Working

The pizza guy stood behind the counter, spinning a pen between his fingers while the low hum of the overhead light buzzed. It was one of those slow Gotham afternoons. Rain teased the streets outside, drizzling just enough to make everything look like it had been rubbed with a bar of soap.

The bell above the door jingled.

In walked two people who could’ve stepped straight out of a comic book cover—minus the capes and costumes.

The woman was tall. Like, tall-tall. Six feet, maybe more, even without the heeled boots. She had copper-toned skin that almost glowed against the gloomy Gotham drizzle, long, fiery red hair that curled down her back like it had a life of its own, and a slim, athletic build with curves that definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Her purple crop top was—well, let’s just say it was working overtime, low-cut enough to earn a quick, surprised double take from the pizza guy before he politely looked away. Sunglasses sat perched on her face, but he couldn’t forget those eyes. He remembered them from the last time he’d met her.

‘B-big tits! It’s her!’

Or rather… delivered to her.

The time she answered the door completely, unapologetically nude.

Yeah. That was hard to forget.

Right now, though, she looked totally casual—well, Gotham casual. Like a model on her way to punch a demon in the face.

Beside her was a guy who looked like the human version of a well-pressed leather jacket. Dick Grayson. The kind of guy you instinctively knew had done at least three flips before breakfast. Dark hair, piercing eyes, dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie. Cool in a way that didn’t have to try.

The pizza guy put on his best smile. “Hey, what can I get you guys?”

Kory pulled off her glasses with an elegant flick and leaned forward, scanning the menu like it was written in ancient Tamaranean. She turned to Dick, speaking in a whisper that the pizza guy couldn’t quite catch, though he was pretty sure it included the word "mustard."

Dick gave a quiet laugh. “You really wanna try that again?”

Kory turned to the pizza guy with a radiant smile. “We would like one medium pizza, please, with banana peppers, green olives, pineapple, goat cheese... and a swirl of mustard.”

The pizza guy blinked. “Uh… sure. You… want that swirl before or after baking?”

“Surprise me,” Kory said brightly.

Dick chuckled behind her. “I keep trying to tell her that's not a normal combination.”

Kory turned to him. “I enjoy the chaotic flavors. It is a new human tradition I have created.”

The pizza guy had already started typing the order into the machine, nodding like this was totally normal. He glanced at Kory again—she looked so cheerful, so otherworldly. It made his memory flash to that night when she’d answered the door without a stitch of clothing and just… smiled. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Which, for her, maybe it was.

He wasn’t even sure she was human.

“Your order’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes,” he said.

Kory nodded, then turned to Dick and wandered toward a booth. Dick followed, casually glancing out the window like a guy always calculating his exits. Gotham had that effect on people.

As the pizza guy moved to the kitchen to prep their... highly questionable pie, he chuckled to himself.

‘Banana peppers, pineapple, and mustard? Man… chicks with big tits are crazy nowadays.’

Back behind the counter, he couldn’t help peeking out toward their booth once or twice. Dick and Kory sat close, talking quietly. Kory seemed animated, her hands moving expressively. Dick looked like he was trying not to smile too wide, like he’d heard this story before but couldn’t help enjoying it anyway.

It wasn’t his business, of course, but the pizza guy caught a snippet of their conversation as he brought the finished pizza to their table.

“I still think we could stay,” Kory was saying, resting her chin on her hands. “I like this city.”

Dick sighed. “Kory… we’ve talked about this. Blüdhaven’s got stuff going on. People that need me.”

“I need you too,” she said, not accusingly—just honestly.

The pizza guy paused. Not long enough to be weird, just enough to set the pizza down with care.

“Medium Chaotic Combo,” he announced.

Kory beamed at him. “Thank you! You are most courteous and efficient, Pizza Provider.”

He blinked. “Uh, thanks. That’s… probably the nicest thing anyone’s called me all day.”

Dick gave a friendly nod. “Appreciate it, man.”

“No problem,” the pizza guy said, retreating back to his post.

Back behind the counter, he tried not to think too hard about what he'd just overheard. Everyone had drama. Even absurdly beautiful alien women with glowing skin and their acrobat boyfriends.

Still, Gotham weird had nothing on that mustard combo.

As he wiped down the counter, he thought to himself: Just another day in Gotham.