Disclaimer: I just like to write-no offense...This story arc is just one of those comparisons that I had to get down on paper. Maybe someone will agree with me.
I previously posted this in the Crossovers section but it's basically a Nightwing story and it gives a little unfinished background to my new story "Line of Duty"
A Tale of Two Richards
Richie and Dick traveled together for several months; after a while they were able to read each other's thoughts pretty well. Richie wasn't necessarily carefree, he had his quiet moments but all in all he was the leader, the one to talk his way out of arguments, and the one to get Dick in all sorts of trouble. Dick was more reserved, he tended to be moody and occasionally Richie got him arrested on purpose so he didn't have to deal with the guy's latest brooding or his newest batch of corny jokes. Dick had always thought he had street smarts but Richie seemed to bring it up to a higher level. The guy could lie through his teeth and knew how to survive with nothing. Dick often saw Richie as a mixture between gang hood and kindergarten teacher.
They made a loop through Europe. Richie liked to stop and check out the local culture; Dick wasn't so willing but Richie always found a way to drag him. They woke up many an early morning with splitting headaches.
"What happened?" Dick asked groggily, rubbing the back of his neck. Richie, who always seemed to recover from his hangover quickly, was already dressed.
"I seem to remember you dancing on the bar with that Isabella woman you met at the club." He laughed. Dick just groaned and ran to the bathroom to throw up. A half an hour later he was dressed and ready for another day.
"Just don't fall off your bike this time...It's embarrassing." Richie said, memories of dragging Dick out of a thorn-filled ditch in Vienna always made him laugh.
Dick and Richie rode around Europe and by June they had hit France. Richie and Dick argued constantly about Paris. Dick had wanted to see the French capital for ages, while Richie wanted to avoid the place like the plague.
"Why don't you go to Paris, I'll go back to Prague. And we'll meet up later." Richie said.
"For one thing, you're the one who has the apartment. And you need to work things out with this MacLeod or Maria, whoever's keeping you up at night."
"I sleep." Richie grumbled.
"When you're drunk...that's not healthy."
"Fine." Richie snapped. "Here." He handed Dick his mobile phone.
"What's this for?" Dick asked.
"If I have to go to "gay Paris" you have to call someone in Gotham and let them know you're alright."
"Why?"
"You might not have a conventional family-who does? But someone has to give a damn, so call them."
Dick narrowed his eyes but Richie stood firm. He sighed and dialed the phone. Richie waited by his bike.
"Wayne Manor." Came an older voice. Dick realized how much he missed Alfred, his eyes lit up though he tried not to show that to Richie, turning away as he spoke. He faltered over his words for a moment.
"Hi Alfred." He began in a tiny voice.
"Master Dick?!!" The older man said sternly. "Where are you? We haven't heard any word since you left."
"I know..." Dick began but Alfred cut him off.
"You have worried us to no end."
"I know...I'm sorry. I'm fine Alfred." Dick said. He did feel bad for leaving home without telling Alfred. He and Alfred had always been close.
Alfred had to sit down from the shock of hearing from Dick Grayson. It had been four months since he stormed out without a word. He missed the boy terribly. Bruce walked into the library when he heard Alfred's stern scolding. His eyes were wide, he mouthed Dick and Alfred nodded.
"Where are you?" Alfred asked.
"I'm in France." Dick said simply. "I'm going to be here a little while. Look...I just wanted to call and tell you I'm all right so don't worry about me." Dick wasn't sure what to say. He sighed "I've gotta go Alfred. Bye." Dick hung up the phone. Richie just shook his head.
"What?" Dick snapped.
"Real smooth." Richie nodded. He put on his helmet.
"Can't wait to watch you and Maria battle it out." Dick snapped back and put on his own helmet. The two sped down the rural road towards Paris.
I previously posted this in the Crossovers section but it's basically a Nightwing story and it gives a little unfinished background to my new story "Line of Duty"
A Tale of Two Richards
Richie and Dick traveled together for several months; after a while they were able to read each other's thoughts pretty well. Richie wasn't necessarily carefree, he had his quiet moments but all in all he was the leader, the one to talk his way out of arguments, and the one to get Dick in all sorts of trouble. Dick was more reserved, he tended to be moody and occasionally Richie got him arrested on purpose so he didn't have to deal with the guy's latest brooding or his newest batch of corny jokes. Dick had always thought he had street smarts but Richie seemed to bring it up to a higher level. The guy could lie through his teeth and knew how to survive with nothing. Dick often saw Richie as a mixture between gang hood and kindergarten teacher.
They made a loop through Europe. Richie liked to stop and check out the local culture; Dick wasn't so willing but Richie always found a way to drag him. They woke up many an early morning with splitting headaches.
"What happened?" Dick asked groggily, rubbing the back of his neck. Richie, who always seemed to recover from his hangover quickly, was already dressed.
"I seem to remember you dancing on the bar with that Isabella woman you met at the club." He laughed. Dick just groaned and ran to the bathroom to throw up. A half an hour later he was dressed and ready for another day.
"Just don't fall off your bike this time...It's embarrassing." Richie said, memories of dragging Dick out of a thorn-filled ditch in Vienna always made him laugh.
Dick and Richie rode around Europe and by June they had hit France. Richie and Dick argued constantly about Paris. Dick had wanted to see the French capital for ages, while Richie wanted to avoid the place like the plague.
"Why don't you go to Paris, I'll go back to Prague. And we'll meet up later." Richie said.
"For one thing, you're the one who has the apartment. And you need to work things out with this MacLeod or Maria, whoever's keeping you up at night."
"I sleep." Richie grumbled.
"When you're drunk...that's not healthy."
"Fine." Richie snapped. "Here." He handed Dick his mobile phone.
"What's this for?" Dick asked.
"If I have to go to "gay Paris" you have to call someone in Gotham and let them know you're alright."
"Why?"
"You might not have a conventional family-who does? But someone has to give a damn, so call them."
Dick narrowed his eyes but Richie stood firm. He sighed and dialed the phone. Richie waited by his bike.
"Wayne Manor." Came an older voice. Dick realized how much he missed Alfred, his eyes lit up though he tried not to show that to Richie, turning away as he spoke. He faltered over his words for a moment.
"Hi Alfred." He began in a tiny voice.
"Master Dick?!!" The older man said sternly. "Where are you? We haven't heard any word since you left."
"I know..." Dick began but Alfred cut him off.
"You have worried us to no end."
"I know...I'm sorry. I'm fine Alfred." Dick said. He did feel bad for leaving home without telling Alfred. He and Alfred had always been close.
Alfred had to sit down from the shock of hearing from Dick Grayson. It had been four months since he stormed out without a word. He missed the boy terribly. Bruce walked into the library when he heard Alfred's stern scolding. His eyes were wide, he mouthed Dick and Alfred nodded.
"Where are you?" Alfred asked.
"I'm in France." Dick said simply. "I'm going to be here a little while. Look...I just wanted to call and tell you I'm all right so don't worry about me." Dick wasn't sure what to say. He sighed "I've gotta go Alfred. Bye." Dick hung up the phone. Richie just shook his head.
"What?" Dick snapped.
"Real smooth." Richie nodded. He put on his helmet.
"Can't wait to watch you and Maria battle it out." Dick snapped back and put on his own helmet. The two sped down the rural road towards Paris.