-Athena's POV-

At first we both just locked eyes. He panted, his breath echoing in my empty house. The light casted shadows on his face, making him look tired. He smelled more like alcohol than I did and I just left a bar.

I knit my eyebrows together. I hissed in his face, "what the fuck are you doing here!?"

He smiled unevenly, looking like a jack o' lantern. "I-I came to see you," his words slurred together.

It was so unlike Dick. He never got so out of control that he couldn't control himself. Dick was cautious. He liked to have fun, but just like every other Bat boy, it was predicted fun.

I sighed and got off of him, pulling my knees to my chest. Dick managed to sit up after struggling for a minute. I could tell he was staring at me. He leaned against the chair of my couch, his head lolled to the side, his eyes concentrated on me.

It was like he was studying me, trying to memorize everything about me. Before, that look would've made me melt. But, things were different. He had a girlfriend. And I...I was trying to be okay with that.

"Do you want something to drink? I think you need some water," I moved to get up, but his fingers secured around my bicep. It was just like old times. I would try to leave, and he would grab my arm. His grip wasn't very strong. I could've broken it, but a part of me refused to move it. Tiny electric shocks sparked on my arm where he touched.

"Don't go," he whispered, his voice heavy and deep. My heart and breath quickened. Desperation filled his face. How could I leave when he was staring at me like that?

I sat back down. He hummed happily, his head falling onto my shoulder. I gasped quietly. His hair brushed against the soft skin on my neck. I was stiff as a board, but he didn't seem to notice. He was floppy like goo.

I let him stay like that for awhile. I couldn't move, my body refused. His eyes were closed, his hair falling into his face. I sighed, brushing it back behind his ears. He looked up. His eyes seemed even more blue. He grabbed my wrist before I could take my hand away from his face. His eyes trailed down, washing over my arm. Slowly, he laced our fingers together, pulling our joined hands to rest against his chest.

I could feel the beating of his heart. It wasn't nearly as fast as mine. It was consistent. Bum bum. Bum bum. Bum bum.

"Dick," I jumped back into reality, thinking of his red-headed girlfriend, "you can't be here."

I yanked my hand out of his. The force of it sent him falling back onto the floor. I felt bad, but the shock seemed to knock him into the real world. The lustful gape he was sending my way had disappeared.

His lips pouted down into a frown. His eyes seemed distant and even less focused than before. Dick stayed laying against the floor, looking up at the ceiling.

A few seconds of silence passed. I was about to check if he had fallen asleep when he spoke into the void.

"Why did you leave me?"

I wasn't prepared for the question. I sucked in a deep breath. "Well," I started, but couldn't find the right words.

"Athena, please," Dick bent his neck to face me, "tell me the truth. Please. It hurts."

Dick laid back down. It got hard for me to breath. It felt like someone had reached into my chest and was tightening their fist around my lungs. Water gathered at the corners of my eyes, but it didn't spill over. I tried to compose myself. Dick deserved an explanation delivered by a sober person.

I rested my head on the cushion, bringing my knees as close as they could to my chest. "I did it to protect you, Dick." I spoke clearly and honestly.

Dick chuckled. It didn't sound like an actual laugh. Nothing was funny. It was more like the kind of laugh one would do after getting splashed by a puddle or shit on by a bird. "When have you ever protected me?"

The question was rhetorical, but true. All this time, I had been telling myself I had been doing what I did to make sure that Dick was safe and didn't get hurt. But, all my efforts had done nothing but cause him pain.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "I just wanted to keep you safe."

"Well, maybe I wanted to keep you safe too. Did you ever think about that?" Dick rolled onto his side, "No, of course not. There's only one person you care about: yourself."

I accepted the insult. It was true. Dick always spoke the truth when he was drunk. But, it still sent a sharp pain running through my chest.

"Dick, you don't know what happened."

He stood up, barely even being able to stand on his wobbly legs. "You're right. I shouldn't be here. You have a boyfriend. Red fucking Hood."

"And you have a girlfriend. Barbara wouldn't want you here, either," I said, my voice biting.

"She was there for me when you weren't," Dick accused.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"That's fair," I said to myself.

Dick looked down at me. His face was so hurt, I had to turn away. I glanced out of the side of my eyes at Dick. Shadows covered his profile, making him look like a completely different man. I wanted to turn and leave, but I couldn't leave Dick like that. He was hurting. I had to set his mind straight.

He needed to know the truth. Maybe then he could accept it, and forget me. Forever.

It was what was best for the both of us.

I stood up and took Dick's hand in mine, guiding him to the couch. He plopped down harshly. I let go of his hand and scooted close to him until our knees brushed. "You want to hear the truth?"

Dick dropped forward, his head laying across my thighs. He nodded softly. "Please, Athena. It's all I have ever wanted." I felt the exact place where his cheek met the exposed skin on my thigh. His hair curled onto my leg. My fingers -- with minds of their own -- gravitated into his hair.

He moaned softly as I touched his velvety hair.

I slowly breathed in. I needed to tell him. The truth was tearing me up from the inside out. It was practically bursting out of me. I didn't care about the threats. If Dick knew the truth, we could work it out. Together.

"When I left," I said, trying to find somewhere to start, "Ra's had threatened me. He knows your identity, Dick. He told me that if I didn't go with him, he would reveal it to everyone. I had to go, don't you see? I didn't want to say those things, Dick. None of them were true.

