See You in the Storm

5

Jason, is the biggest teenager I've ever seen. He has to be at least 6'4 and wider than a college linebacker. His dark, fluffy hair has a white streak through it, tan skin riddled with thick scars. I can't help but admire his muscles and he doesn't seem to mind the staring. 

"Jason," he says, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you?"

"Alina," I say, shaking his hand as firmly as I can. 

He holds on a second too long before winking, patting Dick on the shoulder and disappearing into another hallway. 

I watch him leave, wondering how much protein I would need to get that big. Damn. 

Dick is staring when I focus back, odd expression on his face. Probably from watching his lab partner ogle his brother. 

"Jason's sixteen," Dick says as we climb the stairs.

I hold my hands up. "I'm not into him just... damn."

He laughs. "Yeah, he gets that a lot."

We are on the 2nd flight of stairs when the conversation picks up again. This time, Dick asks about Peter.

"What do you mean?" I question.

He shrugs. "Don't get me wrong, he's nice, but you were running laps around him. Why'd you pick him?"

Because I didn't have anyone else. Because I know how it feels to be alone all the time. "No one else was going to."

"That's nice."

I scoff. "No, it wasn't. It's called human decency and empathy. It just makes me not an asshole."

"Language."

"I'm serious."

He bobs his head. "No, you're right. Boy, you always find a way to humble me, don't you?"

"Damn right I do." 

Dick opens the room to his door and the rest of my sentence dies in my throat. 

The walls are navy blue, floors dark wood, and there is massive window on one wall to match the size of his room. His bed, is the size of my kitchen. The desk I bump my hip against is covered with books, superhero figurines, and notebooks. There are movie posters all over the walls of his room, Polaroid photos of his life, and drawing taped on every surface. 

I eye one drawing, it's Dick and a little boy, probably his youngest brother, they're fighting with light sabers and Dick seems to be arm-less and losing. 

"My youngest brother, Damian, he likes to draw."

I spin on my heels, noting what seems to be at least fifty similar artworks around the room. "He did them all?"

Dick nods. "I've saved every single one he's ever given me and when I find the ones he throws in the trash I save them too." 

"He's good," I hum, sitting on the floor. "What do you want me to work on?"

He sifts through the notebooks on his desk before pulling out a green one labelled: SCIENCE. "I started a list near the back, the front has old biology stuff I think."

I open it, pulling a pencil from my backpack. He's started a materials page and below it an empty timeline. A printed calendar falls out of the page, every Wednesday marked with a green dot. 

"If you wanna do research and fill out that so we stay on track that would be great."

I nod. Planning is something I can do. "Yeah, got it."

Dick opens the door that leads to an all marble bathroom. I have to focus on keeping my jaw tight, otherwise I'm afraid it'll break from gawking. He sets his helmet down on a rack beside the door and grabs a stack of clothes on his dresser. "Be out in ten," He calls, shutting the door.