It was always strange when Dick met someone from an alternate universe. He had met several people from the Bat family already in his travels. The multiverse was a large place, and things happened as he was quickly learning. He was infinitely curious about life in the other world, the one where his double tended to laugh more and rarely cursed. He had a much larger family there, and getting to know them was intriguing to say the least.
It had already been a pleasure flirting and talking with Stephanie. She was a firecracker and reminded him a lot of Dawn, but with even more presence and talent. Not that he'd mention that aloud to anyone he knew. It was merely a feeling he had in his gut. His gut tended to lead him into a lot of trouble, but it also led him into a lot of great places.
Dressing up for the night, Dick texted Steph and let her know that he'd be by in about a half hour. It took him exactly that to make it there. Tonight, he skipped taking the bike and showed up in his favorite Porsche . It was the only car he tended to drive. He wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like or how she did her hair. It was best to be conservative on the first date. Wandering up to her apartment, he knocked politely at her door and when she answered, he greeted her with a wide smile and a bouquet of flowers. "Hey there, nice to finally see you in person. Hope these flowers are alright. I saw them, and knew they were your color, so I had to get them."
Talking to this version of Dick had been an experience already. He was so different from the one that she'd known for five years, but also very similar in a lot of ways, too. And he asked her on a date? That had been a big surprise. Not the hanging out part---okay, that would have been a bit of a surprise, too, but not nearly as much---but the part where he actually called it a date and then confirmed that yes, that's the way he meant it. But Steph had accepted because of course she did. Who wouldn't?
Stephanie knew that they were just going to a bar or something, but she wasn't sure how nice it was going to be or anything like that, so she decided to dress up a little since she never had a reason to wear her sparkly shorts that she'd found when she was out thrifting one day recently. Besides, she wasn't a fan of skirts or dresses in general.
She had just finished tying the laces on her combat boots when she heard the knock at the door so it only took a moment before she was pulling it open with a bright smile. "Hey!" Steph said cheerfully upon seeing him outside of a screen for the first time. And he was cute
A second later she spotted the flowers and her eyes went a little wide with surprise. "Oh. You brought me flowers." The big smile softened into a sweet grin as she reached out and took them from Dick, noting the beautiful shade of purple. Stephanie didn't even know roses were this shade of purple. "Thanks! I've never gotten flowers before. Here, you can come in for a minute while I put them in water." With that she stepped back from the door to let him in before closing it behind him and making her way through the somewhat-rundown-but-neat house to the kitchen.
It was a far cry from a nice house (or neighborhood, or entire suburb) but it had been her home since she could remember and she refused to be ashamed of it. Even with the overabundance of stupidly rich dudes she knew.
There had been quite a debate in Dick's head when he decided to take Steph out. He wasn't even completely sure where he was going to take her when he'd offered. Getting her in most any bar wasn't a problem. He could score a VIP room in most places, but he wanted to do something interesting. He wanted entertainment that they wouldn't usually find elsewhere.
The problem was that he didn't know Steph well enough to know what she might consider crude, and what she might enjoy for the fun of it, or the nature of what was shown. There were all sorts of things they could do. Finally, Dick decided to pick something a little on the wild side. He figured they could go for a deluxe couples package at Sapphire 39. It was mainly an upscale gentleman's club, but the women there went above and beyond. They were authentic dancers and worked the pole with a finesse that Dick hadn't seen anywhere outside of professional schools, and there was fire eating all while one could sit in a private booth and enjoy a meal or feast on the most upscale cocktails, made with the finest ingredients.
There were also male dancers. They weren't advertised to be on stage, but money paid for whatever a person wanted at this club. In a private booth, they could watch a man do a unique dance, over a chair or across a woman's lap. It was a risk, but he thought that if they enjoyed enough to drink, it would be a fun experience. The nightclub next door, labeled SIN, would cater to all their dangerous dancing needs if the show wasn't their thing.
Dick didn't wonder or worry about Stephanie's living situation. He'd been laid up in much worse over the course of time. "You've got a cozy place, I like it. Reminds me of one I lived in while in Detroit. I was pretending to be a detective at the time. I was trying to avoid the nighttime job. I'd gotten a little too violent and was pushing the edge. It was before I put the titans back together. " He jabbered, mostly to the air, and to Steph if she was interested.
"I've got us set for a show, drinks, dinner if you want, and clubbing later on. It all depends on your mood. I don't know you well enough to know your taste, so I picked a little smattering of everything tonight. I went a little spicy, so I hope you enjoy it."
Stephanie knew better than to think she would find any kind of vase in this house since it probably hadn't seen any sort of flowers since the Browns moved in. Except maybe after her funeral? She wasn't around for that, though, so who knew. Either way, she'd be content to grab a tea pitcher for them. That would be good enough, at least for the time being.
She couldn't help scoffing under her breath a bit at the "cozy place" part, though. "Thanks. It's definitely a place, and that's the important part," she said back over her shoulder as she opened an upper cabinet, followed by a lower cabinet. Using the lower cabinet as a step to give her the extra three inches of reach she needed, Stephanie pulled down the glass pitcher like she had done a thousand times before before closing the cabinets and filling it with water, grinning the whole time.
