cohero | Dick & Iggy PSL Open Post/Overflow/Inbox

Iggy, feeling suddenly very stupid, nods. He doesn't take his hand away when Dick takes it, just nods again, silent. He follows along beside him, thinking, pausing to look through glass at animals. He's very aware the fun, easy atmosphere from before has dissipated, and he knows he could get it back simply by acting like everything is okay. He's good at that.

Instead he elbows Dick gently in the ribs. "Bullshit," he says, and grins. "Everybody thinks of it like that from time to time. But I apologise for the phrasing."

He takes Dick's hand firmly and tugs him over to watch a supremely lazy looking lemur hanging out in a tree.

"Stop apologising. You're forgiven," he says firmly. "You startled me, that's all, and making a big deal out of it is just making me feel guilty. I don't like that, it makes want to please you in a way I'm not sure you want me to."

"I don't mind the phrasing, but from you that's not how I tend to think of it, at least not yet. Maybe one day if I'm really worked up..." Dick shakes his head, and shrugs. It wasn't like he was trying for something difficult between them, but when couples date-- they have disagreements and it doesn't always matter where they are.

There's a furrow in Dick's brow. He's feeling more and more like he's a fault and he doesn't like that feeling either. There's never a time that he ever wants Iggy to feel like that with him and he wants to ask how to stop it, but now that Iggy is in this foul humor, Dick isn't sure if he should. He thought that dating meant they could talk about all these things that there was between them, because it meant that there were things to work on.

Taking a few steps further down the path, there's a set of peacocks spreading their feathers and strutting around. "Always so pretty for birds that are just trying to get attention. I had a feather once, but Bruce made me get rid of it. I do miss the animals from the circus. The elephants the most. We haven't seen those yet. " Dick pulls out the map and spins it around as he looks up where they are.

"Maybe when we get back to my place, we can talk about some of this. I think it might help. I don't want you to feel like that, like you need to please me like that, and I need to know how not to do it and I think I need to learn how to relate to what you do better, cause I want to date you and take you on dates and enjoy your smile and everything that comes with that, without either of us feeling guilty."

Iggy watches the peacocks with genuine amusement. "Why'd he make you do that? Seems weird. I'd totally be a peacock if I was a bird, I bet. They make an awful noise, just like me!"

He peers over Dick's shoulder - easy to do, Iggy is so tall - and nods.

"Yeah. Yeah, we can do that. Because I think you're right." He pauses to kiss Dick's cheek. "It's gonna be okay."

"He believed all bird feathers were dirty, and yet we had bats all down in the cave. The guano was a mess. I don't get it. I mean some birds do carry disease and it can be in their feathers, but most peacock feathers are fairly safe." At least Dick hadn't heard of anyone dying from a peacock feather, but an order from Bruce was an order from Bruce and he did what he was told or faced the consequences. They were never worth facing.

Wrapping his arm around Iggy's to bring him closer together than merely holding his hand, Dick took them down the path to the elephants. Childhood excitement bubbled in his stomach and heart. It was like coming home to see an old friend. These might not be the ones he knew, but they were still old friends in a way.

It was a giant paddock, with a small one on the side where they kept the elephant for the kids to ride on. That one trumpeted and huffed at the ground. He wanted to be back with the others over by the water hole where they were bathing, and it looked like playing as well.

"Look at the small one. He keeps trying to get out of the way, but someone is always spraying him. They're picking on him, the poor baby. They can be such goofballs. I always thought it was crazy cool how much they understood when I was little. This one elephant, Cesar, would always give me a high five, or shake my hand with his trunk, even when the trainer wasn't there. he never forgot. "

Iggy makes a face. "Isn't he like, super smart? Seems weird he'd think that."

Iggy is not forming a very flattering picture of Bruce Wayne.

He walks alongside Dick, relaxing as they go. The elephants are big and they smell, but he enjoys the way Dick's face lights up when he watches them.

"They can speak English?" Iggy asks, awed. He's... not that bright.

