Closer Than Your Shadow

Death Factory

November 28th 8:36 a.m.
Gotham
Pane

Lindsay walked into the small room holding a cake that was clearly too heavy for her. She carried it all the way to the counter and groaned when she let it go. She shook out the cardboard and it collapsed into a big rectangle.

"Are we still on for 9 tonight?" She asked while closing the box, taping the sides down and blowing strands of brown hair out of her face.

"Yeah, but I'm picking the place this time . Last time you chose the most crowded bar I'd ever been in. It was a fucking hazard."

"It wasn't crowded, it was just at maximum capacity," she said with a smug smile on her face.

I laughed as I filed some order sheets away.

Whenever she went back into the kitchen, I was alone with my mind, and I was thinking about Robin.

I had figured the rain would have made him get us an Uber, but we swung back to my apartment soaking wet holding onto each other. I wanted to ask what he was going to do about Dom. He never once told me what he was thinking. He just shook his head and picked me up to whisk me away. Then he up and vanished as soon as we got to my fire escape.

"Oh hey! It's you!" Lindsay said to someone in the hallway.

I raised my head to see who she was talking to. He walked through the door with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"You came," I dropped my phone and straightened up.

"I really want that coffee." Dick walked in and sat down in front of my desk.

His eyes seemed a little darker than they were a few days ago.

His hair was tussled and falling into his eyes, probably from the wind, but it wasn't that windy now that I thought about it.

I was starting to over analyze him.

I brought out an order sheet and a red pen. White cake, 3 tiers, flowers. Of course, I had gone and memorized his order.

"I figured I would have scared you away after I slammed into you the other day. I hope I didn't ruin any of your clothes."

"Honestly, it just made me think about coming more." His eyes were piercing into mine and my shoulders dropped. "My clothes on the other hand were stained, but I hated the tie anyway, so you did me a favor."

"Did I? I liked the tie." I answered and looked down at the sheet. Besides the plainness, I didn't even know what type of cake he wanted. "Did you know what flavor you where looking for?"

"Well since it's my cake, I suppose I can pick it myself. Do you bake?" He asked.

"Oh no, I just take the orders and Sal and Lindsay make it in the kitchen." I pointed my pen down the hall in their direction. "Everything I touch burns; I can cook like three things and my inner chef clocks out."

His lips turned up, "Your inner chef huh? What do you recommend then?"

"Red velvet's always been my favorite and Lindsay crumbles some on top of the icing, but if you want a white cake, I can put a little note."

"No, no it sounds perfect," he gave me a reassuring nod. It sounded like he was just getting whatever I said. I drew a few dollar signs at the bottom with a B. W when he looked away.

Zack stomped up to my desk with order forms in his hands.

"Sal told me to give these to you." He gave a grunt and turned on his heel. He looked at Dick then did a double take to confirm that Bruce Wayne's kid was in our bakery.