Real-ish

The Girl In The Chair

Cora~

The elevator ride down to the Cave was quick. I've already been here so I'm much less nervous. However, Mr. Wayne is probably going to be there. So I'm not totally relaxed, even with Damian's confession.

Dami's thumb strokes my hand gently. Every time he does, it sends tingles up my arm, but it calms me down at the same time. I can't tell if my thudding heartbeat is from his hand or my own nerves. Or maybe it's still from his outburst earlier.

I know I have a tendency to ramble, and spiral into my own thoughts, but I don't usually have someone around to hear it, let alone tell me to stop. Maybe that's why I can't calm down, or maybe it's that Damian admitted to wanting to see me.

The elevator doors open and it reveals the dark cave we first arrived in. I can hear low talking from somewhere close by. 

Damian leads me out and I see Tim, Richy, Jason, and Mr. Wayne standing around a large tv screen-looking device. I assume that's the 'batcomputer'.

"Jason, you're handling the Riddler, then Ivy. Dick, you're going to case Harley's last bombing to find her next target. Tim, you're going to check out the warehouse district for Two-face and penguin, they've teamed up for the week." Mr. Wayne's gruff voice becomes clear as we get closer.

I watch Dami straighten his posture and his hand is tense. I think mine is still sore.

"Father."

"Damian. You're with me for tonight. The Joker escaped Arkham, again." Mr. Wayne ordered. They both sound very formal towards each other. But maybe it's just the topic of conversation. 

Betty Boop dragged me to see Suicide Squad when it first came out. From what I can tell Harley is a little out of it most of the time, and the Joker is just plain crazy. I don't know much about any of the others Mr. Wayne just mentioned, so I will assume they're just as bad.

"Understood. When do we leave?" Damian asks, sounding more monotone than ever. Like a soldier.

"In less than half an hour. Get ready." Mr. Wayne orders in the same tone. I can see the family resemblance. Everyone nods and they disperse to get ready for their assignments, except for Richy and Dami, the latter currently attached to me.

"Hey, Cora! Are you getting settled in okay?" Richy says while walking over to us. Something lower catches his eyes, but he doesn't say anything. I fight back my blush.

"Yeah, Dami was just showing me around. The manor is beautiful." I say politely. The others don't need to know about how shocked I was. Everything is fine now.

"Sounds fun! Do you think I can borrow Damian for a quick second?" He says, eyeing Dami in a way I can't quite place.

"If it's alright with him. Do you know where 'Pennyworth' is? I haven't been introduced." I say, using air quotes.

"I'm right here miss Sanchez." Says a British voice from behind me. I jump and quickly spin around, my hand somehow letting go of Dami's.

An elderly man dressed in a nice-looking tailcoat stands with a stoic expression on his face. I begin to worry about being presentable. I was in a forest less than an hour ago.

"Oh, hello there," I greet, trying to play off my shock.

"Pleasure to meet you miss Sanchez, I am Alfred Pennyworth." He introduces, extending his hand. I take it and shake his hand the way my parents taught me. I see why Tim would go with Alfred for a code name. "Would you like anything while the boys are preparing?"

"Oh, no thank you." I decline, hopefully being polite. I never thought I'd be grateful for being dragged to so many business dinners.

"Very well. Would you like to watch over them with me while they are out?" He offers gently. He seems gently professional. Almost like my grandfather, who built his own business but still prefers to donate to children's hospitals.