2012-09-27 Nightwing's Kitten

Starfire had finally gotten brave enough to venture outside of the Tower. Of course, she hadn't had anyone with her when she left but she quickly found company. And said company seems to have helped her find... whatever is in the box she's carrying as she walks back into the Tower itself. Well, floats. Whatever.
The medium sized box is cradled very gently against her body and she seems to be humming softly. One can almost /feel/ the energy she's just barely containing. Whatever happened while she was out has the Princess quite pleased!
Nightwing has been getting ready to go off on a mission for a couple of days -- he'll be going alone and has left Magik in charge while he was gone. He's currently on his way from one room to another reading a tablet with information, presumably about his upcoming mission. There's a notification over the comm units that Starfire has walked back onto the campus of the Tower and he changes direction to intercept her.
Star is completely oblivious to any announcement and is quite happy to continue her song and move along on her way to find... Oh! There's Nightwing! Yay!
The Tamaran Princess fairly beams. "Nightwing!" One might think she's had a little too much caffeine. "I have something for you. I saw it when I was out and simply had to get it for you!" She makes her way over to him and ever so carefully sits the box down on the closest table. "If you do not want it, I will understand."
"Princess," Nightwing greets with a nod. He wasn't quite expecting the gift so he pauses when he's presented with the box. "I...where did you get the money to pay for things?"
"Jynn.." She blinks a moment and reaches into her top, producing a napkin which she holds out to Nightwing. "That is his..uhm... cell phone! number. He said to have someone here help me anytime I wished to contact him..."
And then she remembers what she was originally going to say. "Jynn helped me find it. It did not cost anything. They were giving them away at the shop." She smiles brightly. "You never seem to truly smile which is a sad thing. You have a very nice smile when you decide to show it. I thought, maybe, this would help you smile more."
Nightwing gives a sigh at the mention of Jynn, "I've met him. He seems very eager." He then looks at the number and then at the Princess, "You do realize that he was probably hitting on you. That's why he gave you his number." Either that or...the kid knows a little too much. He'll have to watch him.
"Giving them away?" Nightwing approaches the box warily before he goes to open it. "I smile..." is offered almost defensively. He just hasn't had much reason to of late.
Inside the box, curled in the corner and fast asleep is a deep grey kitten with sleek, short fur and a black triangle on it's chest.
"He never hit me," she defends her new friend, not quite understanding what Nightwing is saying. "I don't see you smile very often. It makes me sad." Her head tilts off to one side. "If you do not wish to keep her, I will care for her."
Just then, the kitten wakes and blinks beautiful blue eyes up at Nightwing before mewing softly and stretching.
"Hit on...not hit. It means he wants to date you." Nightwing isn't too sure how else to explain it. "Have you been watching television at all?" He then blinks at what's inside the box.
Alfred is going to love this.
He stands there for a moment before reaching in to scoop the kitten up into a gloved hand. "Thank you. That was very kind. I...don't think the Tower is really the place for a kitten, but I can take her home." Maybe a kitten around the Batcave is just what's needed.
Starfire smiles as the kitten begins to nuzzle against Nightwing, purring as loudly as she can. Honestly, the little thing is just now old enough to be completely away from it's mother. When he mentions not keeping her at the Tower, there's a brief look of saddness that touches the Princess' features before she nods her head. "I understand."
She lowers herself to the floor and walks over to offer a hug and a light kiss to the cheek. "I meant what I said, Nightwing. You should smile more. Otherwise I will make it my personal mission to see to it you smile at least three times a day."
Nightwing isn't going to scoff at a kitten. "It's just not a safe place for her here. Maybe she'll be able to come visit...but thank you. No one's ever given me a kitten before." He even keeps the kitten there as Starfire gives him that hug and kiss on the cheek, "Why? You barely know me. I appreciate the gesture, but a lot of what happens here isn't really much to smile about. It's...serious business."
Starfire chuckles softly. "And you didn't know me at all yet you offered me a place to stay where I would be safe. You still don't know me, but you make an effort to make sure I am adapting well and that I'm okay. You make the effort to help me understand your world, it's people and it's culture."
"Yes, what happens here is serious. I understand that but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't find a reason to smile. Even if it's at something small. You help people, Nightwing. Those that are unable to help themselves for whatever reason. You're an honorable man from what I have learned so far." She reaches out to lightly touch his upper arm, offering a soft and sweet smile. "If you do not find a reason to smile, what you do will consume you and then you've stopped truly living. You merely survive on auto pilot."
