It Hurts Sometimes

8. Geez, Bruce!

"What you did was reckless and unprofessional!" Bruce lectured Barbara as soon as Dick had finished stitching up her cut. "You put your life on the line! You're untrained and inexperienced, and you took down Bane!" He put his hand on Barbara's shoulder. "Good work." She smiled. "Now, I have to go finish patrol. You two stay here. You earned a rest." As soon as Bruce drove out of the cave, Barbara and Dick gave each other 'the look'.
"Chamber of Secrets?" He asked.
"You know it!" She skipped up the stairs, and it was impossible to tell that she had just been stabbed a few hours ago. "Wait, can we watch it in your room? You have the better TV."
"Sure!" Dick agreed. "I'll go get the popcorn."
"Give me a second to change out of my suit. Pajama party?"
"Duh." The pair went their separate ways for exactly seven minutes and twenty-nine seconds, at which point the two once again became the Dynamite Duo. "Nice PJ's." Dick commented, when he saw Barbara's Robin inspired shirt. Red shirt with yellow clips, black genie pants, and even a miniature cape.
"Says the guy in a Batman getup." She elbowed him. "Come on!" She grabbed his hand. "The chamber of secrets awaits!"
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"This is completely inappropriate." Bruce whispered to Alfred, when they found Dick and Barbara asleep on Dick's bed. He had his arms wrapped around her, and her head rested on his chest. "They are barely thirteen."
"If I may, Sir," Alfred began. "Both our young heroes are really quite beyond their age."
"But they shouldn't be...doing this stuff." Bruce protested.
"They fell asleep watching a movie, and their sub-conscious kicked in. They obviously have feelings for each other." Alfred observed. "And, at the risk of my job; perhaps you just don't want to accept that your son is growing up."
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The next morning, Barbara and Dick awoke at the exact moment, when the sunrise's light hit their faces.
"What...where..." Barbara mumbled, before both of them realized how they had fallen asleep. They quickly untangled themselves and couldn't look at each other.
"So..." Dick started.
"This is awkward..." Barbara continued, rubbing her arms. "I'm just going to..."
"Yeah...I should probably..." The two walked out the door, and split paths. But at the exact same moment, they both turned around, and smiled at each other.
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Does this mean he likes me too? Barbara thought as she changed out of her pajamas and into her green training shirt and black jeans. She blushed when she remembered how Dick was holding her when she woke up.
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I wonder if she has a crush on me as well? Dick pondered, as he changed into his white and blue training shirt and black training pants. The way she had buried her head into his chest...he practically glowed, thinking about it.
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"Oh, hey." Barbara walked into the Gym to find Dick there already, practicing the uneven bars. "I can go if you wanted to..."
"No, it's fine." Sweat trickled down his brow as he struggled to hold himself in place.
"You're never going to get it like that." Barbara put down her towel and water bottle. "It's easier with two people, give me a sec." She jumped up to the rings, so she and Dick were about an inch apart. "Okay, first off, hold the rings from the inside, not outside." Dick switched his hands, but accidentally pushed Barbara off. As a reflex, she wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Sorry, but it's better than falling, right?" She flipped herself back up. "Anyway, where were we?"
"You tell me, Teacher." Dick laughed.
"Oh yeah, okay. So, if you flip yourself up, I'll hold your hands in place, okay? And I'll keep you from overshooting when you fall."

Dick swung himself up, and managed to stay still for about fifteen seconds, before crashing down and throwing Barbara off. She did a backflip, and landed on one foot, hands in the air.
"Now you're just showing off." Dick huffed.
"You're the one who tried to impress me with a secret identity and shiz." Barbara countered.
"That-I-you-argh!" He yelled in frustration. "Okay, you wanna go again?"