"He was smart, just very eclectic." Dick tried to explain, and honestly, Dick didn't feel any special way toward him. He suffered a pretty messed up childhood and was abused fairly badly should anyone truly take a look at it. The scars cover him emotionally and in some places physically. Not really from Bruce hitting Dick in a way that most would think of, but training was a lot, and sending a young child into battle-- Well.

The smell is all a part of the circus to Dick. It reminds him a lot of home, and the larger the space is the less the smell. Only the small part smells strongly, and that's where the child rides are and where they offer vet care for the elephants.

"They understand what you wish them to do eventually. It's like training an elephant." He laughs. "They are easier to train than dogs, but they don't care about pleasing you, like cats. They very much like to cause mischief. It's all about animal communication. I don't think any animal speaks real english." He laughs softly and hugs on his boyfriend. It doesn't matter. They'll work it out in the long run. Bright or not, they ... care about one another.

"Not even parrots?" Iggy asks. Deep down, he's not convinced that animals aren't living their own secret lives and making fun of humans.

He hugs back easily, dropping a kiss to Dick's cheek.

"This was good idea. Thank you for inviting me. I'm really sorry for making it awkward back there."

Another quick kiss.

"Can we get some sodas or something? I'm thirsty."

It would be a fun little world if they were. Dick loves the movies that animate animal's feelings and lives, offering them human thoughts and feelings and he has a feeling that Iggy might take some of that a little more serious than others, but it only makes him a little more endearing. With a laugh, Dick shakes his head.

"Parrots only say what we do, they are great at copying our patterns of speech. It's pretty fucking neat."

Enjoying the kisses, Dick pauses for a second and steals a real one, but not one that would embarrass Iggy, one that wraps Dick's arms around him and is soft and gentle for a few seconds. It's the kind that one sees in public when a couple seems a little twitterpaited. Releasing him, he smiles.

"You're fine. I helped in making it awkward. I know communication takes two. We'll get it right. Let's go get some sodas, and we can even grab a little lunch if you want. There's a cafeteria right over here." He points on the map. "Then we can get out of here if you want, or spend a little more time. It's all up to you."

Dick takes Iggy's hand again, and starts the little hike to the cafeteria where they seem to offer essentials like sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, and even slices of pizza down in one far corner. Plus, they have plenty of drinks-- even souvenir cups for those so motivated. Refills only 0.99 cents.

"I dunno... I heard they're as smart as toddlers..." But that's probably just something he saw on TikTok.

He kisses back easily this time. "Mmkay," he murmurs before pulling away so they can find the concession.

Iggy gets a ridiculously large diet cola and sips at it gratefully.

"That is so much better," he says, offering Dick a smile.

"We're gonna hit the gift shop before we go, right??"

"We can go anywhere you want. I'm not in any real hurry. This was all for you, you know. Even if I had a few slip ups, I do hope that you enjoyed some of the afternoon. I mean, there's a restaurant with your name on it afterwards, and they serve everything at fivestars, like you requested." Dick laughed as he watched Iggy hover over the drink that was almost as wide as he was.

Wandering slowly through the trees that cast shade and various animal enclosures was nice. Some of them made it easy to spot the animals and others were a little more difficult. There was a lot more about habitat than about pleasing people. Though the patrons didn't seem to mind too much. It was obvious that Dick had enjoyed his experience with the elephants the most by far.

The large panthers were pretty beautiful as well as they lounged in the shade and stalked through the thin branches on trees. Made Dick happy that he worked in a city and not a jungle.

By the time they reached the gift shop, it was pretty obvious Dick had seen his share of animals for the day. "I think I'm starting to smell like the zoo..."

Iggy sticks with Dick, sipping his drink and looking at the animals. He pitches the cup just before they reach the gift shop, which they have to move through in order to exit the zoo.

Iggy grins and kisses Dick's cheek. "Nah, you're fine."

Iggy, being Iggy, has to stop and look at the stuffed animals and mugs and keychains.

Finally outside, he takes Dick's arm again.

