bruce gets de-aged to shortly after he was orphaned but his house is empty. he figures out he’s in the future quickly enough and is terrified of letting people know he’s even more alone and vulnerable than he’d been when it was just him and alfred. he hated how high society members looked at him, touched him, made fun of him, even if alfred said he was lucky for the attention…
he pulls a fanon-tim drake, fucking around online to get groceries delivered and keeping busy with random skills and textbooks to distract himself from the bone-deep chill of loneliness or the flashbacks from thunder or the insomnia-inducing nightmares or the-
he can almost convince himself he enjoys it, that he prefers this. he doesn’t have time for anyone, they’d just get in the way of his studies. sure, he doesn’t go to school, and he misses hearing people's voices outside of video lectures. but he’s always enjoyed learning, and he wants to be a doctor! the best there is, like his dad.
yeah. yeah! if he had anyone around, they’d just distract him from his mission. he prefers this.
and he’s doing fine, he thinks. at least, he’s doing the best he can.
it’s just- he’s in the future, right? and he’s still alone? there wasn’t anyone for him? still? he should be in his forties and the manor is still empty?
but there are signs of people having lived here. a family, even! he looks himself up and- oh!
he has kids! a family! he adopts five kids in the future! he has a family!!
but he’s been alone for months, now. the manor has been cold and empty the whole time he’s been there. where... are they? why haven't they come home?
oh. they probably left him too. alfred always does did say he’ll drive people away, being so miserable and gloomy all the time. they probably saw the broken thing inside him that seems so visible to everyone he meets, the thing that makes people laugh at him, the thing that makes him miss social cues. like he's not really a boy, but a novelty.
he wants to go back home. to the past. maybe it wasn’t so bad, with just alfred. he should’ve been more grateful. is this a test? if he’s better will he get to go back? he wants help, he wants a hug, he wants anyone.
he hates this. he hates cooking for himself and he hates tucking himself in bed and he hates dragging a step-stool around between the kitchen sink and the stove and the countertops because even on his tippy toes he can’t reach. he hates that every step echoes because the house is so empty and he hates that he had to wear a dozen layers because he’s cold and can’t figure out the thermostat and he hates that he cries every night while hugging himself because no one is there to do it for him. he hates that the happiest he feels is when he gets a Congratulations! email after finishing an online course.
he’s supposed to have a family now, and even his adult-self couldn't be good enough to keep them around, and he’s alone alone alone.
what was the point of this? what was the point of bringing him to see the future that awaits him? to see how worthless he is and will always be? how easy he is to leave? how awful it is to be around him??
he was stupid for hoping his future would be better.
what was the point surviving that night? of surviving every night after that? why even bother staying alive?? to be alone???
not for the first time, nor for the last, bruce goes to sleep praying he wont have to wake up.
pt2 will be something w the kids coming home! more angst dont worry <3
tags: @urk-m this is the next brick hehe @nikiexe0 @shrimpsoupthedrawer
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