Making Waves

Chapter 14

Dick was having cereal for dinner, again.

It wasn't enough to fuel him, not even close, but maybe having several bowls of the stuff, coupled with the scoops of protein powder he had mixed into the milk would offset that. He was aware it wasn't healthy, but there was too much going on in his brain to dedicate any time to making an actual meal.

And to add to the stress, he knew something was slipping his mind all day. Something important, but he couldn't put a finger on it because every time he tried to recall what it was, every other thing he had been trying to keep at bay flooded in.

Even now, as he shoved another spoonful of colorful shapes into his mouth and tried to ignore the powdery texture of the milk, his mind swam with thoughts of Kai in the hospital bed, Blockbuster's elusive plans, what the hell beams in the ceilings with holes meant, conversations with Perseus with her hair blowing in the city wind looking strangely sad, Redhorn's weird selection for security detail, and then, at the bottom of the list, not due to unimportance, but because his training ensured he properly prioritized ongoing issues, the fact that Percy still had not called him, even she said she would.

Well, she hadn't actually promised anything, his brain pointed out, unhelpfully. Should he call her instead? Or was texting a better option? Which was more casual? Dick didn't usually have an issue making the first move, so why was he hesitant this time? What was stopping him? Maybe, he grudgingly observed, his prioritization skills weren't as sharp as he thought they were.

His watch buzzed with a silent reminder, indicating it was almost time for patrol, and he suddenly felt most of his worries melt away. He had noticed the phenomenon recently but was unable to explain it. Fighting bad guys had always been somewhat therapeutic for him, but lately, every time he found himself stepping onto his fire escape and flipping off, he felt his face lift a little. It was strange, sure, but he wasn't going to complain about being in a good mood.

Dick finished the rest of the bowl and drained the milk into the sink, vowing to never attempt to make cereal a balanced meal. It took him a few minutes to find his second escrima stick, but once he had recalled shoving it in the hall closet for some unknown reason, Dick strapped them both to his back and climbed out the window. Launching himself off the railing, he grabbed onto a high ledge and, right on schedule, felt his lips form a small smile.

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"Same time tom—"

An incredibly loud and offensive alarm blared from the street below, cutting off the rest of Dick's question. It beeped three times in a row at maximum volume, then quieted by a few decibels and continued to ring.

"Well," Perseus said, amusement coloring her tone, "That's just unlucky. Last one?"

Dick snorted in response, then held his arm out, gesturing her to go first. She took the lead, jumping off the side of the building to a railing on the opposite side. He watched as she then dropped the rest of the way down, tucking into a roll and coming up standing. He had noticed that she preferred that way of landing to the more commonly used one among other powered heroes. Dick silently agreed, not everyone had bones made of steel.

"Mind if we join the party?" he heard Perseus say, startling the man shoving a flat metal ruler down the window of a car.

Something nagged at his brain again, but then Dick leaped after her, the wind blowing past his ears, and it was forgotten. The man squeaked in surprise at the second arrival, freezing in place as he and Perseus caged him in from the front. He made one last half-hearted attempt to break into the car, to which they stared incredulously at the audacity, before Dick unclipped his escrima stick. Perseus pouted.