Updated chapter, thank you for reading!
The car ride back was awkward to say the least. Jason was groaning about his stomach the whole way, while Alfred sighed heavily on many occasions. Dick kept getting texts from Babs and by his groans and facial expressions I could only assume it was bad. Then there was me sitting between them, not talking, not looking at my phone or doing anything and it was not like the Wayne Manor was down the street. The ride was nearly twenty minutes, but it felt more like an hour.
We pulled up to the huge gates, hearing the tires crunch along the gravel. Alfred parked the car on the side then opened the door for Jason, helping him out of the car.
"Alfred let me help you," I said getting out of the car.
"No Miss Kori I shall be fine, you and Master Richard go about your own business." He then looked at Jason frowning, "I'm sure Master Bruce would like a word with this one." He then tisked and began walking, struggling a bit with Jason's weight. Alfred was an older man, worked for many years in this manor by the looks of it, all I wanted to do was help. I was a guest, I could not insist or over step my boundaries. I was so conflicted.
Dick then smiled and touched Alfred's shoulder, taking Jason from the older man's hold and heaving him over his shoulder. Jason protested but was too drunk to have any effect on Dick. "I'll take him to Bruce Al, could you show Kori the library?" Alfred nodded while I followed Alfred to the library.
"Do you like books Miss Kori?" Alfred asked.
"Yes, I enjoy reading very much. Although lately with work I have not been able to do much free reading." I said with a sigh, there were many things I loved but getting lost in a good book was defiantly one of my favorites. I used to read for hours on end until mother would walk in telling me to go outside, for which I would go reading outside.
I did not spend all of my time reading of course, I played sports and practiced fighting when I could. My brother Ryan loved that. He always said how a girl should know how to punch just as much as any guy. We would spend hours training, him showing me moves he learned in his combat classes, or martial arts classes. My heart aches for a time long ago, though Alfred helped me with my nostalgia.
"Then you will love this library my dear. Master Richard would let you borrow anything if you wished."
"Thank you Alfred." I said walking into the massive room, hitting you with the potent smell of older books and leather. "It is beautiful." I said in awe, so many books. Books filled the whole room and the room was two floors looking out onto the back yard with a huge window wall. Furnishings adorned the room in obvious places and in little corners with lamps beside them. I knew I could spend days in here, and the thought excited me.
"Enjoy Miss. Kori," Alfred said leaving the room while I trailed my finger along the spines of the closest novels. Reading the titles from Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and many more.
"There organized by era then genres, and a special section for Bruce's favorites." Dick said walking in.
"Well Jane Austin and Shakespeare are not exactly in the same era," I said picking up one of his plays and turning to the front page.
"That's because this is his favorite section." My eyes popped open, this book shelf was huge, and at least 16 feet long and there were two sides.
"It's hard to pick your favorites but he somehow does it." Dick then ran his finger along some of the spines of the opposite book shelf.
"When you're an orphan in a big mansion, you find yourself getting lost in books instead of your sorrow." His eyes downcast for a moment and he smiled slightly. "It helps too, with school and such." His loop sided grin forming on his lips.
My hand reached out to him, hesitant to see his reaction. His fingers tensed for a moment then took my hand in his with a little squeeze.
"You know Kori I always thought I would be alone in this." Dick leaned against one of the wooden support beams, and I stood in front of him.
"Alone in what, sorry?"
"Bruce lost his parents when he was my age too, he was so closed and alone...I thought I would be too." My heart ached for him as a child. I knew what is was like to feel alone, but I had Rachel and for a while my step father before he turned evil. Dick was all alone, with complete strangers.
"I didn't want to be like him, I didn't want to forget my parents. I didn't want to pretend I had everything together..." His voice caught in his throat as he fought back his emotions. My hands reached out to his face and I rested my forehead on his.
"You are not like him Dick, you are not alone. There is strength in being by yourself and not alone. Growing up to accept people, when your role models do not. "
"Thank you" he whispered and there was a change in his voice, this heat grew between us and his lips became my full attention.
His eyes closed slightly, and his chin moved closer to mine. His fingers traced along my jaw as my breathing shifted. I closed my eyes just enough so that I could see his lips coming closer as my heart beat out of my chest. I felt his hands holding my back and bringing me closer. While my fingers touched his cheek bones.
"Dick." Bruce Wayne's voice said coldly along with the sound of the wooden doors opening and I jumped back, snapped out of my phase with cheeks blazing red.
Dick clenched his jaw "what" he snapped and I jumped back further.
"I need to speak with you in private." Bruce walked away silently, while Dick looked at me as if he would just go and kiss me, then decided against it and followed his father.
"I'll see you later Kori, chill in here or you can go chill in the guest room." He walked away and I wished Bruce did not need him.
