InsaneJournal

Who: Iris and Dick Nightwing
What: nightwing stuff
When: Second week of December
Where: Streets of Orange County
Warnings:first night out nightwing shenanigans
Status: Log | Complete

Being back in Orange County was… Iris wasn’t sure. It had only been a couple of days and while there were a handful of people who knew she was coming back, Iris had yet to do any sort of ‘hey I’m back now’ type thing. No. It was sticking to her dad’s house. Barry of course had already been around but he was Barry. So it was different. She just wanted to wallow with her broken heart for a while as her return to the OCPN wasn’t for another few days - and already a story for her.

At least Joe had finally left - his work never slept. And while he had said he could stick around if she needed him, Iris had insisted she would be fine. Yes, her heart was broken. Walking in on one’s fiancee with a mutual friend after having suspected something was going on and the constant lies would do that to a person. But it wasn’t like she needed people hovering either. She was a grown woman. She would be fine on her own for a few hours.

So the theory went. Holiday time meant cheesy holiday movies which meant constant romantic subplots. Just what she didn’t need. Especially when she’d catch a glimpse of her very bare ring finger.

“Ugh. This is ridiculous.”

Which was said to no one. So pushing herself off the couch, Iris headed to her room and changed. The gym sounded like a great idea. She needed to work the energy out - and to punch something. Putting a jacket on and grabbing her bag and keys, Iris left a note for her dad just in case he got back letting him know where she had gone. With that, it was out of the house and walking to the gym.

Only to eventually find herself being followed by a group of guys. Which really wasn’t what she wanted to deal with. Not like she hadn’t dealt with such things in the past. So the plan was just to ignore them. After all, they might just be walking in the same path. Except that they weren’t and they were definitely following her.

Grabbing her phone, Iris didn’t even have time to find a contact or dial before it was grabbed - which also meant she noticed the tattoos on one of the guys’ wrists. Which made her all the more tense given it wasn’t just a bunch of guys who were drunk and dumb and wanting to rob her. No. The tattoos were of a white supremicist gang. Okay. How to get away since there weren’t any cars on this part of the walk and while she could easily handle one or maybe even two? Four was pushing her luck.
It was only his second night out in the suit again. Things had gone a little rough getting back into the swing of it all. He was lurking on a rooftop and just watching the city life go by. Sticking to the shadows and making sure not to be seen. It felt good just being out, even if he hadn’t yet gone to pick a fight anywhere dark and seedy. Just being able to look up at the sky and feel more free than he had in a couple months was enough.

A slender ankle dangled by the side of said roof as a cat joined him and issued a look of confusion for a moment before continuing on it’s way. The air was cool and the night was quiet, that was actually the best part for him right then. Normally he craved some kind of excitement whenever the mask went on his face, but this time he just wanted to readjust.

Of course if wishes were horses they’d all be eating steak. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a woman being followed by several large men and decided to follow from above for a moment. Just assessing the situation. Trying to see what she’d do, how she’d react. Orange County was no stranger to strong women. One had a knife coming out of his back pocket. He could see it’s faint glitter in what little street light was available.

Okay, no more play time. Dick dropped silently from the shadows behind the group silently as though nothing had even occurred, and the guy with said knife was on the ground as well as his friend behind him. He stepped on knife guy’s wrist as he tried to make a move for it and waggled a finger.

Iris really didn’t have all that much time to respond, phone lost and surrounded. She was assessing the situation when someone dropped out of the shadows behind them. And the only reason she was aware of that was the fact that suddenly there were bodies dropping and confusion of the others who were surrounding her.

Well, she wasn’t about to just stand back and do nothing. So with the momentary confusion giving the man who had a hold of her pause to loosen his grip to see what was going on? Iris turned and punched him in the face.

She’d always had a mean left hook. She’d been in boxing gloves since she was a child after all. And while she had been planning for the gym, well...this worked as well.

The reporter was also aware that the person who came to her aid? Had a freaking kevlar suit on and a mask.

Yep. Definitely Orange County.

But she’d worry about that once the white supremacists were dealt with.

With the two out of the way, he watched to see what the girl would do. Did she fully need him or could she take them out on her own? A third joined the two clowns on the ground and he watched the fourth quietly at first. So mostly hidden but shadows. Only a bit of the white light from his mask and a faint blue could be seen from the emblem on his chest.

"No no, stay." the one who's wrist he was holding tried to get up and a pinch of several nerves on the back of his neck was administered and he was swiftly knocked out with his two friends.

Dick tied them up with some simple black zip ties and stepped forward in case she needed help with the last goon.

The good thing was that the guy she had just punched in the face couldn’t turn to steel and thus make her feel like she broke her fist punching him. Oh so fun memories from years ago before she had taken the job. Even so, it seemed he hadn’t expected Iris to fight back and thus stumbled backwards into the masked figure who had dealt with the others.

Iris also wasn’t about to question just how he had knocked the other three out given she’d been focused on the one and next thing she knew, the three were unconscious and ziptied. Either way, the guy seemed dazed.

And pissed off that she broke his nose.

Quickness. No hesitation was how he'd done it. Nightwing didn't question his every move like Dick Grayson had to. He moved between fear and shadows and just reacted thanks to years of dream training seeping through the cracks of reality.

This was his element. "Got a phone on you?" he asked since given the obviously tight Kevlar he didn't exactly have space for a phone. He hadn’t gotten the wrist gauntlet from the dreams yet that included one built in. Man that works be handy.

".. Solid left hook but the way." he added with the smallest of smirks as he zip tied her opponent as well so he couldn't move again.

“It’s…” Looking around, Iris spotted where her phone had been dropped after she’d initially been grabbed and her phone taken, “Right here.” And thankfully not broken as that would have been oh so fun to have to explain to her dad.

As for the solid left hook?

“Thanks. My dad’s had me in gloves since I could walk.”

Always had to be able to protect herself after all. While also walking the very thin line as a black woman in America. It was life though and she navigated all that came with it.

“Give the cops a call will you? Earpiece is on the fritz.” He stated with a little nod toward the creeps indicating that they’d need a ride to the station in their condition.
“I’ll keep it in mind not to get on your bad side.” He grinned at her and stepped a bit further into the street lights. “Probably didn’t even need my help, but I was in the neighborhood.” He didn’t quite reveal himself to anyone but her, he was still out of view from the passers by for the most part. Dick didn’t make a spectacle of himself this time, or as much as maybe certain other superhero types might have.

“You new around here?” He asked with a bit of curiosity.

Just what she didn’t want to do even though she knew that she needed to. It just meant that her dad would know that it was her and well, that would be all sorts of not fun. But it was what needed to be done so she just nodded.

“Will do.”

Iris did smirk some at the comment on not getting on her bad side, “Usually a good idea. Really though, thank you.”

She knew superhero types thanks to the dreams she’d managed to escape after moving but well...the impression remained.

“Not really. Just moved back after being away for a few years. Great welcome back.” As if her reasoning for moving back was a good one as well. Technicalities though.

He did a little two finger salute to her thanks, and smirked. "Welcome back to the fun house." and with that he disappeared into the shadows as silently as he had come in the first place.

Shaking her head some, Iris watched the masked man disappear before sighing. Right. Calling the police about what had happened. So much for working out her frustration and heartbreak. Now to hopefully just avoid hovering fathers and best friends.