Back In Business (OTA)

[gothambird]

Since finding the keys to the store that had been passed down through various members of his unusual family since it had opened here in the village, Dick had spent his time working there. After the events of the last week, he needed the distraction, both of the store itself, the customers and the trapeze and high wire that hung from the third floor

Comments

I'm off to bed in a minute, but wanted to get this up

[hastointerpret]

Leonard was out, exploring the village. Sheldon was driving him crazy - as usual, and he had to get out, get some fresh air. Well, some company other than Sheldon.

He'd explored many of the shops in the village - including, he was happy to see, a comic shop, that vital slice of home. Now he was moving along, and spotted a shop called 'Outer Limits'. Well, that got the science fiction geek interested, even if it was camping equipment and sports gear. Definitely not normal Leonard wear.

"Hi," he said as he entered, smiling at the man.

Heh, that's what he said. SORRY. SORRY. HAD TO.

[gothambird]

The young man with dark hair behind the counter looked up with an easy smile.

"Hi," he tilted his head, unable to remember seeing the other guy before, which was strange. Dick had a great memory, trained by the best, and he remembered most of the faces in the village by sight if not name.

"You must be new here."

Lolol!

[hastointerpret]

Leonard was glancing around the shop, but turned to the man as he spoke. He seemed friendly enough, and Leonard responded to the smile with one of his own.

"Oh, hey. Yeah, fairly new. Been here a couple of weeks. Trying to figure out what there is here, you know?"

:)

[gothambird]

Back when he was running the welcome center, Dick would have plied him with fliers, a map and all sorts of supplies, unfortunately he didn't have any of that behind the counter, which was something he made a mental note to remedy.

He sized the new guy up with friendly, bird-quick blue eyes. He looked like the sort of guy who wasn't exactly into rock climbing, but intelligent, a little awkward, and honest if not sort of geeky in an endearing way. Dick decided he reminded him a little of Wally without the flash force, and liked him immediately.

"Well, we mostly sell tents and sports gear here, but we've got some pretty cool gadgets in the back" Dick flashed a quick smile. "Been to the comic book store yet?"

[wasnthischild]

Chris wandered into the store taking a look around. He wasn't sure what he might really look at or if he was just going to visit but he didn't see any reason not to go. He shoved his hands in his pockets thoughtfully.

[gothambird]

Dick looked up at the shape entering the store and smiled a little, tired.

"Hey, Chris. How's it going?"

[wasnthischild]

He smiled back at him,"It's been going ok. Been a little busy lately."

[gothambird]

"Busy with the Opera house?" he asked, leaning across the counter. "I heard about the new production, congrats."

[batmans_batman]

Alfred knew that Dick was hurting, of course. Only his fondness for Roy had prevented him from seeking the man out and demonstrating that an angry old man could still do a lot of damage. Alfred had his own romantic ups and downs, and had been on both sides of infidelity coin in his time. He knew that Dick would feel how he would feel, and only time could sort that out.

In the meantime, though, there were necessities in need of attention. It wouldn't do for a young man to go without a proper lunch, so Alfred arrived at the store carrying a familiar large basket.

He amused himself by looking at climbing gear whilst Dick attended to a customer.

[gothambird]

Dick finished up with the customer and sauntered over, smiling at the sight of Alfred examining the climbing gear.

"Tired of using the elevator to get up to the third floor, Alfie?" he asked, looking a little more eager and a little less exhausted at the sight of the basket.

[batmans_batman]

"One must be prepared in the event of an outage, young sir." Alfred said drily. "I've overprepared for lunch, so I thought perhaps I'd bring a little something by." It was a gentlemanly sort of lie, of course, and one well-known in the Wayne family.

"How have you been keeping?" Alfred was, of course, worried about Dick. In an household with such overly-clever occupants, many things turned into an opposing mirror sort of 'Person A knows that Person B knows that Person A ... ' and so on. Alfred didn't need his glasses to tell that Dick hadn't been sleeping so much, lately.

[gothambird]

"Of course, there are always the stairs, but-" he patted Alfie's shoulder, lightly before he gave the older man a fond, much needed squeeze around his shoulders, "stairs are for suckers."

He smiled down at the basket, gratefully, "you always make too much."

Dick shrugged, knowing even through Alfred's refined manner that the man who was his father as much as Bruce was was genuinely worried about him.

"I'm doing okay," he said, honestly. "I mean, could be better. But the store's been keeping me busy, and everyone's been stopping by to cheer me up. Not that I need it." Dick crossed his thick arms over his chest. Everyone except Roy, which was, he supposed, a blessing in disguise. There were moments he wanted to see the redhead walk in, moments he was sure he'd throw something at him if he did.

"How's it going with you guys?"