The Risk of Falling

Offering her his arm, he gave her his devilishly handsome smile and waited to see her reaction. This was a strange night to say the least, but what else was there to do after you finished studying and a pretty girl was kicking you out? 

Walking in with her on his arm, he knew instantly there would be several jealous men that would cast looks their way. He guided them over to the bar and sat down before holding his finger up. “Jack Daniels and anything this lovely lady wants.” The bar was fairly empty except a few regulars and a couple of desperate guys and girls all exchanging glances across the room. 

He slowed the bike a little, not weaving as much as they came to the next red light. He tried to stop the bike with as little as jolt as possible. He adjusted a few things on his bike to make the ride a bit smoother. Letting the bike rocket forward again and took a few more turns till they were suddenly outside of Sportsmaster. 

Offering her his arm, he gave her his devilishly handsome smile and waited to see her reaction. This was a strange night to say the least, but what else was there to do after you finished studying and a pretty girl was kicking you out? 

Hearing her choice he nodded and thought it to be a smarter decision anyway - no way was he in the mood for a nightclub, but he always thought it was a good thing to ask. “Then Sportsmaster it is. Hold on tight, gets a bit bumpy.” 

He waited till she was ready before letting the bike rocket forward. The roar filled his ears as he raced out of the student parking lot and out onto the busy street. Dick, like most guys, loved to drive fast and with a bit of reckless abandonment. He didn’t drive crazy, but he did like to show off a bit when he was on his bike since it came like second nature. He zipped in and out of line and brought the bike to a halt at a red light. 

“Uh, okay,” she said quickly and oh-so-full of confidence when he warned her about the ride. Despite the warning, she still jumped as he shot forward, her hands instinctively gripping onto his shoulders. She wasn’t exactly a fan of the bike or his driving methods so far, but considering she had zero idea how to actually drive a motorbike, she kept her opinions to herself.

He slowed the bike a little, not weaving as much as they came to the next red light. He tried to stop the bike with as little as jolt as possible. He adjusted a few things on his bike to make the ride a bit smoother. Letting the bike rocket forward again and took a few more turns till they were suddenly outside of Sportsmaster. 

 He let his helmet rest on his head as he slipped off his hoodie and placed it i the saddle bag. A pair of jeans and a black t-shirt were enough for him to stay warm. He offered her the hoodie. “I have a leather jacket if you want that instead, gets a bit cold on the bike.” 

Now that she stood in front of him, helmet in hand, she couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Okay, sorry, but you do remember who my dad is, right?” She asked, mostly joking. Her father was most definitely the type to have warned her about handsome men who owned motorcycles and had questionable reputations. Before he could respond though, she shoved the helmet on and turned back to the bike in front of her. “Just so we both know and are aware, he’d probably skin us both alive if I’m caught on a bike, so let’s just, y’know, stay clear of cops.”

Hearing her choice he nodded and thought it to be a smarter decision anyway - no way was he in the mood for a nightclub, but he always thought it was a good thing to ask. “Then Sportsmaster it is. Hold on tight, gets a bit bumpy.” 

He waited till she was ready before letting the bike rocket forward. The roar filled his ears as he raced out of the student parking lot and out onto the busy street. Dick, like most guys, loved to drive fast and with a bit of reckless abandonment. He didn’t drive crazy, but he did like to show off a bit when he was on his bike since it came like second nature. He zipped in and out of line and brought the bike to a halt at a red light. 

Without realizing, Barbara must have been working at a faster past than normal because suddenly her manager was asking her if she had plans or some kinda of ‘hot date tonight’ waiting on her. Though she had mostly been teasing, Barbara didn’t miss the look her manager shot her as they walked outside and Dick was out front waiting patiently. 

 He let his helmet rest on his head as he slipped off his hoodie and placed it i the saddle bag. A pair of jeans and a black t-shirt were enough for him to stay warm. He offered her the hoodie. “I have a leather jacket if you want that instead, gets a bit cold on the bike.” 

Probably not the best way to introduce himself but there was no going back now. Rubbing his chin, he watched as she took in this person he was when no one else really saw him -well, the side of him that was hidden from the lime light of the cameras and press. Probably not the best representation of himself or his families name.  

He almost laughed at her subtle joke at his name - because he was sure as hell being one tonight. “Yeah, it is. I’m ashamed to say I only know your last name Ms. Gordon.” 

He watched her sift through the thoughts in her mind, pondering if going for drinks with him would be a good idea after all. But, after a few minutes she nodded and was about to take his hand when someone called for her from the front of the library. Placing his hand back in his pocket awkwardly, he smiled a bit and gestured for her to go ahead. 

“I’ll be out front, take your time Babs.” 

“I’m sorry,” He said bluntly as he held onto the strap of his bag for a moment, his black hair falling into his eyes just a little “We’ve met right? I know I’ll regret this, but remind me again what bar and what kind of night we had?” 

He tried to remember all of his drunken nights but unfortunately not all of them came back to mind. He was sad to say he had been hit more than once across the face because of this and numerous drinks thrown in his face. 

Probably not the best way to introduce himself but there was no going back now. Rubbing his chin, he watched as she took in this person he was when no one else really saw him -well, the side of him that was hidden from the lime light of the cameras and press. Probably not the best representation of himself or his families name.  

He almost laughed at her subtle joke at his name - because he was sure as hell being one tonight. “Yeah, it is. I’m ashamed to say I only know your last name Ms. Gordon.” 

“You know, not many women can sneak up on me like that.” After stacking the books up, he powered off his computer and slipped it into his bag. 

“How’d you get stuck with kicking people out of this hell hole?” 

Okay so the library wasn’t a hell hole, but to college students cramming for a test, it might as well have been. Putting a couple books away, he selected three texts that he would read over back at his apartment: “Serial Killer Investigations”, “Criminology: The Core” and “Intro to Criminology”.  

“Hmm? Oh, uh, I volunteered?” She shrugged with a short laugh, taking a few seconds longer to answer than she should have as she tried to figure our how she knew him. “Someone’s got to do it and I would have been here anyway. May as well be paid to be here, right?” 

“I’m sorry,” He said bluntly as he held onto the strap of his bag for a moment, his black hair falling into his eyes just a little “We’ve met right? I know I’ll regret this, but remind me again what bar and what kind of night we had?” 

He tried to remember all of his drunken nights but unfortunately not all of them came back to mind. He was sad to say he had been hit more than once across the face because of this and numerous drinks thrown in his face. 

On any given day, it was normal to see Dick Grayson perusing a bar after work or even hitting the gym. But with school back in session, it was time for Dick to hit the books. Currently, he was pouring over a book on Criminology but for some reason, Volume 4 was missing and it bothered him. His eyes flew across the computer screen as he scanned text after text. He had a test in a couple of days and needed to ace it to ensure his top of the class status. Apparently, a fellow student was catching him and would likely surpass him if he did not ace this next test. Part of him knew he shouldn’t be too hard on himself, after all Criminology was his second Bachelor’s degree he was working on but still - he liked to be the best. 

Normally the library was empty at this point, making her job easy, but tonight, in the last aisle she had to check, there was one guy left who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the library was definitely closing.

“You know, not many women can sneak up on me like that.” After stacking the books up, he powered off his computer and slipped it into his bag. 

“How’d you get stuck with kicking people out of this hell hole?” 

Okay so the library wasn’t a hell hole, but to college students cramming for a test, it might as well have been. Putting a couple books away, he selected three texts that he would read over back at his apartment: “Serial Killer Investigations”, “Criminology: The Core” and “Intro to Criminology”.  

Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson in Batgirl #45