The car was cold, she thought to herself, wondering how the lot of them could stand the temperature. Even in Gotham Riley had learned to withstand snow and drift, but it seemed unseasonable here. Her blue gaze peered out the window with an almost dreaded expression. There was something completely dysfunctional about this city, and she had only spent but a few minutes inside its borders. Oliver busied himself with idle conversation between the driver, occasionally glancing over to her with almost hopeful expression. It was clear however awkward the experience may be for the both of them, he was ken to at least try and develop some kind of communication .
"Riley?" He called quietly to wake her from her daze. The girl shifted to glance back the man before offering a careful smile. "Yes?" She asked. Oliver gaze flickered over her before letting out a smile of his own. "I asked if you wanted to stop and have something to eat, there's this great burger joint-" Riley rose her brow before letting out a small laugh. "I don't like fast food." She corrected carefully, earning a gaze from the driver before he settled back into his position. Oliver paused, she imagined trying to think of a clear response for the heiress. "Well there's a sushi restaurant I like to order from.." He attempted once more before she turned to settle her gaze back out the window.
"Any place that would serve pui rola tocana?" She asked carefully, her eyes staying outside the car in hopes to catch something that would remind her of home. There was an awkward silence before she heard the billionaire readjust in his seating. "You're Romani? - Bruce didn't tell me that." He said almost with a lackluster surprise. The recognition was enough to turn the girls head back to frame, surprised in her own way that her tongue was so easily recognized by someone she would think spent more time in Tahiti. "I'm surprised he told you I was a girl, much less of my heritage. So we'll leave ourselves both in surprise." She murmured before crossing her arms over her chest to lean her head back in the seat.
Oliver smiled lightly before leaning over to nudge her lightly. "Come on. Your old man can't be that much of a pain. He wouldn't send you here if he didn't expect you to have fun.." He attempted before the girl turned her head back to him with a deadened expression. "He sent me here because he knows I will be absolutely miserable. There isn't time for fun when you lay around doing nothing all day." She retorted. His brow furrowed at her stubbornness before sighing and leaning back to his side of the seat. "You know Riley, I think you'd be surprised on how much we have to offer out here. Starling is a beautiful city. It's been through some hard times but we've managed to make it through."
Riley couldn't help but let a unimpressed laugh leave her throat before glancing back up to the driver with almost curiosity. "Why do you have an ex-marine as your driver? Seems a bit much for Starling's playboy. Is the game so hot you need a marine to bat the girls away?" She suggested proudly. Oliver glanced back at her with an accompanying laugh before lifting his hands slightly response. "How do you know he's a marine?" Riley looked at him carefully, surprised that he would think that a daughter of Bruce wouldn't have the accompany of a super computer. "Stiff posture, always glancing back at you to insure no change, he's got the start of a scar at the back of his throat that shows from the collar but it's only slightly showing because he pulls his collar out in attempt to cover it. His age would suggest his prior military but returned to do protective work and right, the three guns in the car help..." She dribbled out before lifting her brow in awaited response.
The driver's gaze fixed on her momentarily before glancing back at the road with a sterner expression. Clearly he wasn't one to be revealed so easily, she thought to herself. In the meanwhile Oliver's gaze only morphed into true comedy, letting out a laugh and slapping his knee. "My god, you're good." He proclaimed. The driver's eyes rolled before glancing back to the girl. "There's only two guns, but good guess." Riley laughed in her own disbelief before leaning forward. "Three, one under the seat in front of me. One in the back of your pants which was easily noticeable when you got out to let Oliver in. The third however is trickier, because you've clearly forgotten it's there, and that's the one clamped on the outside axle above the right rear tire."
Oliver bursted in a laugh before leaning back into the seat. The driver sighed before Oliver moved to clap her on the shoulder. "Riley, this is Diggle. Diggle, Riley Grayson." He announced before letting a smirk cover his handsome features. Riley couldn't help but let a smile cover her own features before leaning back into the leather seating. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mister Diggle, I do hope you're as pleasant as my old driver." She mused before raising her brow at the other. Oliver smirked and leaned over to whisper something over the back of the seat to the driver before the other let out a smile finally. "Pleasure too meet you as well Miss Grayson." He answered before she laughed. "Riley, please. No need for formalities." She corrected with ease before shifting more so to a relaxed state. Her change didn't go completely unnoticed and it was clear that within moments she had unwound if only a little.
