Dirk sat in some café, it didn't smell like a Starbucks and the coffee was better, probably one of the more upper class cafes with fair trade coffee beans. Roxy was all about fair trade and all that, got it from her boyfriend John. She was always for equality, John didn't influence that, he just made her more upfront about it, gave her all the pamphlets. No, Roxy was always about equality, but she was more focused on those with disabilities before. She became a nurse with the purpose of help people like him, like her brother. She was the one to convince him to put the ad out, insisted on background checking everyone before he was allowed to meet them, at least he convinced her to let him handle the interviews alone.
The braille sheet was in front of him, full of relevant question the siblings had worked together to come up with. His sister was great, but he wasn't sure he wanted a caretaker. He was tired of always being that person whom people had to think of before they did anything in the house. Memories of his Bro, Dave, yelling at Roxy for leaving stuff on the floor where Dirk could trip on it. That's what the sight stick is for, try telling Dave, the biggest mother hen anyone would ever know, that. No, Dirk was some precious baby that needed protecting, and even though his family meant the best and truly care, he wanted to make his own decisions, live his own life. Maybe a dog would be better, Roxy made him promise to give the caretaker idea a shot though, as much as it pained him.
"You must be Dirk. Nice to meet you, I'm Callie." Must be, because his lack of sight defines him. The shades that hide his glossy white eyes and the sight stick he carries around are bright flashing lights declaring his identity and his vulnerability all at once. It really shouldn't bug him this fucking much, he's heard the same thing for twenty-six years, but it does. He sweeps the assumption under the rug, he can't really get upset with the woman, as much as he'd like to, complaining only makes him look like an angst filled teen again. Memories of him lashing out at family members flood back in as he pushes them aside and begins the interview.
Callie was nice enough, a bright voice, good answers to the standard care questions and she seemed to genuinely care…exactly like his sister and exactly like the other seven girls he interviewed after her. Roxy really wanted someone like herself caring for Dirk and while he appreciated the gesture, he was actually hoping for someone a little different. Maybe a guy? He only had a few friends in high school who were guys, most of the males wanted to play some sort of sport as a group activity. Dirk wouldn't have minded tagging along and hearing them play as he sat on the sidelines, but he never even got that far. Teenage boys and disabilities they had never experienced, often resulted in awkward conversation of misunderstandings. Dirk was fine with it, but most would rather not try at all, than try and fail, even in the smallest sense of the word. The girls were always a bit more inclusive. That's not to say he didn't have male friends, he did, four of them…well two of them. He grew greatly suspicious of two of his "friends" when they started asking questions about his sister. Probably using him to get to Roxy, kicked their asses to the curb real quick. One of them was John, but he never asked questions about Roxy, he was probably the most genuine guy in the world and Dirk was happy to hear John ask Roxy out. The other friend was Karkat, a foul mouthed son of a bitch who never hesitated to call Dirk out when he was wallowing in self-pity. Despite his foul mouth, he was a huge softy, always made Dirk watch romcoms with him, a lot of people thought they were dating, but Dirk never saw Karkat that way, and he's pretty sure Karkat never saw him that way. He was as gay as they come, but Karkat was always a friend and nothing more. Karkat was at a school on the other side of the country, destined to become an engineer or a fashion designer, who knows. He was always very secretive about his career aspirations, he made it into a university and took off; Dirk still saw him during winter and summer break though.
The last interviewee seemed late, he heard someone pass his shoulder, "Excuse me, what time is it?"
"5:15"
"Thanks." The asshole was fifteen minutes late, clearly not caretaker material. Dirk needed some fresh air, fuck that last candidate. He paid his bill and left.
The cool evening air hit his skin, the beginnings of autumn, soon winter would be here, his favorite season. He liked the cold, something about it made him feel alive, like his could feel the air in his lungs, smell the snow and taste the sleepy haze of the earth. A time when most animals went into hibernation or left, and all was quiet. It was like a world meant for him, people complained about the darkness, but it made Dirk oddly happy, even though he couldn't see the same darkness everyone else could.
He walked to the local park, grazing his hands along the low branches, a leaf dropping into his hand. He sat on a nearby bench, holding the surely red or orange leaf. It didn't have the rubber veneer feeling of the green, but wasn't a brittle brown yet either, it had to red or orange, maybe yellow. Life goes in cycles, the growing, the blooming, the aging, the dead, rebirth and repeat. Maybe when you have sight you see it every year and forget to feel it, Dirk was not bogged down with such luxuries. He felt every season and it reminded him that he always felt like he was standing still. Dave was off doing some amazing Hollywood thing; Rose was writing wizard porn or whatever fiction that was all the rage with kids these days; Roxy was a nurse, going up in her career and making friends like Jane, they all had their own lives. Lives they could choose and lives that could be completely independent of anyone else, he wanted that. That's it, when he gets home he'll tell Roxy that he's just going to get a dog. He should be allowed to live by himself and live as he decides. Not someone else. …Yeah, he's not going to get that, not with Roxy's and Dave's overprotective nature.