"Dick," she started, turning so she could see him and placing the container on the counter, then dropped the gorgeous flowers into it. "As long as you're not taking me directly to a full-blown hardcore sex dungeon on our first date without even passing go, I think I can handle spicy." After smelling the roses once more, she finally walked back over, stopping just a couple of feet away from him. "Do I look okay, though? I didn't know what you had in mind. I can change if I need to."
Even though Dick forgot to compliment Stephanie on her outfit, it doesn't mean he doesn't appreciate her gorgeous legs and the way she moves around the kitchen, stretching this way and that to get out a container for the flowers. It just happened to offer Dick a charming view of her backside and those delicious, long legs as they were shown off almost entirely when she stood up on the cabinet. He made a soft noise of subtle appreciation under his breath and ran his fingers over slightly dry lips.
"No, really, it's cozy. You don't always need a giant apartment to feel at home. I have lived in both types of places, and there are times when I miss little hole-in-the-wall places. I might have a larger flat now, but it's almost too big for just me. It needs people." He makes a face, thinking of all the titans that used to live with him, but now he's all alone. He knows that he needs to snatch up another place, but he hasn't taken the opportunity yet.
Laughing, Dick shook his head. "Hardcore sex dungeon. I hadn't thought about that one yet. We'll have to save that for our second date. I wonder what it's like in the hardcore dungeons. I mean, I've watched a few softcore ones online. Events that I was invited to. They were most... interesting." He leaves the comment there and runs a few fingers through his hair, then looks at the flowers pointedly.
"You?" Moving around the counter, Dick slides a hand along her collarbone and visually licks his lips. "You look absolutely breath-taking. I love the shorts. They make the outfit, and it will be perfect for where we're going tonight."
It was hard to picture Dick living anywhere but somewhere fancy. Even the Dick she already knew, even though she knew he sometimes had smaller places, too. "Eh, this is the only place I've ever lived," Stephanie said with a shrug. "I mean, my parents lived up in the Bowery when I was born, but one thing led to another and they got this house before I can remember." Yep, it was the house that crime built. Except it was already built when they got it, and it wasn't even fancy.
She was going to say something quippy about the sex dungeon, but then Dick was looking at her like that and licking his lips and okay, that was distracting. In a good way though. Cheeks turning just a bit pink, Stephanie looked up at him with bright eyes and a slightly bashful smile. She wasn't used to getting compliments like that, or looks like that. Or, really, many compliments of any kind. "Okay, good. I'm glad this works." Steph nodded. "You look really good, too, by the way. Which I'm sure you know already."
"Well, you know where I grew up. I had the run of the place. My best friend back then was Donna Troy, since Dianna was part of the JL. She kept me pretty level-headed, and she still does, even though she lives in a small apartment in New York. She's a photographer for a living now." Dick laughed while he waited for her to gather up all her things to leave. "Batman is the only one I have around here. Well, Jason is in and out as The Hood, but I never know what to think. We get along, but his methods are still rough."
He was pretty sure that Stephanie knew what Dick meant. "Are you about ready?" He held his hand out and wiggled his fingers as an option to take it as they set out to head down to his car. "I hoped I looked nice enough for you. I'm never sure, actually. I'm not quite like your Dick. We've dated a lot differently." Pausing when she had to lock the door. He waited and retook her hand. "I brought the Porsche, because I wasn't sure if you were a motorcycle person. Plus, I wasn't sure you'd want to mess your hair up."
Stephanie pulled the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulders and followed Dick out the door, smiling at the way he took her hand and only pulling away to turn and lock it up tight. No one in their right mind left a door unlocked in Widowstone Creek. Hell, if she'd thought of it she would have probably told him to bring a less fancy car, just in case some dumbass came by while they were in her house.
"You definitely look nice enough for me, don't worry." She bumped her shoulder against his arm lightly as they walked towards his car. "And for future reference, my old junky motorcycle is in there," she gestured at the closed garage door. "It's been my mode of transportation since I was fifteen. I've got a nice one, too, but that one is reserved for when I'm working. Don't really want people connecting the bike to the civilian face, you know? But if I can ever talk you-know-who into an upgrade, I'll probably just paint that one and start using it on the regular instead."
The fact that her motorcycle needed refurbishing, and she had an old junker as well, had Dick thinking. He didn't do a lot of spoiling or use his money randomly, but now and then, when he saw a good cause. It would depend on how the date went and whether they ended up seeing one another again. Dick was already leaning toward yes. Stephanie's spunk was attractive, and the fact that he didn't have to hide who he was was a huge plus.
"I know what you mean. I have a car that's close enough to my own version of a Batmobile, and a bike that's solid blue for the majority of my work. It's a sweet ride, but I have a black one that I take out around town when I'm in plain clothes. I understand what you mean about different rides serving different purposes. I'm a bit of a collector like Bruce, but I try to keep it under control. I fell in love with his cars and tinkering with them when I was really young."
Nudging her back, Dick swung their hands in a wide arch when they approached his car. He opened the door on her side first and held it open until she was in, then closed the door for her. Then he made his way over to his side and got in, starting up the car so they could be on their way. "It's not too far from here. It's a nice joint. It has a private place in the back where we can see the action, but people won't bother us. So, we're free to be ourselves. Then, if we feel like skipping the stage shows, we can go next door to the club and dance. They also have top-of-the-line drinks, so whatever you like is yours for the night, even top-of-the-line champagne and caviar if you wish."
