The Trouble in You Is the Trouble in Me

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda raised an eyebrow and watched as he successfully won her a big walrus, which she laughed at and clapped her hands together before reaching out for it and giving it a big hug. "It's perfect!" She exclaimed, and she leaned over to give him a quick kiss. When Dick came over to taunt Damian, she held her walrus on her hip defiantly. "We don't mind carrying Wally the walrus around, now do we, Damian?" Melinda said with a smirk on her face, giggling a bit at her last minute name decisions.

Clarissa couldn't help but look around the carnival helplessly, and as they walked past Damian and the girl with the big walrus, she bit her bottom lip even harder than she already had been. Seeing Dick approach them made her cast her eyes down towards the ground quickly, trying to focus on how she was with Jason. "She's beautiful," She said, replying to his comment about the girl that Damian was with. At his asking on what to do, she was clueless. "Maybe the ride with the swings that goes up in the air?" Clarissa asked, her voice trailing off. "Maybe leave so I don't have to watch Dick talk to everyone but me? So I don't have to keep watching him be clueless to the fact that I have the biggest crush on him, which is undeniably stupid due to the fact that he's training me and I'm supposed to be helping him but in fact, I'm just hurting him. He got hurt last night because of me! What the fuck kind of message am I trying to send to him? And I'm too fucked up to let him apologize, too messed up to expect him to hit me instead of comfort me?" She exploded, and after she had stopped rambling every thought that had been flowing through her head since she had waken up that morning, her face turned bright red. "I am so sorry," She mumbled, covering her face with her hands as she felt tears burn in the backs of her eyes once more.

@ blue robin
When Melinda kissed him Damian blushed bright pink. He was glad that he had made her happy. When Dick came over to rib them Damian about put him in a headlock but didn't really want to cause a scene. Damian looked at her with a slightly unamused look. "Wally?" he asked as he looked at Melidna. "Oh god we are that couple." he said in fake horror as he snuck a kiss in and looked at her. "Glad you like it." he told her.

Jason looked at her and when she said the words he had been thinking he walked over, grabbed Dick, then grabbed Clarissa and shoved them both onto the ride for the tunnel of love. "You two have until the end of this ride to work your shit out or I am getting Damian and Tim and we're all beating the shit out of both of you." he told them as he bribed the ride operator to start it right then.

Dick was forced into the tunnel of love and the ride started. Once inside he looked at Clarissa and said "What's going on? I can't really read you right now. What can I do to make things better?" he asked.

@ Prince Vegeta
She giggled and nodded when he seemed unamused at the name, smiling when he leaned in to give her another kiss. "It was last minute. I love it. Now let's go on some rides," Melinda said, taking his hand and leading him off towards the scrambler. She enjoyed Damian's family but she did like doing things with just him around.

Clarissa was bright red by the time she was placed in the ride with Dick, and she almost couldn't breathe as they took off in their little boat. She couldn't meet his eyes when he spoke to her. "I-um, I think it's more me than you. Mostly I've just been feeling guilty for what happened last night, and I know you said that it's okay and to learn from it, but I just can't let it go. I'm doing exactly the opposite to you than what I wanted to do. I don't want to hurt you and push you away from me. But my head is crazy and it keeps bringing up stuff from my past too. I keep seeing Nathan everywhere I turn. And it isn't your fault either, it's mine. I'm sorry for all of this. I don't mean to make my problems everyones. It just feels like the same cycle, the same bruises, the same old me that I fall comfortably into in these kinds of situations. And none of this makes sense, so it just makes me feel stupid, and it makes me powerless and weak and not at all the kind of girl that you'd want around. I feel like my own mind is driving me crazy, and I'm just taking everyone around me with me," Clarissa explained, realizing that she was once again running her mouth way too long, and she shut it after a moment, still looking anywhere but at Dick.

@ blue robin
Damian looked at the giant ride that Melinda had led them to. It was huge and rickety. Looking like one bump would send them to a fiery and explosive grave. It looked awesome. "I'm down to try this. Put Wally in the holding bin and let's get on." he told her as they waited in line. When it was their turn they were put into the seats and then strapped them in. "Ready for this?" he asked.

