i literally never do anything about Mari Grayson because I have a personal vendetta against kids WHICH SOUNDS BAD BUT I JUST I HAVE THING ABOUT CREATORS NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE TO DO WITH STRAIGHT COUPLES SO THEY GIVE THEM A CHILD

anyway this will be the only oneshot i do about Mari because I couldn't get over this idea

TW: SMALL MENTION OF ABUSE 

https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw38-DBhDpARIsADJ3kjlBzmRPruldcmr7g7hx5Yh_WgHlRt97xFcT7bstHSzGDkbEPQ7NP8IaAkxSEALw_wcB

https://www.thehotline.org/

https://www.gov.mb.ca/stoptheviolence/index.html

Kori was pregnant and Dick was trying his absolute best to make sure she had everything she needed. He doted on her like the member of royalty she was and always made sure they had everything they needed for the baby. She'd been relieved by his ecstatic reaction to the unexpected pregnancy, half expecting him to freeze up at the very notion of a child. She remembered how he got a bright grin when she came out with it and gushed about how nice it would be before stopping himself and ensuring that she was prepared for the change. After all, she'd be carrying their baby. 

"It's your body of course I wouldn't ever-" She silenced him with a kiss which he melted into. Her hands cupped his face whilst his arms wrapped around her waist to pull her closer. Kori felt him smile against her lips and pulled away to return it.

"I would like to keep the baby," she assured him. 

"Okay cool, wow, geez," Dick rambled, completely flustered. "We should uhm- do you need an alien doctor or?"

"I believe a return to my planet will be necessary."

"Okay, I'll set up the flight and everything don't worry about it. I'm gonna be a dad! You're gonna be a mum!"

The memory was one she remembered fondly and would definitely be relaying to their child once they were born. They'd decided to keep the sex of the baby a surprise since they both hated how kids were talked about before they even arrive. "Oh he'll be such a lady killer with a dad like that" or "she'll be breaking hearts just like her mum." They both agreed it was gross and wanted no part of it. Keeping things genderneutral was a good way to avoid the comments. 

Everything to do with their baby, they did together and it came as such a relief to Kori that she wouldn't be left alone with the process. She'd heard that it was almost tradition that men become hands-off with children and she didn't want that. It was their child, not just hers and therefore she shouldn't be responsible for everything and anything. Dick was thankfully aware of her needs and took care of things like shopping or putting cribs together. Though it had been very funny to see a man she considered quite smart struggling with Ikea furniture. The one thing she was most appreciative of was Dick's drive to be a good parent. He bought books and books on different parenting styles, noting everything down so he could give her the gist of things. He must've watched every YouTube video there was with the keywords "good dad" in the title. He stayed up late reading and woke up early to devour tips and tricks on bonding with your kids. It was reassuring that he was so passionate to make sure he was getting things right until she noticed how anxious he'd been. His shoulders were nearly always tense and he'd stopped sleeping in the same bed with her. His argument for the latter was that his night terrors could make him lash out and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he hurt her or the baby. Yet she noticed on her late-night bathroom trips that he was up reading on his tablet. Kori considered herself to be perceptive and she'd learned over the years of their relationship that she had to be to sense what was going on with her partner. He was absolutely awful at asking for help and no doubt her pregnancy was only amplifying that ineptness. 

It wasn't until she caught him crying that she saw that his passion for being a good dad was an obsession to be perfect driven by his own childhood. That's when she stepped in to set him straight.

Kori was looking for her boyfriend - partially because she hadn't seen him in an hour and partially because she couldn't find the ice cream he bought - when she went past the office and heard crying. It was stuttered and hitched, completely broken and defeated. She'd heard it before on a few occasions. None of them were good ones. They were always tied to some sort of loss. She frowned to herself as she pressed her ear to the door. Soft swears could be heard intermingled between the harsh intakes of air and there was no doubt in her mind that she was needed. Kori knocked on the door before entering the room to find her boyfriend with his head in his hands sitting on his office chair. He didn't react to her presence, too caught up in his sobbing to hear her come in. She bit her lip nervously and prepared herself for awful news as she floated over. When she rested a hand on his shoulder, he jumped and snapped his head up. 

