Milk And Cardamom | S. Brown ✔

[24]

With Deathstroke not turning up to haunt Luke for the next few days, he thought perhaps the man would just let him be. It was a weak hope but at that point he had gotten a lot bored to stay holed up for long.

He hadn't really stepped out of the annexe since that night except for occasionally paying Dora a visit, but right then he felt a sudden urge to get out of there.

He decided to go to the coffee shop first then take a tour through the city before evening fell so that he would catch the bus and be back home without any accident. He had wanted to capture photographs of all the important landmarks Gotham offered, especially the gargoyles.

Though capturing the gargoyles in a shot would definitely be tricky as he might have to climb Gotham Tower to able to get a close up, but once Luke set his mind upon something, he always found ways to accomplish it.

That was one of the very few things in him that were inherited from his father. Just like Slade, Luke was very determined and downright stubborn when it came to following his own decisions.

So even though it would have been safer for him to stay at home so that Deathstroke wouldn't get a chance to catch him again, he decided against it and made up his mind to go for sightseeing in Gotham.

Camille was waiting for him at breakfast when he came downstairs. She had noticed his bag and camera that clearly indicated he was going out for sightseeing after breakfast.

"I take it you feel much better now," she remarked as she watched him sit down.

"Yup."

"And you're going somewhere?"

"I'm going to see Dora first then there are a few places I want to take pictures of. I'll be back home by evening and don't worry, I won't miss the bus."

She nodded, "take care."

"You too."

Finishing his breakfast, he bid farewell to her then finally stepped out of the annexe. The fresh air struck him invitingly as he walked to the nearest bus stop, feeling a lot better to be out in the open.

The bus had arrived on the stop so he quickened his pace and got on board just in time. Since it was early in the morning, he didn't have to stand as there were plenty of seats empty so he took a window seat and plugged in his headphones.

Luke found music soothing; it was a pleasant noise to drown all the unwanted sounds in. A rhythmic background to overlap the screams that echoed in his subconscious even though years had lapsed since he had been free from his father's captivity.

He got off at the bus stop closest to Dora's Coffee Haunt then walked over to the shop. He knew there was no doorbell yet and the Closed sign as till up so he called Dora when he reached the door.

Shortly after the door opened revealing Dora who had a bright smile on her face upon seeing him. And though he never smiled often, seeing her so radiant was always contagious and a faint smile tugged up on his features as well.

"Breakfast?" She asked as she closed the door behind him.

"No, Cami was up so I already had breakfast."

"Right, come in to the kitchen, will you? There is still some time left for us to open the shop so me and Steph were baking the cakes and Al has been fixing the coffee blender."

At the kitchen she gestured him to go in but climbed the stairs that led to the top, saying she would just be back in a while.

Lucas stepped in, inhaling the delicious aroma of coffee and cakes wafting throughout the kitchen. Alex was busy fixing the coffee blender and he greeted him without looking up, "morning, Luke."