The quietness melted and for a moment Riley could picture herself at home with the pair. Soon the sweet streets of Starling seemed a little less dark and the sun's warming shine came through the darkened glass with a bit more vigor. The crystalline blues turned back to the sky for a moment and wondered what Gotham was like. If the gloomy skies had filled the city and rain begun to fall onto the citizens, or if Tim and Damian had begun their usual afternoon fights. The house would be so quiet without Riley chasing them around to break them up. Only silent crashes and curses in foreign tongue would fill the silence until Bruce found himself back at home. She wondered if they missed her. If Damian with all his stubbornness had ventured into her bedroom just once to take in a moment of her.
Her brightened gaze didn't go unnoticed as Oliver leaned over to lightly grab her hand. In a moment she jerked back, her eyes turning to stare him down with almost disgust only realizing the look of pure horror on his face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to – right. I was just trying to get your attention. Your'e a bit of a daydreamer." He mused before she couldn't help but sigh herself back into her side of the limo. "When you've been locked in a metaphorical tower, you tend to dream about the world outside of it." She response before turning her gaze back to him. "What about you? – Oliver Queen. With your devilishly handsome demeanor and trained deadly body guard. What makes you up?" It was almost as if her question was more of an invitation to a story best kept under key. His gaze settled back to a more secretive and she could tell she yet the proverbial wall.
Her eyes rolled away in a huff before crossing her arms over her chest. Apparently the breezing freedoms she had hoped to enjoy wouldn't be as easy to come by as she imagined. Their long car journey seemed to wind to an end when she noticed a small but notably large to standard home nestled into the lining of a grove of trees. She almost gagged at the inner snob that came out within her, but decided instead to bit her tongue. For all it's grandeur, the home seemed relatively empty, and when they drove to the front she noticed that it was so. Diggle put the car into park before slowing turning off the engine and glancing back to Oliver. The girls gaze flickered between the two before throwing open the door without hesitation.
A smirk returned to the other's lips in surprised at her actions before following suit. She carefully approached the home before then taking a look around the property. "It's beautiful...but I don't understand why is it so empty?" She called out to the other as he slowly began to approach her. Riley could tell by the look on Oliver's face that the story was no a tremendously happy one. Her surprised smile faded back into confusion before waiting for him to join her on the porch. "Is it yours?" She asked again, this time softer with more concern. Oliver's brow rose before nodding lightly, "Yes, I grew up here. Recently I had a family tragedy where I didn't feel much like coming home...but I think now is an appropriate time to do so.." He explained carefully before turning to grab the keys Diggle had quietly pulled out for him.
Oliver within a moment turned to unlock the door and extend his hand to welcome her in. "Now I'm sure it's no Gothic estate that you're use to –" He began as she stepped into the foyer with a wondering gaze, his lips parted to finished but she couldn't help but let out an awed couplet. "There's so much sunlight... it's beautiful." She whispered before looking back at him. He smiled at her before moving to stand beside her, Riley could tell that beneath all the formalities Oliver enjoyed her reaction to his home. Bruce's Manor was the opposite of this place. It was dark and cold, and everything seemed so bleak despite whatever shiny riches were tucked away. Oliver's home was glowing nearly and the warmth from every crevice seemed to put her very being at ease.
As her eyes wandered she couldn't help but noticed a painting on the wall, like a magnet she seemed to gravitate over to it with interest. It only took Oliver a moment to follow suit, smiling as she wandered so close to a family masterpiece. "It's called '-de libérer l'Oiseau'" - He began to explain, but Riley's eyes were already locked. It was so obvious to her that fate had a plan after all. There were no second guesses at this point, and Riley knew that she hadn't done what she had, she never would have ended up in Starling. Whether or not it was for better or worse, Riley had to hope that this was a sign that she wasn't alone. That somewhere, somehow, the fates were looking after her. "-beautiful isn't it? It was created by a french painter in the early nineteenth century. It loosely translates to-" "Free the Bird."
Hello doodlebugs! I hope everyone enjoyed having a little Diggle in the mix! I am trying to get out a chapter every week day but it's up to how busy work is for me. Today I had to do half during lunch and half at home. However I do hope everyone enjoyed! Please review and follow for future updates!
~Ash