People can go to the moon and back with reasons why a girlfriend who flies is the greatest perk, and Dick Grayson will just nod his head and smile.
He’ll lay back on the lawn chair and toast a beer with Roy Harper, who’s brazenly mumbling some drunken words into the summer air like, “Dick, the sex has got to be insane, man.”
“It is,” Dick says, laughing.
Or he’ll be down in the batcave, updating reports on the computer in complete peace until Damian Wayne decides to stand over him, voicing his approval over Dick’s new relationship and rattling off an objective analysis of Starfire’s combative effectiveness.
“—and when you find yourself at a disadvantage, as you tend to do, Grayson—let’s be rational, here—Starfire has the aerial control for striking down on any assailant—”
“Stop leaning on my chair, Damian.”
He’ll watch wondrously as Kory flies over the top of the T-Mobile to catch the nozzle of the hose when Cyborg throws it up, and spray all the soap off the car like makeshift rain. And what’s the point of taking planes these days anyway? Not when it costs nothing but the love he’s been freely giving to be in her arms alone in the air for a good long while.
But no one ever brings up a perk that means quite a lot to Dick Grayson, more than anyone ever realizes.
He likes how he doesn’t have to add Kory to the list of loved ones who can fall to their deaths.
I liked writing this one... any excuse to write about pregnant Kory? I take.
This hasn’t been proofread properly yet, as is always the story with ship week entries lmao.
Hope ya like it.
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In-Laws
The downpour of rain continued to fall from the dark sky above, pelting everything in its path within the city.
Water flooded the streets, cars continuing to speed through and drench the sidewalks even more.
Few people were around, besides the usual thugs and homeless that were huddled around low embered trash cans down quiet alleyways.
Drops of water smeared across the glass of the car window and Kory sighed, peering out of it.
“I do not know if I will ever get used to Gotham…”
Dick smiled from his position in the driver’s seat and shifted his grip on the steering wheel so he could reach down and lace their fingers together.
“I don’t even think I am used to Gotham, babe.” He murmured, keeping his eyes on the road on account of the hazardous weather.
“I just wish it had more color… nicer streets and perhaps… not so much rain…” Kory told him, quietly.
“That’d be the day.” He paused and looked over at her, “How are you feeling tonight?”
“Nervous… I always am when we go and visit Bruce.”
He returned his focus to the road, “Why?”
Kory pulled a face that she knew Dick could see in his peripheral, “Even after all these years… I still do not think he is too… keen on me.”
“Babe, he loves you. You’re part of his family.”
She looked at the silver engagement and wedding rings that were wrapped around the same finger of her left hand.
“Not by his choice…”
“Hey… c’mon, he was quite happy when I told him I was marrying you. And he didn’t object when given the chance at the wedding, did he?”
Kory took a deep breath, “No… apologies. I love Bruce like family… I just… worry that he does not.”
Dick smiled and turned his head towards her, “I know. It’s hard. He isn’t the most affectionate guy but he cares in his own ways.”
Nodding, Kory tried to shake the bout of insecurities she felt in her heart but not before she felt a bump and she groaned.
“Something up?”
She inclined her head and tiredly smirked, “I think she is also telling me to be calm…”
Dick grinned and as they pulled up to Wayne Manor, he reached over and placed a palm on his wife’s swollen belly, waiting to feel his baby kick from inside.
He received two bumps almost immediately which only brightened the smile he wore, “Hey little one… should mama listen to daddy when he says she is loved by grandpa Bruce? Gimme one kick for yes.”
Dick chuckled when a kick was given and he eyed his wife, “Well, the princess has spoken.”
Kory rolled her eyes but smiled, placing her hand over his atop of her stomach. Dick quickly reached through the window at the gates and buzzed for Alfred to let them pass which he did so straight away.
Once they pulled into the large driveway, Dick parked the car up and leaned down to kiss her stomach.
He pulled back and brushed his nose against Kory’s, “Ready to do this?”
With a tight smile, Kory nodded.
Dick got out first, using his coat as a shield from the onslaught of rain before he hurried over to Kory’s side and opened the door up, giving her a helping hand to get out.
Using his coat still, he covered them both as the couple ran to the front doors, already open with Alfred waiting to greet them.
