Chapter 1: Realize
Robin sat outside the entrance to Mount Justice and wondered what had happened to his life over the last few months. At first he was content with being the Dark Knight's sidekick, and after finally being inducted into the League everything seemed to be going alright. And then their simulated test failed, everyone in the team was traumatized and worst of all; he began to realize his true feelings toward becoming the Batman. He loved his mentor, for years he had been his everything, but now he knew what it was like to actually be the Batman, and understood his need to sacrifice everything at the end of the day for the greater good. But that wasn't Robin. And after saying it out loud he felt horrified, that he ever thought he could be his illustrious mentor. However the worst of it wasn't just his lack of ambition toward his mentor's position, it was the feelings he was starting to develop for the Dark Knight.
Bruce Wayne sat alone in the Bat cave reflecting on what he'd witnessed over the last few months to his dear apprentice. He is breaking, warned a voice in the back of his mind. Bruce was used to the voices after hearing those most of his life, but that didn't make the realization any easier. He had hoped that after a brief time the team would recover, however the opposite seemed true. The change in Robin had been the most apparent, to himself at least. And knowing him, he would keep those feelings locked up inside him, left to fester and cause the internal torment that he suffered daily. Even with all the money in the world, Bruce still wondered if his choices were right from time to time and if he had made any other then maybe some people wouldn't suffer so much. However, Bruce always quickly discounted these feelings because indecisiveness got people killed. And Bruce could never afford to let something like that happen ever again.
Spying on the youth outside the safety of the leagues play pin was almost too easy; knowing how to approach the kid was the problem. Sportsmaster had once been the pawn of the leagues whimsy, but not anymore he couldn't afford to be not with both his daughters in the line of fire, not to mention his wife. Ahh…Huntress. How long had it been since he reminisced of the sweet smell of her skin and the wildness of her spirit? How long had it been since he realized it hadn't been enough? Far too long, he thought to himself. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he let his eyes wander back to the boy wonder. Black hair as dark as a ravens wing, eyes deeper and darker than the blackest night sky, and a pale graceful body that would mature with age…AGH, what was he thinking about a boy half his age. The long nights of sleep deprivated watchfulness were finally starting to take their toll on his mind… but then again…since he was charged to keep watch on the kid anyway… why not have a little fun with him too…