Chapter Text
“Hello, Barbara Gordon speaking, how may I help you?” Babs balanced her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she shuffled her bags of fresh produce.
“Hey Babs, it’s me,” a familiar voice said from the other end of the line. One of her most favourite voices in the world.
But, that’s couldn’t be, could it? This was an unknown number, and she knew his number by heart. The farmer’s market was busy and the noise of the crowds was making it hard to hear, so she made her way to the perimeter of the market. “Dick?”
"Where are you calling from? I don’t recognise the number.”
“Well....that’s a bit of a long story. Short version, I needed a new phone.” There was a strangled half-laugh half-sigh. A familiar whir of background traffic underlaid the whole conversation. “I hate to bug you with this, but would you be able to set up all your security features on my phone.”
“Sure. Next time you’re in Gotham I can do that. Don’t use your phone for any....private....business until I get it set up.”
“Since we’re speaking of Gotham...”
“You’re already here, aren’t you? Where?” A grin broke across Babs’ face. She was planning to take another lap around the market, but heading out sounded like a better idea.
“I’m outside your apartment.”
She unlocked her bicycle and placed her bags in the basket. “Your codes still work. You can wait for me upstairs. I’ll be home in fifteen.”
“Thanks Babs, love you.” She could hear the smile in his voice.
“Love you too. See you soon.” Disconnecting the call, she stowed her phone and headed home.
The traffic had been with her and she was able to make in home in closer to ten minutes than fifteen. Too impatient to wait for the elevator, she took the stairs by twos. By the time she reached her apartment on the top floor her legs were jelly.
“Welcome home,” Dick said as he opened her front door before she could finish juggling her bags and unlock it herself. Despite the heat of the day, he still wore his leather jacket. He’d placed his helmet on the end table beside a vase of flowers that hadn’t been there when she’d left earlier that morning.
“Mmm. I like the sound of that,” she said as she set down her bags and closed the door with her foot. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rested her head against his shoulder.
“Me too,” he murmured and brushed a kiss against her temple. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up. She kicked up her feet and didn’t protest as he spun her around in tight circles.
After her feet were back on the ground and they clung to each other as they regained their equilibriums, he thoroughly kissed her.
“Are you always going to welcome me home like that?” she asked as the kiss ended and she caught her breath.
“As long as you like.” He grinned and swooped up half the bags. “Let’s get these put away and then we can make plans for the rest of the day.”
“I already have plans. Of a sort.” She grabbed the rest of the bags and headed for the kitchen. “It’s my day off.”
“Oh.” His grin fell.
She checked him with her hip as she passed and took the bag of fresh bread and homemade jelly from him. “It’s not like that. You’re more than welcome to join me. I don’t get many days off, so when I do, I make plans to enjoy the day. You know, do all the things I love but aren’t life and death so they tend to get pushed aside on a daily basis.”
“So, you’re asking me to just spend the day with you. Live life with you.” His grin was back at the thought of what it would be like to spend the rest of his life participating in the mundanities of life with the woman he loved. Making lunch and doing dishes. Grocery shopping and washing laundry. For the first time in his life, that didn’t sound like a chore.
“Yup. Think you’re up for it, Boy Wonder?”
“You bet.”