Blue Eyed Dreamboat | R. Grayson

[18]

Silence engulfed them as they got into the subway but as they finally found seats, Jason spoke up, "so you're friends with Irene?"

"I am," he replied, "and Ashton is nice too. I think by now I'm on good terms with both of them."

"Alfred says you're on good terms with everyone," the boy remarked, noticing a slight smile on Richard's face, "seems like that is your superpower. Literally everyone I have met has nice things to say about you."

He shrugged, "I have my fair share of people who don't like me. Though I think they are mostly from Jump City rather than here."

"Why did you leave?"

"That's personal." The silence returned at Richard's brief remark. But then getting bored of that silence, he eventually added, "I was being petty. But I'm glad things are sorted out between me and B now."

Jason nodded his head, thinking about what to say to mend the conversation. However, Richard beat him to it as he asked next.

"What are your hobbies?"

That slight awkwardness dissipated as Jason began to tell him about his hobbies. He shared that he loved reading plays and wanted to become a theater actor someday. Richard listened attentively, giving input about his hobbies as well when asked.

Richard too had a fondness for theater plays but he was more inclined to play the narrator instead of a character. His other hobbies included book reading, basketball, and playing the violin which Jason immediately asked him to show him when he got time.

The ride passed pleasantly from then onwards and soon they got off at the station close to their home. It was a short walk back to Wayne Manor and by then Jason had eased up around him.

"Hey, why don't you come with us on patrol?" He asked as they took the familiar turn and paused in front of the large gates.

"Because I got fired."

"I am sure Bruce would take that back. You just said you guys sorted everything out."

He sighed softly, "I know, I just... Don't want to, I guess."

"But why? Is it because I am Robin now...?" 

They had come inside and there was silence all around as Alfred was probably busy doing some other tasks on the upper floors.

"No, it's not that," Richard himself paused to think about why he was not eager to patrol alongside them, "I think I should have a separate identity for myself now. You're great at being Robin, I don't want to be an overbearing predecessor to you by donning the same identity and making things confusing."

Jason understood by then that their insecurities were more or less the same. Both boys had had a different upbringing but the life they now lived made them be worried about the same things.

"You're not overbearing," he admitted honestly, "if anything, you're awesome. I feel bad I couldn't see that earlier and kept avoiding you."

Richard smiled at the compliment, feeling the urge to ruffle his head lightly, "it's okay. There's no use dwelling on the past and we're good now."

"That we are," he agreed but then spoke up, "still, I want you to come out with us on patrol tonight, if Bruce doesn't have a problem with it, that is. I kinda want to see what would happen if both of us gave the criminals a scare."

Jason was all for theatrics and in his head, he was already thinking of an elaborate maneuver to trick the thugs they might encounter that night if there were two Robins instead of one.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Richard couldn't bring himself to say no. Jason might give the first impression of being a brash, violent kid but once he opened up, he was actually fun to hang around.

And by then it was safe to say that Richard was starting to accept him as a younger brother fully. As a result, he found himself agreeing to the request without further convincing."Alright, but only if Bruce allows."

"Sure, I will ask him myself. This is gonna be awesome," the boy grinned, steel blue eyes glinting in mischief.

***

Irene was lying awake in her bed, unable to go to sleep.

There was a lot on her mind, to say the very least. She was thinking about that day at the museum with Richard, the trip to the food street and then dinner with her family as well as the two Wayne boys.

Ever since she had met Richard, a lot seemed to have changed in her life.

The clock was ticking the hours by and she still couldn't sleep so she got up, fetching her register which she used to jot down ideas for new stories. Just like she had a love for reading, she was fond of writing stories as well but hadn't yet completed any of the works she had started.

She wrote mostly in her registers and kept them locked in her cupboard like a treasured possession. And from the past few weeks, she hadn't gotten the time to write anything.

That night as sleep was far from reach and her head was cluttered with so many thoughts that all deviated to the boy with the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, she decided to write something to distract herself.

Switching on the night lamp at her desk, she opened her register and pulled the stool closer. 

The blank page stared up at her as she uncapped her pen, thinking about what to write. It was impossible to write anything else when her mind was full of Richard. So she ended up writing about a character based on him.

She gave that character Richard's good qualities that she had gotten familiar with the more she had spent time with him. Everything about him that pulled her close; his eyes, his smile, his friendliness, and the way he made people feel comfortable was added to the character she was forming for a story yet untold.

She did not yet know whether that character was going to become a part of any of her previously written yet incomplete stories or whether she would have to start a new one. But it was quite evident that the person by whom that character was inspired was slowly but steadily fulfilling a very significant role in the story of her life.

Perhaps it was too early to say that she was falling for him. Perhaps what she felt was just an attraction that could fade with time.

But whatever the reason, his addition to her life had brightened things up both for him and for her. And deep down she was confident that she wouldn't give up her friendship with him for anything.

Even if they could not be anything more than good friends, she was glad to have him around and felt grateful for his presence.

***