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Dick took another sip of his champagne as he tried to find a good vantage point from which to watch the room. The Justice League annual New Year’s Eve party had gone off perfectly thus far, if you discounted the two broken windows and the bloodstains on the carpet beneath said windows. (Many things changed, teenaged speedsters did not.)
Giving up on finding a semi-quiet corner, he lifted another champagne flute and strolled over to the alcove where Babs was engaged in conversation with Dinah and Selina, little Mattie curled up in her lap, sound asleep.
“Evening ladies.” He leaned down to kiss his wife before presenting her with the champagne. “For you, oh most wondrous mistress of all she surveys.”
Babs laughed and pulled him into another kiss.
She had actually considered running for office at one point, but they’d had three small children at the time and ultimately she had decided to remain with her day job of librarian as cover for her more secretive ventures as Big Brother’s Big Sister. Dick thought she would have made a wonderful politician and had once mentioned something to her about holding her back. She’d socked his shoulder and informed him that he wasn’t holding her back from anything anymore than she was holding him back. Her putting it in the context of their old argument had shut him up pretty quickly. And she did seem happy, as she softly stroked the hair of her sort of-nephew and smiled up at him with sparkling green eyes.
“You did very well with the presentations.” Dinah spoke up, giving him a quick grin. “I have to say that I’m a little surprised, I was expecting Eileen to want to be Robin.”
It had become a tradition, some years before, to present new members of the masked community (and graduates from one mask to another) at the New Year’s Eve party. Ollie was responsible for it actually, after he’d made a comment about how he had no idea who was who in the Bat Family any more. It had taken some work to convince Bruce, but as the party was only for the original seven members and their families (and the Arrows) he had eventually succeeded.
Dick, or rather, Nightwing, as official leader of the Justice League, presided, and tonight in particular had been rather emotional for him.
“So did we.” He admitted, nudging Dinah over so that he could sit beside her on the upholstered bench, his knees knocking Babs’ across the small space between them. “I think Steph was the only one who had a clue what she was really planning.” His eyes sought out and found his second daughter, wearing an updated version of the Spoiler suit, navy blue instead of eggplant, a mask over only the lower half of her face, though her bright blue eyes were mostly obscured by the hood from under which a few stray red curls escaped.
“It will really get interesting in a couple of years.” Babs added with a wry grin. “Terry, Jonny, and Catie all have their hearts set on Robin.”
Selina nodded, her evening dress somehow complemented by her Catwoman mask. (Only the new presentees attended in full uniform and for the most part only the Batfamily wore masks) “Helena won't be content with Robin for much longer than that. Terry said that he’ll prove to his father that he’s worthy to be Robin.” She glanced at Dick with a small laugh in her eyes. “I didn’t tell him that it isn’t Bruce he needs to convince.”
Dick grinned. “Unless something drastically changes in the next three or four years, I’m pretty sure I know who it’ll be anyway.”
“Oh, that looks like trouble.” Dinah interrupted, nodding to the opposite corner. “Check out those three.”
Helena Wayne, newly presented as the seventh Robin, was deep in conversation with fellow presentees Hawkgirl and Blackbird, also known as Kyndra Hol and William Queen. Even as the senior masks watched, they were joined by the new Kid Flash and Spoiler, Jai dragging Lena over seemingly almost against her will.
“Looks like the Titans will be having a new team added soon.” He agreed, raising his glass in salute as Lena looked over at him, managing to convey “save me” through her mask and hood. Her glare at his amusement was equally clear.
Speaking of the Titans…
It took half a moment to locate the team clustered around one of the buffet tables. Damian’s team. It had only taken practically chaining him to Titans HQ, as well as the introduction of a new generation that were not “Red Robin’s Team,” but his anti-social little brother had eventually found and kept some fast friendships after his own fashion, even if he, Colin, and Chris sometimes looked a little outnumbered, surrounded by the girls who made up the rest of their team. Teenagers no longer, (though chronologically, Irey was only fifteen, even if she had the body and, for the most part, the mind of a young woman of twenty) except for the youngest member.
His eyes found his baby girl and he tried to ignore the pang in his heart. Tonight had marked Mar’i’s official transition from the sixth Robin to her own identity as NightStar, in honor of both him and Kori. The wave of sorrow that swept over him was less overwhelming than it had been, but no less felt for that. Kori had died early that year of a circulatory illness. She would have been so proud of their Mar’i. Mar’i, who was now handing off her plate to Nell as she…accepted Damian’s hand and followed him onto the dance floor.
“What,” He managed to say, narrowing his eyes and watching as Damian placed a hand on her waist. “Is that?”
“That,” Bruce said from behind him. “Is your protégé dancing with your daughter.”
Dick glared up at his adopted father, able to see his amusement even through the domino mask he had donned for the event. “Why is he dancing with my daughter?”
“Well you see, Bat-chick,” Selina chimed in and Dick didn’t have to take his eyes off of Bruce to know that she had on a wicked little grin. “When a Hawk and a Star love each other very, very much-”
Dick will not try to deny that he yelped. “Wait, what! They-But-”
Selina patted his hand. “Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure it hasn’t gone that far.”
