Kori's tan skin was on satisfactory display as she practiced with her boyfriend of three years; taking hits, dodging hits, and returning her own hits. Damien sighed dreamily, he liked what she had down with her hair today. Kori had always enjoyed her untamable hair down and left alone, Damien also liked her hair like that, but today she had pulled the fiery locks into a pony tail. So much hair strained the scrunchy Damien had gotten her he noted with masculine pride, the elastic threatening to break under the pressure.
Damien noted that their practice wasn't nearly as friendly as normal and instead seemed strained. Had Dick finally done what he was known for and cheated on Kori? He didn't want Kori's heart broken in that way but at the same time it would give him the chance he needed. Right now Damien was stuck in a place much worse then the friend zone: the little brother zone.
"Young Master Damien," Alfred reprimanded, "your lesson is not over."
Damien waved his hand forgetfully at the beloved butler before leaving the table and heading towards the couple sparring. He was determined to understand what was happening between his annoying adopted brother and the his beautiful girlfriend.
Damien stomped snidely towards the couple, "Dick!" Richard turned to the angry little man coming his way and smiled, "I need to talk to you!"
Richard released the girl in his arms as she floated off her feet, "What is it little brother?"
Kori smiled from behind his brother and Damien couldn't help the way his cheeks tinted a bright pink. "You look very pretty today, Kori." Lord was she beautiful! Kori wore a small pair of purple gym shorts and a tight purple sports bra, not an uncommon sight of any woman practicing in Wayne Manner. Damien had gotten use to the sight long, long, long ago. Even before he had been use to the sight, no woman had made Damien's heart beat like Kori's. And it wasn't even when she was dressed so sparingly!
When she wore her custom made evening dresses, courtesy of Richard and Bruce, when she wore her training outfit, or hero outfit, or even when she woke up in the morning. It had only been one time Damien had seen in her nothing but panties and Richard's shirt, that had also been the day Bruce and Richard had had the "the talk" with him. Damien had learned why 'Little Damien' rushed with blood when he looked at Kori, or when his heart jumped at his chest when Kori smiled, he learned why all he wanted to do was to make the sweet and beautiful and smart girl laugh and smile.
The alien girl smiled sweetly and once more settled onto her feet as she moved to stand beside Richard, "You look the most handsome, as well."
He blushed and looked down, "Thank you." Richard raised an eyebrow at the young child. Damien coughed once as he shuffled his feet on the ground before demanding, "I want to know what's going on with the two of you! Why is everything so strained with you two?"
Richard looked towards his girlfriend and sighed, "We should at least tell him, Kor."
"Richard," Kori warned dejectedly.
"Listen, kid, Kori might not be here much longer." Damien looked up at Kori with wide disbelieving eyes. Kori looked at the ground and Damien demand they explain themselves. "Kori is needed back home, Damien. If they call for her help it's her duty to return. She has an obligation to her people."
"What about us?" Damien asked, "She one of our heroes! Does that not count as an obligation as well?"
Kori looked at the emotional boy; Richard knew why Damien had a problem with the alien girl leaving. It was the same problem Richard himself had with her leaving; no one knew when she'd be back or what she'd have to do when she got there. Richard worried more than anyone about how this would effect his kind hearted girlfriend. "Earth heroes are many. If I am needed by my people, my people are where I'll be."
"Your people aren't the only ones who need you, Kori!"
"Don't shout at her, Damien. I don't like that she had to leave either, but we have to understand. At least the best that we can. She's always been different from us and we have to respect that her only duty isn't with our people."
"I love Earth and all her people but I have my own home to protect as well." Kori said sadly.
"But how long will you be gone?" Damien asked sadly.
"I am not the sure," Kori said helplessly.
Kori left the next day, departing on an adventure that wouldn't allow her return until two years later. At the time of her return Damien had proclaimed his love for her and she had replied with her own sisterly love. He knew things had changed but knew that Kori and Richard would find their way back to one another. Damien had watched the sadness in his brothers hollowed eyes everyday the woman had been gone, Richard had stayed loyal to the only woman he had loved.
Damien never got over his love for the alien woman, not in the two years she was gone nor the many years that followed her life with his brother. Damien, however, had learned to be satisfied by just being around the alien he loved.