Dick's draw almost dropped open.

"What do you mean you don't eat meat?"

Gar flashed him an apologetic smile along with a simple shrug. "I guess I should have told you earlier."

"Well, lucky for you, I've got a whole bunch of vegetarian shit on the menu today." Kory said as she sat at the table after putting the mixing spoon into the sink. "Too bad you can't try the steak; it's amazing. Even for me."

"Even though she cooked it." Dick mentioned and chuckled when Kory kicked his calf under the table.

Gar barked out a laugh, and for a second, seeing another genuine smile on the boy's usually tense and darkened features spread a warmth throughout his chest and limbs.

"So," Kory flashed them a wide smile. "... let's eat."

Dick nodded and soon the room was filled with sounds of silverware clattering against tables and plates, mixing with the joyful tune of Winter Wonderland.

Kory immediately went for her prized medium rare steak, and Dick's hand reached for the platter of onion rings at the center of the table. Gar had very carefully grabbed the bowl of caesar salad and was dragging it towards himself. Dick noticed this and pushed it in his direction.

"Thank you." Gar muttered softly and began scooping small portions of salad and croutons onto his own plate.

They all ate in silence for about three minutes, not one of them really knowing what to say, because the situation made it so obvious that whoever blurt out talking would be the awkward idiot.

"... Look, I'm sorry to be so much of a bother. I'm sure it's weird for some new kid to eat at the same table with both of you." Gar chuckled, keeping his head down.

"No, no, don't apologize." Kory said after swallowing her mouthful of garlic bread. "I actually quite enjoy the company." A pregnant pause. "Well, with that being said," She started. "... let's all talk about something. Anything at all."

"What even is there to actually talk about?" Dick asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin after finishing his plateful of mediterranean pasta salad.

"Just throw me anything. Really, even waffles would be fine."

A waffle sailed through the air and landed right on top of Kory's plate. Dick and Kory both turned their heads to see a giggling Gar.

"Funny." Kory remarked, picking it up and bit at the crust. "Seriously, someone just say something."

"Gar," Dick suddenly started, looking towards the boy who was now happily chewing on his own waffle. "... how come you're a vegetarian?"

Gar shrugged as he swallowed his bite. "I just like animals." He responded, looking back at his sweet potato curry. "It feels wrong to eat them."

"You're missing out on so much." Kory shook her head, as if she almost felt sorry for him. "Pork and barbecue and those buckets of greasy chicken wings."

"Still doesn't make me want to eat meat."

"It was worth a try."

Dick cleared his throat. "Why do you like animals?"

"I used to live in Africa when I was really young, because my dad was a biologist." Gar replied, reaching for the sugar-coated pecans. "I remember playing with all sorts of animals; we even had this baby lion that we named Zander. My mom was real bad at giving names, you can probably already tell." He grinned as he bit into the pecan. "I guess I just have this special bond with animals."

"I think Zander is a good name for a lion." Dick said with a small frown. "What's wrong with that?"

"I still think Gar Junior would have suited him nicely."

"Gar Junior?" Kory made an exaggerated face. "What kind of name is that?"

"It's a good name!" Gar retorted.

"Oh yeah, is that what you're gonna name your kid?"

Gar's face flushed. "Good name for a lion."

And a short pause.

"And I'm not comfortable talking about the prospect of me having any children."

Kory burst into laughter, griping the edge of the table to keep herself from falling over. Dick also began snickering, hand stopping midair holding a fork. Soon, Gar himself joined in and all of them were laughing and giggling like an actual family sitting at a dinner table, talking about their day at work and what happened at school.

The laughing died down, but smiles were still plastered on all of their faces.

"What about you guys?"

Dick snapped his head towards the green-haired boy. "Huh?"

"So we talked about my kids." Gar stated. "Are you guys gonna have any kids of your own?"

Dick's face flushed a bright red and he forced a cough, averting the question and eyeing Kory, silently pleading her to somehow answer that inquiry.

"Well, uh, no plans for now." She replied slowly. "But maybe someday."

A snicker escaped Gar's lips at the sight of Dick hunched over the table, hiding his face behind the piece of barbecue he was holding up. "Someday, huh?"

"What she says." Dick muttered underneath his breath, receiving a laugh and a nudge from Kory.

...

After Gar excused himself from the table when all of them finished their meal, Dick had helped Kory clean the table up, and later, had curled up on the couch with her. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Michael Buble was playing on the speakers.

"So where did you find him?" Kory asked, pressing her forehead against Dick's Grayson's chest with a content sigh.

"Near Overchord Street. In an alleyway. Some kids were beating him up." Dick responded.

Kory immediately sat up, but letting his arms still stay wrapped around her.

"Beating him up?" She questioned, frowning. "I guess I should have figured that out myself after seeing all those cuts."

"They were throwing eggs at his head, and they were about to set him on fire," He released a shaky breath. "I couldn't just let him burn to death on the streets, whether they were really going to do it or not."

Kory's expression was a look of terror and disgust. "Those kids are so fucked up. Sick in the fucking head."

"He keeps telling me he's a freak." He said aloud. "That he feels weak and vulnerable. I don't think he knows what to do anymore. He says that... nobody realizes some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." Remembering what Gar had said earlier, Dick sighed heavily and leaned against the backrest of the couch.

"I honestly don't know how to help him at this point."

"... You'll figure something out. We'll figure something out." Kory replied, falling back onto the warm, welcoming embrace of his arms. "He's a kid worth saving."

"He's a kid worth saving." Dick repeated her words softly, and held Kory in his arms, wondering how the world could be so selfless and shitty at the same time.

Outside, the sky had darkened, snowflakes falling from the heavens like a white omen onto the world underneath it, as if giving everyone nature's blessing.