Chpt. IX: Breakfast

Dick stood at the kitchen counter waiting for the coffee machine to drip the coffee into the glass container. He looked at a nearby clock hanging above a window. It was almost 11:00 AM.

Dick sighed heavily. He was surprised he hadn't slept in longer. Bruce had kept him up the night before. He had pestered Dick the night before with questions about the arrest. He had asked what Detective Gordon had asked Dick. Dick told Bruce everything, but Bruce kept worrying. He was paranoid till Gordon had called Bruce himself. The two talked, & Bruce eventually backed off of Dick. Dick didn't go to bed till after midnight, though. He couldn't managed to get himself to sleep. He kept having nightmares.

Dick shook his head. He didn't want to think about it. He just focused on the coffee dripping into the glass container.

After a few moments, the glass container filled up almost halfway. Dick shut the coffee machine off and poured it into a white mug. Just as Dick was about to take a sip, there was a knock at the front door.

Dick sighed and took a quick sip of the coffee, then walked to the door.

As Dick opened the door, he immediately wished he had looked through the peephole in the door. It could have been a businessman Bruce was expecting. Maybe it was a Playboy Bunny coming to visit Bruce. Maybe it was a random stranger coming to rob Bruce. But when Dick opened the front door, he found the teenage boy Dick saved from the alley the night before.

The boy wore the same red hoodie he wore the night before. He had a few scars & bruises around his face, most likely from the fight he endured, possibly from elsewhere. He was a few inches taller than Dick, & surprisingly looked a bit more muscular. Dick wondered how the he couldn't have managed to fight the attacker off on his own.

The boy smiled. "Hey," he simply said.

Dick nodded. "Dude, how the fuck did you know where I live?"

The boy's smile faded. He raised an eyebrow. "Uh, well, I remember seeing you leave with Bruce Wayne. It's not that hard to find a millionaire's mansion."

"Billionaire," Dick corrected. "Dude, aren't there, like, guards at the front gate or something?"

The boy looked back behind him and shook his head. "No, just a big metal gate with a big W on it. There was a intercom on a keypad by the gate, but I didn't think I could use that without an appointment or something."

"So you sneak onto my property?"

"I'm not about to call to see if Bruce Wayne has a free lunch break to take the time to let me thank his son for saving my ass."

Dick opened his mouth, ready to respond quickly, but that last part caught him off guard. "I'm not his son," Dick said softly.

The boy stared at Dick for a moment, dumbfounded. He scratched his head, like an ape would when confused. Then he snapped his fingers at Dick. "Right, you said your name was Mason."

Dick pursed his lips. "Grayson," he corrected. "Dick Grayson."

The boy nodded, holding his hand out. "Sorry, my bad. I'm Roy Harper, in case you didn't catch that last night either."

Dick shook his hand. Just as he pulled his hand away, Dick heard footsteps approaching from behind. He spun around quickly, almost startled. He only found Alfred walking over slowly.

"Master Grayson," Alfred started. "Good morning."

"Morning, Al," Dick said as Alfred approached him at the doorway.

"You know, sir, it's my duty to tend to welcoming guests," Alfred said softly.

Dick looked up at Alfred, slightly confused. Then it registered through his head. "Oh. You answer the door around here. Oops."

Alfred nodded. "All in a matter of time, sir." He turned to Roy. "Would you like to come in, sir? I can get breakfast started up."

Roy held a hand up and shook his head. "No, thank you though."

"Very well," Alfred said, nodded one last time before walking off into the kitchen.

Dick watched Alfred walk away, then turned to Roy. "So what are you doing here, man?"

Roy scratched the back of his head. "Well, uh, like I said. I wanted to thank you for saving my ass last night. I thought maybe I could, like, buy you breakfast."

Dick stared at Roy for a moment. "Buy me breakfast?"

Roy nodded. "Breakfast."

Dick's eye began tracing Roy, moving up & down his body. He looked back up at him. "I'm flattered, but I don't roll like that."

Roy raised an eyebrow in confusion. Then it seemed to click in his head. "Bro, it's not a date. For fuck's sake, I'm only taking you to Stingaree's."

Dick made a face in disgust. "The pirate place?"

Roy nodded. "Yeah. They have breakfast there, right?"

Dick let out a loud sigh. He took one sip from his coffee & turned around. He nodded for Roy to step inside. "You're taking me to Starbucks," he simply said before walking over to the kitchen to get rid of the coffee.

