Present Day

The first time Dick took me skating, I ended up pretending I didn't know what I was doing. I honestly didn't think I knew when we left for the rink, but the second I put the skates on it was as easy as breathing to move in them. They'd given Dick the wrong size skates so he'd gone back to exchange them and I stood to try and get a feel for the movement. I ended up doing three laps around the bench without the slightest shuffle before I dropped back down on the seat. I opened my mouth to tell him I apparently already knew how but the almost childlike twinkle in his eyes as he came back was too much for me to ruin. Who did it hurt if I gave him an excuse to have fun?

Now, as I sat in a completely different skating rink, listening to the laughs and voices of the other Titans while I put on my skates, I couldn't help the sense of deja vu I felt. Especially after he drove us over on his motorcycle again and had that same twinkle in his eyes as he smiled down at me. "Ready?"

He'd been talking to Hank and Dawn a little ways off so I didn't even know he'd already put his skates on. I finished the knot on my laces before looking up at him with a smile of my own. "Absolutely," I said, holding out my hands for him to help pull me up.

He took them without hesitation, pulling a little harder than was probably necessary and landing me flush against his chest. "Oops," he said unapologetically before kissing me.

I giggled into it, my hands finding their way to cup either side of his chiseled face and keep him close. I could almost taste a faint trace of syrup on his lips; a sweet layer to an already sweet moment.

"Gross, get a room!" Gar called out as he passed us to the rink, Conner close behind. Dick and I broke apart with a laugh and I caught a glimpse of Conner in time to see him smile, bright and innocent, as he went.

Dick was still holding me close as I brought my eyes back to him, his seemingly never leaving me. If it weren't for the night I'd had, I would've thought it was just because he liked the view.

Unfortunately for me, I knew better.

"You know Grayson, there's a very thin line between being sweetly protective over someone and treating them like your child. And last I checked, both of my parents are dead, so..."

"Sorry," he said almost instantly.

"For my parents being dead or for treating me like I'm about to break?"

"The former."

"HA! No you're not," I laughed sarcastically, watching his lips twitch up in amusement.

"No, I'm not," he agreed. I rolled my eyes. "But you still haven't told me what you saw and your reaction—"

"I know," I interrupted him with a sigh. With the few hours distance from the incident, part of me was embarrassed he'd had to see that. I liked to think I had him believing me to be a strong and fearless woman. Now i felt like that facade was completely undone. "It was a lot and I'm sorry but I don't want to go there right now."

"Then when?"

"I don't know, Grayson!" I snapped before taking a deep breath. "Right now, I just want to enjoy this date night remake with the love of my life and think of nothing else. Can we just do that?"

Dick stared at me in silence for a moment but then gave me a small smile. "Date night remake?"

"Yeah, you didn't think I wouldn't notice did you?"

"Well I didn't think it would be in your top memorable moments," he replied. I knew he was saying it to change the subject for my benefit and I was more than happy to go along with it.

"Liar," I countered. "You know every moment with you is memorable. Besides, you could probably never guess my top 5 memorable."

"You actually have a list?" he chuckled.

I tilted my head up with a smile. "I do now." I pushed off of him, causing him to stumble in surprise and right himself before he rolled too far back. Even with his quick foot work I had time to be quicker and skate away with a laugh. I heard him following close behind and pushed myself to go faster on the rug beneath our feet before making it to the actual rink floor. Once I hit the smooth hardwood, there was no catching up for him.

I turned to skate backwards, smiling bright to find him waiting by the rink entrance for me to make his move. I danced around in place across the rink, taunting him and blowing kisses with a smirk. He shook his head in response but Dick's smile was all I needed to know he was enjoying it too.

Gar and Conner were finishing another lap around the rink when they skated to a halt next to me. "Why's Dick just standing there?" Conner asked.

I made sure to pitch my voice loud enough for Dick to hear. "Because he knows he'll never catch me if he actually tried." Even from the distance I could see the challenge I sparked in his eyes. If there was one thing I always held over him it was my speed.

"You've done this before?" Gar asked curiously.

