The story is mine and I think I know what everyone will be expecting in the story line (bear in mind I said THINK) so I'm going to try to go in a whole different direction to that. Please review, please,
Something was wrong.
That was the first thing that went through Dick's head when he woke up, He was in the same bed as he always was, in the same room he had been as a child in his home.
But still was something felt wrong, like he should be somewhere else entirely.
He thought about asking Bruce about it but dismissed the thought.
His guardian was many things but a touchy feely was something he couldn't do.
He could ask Alfred about it but he would most likely tell him that it was all a part of growing up and wanting to spread his wings and then suggest some breakfast.
Dick had no problem with the well meaning advice and he always liked the idea of
breakfast being a solution but he was almost certain that the feeling he was having wasn't
something common.
He genuinely felt that he should be somewhere else with someone else.
In all likelihood he would have stayed in bed trying to figure it out or even hide from it.
Like Bruce who had taught him everything he knew, feelings were best left alone
and not prodded or they might lead to near disaster.
However Alfred had different ideas and had hunted him from bed for school.
'Stupid private school' Dick grumbled as he pulled on an old pair of jeans and a long sleeved white tee shirt, throwing a short sleeved red tee shirt over it.
Alfred took one look at him and shook his head; they had always differed over the topic of clothes.
Dick didn't want it to look like his clothes cost every cent that they did which resulted in him trying to look as casual as possible while Alfred believed that a young gentleman should dress in a manner befitting a young gentleman of high society.
So with the usual 'tut tut' Alfred served him his breakfast.
Turning down the offer of a lift to school and ignoring the mildly surprised look on the
butlers face, Dick grabbed his bag and headed off to school.
Today he strayed slightly from his route, in that he had no intention of going to school.
He couldn't shake his misplaced feeling and it was bothering him more when he tried not
to think about it and school would only prove to be a distraction from trying to figure it
out.
If he could figure it out he'd be able to let it rest.
He walked through the streets of Gotham aimlessly.
After a few hours walking, staring and thinking, one thing became apparent.
He was hungry.
This was turning out to be big mistake, he hadn't figured anything out and now he was
hungry with a lecture waiting for him he got home.
He stopped in front of a small restaurant called 'Casper's place' that looked run down.
It was the kind of place that would appal Alfred and almost made Dick wince.
But for some reason he wanted to go in.
He groaned at the thought of explaining this one.
"Yeah ever felt like the universe was jabbing you in the back and annoying you to go somewhere you didn't want to go" he imagined himself telling Bruce.
Yeah that would go down real well.
Regardless of those nagging though he walked into the place which was surprisingly
cleaner on the inside
It was small enough with a few booths lining the walls and some stools at the counter.
A small selection of framed photos hung on the wall.
A tall heavy set man in his forties with a greasy complexion with long brown straggly hair tied back hidden under a white headband.
His beady eyes flicked towards him and then left him just as quickly, turning back to the other man sitting at the counter.
Dick slumped into a chair thinking that he wasn't going to get served anytime soon.
His thoughts wandered back towards the weird feeling in his gut when a voice interrupted
them.
"You look lonely" a sweet voice observed gently.
He looked to see who was talking to him.
"I am sorry, it is not my place to be making such personal observations, and I just saw you and you looked like you needed some company and I am constantly being told by Casper that I should not poke my nose in and I am very apologetic if I offended you" the girl standing before him said, the words rushing out.
Dick hadn't heard a word she said though; he was too busy looking at this unusual diamond in the rough.
She was tall and had richly tanned skin leading Dick to believe that she was from some
tropical Island.
Two thick braids of ruby red hair hung down to her slim waist, some stray strands fell
across her forehead and rested at the side of her face.
A lilac bandana covered the top of her head.
A pair of cropped trousers hugged her long legs and sleeveless lavender top rested on the curves that were forming. A white apron hung off her hips. The most interesting thing about her were her eyes, they were large almond shaped and were emerald green with flecks of light green.
"Its ok" he managed to say.
The girl smiled, relieved.
"I could always use some company. I'm Dick" he said, extending his hand.
The girl smiled brightly, shaking his hand.
"My names Kori"
The girl was a complete stranger but he felt drawn to her, almost as if she'd understand
everything he was going through.
Bearing this in mind and the fact he'd never have to see her again if he didn't want to, he
Began speaking.
"Kori, have you ever" he couldn't finish the question.
In theory it should have been easy to ask about her his weird thoughts but he was raised
to keep emotions personal and it had worked well in the past for him, allowing him to
bottle up pain and frustration.
It was near impossible to break a habit developed over a lifetime into the span of twenty
seconds.
Kori eyed him strangely.
"Have I ever thought?" she asked.
"Um about people" he finished lamely.