Stephanie couldn't help the soft grin on her face when Dick opened the car door and she slid inside. Sure, it was a little gesture, much like bringing her flowers was, but her exes weren't exactly the flowers and holding doors kinds of guys. Okay, one was not a good guy at all, the other was a good person, but an absolutely horrible boyfriend. After being apart for over a year, it was so much easier to understand that about him.
She quickly stashed her bag on the floor by her feet and buckled up as Dick made his way around the car. "Either way, it sounds like it'll be fun," she started, turning her grin towards him as he slid into the car. "I'm not really a top-of-the-line stuff kinda girl anyway, so I don't really need the high-end stuff. Just so you know. Like, I don't really mind it? But it's not necessary or anything." She shrugged then, turning to look out the window as they started to move. It was something she had often heard people say about her when she was dating Tim, cause why else would a broke girl be with a rich guy? Couldn't possibly be because she liked him or anything. It didn't hurt, exactly. It was more annoying than anything else.
Paying attention to the road, Dick smiled when Stephanie shared her preferences with him. He had already figured that much, but that's what made it more fun for him. Half the time, he lived on things he bought at the supermarket or ordered through DoorDash. It was way easier for him, and he didn't care if it was top of the line or a convenient, market-fresh option.
Now and then, he'd spring for a treat, and if he had a girl with him, all the better. "It's not about being a top-shelf girl or not, it's about having a great date, and doing things you wouldn't normally do. Live the fantasy for the night. Why not? I don't care if you love it or not. If you want to order something else later, go ahead, but at least try one bottle. You know? Say you did it."
Reaching over after shifting, Dick squeezed her thigh and ran his hand downward toward her knee to rest there until he needed to shift again. "What's your normal drink of choice?" He asked, curious.
She turned to look at him again, grinning as she watched him focus on the road. It wasn't like she didn't already know everything about her neighborhood, and he was a much better view. All handsome and sexy. "Fine, I'll try it. I mean, I doubt I'd hate it? It's just not the first thing I reach for."
And then his hand was sliding down to her bare knee, which she also enjoyed. How long had it been since anyone touched her outside of a quick friendly hug or a less friendly punch to the face? "I don't really have a drink of choice. I don't really get many chances to drink." Especially between being only twenty and also having her particular brand of night job instead of making her way over to parties at school, there wasn't a lot of opportunity for her. "So I don't know. Maybe some kind of cider? Or some kind of fruity mixed drink? I like things to actually taste good."
"Try is all I ask, and we'll order something else for you straight away as well. This is a date after all, and who am I to say no to you on a first date?" He was mostly playful with everything he said, but he was serious about finding something that she would like to drink. He understood that they both had busy night jobs and that she was younger than most gaining entrance to places like this. Strange enough, the teens in his household got ahold of his alcohol no matter where he hid it in his room. Secret panels were no challenge for Titans or a new Robin.
He swished his lips from one side to another as he drove around the corner and noticed that the line for the club had already wrapped around the building. Luckily, he was VIP, and they wouldn't have to worry about that. "I think that you might enjoy a Lemondrop Martini. They are delicious, sweet and sour, and I know that you can have quite a few without a hangover if you're not drinking much champagne. If you're drinking champagne, it's best to stick to it; otherwise, your stomach may not appreciate what you add next. At least in my experience." Pulling up to the valet entrance, Dick got out of the car while the valet opened up Stephanie's door.
He tossed over the keys and promised the guy an extra tip if the car was in the same condition when it was returned. Moving around the back, he gripped her hand and led her toward the door. "You ready?"
"Hey, it's worth a try. I actually really like lemon stuff." So that had been a pretty lucky guess for Dick. Seeing the people lined up outside of that particular building wasn't weird to her, it usually looked like that when she worked. The odd thing, to her, was that she was actually going in there. Not in a bad way or anything, just in a "Huh, never expected to be going somewhere this fancy" kind of way.
Tugging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, Stephanie climbed out of the car and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Yep, I'm ready," she replied simply as he led her towards the door and right past the long line. Out of the corner of her eye, where she always kept at least part of her attention, she noticed the glares they got as they walked up to the doorman and got inside without having to wait like the rest of them. Thankfully, Steph wasn't easily bothered by people like that.
As the crowd drew closer around them, Dick moved his hand from hers to wrap it securely around Stephanie's waist. He didn't want her getting lost in the mayhem before they even got inside. A brief discussion with the bouncer at the door had the rope opened, and Dick and Stephanie were ushered in. It's a beautiful club with blue lights everywhere, and specialty lighting leading up to the stage where a woman is performing a complicated pole dance.
A part of Dick wants to stop to watch what the woman is doing, to appreciate the fine art, but he moves to his secluded booth with Stephanie. Their champagne and caviar already await them there, and while they are hidden from the view of the majority of patrons, they have a first-rate view of what's on stage. "She's amazing. It takes a great deal of skill to do that. That's one of the reasons we came here. They also have male dancers who come around. Plus, there's fire eating while they dance. Insane." He pulls Stephanie in close and keeps his arm around her. "As soon as the waitress swings by, I'll order that drink. If you want anything else, another appetizer, anything, let me know."
