Work Text:
“They´re so cute when they´re asleep”
It has been so long since Donna has seen Dick let his guard down. Even when she first met him after Bruce took him in, the boy was never much of an open book. After becoming Robin and spending time with Bruce, the situation hadn’t gotten much better. Over the years, Donna had noticed a particular problem when it came to sleeping.
The few times Diana had allowed her to stay at the manor so the two of them could have a sleepover and she and Bruce could have some adult time alone, Dick hadn’t slept more than three hours at a time. Sometimes he´d wake because he had nightmares. Other times he´d wake because of the smallest sound he heard either outside the window or coming from the hall. Donna had helped calmed him every single one, and he usually fell asleep before her. Even after falling asleep and being reassured there was nothing wrong and he was safe, Donna remembers seeing him sleep before she too drifted off. Dick had looked troubled, anxious too. It had been a pattern that continued on until she finally stopped being Wonder Girl and Dick moved out of Gotham.
To be honest, she hadn’t expected the situation to change. She had known about Dick´s many issues, not only the ones with Bruce. She knew him repressing every single emotion and thought contributed to his poor and disturbed sleeping habits. She had known unless he worked through what was bothering him he wouldn’t be able to get a decent night of sleep. She had thought he wouldn’t be able to solve anything and get his life straight from one night to another. She had thought he would need time to unwind and relax enough to get at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep. She had thought quite a number of things…
… Which is why she feels insulted when it turns out that, apparently, all Dick needs to unwind is a snarky and short young man who goes by the name of Jason Todd.
Even so, there is no way she can deny it. The Dick Grayson she first sees talking to Jason when they arrive at the safehouse is not the same man who had walked her from the station to the building. She notices the moment Jason walks over to greet him and Dick actually blushes. Not once before has Donna seen him display such… emotion.
Dick becomes a stammering mess of shame and anger as he introduces them to each other, then the rest of his ‘not-team’ when they drift into the living room. Donna shakes hands and smiles. She makes easy conversation with Gar, manages to bring out a few words out of Rachel and Kory. While all this happens, she keeps an eye and ear open for the couple – because what else can they be?
She sees Dick smile. She hears Dick laugh. She watches how they interact, and a part of her is glad the grumpy and sharp-tongued Dick she knows from old is still there, hidden under the man who tries to look annoyed when he´s in truth having a good time. Donna also catches them talking about what Dick is going to do now. Jason is Robin. Jason asks Dick if he´s decided what to do, who to be. She expects Dick to cut the boy off, but she doesn’t. While he does look uncomfortable and t takes a while, he answers. Soft and honest: “I don’t know yet. I´m still confused.”
It amuses her. Above all, it puts her at ease.
Kory interrupts their different conversations at one point to announce she will be ordering dinner. Are there any special requests? Because only Rachel, Gar and Jason have something to say, Kory ends up ordering pizza and letting everyone resume their separate talks.
The pizza arrives. Rachel pulls Donna so she sits next to her. She enjoys the pizza, the movie they put on and the banter between Gar and Rachel. Nonetheless, she doesn’t stop paying attention to the two men who have taken a couch to themselves. Jason smiles and teases throughout the movie. Dick groans and rolls his eyes in annoyance more times than Donna can count. Once more, Dick looks… so much better.
After the movie is over Jason gets to his feet. He calls out something no one – not even Donna – can make out before he grabs Dick´s hand and pulls him to his feet. They make their way out to the balcony. Donna decides to give them privacy.
About an hour and a half later, Kory sends Gar and Rachel to bed. There´s a lot of complaining, indignant huffs on how they´re not small children and Donna is cool! They want to stay up a little longer to talk to Donna.
Kory raising an eyebrow is all the proof the two of them need for Gar to admit that all right, maybe they still have a bit of kids in them.
“Wine?” Kory asks once the two of them are left alone in the living room. Donna shrugs. Kory gets to her feet and heads to the kitchen. Donna follows her, but instead of going to lean against the breakfast bar, she stops in front of the balcony and takes a look outside.
She finds Dick´s form slumped against Jason, whose eyes are closed. She can´t quite see their faces in detail from where she´s standing, but it doesn’t take a genius to see they´re both asleep, or at least pretending to be.
Donna decides to take a few steps forward, making sure her boots don’t make any sound. She hears Kory call out her name. She doesn’t stop, though, not until she´s standing almost in front of them and can get a good look at their faces.
Dick´s is… Dick looks…
“I can´t believe it. All you needed… no. All you wanted was… this?” she says in a voice barely above a whisper. Neither of them stir, and her gaze goes down to see the way Jason´s hands hold one of Dick´s between them, even in their sleep. Dick´s face shows a calm she hasn’t seen before. There is no faint frown, no pursed lips, no tightness around the eyes. At least, not while Jason is holding his hand.
Then Jason stirs, his hands go slack, and Dick´s face shifts right away. For a split second, the one where Jason´s hands loosen, the same frown and pained expression crosses Dick´s features.
Donna shakes her head in utter disbelief, bends down and moves Jason´s hands around enough so Dick´s is safely gripped between them. Dick´s expression changes a second time, and Donna smiles, shakes her head again.
“Who would have thought,” she breathes, throws a last look at them before she straightens and heads back inside.
Kory hands Donna a half-full cup once she steps back into the kitchen. Donna takes it with a smile, one Kory returns.
“I haven´t known them very long, but Dick is hell on wheels. Jason has sort of become a soft-ish spot for him. I feel like they still want to go at each other´s throats sometimes, but they´re so cute when they´re asleep like that.”
Donna takes a sip. “Cute,” she echoes, rolling out the word. “Yes. I suppose cute is an appropriate term.”