no rest for the wicked [jason todd]

four

BARBARA GORDON

was no liar. She showed up at Tye's first appointment, leaning over one of the chairs and idly chatting with the man by her side. He wasn't particularly her type; he was, however, the kind of guy that seemed to be everyone's type. He was gorgeous, chiselled features, a smile that could blind someone and a laugh that she could only describe as the sound of an angel who'd somehow managed to get himself on Earth.

However, that was no surprise, because he was a celebrity. At least in Gotham, where they happened to live. A police officer himself -- for a different force, but still, a celebrity nonetheless. 

Dick Grayson, who was staring at her right now with a smile. His mouth seemed to be moving, but she wasn't quite registering his words. She couldn't even register Barbara when the woman smiled and offered her a hand. Her mouth was dry.

This was real. She was really doing this.

"Woah, no you don't," Barbara said, grabbing her wrists. She hadn't even noticed that she'd started tipping backward, almost like she was about to fall. "This -- what you're doing -- it's important. We need you on this, we really do. For the safety of Gotham and her citizens, okay? I'm... Tech savvy. Just here to help you with information and walking you through everything."

Dick offered a brief smile. "She's right," he said, "this is an important thing, and you look pretty trustworthy. I'm glad you're the one on this case."

"What colour?" The hair colorist said. "Brown?"

"Brown would look nice," Barbara mused, and then reached out for Tye's hair, pausing, "can I?" She added. Tye gave a nod, allowing the girl to gently touch her hair. "Add some blonde highlights after," she told the colorist, "she'll look fine."

"If you mean amazing, yeah, fine," Dick said and earned a snort from Barbara. "Sorry, Babs. Promise I'm not flirting with anyone. Just you for me." He winked at her, and Barbara, she looked away, eyebrows furrowed. His face fell slightly when she wasn't looking, smile fading into a little frown.

There was tension there that Tye didn't want to ask about.

...

A few hours later, somehow Dick didn't end up leaving, even when Barbara promised she had to run and that she'd be back later. "So," he said, taking a seat down next to her while she stretched, "dancing. That's cool, uh, you know, lots of upper body strength in that -- and core -- are you..."

"Are you asking if I work out?" Tye asked, sitting up straight and raising an eyebrow, "nice. Yeah, I'm strong, relatively. Did a thing for my friend's bachelor party once. Kinda like this, except they were all my friends, and it wasn't that, uh... Impressive, since I was absolutely hammered, but..." She realized she was probably rambling and clamped her mouth shut, cheeks going red. "Sorry. Yeah though, I can handle it."

Dick offered a little shrug. "I can help you stretch," he offered, "I'm pretty flexible."

"Hmm?" Tye turned and raised her eyebrows. Dick, giving a little sheepish smile, looked around. 

"I can stretch with you," he offered, "then I'll show you what I can do, deal? In exchange, I'm dragging you out for coffee tomorrow. I mean, did I tell you I'd see you tonight? I'm gonna be there, keeping an eye out."

Tye raised her eyebrows. "Bartender?" She asked.

"Yeah, it was either that or a bouncer, which I don't think I could pull off that well. I don't have the grumpy, mean face for it," Dick admitted. He leaned over, touching one toe with complete ease, like he wasn't even stretching anything. Clearly, he was just doing this to amuse her sanity. He pushed one finger each into the dimples on his cheeks, pulling his smile wider. "See?" He said, dropping his hands.

Tye gave a little giggle and turned away, rolling her shoulder. "So," she began, "this is silent. I'm no good at silent."

"Okay," Dick offered, "tell me a story."

Tye paused, pulling her eyebrows together, and gave him an exasperated look. It even caused him to laugh, turning away and shaking his head. "You reminded me of someone right then," he said. "Hit me with your life story, not a bedtime one."

"Do you need tissues?" Tye finally mumbled, before continuing, "you might need some tissues." She tossed him a loose smile and then shrugged. "When I was three months old, my mom passed away. I didn't know her, so don't go apologizing, but my dad just wanted to take care of me." She paused.

"He uh, he did some bad things, namely dealing, but he got into his own stash and he got hooked. Couldn't stop him, and he kinda faded into... Well, being so high all the time I couldn't hold a conversation with him. I was around... Sixteen then. I took to stealing," She paused, biting on her cheek, and wondered if she was going too graphic.

She glanced up at him, sniffling, and said, "Joined up, got sent home on involuntary discharge and then settled back down here," She pat the floor, "I came home."

"Oh jeez," Dick said, his eyes immediately going all wide and startled like a deer in the headlights. He repeated the same two words as he turned away, shaking his head in disappointment. "I shouldn't have asked. Forgive me?" He pulled his eyebrows as he tossed her a glance, and Tye, she only smiled.

"Forgiven if you tell me what's up with you and Barbara," she mused.

She moved onto a standing position despite Dick's seemingly permanent placement on the floor now. "Well, we've known each other since highschool," he offered.

"Been through a lot. She was kinda a steady relationship in my life after my parents died. I needed her, and..." He shrugged, lifting his shoulders. "I proposed, a couple times, but she always shot me down, so I tried to move on."

"It didn't work," Tye guessed. "It doesn't seem like it did, at least."

Dick smiled. "It didn't, it hasn't yet, but I'll hold hope. Now," he stood, moving over to her. "Told you I'd help you stretch. Lie down."

...
author's note:
schools finally ending so I can write more of these disasters of fics.

if you didn't know, there's another one!
it's young & a menace and its with yo fave brat, Damian Wayne.