She reaches out to pet the kitten with her other hand. "Everyone should smile. There's always a reason. If when you hurt or are scared or confused... Injured or stressed... There's always a reason. You have friends. People that care about you... Smile because you are wanted in their lives."
She lifts those emerald eyes to his. "And if you cannot smile because of all of that... Then we will find the things that bring you joy so you do smile."
Speaking of, actually, "If you haven't already, I'd like you to talk to Superman or Supergirl. Or both." He hesitates before offering, "They're not from Earth either and may be able to offer you some insight into what it means to be here now. Also, Martian Manhunter in the Justice League." The name should be fairly self-explanatory that he's also not from Earth.
As for his not smiling as often, "I smile when I feel I should. Otherwise, it just gets too creepy." It is, however, also very hard to keep a serious expression with a purring kitten snuggling into one's neck.
Starfire continues to lightly and tenderly pet the kitten snuggled against Nightwing's neck. "She will need a name..." And then the alien Princess nods her head. "Superman, Supergirl or Martian Manhunter. I will speak with them, of course. Thank you, Nightwing. You'll never know how much what you do for me means to me." She leans in to give his cheek another light kiss. Just a friendly peck, really.
She takes a step back from him, remembering about personal space. "I am glad you like her. The mark on her chest is what reminded me of you." She points to the design on the front of his uniform. "You have been preparing for many days now... You have somewhere you must be?"
Nightwing nods, "Yeah, I have to take off in a little bit. How about you take care of her until I get back? You have food and a litter box and a water bowl for her, right?" He goes to pull the kitten off of him but ends up cradling the little thing in an arm for the moment. "She does need a name, yes. Since you picked her out, why don't you pick out a few you like?"
He seems about to say something else before he bites that back. "We should really get you out of the tower more. Maybe meeting with the Supers and the like will help you figure out how you want your life to be here."
Star can't help but smile as she watches Nightwing with the kitten. It's a sweet and endearing sight, really. "What were you going to say?" Her head tilts curiously.
When he mentions getting her out more, she bows her head. "Of course. I imagine my presence here is rather cumbersome, all things considered. I deeply apologize." She keeps her head down. "Yes. She has everything she will need. The woman at the shop gave it to me when I got the kitten."
She's silent a moment before, "Please stay as safe as possible, Nightwing."
"It's not cumbersome, but staying in here isn't going to give you a broader sense of what's out there. Many folks here are interesting, but...not always terribly cheerful and I'm afraid that we're bringing you down." Nightwing finally hands the little kitten over, almost reluctantly. "You also stay safe. If you want to call that Jynn guy, the folks down in the lobby can help you place the call."
The kitten is taken gently and she offers a smile. "I do not believe I will call him from the Tower, no. Thank you though." She knows he seems to make Nightwing nervous. "You are mistaken but I will abide by you request and make an effort to get out more." She's still terribly curious about what he stopped himself from saying but isn't going to push it.
The kitten is placed back into the box, which causes her to meow her protest. "She will be in my room. If I am not here when you return, you have my permission to enter and retrieve her."
Nightwing nods, "When I get back, we'll look into having you join the group. Then you'll at least get a stipend and you won't be stuck here with nothing really to do." Or something. Right. "I appreciate the thought behind this, Princess. Believe it or not, I'm fine...just a little stressed. As I've told others, when I'm in the uniform, I take most things very, very seriously."
Starfire smiles. "Kori," she correct gently before nodding her head. "I would be honored to join your team and follow your leadership." And then there's a soft chuckle. "I never thought something was wrong, Nightwing. Just that you should smile more. It's good that you take things seriously though. I hope one day, you'll trust me enough to give me the chance to know your other side and see you enjoy life." She reaches out to once again light touch his arm. "If you ever need to talk... I'm a good listener."
Nightwing nods, "Kori." He looks at the touch on his arm before looking back to Starfire, "It's very sweet that you're concerned. Maybe one day. Right now...everyone here is too new and there are just too many secrets." Too many he's not sure if he should be trusting.
The Princess nods her head and smiles once more, drawing her hand back. "The offer always stands. I know what it's like to need someone you can go to... Confide in... A clear head that will help you take a step back some times."