"Thank you for a lovely date," he says. "Would you be mad if we went back to your place?"

Moving through the Gift Shop, Dick finds an adorable elephant figurine that he can't help but bring home with him, and then buys Iggy the largest stuffed animal that he happened to be looking at because he can and it's funny.

Leaning into Iggy as he holds his arm, Dick smiles and nods. "I hope you liked it. I thought it would be a good idea when I picked it, but I'm not sure it turned out that great..." He pauses when he looks at Iggy.

"You sure you okay. We can always go back to my place, of course. I don't mind, but I wanted to give you the whole date experience." He takes them back to the car he picked for the day. Opening Iggy's door first, Dick waits for him to get in before going over to his side to start it up.

Iggy doesn't protest the gift - he's a sucker for them, and he enjoys soft things. The animal winds up being a tiger.

"It turned out wonderfully," Iggy says softly.

He climbs into the car (stowing his tiger in the back seat) and waits for Dick to start it up.

"The whole date experience, huh? That means dinner. If you're sure you're okay with that then, yeah, I could totally eat. You've got somewhere in mind, I bet."

"If you don't mind. I mean, we can always order in if you're tired from walking the park." Dick takes Iggy's hand when they reach the car, and now he's soft and tender. He really does truly care for Iggy. Maybe he was a little rough in the park because he wants to be better than all those other men. Dick will figure it out eventually, but this. This is the side that feels the most earnest.

He'll get it one day. Perhaps. "I'm glad you like your tiger." He takes Iggy's hand before they leave the lot and brings it to his lips to kiss each fingertip and then flips it over to run an open mouthed kiss against his pulse, savoring the way Iggy's heart beats so strong right beneath his gentle touch.

"I had a great time too. I'll work at finding a better experience for you next time we go out. You mean the world to me and I want things to really work." Dick keeps hold of Iggy's hand as they pull out, setting it on his knee.

Iggy squeezes Dick's knee. "Don't be silly. This was a great experience. You know... we're allowed to have our disagreements. It doesn't ruin the whole date."

He looks over at Dick curiously.

"You really have a sort of all or nothing mentality. Do you think that's because of how you were brought up? Or is it a holdover from your exes?"

"Oh, I wasn't talking about that. I wasn't sure you actually liked all the animals. I know we're alright." Dick reassures Iggy when they pull to a stop at a light. He glances over and tips his head.

"I know that my brain works differently because of who I am, and how I was raised. I was raised as a weapon. If I didn't do well, I was punished. I've been literally thrown to a wolf in order to be taught not to fear. I was about eleven, had no weapons. It was night. I was chased until I learned to take control and kill it, to conquer all fears. I learned that I had to control everything then. It's why I failed all my relationships. I thought I had to do everything myself. I pushed until it all broke. I cared deeply, but then I never trusted any of them to be strong enough to handle things with me."

The light changes and he goes quiet for a little bit. It was a lot to offer up all that information at once. A little too much, honestly and he feels strange for saying it all. He knows that he's trusted Iggy with a lot, but there's parts of his life, his psyche that he's not proud of , that he doesn't truly want to talk about and this is getting closer to it. There's so much there, so much more than they've ever touched on.

It's enough for now.

"They were cute!"

Iggy listens, frowning more and more deeply. He himself has familial issues - more than he realises - but he's never had to kill a literal wolf. It sounds inhumane.

"Dick, sweetie, you really have to go to therapy," he says gently. "Either a superperson one, or you just lie enough not to give yourself away. But like... honey, that's not healthy."

He squeezes Dick's knee again.

"You don't have to agree. And let's not even argue. Just... think about it, maybe.

"But for now? Where are we eating, handsome?"

When Iggy suggested it before, Dick went to therapy. He saw Leslie, the same person that Bruce and Jason saw. It was a lot of talk about abuse and things that were probably true on some level, but he didn't agree with on others. He didn't do as much talking as she wanted.

It was hard to open up to someone who seemed to know more about him than most the rest of the world. "I've gone, remember. I'll go again. I know you think it's important." He smiles softly and continues down the road.

