The days blended into weeks, and before Bruce knew it he was staring at the ballroom set up for the Spring Gala he normally hosted. He hated it, truth be told, but he was supposed to be a billionaire playboy. So he supposed he'd have to host it.
That night Bruce tied Dick's tie around his neck, wetting a comb and trying to tame the unruly raven hair. Finally, he nodded his approval to his son. "You're all set, Dick."
"Daddy!" Scarlet called, trotting down the hall. She was in two inch heels, Bruce was slightly surprised she could do that. She looked stunning in a turquoise dress that flowed, with a sparkly top and green beading all the way down to the waist.
"I need you to zip me." she said turning around, revealing the zipper in the back.
Bruce nodded, fumbling. These tiny zippers weren't made for his huge fingers.
Scarlet giggled slightly, and Dick cracked a smile. They, too, hated galas, but the best part was having Bruce fuss over their appearance and seeing the pride in his eyes when they were all dressed up.
Bruce struggled, and Dick stepped forward, brushing his father aside. "I got it." he said simply, easily zipping up the dress. His fingers were smaller and he'd had an easier time with it than Bruce had.
Scarlet turned. "How do I look, Daddy?" she asked, hopeful.
"Beautiful, like always. You look like a princess." Bruce said. Dick wrinkled his nose. Scarlet had never been the princess type...
"Really?" Scarlet asked, looking disappointed. "I KNEW it was too girly. I'll go find something better..."
"No. You look like a warrior princess, Scarlet." Bruce quickly amended, and her eyes lit up.
"Go get 'em, tiger." Bruce said, smiling, and the seven year old lifted her skirt slightly before sprinting downstairs, eager to make her father proud.
"You go ahead too, Dick." Bruce said simply, and Dick nodded, trotting down after her. He would've normally slid down the banister, but with his nice clothes on he didn't dare.
Bruce smiled slightly. Hopefully his kids wouldn't find the gala TOO boring and wouldn't do something MILDLY out of the ordinary, such as hang upside down from the large chandeliers in the ballroom.
He grinned- he wouldn't blame them if they did. That was how dry these galas were, the men snobbishly talking about their plans and cars and wives, and the women, even the married ones, practically throwing themselves at him.
Still, he had to keep up appearances, and he made his way downstairs, into the hotel ballroom, and found a hundred people who he really couldn't stand but who all thought he loved them saying hello and smiling.
He took a glass of champagne and sipped it easily- he was going to need a LOT more alcohol than this. It was going to be a long, annoying night.
Roy stood, back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, one leg bent and the ball of his foot pressed against the wall, surveying the crowd with distaste. He hated all these galas, but they had to keep up appearances...
Oliver seemed to enjoy them quite a bit, actually, but only because of the women that FLOCKED him. Roy smiled, pulling out his phone and snapping a picture of the girls that were on his arms- at least four- all at once. He'd have a fun time explaining THAT to Black Canary.
Still, he was bored, and looked around, annoyed, searching for Dick and Scarlet.
He'd known both bat-siblings for years, now, and it didn't surprise him when Scarlet appeared from nowhere. She sighed, leaning against the wall beside him, crossing her arms.
"Bored?" Roy asked.
She nodded. "Totally."
"Want to dance?" Roy asked. It was a spur of the moment thing, really, and Scarlet looked up at him, surprised.
"I-I don't know how to dance." She admitted.
"I'd let you stand on top of my feet. You aren't heavy, and besides- it beats standing here, doesn't it?" Roy asked.
She hesitated. "What if I don't like it?" she was watching the women in low-cut dresses parade across the floor, now, looking uncertain.
"Say the word and I'll walk you off the floor. I'm your older brother, for crying out loud. I wouldn't force you to dance with me if you didn't want to."
Slowly, Scarlet nodded. "Alright. But just one song."
Roy nodded and gently led her onto the floor. She looked around at the dancing couples, looking uncertain.
Roy gently place his hands beneath her own and smiled encouragingly, and when he stepped back she stepped forward, slowly settling into the song and only stumbling here and there.
