| 2018The night air was cool as the pair walked hand in hand idly along the foggy streets of the quiet Gotham neighbourhood. The semester was coming to a close and while the dorms were likely filled with partying college kids, Barbara thankfully lived further from campus, renting an apartment shared with a graduate student.
Taking their time, Barbara looked up at Dick, studying his face as her near-perfect memory recalled not the handsome young man beside her, but the cheeky young boy she first met. His baby blues were hidden behind a domino mask and a tousled mess of black hair.
Babs suddenly stifled a giggle that brought Dick’s attention and prying gaze towards the shorter redhead.
“What’s got you all giddy all of a sudden?” He asked, raising a brow as Barbara’s emerald eyes looked up towards Dick, locking with his own before she spoke.
“I still remember the first time I saw you.” She started, pausing momentarily as she looked around as if mockingly checking the empty streets for someone watching them, “Do you still have the tights?”
“If I did,” Dick began, holding up a finger on his free hand, “And I’m not saying that I do, I don’t know that they would still fit.”
“Puh-lease,” Babs retorted, “We both know Bruce had you in that outfit far longer than you ever should have been. It wasn’t just Gotham’s underbelly that were packing.”
“Oh, so you were checking me out?”
“Get over yourself, Grayson,” Babs spun around, jumping on top of the nearby pony wall as she walked backwards in front of him. “No one started checking you out until you stopped wearing the cape and uncovered your best asset.” She paused, tapping a finger to her chin before excitedly pointing at Dick again.
“Remember when you thought you’d be cooler as a freshman if everyone started calling you ‘Ric’?”
“What is this, the roast of Dick Grayson?” Dick asked, throwing his hands up as he feigned offense. Still despite his best efforts, Barbara noticed he couldn’t stop smiling. Her cheeks suddenly felt quite warm.
“Hey, stay out of the kitchen if you can’t handle the hea-” The wall had unexpectedly ended, causing Barbara to misstep. A firm hand suddenly appeared between her shoulder blades as another helped her back onto the sidewalk.
“Graceful as ever, Gordon,” She muttered to herself before looking up at the former Boy Wonder again, “I mean ‘Hello Megan’!” She pointed towards her hair, “This girl comes with a warning, you can’t be shocked when things get hot.”
“Pretty sure I just saved you.”
“I had it under control.” Barbara stated, crossing her arms defiantly as the pair came to a stop outside of a small brick covered townhouse. It was in an older part of Gotham, Edwardian architecture still covered in the original brick. Ivy had grown attached to the house, finding its way into every crevice and crack between the mortar and brick. But it had a distinct charm, Barbara and her roommate had both enjoyed the house over the past couple of years.
“So this is you?” Dick asked, full well knowing the answer. It was hardly his first time coming to the house. Though, Barbara did have to admit this might be his first time using the front door.
“This is me,” Babs replied, a small smirk appearing in the corners of her mouth as she unlocked the door before turning around and facing Dick again. As he leaned in for a kiss, Barbara held her lips just out of reach of his. The charged air seemed to radiate between them before the redhead pulled back. Her lips curled into a coy smile as she reached behind her and opened the door.
“Not tonight, Boy Wonder.” She teased, winking before blowing a kiss and scurrying inside with a giggle. Opening his mouth to protest, Dick didn’t have a chance to get a word out before the door shut.
Leaning on the other side, Barbara giggled to herself again before realizing how dark the house was. She was sure her roommate had said she was staying in tonight.
“Harls?” Babs called, “You can put the ice cream away, he was both a gentleman and a scholar.”
There was no response as Barbara bent down to remove her boots before tiptoeing further into the townhouse in case Harleen was asleep.
Maybe she did go out?
Before she could take a step further away from the door, there was a knock. Rolling her eyes, Barbara called back towards the aperture.
“Dick, please tell me you haven’t been standing out there this whole time?”
Turning around, Barbara opened the door. An audible gasp erupted from her mouth as she stumbled backwards.
“Dick? That’s a little rude given we barely know one another heehahahaHAHAHAheehahaHA!”
That haunting laugh was the last thing Barbara heard before the gunshot.