Trust Issues | Dick Grayson

four | tea talks

Dick. ✖️

I thought it would be awkward after my attempt to kiss her, but she was surprisingly extremely talkative. I mean, it's five in the morning and she's asking me about my favorite childhood memory.

"I really don't have any." I truthfully told her as I set our mugs on the coffee table in the living room.

Just as I was about to sit on the couch, she took a seat on the floor, right in front of the table with her legs crossed. I did the same and took a sip of the scorching hot tea.

My nose cringed in disgust as the taste hit my tongue. "Gross." I exclaimed as I set it back down on the table.

When she saw my face, a giggle escaped her lips. "I guess you weren't lying when you said you hated tea." She took a sip of her own, but instead of being disgusted, she looked content with it. "Thanks for the tea." She told me as her vibrant green eyes looked at me.

Her phone rang, making the smile on her drop. Probably scared of whoever was calling her, the thought of her having to live in fear saddened me.

She looked down at the caller ID and excused herself. "I have to take this." Valerie stood from her seat and stood by the door as she took the call.

I took this opportunity to be able to really get a good look at her. She was really good looking and even in my clothes that fit her baggy, she was still one of the most beautiful women I've seen.

I was trying to subtly look her up and down but I stopped when I notice what looked like a cut peek out of the bottom of the shorts.

It didn't look fresh but it didn't look healed either, more like it was in the process of doing so.

When she noticed me looking at the cut, I guess she took it as me checking her out and smirked. She mouthed the word 'perv' to me and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

She finally got off the phone and sat back down. She didn't look upset or happy, just neutral. "Was that Joker?" I asked, hoping the answer would be no.

"No." She smiled, "It was actually my mom, she just wanted to know how I was doing."

"Does your mom live in Gotham?" I took one small sip from my tea but I couldn't do it. I'd just get a soda instead.

"No," I walked over to the kitchen and left the mug by the sink. "She actually moved away 4 months ago." Grabbing a can of Pepsi, I took my seat in front of her again.

"You didn't go with her?"

She shook her head, "I had a steady job at the time, I didn't see the need to move out of Gotham."

"Maybe so you wouldn't have Joker trying to kill you?" I opened my can and watched as she didn't even react to what I said. "Which reminds me, are you gonna tell me the Joker story?"

"I don't think I'm ready to tell someone about that yet." She scratched the back of her neck. "Besides, I don't think we're at that level yet." She playfully  added.

"What about the cut on your leg?" I was halfway through the coke and I could feel the caffeine kicking in.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You ask a lot of questions."

"I do, don't I?"

"Well, I'm sure you already know who could possibly injure me like that." She was finally done with her mug, so I watched as she headed to kitchen.

"Joker?" I asked, already knowing the answer. I just wished she would tell me the whole truth, and not just fragments.

"Mhm." She hummed as she washed her cup. "I don't really have any other enemies that I know of."

"Are you scared of him?" I softly asked. I remember how Jason was when he came back, he wasn't the same. Even though he says he's past it now, he's still different after it.

I don't know Valerie's situation but it must be pretty bad if she's on his bad side.

"Sometimes." She told me, her usual cheerfulness again, "But most of the time, I try not to think about it."

"I'll try my best to protect you." I walked over to where she was. "I won't let him kill you."

"How romantic." She grinned. "But that really does mean a lot, thank you Dick."

It caught me off guard when she hugged me, but I didn't mind. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer.