A/N: Small continuation to "Monsters" to get my feelings out. Just liked the idea of Metamorpho joining I guess:)
Disclaimer: I do not own Beware the Batman.
"Aftermath"
January 12
The snow was falling gently in the pale moonlight outside. It had been snowing on and off the entire night, and by morning there would be considerable accumulation.
In the kitchen, the element man known as Metamorpho watched the latest news report. Every several seconds a captured photo of the "Golem" would appear on the screen. Perhaps if he had the energy to turn up the volume he would know what they were complaining about now.
"I didn't say you could call it a night."
Bruce materialized in the doorway. After their first meeting, the three vigilantes crossed paths on several occasions. Eventually, Katana had convinced Batman it would be easier just to have them all in the same place. Now, after a month, Metamorpho was well-settled and used to Bruce appearing out of thin air.
"I didn't call it a night. I'm up here if you need me," Rex protested tiredly, pouring himself a second cup of coffee. "All you had to do was call and Katana and I would come running."
Bruce did not grace his response with an answer. "And where's Katana?"
"I heard water running upstairs. She tends to take long showers when she's upset."
The element man made sure to emphasize the last sentence. during his time here, Metamorpho had pit together small pieces of the situation: some guy named Alfred had left and everyone was all torn up over it. Tatsu insisted she was to blame for Alfred's departure, while Batman continued to stroll deeper into his darkness.
"Training starts in an hour. When will she be out?"
Metamorpho looked up, raised a stone eyebrow. He had forgotten he was standing there. "I don't know. She took a chair in there."
The room fell into an awkward silence. Bruce stared out the window, his gaze fixed on the crime-ridden city just beyond it. Rex, amused at how long the man could go without blinking, felt a sudden feeling of hope arise in him when he realize the Batsuit was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you feeling better?" Rex inquired suddenly.
Bruce grunted for him to elaborate, his eyes never leaving the city. Rex opened his mouth, then closed it. Now that he thought about it, he had only heard of Wayne "loosing himself" from Tatsu. For all he knew this was how Bruce acted all the time. Tatsu could just be paranoid.
"Never mind," he said finally. He would inform Tatsu of Wayne's behavior, then let it rest. Rex hadn't been here long enough to draw any conclusions anyway.
Bruce shot him a questioning look before moving to exit the room, his footsteps soundless.
Metamorpho turned back to the television just in time to see it flash to Sapphire's face. Hurrying to turn up the volume, he made out the word "golem."
Tatsu stepped out from behind the screen, her dark hair damp. There were deep tired lines under her eyes, a consequence for loosing another hour of sleep.
Stepping quickly to her bedside, Tatsu checked her phone for messages. The last one was from six months ago- the last time Jason had called her- the one she couldn't find the strength to delete. But what about Alfred?
"Where are you, Major?"she muttered in exasperation.
She had already called him this week. Maybe if she called him again he would see how urgent it was. But wouldn't he have known that from her messages? Didn't he know they needed him?
Sighing, Tatsu threw her phone onto her mattress and laid down, her arms spread out and her feet dangling off the side. Cold water seeped into the back of her jacket from her hair. She had taken her time with her shower. Back after her time in the League, she used to pretend the water washed away lies. It didn't work, of course, but it was therapeutic.
With Bruce beginning to embrace his demons, she had been revisiting her own time with darkness. How had she walked away from it? She couldn't remember.
Eventually, after lying there for several drawn-out minutes, Tatsu reached for her phone.
"One last time," she lied to herself.
Ringing...
Ringing...
Ringing...
"Tatsu?"
Batman pulled on his cowl, ready to embark on another patrol. Both his partners had skipped training. He'd have to break their laziness before it became habit. But first, Whale was out.
Tatsu would be angry, he knew, when she saw the news report in the morning, but he pushed the thought aside. He had taken down criminals by himself far before Tatsy came into his life, and Katana was beginning to slow him down.
Climbing onto a cycle, the Batman left his Cave, a dozen mannequins from his previous training session lying shattered on the cold floor.
A/N: Also, to TheFutureKatana- I will get on your request ASAP! Any chance of you making an account? :)
And, yes, I am physically unable to not mention Dr. Burr. Rest in peace, Jason. You will be missed.:,(
Have a wonderful day everyone!:)