Work Text:
act ii
storge
part iii
Mara resembles her cousin. And by that he means they’re both stubborn little shits who somehow always get their way.
Dick sighs as he takes in the mess that is the living room. Despite their apartment at New York being significantly larger than the one at Blud, it still isn’t enough space for the mess that is balloon splatter painting. He’d just wanted it to be a bonding exercise, dammit. So why were his walls dark with patches of burgundy and cobalt, despite the precautionary tarpaulin?
The offenders regard the wall and the canvas with a sort of quiet pride as he tries to reason with himself. They don’t deserve to be scolded for it, he muses. It was his fault for not accounting for the splatter radius of the paint. And for telling them to go wild.
“Are you upset?” A faint voice breaks him from his thoughts. In front of him, Mara stands stiff and motionless, her face devoid of emotion. Damian has wandered off to take a bath, so it’s just the two of them in the room.
Careful with his movements, Dick steps behind the open kitchen counter to get a glass of water for himself. As he fills his glass, he keeps his voice light as he says, “Because of the paint? No I’m not. It adds character to the house, don’t you think?”
“You’re lying.”
Ah, blunt as always. Still, she makes a point. “Nothing a little paint can’t fix when we decide to move out. I was just thinking of the security deposit.”
“Oh,” is the answer. He hears feet pad to the kitchen where she gets a glass of raspberry juice for herself. Then, “I thought this was your home?”
He lets his body remain loose and languid: unthreatening. “No, we’re just renting. Since Damian and your arrival, I’ve been thinking of moving to the suburbs: to a bigger place.”
“We’ve inconvenienced you.” It’s a statement.
Dick shakes his head as he hides a smile. “Rather, you’ve brought us company. Rosie might seem indifferent, but believe me, she hasn’t stopped chattering about her two new siblings.”
He knows it's the wrong thing to say when Mara goes taut. Then, in a voice like steel, she grits out, “I’m no part of your- family.” Without another word, she turns on her heel and walks out. He hears a door slam a few seconds later.
Another sigh escapes him. God, is he trying. But somehow, he can’t seem to do right by these kids.
.
“You worry too much.”
Damian plops onto the bench next to him. Across them at a distance, Rose and Mara are tossing a baseball back and forth. The park is busy, so he doubts they can hear him, which seems to be Damian’s intention.
“Why do you say so?” he asks, handing the younger a water bottle.
Damian takes a swig, and then replies, “She’s unsure of what to do with all the unfamiliar emotions you’re letting her experience. It’s safe here, but she isn’t used to such a feeling.”
He tilts his head. “So she’s overwhelmed?”
“Correct. Give her some time. Continue as you are. She’ll come around.”
“And you know this, how?”
The boy scoffs, then fiddles with his shirt. “It’s easy to see when you know what to look for. She reminds me of myself.”
Dick can’t help but reach over to ruffle the kid’s hair. Damian allows it for a grand total of five seconds before he pulls away. “When did you get so wise huh?”
A haughty sniff answers him. “I’ve always been like this. Not my concern that you are slow to comprehend.”
Despite his harsh words, a smile tugs at his mouth. Dick can’t help but grin in turn, then resumes watching the two other kids try to beat each other at catch.
.
“Why are you here?” The words are not said with malice, but honest confusion.
In his hands, he holds a bouquet of pink lilies. Mara peers up at him, ignoring the crowd that mills around them. He doesn’t see Damian anywhere, so the kid must be backstage already.
“It’s your first recital in the States. How could I not come?” he answers.
Mara doesn’t say another word, just accepts the flowers and nods at him. He checks his watch. “It’s almost time for Damian’s performance. Join me?”
She nods again, but sneaks glances at him as they walk to the seats; she seems to be looking for something. Damian did say that she was like him in many ways, so he takes a wager and says, “You poured emotion into that rendition of Moonlight Sonata. Good job.”
The pleased smile does not leave her face throughout Damian’s solo.
.
They’re standing in front of an ice cream vendor, while Dick tries to fork out some bills. Mara holds Damian’s mint chocolate chip and her own orange sherbet. As he struggles with his wallet, he feels a tug on his sleeve.
Mara looks at him stoically and declares, “I don’t like oranges.”
Dick pauses his search to stare at her incredulously. He’d been buying her orange flavoured anything ever since he’d seen her down a gallon of orange juice in one setting. Still, that’s his fault for assuming and not communicating so he merely asks her, “What would you like instead?”
Mara turns over that question as if not expecting it, then decides on lime sherbet.
As they walk home, each nibbling on their own scoops, she speaks up again.
“I was wrong.”
“Hm?”
“I do like oranges. Limes are disgusting.”
He laughs, loud and hearty.
.
Mara sprains her ankle her first day in school. When Dick rushes to the clinic, the girl doesn’t meet his eyes. Still, he gently grasps her hands and nudges her chin to meet his eyes. “Are you alright?”
Inexplicably, tears start rolling down her face. He jerks backwards, startled as she scrubs furiously at the tears as if angry at herself. “Mara?” he questions hesitantly.
“Why are you so nice?” she exclaims through a runny nose.
“I- what?” he stutters.
“You’re not mad at me for getting hurt?” is the demand.
“No, of course not,” he protests.
Mara blows her nose on an offered hanky and then glares at him through red eyes. “I keep waiting for, what do they say? For the other shoe to drop. But you’re so kind it’s irritating.”
He’s not quite sure what to make of the situation so he simply stares at her blankly. He’s vaguely aware of the school nurse snickering at them both. Mara pays her no heed, choosing instead to continue glaring at him. “I don’t trust you, and I don’t like you.”
“Okay- That’s fine.”
“You’re not my father.”
“I’m well aware.”