Before he reached the kitchen, Dick heard more footsteps approach him from behind. "Wait, what's going on?" Bruce asked, walking over in a smooth grey suit, looking good & ready for the day.

"Ray & I are getting breakfast."

"Roy."

"Roy & I are getting breakfast."

Bruce looked from Dick to Roy & back to Dick. "I guess it's alright," he said. "Do you have a car to take him?" Bruce asked Roy.

Roy shook his head. "I came in a motorcycle," he admitted.

Bruce nodded. He turned to Dick. "I have a few other bikes in my garage, come on."

Roy waited by the door as Dick followed Bruce from the living room to a corridor that led to a large garage with bright lighting, filled with expensive sports cars, luxury cars & a few off-road vehicles. Towards the back were 6 motorcycles, some dirt bikes, some sport bikes, & some cruisers.

"Dick," Bruce softly said from across the room. Dick turned back, realizing Bruce hadn't walked one step from the door. Dick was already at the end of the garage.

Dick nodded at Bruce. "What's up, man?"

Bruce walked slowly over to Dick with his hands slid into his pockets. He sighed. "I don't know if you should go out today."

Dick let out a groan. "Dude, the cops aren't going to arrest me again. I'm gonna be fine."

"Gordon told me about your involvement with Nolan Drake," Bruce admitted. "He told me that the underground fight club has some ties to a few weapons trading with some city gangs, & I don't want you to go out & have someone come after you."

Dick was silent for a moment. He thought back to how much had been revealed to Gordon the night before & whether or not Rodrick & the others revealed more to him. He then considered how much of THAT was revealed to Bruce. "Is that all Gordon told you?"

Bruce shrugged. "That's what I understood from his phone call, yeah."

Dick nodded. "Well, I'll be fine. I don't know what else to tell you." Dick turned back to the bikes. After a second, he turned back around. "Why is Gordon telling you any of that? Isn't that, like, classified stuff?"

Bruce shook his head. "I'm your legal guardian. I have the right to know what's going on with you & the law if your life is at stake."

Dick eyed Bruce. "That's another thing, Bruce. You're apparently my legal guardian now, but where did you get that finalized? Did you go to the orphanage? Because I wasn't there. I haven't been there for a while, & anybody there would've told you the same. So who the hell let you adopt a kid who didn't even live there?"

Bruce bit his lip. He looked down at his feet. Dick felt that Bruce was holding something back. "Pick a bike, Dick," Bruce simply said.

Dick shook his head. Clearly he didn't have an answer for Dick.

Dick turned back to the bikes, with a slight smug grin on his face. A black & green sports bike called Dick's attention.

Dick slowly made his way over & swung a leg over the bike. He rested on top of the seat & gripped the handlebar of the bike. He leaned close to the front of the bike, trying to imagine riding the bike.

"This is a sexy motherfucker," Dick mumbled.

Bruce nodded. "I named her Alexa when I bought it," he said. "Actually, I was your age when I got it."

Dick shot a stare back at Bruce. "Just give me the keys, man."

Dick grasped the warm plastic cup in his hands. He took a sip from the coffee & thought about the taste. It was hot, so it burnt his tongue a bit. But nothing was as bad as having to drink water from a boiler room in an abandoned subway.

"What about her?" Roy said in a low voice, nodding to his left.

Dick sighed. When Bruce gave him the bike, Roy & Dick had immediately rode out into the city without another word. Once they had arrived to the coffee shop, Roy offered to buy Dick his coffee, as a thank you for the night before. While they drank, Roy repeatedly asked Dick for his approval on countless women & their appearances. Dick was beginning to grow tired of the game.

"Yeah, man," Dick mumbled. "I guess she's hot."

Roy nodded with a slight smirk. He subtly watched as the girl had walked from the counter across to a table where she met up with a few friends. Dick glanced back, noticing the three other girls sitting with the girl Roy checked out. Of the four that sat at the table, one redhead with blue eyes caught Dick's attention. She was pretty, Dick couldn't deny that.

Dick turned back to his coffee & took another sip, hunched over like a tired old man after a long day's work. He savored the bitter burning sensation on his taste buds.

Roy opened his mouth to speak when Dick beat him to the punch. "Alright, dude," Dick started. "This has been bothering me all day. I have to ask, though. Why are you really here?"

Roy raised an eyebrow. Dick realized how bushy they were. "What?" he asked. "You said you wanted Starbucks. I offered-"

"No, no, not that. Why are you taking me out at all? You don't know me. I happened to save you from getting your ass kicked, & you want to repay me with an awkward cup of coffee while you googly eye some chicks that quite frankly look a bit too young for you? There's something else you want. Is it money? Are you looking for money? You knew I was with Wayne, so you wanted his money. Is that it?"

