coffee break

ANOTHER excerpt from Eclipse

By the way, this is gonna keep going until I get bored of DC. Which will take a long time since the new CW shows are coming out this week. So have fun for those people who hate my obsessions or are pretty done with them. This is directed straight at you, rjlxpin.

- 🦇 E m m a 🦇 -

"May I have your invitations please?" The guard said stockily. Dick handed ours over, and the guard grunted, before waving us through. We spotted Conner and Megan already inside, Megan's red dress clashing with her vibrant hair, and Conner wearing a matching tie.

"Why do we have to do this again?" I murmured into Dick's shoulder as he pulled me into a waltz. His bare hands wrapped behind my neck, and I felt every callus on his fingers. He may wear gloves when he used his batons as Nightwing, but once a gymnast, always a gymnast. I shivered at his touch, self conscious from the fact that I was wearing a dress that exposed so much of my back.

"Since Bruce was invited by Lex, we were able to get invites for our entire team. Lex's trails have gone cold, and we need more information on him." Dick answered. "Also, you look stunning."

"Quit your complimenting." I groaned, as we continued to slow dance. The top of my dress was pitch black, and it slowly faded to a silvery near my feet. I know, back at it again with the monotone, but I still couldn't create constructs with color, only shades and tones. "You should be lucky that all meta and alien powers are dampened in here, or I would be slowly carving into your skin with a knife."

"Awww, you know you love me." He smirked.

"Grayson, if you don't stop this instance, I'm not giving you back these batons, and I will raid the Batcave and your apartment and rid you of any equipment, weapon or clothes you have. Are we clear? I might string you up naked just for good measure." I chided.

He grinned down at me once more. "Of course. Karen and Malcolm are nearly in position." I glimpsed over his shoulder, finding the rest of the team hidden among the guests. Karen and Malcolm in their matching yellow dress and tie, Jaime chatting with Traci (Thirteen) in the corner, while Cissie (Arrowette) tried to stop Bart from eating up the entire refreshment table. Stephanie (Spoiler) was dancing with the now mentally fit Tim, while Cassie and Virgil watched awkwardly in the corner. The only ones missing were Kaldur, Artemis and Beast Boy, since Lex already knew how Kaldur and Artemis looked like, and the fact that Garfield, even in his human form, was still green. Not really meant for undercover.

"Isn't Conner Lex Luthor's son? I'm pretty sure his face will be recognizable." I whispered.

Dick smirked. "That's the point. Lex knows that that's M'gann and Conner. That's why he has all the power dampeners out. And which is why all the rest of us non-powered ones are out here with them. They're the bait."

"Um, hello, Grayson. I'm a meta-human as well, and so is Virgil. Heck, Cassie can fly, and Bart has super speed. One of our other non-powered teammates, Tigress, or Artemis, isn't even here on this mission! Are you stupid or stupid, Dick." I grumbled.

--Flashback--

"Team, listen up!" Batman said, a week after I had first met the Team officially. "Lex Luthor is holding a ball, and there are many people of great importance there, including some of Lex's enemies. He is there to announce something, what, I do not know, but that is for you to find out. I will be there, undercover, and so will Superman. Aqualad, Tigress, Beast Boy, you three cannot participate due to your previous encounters with Luthor and the fact that you have green skin, Beast Boy. Any questions?"

Virgil raised a hand. "Yeah. Where'd we get the invites from?"

"I have a mutual understanding with Bruce Wayne, who has provided invitations for the rest of the Team. Since Nightwing and Robin are his sons, he will be there for you as well." Batman answered.

"Is it not obvious that he's Bruce Wayne? I thought everyone knew?" I whispered to Dick.

Dick shushed me. "Virgil's new-ish. He doesn't really know. Listen."

"Miss Martian and Superboy, Luthor already knows you two will be there, so be on guard. There will be power dampeners around the building, so you all should be ready for a fight without your abilities. Blue Beetle, your scarab will still be functional, but the others, including all alien physiology, will not work. Move out."

--Flashback End--

"Welcome everybody. Thank you everyone for coming. I would like to thank especially Mr Bruce Wayne for contributing to the funding, including his help rebuilding the cities that were destroyed in the natural disasters launched after the Reach's invasion. He, along with the famous Justice League, have been a great help to us, and hope that everyone here, will see, the Light."

"He's laying it on a bit thick, isn't he?" Dick whispered. 

I rolled my eyes. "Thick is an understatement. Look at Conner. Only years of experience and training is stopping him from ripping Lex's head off. That and the kryptonite in the air."

"Can you feel the heat?" He suddenly added. I put my hand up, finding the air flows. 

"I can. The air is hot. The hot temperature is stopping M'gann from using her abilities. And I'm guessing the power dampeners are the big lights in the corner." By now, Lex had finished his speech, and I rolled my eyes again. "Do we actually have to attend every single gala he holds? Does he not find it suspicious?"

"I am Bruce Wayne's eldest son." He smiled. "And you are apparently my beautiful girlfriend."

"I am not your girlfriend." I hissed, before he pulled me close and kissed me. I froze at the sudden contact, before I pulled away slowly. "What was that for?"

He chuckled. "Lex was staring at us. He needed to buy our act, so I gave it to him, Mrs Grayson."

I tried to spit as inconspicuously as possible. "Bleugh. Ew, don't ever do that again. And, Mrs Grayson? I am not getting married to you."

"True. I was engaged once but my marriage got bombed by an inter dimensional demon's daughter."

"To Kori? Who's probably being laid by both Jason and Roy." I scoffed. "Should probably thank Raven though. I'd never trust an alien girl who was my first kiss."

"How do you know about that?"

"Karen told me. Girl talk, right? When you first met Kori, and she kissed you. Garfield told me how you heroically unhooked your grappling hook to save her from the alien who grabbed her leg and pulled her away from you." I winked. "Sound familiar?"

"I am going to kill them both." He groaned.

"Oh, no you won't. You're too much of a sweetheart to do that. Where's Dami?"

"Jumping around Gotham in our old Robin suit. Babs is helping him out, since Bruce left."

"Oh yea, the genius Oracle. Why are all your exes superheroes? Starfire, Batgirl, Oracle, Zatanna, Rocket... The list goes on. How many people do you sleep with, mister?"

"Enough to make me amazing in bed with you, hon." He wiggled his eyebrows.

I glared at him. "I am this close," showing a minuscule gap between my fingers, "from kicking your balls, Officer Grayson."

"Hey, hey, you don't get to go like that. You're still in college. You don't even have a job."

"I don't have a job? Excuse you, I have like four. I work at Starbucks in the morning, wait tables in the afternoon, and work at Walmart at night. Then you have to remember that I go around as Eclipse at night, as well as help the Gotham Gazette with the adventures of Batman and Robin. I've managed to get a few comic strips to stick, but I've got to keep trying. I've got enough of those comics to create a book." I stated. 

"So why don't you publish a book, Miss Hadley." He replied.

"Because I have other things to care for. The Gazette has high expectations, and I'm just working as a freelancer. It's not serious."

"I can always ask Bruce to hire you. He does own the Gazette."

"I don't want your help."

"Too bad, you're still getting it. Watch Luthor. I'm gonna go get a drink." I eyed the bald man on stage wearily, until an explosion happened, launching all of us to the ground, including Lex himself. Unless this was just an act, something big was happening.