There was something tragic about Wayne Manor. You could feel the mourning of over thirty years, as if they were shouting off the walls. Certain halls were closed off and paintings were draped over. The presentable part of the house was all grand and everything you would picture a mulit-billionaires house would look like minus the swimming pool on the roof. It was on the second floor. And in the backyard patio.
I knew little of Bruce's life other than that of what Dick told me and that he was a billionaire. He was left to grow up at a young age. Yet I could still sense he missed them deeply as if they had died yesterday, like the wounds could not be sown up. Some times, healing wounds never close, they pain only becomes easier to ignore.
Dick was like this light and warmth that just radiated whenever he was in the room. I could see he made Bruce happy, Alfred, his friends and even his adopted brother Jason.
I was glancing at the pictures of all of them, noticing the pictures of Bruce before and after having Dick and Jason in his life. There was something different in his eyes, lighter, more hope.
"Hey Kori," Dick said wrapping his arms around my waist while I yelped, and he chuckled.
"X'hal! You scared me!" I said trying to hide the heat in my cheeks from showing.
"You're cute when you blush," he said warmhearted, "hope that's okay to say?"
I blushed further and nodded then we stood there a bit awkwardly; his arms around my waist and my hand awkwardly on his shoulder.
"What time do you need to be home?" He said breaking the silence.
"I'm usually home around two."
"What?" He said questionably.
"I am usually home around two am."
"Do you work at a bar? Under the table?"
"Sort of, there's a bar there." Had we not had this conversation earlier?
"So a restaurant? That makes sense, why you do stay late but you still work under the table."
I backed away from him "Dick I understand you would like to know where I work but I would prefer you did not. Please stop asking me questions."
He looked downcast "oh, I'm sorry." It was awkward again and I had no idea what to do so I walked up to the nearest portrait.
"That's Bruce's mom." He said moving a little closer to me but not like earlier.
"She is beautiful."
"She was a great lady from what I've heard. This is one of the pictures he actually allows you to see of her."
"It still hurts him yes?"
"Yeah, sometimes it's harder to get over a loss like that." He then looked at me," some of us don't have others to help."
I briefly let myself mourn my family then I reached for Dick's hand, not knowing if he needed comfort but wanting to help none the less. He took it and squeezed.
"This night didn't turn out to be what I hoped," he murmured.
"I enjoyed some of it...I got to be with you." I said feeling warmth around me and trying to avoid is gaze.
He blushed, which was the most wondrous color I have ever seen. "Your right that was the best part." He leaned against the wall and looked at me. "What a way to meet my friends."
"I enjoyed meeting all of them," I then looked down." To be honest I was worried, now I am not though."
"Why were you worried?" He said, "was it Jason?"
"No, not him."
"Oh then what?" He said looking confused.
"It was just everything, the drama and being thrown into the pool unwanted and there so different from Rachael and Garfield. I knew they would be, I just felt like Babs did not like me, and everyone made fun of me in the pool."
"Hey, hey," he said squeezing my hand. "No one was making fun of you, I know things are different for you. I'm sorry it felt that way, but it's was meant to be in good fun. Except what Roy did he's and ass at times."
"And Babs?"
"Well I mean she uh," he started pulling at his collar and was blushing. He was probably thinking of how hot she looked in that yellow bikini.
"Well ahh-"
"What is it Dick?" I said a little meek.
"Okay well she has trouble dealing with other attractive girls that I'm around with."
"Oh?" I lit up.
"Yeah it's a problem with her."
"Is she not seeing Jason? Why would she have a problem with us?" He smiled when I said 'us' and moved away from the wall.
"Let's chill in my room and we can talk more, is that cool?"
I nodded and followed him to his room where we sat down on the bed. We both sat cross legged across from each other.
"So, it's a long story."
"I like long stories." I did grabbing a pillow and holding it to my chest.
"So Babs and I used to hangout a lot when we were kids. Her father worked close with mine and was there for him when his parents were shot. So there close, Babs and I had a love hate relationship, still do. She flirts with me and makes fun of me, while I sit and get embarrassed. Kind of our thing. Till about when I was fourteen I started yah know liking girls so I had a crush on her." He looked over at me and then smiled. "It didn't work out to say the least. She broke it off, I got over her and it seemed to bother her. But not as much with you. She kept texting me in the car what I knew about you and how we met. I didn't say anything, just that we met trying to find Jason. And yes there kind of dating, more Jason wants her and she's toying with him."
"Well that is not very nice." I said resting my chin on the pillow over my knees."
"No it is not, and it is not fair for her to not like you."
"She does not like me!" I sprang up. "She said that?"
"It's nothing against you," he said holding my hand. "Kori, you're exceptionally beautiful and you're talking to a doofus like me." He then laughed, "it's not you."
I hid in the pillow trying to cover up my blush, which did not seem to work because he began tickling my sides.