Dick gently took her chin and turned her to look at him. "Your past is simply that. Your past. Nathan can't hurt you anymore so there's no point in trying to remember him. Trying to compare yourself now and then just isn't going to help you or the team. Bruce doesn't take just anyone in. So when he did it he saw something in you. Just remember that." Dick told her as he looked into her eyes. "The first step is eye contact. Be proud of who you are."

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda did as Damian said and gave Wally a kiss before setting him into the bin and returning to him. It wasn't a long line before they were strapped in, and she giggled with excitement at his question. "I'm so ready," She said, and looked over to him with a huge grin on her face. "You going to scream like a girl?" She taunted, raising an eyebrow at him.

Clarissa listened to him speak, her eyes welling up with tears at his words as she looked into his eyes. "Thank you," She said, not entirely sure what to say in response because she was so speechless. "I think I just have a hard time reminding myself what you said. It would be nice if maybe you could remind me now and again," She said, sighing a little before speaking again. "Dick, what do you think of me?" She asked, tentatively, still remaining eye contact with him.

@ blue robin
Damian looked at her sneered at her. "-tt-, You think I'd scream at this? I'll bet you would scream so loud they'd have to stop the ride." Damian told as the ride began to take them up. "First one to scream buys the hot dogs?" he asked a minute before they were plunged into the ride head first.

Dick looked at her and nodded. "If that's what you need." he told her as he realized just how close they were. Ever since the movie yesterday something had awoken inside of him. Dick looked away for a moment before looking at her. "I'm not sure. I really do like you but there's been a funny thought in my head lately that I'm not sure you share." he told her.

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda laughed at his comment, poking his leg a few times just because. "Sure," She said, and laughed as the ride took them down a steep hill. She did end up screaming when they went on a loop, but it was more of a mixture of screaming and laughter throughout the rest of the ride.

Her cheeks flushed pink when she realized their faces were only inches apart. At his answer, she felt like she couldn't turn any more red. "What's your funny thought?" She asked, her heart beating very fast in her chest.

@ blue robin
Damian smirked as she screamed and to try and impress her further didn't make a sound the whole ride. They went up and down and around and around until the end arrived. Once they were done Damian grabbed Wally and held it up to his face. "Looks like someone owes Damian a hot dog." he said in a silly voice as he made the walrus dance in front of Melinda.

Dick was wondered how his life had ended up at this point. In a couple of weeks they would be in Berlin exploring and fighting crime together. So the next thing he was about to do would probably damn them and end up with one of them killed but he had to try. "This one." he told her as he leaned forward and kissed her for a few moments. Pulling away right as the ride ended. "Think it over and let me know what your thoughts are." he told her as he got out.

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda stepped out of the ride with her legs feeling like jelly. She burst out in laughter at Damian grabbing Wally and making him talk, and she grabbed the walrus from him with a pout. "I'll buy one for Wally," She said indignantly, walking off towards the hot dog cart pretending to kiss and hold the walrus's hand like it was Damian. "Wally is my soulmate," Melinda called out to Damian, not bothering to look over her shoulder as she sauntered away from him.

Clarissa completely froze up when Dick leaned forward to kiss her, because she was absolutely not expecting him to do anything of the sort. She managed to relax right before he pulled away, and she was sure her face was beet red at the end of it. When the ride ended, she followed him out of it but mostly remained silent, her hand playing nervously with the edge of her dress.

@ blue robin
Damian was trying not to burst out laughing. This whole thing was not something he'd normally do but somehow Melinda was pulling him out of his normal stoic ways. Damian walked over and pretended to slam Wally against the side of the hot dog cart. "You moving in on my girl Wally? I thought we were friends!" Damian said in a pretend angry voice.

Dick looked over at Tim and Jason who were staring at them as they got out. Dick patted Jason on the shoulder as he looked around. "Let's go on some rides why don't we?" he asked in an attempt to clear the air and make sure teh rest of the day was a lot more fun than the beginning.

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda put her hands over her mouth in fear, mocking the emotion as she watched Damian take Wally and slam him against the cart. She couldn't help the few giggles that escaped as she tried to pretend to be mad at him. "Don't you dare do that to Wally! It's not his fault! Get mad at me instead," She said, going over to him to try and get Wally back.