"Not exactly but trust me, I'm faster."

"Make your move, Addams!" Dick called out tauntingly.

"You first Grayson!" I smirked back.

He wasted no time; he launched himself into the rink, heading straight for me. I laughed, letting him get halfway across the rink before taking off. Gar and Conner cheered Dick on, surely fueling his ego as he pushed to get to me. We went around the rink twice, Dick cheating and cutting across the space in desperate attempts to catch me. I laughed every time, childishly taunting him when he failed.

After a few more attempts, I decided to give him a win. After all, he was supposed to be the leader of the Titans; how does it look that I kept whooping him?

I slowed my pace as he cut across the rink again, slamming straight into me and nearly entangling our limbs as we bumped into the bordering wall. He laughed breathlessly, holding on to me before I could fall. "You let me catch you," he stated and I shrugged.

"What can I say? I missed being in your arms more than I enjoy showing you up."

"Liar," he laughed, his arms flexing around me. I smiled against his neck, relishing in the feeling of home. "Do you want to go somewhere?"

"Why, Grayson, is someone trying to get frisky in public? Cause I'd have to say, that's pretty hot," I teased. Dick choked on another laugh, this one louder and deep enough to reverberate through both of us. Over his shoulder I could see Gar and Conner looking at us in awe, surprised at the sound.

Bruce told me once he'd never heard anyone else bring out that laugh in Dick aside from Donna. I smiled wider at the thought.

"As fun as I'm sure you're imagining that to be—"

"Pfft, don't pretend like you aren't," I scoffed, poking him in his abs.

"Regardless of that," he pushed on, his tone pure amusement. "I was thinking of something a bit more tame."

"Booooo!"

"For now," he added with a smirk.

"Oh, yay!" I cheered, turning to look up at him mischievously. "See now this is the kind of corruption I love to see."

He chuckled, rolling his eyes as he led us out of the rink and towards one of the tables in the dining area. He slid in easily, pulling me with him with a smile. I bent my leg up on the bench, crooking my head to lean against one hand as I stared at him.

Two months since I'd gotten him back in my life and every time I saw him still felt like a dream I never wanted to wake from.

"So," I said simply. "What exactly did you have in mind for us?"

"Well, we haven't talked as much as I would like—" he started, my body growing rigid almost immediately. I couldn't help but think he was about to bring last night up again and it was honestly the last thing I wanted to talk about. I relaxed again once I let him finish his sentence. "—and your comment from earlier about your most memorable moments made me curious. What exactly is in your top 5?"

I sighed, not bothering to hide my relief as I smiled at him. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"I asked first."

"I asked second," I shrugged while he just gave me a look. I rolled my eyes playfully. "I can't tell you all my secrets at once, Grayson, but if you really want to know then here's the deal. To make the suspense draw out a little more, we each tell one of our top 5 moments at random. But when one of us shares then the other has to follow."

"Starting now."

"Starting now," I agreed with an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I will be going first." He smiled brightly at me and I shook my head. "Number 5 was the night we met, as in that actual first night when I had no idea who you were other than the guy who had ruined my heist." I quirked my own smile at him and he chuckled.

"Really? That made your most memorable list?" he asked and I nodded.

"Of course. You were the first person to ever resist my pheromones and it intrigued me. Plus, you had that whole tall, dark and sexy vibe going on after taking down all those guys by yourself and your hair all—" I reached out and tousled the thick dark strands so they curled and framed his eyes the way they did that night. His eyes fluttered closed at the touch and I took my time pulling my hand away. I waited until he opened his eyes again before continuing, the tender look in them sending a shock through my body. "You made quite the impression that night, Captain Obvious," I teased with the name I'd dubbed him with that night.

"I wasn't the only one," he returned with a smile. "But that wouldn't be my 5."

"So what's yours?"

"The next morning," he answered and I couldn't help but give him a confused look. Sure I remembered that day in the coffee shop but I couldn't imagine why it would make his list. He laughed again at my expression and I tapped him with the toe of my skate.

"Continue please."