"Cut it out!" I giggled batting him with the pillow. But he kept trying to tickle me while I scurried away from his attacks.
"You're not getting away so fast!" He said laughing, obviously having fun with my torture. I jumped off the bed and ran to the other side while he followed my exact moves. Then hit me in the side with a pillow, while I grabbed a weapon of my own and beat him on the head.
"Real classy," he joked and then tackled me while I erupted into giggles.
"Dick stop!" I said trying to catch my breath.
"No." He said continuing to tickle me.
"Is this not the seventh-grade type of thing?" I said trying to make him stop while dodging his fingers. He then stopped and rested on his palm.
"You're cute when you laugh." He said blushing.
I got up and moved to the edge of the bed. "And you have an obnoxious laugh," I then flashed him a smile to let him know I was joking.
"Oh I'm hurt." He said his hand over his heart.
"Good." I giggled while getting up and walking to his big T.V. "Where is your remote?"
"Oh do you want to watch a movie or something?"
"I was hoping something along those lines yes, it is only 12:30."
"We can Netflix and chill," with that I walked over and hit him with the pillow.
"We most certainly will not!"
"I was kidding! Although I do have Netflix and we can chill. Get some popcorn too?"
"That sounds splendid." I said sitting next to him cross legged while he used his Xbox controller to scan for movies. We agreed on a martial arts movie that he absolutely loved and I was interested in seeing.
"I'll go grab the popcorn." Dick said and left the room while the opening scene played out. I wanted to get under the covers and be comfortable, although I was not sure if that was too far. Crossing a line that I wasn't sure was drawn. So, I looked around for a spare blanket anywhere, relieved to find one sitting on the couch.
I got up and wrapped the blanket around myself and got back into his king sized bed. It was so comfortable and it had been a very long day for me, I feared I may drift off.
"I put butter on it I hope you don't mind." Dick said returning with a rather big bowl of popcorn and two Sprites.
"Oh thank you, I love butter on the pop of corn." I sat up and accepted his offer of Sprite and grabbing a handful of popcorn once he was comfortable on the bed.
"Hey do you mind sharing some of that blanket?" I stopped mid mouthful, nodding like an Zarbnarf while winged creatures moved about my stomach.
"Thanks." He said with a warm smile.
I tried concentrating on the movie, which was quite interesting and full of action. I tried concentrating on the popcorn, on the how big the T.V was, anything but the way his body felt so close to mine.
We were not touching but we were close. If I wanted to I could extend my pinkie and I would be touching his, probably very muscular side (or ribs). His breathing was different then it had been before, almost deeper and more controlled and as if he was trying to concentrate on something.
Maybe he was doing the same as me…
I let my heart believe that for a moment then shut it down. No matter how much he may seem to like me or compliment me I was scared I was not ready for his world. It had been so long since someone had tried to help me like him, or someone I felt so safe with. That was most interesting; feeling safe with a stranger. Dick Grayson was not much of a stranger anymore, and he was friends with my friends.
I watched him put the popcorn bowl on his nightstand and sit up a little more in the bed. His eyes flickered over to me and then immediately caught the screen.
"So ah, how are you liking the movie? He said with a nervous jitter to his voice. Which I believe he noticed because he winced as if in pain.
"It is very entertaining I can see how you love it."
"Yeah I used to watch it a lot as a kid, like when I first learned about martial arts. Once I found out it was on Netflix I was ecstatic, so I'm glad to finally watch it."
I giggled "I find his bald chubby friend most humorous."
"Yeah he's hilarious." We then returned our attention to the screen and I calmed down a bit from being next to him.
Soon I felt my eyelids closing and head bobbing. I wanted to fight sleep so as to not miss time with Dick as well as missing when it was time to leave.
"Kori rest, I'll wake you up." Dick said adjusting the blanket, so I had more.
"Truly?"
"Yes," he then grabbed his phone from his pockets. "I'll even set an alarm. I should have actually done that sooner."
I smiled and snuggled into his chest. I was too sleep deprived to think about what it may mean for my head to be on his chest. "Is this okay?" I said almost half asleep.
I could almost hear the smile in his voice "this is perfect, now sleep." His hands wrapped around my shoulders and our feet intertwined while I drifted off to sleep.
Someone was gently tugging on my shoulder whispering "wake up" as I wished for the voice to go away. I felt so comfortable, so warm and safe. I did not want to leave this dream yet. But the voice was persistent, and beautiful. It made me feel warm, as if I was being pulling into another dream except thing's felt more solid. There was not the fuzziness that a dream held.
"Kori please you need to get up!" The voice said getting louder.
"Shh go away." I muttered.
"As much as I wish I could let you stay here, you have to be home in twenty-five minutes"
I bolted up at the mention of home. "It takes longer than that to get there!" I said throwing the covers off of me and pulling on my shoes.