"Oh Dick," she whispered. His eyes were red, his eyebags obvious and tears lined his eyes, spilling over at an alarming rate. 

"When did- you shouldn't be on your feet," he stated, avoiding the obvious question that lingered between them. Dick stood up and offered her his seat but she shook her head. She rested her arms on his shoulders and stared deep into those baby-blue eyes that made her heart skip a beat. They were so full of pain and worry that she was getting tense without an explanation for them. "Kori-"

"Why are you crying?" she interrupted. No doubt he was going to continue trying to take care of her and she wasn't going to have it. Sobbing as he had couldn't be swept under the rug like it was nothing. It wasn't like his nightmares or night terrors. This wasn't something that happened a lot and therefore couldn't be looked over. His eyes darted away from her and fixated on the sockets at the bottom of the wall. He chewed on his bottom lip nervously, peeling the skin off with his top set of teeth and causing little cuts to bleed. "Dick, please. Talk to me."

"This shouldn't be your problem, you've got enough on your plate as it is. You weren't supposed to see me like that. I didn't mean to be so loud," he replied.

"We have talked about this. Do you not remember that I assured you we could always talk about what you're going through?" He nodded and leaned into her touch when she cupped his face with her hands. She ran her thumb along his cheek to wipe away the tears. "Then why must you push me away?"

"You know why," he replied but he could tell she wasn't having it. He let out a shaky sigh as he looked up to meet her gaze. "I didn't want you to worry. Worrying is bad for the baby. It'll give it anxiety or something."

"Well, now I am and the only way to fix it is to let me know what's going on. How about we talk whilst sharing that ice cream you bought?" The suggestion brought a smile to his face albeit watery and not reaching his eyes. It was better than nothing. She kissed his forehead in hopes of cementing the smile. 

"That's why you came looking for me?"

"Partly." He let out a wet laugh and wiped at the rest of his tears. "Come now. I would rather like to get off my feet."

After filling two bowls with scoops of ice cream, the pair sat on the couch. Kori didn't let him turn on the TV to avoid giving him something to distract her. She guessed he would put on the news and the moment a crime would appear he'd make the excuse to go out. 

"So?" she began, prompting him to explain. He took a moment to say something.

"I'm so happy about this kid, Star, I promise," he told her. His tone was serious and stern. There wasn't a waver of doubt within it. Not that she needed that assurance as she'd seen how excited he'd been. There was no way a man who wasn't excited about a new baby could do hours' worth of research on the best bottles for newborns. What she was concerned by was his need to specify that. Was he worried about how they'd keep their jobs with their new addition to their family? Perhaps it was the concern that one mission might be too much and he won't be there to see his baby grow up? Was this experience reminding him of his parents? "It's just...I didn't have the best of dads growing up." She could know that without needing to be told. Bruce hadn't done the bare minimum needed of a dad. His questions when he found out about the pregnancy were focused on the costs of things and how he could get them into the best schools rather than congratulating them. "What if I'm a bad dad too?" He played with his ice cream as he spoke, focusing his gaze on the frozen goods rather than his girlfriend's emerald eyes. "B didn't start out as a bad dad. He was alright when I was nine. Then he became jaded. He wasn't my Bruce anymore. It wasn't my Dad," he continued. Kori didn't speak, just listened. She could tell that's what he wanted right now. Someone to listen to the thoughts he had bubbling up inside. "He hit me...a few times." Fuck being quiet.

"What?" she barked out, almost choking on her ice cream.

"It was when I was older-"

"That doesn't make it better! Was this recently?" He shook his head but by his glum look, it wasn't that long ago. God, that Bruce Wayne was a piece of work. She'd tear that guy a new one when she got the chance though she didn't doubt that Dick would stop her. As much as he realised Bruce was a bad dad - an understatement of the year - he brushed off the trauma he received. She knew that he wanted a relationship with Bruce, he just had to expect to be treated as a good friend rather than family and that broke her heart every time she was forced to see it. All the responsibilities of the family collapsed down upon him yet he'd only recently been given the chance of adoption. He should've been adopted years ago. Before the foster son title dug its claws into his skin. Kori would love to be royally pissed right now but that wasn't good for the baby nor was it good for her lover so she swallowed it down. "Oh, my love."