Stephanie paused for a moment before sliding into the booth, looking down at the dancer on the pole. "Whelp, that's something I don't think I can do," she said, chuckling softly to herself as she leaned into Dick's side, then turned to look up at him with a playful smirk on her face. "Wouldn't surprise me if you could though."
Honestly, she was like 95% sure that the other Dick could, at least, since he was the most acrobatic person she'd ever encountered. Which... made sense because he was an acrobat. But this was an alternate Earth version of Dick and who knew how different their stories were?
"This is already a lot though," she added, gesturing vaguely at the everything around them. From the club to the private booth, the refreshments on the table to the dancers. "I can't think of anything else I need. At least not yet."
Once they'd been settled, Dick laughed at Stephanie's observation of the woman on the pole. "Are you telling me that you can't slide open your legs to a ninety-degree angle? I thought everyone could do that." Still chuckling softly, he leaned down to her ear. Yes, the music was loud, but it wasn't so noisy that they couldn't hear one another talking. This allowed him to flirt unabashedly with her. "You're right, I can do that and a whole lot more. He and I are very much the same in that way, both acrobats. I don't fly through the night, from building to building, quite like he does, but I do something close."
It was still a weird feeling that he'd spent time talking to another version of himself. It gave him odd bits of knowledge that helped this run smoother, like knowing how different their Tims and Jasons were, and an idea that there were a lot more that helped Batman than this Dick could ever fathom. Right now, it boiled down to him and Stephanie, and she was far prettier than he had imagined when they struck up their conversation.
Handing over her glass, he picked up his own and lifted it in her direction, which wasn't far because of how close he had her tucked up against him. "To a good night of fun, and... a great date. To two incredible bats," He burst out laughing at the last part and shook his head. Calling himself incredible made him laugh, but he shook it off. "No, really, to the first part." He leaned his glass towards hers.
Steph was used to hearing people's voices in her ear, considering the comm she usually had stuck in it, but it felt very different when it was a hot person actually leaning down to speak into her ear directly. She was unable to help the very slight shudder she felt go through her, but she ignored it and turned to look up at him with a flirty grin instead. "I mean, I can, but not just in the air like that. Some of us had to learn gymnastics from free classes at the Y and school teams."
Chuckling, she took the glass and tapped it gently against his before taking a sip. "Hey, this is pretty good," she said simply before setting it down on the table. "But to be fair? This is already the best date I've had in a very long time. That probably says something about the state of my social life, huh? Since we've literally just gotten here." Stephanie had been good and single for going on two years, which was absolutely preferable to dating Tim, but that also meant she hadn't managed to get close to anyone in a long time. Plus she was on-and-off with Tim for three years and he wasn't exactly the best at non-costumed dates very often. Even after she finally learned his real name.
But with Dick, here she was, sitting in a private booth in the fanciest strip club around. See? Worlds better.
Leaning back down, it seemed that Dick couldn't get close enough. He closed his body language completely across hers. There were quite a few men who had walked by their booth and offered very lewd gestures with their eyes. Dick was fairly certain that Stephanie was probably as good at reading them as he was. He was also showing that this woman was his for the night, and no one was getting close. They could pay for their dates. "It's a good thing you didn't tell me about the gymnastics thing before we left; I might have asked you to show me. Then who knows where we would have ended up?" He laughed and leaned back some then.
One arm stayed around her back, holding her, while the other had his champagne so that he could sip on it. When the waitress showed, he ordered her a lemon drop martini and a whiskey for himself. He also ordered a plate of nachos. They had some of the best he'd ever had in town. Far better than fish eggs, in his opinion, don't tell that to Bruce.
"I'm glad you are enjoying things so far. I can arrange for a male dancer whenever you'd like. He can dance privately for us. This booth has a wall that stretches around for private showings. I can admit that this is the best date I've been on in a very, very long time, which is probably why I want to spoil you so much. It doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous, and hilarious too."
She noticed the creeps as they went by, but Stephanie was more than happy to ignore all of them in favor of the gorgeous man leaning into her space. And she wasn't about to complain about him getting in her space, either. She smirked a bit more at his comment about her gymnastics, though. "I probably would have said something about you needing to wait until later for me to give a demonstration, but I'm just decently passable anyway. I wasn't raised in a circus like some people."
"Ooh, I love nachos." That just had to be added in there before she continued. "Of course I like it so far. I mean, come on. Why wouldn't I? But hey, unless you also want to see a male dancer, there's no need to get one just for me. I'm actually bi, so she-" Stephanie gestured towards the stage, "-is good enough for my eyes." And there was also the added fact that she'd never actually been around exotic dancers before? There really were some hot ones there though.
"That's why I didn't ask you to do any gymnastics when you showed up. I figure if we need to show our flexibility, there will be time for that later." Dick's fingers played at Stephanie's waist, tracing along her top and the edge of the sequence. It was a delightful sensation. "Yeah, our stories are the same there. Circus, parents, I went a little more unhinged than he did, I think. I let the guy who killed my parents be killed. I'm not sure if he did that. It's part of the reason I knew I was getting lost in the violence." He takes a sip of champagne.
"Bruce took me in, but like I said, my Bruce is a lot older. Maybe we can swing by the mansion sometime. I can show you my old bedroom." There was a slightly insinuating tone in that last part, switching the night back to something flirty and fun and away from the serious thoughts Dick had brought up. The waitress brought out their drinks and informed them that it would be a few minutes before the nachos arrived.
