anonymous prompted: anonymous prompted: Cass Cain #1 (Liar)

Batman and related properties © DC Comics
story © RenaRoo

Never Lie

People lie.

It's the one thing Cass has the hardest time explaining to her loved ones. They don't read and speak as she does, but it also isn't as if they can turn off the movements, the pauses, the motions that convey the language of her life.

The most frustrating part for Cass again and again is that she sees what her family cannot. And it's not that she cannot understand them, it's just that they never seem to fully comprehend her.

It's a maddening exercise in patience she does not have.

But the worst is the lying.

Everybody lies. And they know, the moment it leaves their mouths, that she knows. But they do it anyway. Sometimes with confidence and faking it until they make it attitude that continues to mystify her.

Dick, especially, has gotten bad at lying.

"I'm fine," he says as she hovers by him almost too close.

She knows she's in his – Stephanie called it bubble, but Barbara says it better, calls it personal space – and that it's not comfortable for him.

But then again, it's uncomfortable to her that he lies.

Tapping her foot, Cass looks over her brother expectantly. "No," she says firmly. "Not fine. Not fine… at all."

For a long moment, it almost feels like Dick is about to ignore her entirely. But instead he waves to the bandages compressing his ribs. "What? These? They're nothing. You know they're nothing. Bet you fight with these all the time."

Cass narrows her eyes and stands firm. "Not what I… mean. Okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Dick turns and looks at her completely. "What do you want me to say, Cass?" he asks her tiredly.

She frowns at him and shakes her head. Without giving him any opportunity to back out, Cass wraps her arms around him and firmly hugs her brother for a few moments. "Nothing," she tells him. "Say nothing. Just hug."

Dick is awkward and stiff throughout it. For the brother who once greeted her with a giant bearhug of his own, it's painfully obvious that his heart and mind are elsewhere.

But the stress of the lie, the tenseness in his shoulder so well practiced from holding themselves upright, slip away and slowly he comes into the hug with calming truth. No longer shouldering the need to act like everything is fine.

Still, all he offers Cass is a stiff pat on her back.

It's all she needs.

"Sorry you feel bad," she tells him softly. "Don't know why. But I want to help."

"There's nothing to help–" Dick starts, nose crinkled in aggravation only to drop as Cass shoots him a look.

Rather than continuing, he lets out a long sigh. "I don't think you can help," he options for instead.

Cass hums at this information and hugs her brother tighter, leaning more into his chest and listening to the strong thrumming of his heart.

"Being Batman is hard," she says instead.

"It really is," he laughs, a little bitter but also a little true.

"You're great," Cass continues. "Everyone thinks so. Damian thinks so. He's the hardest one."

That gets an honest laugh from Dick and he snakes his arms around her back, giving her a squeeze in return. "Not the hardest, but yeah. I guess I should look at that as more of an accomplishment, shouldn't I?"

"Yes," Cassandra replies without hesitation, squeezing her brother's waist all the tighter. "You should."

Dick's hand finds its way to Cass' hair and he ruffles it, smiling down at her. "When did you get so wise, Li'l Sister?" he asks.

Cass only gives him a knowing smile. "Always been," she corrects him. "Thanks… for noticing."