conflict and compromise / barbara gordon

visit

Wenlock didn't know why she had accepted this invite, it was stupid, she thought as she wiped the dirt off her sneakers. 

"Very stupid, but a good way to confirm our blueprints from that night," Oracle chimed in as the air-conditioned air of the mansion hit Wenlock, sending a wave of cool relief coursing through her.

"Thanks for accepting the invite on such short notice," Wenlock heard Barbara say, beside her, hands intertwined, squeezing her hand reassuringly. This did nothing to alleviate Wenlock's fears, almost heightening them as she scanned the room with her glasses, disguising the glance as admiration. Forcing out a nervous laugh she whispered, "This looks so much prettier in the daytime."

Barbara hummed in agreeance, "Not many people get to see it like that."

"And why do we?"

"Friends with the Wayne family," she said, then muttered, "Dated Dick Grayson."

"Ah so I'm your rebound and you're showing me off to your ex," Wenlock smiled back, "I see."

Wenlock turned to watch as Barbara rolled her eyes, felt Barbara grab her hands and spun her in a circle in the middle of the ballroom, "I would never," she whispered with a reassuring tone that ignited a fire in Wenlock's stomach.

"I know."

They walked towards the dining room, where a bespectacled old man greeted them.

"Alfred," Barbara nodded, and the man greeted in return.

"Master Barbara, and Master..."

"Wendy," Wenlock supplied, putting on a smile, "Or Wenlock, whichever you prefer."

"Master Wendy then, this way thank you."

Wenlock turned and softly whispered to Barbara, "I'm glad he didn't choose Wenlock because otherwise, I'd feel like a sorcerer every time he says my name," prompting a giggle from Barbara. 

"Focus."

Wenlock took a breath in, before walking into the expansive dining room, as ready as she could be to meet Barbara's working family. Peering into the room the first thing she noticed was the thin line the room was from absolute chaos. Carpet laid almost haphazardly barely hiding previously broken floorboards, window blinds with almost perfect sewing hiding the slashes made by swords, and if you didn't look too closely, you couldn't even notice the hand marks on the chandelier. 

She swept the room once, taking in every blurry figure, counting on Oracle to identify and inform her of who they were. 

"You've got a wonderful ensemble here," Oracle finally chimed in, "Spoiler, Orphan, Robin, Red Robin, Nightwing and Signal, not to mention Batman of course."

Wenlock felt a tug at her hand, before Barbara playfully dragged her towards the center of the room with a smile.

"And your very own Batgirl I suppose."

Wenlock nervously looked around, catching the eye of Barbara, who smiled reassuringly.

"Hey!" a bright voice chirped in, "Glad to see my gamble paid off!'

Wenlock looked up into the bright blue eyes of Dick Grayson and frowned, "Your gamble?"

There was an awkward silence, as the room seemed to pause and everyone turned to stare at Dick. He laughed as an embarrassed look grew on Barbara's face, "Oh, she hasn't told you?" 

"Told me what?" she turned to look at Barbara, "Do you have something to tell me?"

Dick slipped past Wenlock to put an arm around Barbara, "You mean you haven't told her that I was the one that convinced you to ask her out?" 

"You wish," Barbara retorted, "You onl-" 

"Oh my god," Wenlock buried her head in her hands, slipping fingers under her glasses to cover her face, "I owe my relationship to Dick Grayson." 

She felt Barbara's arms surround her, "No babe, we do-"

"Do we owe you tax for our relationship? Do you have a rule on pets?" Wenlock asked Dick, completely ignoring Barbara.

"Oh I don't know, might have to read up on the contract," replied Dick, his smirk growing. 

A laughing Steph bounded over, grabbing Wenlock's hands and dragging her to the other side of the table. Wenlock allowed herself a smile, sitting herself down with Cass to one side and Steph on the other. There was this uncomfortable feeling, thought Wenlock, permeating the room, as if everybody was deciding how they wanted to act around her.

Good, Wenlock thought, she'd look less suspicious if everyone was acting suspicious.

"Ahem."

She froze, she would recognize that voice anywhere. It was tattooed into her brain from that night in the hallway, and it was seizing her now, rooting her on the spot. Stop, she told herself, she had prepared for this, she could not lose years of work to emotions now. She steeled herself, turning and looking down with a quizzical look on her face.

"tt, Gordon has told us many things about you," he glowered up at her, "So far you are not meeting expectations."

Pushing down the rising anger in her stomach, she put on a patronizing voice, "awwww, who's this lil guy?" 

She saw the entire room hold in a laugh in the corner of her eye as Damien reacted, somehow finding a way to bristle his already spikey hair.

"I'm not-" 

"Your so cuteeee oh my goddd," Wenlock let out a yelp as Damien lunged at her, only being held back by Cass at the last second. She looked up with a worried frown, glancing over at a Barbara, who was staring down Damien with narrowed eyes and tightened lips.

Wenlock pushed down the fire threatening to overtake her chest and forced out a laugh, Dick seeming to put real effort to join her. 

"Well I guess we know who gets the far seat today," Dick said with a practiced smile, leading Damien further down to sit far away from Wenlock. 

With almost perfect timing, Alfred slid into the dining room, arms ladled with plates and plates of food that Wenlock would die to even get a glimpse of. Letting herself be swallowed up by the sounds of gratefulness directed at Alfred she lightly kept up a conversation with Stephanie, trying her best not to catch the attention of someone even more dangerous.

⧖⧖⧖

Tapping her finger on the tablecloth, Wenlock assessed her situation. She needed less people... around, for her plan to work. But with the constant bubbling conversation around her she couldn't go anywhere without it being clearly noted. And, she thought, even if she did slip away, the mansion was under more surveillance than most government facilities. She needed something big, and that something big should be happening right about now

Slight writers block sorry guys!