"Really? See, I am attracted to guys, but I've never been with one; I've only been with females. I haven't found a guy that I mesh with like that yet. It's good we like them both. It will make sitting on a park bench more fun. We can check out everyone who walks by together."
Nodding, Stephanie let her right hand drop down to rest on Dick's thigh and took another sip of her champagne. "My parents are both alive, but I often wish that wasn't the case for my dad. He's, uh. Cluemaster. In case you don't have him in your Gotham he's a third-rate Riddler knockoff that has tried to kill me several times." She shrugged then. "And my mom's sober now, but she was a heavy pill popper up until just a couple years ago.
Shrugging her shoulder, Steph set down her glass and gave the waitress a sweet smile as she thanked her before turning her attention back to her date.
"See, I've never actually been with a woman either, but that doesn't mean much since I've only had like... two boyfriends. I'm well aware that I'm into both anyway."
"Nah, we don't have him yet. I know the Riddler, though. He's in Arkham right now. Sorry, your parents were a disappointment. This Bruce made me sign a paper stating that I'd never fear anything, after sending me out in the dark at around ten with a knife and a wolf running around. I killed it, but damn. I was so fucking scared until after it was dead. Then, well. Ego." Bruce taught his lessons in a strange manner, but at least he had someone. "It's good your mom is sober." Dick nodded. He was ready to leave this topic, and the waitress cut the conversation at the right point.
Sipping from his drink, Dick tipped his head and laughed softly. "At least we're both consistent somewhere. I have been with a fair share of women, but dated only a few, and I really messed those relationships up. I took some time to work on that and my thoughts about things. I learned a lesson or two from my Teen Titans. Smart buggers. Figured it was time to try out my dating skills again." Dick pressed a kiss next to her ear and glanced only briefly at the waitress who dropped off the nachos.
"You are, by far, the best-looking girl here. We could get one to lap dance for us, and I'd love to see what she thinks of you. The best rule about these dances? They can't touch you."
"Riddler sucks, by the way," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes a bit. "Not only did I get stuck with him crashing at my house for three months at one point, but his riddles? They suck. I was solving that shit when I was like eight." She was letting go of the father angle, though, at least for now. Maybe some other time she would tell him about how she came to be so good at all things puzzly.
The kiss beside her ear came as a surprise and sent a bit of a shudder down the back of her neck - the good kind of shudder - and she grinned slightly bashfully. It was obvious she liked even that small show of affection. "I've only actually dated two guys, and both those relationships were... bad. But I've also taken the last while to figure myself out a bit. So I get that." But her face definitely flushed a good bit when he said she was the best-looking girl there. Steph highly doubted that was true, but it was still nice to hear compliments like that. "Um. Thank you? For- You're really hot, too. By the way. Which I'm sure you know." Oh. That's not exactly what she meant to say, but too late to take it back. It's not like it wasn't the absolute truth.
"But I mean, I wouldn't say no to a dancer coming in here though. Of either gender."
When the conversation passed about Gotham's most notorious for the time being. Dick figured he'd bring it all up later when they were in a quieter and centered place and could discuss their upbringings and lives. He really was interested in knowing more about her, and who she was and where she came from, because if it wasn't obvious, he was extremely attracted.
There was a magnetic pull that Dick couldn't explain. He might normally put an arm around a woman on a date as they walked through a crowd, but the kiss that he shared was beyond the norm, and yet he couldn't find it in himself to feel plussed by it. Nuzzling her neck while they talked sent pleasant shock waves down his spine and along his arms, bringing up the hairs that rested there. He could admit- it had been a long time since he'd felt like this.
There was a shake of Dick's head when she complimented him. He dropped his face onto her shoulder and laughed softly. "People say that, but I don't ever think about it. I don't feel anything more than terribly normal most of the time. You've got those eyes, and that wonderful nose that sets off all your features, and beautiful lips. Man, I keep thinking how soft they must feel." Dick licked his own without thinking about it and swept his hand along her perfectly gilded cheekbone.
"Let me call over the dancing host, and we can pick someone out to dance for us. If you see anyone you like, let me know and we'll get them right away."
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For Batmanfiredme
It had already been a pleasure flirting and talking with Stephanie. She was a firecracker and reminded him a lot of Dawn, but with even more presence and talent. Not that he'd mention that aloud to anyone he knew. It was merely a feeling he had in his gut. His gut tended to lead him into a lot of trouble, but it also led him into a lot of great places.
Dressing up for the night, Dick texted Steph and let her know that he'd be by in about a half hour. It took him exactly that to make it there. Tonight, he skipped taking the bike and showed up in his favorite Porsche . It was the only car he tended to drive. He wasn't sure what the weather was going to be like or how she did her hair. It was best to be conservative on the first date. Wandering up to her apartment, he knocked politely at her door and when she answered, he greeted her with a wide smile and a bouquet of flowers. "Hey there, nice to finally see you in person. Hope these flowers are alright. I saw them, and knew they were your color, so I had to get them."