"Whoa slow down well be there in time." He said tying his shoelaces. "You're thinking about train time."
I stopped at the door breathing a sigh of relief. "Oh yes I forgot." I ran my fingers through my long hair and tried to wake up some more.
"I'm going to take one of Bruce's cars so I don't worry about you falling off." He stuck his tongue out to the side and I gave a little laugh.
"That is an interesting face." He then made it again and got up, putting on his jacket and turning off the Xbox.
I followed him down long hallways, walking closer than normal due to the eeriness of the hallways. We finally reached a big wooden door that lead into a huge garage. "Oh X'hal how many cars do you own?" I gasped.
"Twenty-two cars and twelve bikes, Bruce owns them though not me."
"Why does one man need so many cars?" I asked while Dick held the door open of a BMW i8.
"He collects some cars, keeping up appearances. People always talk when he shows up in different cars. Dick then closed my door and went to the driver's side. Once he turned on the car it purred and glowed neon blue. It was practically begging to be on the road "Now buckle up, this baby loves going fast."
He backed out smoothly and within minutes we were going 75 through the back side of Gotham. The lights of the city were so beautiful and blurry as we zoomed past and the beautiful car beneath us floated off the pavement. Too soon did I find the crummy and dark side of West Gotham approach while the car slowed down to a mere 45.
"Can you text me in the morning, so we can plan to meet up later?"
I was flattered that he wanted to see me so soon, but sadly I had work tomorrow night. As well as having to clean up the house that was most likely a horrible mess. "I would love too, but I believe I'm super busy tomorrow."
"That's okay, do you have a laptop maybe we can skype and go over some Gotham High paperwork?"
"That does sound tempting," I teased. "Of course thank you." I said as he pulled up to my shabby pizza shop house.
"Have a goodnight Kori, be safe." He said squeezing my hand.
"Thank you Dick, pleasant Shlorvolks." I then reluctantly got out and went up the stairs unlocking the door and watched him drive away once I got in.
Inside my step-father sat with his pants unzipped and a girl snoring on the couch. It smelt of vomit and urine and I wished I was back in Dick's room all warm beside him. I heard the noise of my father waking up and he looked over to me with drunken eyes and a dragging jaw.
"Where the fuck were you tonight?" He said angry and too drunk to take seriously.
"I was at work."
"No you weren't my buddy Nick went over there and he didn't see you."
"I was in the back tonight."
"So you didn't make shit."
"I made some."
"Good we need more fucking beer. Go to the store and buy some."
"Father its two in the morning."
"I don't give a fuck what time it is grab me some fucking beer." He then stared at me impatient. "Now!" and he threw a bottle at me, it rolling across the floor till it hit the wall. I ran out and stormed down the stairs praying that no one would mess with me.
The streets had litter all over and the homeless cowered in the corners and on stair steps. Hookers walked in their tall boots and short, short dresses and skirts with tops that let little to the imagination.
"Hey chick." One said to me and I tried to ignore it.
"Hey chick im talkin' to you!" the women said chomping on her gum.
"Yes?" I said looking at her.
"You got any smokes?"
"No I used the rest of mine up." I lied, hating doing it but knowing I had to.
"Oh well, thanks." She said returning to her corner and I continued walking to the drugstore. Once there I grabbed a case of beer, not caring what kind it was and walked to the cashier. It was the same smelly man with greased hair, face and shirts that had permeant pit stains.
"Just this," I said taking off my shoe and grabbing a twenty. He smiled a gap tooth smile and stared only at my chest.
"Have I ever asked you out on a date beautiful?"
"Yes, almost every time."
"Why is it that you turn me down?
"Because I am not interested." He leaned over the counter and his breath smelled of smoke and greasy hot dogs.
"I think you are." His hand reached out to me and I slapped it away.
"I just want the beer okay?" I said with anger in my tone.
"You and I both know you're not of age for drinkin, how about you suck me off and you get the pack for free." He then put his finger to his mouth. "I won't tell no body."
"I have absolutely no intention of doing such thing." I hissed.
"Then you can forget about the beer, I hope your father gives you a good smacking for not having any."
"Take the money," and I threw it at him and walked out with the beer. "Zorkmorking Clorbag." What a disgusting man I thought while I tucked the beer close to my chest and walked the three blocks to my house. My step-father was sitting down and the girl was between his knees.
"Oh X'hal!" I said almost dropping the case.
"Candy get up," he said trying to stuff his thing into his pants. "Grab me a damn beer!"
"I'm not your slave you know." She said getting up and taking the case from me.
"Just keep sucking if you want me to forget about the payment for your floor."
I hurried out of the room and locked my door shaking my head and putting on a T-shirt and flannel pants. I pulled the covers over my head and imagined I was in the future. The room was warm and a soft purple, everything was neat. My step-father was far far away from me and I was safe.
Soon I was sound asleep.