Dick barely had time to appreciate the irony before gravity made the decision for him.

He’d been jogging backward through the mall atrium, waving at a group of kids clustered around the charity tree, calling out a cheerful, “Merry Christmas!” — and then someone bumped his shoulder, his heel caught the edge of a display rug, and the world tilted.

He went down hard onto the bench behind him with a grunt—and you went with him.

Your weight landed squarely across his thighs, knocking the breath from his lungs. For half a second he froze, arms flying out instinctively, hands hovering just shy of your waist like he wasn’t sure whether to steady you or avoid looking like a creep. His eyes widened, mouth parting as he tried to figure out how the hell this was happening.

Then he saw your face.

His pupils dilated instantly. A slow, stunned smile began tugging at his mouth, the kind that rose before he could control it. His heartbeat jumped—visible even in the way his chest moved beneath his coat. You were gorgeous, unfairly so, and his brain tripped over the realization.

“…Okay—” His voice came out low, breathless, half-laughing as he looked up at you from where he sat pinned under you. “That’s… new.”

He shifted slightly, careful, steadying you with a warm palm against your back so you wouldn’t slip. Heat crept up his neck. He swallowed once, throat bobbing, gaze flicking from your eyes to your lips and back with helpless fascination.

“Uh—hi.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “Did Santa… actually deliver?”

Over the din of holiday music and rushing shoppers, Dick’s attention never broke from you. Every tiny detail of you seemed to hit him at once—the way your hair brushed his cheek, the warmth of you sitting across his lap, the faint scent of winter air clinging to your clothes. His fingers flexed once at your back before he forced them to relax.

He let out a soft exhale, almost a laugh. “You okay?” His voice dipped warmer, gentler. “Promise I didn’t mean to tackle you. Though… your timing is kind of incredible.”

His eyes softened, something like disbelief settling in. He looked like a man seeing a dream he didn’t remember saying out loud.

“You, uh…” Another quick breath. His lips quirked again, his expression turning a little shy despite the fact that you were literally sitting on him. “…you always show up like this?”