Chapter Text
"Hey, Wally. How's it hanging?" I asked as I get onto the terminal of the airport in Jump City.
"Did you land alright? No issues?" this redhead will be the end of me, much unlike Archie Andrews from Riverdale.
"If I had any issues, you would have been the one I called. Hey, does Dick know I'm even coming to visit him?" I questioned my best friend.
Richard Dick Grayson was my best friend since I was about nine. We met when I was being transitioned into life as a Queen with my now brother William and baby sister Mia. It was about the same time that Dick was being acclimated into the world of Bruce Wayne as his son. And seeing as all billionaires seem to know one another, Dick and I met at one of the galas one of our parents were hosted and the other attended (I cannot remember whose gala it was for the life of me).
"Uh...it is supposed to be a surprise to him! I know where he lives okay! So don't reach into that phone and throttle me!" Wally exclaimed.
"Wally, that's not how my powers work okay! And that isn't even one of my powers, you psycho! I'm about to go to baggage claim, so I'll be there-at Titan Tower-as soon as possible. Bye, Walls." And I hung up on my friend before he could say anything else.
I scrolled through my phone before finding Dick's number. I clicked on it and dialed his number. Hopefully he isn't dealing with Robin stuff. I continued to walk to baggage claim as I waited for him to pick up. He better not be blowing me off some...floosy. But this is Dick, maybe...Yes. I completely believe he might be with a floosy. And after the third try, he picked up.
"Kinda busy here. What do you need so stinkin' badly? If you just called to talk, we can do that after." I hear little pew pee noises in the background. So he's fighting a villain or playing a video game from the eighties? I don't like my options.
"Lovely to hear your god awful voice too, dork. How long will this whatever it is take you?" I asked him.
"Depends. What do you need?" He probably already knows, so I might just play along for the convenience.
"A ride. From the airport to your tower. How long will it take now?" I was baiting him at this point, my eyes scanning the carousel for my luggage.
"I can get there in fifteen minutes." the male replied.
"And bring the van." I told him as I picked up one of two suitcases, the larger of the two.
I pressed the red hangup button before slipping my phone into the pocket of my Pennywise hoodie. The carousel went around again before my last suitcase appeared and I picked it up. I dragged both suitcases down the hallway to the exit for arrivals. He has fifteen minutes to get here with the van. I should call dad to let him know I'm okay. I may be sixteen, but he stills worries like a helicopter parent.
Who would have thought Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, was a helicopter parent? I don't think anyone would.My phone and I looked at the contact. Unknown in white bolded letters was all I could see. Dad taught me to never answer from someone if I don't know the number even if I know the name. But I was detective. Like my best friend. Like my old team.
Like my friends in the glades.
And my friends in the glades taught me curiosity never killed anyone, not even a cat, so I pressed answer.
"Hello? Who dis?" I asked the person on the other side.
"You're Aether right? A close friend of Robin correct?" The person sounds like a male, and I can't understand why he sounds familiar. Why does he sound familiar?
"Who, might I ask, is asking? You seem to know who I am and who Robin is? How? I'm curious and can't wait to hear whatever you pull out of your ass." I told the man.
"I miss that fire, [Y/N]." He knows my secret identity. Don't start to panic, [Y/N]! "Tell Ollie I say hi." Ollie I say hi? "But I have something for you to do. Be my mole for the Titans, so I can exact my revenge. Or I finish what I started in Star City several years ago."
Normally in this situation, the phone would drop from the character's grip, but I wasn't like a character in a book, a movie, or tv show and I gripped harder on my phone. Finish what he started? Thea. Dig. Mom. Laurell. Rene. Curtis. Dinah. Quentin. William. Mia. Everyone but me and dad. Gone. I cannot let that happen. And Dick rolled up to the curb, his blue eyes staring at me as his window rolled down. Did that include him too?
"Deal." And Slade Wilson hung up on me.
"You ready to go, [N/N]?" He asked as I put my luggage (carry-on included) into the back of the car and slid into the seat next to him.
"Yep. I'm good." Definitely not. "So, will I get to meet your friends when we get to your tower?"
"It's not my tower, [Y/N]. It's Titan Tower." he replied.
"Yeah, but it came from our fathers' money, Dick. So technically, it is yours." I reminded him.
"No. It was a gift from the Justice League to the Titans, so it isn't mine. It's the Titans'." He should have known by now I always argue with him over the pettiest of things. "You're messing with me, aren't you? Well do you want pizza? I'm hungry."
"Really? It's three in the afternoon! Didn't you already have lunch, Dick?" I asked him.
"I normally skip lunch and have a big snack before dinner." He chittered.
"Of course, you did. There better be a good pizza place around here." I told him.
"So... Pizza Hutt or Domino's?" he asked me. Is he messing with me? He sure is.
"Blegh! You wound me! Let's just get YNot or Channellos or something not Pizza Hutt or Domino's." I told him.
He chuckled before pulling into a Channellos parking lot. "I'll be right back."
And he left me alone in the van. To get us some pizza, so I decided to call my dad. Hopefully he answers or I have to call mom or Aunt Thea. Hopefully I can get some answers to why Slade Wilson is out of his prison on Lian Yu.
"Hey, [N/N]. Everything good? You make it to Jump City all good?" So he did answer.
"Yeah, I did. Just checking in. To make sure everything is fine at home." I told him.
"Isn't that supposed to be my line? Well everything is good here. But there has to be something more to this phone call than a hello." Curse him and his ability to read me so well.
"It's nothing, dad. Nothing I can't handle." I told him.
"So, where are you now? Walking to your friend's tower alone I presume? You are a stubborn one at that." Dad told me.
"Nah. I'm waiting for Dick to come back with pizza. He picked me up from the airport." I informed him.
"Just be careful. If you need any added assistance or anything-."
"I know. I know. Roy is in the area. I can call him if I need to, but I can handle myself, dad. I've been handling myself since I was nine. Almost seven years. Just have some faith in me, please. I'll talk to you later. Bye, dad." And I hung up on my dad.
When Dick comes back, I'll meet his friends. Hopefully they'll like me. Hopefully I don't do any stupid or embarrassing. And knowing me, it's probably not a safe bet I won't do anything stupid or embarrassing. But we shall see.