“It hasn’t.” Babs agreed. “You really don’t need to worry, Mar took your talks about the seriousness and commitment of sex to heart. Damian will count himself lucky if they get farther than light kissing before the wedding.”
“Wedding!” Dick looked from his father-figure to his wife to his sort-of-mother-ish-figure, feeling betrayed. “How long has this been going on and why I am I only finding out about it now?” He ignored Dinah’s sniggers.
“Since Mar’i’s birthday party.” Babs informed him, handing a still sleeping Mattie off to Selina. “Though they’ve been making eyes at each other for well over a year now.”
“But, but…” Dick stammered, “They hate each other!”
Barbara raised an elegant eyebrow. “When was the last time you had to mediate a fight between them.”
Dick opened his mouth, then stopped and thought. “Two years ago.”
Bruce patted his shoulder, looking way too smug for his own good. Dick made a mental note to bring up the subject of retiring as Batman with him again soon. “They grow up fast don’t they, Chum. Don’t worry, I don’t think Jai and Lena will be getting serious for a few more years at least.”
Dick just gaped.
“Actually,” Dinah said casually. “Will mentioned the other day that he though Lena was ‘awfully pretty’.” This time it was Bruce who’s eye slits narrowed. He whirled on his heel, somehow managing to convey the image of the cape even in a tuxedo.
“Queen!” He growled and stalked off towards the corner where Ollie was chatting with J’onn. Dick just watched him go, trying to put the shattered pieces of his brain back together.
Babs gave him a sympathetic look. “Why so shocked, Hunk Wonder? You had to know something like this was coming. Mar’i’s been beating boys off with a stick since she was fourteen.”
“That was different!” Dick leapt to his feet, waving his hands in an attempt to illustrate his point. “I didn’t have to worry about those guys. Even the ones she dated in school it was never…” he ran a hand through his hair, absently wondering if he’d started going grey yet. He looked back at the dance floor where Dami and Mar’i were spinning gently through the scant crowd, uncharacteristically subdued for their fiery personalities. Even as he watched, Damian leaned down the scant inches necessary to lay his forehead against Mar’i’s. Even from here, Dick could see that their eyes were closed, lost in their own little world. “She’s my baby girl.” He said softly, feeling Babs’ fingers weave into his. “I don’t want to lose her.”
“You won’t lose her.” Babs murmured, a small smile flicking across her lips. “And might I remind you that your ‘baby girl’ is several inches taller than you with superhuman strength and can shoot starbolts from her hands. She can take care of herself.”
“And,” Dinah added, a serious look in her eyes. “You had to know she’d find someone eventually. Isn’t it better that it is someone you know as well as you know Damian?”
“That’s part of the problem.” Dick groaned, allowing Babs to tug him back down. “Wayne men don’t exactly have the best romantic track record.”
Dinah’s eyes flicked to Selina, then Bruce, then Damian, before making their way around the room, tallying the various women present that either of the men had dated at some point or other. “I see your point.” She admitted, glancing back at the Titans team where Lian was watching the dance floor with a slightly wistful look.
She did a double take and poked Dick in the side. “Is that Bart Allen trying to get Lian to dance with him?”
Dick blinked. “Yeah.”
Dinah’s eyes smoldered pure fury as she practically flew to her feet. “I’ll teach that fast-mouthed playboy to mess with my grand-daughter.” And she stalked off. Bart must have sensed his impending demise because he looked over in their direction and Dick could see his eyes widen before there was a blur and both he and Lian had disappeared. He almost felt sorry for the kid. There was no way to hide from Dinah when she was on the warpath. (He’d learned that lesson when he was fifteen.) Not to mention Lian was going to rip his guts out for speeding her away like that.
Selina chuckled huskily. “I wish I’d started hanging out with heroes earlier. The drama is so entertaining.”
“What?” Babs said. “The Gotham rogues don’t have their own drama.”
Selina waved an elegant hand, her diamond bracelet sparkling. “Of course they do, darling. But there are only so many times you can take Oswald’s complaints and Edward’s dramatics before it becomes old. There’s more variety here.”
Dick sighed. Variety. The music changed to a slightly faster song and he got to his feet, threading his way through the small crowd to where Damian and Mar’i were still wrapped up in each other. He gave a small cough as he approached, mildly amused at how they jumped apart like a couple of middle-schoolers caught making out in a closet. “If it’s alright with you two, I’d like a dance with my daughter?”
Damian flushed, but remained stoic. “Of course.” He kissed Mar’i’s hand. “I shall see you soon Habiibtii.” He nodded solemnly at Dick and stalked off to the corner where Colin appeared to be engaged in some sort of spirited debate with Jason.
Mar’i looked a little nervous as they joined the flow of dancers and he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “I’m not angry Starshine, I just wish I wasn’t the last person to know.”
She relaxed, her expression turning sheepish. “It wasn’t intentional, it just sorta…happened and then we weren’t sure how to tell you.”
“English works.” Dick offered, finding refuge in their shared sense of humor. “Or Romani or Tamaranean or, apparently, Arabic. Or half-a-dozen other languages actually.”
Her laugh was clear and bright and made him ache with a thousand emotions he couldn’t put a name to.
He was still going to have a good, long talk with Damian.