An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Relationships: Barbara Gordon & Dick Grayson
Characters: Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon
Additional Tags: Whumptober 2023, Hurt/Comfort, Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Pining, Mutual Pining, Communication Failure, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Barbara Gordon in a Wheelchair, Dick Grayson Loves Barbara Gordon, Hurt Dick Grayson
Series: Part 7 of Whumptober 2023
Summary:
She needed to focus. She was Oracle and Oracle couldn’t falter or be distracted by personal feelings, not when multiple lives depended on her coordinating teams across the city, the country, the globe. There was no time to worry about Nightwing or his radio silence. Too much going on to pester him. He got out, said he wasn’t majorly wounded, and she needed to trust him. After all he was Nightwing. Vigilante since he was ten. Dick didn’t need her worrying in his ear while trying to stay alive. They needed to be professional because anything else could end in death.
Whumptober Day 7
Inspired by this fanart by deadhermiteye
“Oracle, are you there? I need that passcode!”
“It takes a moment to work miracles. Keep your cape on.” Barbara responded crisply over the mic, fingers flying across her keyboard. “Sending it now, along with those schematics.” With a quick swipe, she slid a new screen onto her center monitor. “Robin, emergency services are headed your way. Sending you the rendezvous coordinates.” Tim’s response faded to the back as another alert popped up from Dinah and Helena.
But the onslaught was welcome. She needed to focus. She was Oracle and Oracle couldn’t falter or be distracted by personal feelings, not when multiple lives depended on her coordinating teams across the city, the country, the globe. There was no time to worry about Nightwing or his radio silence. Too much going on to pester him. He got out, said he wasn’t majorly wounded, and she needed to trust him. After all he was Nightwing. Vigilante since he was ten. Dick didn’t need her worrying in his ear while trying to stay alive. They needed to be professional because anything else could end in death.
Which was why Barbara didn’t flinch when a sensor disarmed with a beep and a glass panel in the clock tower's face scraped open. She didn’t turn around as Nightwing approached the workstation near silently. She couldn’t afford to look away from the maps and trackers and video feeds on her screens, the messages flashing through, and voices bouncing back and forth.
But she gave herself one single moment to close her eyes and relish the relief that came when Dick leaned over the back of her chair and pressed his cheek to hers. “For a minute…I thought I lost you.” she admitted in a whisper.