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Stephanie knew that they were just going to a bar or something, but she wasn't sure how nice it was going to be or anything like that, so she decided to dress up a little since she never had a reason to wear her sparkly shorts that she'd found when she was out thrifting one day recently. Besides, she wasn't a fan of skirts or dresses in general.
She had just finished tying the laces on her combat boots when she heard the knock at the door so it only took a moment before she was pulling it open with a bright smile. "Hey!" Steph said cheerfully upon seeing him outside of a screen for the first time. And he was cute
A second later she spotted the flowers and her eyes went a little wide with surprise. "Oh. You brought me flowers." The big smile softened into a sweet grin as she reached out and took them from Dick, noting the beautiful shade of purple. Stephanie didn't even know roses were this shade of purple. "Thanks! I've never gotten flowers before. Here, you can come in for a minute while I put them in water." With that she stepped back from the door to let him in before closing it behind him and making her way through the somewhat-rundown-but-neat house to the kitchen.
It was a far cry from a nice house (or neighborhood, or entire suburb) but it had been her home since she could remember and she refused to be ashamed of it. Even with the overabundance of stupidly rich dudes she knew.
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The problem was that he didn't know Steph well enough to know what she might consider crude, and what she might enjoy for the fun of it, or the nature of what was shown. There were all sorts of things they could do. Finally, Dick decided to pick something a little on the wild side. He figured they could go for a deluxe couples package at Sapphire 39. It was mainly an upscale gentleman's club, but the women there went above and beyond. They were authentic dancers and worked the pole with a finesse that Dick hadn't seen anywhere outside of professional schools, and there was fire eating all while one could sit in a private booth and enjoy a meal or feast on the most upscale cocktails, made with the finest ingredients.
There were also male dancers. They weren't advertised to be on stage, but money paid for whatever a person wanted at this club. In a private booth, they could watch a man do a unique dance, over a chair or across a woman's lap. It was a risk, but he thought that if they enjoyed enough to drink, it would be a fun experience. The nightclub next door, labeled SIN, would cater to all their dangerous dancing needs if the show wasn't their thing.
Dick didn't wonder or worry about Stephanie's living situation. He'd been laid up in much worse over the course of time. "You've got a cozy place, I like it. Reminds me of one I lived in while in Detroit. I was pretending to be a detective at the time. I was trying to avoid the nighttime job. I'd gotten a little too violent and was pushing the edge. It was before I put the titans back together. " He jabbered, mostly to the air, and to Steph if she was interested.
"I've got us set for a show, drinks, dinner if you want, and clubbing later on. It all depends on your mood. I don't know you well enough to know your taste, so I picked a little smattering of everything tonight. I went a little spicy, so I hope you enjoy it."
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She couldn't help scoffing under her breath a bit at the "cozy place" part, though. "Thanks. It's definitely a place, and that's the important part," she said back over her shoulder as she opened an upper cabinet, followed by a lower cabinet. Using the lower cabinet as a step to give her the extra three inches of reach she needed, Stephanie pulled down the glass pitcher like she had done a thousand times before before closing the cabinets and filling it with water, grinning the whole time.
"Dick," she started, turning so she could see him and placing the container on the counter, then dropped the gorgeous flowers into it. "As long as you're not taking me directly to a full-blown hardcore sex dungeon on our first date without even passing go, I think I can handle spicy." After smelling the roses once more, she finally walked back over, stopping just a couple of feet away from him. "Do I look okay, though? I didn't know what you had in mind. I can change if I need to."
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"No, really, it's cozy. You don't always need a giant apartment to feel at home. I have lived in both types of places, and there are times when I miss little hole-in-the-wall places. I might have a larger flat now, but it's almost too big for just me. It needs people." He makes a face, thinking of all the titans that used to live with him, but now he's all alone. He knows that he needs to snatch up another place, but he hasn't taken the opportunity yet.
Laughing, Dick shook his head. "Hardcore sex dungeon. I hadn't thought about that one yet. We'll have to save that for our second date. I wonder what it's like in the hardcore dungeons. I mean, I've watched a few softcore ones online. Events that I was invited to. They were most... interesting." He leaves the comment there and runs a few fingers through his hair, then looks at the flowers pointedly.
"You?" Moving around the counter, Dick slides a hand along her collarbone and visually licks his lips. "You look absolutely breath-taking. I love the shorts. They make the outfit, and it will be perfect for where we're going tonight."
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She was going to say something quippy about the sex dungeon, but then Dick was looking at her like that and licking his lips and okay, that was distracting. In a good way though. Cheeks turning just a bit pink, Stephanie looked up at him with bright eyes and a slightly bashful smile. She wasn't used to getting compliments like that, or looks like that. Or, really, many compliments of any kind. "Okay, good. I'm glad this works." Steph nodded. "You look really good, too, by the way. Which I'm sure you know already."
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He was pretty sure that Stephanie knew what Dick meant. "Are you about ready?" He held his hand out and wiggled his fingers as an option to take it as they set out to head down to his car. "I hoped I looked nice enough for you. I'm never sure, actually. I'm not quite like your Dick. We've dated a lot differently." Pausing when she had to lock the door. He waited and retook her hand. "I brought the Porsche, because I wasn't sure if you were a motorcycle person. Plus, I wasn't sure you'd want to mess your hair up."
