ILLUSION || Jason Todd

THREE

❝WHOA

YOU'RE A LOADED GUN❞

BON JOVI, YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME

It had only taken however many minutes of waiting in Dick's car for Lorelei to get completely and utterly bored as she cursed herself for leaving her duffle bag in the hotel, desperately wishing for her book or phone charger. She had sent a text to Bruce, telling him Dick had been located but there had been a little setback, claiming they would hopefully begin working tomorrow.

She did not use her phone too often, it was a handy little thing, yes, but it was something she could very easily get addicted to using. Unlike in this realm, Centia's technology was not so advanced and certainly did not have Wayne Tech, so it was a fascinating thing she had learned to grow accustomed to in her almost four years away from her home realm.

Once she had gotten a good grasp on using technology, she could sit for hours on end watching television shows or films or even the apps with features of few second long videos by simply scrolling. It was an addictive little piece of technology she knew to limit her time on for leisure purposes. Besides, with her phone being on a lower battery percentage, Lorelei had no choice but to just stare out the window into the dark abyss the world was becoming as night crept further in. If this was any indication as to how her night was going to go, Lorelei was about to ditch this car and find some food.

Yet her thoughts of delicious foods entering her stomach was soon interrupted by a frantic Dick Grayson entering the driver's seat of his car, ordering Lorelei to put on her belt as he followed his own order and with the urgency of his own actions, Lorelei followed suit, clicking her belt in place.

"What's happened?" Lorelei asks, completely and obviously unaware of whatever was going on. She had absolutely no way of knowing, she has been here, in this very car, hidden away from whatever action has been taking place.

"That car has Rachel, I'm following them." Dick told Lorelei, looking over to the girl who nodded at his words, though seemingly having no reaction. It was not that she had no reaction or wasn't worried for Rachel but Lorelei had spent two years in Gotham. You learn very quickly to expect the unexpected and in this case, one of murder, Rachel being kidnapped was not a far fetched idea. "Now, while it's just us, why are you here?"

"I told you, Bruce sent me, he said you could help me." Lorelei rolled her eyes, crossing her legs as she changed her position, something she had been doing all day to regain some comfort on the coach. "I'm having a hard time with my suit, wearing it, sometimes even looking at it. Everything just changes with the suit."

Dick gave out a sharp nod in reply. "I was expecting you, Bruce sent a text." Dick admitted, thinking over Lorelei's words. "So, you want to play a vigilante and get too anxious putting on your suit? Shouldn't that be enough to tell you to stop?"

The blonde mage let out a scoff at Dick's insulting words. She expected that, yes, Bruce had warned her that Dick may attempt to get Lorelei to not become Phobia, but regardless, it was irritating and hurtful. "I'm not human, Dick. I have magic. It would've also been nice if you replied to those texts so I knew I was getting help."

"I didn't say I'd help, you're here because you said Bruce sent you." Dick argued, earning a small, humorous hum from Lorelei. Bruce also said to expect that. "I left that life behind for a reason, Lorelei. You can get out before it even starts."

"I'm here because you can't help but help someone in need. That's why you're still helping Rachel after everything she said." Lorelei shot back playfully, watching over Dick for a response as his eyes remained on the road, following the car. "And did you really leave this life behind? Wasn't Robin just on the news? Don't even bother saying that it's complicated. What's complicated is my mental block, my inability to wear my suit."

Dick let out a sigh in defeat, knowing Lorelei was, at least, partially right. She was already in this life whether he liked it or not and, for some reason, Bruce had sent this girl to her. He was going to help her much like he was helping Rachel. "Do you know the cause of the mental block?"

Lorelei dropped her head, watching her feet shift at the weight of his question. It was certainly a loaded question, beating for Lorelei's memories like a gun clocking, taunting her. The reason, the cause, was there, in the back of her mind, taunting her every time she went to wear her suit. The hesitation came before the panic. Bruce was right - as always - Gotham was part of it. Or rather, the things that happened in Gotham.

But she couldn't speak about that. Not yet. Not to anyone. Bruce knew, Bruce always knew. It was left unspoken though, it was territory even Bruce was hesitant to cross into and even after Lorelei explaining her lore to him, he was unsure how to help the young girl. The blonde mage assumes that is why he sent her to Dick. He chose to opt out of a vigilante life in Gotham, Dick can understand conflicting emotions with a heavy heart in ways Bruce cannot.

Lorelei wanted to trust Dick, she really did. He was Robin, for fucks sake, he had given her no reason for distrust but that didn't help her, that didn't give her a reason to trust Dick. Not yet, anyway. She was not about to reveal her worst moments to Dick Grayson whilst chasing after a stranger - Rachel - who was kidnapped by cops but she didn't want to lie, either, as she wrapped her brains around a sufficient answer to his question.

Dick, on the other hand, wasn't expecting an honest reply, not one that truly got to the root of the problem. He knew they were strangers, no amount of press written about Dick or Robin would be enough to establish trust, no amount of lives he had saved as Dick or Robin would be enough to establish trust. Then, by her reaction to the question, he understood it was a far more complex situation than just putting a suit on and having a panic attack.

The silence that loomed within the car was a mutual respect that there was no easy way for Lorelei to reply to that loaded gun question and further respected by Detective Dick Grayson when he gave Lorelei a small nod and sincere smile, earning a small, perhaps even apologetic smile from Lorelei as she sat, completely embarrassed by her hesitation to open up to Robin, of all people.