𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐑𝐄 , nightwing

019 cigarettes.

𝐀𝐒 it all sunk away, Rachel almost fell, but I was quick to catch her in my arms, holding up her weight fairly easily. However, Dick was still concerned, calling out and stepping closer. "Rachel!"

"Stay back!" She straightened up, her eyes still wholly black as if her sockets were hollowed out and filled up with the darkness previously surrounding the barn. I massaged her palms and let her stare into me as I have her a small smile and a wink. "You'll get the hang of it. That was very impressive for a first step since the convent."

She smiled at me weakly and took a moment to breathe, turning to face the others slowly. "I'm fine." I could see what she saw right away: people who were previously assumed to be your equals now hesitating and fearing around you, walking on glass invade you shatter and break.

"Are you sure?" Dick and the others still kept their distance. I slowly lowered my hand on her shoulder in comfort, sensing her loosing up, less tense the moment she felt my warmth, despite the touch feeling acidic to my fingers. I wasn't sure what was wrong with me and psychical contact recently.

"I just need a little more practice, that's all." She stammered, an awkward cold silence following. My hands slid back into my pockets slowly as I rocked on my heels waiting for someone to break the ice. I'd already gotten enough death glares from Dick today.

"So, uh, we all did our thing. What's your thing, man?" Gar turned to Dick.

"I can keep you alive." Dick stated. A moment later he turned on me, throwing his hands in my direction. "You didn't even ask what he could do anyways."

"Yeah..." Gar and the others all simultaneously turned to look at me, as if me helping Rachel just now wasn't enough. It was like I was a pandora's box to them.

I scoffed. "Oh really, turning on me now? He's the one who just cowered behind my shoulder  when he saw the big green friendly vegan tiger." I threw my hands up directed at Dick in astonishment how quickly my own group would turn on me.

Besides I don't want to be the sacrificial lamb today. Birdie over there has way cooler tricks." I winked at Dick. The deadly glare I received seemed a little earned this time, but I was more grateful the painful silence after Rachel was already forgotten. If Dick wanted to act all moody and brooding and mysterious about his alter ego and tricks then that was up to him, but it was driving me crazy not making bird jokes every two seconds.

We were now stuck back at the shitty motel, the night already had dawned on us and the only lights were from car headlight's passing the motel by, which was surprisingly more relaxing to watch than it sounded. Rachel and Gar sat near the parking lot talking, while I rummaged around in the room. Dick wasn't the only one who liked to know his surroundings.

Besides, I could feel it in my gut that Dick had already hidden secret Bat-shit around the motel room. Either that or I could find the snacks I'd already forgotten where I misplaced earlier before the showcase in the barn.

Pulling open drawers, I found a metal device hidden under Dick's things. Clicking the device on, a password screen popped up for an entry. Was it an invasion of privacy to try and hack is Bat-device right now? Or was the invasion of privacy all he probably knows about all of us, curtesy of the Bat?

I soon figured I could always put it back afterwards, besides it may come in useful in a tricky situation later. I was close to trying passwords when I heard the soft spoken sounds of familiar voices right outside the room on the balcony: Dick and Kory. The device was absentmindedly slid into my pocket like muscle memory with phones, automatically taking them everywhere like an extra limb.

The door slid open as I leaned on the frame behind the two, listening and watching as I played with a knife in my hands, yet another curtesy of Bruce Wayne, I figured, one of the many hidden in the great stash of Grayson weapons.