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Dick paced around the whole of his living room, practically shaking with anxiety. He knew what he had to do even if he didn’t fully want it. He had lived in Gotham most of his life at this point. It was his home. His family was there. The woman he loved was here. And yet… he was drowning in it. He felt lost in a way he hadn’t for a very long time.
Bludhaven was a place that was also lost. It was drowning in the same way that Gotham always seemed to be. It needed a hero. A savior. And he thought to himself; why not me? It seemed like the perfect plan. Get out from under the weight of Gotham and find himself somewhere else. Be more than Bruce’s protege. Be more than Robin. Hell, be more than Nightwing.
But the thing that tethered him was Barbara.
“It’ll be okay,” she said.
He took a deep breath, “Will it? Will we?”
“Of course, boy wonder.”
Dick felt the corner of his mouth tug at the familiar nickname even if it didn’t fully sooth his nerves.
“We all understand why you’re doing this,” she said.
He ran his hands through his hair, giving the ends a swift tug. “I know you do. You’ve all been great.”
He walked over to her and rested on his knees, “I just don’t know what I’ll do without you.”
She smiled and rested one hand on his cheek, “I’m just a phone call and a plane ride away, you know this.”
“Yeah, yeah I do.”
~
She watched as he packed up his things into the moving truck, her throat tightening with every passing moment. Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched him swipe at his eyes, as he breathed deeply as their minutes together passed by.
Dick hopped out of the truck and made his way over to her. She didn’t miss the way his hands shook as he kneeled in front of her. She reached up and wrapped her hands around his face as he gave her a wavering smile. They leaned into each other, foreheads touching. She took a moment to breathe in his scent.
“Tell me to stay,” Dick whispered.
At that, Barbara let out a soft laugh. “I can’t do that, Dick.”
He bit down on his bottom lip, “I know.”
She ran her thumbs over the arcs of his cheekbones as they continued to breathe together. He slowly laid his head in her lap, his tears falling onto her thighs. Her own tears cascaded down her face as she ran her fingers through his hair. This wasn’t fair, truly.
Dick lifted his head and looked into her eyes. Green, like the forest. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
They leaned in and pressed their lips together. Barbara wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tighter, wishing and hoping that this would carry her for until she would see him again. But eventually, they had to depart from each other.
“Call me when you get there,” she said.
Dick raised his hand and ran his thumb under her eyes and nodded. “Goodbye, baby.”
“No,” Barbara said as she grabbed hold of his wrist, “not goodbye, just see you later.”
He smiled at her, “See you later.”
~
Barbara sat, curled into her sheets. The days passed so slowly and she kept trying to calculate just when she would hear Dick’s voice again. It felt like an eternity which made her feel embarrassed. The way that man had such a pull on her left her feeling silly, but it couldn’t be helped nor did she want it to.
It was as she began to fall into a deep slumber that her phone came to light. She forgot her exhaustion and grabbed her device. Her heart beat faster as Dick’s face lit up her screen. She answered on the second ring.
“Hi,” she said breathily.
Dick sighed on the other end, “Babs, god I thought I’d never get here.”
She smiled, “You can make your way through anything, boy wonder.”
She could practically feel his blush on the other end which made her grin grow wider and her heart ache a little more of the face that she couldn’t see. She took a deep breath and laid back in her bed as she played with the tips of her hair.
“How is the apartment?” she asked.
“Eh,” he supplied, “a little run down but I can make it work.”
“I’m sure you can.”
Dick sighed, “It’s so weird. I only saw you a few days ago but it feels like forever. I miss you so much already.”
“I miss you too.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
She could hear Dick sit down, his mattress let out an unbearable squeak which made her heart kickstart. She bit her lip and rested her hand onto her chest.
“Is there anything you want to talk about?” she inquired.
He took a moment to respond, “What are you wearing?”
Barbara laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face.