Hey everyone! Sorry it's taking me forever to update this.
Recently I've been wanting to write, but ideas have run dry, so if there is any prompts you guys want me to write either message me with the idea or review with it :)
THANK YOU!
L.L.A.P
~Laces
Chpt.5
"Where are you going?" Damian questioned when he saw Livy sprinting on the rooftops. At least, Livy interpreted it as a question because it sounded more like a demand.
"To help someone." Livy answered plainly as she continued to run.
Damian raised an eyebrow and silently followed after the girl. He had noticed that she seemed to be running around to different places to save people and he wondered exactly what people she was constantly saving.
They ended up in a place that Damian didn't like going. It was a part of Gotham known for its drug dealing and prostitution rings.
What the hell is Livy doing here? Damian thought with worry.
He spotted a woman in very revealing clothing talking to Livy, and Livy was talking back to her. What surprised Damian was that she was talking like they were friends with a friendly smile on her face.
What is Livy doing associating herself with that trollop? Damian wondered, and watched as Livy climbed onto a rooftop and followed the woman as she walked on the streets.
Several minutes passed until a large man ran up behind the woman, but before he could strike, Livy attacked from the rooftop, beating the man to unconsciousness.
The woman continued her walk to the doorstep of an apartment building, where Livy dropped by next to her, having returned to the rooftops after the skirmish.
Damian got closer to hear what the two were saying.
"Thank you so much, Red! I thought for sure that the guy would kill me."
"Not a problem Margret." Livy smiled.
"Seriously girl. Do you need anything? I got a friend who sells some weapons. Completely legal, mind you, but I can talk him into giving you a discount on anything."
"Thank, Margret. But I don't need any more weapons. I just want to make sure you and your friends are safe." Margret smiled, but then bit her bottom lip, like she was going to ask something, but then thought against it.
"Are you okay?" Livy questioned with concern.
"I'm okay. I'm fine." Margret informed quickly, trying to smile brightly at Livy.
"Margret," Livy placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "You can tell me anything that's bothering you. Anything. I'll do my best to help."
"Well… a friend of mine lately has gotten in trouble with her boyfriend. He's not good to her at all and she can't leave. I know that you can't do much about this kind of stuff, but the guy has also several drug rings going. If I give you the information as to when he'll be selling, can you try to arrest him. Hopefully then my friend can get away." She explained.
"Friend, huh?" Livy whispered as she looked at a bruise on the woman's arm.
"Please. If it isn't too much trouble." Margret whispered.
"Here, write down the info you have on the guy." Livy said with a small smile as she handed the woman a pen a paper.
After Margret handed the paper back to Livy, the teen pulled out a roll of hundred dollar bills and placed it into Margret's hands.
"Red, you don't have to-"
"Give that to your friend. It's to help her get away once I make sure her boyfriend is in jail."
A small smile formed on Margret's lips.
"Thank you." She whispered and couldn't help but hug the girl. "Thank you." She repeated, and Livy hugged the woman back.
Livy departed from the woman's apartment shortly after, and was planning on attacking the man, Lucas Duke, the next day. He would be selling drugs not too far away from her normal patrol route
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Damian growled as he appeared behind her.
"Helping people." Livy informed calmly.
"No you're helping prostitutes."
"They're people too y'know, and besides, it's not like they pay me anything. And they know some information is I need any. They really are nice girls." Livy shrugged, not seeing much of a problem.
"They sell their bodies for money!" Damian exclaimed, and Livy didn't like the tone he was taking.
"Most of them don't have a choice!"
"Are you saying prostitution is good?"
"I'm saying that prostitutes deserve our help too!"
"They get our help when they're dead and we find their murderer." Livy was finding it hard to not punch Damian.
"I'm trying to prevent murder in the first place!"
"That isn't your job!"
"Oh!? It isn't my job!? Then what the holy hell is my job, because I was under the presumption it was saving people!"
"Your job is to protect good citizens from Gotham!"
"Define good!"
"Good is people who are not prostitutes!"
"So what? If I keep saving prostitutes that means I'm not doing my job? So are you gonna fire me?"
"Batman will-"
"Last time I checked, I don't work for Batman. I work for a guy called Red Hood. He's my father in case you forgot!"
"And he approves of what you're doing?"
"I'm saving people, of course he does! Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to head home. Unless there is anything else you want to scream at me about."
"Do you feel the need to protect prostitutes because your adoptive mother was tolerant of them?"
Livy glared at Damian.
"I don't think that's any of your damn business." She growled. With that, she was gone, leaving Damian alone on the rooftop.
