Life's Canvas

Finger painting

Chapter 4: Finger Paints

Life's Canvas

Chapter 4: Finger Paints

The tour through Wayne Manor proved to be rather enjoyable for both parties, Richard finding himself captivated by her fiery personality. She was a rarity, in truth. A quick wit and sparkling eyes, but the most caring of demeanors and a gentle innocence he found compelling. They had ended up in the foyer again, standing quietly. Kori was observing the left staircase with great interest.

"I understand I should probably begin my painting... that way we can make a trip to the gallery building tomorrow... but this banister is simply beckoning to me..." she murmured, half to herself. Richard cocked his head to the side with a curious light in his cerulean eyes.

"What's so interesting about the banister?" he asked, baffled. Kori looked at him, a childish little glimmer playing on her features.

"Have you never wished to slide down it?" she inquired. Richard shook his head slowly.

"Not really... but if you want to, have at it. I'm not gonna stop you from your fun," he smirked. Kori beamed.

"Truly?" she asked, quite excited by the prospect. Richard nodded. Kori gave a rapturous little squeak and darted up the stairs, her bare feet seeming to nearly fly over the marble steps. He watched with an amused smile as the free-spirited girl positioned herself at the top of the banister, holding herself steady. He arched a brow, and Kori winked, releasing her hands. She slid swiftly down, giggling madly as she flew around the banister's graceful curve.

As she reached the end, she expertly stopped herself by grasping the banister firmly on either side of herself. Kori smiled widely at him. Richard walked up to her and offered a hand, which she took elegantly, hopping lightly off. "Now we can get to work!" she proclaimed, holding her head high and aloof. Richard chuckled.

"Right, so this is where my hand comes in?" he asked. Kori nodded absently, darting back up the stairs and out of sight. She seemed to have adjusted, with almost curious ease, into the manor. Richard waited patiently, and moments later she returned with her large suede bag. Trotting past him, she plopped abruptly down in the center of the foyer and began to rummage in her duffle.

Finding the desired items, she began to produce little jars of paint, setting them around herself in a half circle. She then pulled out a large canvas, which she laid before her, and plucked out a pallet. Richard observed the painting with interest. It was abstract, with flowing lines and muted colors, but a bold black striped severed the canvas into halves. She smiled at him.

"Do you like it?" she asked softly. Richard nodded.

"It's great... so where exactly is my hand supposed to go?" he asked. She pointed to the lower left of the painting.

"Here. It'll be in red. I call it... Spring Robin, because the colors reflect the spring, and the black line as well as your hand print represent the brilliant boldness the red-breasted robin brings as he comes back from the winter," she sighed distantly, a rather whimsical and dreamy look in her eyes. Richard stared at her. Well that's ironic. Come back from the winter? Bah, his mother's 'Little Robin' had died with his parents... never to come back from the winter. Richard snorted, snapping Kori from her day dream.

"You don't agree?" she asked sweetly, a trace of hurt in her jade eyes. Richard quickly shook his head.

"No, it's fine! I was, uh, just... never mind. So, can we get this over with? I'm bound to loose all my dignity if anyone ever finds out I was sitting on the floor, finger painting with a crazy artist," he shook his head, but none the less sat down beside her. Kori shot him a look.

"I'm not crazy, just free," she giggled and jabbed him in the arm. Richard rolled his eyes. Kori clucked softly, but grabbed his hand. She swiftly tugged the paint brushes from her hair for use, and Richard found himself momentarily lost in the blazing curtain of silk that tumbled down her back. Two slim tendrils fell forward and framed her face. She sighed and attempted to shake the hair from her face, but it was stubborn.

Kori gave up and returned to the task of Richard's hand. She dipped one of the brushes in a jar of bright scarlet paint and smiled. As the cold paint brushed his hand, he gave a quiet sound of distaste, but only elicited a snicker from his companion. Soon, his hand was covered in bright vermillion and Richard inspected it with detachment. "Now, put your hand print right there," she indicated the spot on the canvas again, and Richard complied grudgingly. As he lifted his hand off the canvas, Kori gave a coo of satisfaction.

"Perfect! Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked chidingly. Richard grunted. "Oh, come on, you know it was fun," she smiled. He lifted a brow but said nothing, standing to his feet first.

"I don't do fun. Just like Raven. That's why we get along," he snorted. As he moved off towards the kitchen in order to wash his hand, he paused, and with a swift movement he had pressed his thumb to Kori's nose, leaving a rather large red blotch of paint. Kori gave a protestant whine and she crossed her eyes in attempts to see the spot. Richard snickered and departed to the kitchen. Kori hastened after him, now having to clean herself as well.

"Indeed, well Mrs. Logan does to have fun! Her fun consists of reading the works of Edgar Allen Poe, but it is none the less fun to her," she retorted incredulously. Richard shook his head.

"Whatever, Kori. I think you are crazy..." he laughed softly, falling quiet to the sound of water rushing from the faucet. Kori found herself a paper towel and wet it generously, dabbing the pain off of her nose peevishly.

"Well, I suppose I should take being called crazy by a person who refuses to have fun as a compliment. Although, I'm seriously entertaining the idea you're simply in denial. It would do you good not to let me catch you secretly finger painting on your own!" she poked him in the side, causing Richard to side-step.

"Riiight. On another note, do you realize how unprofessional this is?" he asked, eyeing her still paint-speckled nose. Kori nodded blankly.

"It doesn't bother me, does it bother you?" she asked innocently. He shook his head.

"Not really."

Kori shrugged. "Then I don't much see why it matters," she gave him an amused little grin, to which Richard simply rolled his eyes.

"You're something else, Kori. Are you sure we're the same species?" he quipped. She seemed to ponder it considerably.

"I don't know, Mr. Grayson. I believe that's up to you to decide. Although I would be rather surprised to find you weren't human too," she retorted jovially. Richard gave a bark of laughter.

"Is that so? Well, off hand... so would I," he gave her a genuine smile. Kori beamed back at him. And Mrs. Logan had told her he was cold and irritable with most... she seemed to have been sorely mistaken, for the man smiling at her now was anything but. Old wounds were making fleeting appearances, yes, but to her; he was opening up just fine.

TT