ROGUE| DICK GRAYSON

xxxiv. boy of steel

It was Christmas Eve and Rowan snuggled closer to Dick.

The whole team sat in the living room of the cave, talking with each other. Rogue and Robin were on the couch, whispering to each other. KF was currently trying to flirt with M'gann while Superboy and Artemis glared at him. And, Aqualad sat on the couch, watching the whole thing play out.

"Hello, Megan," The martian said, "Let's open up the presents!"

Everyone nodded, sitting on the floor in a circle. Every hero held one gift to give to their secret Santa.

Rowan smiled at the redhead, "How about you go first, M'gann?" The brunette put her head on Robin's shoulder while he had his arm around her waist.

The martian squealed and immediately handed the bag to Kaldur who took it with a smile. He reached into the gift and found an anklet that had puka shells on it. The thread was blue and yellow with a small starfish charm on it.

"I did some research and found out you don't have puka shells in Atlantis. So, I had to buy you it!" 

Kaldur gave her a grateful smile, "Thank you, M'gann. I will cherish this." Then, he grabbed his gift and gave it to Dick who had to pull his hand away from Rowan's waist to grab the present.

Robin grinned and immediately unwrapped it to find a comic. But, it wasn't any comic book, it was one about Rogue and Robin. Dick looked up at Kaldur with awe, "There are comics with us?"

"Yes, my friend. Apparently, many find you guys—as M'gann calls it—cute."

Rowan giggled and grabbed the comic out of the boy's hands. She flipped through a few pages and laughed, "Holy shit. They see me as the one who wears the pants in the relationship." Robin just mocked her laugh and snatched it back. Then, he grabbed his gift and slid it over to the girl, "Wow, how sweet."

Dick playfully hit her arm and then gestured to the present, "Open it." She laughed and unwrapped the small box. 

It was a necklace. Not any kind of necklace, either. It was a gold necklace with real, tiny diamonds around the chain of it. But, that wasn't what caught her attention. It was the anchor that was connected to the chain.

A note was also in the box, so she put down the necklace and unfolded the letter. She could hear everyone else talking to each other as Dick just watched her.

The note read,

Dear Rowan,

 I always thought letters were a romantic gesture, so I'm trying, truly. I just wanted to say a few words about the necklace.

I originally was going to get you a gag gift, but then Bruce was talking to me about how women love jewelry. But, I never see you wearing jewelry, except that red bracelet from the circus. So, I was back to square one, but then I saw this necklace from a shop window and it reminded me of you.

You are my anchor, Rowan. You keep me grounded and make me feel loved. You always make sure I'm okay and I'm comfortable. You make me laugh and I adore you.

I love you so much, Row. Never forget that.

Your sweetheart,
       Dick Grayson

Tears pricked the girl's eyes. He loved her and she was leaving him. What kind of monster was she?

"Was the letter that good?" Artemis asked with furrowed eyebrows. Everyone else glanced at her, never seeing her cry.