"Again, computer. Try again."

—Cloning attempt ninety-eight initiated—

In the back of his mind Robin thinks the computer's voice sounds a little peeved.

You've put me through this program ninety-seven times already, it mocks. Just give it up. You can't do it. He's not coming back. Stop wishing for the past. Normalcy is gone.

Robin squeezes his eyes shut, willing the usual thoughts and feelings of despair welling up in him away.

He slips off his cape and sits, feeling both old and young at the same time. He's so preoccupied that he doesn't sense Rose's naked presence behind him until she speaks and grabs him, her voice a slurred purr. Before he can react she's got her body pressed up against his, warm and soft, and he's only got a second to become aware of the fact that his uniform is only so thick before her mouth covers his, moist with the bittersweet tang of alcohol and then all he can see is Bart's face, flashing before his eyes, stricken, confused, hurt, because Bart never bothered to hide his feelings and Robin knew about his feelings for Rose and Bart would never understand why Robin was in his bed with a naked Rose and kissing her—

Robin pushed her off of him, hearing her voice in his head, laced with poison and somehow much younger-sounding,

"You're cute, you know. Not as cute as Kid Flash, but cute."

He remembers that fucked-up future, and the look the future Rose gave the future Bart, the gentle touches, and the almost tangible bond of love and passion between the two of them, visible only to a trained eye.

Robin had seen the speculatively hopeful look on Bart's face as he talked to his future self about Rose.

It doesn't matter to Robin that Bart is old now, too old for Rose and powerless, no longer a superhero, no longer fast. It doesn't matter that Rose probably doesn't even remember saying that, as she was in an obedient, drug-induced haze, nor that she doesn't even know about the future that could have been.

It doesn't matter that both Bart and Rose have moved on from the relationship they never really had, because to Robin Bart will always be suspended in the air above his skateboard ramp, the one now decayed and rotten on the Tower roof, his face and demeanor unusually serious as he talked to Kory, told her of his feelings for Rose. Neither of them had known Robin was there, lurking in the shadows, eavesdropping, an event which occurred more often than Robin cared to admit.

He'd seen the look on Bart's face. He'd heard Bart's confession.

That's all he can see. That's all he wants to remember.

Nothing else matters. Not the present, not the recent events that have changed Robin's life forever, not the future, not anything.

And that is how he survives.

From that scene in that issue from OYL...this is an old fic. I wrote it right after that issue came out, which was, as we all know, a long time ago. And various things have happened to make this obsolete and annoying, as we all know. Apologies. Don't know why I bothered to post it. Wouldn't blame you if you yelled at me for it.

Still, for all that, I still like it. Relatively speaking. Sort of.

Ta