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"You definitely look nice enough for me, don't worry." She bumped her shoulder against his arm lightly as they walked towards his car. "And for future reference, my old junky motorcycle is in there," she gestured at the closed garage door. "It's been my mode of transportation since I was fifteen. I've got a nice one, too, but that one is reserved for when I'm working. Don't really want people connecting the bike to the civilian face, you know? But if I can ever talk you-know-who into an upgrade, I'll probably just paint that one and start using it on the regular instead."
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"I know what you mean. I have a car that's close enough to my own version of a Batmobile, and a bike that's solid blue for the majority of my work. It's a sweet ride, but I have a black one that I take out around town when I'm in plain clothes. I understand what you mean about different rides serving different purposes. I'm a bit of a collector like Bruce, but I try to keep it under control. I fell in love with his cars and tinkering with them when I was really young."
Nudging her back, Dick swung their hands in a wide arch when they approached his car. He opened the door on her side first and held it open until she was in, then closed the door for her. Then he made his way over to his side and got in, starting up the car so they could be on their way. "It's not too far from here. It's a nice joint. It has a private place in the back where we can see the action, but people won't bother us. So, we're free to be ourselves. Then, if we feel like skipping the stage shows, we can go next door to the club and dance. They also have top-of-the-line drinks, so whatever you like is yours for the night, even top-of-the-line champagne and caviar if you wish."
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She quickly stashed her bag on the floor by her feet and buckled up as Dick made his way around the car. "Either way, it sounds like it'll be fun," she started, turning her grin towards him as he slid into the car. "I'm not really a top-of-the-line stuff kinda girl anyway, so I don't really need the high-end stuff. Just so you know. Like, I don't really mind it? But it's not necessary or anything." She shrugged then, turning to look out the window as they started to move. It was something she had often heard people say about her when she was dating Tim, cause why else would a broke girl be with a rich guy? Couldn't possibly be because she liked him or anything. It didn't hurt, exactly. It was more annoying than anything else.
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Now and then, he'd spring for a treat, and if he had a girl with him, all the better. "It's not about being a top-shelf girl or not, it's about having a great date, and doing things you wouldn't normally do. Live the fantasy for the night. Why not? I don't care if you love it or not. If you want to order something else later, go ahead, but at least try one bottle. You know? Say you did it."
Reaching over after shifting, Dick squeezed her thigh and ran his hand downward toward her knee to rest there until he needed to shift again. "What's your normal drink of choice?" He asked, curious.
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And then his hand was sliding down to her bare knee, which she also enjoyed. How long had it been since anyone touched her outside of a quick friendly hug or a less friendly punch to the face? "I don't really have a drink of choice. I don't really get many chances to drink." Especially between being only twenty and also having her particular brand of night job instead of making her way over to parties at school, there wasn't a lot of opportunity for her. "So I don't know. Maybe some kind of cider? Or some kind of fruity mixed drink? I like things to actually taste good."
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He swished his lips from one side to another as he drove around the corner and noticed that the line for the club had already wrapped around the building. Luckily, he was VIP, and they wouldn't have to worry about that. "I think that you might enjoy a Lemondrop Martini. They are delicious, sweet and sour, and I know that you can have quite a few without a hangover if you're not drinking much champagne. If you're drinking champagne, it's best to stick to it; otherwise, your stomach may not appreciate what you add next. At least in my experience." Pulling up to the valet entrance, Dick got out of the car while the valet opened up Stephanie's door.
He tossed over the keys and promised the guy an extra tip if the car was in the same condition when it was returned. Moving around the back, he gripped her hand and led her toward the door. "You ready?"
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Tugging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, Stephanie climbed out of the car and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Yep, I'm ready," she replied simply as he led her towards the door and right past the long line. Out of the corner of her eye, where she always kept at least part of her attention, she noticed the glares they got as they walked up to the doorman and got inside without having to wait like the rest of them. Thankfully, Steph wasn't easily bothered by people like that.
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A part of Dick wants to stop to watch what the woman is doing, to appreciate the fine art, but he moves to his secluded booth with Stephanie. Their champagne and caviar already await them there, and while they are hidden from the view of the majority of patrons, they have a first-rate view of what's on stage. "She's amazing. It takes a great deal of skill to do that. That's one of the reasons we came here. They also have male dancers who come around. Plus, there's fire eating while they dance. Insane." He pulls Stephanie in close and keeps his arm around her. "As soon as the waitress swings by, I'll order that drink. If you want anything else, another appetizer, anything, let me know."
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Honestly, she was like 95% sure that the other Dick could, at least, since he was the most acrobatic person she'd ever encountered. Which... made sense because he was an acrobat. But this was an alternate Earth version of Dick and who knew how different their stories were?
"This is already a lot though," she added, gesturing vaguely at the everything around them. From the club to the private booth, the refreshments on the table to the dancers. "I can't think of anything else I need. At least not yet."
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It was still a weird feeling that he'd spent time talking to another version of himself. It gave him odd bits of knowledge that helped this run smoother, like knowing how different their Tims and Jasons were, and an idea that there were a lot more that helped Batman than this Dick could ever fathom. Right now, it boiled down to him and Stephanie, and she was far prettier than he had imagined when they struck up their conversation.
