stranger things | dick grayson

eleven

word count: 3.1k

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'I don't actually know anything about you. How do I know everything you've told me about yourself is the truth?' Eleanor asked out loud, just moments after Dick admitted he and Dawn had a thing with each other when they were younger, although she knew had already known this.

Dick sighed and switched hands on the steering wheel.

'Yeah, well, I'm sure I don't know everything about you either,' he retorted, causing her to let out an emotionless laugh.

'Well if you must know, I was born and raised in Gotham. My father ended up in prison around my first birthday, and my mother died when I was sixteen... I lived on the streets for a while by myself, just trying to survive. Then I moved to Detroit, became an officer, and then two years ago became a detective...' Of course, she hadn't told the full story, and she had left out many, many, things, but technically everything she had said was the truth to some extent.

'I'm sorry about your parents,' he said, glancing at her. She was turned away from him.

Silence filled the car for the next two minutes as Dick contemplated whether or not he should tell her his story. 

'I grew up in a circus. I had an acrobatic performance with my parents. They were killed during an act when I was thirteen. Well, anyway one day this guy took me in... we didn't get along well, but he gave me the best possible life I could have ever imagined without the circus. I became an officer and became a detective before coming to Detroit,' he spoke just loud enough for her to hear over the roar of the engine.

They were doing well times double the speed limit but Eleanor knew she could trust Dick and his driving abilites so she wasn't all too worried. 

'I'm sorry,' she said quietly, glancing at him. 'I kind of wish I knew that before I called you a bastard behind your back.'

Dick let out a laugh, causing her to try and suppress her grin, but failed miserably. The thing was she hadn't even said it behind his back, it was right to his face when he was wrapping the bandage around her waist, but she was running on pure adrenaline and was slightly disoriented.

'But I'm still mad at you about Rachel,' she told him, even though she wore a small smirk.

He nodded, understanding how badly he had fucked up, so he decided to let them sit in silence. They continued to drive in the silence right up until they pulled into a petrol station that was swarming with police, fire and ambulance.

Once the car stopped, they looked at each other before getting out— Eleanor was much slower than Dick in doing so. He rounded the front of the car and grabbed her arm from over the door, helping her to her feet.

They had walked over to the scene of the crime and flashed their badges to the approaching officer, who quickly turned around and walked away, not wanting to get dragged into all the detective work.

Eleanor frowned a little at the half-burnt down toilet block.

'Rachel could do some damage but this wasn't her,' she said and glanced at Dick, but she backtracked and looked at the burnt body in the body bag. 'Whoa!' She muttered as Dick turned and followed her stare. They both approached the body and cringed slightly at the smell.

Stepping back, Eleanor grabbed onto Dick's arm as she slid backwards on some rocks, and if it wasn't for Dick catching her and holding her steady, she would have eaten shit.

Wincing and gently placing her hand on her side, Eleanor asked, 'Maybe I should just go wait in the car?'

Dick nodded and said, 'Smart idea. I'll keep looking around here.' He let go of her as she turned around and limped her way back to the car. 'And don't touch anything!' He called after her.