~*~*~*~*~Two Weeks Later~*~*~*~*~
"So what other books do you recommend?" Livy inquired leaning on Colin's register. The boy looked at her, surprised.
"You finished all the books I recommended?"
"When you travel the world, books become your best friend. I'm a bit of a fast reader." She shrugged.
"Ummm… okay. Have you read City of Bones?"
"Yup."
"Clockwork Angel?"
"Yup."
"Clockwork Prince?"
"Yup."
"Clockwork Orange?"
"Yup."
"Percy Jackson and the Lightning thief?"
"Yup."
"Mark of Athena?"
"That's out!?"
"Yup. I held aside a copy for you in case you didn't read it. These books sell out quick." Colin informed with a smile.
"Thanks Colin! Seriously this is great!" Livy beamed ear to ear as Colin rung up the book.
"So, how've ya been?" she inquired, and Colin shrugged.
"Can't complain."
"How's Damian?" Colin smiled at her, shaking his head.
"He's been grumpy."
"Grumpy, huh?"
"Yeah. Apparently you've done something he has dubbed as unintelligent and disgraceful." Colin informed, and Livy shrugged.
"Yeah. I've been helping prostitutes." Livy said, but then smiled as she thought of the letter that Jillian had gotten from Margret.
Margret had gotten away from Gotham the second Livy put Lucas Duke behind bars. Apparently she was working part time at a grocery store in Pennsylvania and was working on getting her college education.
Jillian made sure to share the letter with Livy, and it made her smile.
She didn't care what Damian said. Prostitutes were people, and if they needed her help, they'd get it.
"Helping prostitutes, huh?" Colin smiled. "I don't see anything wrong with that."
Livy liked Colin. He didn't see things so black and white like the others. Colin knew that there were grey areas that couldn't be ignored.
"Well, apparently Damian thinks it's some sorta sin." Livy huffed.
"Have you talked to him about it?"
"To Damian? I hardly ever can have a conversation with the guy without shouting." Livy stated and Colin sighed.
"So that would be a no, you haven't talked to him." Colin handed the book over to Livy. "Listen, I think you should talk it out with him."
Livy sighed, knowing that Colin was right.
"I haven't been in the mansion in years." She grumbled. She then smiled at Colin. "Thanks for the talk. See ya later." With a wave, she walked out of the store, leaving Colin to his work.
~*~*~*~*~Later~*~*~*~*~
"There's someone here to see you, sir." Alfred informed, and Damian looked up from the book he was reading.
"And who would that be?"
Livy peaked her head into the room, past Alfred.
"Me, ya idiot." She stated, then turned to Alfred, giving him a hug. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. Alfred Sir."
"You as well, Little miss." Alfred grinned, then left the room, leaving the two teens to talk. (and/or shout)
"Why are you here?" Damian questioned.
"To talk. Colin said it was a good idea." Livy informed, and Damian rolled his eyes.
"Tt. Colin also used to wear band aids on his face because he thought that they made him look cool."
"He was probably right." Livy shrugged.
"Is there any other reason why you came her besides talking about my idiotic friend?" Damian snapped.
"Well, you've seemed to be really pissed off at me for liking to help prostitutes, and I'm kinda pissed at you for not seeing them as human beings, so can we let bygones be bygones and agree to disagree? That way we can quit avoiding each other while on patrol." Livy smiled.
Damian grumbled a bit, but then murmured a,
"Fine."
"SWEET!" Livy exclaimed happily, but then paused for a second. Why am I happy to hear that? It's just Damian.
"I still don't like what you do though." Damian grumbled, his voice pulling Livy from her thoughts.
"Oh shut up." Livy said with a roll of her eyes. Suddenly the door busted open and there stood Dick.
"Grayson, what are you-" Damian started, but Dick cut him off.
"Alfred told me that you were here!" he exclaimed as he scooped up Livy in a hug. "Look how big and strong you got! Look at that muscle!" Dick exclaimed as he poked at her arm.
"Grayson, you are embarrassing the girl." Damian grumbled, not enjoying the site of his eldest brother cooing over the girl.
"No I'm not."
"No he's not." Livy informed as she smiled and hugged Dick.
"It's been such a long time. and look how beautiful you are!" Dick exclaimed, then looked over at Damian with a devilish smile. "Dami, don't you think she's beautiful too?" he questioned, and Damian snapped his book closed and marched out of the room.
Dick placed Livy on the ground, then followed after Damian.
"C'mon Little D. Just look at her. For a guy you're age, she's a catch!"
"SHUT UP GRAYSON!"