Clarissa walked behind Dick, trying to calm herself down so she wasn't so pink. She saw that Jason and Tim were watching them suspiciously and Jason mostly had his eyes on her. When they started walking towards a ride, she kept towards the back of the group until Jason came beside her and slung an arm around her shoulders. When she looked up at him, he waggled his eyebrows at her. "So did Dickie kiss ya?" He said, and when Clarissa blushed again, he smiled wide. "You wanna make him jealous?" He asked, a moment later, and Clarissa's eyes went a little wide. "He asked me to think about the kiss and tell him what I thought. All I ever wanted was for him to kiss me but I was so surprised that I didn't even have any time to enjoy it," She said, looking back up at Jason. She realized how much smaller she was than him too and was momentarily irritated by how everyone was always taller than her.

@ blue robin
Damian looked at her with a fake angry face that looked like he was about to burst out laughing again at any moment. "Maybe I will." he told her as he walked over and hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Maybe if I kiss you I will win you back again." he told her as he gave her a kiss. Once they were done he looked at her and then turned around to hand his phone to a stranger. "Get a picture of me and my girlfriend please?" he asked as he began to pose next to her.

Jason smirked at her answer. "I got you this fair girlie. All I can do now is show you a better time or you can go up to him and tell him." he told her as Tim also walked over. Tim looked really confused. Like his big brain couldn't wrap his head around what was going on. "What the hell happened on that ride? I've never seen Dick came walking up to me with the biggest grin on his face."

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda let herself be pulled close to him, and she raised her eyebrows when he gave her a kiss in front of everyone. She didn't really mind much anyways when it came to pda since she didn't care what people thought, mostly enjoyed people's reactions more than anything. When he gave his phone away, she leaned against him and posed with a big grin in one and kissing his cheek in another. When they were done and he got his phone back, she balanced Wally on her hip as she moved to get into line for a hot dog. "Well, now that Wally's done trying to get in the middle of our relationship, let's eat a hot dog," Melinda said, looking over to him with a smile.

Clarissa leaned against Jason somewhat dramatically, feeling a little bit better than she did this morning. "I don't know! He's so hard to read. He's said things that make me believe he doesn't want us to be together because we're training and then he kisses me! Why are boys so complicated? Should I make him want me or should I just tell him?" She asked, looking back and forth between the both of them.

@ blue robin
Damian smirked as he agreed with her as he got in line with her for a hot dog. "Good, Wally can just go back to the sidelines because the main attraction is back." he said to her in possibly the most ego fueled comment their short relationship had witnessed. When they got to the front Damian ordered himself a plain hotdog with ketchup and mustard. Then when Melinda ordered he pulled his wallet out and gave the vendor a ten which covered their food. "Let's go find a bench shall we?" he asked.

Tim grabbed CLarissa by the shoulder, shook her a little bit, and looked at her. "JUST TELL HIM!" Tim said. "The worst he can say is 'I'd like to keep this a friendship'. He's still going to like you either way so you can either let fear rule you or you can go and try and obtain something you want." he told her as he shoved her in the direction Dick went. "Go and get him girl." he told her. When Jason tried to say something he put a hand over his mouth.

@ Prince Vegeta
Melinda raised her eyebrow at his comment but said nothing, because mostly she expected that kind of comment from Damian by this point. She'd be concerned if he hadn't said something like that in return, and she smiled at that thought. When they both ordered and Damian pulled out his wallet and paid, she squeaked indignantly as she followed him towards all of the little benches and tables set out in a rest area. When they sat down together, she narrowed her eyes at him. "I was supposed to pay!" She said, and she only shook her head a bit before she took a bite out of her hot dog. "Playing games with me, Wayne?" She suggested after she swallowed, raising an eyebrow.

Clarissa stared at Tim wide eyed as he shook her and yelled. When she was pushed in the direction of Dick, she looked back in fear at the both of them, watching as Tim placed a hand over Jason's mouth. When he winked at her instead, she raised an eyebrow and turned back around, going towards Dick. When she got up to him, she hesitated before reaching out and placing a hand on his arm. When he turned to look at her, she opened her mouth to say something before she reached up on her toes and just kissed him instead, one of her hands splaying out on her chest and the other sliding down his arm and meeting his fingers, which she tangled hers in. It was probably one of the most spontaneous things she had done in her life.

