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"Where are you going dressed like that?", Dick asked as he eyed him over.He stopped by Edward's apartment in the evening, to return the file he borrowed a few days ago for his now closed investigation.Knowing Eddie was not currently on a case, and because Stephanie was outside town until the end of the week, he expected to find his friend in his usual mood whenever he was not working or playing mother with Steph. That is to say, watching a movie he'll spoil entirely even when no one was around to listen, or being occupied on his computer and not wanting to get out; eventually complaining loudly about the fact he was bored.However instead of this, he was ready to leave the flat when Dick arrived, and given his outfit it was not to go in a fancy place. More likely in a kinda... relaxed area.Dick smiled a bit, ready to make a remark, but prior he added anything about his appearance, Ed put a hand on his purple purse and answered very seriously:"In a place of shameless activities one can practice without being judged. Where I'll distract myself, even just for one night, from the fact both my emotional and sexual love life have become a deep void of nothingness not bridged by anything or anyone anymore."Dick couldn't help but laugh after this dramatic declaration."Don't make fun of my distress, Grayson.", he protested, yet the other man's reaction amused him as well. "This is more sad than it looks like.""Sure."Dick winked at him, and Eddie smiled more openly."I should come with you, though.", he told him then. "My... 'emotional and sexual love life' as you call, is pretty empty lately too."Ed offered him a supportive glance."Could Nightwing be losing his legendary flirt abilities?""Maybe, maybe not..."He shrugged, then realized he was actually very tempted by the prospect of a funny night out with dear ex-Riddler."Fine by me, I join!", he decided accordingly. "Let's drink and make out, Eddie-baby!""That was elegant.", the ginger scoffed at the blunt phrasing.Thereafter because he got Dick was being serious about it, he clarified:"I'm going to a gay strip club, do I really have to remind it?""Ah yeah..."He considered it, then inquired:"Are there girls in a gay bar too?""... I'm certain you can find the answer to this question without my help."Dick laughed again."Well it's never too late to try something new!", he concluded, grinning, next thing he pushed the provocation: "Can I have this date, beautiful? Furthermore..."He watched him again, what resulted in an interested expression."... you're totally my type.", he ended."You say that just because of the hair color, don't you?", the other guessed right away."Perhaps.", Dick confirmed, and this time Ed shook his head."Not that I don't appreciate the effort.", he said while being clearly disapproving. "But Dick, given who I've been with in your family, we absolutely can't even pretend to be dating for one night. And even without that, you are straight.""Care to make me reconsider?", he taunted and gave him his best eye fucking glance.But far from looking attracted, Ed simply made a mildly disgusted face."You realize I banged your dad, right?"He paused a short moment, next thing he added:"And that your dad banged me."Then he made a face, and completed:"He has actually been on top more times than I've been... So I will definitely compensate some time soon.""Now that's something I'd love to hear more about!", he chuckled."Oh, please.", Eddie scoffed. "As if all of Gotham didn't know already about the details of Batman and I's activities..."They shared a smile."I've been Batman too.", Dick truthfully pointed out afterwhat. "So it won't be that much of a difference if we happened to have a rendezvous night.""No Dick, I won't go on a date with you.", he opposed, scandalized. "Of course we can go out, but we cannot, under any circumstances, call it a... date. This would be so weird. Even as a joke, I really don't want us to act as per this strange relation. This would be... wrong and positively terrible.""Not that odd.", he objected with a grin, not giving up so easily.Like everyone, he loved messing with Edward, it was always so funny. Therefore he relaunched:"You and I would even be more normal than you and Bruce, starting by the fact we're the same generation. Not my fault you only date guys twice your age, but the standards of conduct would more easily approve of a couple like us.""Since when are we the kind who gives a damn about the 'standards'?", he mocked and they both laughed.Because sure thing, as they proved it many times, they were anything but conventional. And all their lovely little patched-up family proudly claimed their... peculiarities, as being part of their charms."Besides.", Ed began to protest after that. "Bruce is not..."But he sighed, perfectly aware Dick was right."He is not that much older than me.", he dithered so. "Fourteen years of age gap isn't a giant difference.""We talk about Crane then?""No we don't.", he answered immediately, his tone sharp suddenly.Then his green eyes clouded with a strange distance and he ended, regret audible in his voice:"I'm done talking about Crane."Dick apologetically addressed him a little smile."Yeah... Sorry.", he said sincerely.Referring or joking about the Scarecrow was something the rest of the family usually avoided when Eddie was around. Everybody was well aware a part of him will always miss sharing Jonathan Crane's life. Even after everything he had done to him.How could Ed not just