"To say that everything was fake...I lied. And for that, I am so sorry. I loved you, Dick. I did. Maybe...maybe I still do," I couldn't believe my own words, "I braved the torture he put me through to make sure you're safe. And I'm glad you're happy. All I have ever wanted was for you to be happy."

A low snore filled the silence I created. I bent down at my waist. Dick's eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open. His hair had fell into his face.

I sighed. I couldn't be sure how much he had heard.

I slung his body over my shoulder, gently laying him down in my bed. I pulled the blankets up over his shoulders. He snuggled in, reaching out and grasping my hand. His impulses pulled me down. I sat on the edge of the bed as his arm wrapped around my waist. Shaking my head, I stood up and allowed him to sleep peacefully.

Dick didn't need to hear the truth. He was better off hating me. At least it would keep him safe. I hoped the accusations he spewed my way was enough to get the pain I caused off his chest. Dick had done fine without me. He was in a happy relationship with a girl he could trust. A girl he could depend on.

That girl wasn't me. That girl would never be me.

That's why we couldn't work out. I was toxic to Dick. He deserved better than me. It was like Jason had said. Dick was the perfect first Robin, the perfect, pure man. Just like Jason, I was too damaged, too far gone to be put back together.

-

I woke up early in the morning, vaguely remembering the night before. I pulled my hair up into a bun and grabbed my phone off of the coffee table. Two new messages caught my attention

Meet me at the cafe outside your apartment

-Jason

I smiled small to myself. I waltzed to my shower, washing away all the alcohol and hangover feelings. It felt like forever since I washed my hair. The brown length of it trailed down my back, grazing against the top of my butt. I hadn't realized how long it had gotten.

Stepping out, I allowed the warm fog that filled my small bathroom to relieve all my stress. I remembered Jason Todd's heartfelt confession clearly. I finally felt like we were turning over a new leaf. I was finally getting to know him.

I wrapped a towel around my top half and walked towards my bedroom. I changed with the door open, putting on a pair of shorts and a Batman t-shirt. I could see Jason's face now. I laughed, imagining the reaction it would get.

The sight in the kitchen made me scream. Dick was standing in his boxers, just his boxers, ransacking my pantry. He whipped around, grasping his head.

"Athena!" He screamed back, "I'm in your apartment?"

Dick's heartfelt confession came back to me too. Especially the lack of confession I told him.

My eyes went instinctively to his abs. I blushed and turned around. "Y-you came over last night wasted as hell. I thought you left!" I covered my eyes.

Dick blushed too. "I'm so hungover," he sighed, "where's your cereal?"

"Top shelf," I replied. A knock sounded at my door. The insistent sound immediately gave away who it was.

I panicked. Running to the kitchen, I put my hands on Dick's lower back and shoved. He dug his heels into the floor, smiling and eating his cereal. I groaned. Why did he have to be so difficult?

The knocks continued, annoyingly. I was suddenly dealing with two annoying men at once.

I shoved Dick into my bedroom, locking the door. "Stay in here until I leave. Don't you dare come out," I tried to sound serious, but Dick's smirk revealed that I failed.

I hurried to the door, but Jason was already standing in my living room with his arms crossed across his wide chest. He smiled brightly when he saw me. It brought warmth into my cheeks. Again.

"I didn't have time to wait for you so I picked the lock," he explained, "I wanted to get you some coffee and breakfast before missions, but it's almost noon."

I sighed, relief trying to cover up my anxiety. "Sorry, I was showering."

"And it looks like you already ate breakfast," Jason nodded towards the tipped over cereal box and the flakes that were scattered across the floor, "I never knew you were so messy."

"Well, I was pretty drunk," I lied, glaring at them like Dick was still there. The flakes happened to lead directly to my room. I could see Jason's suspicion.

He started to follow the bread crumbs as soon as I heard the knob on my door jiggle. I tensed up. I grabbed Jason's shoulders, stopping him before he could go check out my room. "I'm...going to go grab my purse! Stay here!"

I dashed off to my room, intercepting Dick as he walked out. We smashed into each other. "Fuck!" I whispered-yelled, pushing him off of me, "I told you to stay!"

He shrugged. "I finished my cereal. And I heard you had company."

"Yes, I do. So stay here and don't leave for anything!"

"Oh," Dick looked over his shoulder, flicking his tongue across his lips in a slightly jealous way, "I guess it would look pretty bad if your boyfriend found me, wouldn't it?"

I rolled my eyes, frustration bubbling inside me. "Athena, are you okay?" Jason called. I heard the floors creak as he inched closer.

I felt like I was being pulled in two different directions, my insides being stretched apart like thread. I angrily pushed a lock of hair out of my eyes. "Just," I paused, trying to calm myself, "stay in my bedroom until you hear me leave. You can let yourself out."

Dick nodded reluctantly. I was too stressed to try to analyze how angry his expression was. He closed the door behind him just as Jason joined me in the hallway.

I fake grinned. "I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow. "Couldn't find your purse?"

I noticed my empty hands. Fuck. Deciding to just go along with it, I said, "Nope, I think it's actually in the living room. Let's go."

I shuffled us out of my apartment as quick as possible, trusting that Dick would leave without a fuss. Jason didn't say anything. He just watched me with a perplexed expression. "You know, I don't care if you were dating someone right?"

Rolling back my shoulders, I took a sip of the green tea Jason bought me. "I know, and I'm not," I said, knowing it was the truth, "let's just talk about the mission."

~~~~~~~~~~~Who's it gonna be? Who's it gonna be? Put your hands up if this story is pulling your heart into two different directions!~~~~~~