Ho boy Dick thought as Harley launched in a monological tirade. I guess I should've expected some verbal outpourings, my own fault. It almost makes me reminiscent for Kory's hyper-verbal outbursts. The thought of his Tamaran ex-teammate almost brought a grin to his face but he swiftly suppressed it, not wanting to seem like he was laughing at Harley. He focussed in a little more on what she was saying, seemed to be her justifying it not as a partnership that he offered but him asking for her help. Whatever works, as long as we can move along.
With characteristic diplomacy, she touched on some more sensitive areas. “But if we are gunna work togetha then the first thing you gotta know Nightie-brain, is to respect a girls things.. I dun kno how you and batgirl used to play beat up the bad guys, but I ain't no BATGIRL! How's that little ole gal doing by the way? Been a while.. If there was anyone I had teensie-winsie respect for, then it was her.. Sorry Night-brain, it's a girl thing.” It made him want to shut her up, given her intimacy with the Joker and what he did to Babs. He didn't though, Harley had no way of knowing the link between the crippling of Barbara Gordon and disappearance of Batgirl.
"She's doing well Harley, just playing a different role than before. I'll be sure to tell her you asked after her." Dick's words were likely barely registered by the lady mid rant. She had already launched into a new, even less helpful subject.
“You night-creeps and your no killing rules.. No wonda you never catch a break.. And to think you's all got so many problems.. I wonda why.. Maybe if you give me my gun back then I'll consider using rubber bullets.. You got any, or am I gonna have to fight withca about burrowing em from a store? I swear I'll return em” And while he had to admire her gumption for trying it on like that, they both knew he wasn't going to budge.
"You know, I think I'm going to have to say no on that one. Take it as a sign of my masculine insecurity if you want but I'm not letting you wander around behind me with this cannon, rubber bullets or no." It was classic Dick to wrap something people didn't want to hear in with a self-deprecating joke.
As she turned away, he followed but subtly gave the gun another stamp as he did. This time, it was the sight that felt his boot, knocking it way off kilter. To anyone interested in using it, it would need to be replaced but Dick realised that Harley probably exclusively shot from the hip anyway. Oh well, made my point.
"I prefer Nightwing but I guess Bird-brain's fine, makes me think of Eddie. And we start with you telling me where there's another group of Joker's goons that we can beat for information as these ones" he pointed at the occupants of the building "are pretty much spent."
fledermaus
Nightwing95