so sorry,' she said to him as he waved her off and gave her a small smile.

'It's okay. I know it wasn't really you,' he said, looking over her shoulder at Rachel and Dick.

Eleanor turned around and followed his stare before she sighed in relief, seeing Rachel and Dick approaching the house in one piece with smiles. It settled all the nerves she had. She patted Gar's shoulder gently before turning around and running over to the pair.

She barely slowed down before crashing into Dick, one arm going around his neck as her other went around Rachel's, pulling them both into a tight hug, causing them both to laugh.

'I'm so glad you're alright!' She said and looked at Rachel. Her arms were still firmly around them both, refusing to let them go.

Rachel now had a small red stone planted in the middle of her forehead, and her hair was shorter and somehow even more purple, but she looked the happiest Eleanor had ever seen her and that's all that mattered.

'I'm so sorry, I should never have left,' she said, taking a step back and finally letting them both go, but Dick let his hand remain on her hip.

'It's okay. We're fine.' Rachel smiled and looked at Dick who returned the gesture. 'Are you okay?' She asked Eleanor who glanced to her right at Gar, who was now by her side. She wrapped her arm around his neck gently and gave Rachel and Dick a smile.

'I'm okay.'

+

'Gotta' give it to you Rach, you really know how to throw a party,' Dawn said with a smile as she sat in the boot of her car.

Jason grinned and said, 'Yeah do it again, I love beating Dick's ass.'

Dick, who was walking past Jason, shoved him in the chest gently. 

'Keep dreaming bird boy,' he said and winked at Eleanor who shook her head and laughed.

'Nice one, really inventive.'

'I'll be here all week!' Dick chirped in reply.

Eleanor's stare lingered on Dick as he checked the oil in the car. She had never seen him be so casual, or better yet, in such a good mood. Only once had she ever seen him this happy, and that was when they were both far younger and just teenage vigilantes running around Gotham, playing their usual game of cat and mouse.