Book One: Nightwing's Fearful Shadow

Chapter 19: Double Date

Zella pov

Today was Saturday  which meant the double date with Dick's friends. I took a shower and was looking at my closet and couldn't find anything to wear for lunch. I had my hair in a towel and wearing a white robe over my undergarments.

"What about this?", I ask looking at Cippia as I show a a long black and white stripped dress.

He whines and places his paws over his head.

"I agree. Why do I even have this one?", I say as I put it in a bag to donate later. After a lot of looking and finding nothing, I change into my sweats and was starting to brush my hair when I hear my doorbell. After putting down my brush, I walk over and open the door a crack.

"Yes?"

Artemis is standing there. I didn't see Wally or Dick so she must have come alone.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't know what to wear so I came to help.", she says with a small smile.

"Great.", I reply as I let her inside. Cippia had hide in a shadow when he heard her voice.

"Glad I came just in time."

"Why?"

"There isn't any thing just right for this in your closet.", she says as she drags me outside.

"Wait what?!"

~Time-skip~

I was standing in a store while Artemis is making me try on outfits. I didn't like the sun dress she made me try on so I started to look around. When looking around I found the perfect outfit. A burgundy skirt, black ankle boots and black tights. I picked out a white shirt and a short black leather jacket. To complete the look I added a black scarf and a black bag. When I walked out wearing it Artemis smiled.

"Perfect. Now let's go, Wally is probably whining about not eating."

After paying for it we head back to my place so I could change into it and put away my sweats. Once that was done we head off to meet the boys.

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Dick pov

Wally had showed up early and hanged out while the girls were getting ready. We did hear Zella yell 'Wait what?!' but then nothing so we figured Artemis was with her and dragging her somewhere.

"Does the future Mrs. Grayson know what you do at night?", Wally asks me as we sat on my couch.

"Yes she does."

"Well at least you won't have to hide it and now she won't think you're cheating on her."

"Trust me, cheating on Zell would probably be the last thing I ever do.", I say as I shudder at the thought of what Cippia or Gus might do to me. No to mention what Zell could do with those powers of hers.

"By the way, my uncle wants to know if you managed to find Phantasma to ask her to join?"

"Not really. The one time I did run into to her and asked she just ran into a shadow. Haven't seen her since."

I'm not exactly lying. I did asked Zell that but she freaked because she knows Batman is apart of the league. Still not exactly over her fear of him but at least she is not scared of Nightwing.

A little before noon, we left and went to the cafe Zell and I eat at on Thursdays. We waited outside for them while chatting when Wally smiles and looks behind my shoulder.

"About time ladies. I was starting to starve to death.", he whines.

"It takes time to look good Bay-watch.", Artemis replies.

I chuckle at Wally's pout and turn to look over at the girls. I blink my eyes in surprise then smile. They do look good.

"If it takes a while to look this good, then I'd say it is worth it.", I say.

Zell just rolls her eyes. "Let's go eat shall we?"

We head inside and took a seat at a booth. Wally and I sit across from the girls. After the waiter took our orders we sat there chatting while waiting when Wally asked Zella something.

"So Zella, who do you think is cuter? Nightwing or Dick here?", he asks as he slung an arm around my shoulder. I watch Artemis kick him under the table.

"Of course he asks that question to tease her.", I think to myself.

"Oh.....Dick I suppose.", she replies.

"You suppose?", Wally asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Well I guess looks are good but I kinda prefer words and actions better then that."

"How so?"

"Dick is kind, caring, but won't stand by if someone needs help, doesn't take nonsense, and can be a dork at times."

"Hey.", I say in protest much to my two friends' amusement.

"How did a girl like you fall for him?", Wally asks with a shit-eating grin.

"He cared for me..."

"Huh?"

"Not a lot of people cared for me so when he did that it meant a lot to me....", she says as she looks down at the hands in her lap.

I felt my heart skip a beat when she said that but then remember that this is fake.

"Maybe...it doesn't have to be fake.", I think to myself. "Maybe if we fall in love for real we can be engaged for real."

Our food arrival cuts that conversation off so we dig in and talked about other things. I noticed how pretty Zell's hair looked in the sunlight. I shake my head trying to clear things but it wasn't working. I am starting to notice the little things about her. If my family and friends ever found out we started as a way out of a arranged marriage for me then we did fall in love for real, they will never let me live it down.

"I think I am slowly starting to fall for her."

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Zella pov

When Wally told a joke, I found myself getting lost in Dick's laugh. "I have to admit, it is contagious.", I think to myself. "Too bad Dick is out of my league for real."

I blink my eyes then frown. "Where did that come from? There's no way I'm falling for him....and even if I did he would never feel the same way........damn it I think I am starting to fall for him........"

When Lunch ended, Dick walked me back to the bookstore and went to his apartment.

"What am I going to do?", I say with a sigh as I head to the counter.