Roy swallowed slowly and looked down at his lap embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "I'm not from here. I'm from Star City. I only came into town to visit my brother. I might be here awhile, & I guess I'd like to have a friend while I'm around, you know? To have at least one familiar face that isn't my brother." Roy gestured to Dick. "And with the way you kick ass, I'd be stupid to not try and befriend a guy like you."

Dick eyed Roy. The way he spoke, it seemed genuine. Maybe Roy was telling the truth. Maybe he really did just need a friend. A familiar face. Maybe Dick was paranoid with trust issues.

"Familiar face," Dick mumbled. "I suppose I get that."

Roy nodded. He held up a finger. "Speaking of kicking ass, that dude wasn't kicking my ass. I just want to make that clear."

"Dude, the guy was pounding on you."

"I let him."

Dick opened his mouth to speak, but found the words wouldn't escape his lips. He tried not to giggle. "Wait, you LET him kick your ass?"

Roy let out a groan. He began to explain, using his hands to emphasize each word slowly. "I have a problem. I guess you could call it anger issues. Maybe. But when I fight, & adrenaline starts pumping, & I get angry, I really lose control. I hurt people badly. I put a few in a coma."

"Been there, done that," Dick mumbled as he took another sip of his coffee.

"I'd like to think that having restraint & willpower to know when to fight & when not to fight is more rewarding in the long run," Roy explained.

Dick let out a chuckle. "Right, because winning isn't everything."

"Exactly."

"It's just the only thing that matters," Dick finished with a grin.

Roy let out a small chuckle. Dick took another sip from his coffee when Roy spoke again. "So, dude, okay, when you came to the alley, you were coming from the police station, right?"

Dick looked up at Roy. He began to feel suspicious & on alert, like a spotlight being shone on him. It felt like he was back in the interrogation room. He then remembered the spotlight that shone on his face a year ago that brought him to his most vulnerable. Roy wasn't as bad, but he still made Dick nervous.

Dick nodded. "Yeah man, I was."

Roy nodded. "I was there too for a bit," he said. "Those assholes are completely useless, man. I went in to file a missing persons record but they told me it's not a case unless they've been missing for three days or something."

Dick raised an eyebrow. "Eesh, that's fucked up," Dick mumbled. "Who's missing?" Dick asked, hoping to keep the conversation away from him.

Roy looked up. "Just an idiot who owes me a beer."

Dick looked down at his drink. He knew he wouldn't get a real answer. Dick didn't blame him. Vagueness was the only way of getting by in Gotham.

Roy took a sip from his drink. "What were you doing at the station?"

"Nothing," Dick said a first. He shook his head. "They needed to ask me some questions. I guess I served as an informant in a way."

Roy looked at Dick straight in his eyes. "Before I was mugged, I heard Bruce Wayne yelling in the street about a break in."

Dick bit his bottom lip. He shrugged. "Well, it wasn't exactly a break in," Dick started. "In fact, it wasn't even remotely a break in. I went to this house, looking for a friend, & her parents turned out to a little weird & looney. They fucking called the cops on me, & then I was questioned as an informant."

Roy's eyes widened. "Wow," he said. "That's fucked up." He looked down at his drink. "You said 'she.'"

Dick looked up at Roy. "You're right."

Roy raised a curious eyebrow. "She must've been one hell of a girl for you to go to jail for."

Dick let out a chuckle. "I suppose," he said softly. "It led me nowhere, though. I just wanted to see her now that I'm back in town, & I have no clue where the hell she may be."

Roy looked down at his drink. He kept quiet for a moment. Dick looked around the coffee shop awkwardly. Roy then stood up from his seat. "Going to the restroom," he mumbled as he passed Dick.

Dick watched as Roy walked to the back, into a restroom. Dick took another sip from his drink. He wish he knew more about where Cheyenne had gone off to. He didn't want to risk talking to her parents again. He DEFINITELY didn't want to speak to the cops again. They didn't seem to know much about where she had run away to in the first place.

What would happen if Dick ended up finding Cheyenne? Would she be happy? Would she care? Would she even recognize him? Suddenly a thought crept into Dick's mind that made his heart grow tense in fear. What if she didn't like who Dick had become…?