@ blue robin
Damian looked at her as he took a bite out his hotdog. "That's what I do. Play games and run over people in my motorcycle when they get uppity." he smirked as he scooted closer to her and pulled open his phone. There was nothing on the news about anyone breaking out and that worried him more than anything. Gotham was a bunch of storms and when it wasn't storming was when he was more paranoid than when it was. He put it away and smiled at her. "Having a fun time?" he asked.

DIck turned around to see Clarissa standing there. She looked like she had something to say. He was about to ask what she needed when she stood up on her tip toes and kissed him. He was shocked at first before giving into the kiss. He felt her lace her fingers with him and he returned the gesture by putting a hand on her waist and pulling her closer. After a while he pulled away. "Well, that was...something." he told her.

@ Prince Vegeta
She laughed at her comment, tipping her head back with it as she imagined Damian being irritated on his motorcycle. "I'll make sure that I'll reign in anything uppity that comes into my mind otherwise I'll keep a watch out for your motorcycle coming my way," Melinda said, continuing to eat as he scrolled around on his phone. She finished her hot dog when he smiled at her, and she returned it when she met his eyes. "Of course!" She said, leaning over to kiss his cheek.

Clarissa leaned back from the kiss with stars in her eyes, shining as she looked up to him with a hesitant smile. "Something good I hope? That was my answer to your kiss. I want you to kiss me again and again and I want to be close to you and not have to be afraid that you don't want it to. You've made me feel the most safe and comforted and the most myself that I've ever been in my life. I can't deny that I feel something for you, Dick," She said, for the first time not feeling her cheeks heat up in a blush as she spoke confidently to him.

@ blue robin
Damian smiled when she kissed his cheek. "You should see what I do to people who really piss me off. Like the Spook. Before you ask who he is just know the answer is already exactly." he told her as he finished his hot dog. Damian looked a little nervous as his dad walked over. "Ah, Damian. Alfred told me you had a new lady friend and you haven't introduced us." Bruce stuck out a hand and smiled. "Hello, I'm Bruce Wayne." he said to her.

Dick looked at her for a moment. Confused on what he was going to say before smiling and looking at her. "I can't really deny it either. I had been struggling on what to say to you for a while." he said as he cleared his throat. "I only have one concern. While we are training I am your trainer and that's it. I won't go easy on you nor will I cut you any more slack I would cut Damian, Tim, or anybody else who comes along." Dick told her.

@ Prince Vegeta
(Do you think we should make it harder for Dick and Clarissa to be together? Like, was it too easy, if that makes any sense?)
Melinda laughed and shook her head, running her hand through her hair before looking up and seeing a man approach them. When she looked over at Damian's wide eyes, she became a little bit nervous. When he introduced himself as Damian's father, she stood up with a big grin. "I'm Melinda Mathewson," she introduced herself, offering her hand and shaking his confidently. "It's very nice to meet you, sir," She added, still smiling brightly.

She listened intently at what Dick had to say, looking up at him with her eyes bright. "I wouldn't want you to treat me any other way. I want to be good fighting next to you, and I know that you can get me there," Clarissa said, offering him a slight smile.

@ blue robin
(I could see her still with lingering feelings over Nathan, and Dick with lingering feelings towards Barb. But I had a part of Dick's training worked out that could get her rather upset. But I mean I'm down with making it harder if you want to.)

Bruce nodded at her as he shook her hand. "Damian where have you been hiding her? Polite, well groomed, it's almost like she was a secret." Damian shook his head at the thought. "No, it just kind of happened so I haven't had time to tell anyone." he explained as he stood up and moved next to Melinda. "Young love. His mother and I knew that feeling well." Damian's eyes darkened at the mention of his mother. "How about we go on a ride?" he asked as he tried to change the subject.

Dick smiled at her and nodded. "At least you understand. Because training will push the limits of physical, mental, and emotional toil. I intend to make sure that you can go up against anything we put up against you." Dick told her as he looked around for a moment. "Better join up with the rest before they start asking questions."