HE HAD A NICE DREAM THAT NIGHT.Ā Ā it was warm,Ā Ā comforting.Ā Ā in it,Ā Ā his second son could be found jumping around,Ā Ā leaping from one ledge to another with bruce not far behind.Ā Ā it was their special game,Ā Ā the one theyād play to practice.Ā Ā jason ALWAYS wanted to beat him,Ā Ā &Ā Ā his spirit only invigorated them both.Ā Ā but,Ā Ā he never truly bested his mentor,Ā Ā bruce would always catch up,Ā Ā &Ā Ā this time was no different.Ā Ā a smile could be found on his face,Ā Ā his hand outstretched to catch the boy---Ā Ā &Ā Ā that was the precise moment his eyes snapped open .Ā .Ā .Ā Ā he registers the harsh white light filtering through his windows first.Ā Ā alfred stood by the curtains,Ā Ā muttering something about it being late enough to eat lunch.Ā Ā next came the pain,Ā Ā THE SORENESS;Ā Ā his muscles acheĀ Ā &Ā Ā his head pounds.Ā Ā with a silent groan,Ā Ā he closes his eyes shut again,Ā Ā forcing them to see the dream againĀ Ā ---Ā Ā to see jason again.Ā
so far out of his reach.
he can hear alfred walk to his side,Ā Ā &Ā Ā a familiar smell catches his interest.Ā Ā his eyes open again,Ā Ā squinting to see what his longest friend held.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā i know you prefer your protein shakes in the morning,Ā Ā master bruce,Ā Ā but iāve decided a hearty breakfast will help you far more than liquid vegetables.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā immediately his nonchalant tone annoys him,Ā Ā HE DOESNāT KNOW WHY.Ā Ā in his irritation,Ā Ā he hoists himself up,Ā Ā gingerly accepting the tray of food.Ā Ā ā Ā Ā thank you.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā is all he mutters,Ā Ā staring wearilyĀ at the eggsĀ Ā &Ā Ā slices of toast,Ā Ā his hand immediately reaching for the fork.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā Ā before i leave,Ā Ā i think itās best that you know that master dick is visiting.Ā Ā heāll be waiting in the cave.Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā Ā &Ā Ā suddenlyĀ the eggs donāt look appetizing anymore,Ā Ā his arm comes back to his side.Ā Ā thereās only one reason heād be here,Ā Ā the realization brings back the chronic dull ache in the pit of his stomach.Ā Ā he could only guess his shift in demeanor is noticeable since alfred hesitates,Ā Ā lingering with a worried frown before leaving him with a mere word of encouragement.
as the door closes behind him,Ā Ā bruce finds himself wondering how alfred could meet dickās eye,Ā Ā or anyoneās for that matter,Ā Ā after what happened.Ā Ā because he had nothing to do with it;Ā Ā it was all your fault.Ā Ā the pit deepensĀ Ā (Ā Ā thereās nothing he can do but run againĀ Ā ).Ā Ā &Ā Ā so he gets up,Ā Ā letting another breakfast grow cold.Ā Ā bruce forces himself to go through the actions of the man he once was,Ā Ā spiritedĀ Ā &Ā Ā purposeful:Ā Ā brush your teeth,Ā Ā wash your face,Ā Ā shave your shadow,Ā Ā comb your hairĀ Ā &Ā Ā most important of allĀ Ā ---Ā Ā AVOID THE SUNKEN REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR,Ā Ā heāll only look at you with accusatory hate.Ā Ā &Ā Ā he does bow his head,Ā Ā looking rather at the sinkĀ Ā &Ā Ā floor.Ā Ā as his hand moves through the cascade of water,Ā Ā his dream flashes in his mind .Ā .Ā .Ā Ā he sees jasonās smile,Ā Ā his taunting laughĀ Ā &Ā Ā bruceās own chuckle as a response.Ā Ā so close.Ā Ā he was so close.
an hour passes before bruce makes his way down to the cave,Ā Ā avoiding going through the studyĀ Ā &Ā Ā opting to use his bedroomās entrance.Ā Ā he didnāt want to see alfredās concerning expression any longer,Ā Ā it only angered him more.Ā Ā everything---Ā Ā angers him nowadays,Ā Ā his brow set in a perpetual state of distasteĀ Ā &Ā Ā irritation.Ā Ā even now,Ā Ā as he descends the winding staircase,Ā Ā he sees dick inspecting the capsule where jasonās robin suit should be---Ā Ā IT WAS EMPTY.Ā Ā every sign of the second robin was gone,Ā Ā he made sure of it.Ā Ā despite focusing religiously on the emotional pain,Ā Ā bruce knows his body is in a terrible state.Ā Ā never had the dark knight been so reckless,Ā Ā simply overcome with great rage.Ā Ā what more i can doĀ ?Ā Ā he thinks,Ā Ā if my body gives out then thatās all the better.Ā Ā a crusade now turned into a cry of guiltĀ Ā &Ā Ā THE DESIRE FOR DEATH;Ā Ā how could i ever live with myselfĀ ?
he doesnāt acknowledge dick when he reaches the last step;Ā Ā Ā he walks past himĀ Ā &Ā Ā settles in his chair at the computer.Ā Ā heāll have to avoid him when he gets back to the cave after the upcoming patrol,Ā Ā (Ā Ā maybe he wonāt have to worry about coming back,Ā Ā maybe .Ā .Ā .Ā Ā dick wonāt have to worry about him anymoreĀ Ā ).Ā Ā a fresh wave of guilt washes over his mind,Ā Ā drying his tongue,Ā Ā DEATH WOULD BE TOO EASY OF AN ESCAPE.Ā Ā jason suffered before he died,Ā Ā so will i.Ā Ā Ā with that thought lingering,Ā Ā he sitsĀ Ā &Ā Ā skims through the many cases that were left unfinished from the previous night,Ā Ā bracing himself from the questions that were sure to come.
@gryson