"Excuse me, are you Dirk Strider?" A light, timid male voice graced his ear.
"Who wants to know?" Why does this person know his name? Who the hell is he? Shit, is this a kidnapping? Are they going to hold him for ransom or something against his bro? Bastards probably want to make money off his bro's fortune, and Dave would pay them whatever they wanted. Well too bad bastards, he can fight and he will kick your ass.
"I'm so sorry, my name is Jake English. I was supposed to meet you at the café, I was running late and I missed you. The waitress said she had seen you head towards the park, so I was hoping I might have caught you?" Oh.
"Hello Jake. Look, I appreciate that you went through the trouble of tracking me down, but I think I've decided to go with a dog."
"Please, just give me a chance. I'm an excellent cook, I'm red cross certified, I'm well aware of all your needs and I guarantee I could be a great asset to you."
"Says the man who was at least twenty minutes late to his appointment."
"I'm truly very sorry about that, I can 100% promise that it will not happen again."
This guy is a dork, but he's the only male that showed up today. He seems pretty meek, so Dirk could probably get what he wanted most of the time, and for once he would be choosing someone on his own. Someone who at least filled some of the things he wanted in a caretaker, Jake wasn't necessarily them, but Dirk could probably get some sort of compromise with Jake. And if this, Jake, really can cook maybe Dirk could actually get a nice burger, no more vegan food!
"Alright Jake, if you can defeat me, you're hired." He should be allowed some fun first though. He stood up, and took a fighting stance.
"What?! There is no way in heaven or hell I would fight a-a-a disabled person. Look, I really need this job, but this is ridiculous! Can't we just ta-," Dirk smacked him with his sight stick, hard and right in the face. Let this guy know he's not just a "disabled person," he's a fucking fighter and is so much more than a fucking disability. He heard the guy crumple to the ground, that's right, weren't expecting that were you? "Excuse me, sir."
"Yes."
"Are you by chance, Daredevil?"
"Pfft..ha-ahahahahaha" He couldn't believe he was laughing, but he was. He definitely idolized Daredevil as a kid, but to actually be called him. It was funny, but there was this strange relief that came with it. Jake acknowledged that he could take care of himself, that he had the power to kick his ass. He didn't try to play it down, he emphasized it by comparing him to a superhero. Maybe this Jake guy would be alright. If he could admit that Dirk kicked his ass, he at least deserved a try. "Get up Jake." Rustling was heard and a few nervous breaths of laughter came from the beaten young male. He had a nice laugh, not nasally or annoying, not boisterous either. "Can I see what you look like?"
"Sure." No hesitance at his use of the word "see," he's not stupid, that's good. Dirk reached forward, Jake grasped his wrist and directed his hand to the interviewee's face. The blonde felt his broad forehead and large eyes, high cheek bones, straight nose, and an adequate jawline. "Hah, you look like a nerd." He heard more nervous laughter. "Well, if you're calling me Daredevil, you must be a nerd, might as well look the part." Dirk reached into his pocket for the prepared paper from Roxy, handing it to Jake he said "Come to that address at 2pm tomorrow. If you're late again your fired."
He heard a large burst of air released with relief. "Thank you! You won't regret it."
"Don't thank me yet, you still have to meet my nurses." He sensed a smile anyway and heard footsteps retreating, what an interesting guy.
When he arrives home Roxy checks him for injuries and asks a thousand questions finally ending with, "So, was there anyone you liked?"
"Yeah, one of them, I told them to come by tomorrow."
"What was their name?"
"Jake English."
"Wow, the guy. Great, I'm glad."
"You're going to flirt with him aren't you."
"Yep."
"How is John not annoyed by that."
"He understands that I must make sure my brother's caretaker has the eye on the prize, namely, you. The man cannot be distracted by women while he is on the clock; or use you like some fucking puppy dog to show what a wonderful person he is, to pick up girls."
"For one of the nicest people I know, you are very cynical."
"Runs in the family, bro."
"Don't I know it."
"Why is there blood on you stick?"
"Is there?"
"Yes, where did you go!?"
"Relax, I think it's from when I hit Jake with it."
"You mean the person coming here tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"Why'd you hit him?"
"Because he wouldn't fight me."
Roxy let out an exasperated, but amused little noise. "And he still took the job."
"Yep."
She smiled to herself, the guy must be desperate, but it was clear that Dirk liked him. And it wasn't often that Dirk liked anyone, this guy would be good for him.
Notes: So the whole liking Jake thing, isn't meant to be romantic yet. Only that Dirk doesn't find him annoying. Also, I hope Dirk didn't come across as mopey, Roxy and Dave really can be overbearing and he just wants his own life.