Maria Helena Grayson (crossbow_bat) wrote in dc_nextgen,
@ 2010-11-29 03:20:00

Entry tags:

Mornings and pancakes
Maria was an aberration in her family, biological and adopted, in that she was a morning person. She woke up with the sun and was always in a good mood and full of energy. Uncle Bruce used to tell her to go back to bed or go find something to do when she woke him up at the crack of dawn by tugging on the sleeve of his pajamas.

This morning she was up early as always and in the kitchen making pancakes and dancing around the kitchen as she did.

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	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 09:30 am UTC (link)
	Maria put an arm around his and placed a hand on his arm. She gave it a little pat. "I promise that this won't be so bad. Who knows, you may even smile once or twice tonight." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

old_windbat
2010-11-29 09:38 am UTC (link)

He inwardly wondered how she had roped him into this. Bruce didn't say anything as he escorted her into the limo and took his seat. He instructed the driver to drive to a restaurant Bruce bought some time ago. It was a high society place, but with a variety of food.

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	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 09:42 am UTC (link)
	"Okay, if you're not going to talk or try to be social, can we sit here and make faces at each other?" Maria said as she sat back in the seat. "I abhor awkward silence and would have some fun if we made faces at each other." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 09:43 am UTC (link)
	Bruce sighed. "What do you want to talk about?" He didn't do faces. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 09:47 am UTC (link)
	He did do faces, just one though. A scowl. Although he did do it very well. "I don't know. I don't care. Anything really. How's Wayne Corp doing? What's the latest fashion trend? Are there any psychotic clowns in town? Did you ever get married or have a family? Why's the sky blue?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 09:50 am UTC (link)
	"Fine. I don't know. Yes. No and yes. Because it is." He paused. "Anything else?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 09:52 am UTC (link)
	"Somewhere along the way you lost the skill of small talk," she said. "What does that mean no and yes to the question about getting married and having a family? Let's elaborate a bit." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 09:55 am UTC (link)
	"I'm not married, but I have a family." He did adopt quite a few kids along the road to where he is today. "And I have a biological daughter." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 10:00 am UTC (link)
	"Do you see her often? How old is she? What's her name?" Maria asked. She had been raised to follow her curiosity, which she was sure this Bruce was currently regretting. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 10:03 am UTC (link)
	"Everyday. Seventeen. Marissa. You live with her." He was a little surprised that Maria hadn't noticed Marissa at all. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 10:08 am UTC (link)
	"Really? Huh. I haven't seen or heard her around the place. Then again I have been a little distracted by trying to catch up on this world and staring at a computer screen for hours." She tilted her head as she looked at him. "Do you have any questions for me? I don't want to be the only one having fun interrogating someone." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 10:12 am UTC (link)
	That wasn't hard to imagine. Marissa was often brooding about something, and she didn't make a lot of noise when she wasn't talking. "I have one question for you, but you won't like it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 11:10 am UTC (link)
	"Shoot. I wear big girl panties and can take it." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-29 08:53 pm UTC (link)
	"Who killed your parents?" She said they were killed, but never how. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

crossbow_bat
2010-11-29 09:01 pm UTC (link)

All teasing and joking drained out of her as if someone pulled the stopper in a bathtub.

"The Joker. It was a strike against Batman. Take out those he was close to. My parents were out on one of their date nights and got ambushed. Witnesses said they put up a fight, but were overwhelmed in the end."

She shook her head a little, trying to push back the memories of being five and being told your parents were dead.

"Needless to say I have no love of psychotic clowns."

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old_windbat
2010-11-29 09:45 pm UTC (link)

If it was ever possible for Bruce to put on a more grimacing look, there it was. He was just thankful that the current bunch of clowns weren't as capable as the Joker. But still, he felt for her loss. It reminded him too much of his own childhood.

So he was silent for some time. "I'm sorry." He truly wished she didn't have to go through that.

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	crossbow_bat 2010-11-29 09:49 pm UTC (link)
	"Thank you," she said with a small nod. "It sucked naturally, but overall I had a good childhood. Uncle Bruce made sure of it. He made sure I didn't forget them, but he wouldn't let it consume me. I couldn't have asked for a better guardian or parental figure." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-30 01:40 am UTC (link)
	Bruce didn't really have anything to say in response to that at first. He wasn't the best when it came to this kind of thing. "I see." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-30 04:39 am UTC (link)
	"Said the blind man who picked up a hammer and saw?" Her mouth really did runaway with her at times. "It's okay. It's the past. I can't change it. What I can do is live with it and move on. Which is what I do." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-30 06:50 am UTC (link)
	"Good. You need that kind of attitude to be in this sort of business." That was something Terry needed to learn when he became Batman, and it was something Marissa still hasn't learned. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-30 06:54 am UTC (link)
	"Did I hear that wrong? Was that a bit of approval?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-30 06:57 am UTC (link)
	"Don't get too excited." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	crossbow_bat 2010-11-30 07:00 am UTC (link)
	"Oh I won't. I know better," she said with a grin. The car pulled up to the restaurant and Maria was never one to wait for the door to be opened for her. She opened it herself and climbed out. She waited for Mr. Grumpy. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	old_windbat 2010-11-30 07:09 am UTC (link)
	Bruce got out and straightened himself out. He offered his arm for Maria before they walked into the restaurant. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

crossbow_bat
2010-11-30 07:19 am UTC (link)

Maria smiled and took the offered arm. She knew how to act for every situation, this one being no exception. She would be the model of manners and politeness. The filter between her brain and mouth would be put into place and not everything she thought would come out.

She had always loved going out with Uncle Bruce and he would never tolerate inappropriate behavior.

"I will say it now so I don't forget, thank you for coming out. I appreciate it."