"You intrigued me that night too. You insisted you weren't related to Ivy but it was the only thing that made sense to me, so I kept looking into it but coming up empty. When I went to work that morning I made sure to get myself on the scene again, see if I could learn anything else, maybe find something I missed the night before. I came up empty until the coffee shop."

"Not seeing what's so memorable about it," I interjected and he shook his head.

"You wouldn't because you didn't even know what you did. You were so busy trying to get information on what the cops knew that you didn't even realize you were making yourself a little suspicious. And then there was the slip with Ivy; jumping at the bait and calling her a blonde."

"The moment it all went downhill," I joked, putting my face into the palm of my hand. "I still can't believe I fell for that."

"That makes two of us," Dick teased and I kicked him again, a little harder this time. "That's why it's my number 5, though. You wanted me to believe so badly the night before that you were as bad as the guys robbing the place and so much more clever. Then with the simplest mistake you unraveled the whole thing. I'll never forget that day because it was the first ever sign of genuine innocence from you and the moment I knew that I couldn't just let you disappear. Not without a fight."

"Ugh, you would turn me looking like an idiot into something romantic," I said with a roll of my eyes.

Dick smirked at me in return. "I just call it like I see it."

"Well so do I and you know what? You are the softest hardass in the word."

"You think so?" he said, glancing over his shoulder briefly. "I thought I was working the glutes  pretty well but if you think I should work some more squats into my routine..." I laughed, slapping him in the chest as he beamed back at me. "Was that not the hard ass you were talking about?"

"No, you freak," I replied, unable to wipe the smile from my face. "What has gotten into you today? You're acting more like me than usual. Not complaining necessarily, just curious."

Dick's expression softened again as he reached out slowly, brushing my hair away just enough to cup the side of my neck. His thumb brushed along my jawline, heat lighting the path across my skin. "Just because I'm not always as vocal about it doesn't mean I want you any less, you know. I'm just capable of showing a bit more restraint. Consider today my cheat day."

I turned my face into his hand, nipping his thumb. "Cheat day, huh? Guess we better indulge as much as possible."

Just as fast as he'd turned on his sweetness, his expression changed to one of mischief.

Dick leaned in, wasting no time in bringing his lips to mine. I messed with him at first, pulling back lightly to just be out of his reach before a low grumble came from his chest and I laughed, giving in.

Then it took everything in me not to tear off his clothes.

I scooted in closer, practically sitting in his lap as he welcomed me in. My tongue slipped between his lips and he let out a little groan as my hands buried into the curls of hair at his neck. Everything around us melted away as I lost myself in him; the only time I ever felt like I belonged anymore.

Somehow, Hank calling out to us only made the moment more perfect. "If you two wanted to go at it all night you should've just stayed home while we were here. I mean come on, Conner is only a few months old he doesn't need to see this!"

Dick and I both laughed, one of his hands briefly losing contact with me. Hank barked out his own laugh, Dawn's tinkling voice following his and making me curious. "I think we already established it's not me who wants to fuck you, buddy."

Guess Dick flipped him off, then.

"Hank does make a point," I conceded, not bothering to put space between us despite my words. "Wanna head back to the tower?"

"Whatever you want to do."

I quirked a brow almost challengingly and then leaned forward to bring our mouths together again. I bit playfully on his bottom lip and then Dick was sliding off the bench, nearly carrying me in the process. I let out an embarrassing giggle as we stood, his arm wrapped around my waist while he flashed the others a cocky smile. "Stay out as late as you guys want. Really," he told them, dragging me along for the ride.

Just, sadly, not the kind we wanted at that particular moment.

Sorry it took so long to update guys! Had a lot of stuff to deal with in my personal life but I finally got this little one out for you. Hopefully you appreciate my attempt at a cutesy NightDahlia moment because I feel guilty for putting them through so much all the time 😂

My favorite kind of chapter is coming up next though and if I can pull it off right...EXCITED!

Side note, I just wanted to thank you all again for the support on this character and story! It makes me so happy to see how much you guys love Madds too. It also blows me away when you guys comment on BLACK DAHLIA saying it's a reread for however many times. THAT is a gift in itself 💚