For the Love of Nightwing

Final Showdown: Part 1

"Come on!" Dick yelled at me. He held his hands up, bouncing around on his feet. "Focus," he ordered. He jabbed at me with his right hand, but I blocked too slow and he hit me in the eyebrow with his black padded glove.

A stinging sensation branched across my whole forehead, and after a few seconds I felt blood trickle over my left eye. I wiped it off with my fingers and flicked it away.

"I know, I'm trying." I reached behind my head to tighten my ponytail, but Dick had already sent his punch out. He hit me straight in the sternum, and the look on his face the second he noticed what he had done was one of pure regret. I fell to my knees and then onto my side. I began heaving, but tried to control it so that I could stand back up.

"Mad Hatter; Fail," the computer declared. I groaned in frustration and bit my lip.

I can usually give him a fair fight, but today held a great deal of difficulty for me. I couldn't concentrate on anything except what had happened with Jaime a few days ago- I hadn't seen him since. We had exchanged texts and even phone calls, yet it didn't seem as though he wanted to confront me in person. I wasn't bothered by it- he probably just needed time considering how desperately I tried to get into his pants.

When I had finally managed to stand up my vision blurred just a bit before going back to normal. I put my hands back up in a defensive position, but Dick looked uneasy.

"You don't seem very focused, Blue," he remarked, crossing his arms.

His hair laid flat against his forehead as sweat ran down his face and dripped onto the floor. I snickered. It had been ages since anyone called me 'Blue'. I honestly didn't think it was out of habit consider how long he had to get over it and the fact that Blue Beetle was 'Blue'.

"Why would you call me that?"

"Just thought it would trigger another memory."

I sneered at him. It was unbelievable how good of a person he was to everyone else, but how insistent he was with me and my feelings. I shook my head at him as I began to take my gloves off, the cracking sound of Velcro mixing with my words when I spoke.

"Even if I stop loving Jaime, I'm going to stay with him just to spite you." I rolled my eyes at him. He chuckled lightly and grabbed his towel from his duffel bag. I did the same. "Please, just back off... or I'm telling dad. He likes Jaime."

"I like him, too. He's nice."

"Well, he makes me happy, okay? I shouldn't have to justify anything to you. The only reason I do is—"

"Okay! I get it!"

"No, you don't!" I yelled. I balled up my fists and clenched my teeth. "Let me show you how the final showdown would've gone. How does that sound?"

He knitted his eyebrows together, tilting his head before realization struck. "Between Nightwing and Mad Hatter?"

I laughed loudly and obnoxiously, as I threw my towel onto the ground. "No- Mad Hatter and Nightwing. This is my fight! You're just the superhero who tries to stop me! There's no you without me! I write your story! I give you a purpose! So, now, I'm going to shut you up." I unzipped my duffel bag and pulled out a pair of black heels. "You forget this is my story."

He gave me an uncomfortable look and shook his head. "You were my best friend, Blue."

"I could've still been your best friend." A tear rolled down my cheek but I quickly wiped it away before he could see. "But that wouldn't have been enough for you." I got into a fighting stance and looked him in the eyes. "So, if you can't join them, beat them"

"That's not how that phrase goes."

"We're about to see which way your neck doesn't go."

Nightwing took a step back. "Dolly, stop it. I'm not going to fight you!"

I laughed, "Then, this will be easy."