"I remember every detail of it. It's not even just the hitting, he's affected me so much with what he says and how he acts around me. What if- what if when it finally comes down to it, I'm not a good dad and I hurt our kid? I won't be able to live with myself. I can't ruin this kid's life." He fixed eyes with her and she hated seeing that pure fear of the unknown residing there. Those tears were returning and although they weren't creating tiny rivers, they still dripped down his face to retrace the stains left by the last set.

"You would never do that," she told him.

"How can you know for sure? Bruce is a hero, he's considered a good man and he still went wrong." She put her hand on his and squeezed tightly because she needed him to hear her argument clearly.

"Because you raised Damian. How many people call him a brat, have snapped at him, have hurt him because they don't understand how he works?" He didn't answer. "That boy tested you without knowing it because he did not know any better. Do you know what you did? You were patient. You listened. You raised him."

"It was only a year," he argued. She shushed him softly.

"You will not continue a cycle you have already broken. You are a good man Dick Grayson."

"Promise me something. Please." 

"Promise what?"

"That if I ever hurt our child, no matter what, you need to cut me out of their life. I'll pay for things, I'll move out, I'll do anything," he told her. He sounded frantic and she feared how long that thought had been running through his mind. The alien put their ice cream bowls down and pulled him into a tight hug because God knows he needed the comfort. That was obvious when he relaxed into her hold and buried his head into the nape of her neck. His eyelashes tickled her neck but the dampness prevented her from finding joy in the sensation. 

"I will not make a promise that will never come to fruition. You will be a good dad. In fact, you will be a great dad because you fear being a bad one," she told him. She felt him put a hand on her belly, caressing the skin there with his thumb.

"I want to give them everything I lost that night," he whispered. Somehow Kori's heart broke further. She would've loved to meet his parents. He always told her that they would've loved to meet her too. Maybe even let her perform with them. Yet if it hadn't been for their deaths, this wouldn't be their reality. A double-edged sword. "I hope they like the circus. Maybe I could teach them tricks."

"That would be lovely. I will be their favourite hero though."

"Duh, you're awesome. I'm a dumb old acrobat in tights."

"You are my dumb old acrobat in tights." He chuckled against her and let out a long sigh. He sounded exhausted which wasn't too surprising considering he'd cried his heart out in the office not twenty minutes earlier. "You will be a good father Dick. You already are one by sleeping on the couch just to make sure you don't hurt us." 

"I can't help but think what if. I want to do everything right."

"You won't and that's okay." He hummed. "Your books already told you that, did they not?"

"They did. Mistakes happen they said. It's just that a mistake could traumatise a kid. Like what if they're allergic to something we don't know about, I make their food and then they have a reaction. They might think I poisoned them!"

"That statement is silly. You have to be allowed to use the kitchen to make their food." He lightly punched her arm with an offended tut. You set off the fire alarm half the time you cook and suddenly you're not allowed to use the oven. "You need rest. You clearly have not been sleeping well and it's messing with your head."

"Maybe. The words were vibrating on the screen last time I looked," he admitted. "Best not get sick from sleep deprivation either. Bad for the baby."

"Exactly."

"Do you mind staying with me whilst I nap? I miss being close to you at night." She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair, feeling his breath hitch then a content long breath out against her neck. He really needed to relax.

"I can spare a few hours."

"Thanks. I'll make it up to you."

"No need. I missed you too."

Years later

"You're the best Dad in the world!" Mari exclaimed after being presented with the toy she'd been fawning over for months. It'd been sold out everywhere and she'd given up hope only to receive the toy on her birthday. Her delighted shout successfully froze her father and it took him a good minute to reply.

"Thank you, M. How about you go see what Uncle Damian bought you?" he suggested. Kori put her arm around his waist as they watched her skip over to the young man. Dick wiped his eye with a smile and leaned into his lover's hold.

"Told you you'd be a good dad." 

"I can't believe I was so wor- DAMIAN SHE'S TOO YOUNG FOR SWORDS!"

"Nonsense, no one is too young for the blade."