The following contains spoilers for the story "A Night Off" from DC Saved by the Belle Reve #1.

Nightwing and Oracle have always circled each other romantically, even as other potential suitors have made moves on both of them. A new story even highlights how long they've been quietly an item, and how much Batman supports that development.

"A Night Off" from DC Saved by the Belle Reve #1 (by Andrew Ayoin, Nelson Daniel, Dee Cunnifee, and Ferran Delgado) reveals the full circumstances of Dick Grayson and Barabra Gordon's prom date back in high school -- and the lengths Batman went through to ensure they had at least one normal night together.

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"A Night Off" takes place years before the modern day, back when Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson were just teenagers in high school, with Barbara still the only Batgirl and Grayson having adopted his role as Nightwing. Already aware of each other's secret identities but long before they'd reach the romantic level they've achieved in the modern day, Grayson ends up awkwardly asking Barbara to go to prom with him "as friends." Despite their superhero histories, their support system does their best to provide a regular experience. Commissioner Gordon and Grayson share an awkward silence while waiting for Barbara to join them, and they even get a limo -- naturally driven by Alfred.

But when Mister Freeze and a host of henchmen carry out an attack on the highway, the two don variants of their costumes to help save lives and fight crime. But to their surprise, Batman arrives -- and wants none of their help. While fighting against Freeze, Batman holds his own against all of his henchmen with ease, and yells at the pair that it's their prom night, and they should get back to it rather than help him. It turns out he just wants them to "do... prom," and enjoy a regular night of dancing and being young. Arriving at the prom, they're too late for Barbara to be named Prom Queen (and it's hinted one of Barbara's friends hired Freeze to carry out his attack solely to gain the title herself). But ultimately, the two teenagers are fine with the development and spend the evening dancing together.

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It's a sweet story, especially in retrospect now that Oracle and Nightwing are more or less confirmed to be back in a romantic relationship. But "A Night Off" also highlights an important element of Batman's relationship with his sidekicks. Over the years, Batman's efforts to help younger people become heroes has been revealed to stem from a hope that they can grow beyond him as people. With Bruce's help, the rage inside people like Dick Grayson can be harnessed -- but they can get an empathetic understanding that helps keep them from going down a dark path. Batman has struggled to ensure his sidekicks get to be regular people, and has preached lessons that he himself can't always adhere to about disconnecting from their "work" long enough to have lives.

With that in mind, it makes plenty of sense that Batman would be willing to risk his life if it meant ensuring Nightwing and Batgirl got a chance to just be regular teenagers for a night. It also makes his eventual decision to simply marry them ahead of Dark Knights: Death Metal's final battle all the more fitting. Bruce Wayne is someone who has seen every step of their relationship and risked his life against one of his most dangerous villains, all just to make sure they had time together as a couple. Batman's insistence that the pair enjoy their prom speaks to Batman's commitment to his sidekicks beyond their costumed identities, and how much he wants to see them find the happiness that so often evades him.