Faye Feng → Dick Grayson ✔

Confessions

With the bug fried, Robin was in the dark. Batman was still working on the recording, but after the first thirty hours, Robin didn't have much faith in the fifty-eighth deciphering software they were running. He had even less faith in his hope that Faye was innocent, and it showed.

"You're so distracted I'm surprised that you haven't been shot yet."

The Arkham truck, the back of which contained a newly incarcerated Scarecrow, fired up its engine. So did the GCPD's containment vehicle, where the supervillain's henchmen were chained and imprisoned. They would go to a regular prison, while Jonathan Crane was due for his eighteenth visit to Arkham.

Batgirl sighed from beside him. "You're worried. And angry. And guilty."

"You don't know that." Robin kept his gaze locked on the officers' cars as they sped off into the night, his arms folded across his chest.

"From the way you jumped straight into a fist-fight without warning me that you were going to drop, I'd say that I do." Batgirl scowled. "You can't do that. We're a team."

"You follow, I lead. That's what Batman said."

"On the first patrol. I've been out here for three years now."

Robin remained silent. The knuckles of his gloves were more worn than usual.

"Faye," Batgirl said. Instead of her usual scathing tone, she stated her name as neutrally as possible. "You're worried that she's in trouble. You're angry at yourself for not planting the bug sooner. You're guilty because you think that while you've been acting out a Shakespeare play, people are dying."

"I could be angry at her."

"For what?"

"For flirting with someone else."

He could feel her examining stare on his face, could see her red hair from behind her cowl in the corner of his eye. "You're not. You could never be mad at her. You can barely stay mad at everyone else."

"Am I that much of a pushover – that I let everyone walk all over me?"

"That's not what I - "

"Then what did you mean?" Robin cut her off, still staring resolutely at the street, although the GCPD and Arhkam personnel had long gone.

"You see the best in everyone," Batgirl said gently. "The worst villains, the sickest criminals – you think that there is good in all of them."

He gave an affirmative grunt. "Nobody deserves to die."

"Exactly. And as for Faye, you know that she's not yours to be mad at. She can flirt with anyone she wants."

"You sound bitter."

"Because I am!" Batgirl glared. "She's full of herself, spoiled and so, so stuck up! She looks down at anyone who doesn't have as much money as she does, which is everyone!"

"That's not true." He said sharply, now turning to narrow his eyes at her.

"Even after we've uncovered that she's up to something fishy, you still come to her defense!" Batgirl accused, voice growing shriller. "Even after you've heard firsthand that you're not special to her, you're still hellbent on proving her innocence!"

"She told me herself that she doesn't want to be next - "

"You're not listening to me!" She jumped to her feet, turning her back towards the edge of the rooftop where he was still sitting. "Ever since she came to this city, you don't listen to anyone but her." Batgirl's voice broke, and the sound compelled Robin to stand up as well, powered by regret.