“I never had a father.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, he was a prick.”
“Language.”
“No.”
“C’mon”
“-Fine.”
“Would you like tacos for dinner?”
“-Fine.”
“Does it hurt?”
“I’ll live.”
“Does it hurt?”
“-A little but Mrs. Joy gave me aspirin.”
“I’m glad then.”
.
Donna has a puppy in her arms. It’s golden and sunny and it’s grinning. He didn’t know dogs could grin.
Dick looks at her, a little lost.
“When did you get a puppy-?”
She grins, almost as wide as the animal in her hands. “It’s not mine.”
“It’s not- You stole a puppy?”
“No- It’s yours you dummy.”
He regains the ability to think. “For the kids! Because I told you kids grow up healthier with a family pet!”
Donna laughs, carefree and excited. “Yes! He’s your house warming gift.”
He giggles with her, then waves her in. He’d ended up buying a house in Kensington, a quaint little four bedroom house, equipped with a study for his nightlife. It had taken a good chunk of his savings and a hefty loan, but he’s proud of the purchase. The kids will have somewhere safe to call their own, and will be able to have privacy for themselves.
Which brings him to this; a house-warming party with his closest people, also doubling as a meet-the-extended-family for Damian and Mara.
Unsurprisingly, Damian is the more social of the two, though he sticks to Rose’s side as she introduces the seven-year old to the Titans. Mara on the other hand, hasn’t let go of Dick’s trouser leg, though she looks away when he tries to catch her eye.
After the third time she ignores someone’s greeting in favour of burying her face in the fabric of his pants, Dick has seen enough. He gently pulls her away from the crowd and to the master bedroom.
Leaving the door ajar, he kneels in front of the quiet child.
“Talk to me.”
She frowns, then shifts on her feet. “They’re your friends,” she says after a pause.
“Yes,” he replies, “do you want them to leave?”
Her frown deepens. “I tried to kill you.”
He hums. “Yes, but only on the first day. And the key word is, tried. I stopped you, and told you why it’s unacceptable. You’ve since listened, yes?”
Mara nods.
“So what’s the problem?” he prods quietly.
“They love you,” she whispers, “I see it in their eyes. Won’t they despise me then, because I tried to hurt you, whom they love?”
“If they love me, then they’ll love you, whom I care for. And let me get one thing straight,” he asserts, “If they have a problem with you, then they have a problem with me.”
Mara looks half doubtful, half astonished. “You don’t have to do that.”
“No one gets away with hurting my family. No exceptions”
“Oh.”
“Now,” he rises to his feet, “Do you want to meet our guests properly this time?”
“Okay.”
.
Kori approaches him as the guests leave. The kids have fallen asleep in a puppy pile in the living room, with a newly dubbed Sher the golden retriever, in their midst.
“Two assassins and a child of one?” she teases, voice low.
Dick doesn’t stop scrubbing away at the dishes, but glances her way. “Donna.”
“Donna,” she confirms.
He stops the work, a sigh leaving him as he cracks his back. “I hope you don’t use their past to form an opinion against them.”
She laughs, a light noise. “When have I done that?”
He hums. “Just making sure.”
“Roy was right, you’ve amassed all the dad instincts.”
He chuckles, caught off-guard. “Looks like Roy’s been asking for extra sparring practice then. I’ll make sure to be gentle with him. Not.”
Kori giggles again, then moves to help him with the rest of the dishes. He protests the action, but she shushes him so he lets her have her way. It’s strangely domestic; they work well together. Dick handles the plates and cutlery, Kori handles the pots and glasses. It reminds him of things that could have been.
As if sensing his melancholy, Kori breaks the silence. “I’m sorry.”
“Whatever for?”
“-Donna spoke to me. After. Don’t be mad at her. She told me all that you wanted to say, but couldn’t because I would not listen to you.”
They both know who she’s referring to- Mirage and the havoc she caused.
He stalls for time, drying the dishes.
“-And?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what you had to go through, I’m sorry for not listening to your side of things, and I’m sorry my irrationality got in the way of our relationship.”
Dick hums. “It’ll take me some time to accept that- your apology I mean.”
“I understand.”
“But I will say this,” he continues, “I wasn’t blameless in the problems of our relationship.” She shakes her head, but he carries on. “No, it’s true. Our relationship was on the rocks already due to our marriage ceremony falling apart, and I realise now that there were many other things that I failed to communicate.”
The mood is sombre, heavy.
Kori speaks up in the ensuing silence. “Can we start again? As friends this time?”
“Aren’t we?”
“We both know it’s just in name, as of right now.”
Point.
So he says, “Alright. Friends.”
A smile lights her face. Kori gives him a quick hug, pecks his cheek and leaves without another word.
His heart feels light with hope.
The dishes are almost done, so he hangs the towels to dry and wipes down the counters. Lost in thought, Mara scares him half to death when she appears by the doorway.
“Geez- Mara. Oh goodness.”
“Your senses are getting dull, old man.”
“Hush child. I’m at home, and none of the sensors tripped. Forgive me for trying to relax.”
“That was Ms. Koriand’r?”
“Yes, did our conversation wake you?”
She shakes her head. “I couldn’t sleep. Sher was breathing in my face.”
Dick giggles, then slaps a hand over his mouth. Mara eyes him curiously. “You love her,” she states after a long moment.
“Loved, honey. I loved her.”
Mara scrutinises him again. “No. Love.”
Well, look at that. Called out for his bullshit by an seven-year-old brat. He grabs a towel off the counter to playfully swat at her. “Alright, enough of that. Off to bed with you.”
As he tucks her into bed, and follows up with carrying the others off to their rooms, he can’t help but think that finally-
Maybe things will be alright.