hate the professor with every fiber of his being was insane to Dick, but he learned for a long time not to point it out. He was Robin since years when Riddler appeared, so he witnessed the evolution of the relationship between him and Scarecrow from its beginning.He won't comment. He didn't have to, given he fact he knew everything already."So you definitely dumped Koriand'r?", Edward asked then, obviously to distract himself from the mention of his ex lover."I won't say 'definitely'...", Dick started, but Ed brushed off the argument with a wave of his hand."It was about time.", he decided firmly, not wanting to hear they could be 'not done' yet.He rather smirked in a confident kind of way and bragged:"Because Stephanie and I maintain: Barbara and you are meant to be, you two are the only truly strong couple in this mad city, along with Harley and Pam perhaps. We all love you. And we long to see you two finally getting back together.""Nice to know I still can count on my fanclub.", he joked and Ed chuckled, then corrected:"I'm afraid it's mostly Babs' fanclub. Cassandra loves her mommy/big sister, she convinced Steph to support as well and I joined the ship. As ever, you are just the good-looking second rate player in the stage, all lights are on Oracle.""Hey!", he protested, vexed. "I thought I was your favorite!"Ed arched an eyebrow."And what ever made you think that?""I was the first Robin!", he started to list as if it was a valid argument, now eager to prove his worth."So what?", the detective retorted, unimpressed. "You want a medal?""Dude, sometimes I miss the times our conversations were only you asking a riddle and me punching your face as a response."Eddie winced a bit at that."Well I don't miss the old days.", he defended. "I... like how things turned out now.", he admitted softly, a sweet smile lighting his features. "I like it very much.""So do I.", Dick confirmed sincerely, and they shared an accomplice glance.It was indeed nice to have Edward as an ally. Because he was a precious help during investigations, a genius and an over-skilled detective.But more simply because he was... a friend. A very dear friend."Furthermore, what you described was more Jason's style than yours.", Ed went on, amused. "You used to take the time to think of an answer to my riddles before beating me up.""True!", Nightwing exclaimed, very pleased to hear what was almost a compliment the way he saw it. "I've always been the most polite of the bats-and-birds flock! How can you prefer Jason over me despite the fact he punched you way more often than I have?!""If I hated all the people who punched me, I would never date or have any friends.""That's just because your tastes in boyfriends and pals are terrible."They laughed together at this enunciated truth."Let's have dinner.", Dick proposed afterwhat. "So that I can try to convince you I'm your favorite Batkid."Edward shook his head fondly."At this again, hu?", he jeered."I'm persistent!", he justified with pride. "Remember who raised me?""That I do... And congratulations, you are almost as obstinate as he is."They high fived after this, as if they were children proud of their mischief.Making fun of everything about Bruce was an activity Edward never grew tired of. Most of the times it was with Steph and sometimes Jason, or in Selina's company, but he gladly played along with Dick if the first Robin wanted to get in the field too."But just to quote your daughter/sister/buddy-girl, whatever you guys chose to refer to each other lately, wanna let me hear a spoiler about who's your favorite? Except for her of course?", Dick inquired, trying to sound the most innocent possible.Edward didn't buy it and immediately glared at him."Don't use Stephanie to get to me.", he growled, unamused.The reason of his sudden frustration being the fact whoever talked about Steph always had Edward's full attention and whoever complimented her was worth to live in his opinion. So it was indeed very easy to 'get to him' via Batgirl, whatever the way.As Dick saw it, this was both so cute and truly funny."Come on, Ed. At least tell me you don't prefer Damian over me!", he required.Then because Eddie began to ponder over the question, he exclaimed, desperate:"Please no! You can't prefer Damian! That's impossible!""I don't know.", he spoke after a quick reflexion during the one he could contemplate the other man's distress and enjoy to see him suffer. "But if you're asking for a list of strictly the bats, it's true that you won't be my last choice.""And if I asked for a list of your favorite friends in general?", he tried while fearing the answer.He was not disappointed, as Ed broke into a sarcastic grin:"Then you won't even be in my top twenty.""Hurtful!", he cried, faking a broken expression, and they soon ended up laughing again.Dick won't risk relaunching the subject right away, though. Because even if they were joking, he knew all too well he effectively didn't even reach top twenty in Edward's relationship web ranks.What didn't keep them from having a lot of fun together here and there."You pay for dinner?", the detective asked later, and by doing so accepted the offer of going out with him tonight."Bruce's credit card will.", Dick proudly retorted and Eddie smirked."Keep going that way, birdie, you may graduate in my esteem some day."It ended up in laughters, then Bruce's credit card indeed payed for their night out. Needless to say, they abused of it without mercy. About this point at least, they were always on the same page.