He shouldn't be this clumsy with his words but the girl was unnerving as well as soothing
Then it hit him, he needed her around.
He had to find people, people like her who brought about the strange feeling of
satisfaction and they'd know the answers or maybe they'd feel the same way.
Kori was definitely one of these people; he felt a really strong link with her which had to
mean something because he found it very hard to bond with others.
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" he asked in a defeated voice when he saw her eyes searching his face for something.
"No I do not think you are crazy. I think I we have...its silly of me to say"
"What's going on here?" a deep gravelly voice demanded.
The man behind the counter was approaching them with a scowl on his face.
He stopped directly in front of them and glared at Kori.
"So now you can be friendly?" he demanded.
"Casper" Kori began but was cut off.
"You're too good for everyone but this guy? Looking down your ungrateful little nose at our regulars but for some kid who hasn't even ordered anything, you're throwing yourself at him?" the man named Casper growled.
"I am not throwing myself at him. He has treated me with respect as I have him. Perhaps if your regulars were not three times my age and insistent on grabbing me and insinuating certain things about me, I would treat them with respect too!" Kori shot back, eyes blazing.
"You know something princess. You owe me a lot, if I didn't let you work here where do you think you'd be, huh? The gutter or worse, that's where! You'll treat me with respect and you won't ever give me lip again or so help me, I throw your sorry butt onto the streets so fast"
Kori took a step back, trying to back away from Casper whose face had turned red with anger and did look menacing.
"Leave her alone" Dick said, watching Kori.
"Maybe it'd do you good, make you see you ain't something special. You think I'd let you come crawling back then, do ya?"
"Leave her alone" Dick stood now, trying to distract Casper from his task of tearing shreds off Kori whose eyes were glazed over with tears.
Casper looked at him and his beady eyes widened.
"You're that rich kid!" he exclaimed before he turned to Kori again.
"You thought a kid like him be interested in you! You gotta be kidding me, he's not looking for a two dollar roll in the sack with you, you know? "
That was going too far and before Kori or Casper knew what had happened, Dick had
grabbed Casper's shirt, clenching his fists tightly around it.
He was stronger that he looked.
"I said Leave.Her.Alone"
Casper gave him a nervous grin.
"Mr Gray you got it all wrong. Me and princess, we're always like this, I wasn't serious you know? Princess is like my flesh and blood" he cried out struggling to get away.
Dick let go of him and gave him a cold glare.
"She's NOTHING like you. Now leave us alone!"
Casper scurried off into the kitchen and the one or two spectators turned back to their
coffee.
Dick groaned inwardly, embarrassed by his own heroics.
Kori was probably used to Casper and didn't need him to jump in and play the
knight in shining armour.
She was probably going to tell him any minute where he could stick his hero antics.
Instead, Kori crouched down on her knees, folding her arms on his table and resting her
chin on her arms.
Her eyes held such warmth that Dick felt he couldn't look away.
"That was one of the kindest things, no one has ever defended me in that manner...thank you" she said sincerely taking hold of his hand in her own and squeezing it gently.
Dick grinned at her.
"Anytime" he smirked teasingly. "Princess"
Kori swatted him with her hand playfully.
A phone ringing interrupted them and Kori raised an eyebrow at him as he did nothing.
"Your pants are ringing" she pointed out.
Dick was trying to ignore his mobile but whoever was calling had no intention of leaving him alone. With a frustrated grunt, he pulled out the small fliptop phone hastily, answering it.
"Oh Hey Alfred" he began.
Kori was about to walk away when Dick grabbed her wrist and shook his head at her.
Kori slipped into the chair opposite him and listened to the one sided conversation.
"Yeah they rang you? That was presumptuous of them"
There was a pause.
"No I'm not trying to be smart; yes I do want to make something of myself. Yes I concede
that a major factor of doing well in school is attending school… yeah I'm going, I'm going.
See you later. Bye"
Dick sighed as he pocketed the phone.
"That was my butler, Al"
"You have a butler? A person who has a butler wanted to eat is 'Casper's place'?"
"See I should be in school now" he explained.
Kori giggled adorably.
"And instead you chose to stay here?" she asked, surprised and amused.
"I told you I could use the company"
"I better get going or else you'll have a very upset and horrified butler in here who won't leave till the place is 'spick and span'"
"I bet Casper would love that"
Dick grinned at her and looked at his watch.
He really had to get going if he wanted to avoid getting in more trouble.
"I'll drop by again" he promised heading for the door.
Kori stood at his table and smiled at him gently.
"Please do"
Dick gave her one last look before rushing out of the restaurant and toward school,
deciding to come back to this restaurant and its bewitching red haired waitress as much
as he could.
To be continued
Please review now please?