19794/Call Dickie-Bird

Call Dickie-Bird
Date of Scene:	03 January 2025
Location:	Mid-Day Phone Call
Synopsis:	Gwen calls 'Dickie-Bird' to check in mid-day between working on her cloning research at GIRL and trying to make it to OsCorp in time for her 'real job.'
Cast of Characters:	Gwen Stacy, Dick Grayson

---

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Call Dickie-Bird."
"Calling..."

It's his own fault, when you think about it. He knew who he was getting into a relationship with.

When he answers, there's the unmistakable sound of New York City traffic in the background -- sirens, blaring horns -- and just the faintest whisper of wind noise. The average listener might not be able to tell Gwen was swinging through mid-town, but between her GPS, the time of day, and Dick's keen deductive abilities, there's little doubt he doesn't recognize the tell-tale signs.

Dick Grayson has posed:
He did indeed know just who he was getting involved with. And there's a good chance that being identified as 'Dickie-Bird' is something the can live with. Though chances are she's going to get more then a few sardonic looks over that one.

Dick Grayson is not swinging around town at the moment. Dick Grayson is instead sitting in a GCPD Police Cruiser at the moment, his partner currently in the convenience store they are parked in front of. And while it might be trite, yes, she does happen to be picking up donuts. So when he answers the phone, when he hears that rush of air on the other end it does indeed not take him very much detective work to figure out just what the love of his life happens to be up to.

"Having a swinging around sort of day are we?" he asks, voice filled with both amusement and warmth.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"It beats riding on the bus with a bunch of literal stinkers."

Like Dick, Gwen's answer is warm and affectionate, just the faintest hint of being out of breath creeping in around the edges. You try swinging through New York like Tarzan without getting at least a little winded.

"I'm on my way to work, but I'm already fifteen minutes late because I missed the two thirty from Bludhaven."

She had stopped by GIRL HQ yesterday -- New Years Day -- when it was going to be a ghost town so she could work on the whole cloning cellular degeneration thing somewhere private. It went so well that she decided to go back in this morning while she had time. Classes didn't start again until next week.

"It was literally pulling away when I was running up to it. How's your day? Catch any bad guys?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Lucky you. We've hauled at least two people in already for still being thoroughly drunk so the cruiser is a little fragrant. At least we got the one guy out before he threw up all over the place," comes Dick's dry retort.

All things considered he would be much happier swinging around the city today, but that might raise a few questions. And a few eyebrows. Still, maybe he'll propose a special task force to Commissioner Gordon.

"I don't think it's been as productive as yours by the sounds of it. More then a few shoplifting cases. Mostly just kids so the whole serve and protect thing is a little on the low side so far today," he offers up, voice still wry.

Still, all things considered that's better then the alternative. All too often his days in uniform - the one without the mask - can be a little hard and unforgiving.

"Things are going well then? Aside from the whole late for work thing?"

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Ugggh. See? This is exactly why there's no such thing as a Spider Paddy Wagon."

That isn't why.

"Hey! It's Spider-Woman!" comes a shout from the background.

"Close enough!" she calls back. "Keep the change!"

There's another beat, then as the city traffic grows more distant again.

"I don't know if I'd call it productive, exactly, but busy. I actually talked to Viv, yesterday... Vivian Vision. She's acting director of GIRL. I told her what I was working on and she was so helpful. She bumped up my access to the genetics materials database and flagged my research folder as classified medical records. Plus, there's a drone that brings you coffee. I have no idea why I haven't spent more time there."

The wind noise stops, just for a moment, and there's the sound of her chewing, blowing out a heavy sigh.

"Mmmf! Thfasnotwhyeyecalled."

Yes. She's talking with her mouth full. Again.