"I've been in the mood for some really great lobster. This place has the best. Don't worry. They have plenty of other options if you don't like that. They're a world class restaurant on top of that building right there in front of us. The restaurant slowly rotates around, not at a discernible speed, but so slow you don't realize you're moving until you look out and the scenery is completely different. It's spectacular at night. We have window seats, unless you're afraid of heights."

"So long as you keep going," Iggy says. He knows going once doesn't accomplish much of anything.

Iggy looks over and smiles. "No, not scared of heights. I guess if it rotated fast everyone would hurl, huh?"

"If it rotated that fast, it'd be a roller coaster and not a restaurant." Dick laughed as they parked, and he went around to Iggy's door and opened it for him-- some habits die hard.

"I plan on going. I'm not sure if I'll keep seeing this therapist. She knows too much about the .... family, and is very biased, but I will make sure that I'm getting new thoughts and strategies. You know I want to improve things."

It's all true. He does want to improve. It might take a long time to do so. These things have taken years to learn, and will take a long time to unlearn, but he's doing a lot of things step-by- step and at least he and Iggy and talk about things.

With their hands linked, Dick takes him to the elevator and lets Iggy push the button if he wants. It's a ride up, but it's glass so the view is great.

The door opening is pretty sweet. Iggy unfolds himself from the car.

"Sometimes it takes a while to find one you vibe with," Iggy says about the therapist. "But you will." He's aware that things do take time.

The ride up in the elevator is pleasant. Iggy holds Dick's hang and watches the world fall away, smiling. He keeps smiling until they're in the restaurant and being seated. Then his expression freezes a moment before he recovers and looks to Dick's face.

"This is nice," he says, ignoring the fact that a dead guy is standing by a table several feet away. It's not like anyone else can see him, after all.

While they're walking across the restaurant, Dick takes the time to kiss Iggy's hand feeling better about the evening and the date as they go. He's actually trying to come up with something for their next date-- hoping that maybe Iggy will offer some ideas over dinner. They haven't talked about shared interests much and Dick wants to start doing a lot more together.

Having been a trained detective, and known for spotting the moment a situation changes, Dick is alerted to Iggy's body language almost immediately. He searches for a threat. There's no gunmen, no one that seems out of place. He's still on alert when the waitress comes over to offer them a drink. Dick orders a bottle of wine and shoos her away.

"What's wrong. You're making me tense, and if there's someone about to hurt us, I need to know. Remember, I do this for a living." Dick slides his hand under the table and places it on Iggy's knee, squeezing tightly. There's genuine concern in his eyes.

Iggy's expression stays perfectly pleasant. He puts a hand overtop of Dick's and squeezes.

"Nobody can hurt us," he assures Dick very quietly. He absolutely does not want to draw the ghost's attention.

He takes his hand back and pulls his phone out, still smiling. He types quickly and turns his screen so Dick can read:

dead guy. please don't react.

There's a set about Dick's shoulders that has trouble relaxing even with Iggy's pleasant face and his quiet tone stating that nothing can hurt them. It's been a while since he's even considered the powers that accompany his boyfriend, and so it's the last thing on his mind until his phone alerts him.

Pulling it from his pocket, he takes a quick glance and then relief spreads across his features. Out of all the things in the world-- this is something that he trusts Iggy with. Reaching across the table, Dick takes his lover's hand and glances at the menu. ]

So, I know that I'm having the lobster. Have you thought about what you'd like tonight. I know their pasta is pretty good here as well. If not they have an amazing Wagyu steak, if you like beef. I don't really know what your favorite food is. You'll have to school me so that I can take you out with that in mind next time.

[The touch is appreciated. Iggy is used to seeing ghosts, but that doesn't mean he likes it.

He looks at the menu too.]

Oh. Uhm. I like almost anything... is there salmon? I love salmon.

[He looks at Dick and smiles.] Or oysters, maybe?

You know, I almost went vegetarian, actually.

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