stranger things | dick grayson

thirty

word count: 3k

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Eleanor nodded at the security guard, who had held the door open for her as she entered the small room that contained the one person she never wanted to see ever again.

Floyd smiled when he saw her before awing loudly as he took in her appearance.

'Eleanor! Have you done something to your hair?' He asked her as she sat down across from him. 'It's looking rather healthy.'

'Let's get one thing straight, Floyd. You're dead to me. The only reason I'm here is because of Zoe... Why'd you sign her over to me?' She asked and crossed her right leg over her left. 'I know she has a Godfather and I ran a background check on him, he is more than capable of looking after her. So why me?'

Floyd sighed and licked his teeth. 

'I know our mutual ground is Zoe. And I signed her over to you 'cause no matter what you say, or do, I know you won't do anything to fuck it up for her,' he said and titled his head to the side. 'Besides, she knows you. She doesn't know her Godfather and I'd rather keep it that way.'

'Maybe... Does she know?' She asked and raised her eyebrows. 'About...' She glanced over her shoulder at the doorway. She didn't know who was listening.

'She's smart. She's figured out bits and pieces over the years, but not everything. She knows I had something to do with it, but not that it was entirely me. But you know how teenage girls are, they pick one thing to base their entire personality on and obsess over it. She just doesn't know about you. I couldn't tell her...'

'Because it would come back on to you?' When he nodded, Eleanor barked with a short laugh. 'That doesn't surprise me... I haven't left that life, Floyd. If she comes with me she's in just as much danger as she would be with having you around.'

'But you'll protect her, won't you? Give her a good life?' Floyd asked with a small plea.

Without a waver in her voice or emotion, Eleanor confirmed, 'The best I can... Floyd, it's just not a good idea.'

'But I know...'

'We're up against Slade,' she said, raising her voice a little as she pushed the tip of her finger into the table.

Floyd sat up taller as his face evened out. If he was ever given the opportunity to have one last round with Deathstroke, Floyd would take it in a heartbeat not caring about the risk of it all. Their feud had been running for many many years and until one of them dies, it will never end.

'We couldn't beat him and my family split apart because of it. There is no telling if he's done or if he's going to hunt us all down one by one and kill us, Floyd. I don't want to be dragging Zoe through that, she's too young. She's too young for any of this.'

'You were young.'

'Yeah, thanks for that by the way.'

'I don't want her with anybody else but you. I know we don't get along, but there are still certain... aspects about you that I respect and admire, and looking out for Zoe is one of them.' Eleanor sighed but remained silent. There was no way this is how she ended up becoming a parent. 'It's settled then. You're going home with another addition to your little brat pack, but you will treat her like a queen, Lynn. Got it? You will treat her like she was your own.'

Eleanor stood up and knocked on the table with her finger knuckle. 

'You're the last person to be giving advice on raising children. See you around, Floyd.'