"The whole concert thing with Eddie. There was... a lot going on and we sorta glossed over it. Do you want to go? I'd really like it if you did. We were planning to go see Motley Crue in Vegas. But are you even okay with me hanging out with him? Should I just cancel? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Dick Grayson has posed:
"I think we can all do without a paddy wagon full of spiders. Whatever you do, please don't ever mention that in front of Batman. That will become a new interrogation technique," dick notes with with a faint smile.

Things are a little quieter on his end of course, though the much more muted sounds of traffic still do manage to pierce the cruiser's interior and the occasional crackle and indistinct chatter from the police dispatcher makes its way in garbled fashion over the phone line.

Shifting in his seat, Dick peers over the dash, catching a glimpse of just how his partner is progressing - slowly apparently as she juggles the pack of donuts and the pair of coffees, along with the 'rabbit food' snacks that Dick settled on.

Sinking back into the seat once more, knowing that he has at least a couple more minutes, he smiles at the sound of her quite obviously eating on the go. "I hope you're not spoiling your dinner," he teases. "But I'm glad things are going well at GIRL. Bludhaven's no garden spot but it is a little closer then New York at least. You're welcome to use the Cave facilities too, but I suspect GIRL has slightly more extensive facilities for your purposes," he admits wryly.

"And it sounds like Viv is probably better company then the bats." Look, no one wants to step in guano.

The shift in topic doesn't seem to phase him, nor does he hesitate for even a moment. "If you want me there, I'll be there," comes that immediate reply. "I'll see about making sure I can get those days," he promises her. "You definitely don't want to cancel. If it's not awkward for you, it isn't awkward for me," he promises her.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Choking laugher fills the airwaves, Gwen having no-doubt inhaled a bit of her hot-dog-on-the-go after the warning to not give Batman any spider-adjacent interrogation techniques.

"Oh my God. Not while I'm swallowing," she laughs, still hacking and trying to clear her throat, the smile all too obvious in her voice.

There's a pause, then, as she settles into listening and composing herself. Once more, there's a rush of wind as she launches back off of the perch she'd momentarily landed on to scarf the hot dog.

"Don't worry, Dad. I promise I'll still be hungry when I get home," she muses, voice clearer. "I'm still on the fence about the cave, though. I feel like it's a Batcave, not a Spider-cave, you know? I mean, I appreciate that you trust me... more than you know. But the others don't, you know? I'm still a little worried about over-stepping."

thwip

"Besides, for now, I do have facilities I can use. And maybe over time I'll meet them, you know?"

It's his last reaction that warms her the most, though.

"Why are you always so freaking awesome? This is one of the many, many reasons I love you. You know that, right?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
Honestly, when it comes to getting the information he needs out of whatever criminal scumbag he's dealing with at the moment, chances are that Batman doesn't really need any helpful hints or suggestions on coming up with ways to make them talk.

For all Dick knows, he's already used a paddy wagon full of spiders before. Or maybe just a room.

Though threatening to drop people off of rooftops tends to be the more standard go-to.

"I'll try not too, especially since I'm a little far away to administer mouth-to-mouth if you actually start to choke," Dick agrees wryly, hearing that rush of wind that tells him as well as anything that she is once more on her way towards OsCorp.

A low chuckle greets her next words, a husky rumble rife with all sorts of means that get conveyed even over the phone, but he leaves it be, instead focusing on the offer of the cave and her reluctance.

"I get it and I understand," he agrees. She is admittedly not likely to run into anyone in the auxiliary cave right beneath the Lakehouse, but she's still finding her way in Gotham, still finding her way with his extended family. He can't blame her for not wanting to make it awkward.

"Just keep in mind that, in a pinch, there is a lab literally under your feet," he points out. You never know when it could come in handy afterall.

"Hey, you can't blame me for trying to stack the deck a little," Dick says with a laugh before his voice softens. "I love you too, Gwen. You can count on that."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"That's not how you stop someone from choking," Gwen answers, her voice filled with dry humor and the barely restrained need to laugh again. "Though, with you, I'd give it a chance as a cure for just about anything."

