Jericho

Joey and Motorbikes

'Hey, Joey. We're closing.'

Joey glanced over at the barista and nodded.

'Ok Sal, we're heading off now.'

He stood and Dick followed suit, pulling out his wallet to pay for the coffee he and his new friend had been drinking for the last three hours.

'Put your money away, drinks are on me.' Said the blonde, signalling to Sal to put them on his tab.

'You sure?' asked Dick, he wasn't used to not paying. Between Wally, Babs and the girls he sometimes hung out with, he always offered to pay.

'It's the least I could do for scolding you earlier.' His eyes glanced down to the subtle stain that was still gracing Dick's jeans.

Dick laughed and thanked him before looking at his watch.

'Holy crap.'

Joey looked concerned.

'Everything alright?'

'Yeh, I've just got this thing I was meant to be home for. My dad's gonna kill me.'

Joey's expression hardened for a second before relaxing. He watched Dick pull on his jacket and held up his keys for him. 'Don't go forgetting these again.'

'Thanks.'

They left the coffee shop and Joey looked up and down the street.

'Where's your ride?'

'A few blocks away. I left it at my friend's house, the one from earlier.'

'You want a ride?'

Dick considered the offer. On the one hand, he had only just met this guy, although he seemed nice and he had really enjoyed their conversation at the end of the day, he didn't know him. On the other hand, if he was late home for patrol, Batman was going to murder him. Tossing a mental coin in his mind, Dick made a quick decision.

'That would be great thanks if you've got the time?'

'I don't have anywhere to be, but you do. Come on, my bikes around the back.'

Dick paused for a second. Bike? When Joey had offered him a ride the presumed the guy had a car. But sure enough, round the back of the shop was a motorbike not dissimilar to his own, just an older model.

'Nice wheels.' Said Dick, he had to admit the model may be old but the machine was in perfect condition.

Joey swung his leg over the seat before pulling a helmet out of his bag and tossing it at Dick. He chuckled when Dick hesitated.

'A lot more people will miss your pretty face than mine. Now, are you coming or what?'

There was an underlying sadness to that statement, but Dick decided not to pry, he really didn't have the time. Swinging his leg over the seat he settled himself behind Joey. He'd been a passenger on a bike before, of course he had, but that had been with Bruce and with Roy (and Jason on a particularly bad night that he didn't really want to think about). But this was a stranger.

Joey seemed to sense his hesitation.

'Dude, you're going to have to wrap your arms around me. Otherwise, you're going to fall off.' The blunt statement shook Dick out of his stupor. He pulled the helmet over his head and wrapped his arms around the blonde. He felt the mans back shake and knew he was laughing at him.

'Where are we heading?'

Dick gave him the directions and Joey started the bike. It hummed to life and Dick unconsciously held tighter. As they sped down the streets, Dick couldn't help but notice how well Joey controlled the speeding vehicle. He had to admit, it almost rivalled his own skill. Almost.

All too soon they came to a stop just in front of Dick's bike.

'This your ride?' Asked Joey, stepping off his bike to get a closer look at the other.

'Yeh.' Said Dick, suddenly self-conscious. He was aware how expensive his bike was, it had been a gift from Bruce on his 21st birthday. He took the helmet off and handed it back to the blonde.

'It's nice.' Said Joey, 'You really wanna leave it hanging around in a street in Gotham?'

'It's pretty safe sat outside this house.' Dick grinned.

Joey seemed confused before seeing the cop car that was parked just behind it.

'Cop's house?'

'Commissioners.'

'You a friend of his?'

'His daughters. But I've known him a long time too and I'm part of the force myself, over in Blud Haven.'

Joey seemed taken aback for a moment.

'You're a cop?' He shrugged approval when Dick nodded. 'I thought you were some rich kid, I'm gonna be honest.'

Dick chuckled sheepishly but didn't correct him. After all, he didn't technically live with Bruce anymore. Sure the old man had left him some money in his will, but as far as Dick was concerned, the money wasn't his.

'You better get going.' Joey reminded him.

'Crap, yeh. Thanks for the ride.' Dick fished his own helmet out of the back box on his bike, throwing his leg over and settling himself into the familiar seat.

'No problem. See you around, Dick.'

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

'You're late.' The stern voice of Batman filled the cave as Dick ran down the steps from the main house.

'I know, I lost track of time, sorry.'

'Batgirl headed out a while ago. Where have you been?' Asked Tim, eyeing him suspiciously.

'Nowhere.'

'Nowhere means you've been someone and you don't want us to know.' Said Jason, smiling at him wickedly. 'So Bird Boy, where've you been?'

'I went out for coffee.' Said Dick, taking his suit down from the cabinet.

'That was hours ago.' Said Tim, he and Jason both following Dick.

'Yeh with Babs, then I went out with someone else. It wasn't planned.' He shooed them away as he started to undress. Thankfully they disappeared. But he had to ask him why he suddenly felt the need to keep his evening with Joey a secret. It was just coffee, right? Dick shrugged off the feeling. Tomorrow he would be back in Blud Haven and the chances of running into Joey were slim. He finished pulling on his Nightwing suit and pushed the blonde out of his mind.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Joey rubbed his throat, throwing his helmet onto the couch. He hadn't talked this much since...well before he was mute. The evening's conversation had put a strain on the artificial voice box that rested in his throat. A strain that it hadn't been put through since it was placed nearly seven years ago. But he had enjoyed talking to Dick, the young man was a breath of fresh air from the kind of people he usually associated with or the people his father associated with.

Speaking of which, a message was on his phone. The name 'Dad' the only indication as to what the message held. It had been on his phone all day, but he had resisted opening it. He had been asking him to move to Blud Haven for the past few weeks. Asking. Joey huffed to himself. More like demanding. His father never asked for anything.

But, for some reason, the thought of moving away from Gotham didn't seem so bad tonight. The appeal of Blud Haven had grown. At least, he thought, smiling to himself, there's one person in the city I don't hate.