Horns & Talons

Chapter Four

-Dick's POV-

With a very reluctant goodbye, Athena forced me onto the next plane back to Gotham. Artemis and Wally, also being forced on a plane by my girlfriend, were retreating to every continent in the world. For their honeymoon, they decided to take a trip to...everywhere. 

I took a deep breath of Gotham air. I immediately coughed. Athena looked over at me, a tired smirk on her lips. "Didn't you miss the smog?" She joked, her voice monotone. I managed a half-hearted chuckle. 

I glanced around. The sweet escape of Bora Bora was nice, but it wasn't Gotham. Our plane had touched down around eleven at night, and yet, people were stilling milling around the streets like ants. Unless you were having a party, no one was out at night back on the island. 

The lights of the city filled me with energy. Long gone was my jet lag when I walked through the streets of Gotham. I stared at the billboards with a dopey kind of smile. A rat scurried by my foot and I was tempted to pick it up. A random person ran past, obviously whacked off crack, and I almost wanted to run with them. 

Gotham wasn't perfect, but it was Gotham. And I loved it. I couldn't wait to get back to Bludhaven. I missed my city.

But, the thing I loved the most lived in Gotham. Ahead of me, Athena strode through the city without even lifting her head. She carried her bags like a mule and drudged on. The city obviously didn't faze her.

When she managed to get about a block ahead of me, I decided I needed to catch up. I jogged up beside her and bumped her shoulder. She didn't even glance over. I did it again. This time, I got a small eye roll. Once more. Her stride slowed a little. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her tight against me. Putting my hand on the small of her back, I used my other hand to whip her around. She spun into my chest smoothly.

For a moment, her dazed eyes drifted to mine. Taking that as an invitation, I dipped my head and met her lips. Just as the city had, I could feel her fill with energy. As for me, I was buzzing. 

Just as soon as it started, it ended. My fingers crept down her side and into her hand. Back when we were first dating, hand holding was a big no-no for Athena. But now sometimes I would find her reaching for my hand. 

After a lovely eternity, we reached her apartment. It didn't take long for me to collapse. I expended all my giddiness on the streets of Gotham. The warm comfort of Athena's home made me instantly tired. I fell face down onto the couch. 

As for Athena, she carefully laid out her bags down in her room and started to unpack. I knew she was extremely tired, but she never showed it. She just sat on her rug and started to organize. It was making me sick.

Despite my body's wishes, I shoved myself up and walked over to her elegant form. Her back was completely straight and her hands were completely still. However, I could see the dullness in her usually bright blue eyes. 

I stood behind her. She didn't flinch. I knew she was aware of my presence. But she was not in it. And by that I mean she was zoning out in her own head. I hated when she did that. Alfred had told me that Bruce does it a lot too; it was a sign of severe PTSD. The thing about Athena was that she never physically showed what was happening in her mind. If she was reliving something traumatic, she didn't even twitch. If she was thinking about the puppy she saw on her way home, she didn't smile. I could never tell what she was thinking.

I sat down on her bed and dangled my legs on each side of her. Her hands continue to pull things out and put them back. She was almost completely done with one bag already. I rested my hands gently on her shoulders. I felt her spine slowly start to soften. I softly massaged her tense muscles. Eventually, her hands stopped moving.