That chuckle, though... if he could only see what it was doing to her cheeks under that mask and how it was making her heart race in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with swinging a hundred feet above mid-town traffic.

There's a soft little sound when he just moves on. Almost a chuckle of her own. Or a huff. Or a.. whimper. Whatever it is, it's clearly a reaction, and it's followed quickly by clearing her throat.

"Thank you," she answers his offer, her voice softer. "I honestly don't know how I survived without you. You're stuck with me now, Blue-Boo. I can't go back to the old ways anymore. Life is too good."

That warmth is just... infectious. It seems to permeate even the airwaves.

"Alright, I'm coming up on OsCorp and I've gotta do the quick-change on the roof. Be safe, please. Tell those kids that if they give you a hard time, your girlfriend will beat them up."

Then grin in her voice is obvious, though, because that line's sure to keep problems with unruly teenagers from escalating, right?

Dick Grayson has posed:
One would hope that Dick has at least passed basic first aid. He would have to have done that, right? To be a cop? Not to mention to be Robin and then Nightwing.

Of course, it's entirely possible that isn't entirely what he has in mind.

"Are you sure about that?" he counters, voice dropping another note lower, the rumble in his voice now leaving no doubt at all about his intent. "I think maybe we should practice - extensively - when you get home. Just to make sure. It would be a shame to be wrong about something like that," he points out

It would be nice to say he does so innocently. But there's nothing at all innocent about that voice.

"It'll be fun," he says, tone lightening up a little, that smile on his face creeping into his voice as well. "It'll be a first, going on a road trip with my girlfriend and her ex, but I can think of worse things the Vegas in the middle of Gotham's cold season," he admits drily.

There's a good chance that he's thinking about Gwen in a bikini. That's definitely a pretty sure fire way to get him onboard with the idea.

"Sounds good. And good timing. Amy's just on the way back to the car with the coffee," he says. He doesn't mention the donuts. But then Gwen is a cop's daughter. She can relate.

"My shift will be done before you're getting back, so I'll pick you up from the station then," he suggests before that humor creeps into his tone again. "And I'll let you know just how intimidated all those unruly shoplifting kids are by the threat to have you thrash them," he adds with a low laugh.

"Have a great rest of your day Gwen and I'll see you in a few hours. Love you."

Gwen Stacy has posed:
'Are you sure about that?'

"...Oh, shit."

All at once, there's a horn and a louder rush of air.

"Sorry!!" Gwen's yelling it to someone else. Maybe the bus she almost did the whole 'bug on the windshield' impersonation with. Then she clears her throat.

"It's fine! I'm fine. That sounds... yeah. Yes. We should... practice." She's grinning so stupidly big that it's definitely affecting the sound of the words. That and the suddenly husky note of her own voice.

Head in the game, Gwen. Deep breath. Focus. But God, when his voice does that, and he puts those images in her mind...

"It might not just be the three of us. I'm trying to solicit more. Stirling might come. The guy you gave me that old suit for? And maybe I can get some others. I need to invite MJ and Doreen... maybe Ben, too. Even Peter? I don't think Motley Crue's really his scene..."

Aaaaaand now she's rambling, but she's saved by the little thud as she lands on the rooftop.

"Okay! Remember, those extra calories have to be burned off. Choose your donuts wisely or plan on vigorous exercise."

She is a cop's daughter, after all. Now it's her turn to be playful, but she manages the whole innocent thing much better than he does.

"Tell Amy that Gwen says hey. And that her partner's a stone cold fox."

There's already the sound of her backpack unzipping.

The promise to pick her up at the station has a note of excitement warming her voice. "Really?" And then laughter spills out. "They're going to be terrified. Trust me. I'm terrifying. It's like the Boogie Man... and then me... and then Batman."

There's a pause. A breath. A sound of absolute relief.

"I love you, too, Dickie-Bird. See you soon."