"That's it." Roy said quietly, and she looked up, giving him a proud, gap-toothed grin.
The song ended a few minutes later and Roy gently lead her off the dance floor, back towards the wall.
"Did you like it?" he asked, holding her hand as they wove their way through the crowd.
She nodded eagerly. "It was fun." she said, smiling. "But I don't wanna dance with anybody but you."
Roy felt his heart melt for a minute as he looked at her- sweet seven year old face, gap-toothed grin, he was so lucky he had a sibling like her. They settled back against the wall, then- they were both in better spirits than before. Maybe galas weren't so bad...
It was then Roy saw him making his way through the crowd. Blake Preston. He narrowed his eyes, unconsciously moving closer to Scarlet, as though shielding her. He knew this boy, had seen the way he acted around girls. The way he kissed them, some of them five years younger than him, the way his hands moved along them while they danced like they were some piece of fine cloth he wanted to caress...
Blake was twelve, average height, blonde with freckles, and a general snob. Plus, he liked girls. Liked? No, that was the wrong word. More like he EXPERIMENTED with them, tried them out like some new toy, seeing what experience each one could provide...
Some of them were eight or nine, and Scarlet was seven... The closer Blake got to them, the more Roy knew what he wanted. And there was NO WAY he was going to let that happen.
Blake flashed a charming smile at Scarlet. "Hey Scarlet- You want to dance?"
Scarlet had unconsciously moved closer to Roy and she shook her head. "No thank you..." she said quietly, blue eyes still wide. She'd seen Roy tense up, there was something bad about this kid...
"Come on? Please?" Blake asked.
Scarlet simply shook her head, now leaning against Roy, who put an arm around her shoulders.
"Aww... why not?" Blake asked, looking hurt. So he was trying to guilt her into this, now...
"She said no, Blake. Get over it." Roy said, arms crossed. He was trying not to scowl at the boy. Still, Blake's charming expression changed to one of hate as he crossed his arms, looking up at Roy.
"I wasn't asking you, Harper."
"Well you got your answer. Now leave." Roy said firmly.
"Maybe I'd like to stay around for awhile until Scarlet changes her mind." Blake said, and both boys glared at one another for a moment.
"Fine. Scarlet and I were just leaving..."
Blake put out an arm to stop them. "Come on, Scarlet? What's Harper have that I don't got? He's a ginger- he's got nothing on me. I have EXPERIENCE..."
"Shut up." Roy growled.
"Aw? What's the matter? Is Roy-Boy jealous?" Blake asked in a whinny voice.
"No, Scarlet doesn't know what 'experience' is yet. And I don't want her getting any... disease... from you. Let's face it, you're a walking petri dish- mono, STD's... I'd be surprised if you haven't gotten any."
"Roy? What's an STD?" Scarlet whispered, looking confused.
"Stupid Tubby Dude. Now come on, Scarlet..." Roy ushered her around Blake, who's hands were now clenched into fists. He was slowly turning a dark shade of purple, but Roy didn't notice as he and Scarlet walked away...
"Harper- get back here you jackass!" he yelled, sprinting after him.
People stopped talking to stare, but Roy didn't turn. He could hear each footfall the snob's shined dress shoes made on the floor, hear each breath he took...
Roy whirled, sinking the heel of his dress shoe into the boy's ribs as he lunged at him. There was the satisfying rush of air that left the boys lungs as he hit the ground, gasping, the wind knocked out of him. Roy nodded to Scarlet. "You should probably move away now." He said quietly.
She nodded, ducking into the crowd.
People had gathered around Blake's gasping form, now, and Roy knelt before the boy, yanking the boy's torso off the ground by his shirt collar.
"Now let me make one thing clear, kid. You'll get a lot worse than this if you try and mess around with Scarlet Grayson again. You hear me?"
Blake, who was still gasping painfully, nodded, and Roy smirked. "Good." there was a thud as he freed his finger's from the boy's shirt fabric and he hit the ground, more painful gasping, but Roy simply moved through the crowd, glad he'd gotten his message across. NO ONE messed with Scarlet.