“Thanks Al.” Dick huffed as they got into the foyer, pulling the coat away from their heads and shaking it down before hanging it by the door.
“I do believe the rain will not be letting up this evening.” Alfred sighed, eyeing the window with distaste,
“Such is life when it’s Gotham.” Dick shrugged, leaning in to give Alfred a brief yet firm hug, “He around yet or is he out?”
Alfred patted Dick’s back once before he replied, “He called to say he is on his way back now.”
With that, Alfred turned and smiled at Kory who was excitedly waiting to force another hug on the older gentleman, just as she always did.
“Miss Kory, you are looking radiant.” He told her as she threw her arms around his shoulders,
She snorted, “I do not feel radiant. I feel most like a whale. But, thank you, Alfred. It is lovely to see you again.”
Alfred patted her back and eyed her protruding belly briefly when pulling away, but Dick caught it and smirked.
“Guess what?” Dick paused, “Baby has started kicking since we last saw you. Want to feel?”
The sparkle in his eyes told Dick the truth that Alfred would never voice on account of being a ‘butler’ in his own eyes, despite Dick and Bruce thinking of him like blood, “Oh no… that is-”
Kory dramatically rolled her eyes and stepped forward, grasping Alfred’s hand and placing it on her belly.
They waited in silence for a few seconds before Alfred received a tiny bump against his hand; one that turned his expression to one of utter astonishment.
“Extraordinary… truly extraordinary.” Alfred gushed, before he stood back and took Kory’s coat from her to hang up beside her husband’s.
“Touching a pregnant stomach is deemed a form of luck on my home world; you need not be so hesitant, Alfred.” Kory explained, a grin toying at her lips,
He nodded, his smile one that could only be described as bashful. Dick laughed aloud before the two were led into the den by Alfred as they waited for Bruce to arrive home.
The billionaire by day, vigilante by night materialized from down in the cave after a short while, having swapped the cowl and cape for a smart shirt and pressed dress pants.
He offered them one of his dazzling smiles that always reminded Kory of Dick’s boyish grin and she wondered if he’d picked it up from his adoptive father back in the early days of his youth.
Dick smirked and got up from the leather sofa they had been lounging on first, shaking Bruce’s hand and giving him an awkward half hug which ended with a casual slap on the back.
“Dick, glad you two could stay over this weekend. I wasn’t sure if you would when I saw the storm tonight.” Bruce said, releasing his son from his hold,
“We were already nearly here when it started so it was smarter to just come.” Dick told him, stuffing his hands in his pocket.
Kory slowly got to her feet, one hand supporting her belly as she rose from the sofa. She smoothed down the creases of her woolen, long sleeved bodycon dress; it was a forest green color that worked well to really emphasize her baby bump.
Bruce’s gaze fell on her and she could have sworn his expression softened as he crossed the space to greet her as well.
“Bruce… it is good to see you again.” She states, smiling brightly at her father in law.
He nodded and collected her into a polite hug, giving her cheek a kiss for good measure.
“Hello Kory…” Bruce stepped back and his eyes fell to her belly, “How are you feeling lately?”
She lifted her shoulders, “Uh… she certainly keeps me alert…”
“Oh?”
Kory sighed and nodded, “Kicking. Just always kicking recently and I feel the need to blame Dick for that.”
Bruce smirked and the two of them ignored Dick’s weak protest from where he stood by Alfred now.
His eyes trailed upwards until he met her emerald orbs, “May I?”
Kory beamed at him, her heart warm at the interest he had been taking in connecting with his granddaughter.
“Of course… you need not ask.” She giggled, bringing the hand at his side to press against her tummy,
“Well… some women on Earth don’t like people always feeling their bellies.”
Kory smirked, “True but… I am not from Earth. Tamaranians deem it lucky every time someone touches their stomachs.”
Bruce nodded his head in intrigue, waiting patiently for hers and Dick’s child to give him some kind of response. And, after a minute or so, he was rewarded with a powerful bump directly under the palm of his hand.
His blue eyes widened and he slowly smiled from ear to ear, the true wonder of new life exciting all of them.