Dick blinked away the tears that had snuck up on him & turned around in his seat. He saw the same group of girls from earlier sitting at the table. Dick looked at the redhead again. After a moment, she glanced up, noticing Dick looking over. She smiled, then looked down shyly. Her friends seemed to notice the redhead smiling to herself. They glanced over at Dick & began giggling. The started whispering amongst themselves & waving at Dick. Dick let out a soft chuckle & waved back. He had never really been hit on before. It was a good feeling.

Dick then started thinking about Cheyenne again. He remembered first meeting her. They were both so young. He really had no interest in girls at that point. Once he got a bit older, he had developed a crush on her. He never knew how Cheyenne felt, though. He liked to think she felt the same way. He never acted on his feelings. Maybe he should've.

"Okay, Dicky," Roy called as he appeared from the back of the coffee shop. He walked back to the table with a sudden swagger that hadn't been there earlier.

Dick watched as Roy took a seat across from him. "Don't call me that," Dick said.

Roy nodded, but went on. "Okay, what time do you have to be home?"

Dick thought about it. "I don't," he answered.

A grin grew over Roy's face. "Next question: Do you believe in magic?"

Dick stared dumbfoundedly as Roy continued to grin. After not getting a response, Roy cleared his throat. "Magic, dude. You know, witchcraft, sorcery, dark arts, gypsies, all that sort of stuff. Anyway, I know a dude in town, Giovanni or something, he owns this little shop. It's weird, I won't lie. He sells books written in old dead languages & jars with what looks like body parts from small animals. At first, I didn't think I should trust the guy, but he turned out to be so jolly & nice.

"He did that tarot reading thing on me. I got this card that said Eight of Pentacles, I'm not sure what that meant. Then there was a Strength card, & a Hanged Man. Now, that one scared me. It was reversed. The card apparently represented an outdated relationship, & a sacrifice should be made to let go of something, or someone. Something like that."

Dick nodded, unsure where the conversation was going. "That's really vague, fuck tarot cards."

Roy scratched his head. "Yeah, but the way he talked to me, it was vague, but accurate in a subtle way. Then he pulled out a fucking crystal ball. He made me place my hands on it, & he held his over mine. He started, like, seeing something. He was the one who told me about my missing friend." Roy looked down at his drink, suddenly in deep thought. Dick watched as he shook the cup. Roy hadn't realized it was empty.

Roy looked up at Dick, finally getting to his point. "You mentioned your friend. You were looking for her. I can bet you this Giovanni guy can find her for you. Whether it's some weird mind reading or hypnosis or God knows what, he can do it."

Dick pursed his lips. He leaned forward towards Roy, feeling his heart pound steadily. "How can I be sure this is legit? You find your way to my house, buy me coffee, & now wanna take me to some creep psychic dude? How do I know you're not some low life who's scheming to fuck me over in the last minute & kill me or steal from me or something?"

Roy stared at Dick seriously. "You've got bad trust issues, man," he said with a scoff. Dick remained silent. Roy sighed, then continued. "Look man, honestly, you're right. I could easily just be a con artist prying on the adoptive sons of rich men. You have no way of knowing for sure, though. You'll just have to take a leap of faith."

Dick let the words soak in for a moment. Faith. That was a word he hadn't heard in what felt like ages ago. It almost had no meaning. Dick sat bad, considering the possibilities. "Okay," he started, "sure. Maybe you are a good guy. But I don't trust psychics. They usually just rip you off & take your money while just talking bullshit, right?"

Roy shook his head. "This guy was pretty accurate, man. It didn't feel fake like with other people. I actually FELT something happening to me while he read my mind." Dick's face indicated that he still wasn't sold. Roy cleared his throat. "I'll pay for your reading, so they'll be ripping me off & not you, how's that sound?"

A small grin rose in the corner of Dick's mouth. Dick continued to consider the possibilities. "And this guy could read my mind...to find Cheyenne?"

Dick stared at Roy, waiting for an answer. For a brief moment, Roy was in a bit of a shock. Dick realized he hadn't mentioned Cheyenne's name before. "Yeah, dude," Roy said softly. "They most likely can find her. Use your mind & connections to her to locate her, something like that."

Dick continued thinking about the situation. Roy actually did seem trustworthy; Dick really was just a bit paranoid, he had to admit. Roy would pay for the psychic, so if it did turn out to be a scam, Dick wouldn't have much to lose. On the off chance that it wasn't a scam...he might actually find out where Cheyenne was. He could finally talk to her again. He needed to see her desperately.

Dick sighed. He grinned softly. "Alright dude, abracadabra, let's go see some psychics."