Reaching out for the box, she casts a glance at him once more. "Solace. You should name her Solace. Or Haven." Another smile. "When things get rough and you feel like you have no one else... She'll always be there. She won't judge. She'll always listen. And if you let her, she'll always make you feel better."
"And she'll eat your toes and climb you like a tree as well. Oh, Kori...you are in for a surprise. Kittens have two modes: On and off." Nightwing does grin then as he nods to the kitten, "Right now, she's off. When she's on, she'll be zooming about and getting into everything."
Starfire blinks and looks at the ball of fur that's once more curling itself into a ball in the corner. "She is so sweet looking though!" There's a look of pure shock on the orange woman's face. "Why do they eat toes?" She blinks those pure green eyes at Nightwing before looking back at the kitten. "She attempted to crawl into my hair when I first picked her up... It was... endearing. I do not believe I would like her trying to climb my body, however!"
Nightwing actually does laugh at that -- her expression with the sleepy kitten is just too much! "Sure, she's sweet. That's how they get you to not want to murder them after they've torn things up and made a mess. It's their defense mechanism." He looks down at Kori's feet, "Well, maybe not eat, but she might nibble. And I bet when she's awake, she'll love playing in your hair or really, anything."
Starfire's eyes widen dramatically and she lets out a small yelp,lifting her feet from the ground and sitting cross legged mid air only to gather up the floor length mane of hair and pile it into her lap. "No one said anything about this behavior!" There's a moment of silence. "I've changed my mind. I'll be putting her in your room!" Her voice is a cross between amused and playful.
"I don't really have a room..." certainly not one that he keeps any real stuff in. "But if you want, I'll take her home where she'll be looked after." Because Alfred has always wanted to chase a tiny kitten around the Wayne Manor, he's sure. Nightwing is grinning now, "Like I said, it's their defense mechanism."
That causes Star to blink several times. "You don't...?" She hms softly. "That does make it a little more difficult to turn her loose in there." A light laugh comes from the woman as she lowers her feet and releases her hair. "No. I'd like to watch her while you are gone. It will be fun, I think."
She looks back at the kitten and then to Nightwing once more and smiles. "She is awfully tiny to be such a terror and yet... I can see it." And she giggles. Truly giggles before sobering. "You go alone into this?" Yes, she worries for the man who so completely welcomed her and has kept her safe.
"I never had kittens, but I've known people who did." Between his traveling childhood and then living in the manor, it was never really an option. "I've seen them go crazy. Did you get toys to play with her too? So maybe she won't destroy your things?" He also looks back at the kitten and gives a smirk, "Don't ever be deceived by someone's outside, Kori." The smirk fades when she asks about his mission, "I do. I'll be fine. Magik's looking after things here while I'm away."
Starfire blinks several more times. "She... needs toys?" No one told her anything about toys! There's a slight look of panic to the woman. "I was unaware of this." Panic turns to worry. "I will have to see what I can do about aquiring some for her."
Her looks turns quite serious. "I know I must seem very niave to you, Nightwing. I know I am very clueless about your world and I can imagine how it makes me sound." And now she smiles. "Despite that... I'm not as... What is the word... I understand more than you might think about reading people and understanding the situation at hand. I'm not as easily fooled as you fear but... Thank you for looking out for me." She offers a nod then. "I have not had the pleasure of meeting her yet."
Nightwing shrugs, "Crumple up some paper and she'll probably love it. Everything's going to be a toy for them anyhow. Just make sure she only eats the kitten food and nothing else." He then turns back to Kori, "All right, I'll keep that in mind then." There's a brief pause then before he adds, "I appreciate your friendliness, Kori, but I'm not mixing work with pleasure right now. It's too dangerous for all involved."
Starfire is silent for a moment before the transformation in her is evident. Her back straightens, her jaw sets and her shoulders square. "Very well, Nightwing. You will get no more attmpts to be a friend from me. My apologies for your discomfort." Her tone takes on a formal sound. "Perhaps you were correct and the kitten should be taken to your home before you depart. I wish you luck on your mission." And with that, she turns to stroll out of the room. The more she learns about what it seems to mean to be on a team on this world, the less inclined she is towards joining one.
He knew it should have remained unspoken. There's a deep sigh before Nightwing murmurs a quiet, "I think maybe you aren't as astute as you say..." before he looks to the sleeping kitten in the box. "Come on...let's get you out of this box and into a real home. There will be tons of stuff to play with..."
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