Handing over her glass, he picked up his own and lifted it in her direction, which wasn't far because of how close he had her tucked up against him. "To a good night of fun, and... a great date. To two incredible bats," He burst out laughing at the last part and shook his head. Calling himself incredible made him laugh, but he shook it off. "No, really, to the first part." He leaned his glass towards hers.
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Chuckling, she took the glass and tapped it gently against his before taking a sip. "Hey, this is pretty good," she said simply before setting it down on the table. "But to be fair? This is already the best date I've had in a very long time. That probably says something about the state of my social life, huh? Since we've literally just gotten here." Stephanie had been good and single for going on two years, which was absolutely preferable to dating Tim, but that also meant she hadn't managed to get close to anyone in a long time. Plus she was on-and-off with Tim for three years and he wasn't exactly the best at non-costumed dates very often. Even after she finally learned his real name.
But with Dick, here she was, sitting in a private booth in the fanciest strip club around. See? Worlds better.
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One arm stayed around her back, holding her, while the other had his champagne so that he could sip on it. When the waitress showed, he ordered her a lemon drop martini and a whiskey for himself. He also ordered a plate of nachos. They had some of the best he'd ever had in town. Far better than fish eggs, in his opinion, don't tell that to Bruce.
"I'm glad you are enjoying things so far. I can arrange for a male dancer whenever you'd like. He can dance privately for us. This booth has a wall that stretches around for private showings. I can admit that this is the best date I've been on in a very, very long time, which is probably why I want to spoil you so much. It doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous, and hilarious too."
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"Ooh, I love nachos." That just had to be added in there before she continued. "Of course I like it so far. I mean, come on. Why wouldn't I? But hey, unless you also want to see a male dancer, there's no need to get one just for me. I'm actually bi, so she-" Stephanie gestured towards the stage, "-is good enough for my eyes." And there was also the added fact that she'd never actually been around exotic dancers before? There really were some hot ones there though.
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"Bruce took me in, but like I said, my Bruce is a lot older. Maybe we can swing by the mansion sometime. I can show you my old bedroom." There was a slightly insinuating tone in that last part, switching the night back to something flirty and fun and away from the serious thoughts Dick had brought up. The waitress brought out their drinks and informed them that it would be a few minutes before the nachos arrived.
"Really? See, I am attracted to guys, but I've never been with one; I've only been with females. I haven't found a guy that I mesh with like that yet. It's good we like them both. It will make sitting on a park bench more fun. We can check out everyone who walks by together."
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Shrugging her shoulder, Steph set down her glass and gave the waitress a sweet smile as she thanked her before turning her attention back to her date.
"See, I've never actually been with a woman either, but that doesn't mean much since I've only had like... two boyfriends. I'm well aware that I'm into both anyway."
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Sipping from his drink, Dick tipped his head and laughed softly. "At least we're both consistent somewhere. I have been with a fair share of women, but dated only a few, and I really messed those relationships up. I took some time to work on that and my thoughts about things. I learned a lesson or two from my Teen Titans. Smart buggers. Figured it was time to try out my dating skills again." Dick pressed a kiss next to her ear and glanced only briefly at the waitress who dropped off the nachos.
"You are, by far, the best-looking girl here. We could get one to lap dance for us, and I'd love to see what she thinks of you. The best rule about these dances? They can't touch you."
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The kiss beside her ear came as a surprise and sent a bit of a shudder down the back of her neck - the good kind of shudder - and she grinned slightly bashfully. It was obvious she liked even that small show of affection. "I've only actually dated two guys, and both those relationships were... bad. But I've also taken the last while to figure myself out a bit. So I get that." But her face definitely flushed a good bit when he said she was the best-looking girl there. Steph highly doubted that was true, but it was still nice to hear compliments like that. "Um. Thank you? For- You're really hot, too. By the way. Which I'm sure you know." Oh. That's not exactly what she meant to say, but too late to take it back. It's not like it wasn't the absolute truth.
"But I mean, I wouldn't say no to a dancer coming in here though. Of either gender."
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There was a magnetic pull that Dick couldn't explain. He might normally put an arm around a woman on a date as they walked through a crowd, but the kiss that he shared was beyond the norm, and yet he couldn't find it in himself to feel plussed by it. Nuzzling her neck while they talked sent pleasant shock waves down his spine and along his arms, bringing up the hairs that rested there. He could admit- it had been a long time since he'd felt like this.
There was a shake of Dick's head when she complimented him. He dropped his face onto her shoulder and laughed softly. "People say that, but I don't ever think about it. I don't feel anything more than terribly normal most of the time. You've got those eyes, and that wonderful nose that sets off all your features, and beautiful lips. Man, I keep thinking how soft they must feel." Dick licked his own without thinking about it and swept his hand along her perfectly gilded cheekbone.
"Let me call over the dancing host, and we can pick someone out to dance for us. If you see anyone you like, let me know and we'll get them right away."
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From:forgive typos, meds making fuzzy, but I want to write.
From:I'm sorry I've been so slow *sob*
From:I'm slower? We'll get there together. <3
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From:Sorry I've been a terrible rp buddy lately. Life has been so rough. I haven't forgotten you though!!
From:I am also terrible, clearly!
From:I got slammed with super sicks and shark week at once. I give up (did I tell you that already?)
From:Wheeeee I am also slow as fuck lately, as you know
From:2 weeks and counting. Let me die now.
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