"Oh, I got a riddle for ya. What's black, blue and hot all over?"

"Madds—"

"No, dummy, it's you," I said with a wink as Dick just shook his head, eyes never leaving the computer monitor before us. I leaned in closer, my breath whispering against his ear. "Nightwing."

"It's a wonder I never mistook you for being related to Riddler," Dick said sarcastically.

I laughed once, shoving his head down as I walked around him to lean against the console. "Whatever, boy wonder. How's the gang looking?" I looked up at the monitor focused on the training room.

On one side of the room, Conner was working hand to hand with Kory, clearly holding back just enough to not hurt her. Gar stood in front of a wall length mirror; attention seemingly tuned in to his reflection but we knew otherwise. I'd been at the tower with them for months and nearly every day he dedicated a few hours to trying to shift into something other than a tiger. He told me he'd turned into a snake once but he hadn't figured out how he had or how to do it again. Not that far away from him was Dawn, training against Hank, both of whom met each other blow for blow.

Dick continued to watch them in his assessing way, looking for weak spots to point out to them later. Ever since Roman reached out to let me know he was still alive, Dick had been on high alert. If the team wasn't on mission, he wanted them training. And when they were exhausted from training, it'd become my duty to distract him. Like now, though so far I was failing horribly. "They need more work."

"Grayson, they're human—well, most of them," I corrected with a sigh. "They need some time to just be human. Give 'em a break, let them have some time for themselves. Give us time for ourselves." I slid a little closer, catching his eye with a small, suggestive smile.

The smile he gave back was more amused then tempted. "They didn't last as long this time. Maybe they need more training than I thought."

"Huh?" I looked at him, confused for a moment, but he just stared back with raised brows. When my own realization hit, I glared at him, immediately crossing my arms over my chest. "How long have you known?"

"That you've been seducing me to give everyone else a break? Since the second or third time. It doesn't take a genius to notice that when they grow weary, you suddenly spend a lot more time in here."

"Then why'd you go along with it?"

"Because I'm human," he shrugged, reaching out to take my hand and tug me towards him. "And I've had too much time without you that I still need to make up for."

I let him pull me until I sat across his lap, close enough that every breath we took was shared. His calloused fingers traced swirls along the soft skin of my inner forearm while mine traced the edges of his face, up to the hollows of dark skin beneath his eyes. The circles there weren't as dark as they'd been when I first came back but I'd hoped they'd disappear entirely by now. "I'm pretty sure actually sleeping next to me at night would make up some of that time too," I said. "I told you before, I'm not going anywhere."

"I know."

"Do you though? Because your face is telling me an entirely different story."

"I'm not having a hard time sleeping because I think you're going to leave again," Dick said, uncharacteristically soft for him. My fingers paused on his face, concern filling me immediately. He continued on, not waiting for me to ask. "I keep seeing it in my dreams, losing you that day. And sometimes you don't come back. When I wake up, even though I can feel you next to me, if I close my eyes for even a second it's like you're not there."

"Grayson..."

"I promised you I wouldn't let anything happen to you when you first came back here and I wasn't able to do it. The last time you were almost taken from me, I promised I would end your brother. Even if it costs me my own life, I'm keeping that promise. If it means no sleep and constant training, then that's what will be done."

"I know you well enough to know that I can't talk you out of whatever beautifully ridiculous plans are in your head. But this fight is mine—"

"Ours," he nearly growled.

"Ours," I amended. "Not the rest of the Titans. They've lost enough because of others without me dragging them into my problems. Jason was kidnapped and nearly killed because of me. I don't want that- or worse- to happen to anyone else. If you keep overworking them the way you've been doing, who knows what will happen the next time they go out on mission. I don't even want to imagine if they come up against Roman again."

Dick looked up at the screen behind me and winced, almost as if realizing for the first time in weeks how hard he'd been pushing everyone. When he looked back at me, there was a familiar glint of guilt in his dark eyes. He reached around me, pressing the button on the console for the speaker. "Alright guys, training is over," he announced, meeting my eyes all the while. "I appreciate all your effort and work lately but it's time you guys have some time for yourselves. Go out, stay in and rest, whatever you want."

I looked over my shoulder as he released the button, both of us watching the team's reaction on screen.

Gar dropped to the floor breathing hard from all his concentration. Conner high- fived Kory as their sparring came to an end. Dawn and Hank looked like they were laughing at something before Hank shot finger guns at the camera.

I shook my head and smiled; happy I could help them get their well deserved rest. Now there was only one person left in the tower that needed my help. Sliding off his lap, I grabbed hold of Dick's wrist and pulled him after me until he was up on his feet. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Bed," I answered simply, earning an intrigued look. I laughed. "So you can get some sleep." I tilted my head up to his, signaling for a kiss and thrilled at the soft brush of his lips on mine. I'd only intended on an innocent peck, but Dick wanted more from the eager way he met me and reluctantly pulled back. I smiled at him, looping my arms around his neck and leaning up to kiss him again before adding, "Eventually."