“She is certainly an active little thing, isn’t she?” Bruce commented, patting Kory’s belly before removing his hand entirely,
“She is, indeed.”
“Only a couple more months to go, isn’t it?”
Kory nodded and cradled her belly with both of her hands, an attempt to soothe her unborn daughter into a light slumber; just for a while so that she could relax a little more during dinner.
“I believe I shall miss being pregnant.” Kory admitted,
Bruce chuckled and threw a smirk in Dick’s direction, “I suppose you’ll just have to have another then, hm?”
Dick choked on his tongue and a blush leaked across his cheeks as he stammered, “Uh… I-I don’t… I think we’ll be a little busy to…”
Whilst her husband stumbled over himself, Bruce turned to Kory and gave her a secret wink only she could see, drawing an amused giggle from her.
“Right, let’s eat. Shall we?”
Alfred bobbed his head, “I’ll start preparing to bring it out, Master Bruce.”
“Thank you, Alfred.”
With that, Bruce, Dick and Kory started to make their way towards the long dining table in the room just next door.
Dick followed closely, falling in beside Kory and touching the small of her back, causing her to smile in content. His touch was a godsend; something her body and the baby had craved since the moment they discovered she was with child. She leaned back into his hand, appreciating the way his fingers rubbed circles against her cloth covered skin.
As they approached the dining table, Dick hurried ahead of his wife, pulling her chair out and taking her hand to help her sit down on it. She smiled and sweetly kissed his cheek, thankful to have married someone who was so protective and devoted to her basic well being.
He grinned back before he took the seat beside her.
The corners of Bruce’s lips lifted upward, silently proud of the way Dick had turned out. It made him feel like he had steered him right, despite his own conquests throughout his adult life, with only select women meaning something to him the way Kory meant something to Dick.
But, he did wonder if any woman had actually meant something to him like Kory meant something to Dick. Their sturdy relationship was something rare and special and he was genuinely very happy for his son, to have found something like that.
As Alfred served the dishes for the evening, conversation began to flow, the natural streak slowly starting to show itself.
“So…” Bruce started, cutting into the meat on his plate, “How are the Titans?”
Dick smirked, “You mean… how is Damian doing as leader?”
Bruce shrugged, not wanting to show how obvious he was.
“He is doing extremely well. He has learned a lot from his time with the team… he is much more… patient and aware than when he first came to us.” Kory explained, lifting her fork full of chicken into her mouth,
Dick nodded and took a swig of his wine, “He’s definitely matured. I mean… 16 years old and he’s proving to be a very good leader. Hardly any complaints from the others.”
Bruce raised a dark brow, “But there are some.”
Kory stifled a smirk, “It would seem not everyone is a fan of his early morning training sessions.”
The head of the table paused, blinked in disbelief before he burst into laughter, “Well, I suppose that’s a fair reason not to be happy with him.”
Dick and Kory laughed alongside him, nodding their heads in agreement.
“Kory?” Bruce began, “Do you think you’ll return to your role of leader once you are settled with the little one?”
The Princess paused in her sipping from the glass of water and tilted her head to the side as she swallowed the mouthful, “I… am undecided… we are… still deciding what we wish to do in terms of the future.”
“Oh?”
Dick cleared his throat and his cerulean gaze fell on his former mentor, “Well… we were considering leaving Damian as the team’s leader… y’know… permanently.”
Bruce’s brows shot to his hairline, “Really?”
Sighing, Dick briefly dragged his fingers through his hair, “We need to pull back… maybe not forever but… our daughter is gonna need our focus. I’m working on arranging a roster so that I’m not always away from home as well. We’re… really taking this seriously.”
“We never want her to feel like she missed one of us whilst growing up…” Kory murmured, pattering her fingers against her belly in a moment of playfulness.
Bruce took a long moment before he nodded earnestly, “That sounds like a smart idea, you two.”
Kory smiled and glanced in Dick’s direction as he clasped her knee beneath the table, “Thanks.”
“So, I’m assuming you don’t want to come along for the secondary patrol later tonight.”
Dick lifted his head, “Uh… I didn’t say that. As long as it doesn’t go past midnight, I’m permitted to go with.”
“Permitted?”
