[ As for Dick, it's more like something in his chest finally takes the time to stop clenching. For himself, at least. That one hang-up that's always kind of hanging over his head lately denied and all. ]

[ He doesn't really have too much reason to believe her. His identity was well under wraps, sure, and it wouldn't be the first person who'd put two and two together - Artemis had, after all. But he did, for some reason. If not just because he wanted to believe it, maybe, bizarre as it was to have his future laid out in front of him like this. ]

[ But it wasn't an unwelcome idea. Becoming his own superhero. ]

No! It's okay, no tears in all of space in time. Not yet anyway. Continuum strictly protinuum for now. Steph. [ He actually offers her a small, crooked smile after a brief pause, and then even reaches up and -- hesitantly takes his mask off. She already knows his name anyway, right? ] At least if we're going to be friends, the flattery's a good place to start.