Kory smirked into her food as Dick chuckled, “Didn’t you know, Bruce? Kory makes all the final decisions.”
Bruce smiled, “She is the more intelligent one so that makes sense.”
“Hey!”
Kory burst into a fit of giggles, taking another gulp of water from her glass. She felt her cheeks grow rosy from the banter that was being shared around the table and slowly, the walls that seemed to go up whenever she came to Gotham started to crack; just a little.
She returned to slicing up the succulent chicken breast that sat on her plate, popping a piece into her mouth and allowing the flavors to dance across her tongue.
“So, Kory… will you be visiting your parents on Tamaran closer to your due date?” Bruce asked, making gentle conversation,
Kory froze in her seat, her body going rigid at the question, despite Bruce’s complete obliviousness to the elephant in the room. She realized that Dick had never told his father about her own lack of family members; with most of them having perished years prior.
“Uh-” Dick made to save her from explaining but Kory held a hand up, stopping him. She felt a need in her heart to be honest and direct with her personal life. There was a constant feeling that dwelled in the pit of her stomach that Bruce merely tolerated her and that he barely knew anything about her, despite being his daughter in law for the past 2 years.
But, she wanted him to know all about her and she wanted to share things with him; to have a closeness with her father by marriage that she did not necessarily have with her biological father.
Bruce had paused in eating, sensing that he had erred somewhere in his question.
Kory swallowed the mouthful of poultry and gently dabbed her lips, careful not to smear the lipstick she wore.
“Unfortunately… my parents are deceased.”
Realization suddenly dawned on Bruce and his shoulders sagged in obvious sympathy and understanding for the woman sat at his table, “Oh… I’m sorry, Kory.”
She offered him a tight lipped smile and shook her head, “Do not be. It was… a long time ago…” She paused, considering how they treated her when she was alive and what she had endured at the hands of her parents, using her to barter for peace on their world, “Besides… they were not… the nicest of people.”
Her father in law stared at her for a long stretch of time, as if mulling over things in his head before he gave her a gentle smile, one that revealed his own pain from a young age.
She knew that they were all orphans in truth, the three of them sat at the oak wood table that lined the middle of the room. She knew about Dick’s parents and then she later learned of Bruce’s origin as well, which was no less saddening than hers or Dick’s.
“It doesn’t make it much easier… whether they are good or bad people. It still hurts.”
Kory eyed him and felt a lump in her throat. She nodded in agreement, “No. It does not.”
She felt his hand cover hers, gently against the surface of the table and she looked up to hold his stare to which he offered her the softest smile she thought she had ever seen on him,
“Well… you know you’ve got us, Kory. You’ve always got a place here, in this family.”
Kory felt tears prick the back of her eyes but she refused her emotions for once. Her smile trembled as her heart felt so full before she nodded back to him, understanding that Dick had been right about what Bruce supposedly thought of her after all this time.
DICKKORY WEEK DAY 3: LOVE LANGUAGE [character fanmix]
[listen here]
01. no light, no light ; florence + the machine // 02. seeing stars ; børns // 03. icarus ; bastille // 04. fingerprints ; kita klane // 05. starlight ; muse // 06. killer queen ; queen // 07. shine a light ; banners // 08. still feel. ; half•alive // 09. nasa ; ariana grande // 10. midnight city ; m83 // 11. killing time ; max and the moon // 12. gold ; sir sly // 13. while we’re young ; jhene aiko // 14. electric love ; børns // 15. god is a woman ; ariana grande // 16. daydream ; ruelle // 17. hazey ; glass animals // 18. i see you. ; missio // 19. out of my league ; fitz and the tantrums // 20. ocean eyes ; billie eilish // 21. cosmic love ; florence + the machine // 22. i feel love ; donna summer // 23. night running ; cage the elephant // 24. star fire ; sleeping wolf // 25. shut up and dance ; walk the moon // 26. my type ; saint motel // 27. tear in my heart ; twenty-one pilots // 28. human right ; the strike // 29. sunny ; boney m. // 30. bottom of the deep blue sea ; missio
“From the moment we met, there was always a connection. Physical, yes, but more. He is my soulmate. I will love him to the end of my days, and I believe I will always be in his heart.”
