A/N: This is basically four themes for the price of one. Yay. Also, thanks to the people who have been submitting reviews. :) I'm not quite sure what is the best way to respond on but if you have any questions or anything like that, I'll try to respond in the A/N.


14.) Education

i. fight

The first time Bruce gets into a fight, he gets a bloody nose, a bloody lip, a nearly dislocated jaw, and a half-decent punch in. He collapses onto the floor, as the other man laughs and sneers, "Don't pick fights you can't win, punk."

The second time Bruce gets into a fight, he manages to last for more than a minute and a get in a few hits and kicks of his own, though his face bruises dark purple for the next week, so that he barely recognizes himself in the mirror.

The third time Bruce gets into a fight, he learns to duck, how to block, and though it's still short, and he still loses, its not quite as embarrassing. That night, he plays each move over and over again in his mind until he can see exactly what he did right and what he did wrong.

The fourth time Bruce gets into a fight, he wins.

ii. locks

The first time Bruce is handed a lock and is told to pick it, he has no idea what to do. Sure, he has a bent-out-of-shape paper clip, and a pro looking over his shoulder, but it doesn't make the act any less confounding or intimidating. He jabs the paper clip in, twists it around for a bit to no avail, until the street-smart thief behind him says, "No. Feel around for the pins."

He does for another few minutes, until he finds them, but then he does not know what to do. He tries poking and prodding at them, but that doesn't do anything. "Lift each one," the man behind him says, irritated, and Bruce tries for a few moments to get it right. It takes him another minute to actually lift each of the pins to the correct position, but when he does, its one of those moments of absolute rightness, as the lock springs open. He grins, but his teacher just shakes his head.

The second time Bruce picks a lock, it takes him another five minutes. It's hard to know what you're looking for, and even when you do, it's not always easy. The pins are irritating to move around. He asks if he can use an actual lock pick at some point, but the thief just shakes his head and tells Bruce he needs to learn it the hard way before being allowed to do it the easy way.

The fifth time Bruce picks a lock, he gets it done quickly, but he needs to mentally remind himself of every step. Feel for each of the pins, lift them up, let the pressure cause the lock jump out of place on its own.

The fiftieth time Bruce picks a lock, he does it without even thinking.

iii. driving

The first time Bruce drives a car, his foot hits the gas instead of the brake, and he nearly runs into the car in front of him, and he can hear his associates (because the only other word for them is "friends" and that's not quite right) cursing in Russian behind him. It's not his fault, really, it's just that he'd always had Alfred or a taxi, and it seemed stupid to learn how to drive while in college.

The second time Bruce drives a car, he swerves quickly, to avoid a pedestrian, and manages to stay on the road somehow. It also allows him the chance to ditch the cops that were coming up behind him. It is more good luck than anything else, but he still gets a thrill out of it.

The five-hundred-twenty-second time Bruce drives a car, it's to send the boss's girlfriend home after a night in the club, and he has to remember to stay focused on the road, because she gets slutty(ier) when she's drunk, and really, the streets of Paris were entirely too small.

The seven-hundred-fifty-first time Bruce drives a car, he goes flying over the lifting bridge and lands in the Narrows, and gets into a massive fight on a train. All in a days work, really.

iv. guns

The first time Bruce holds a gun, he is twenty-two and too young and too eager, and the weapon feels wrong in his hand. But he nods to the guy selling to him and says he'll take it. He hides it in his clothes and doesn't practice, because he'll be at point blank range anyway.

The second time Bruce holds a gun, he almost makes the biggest mistake of his life and even gets smacked for his troubles. He throws the gun into the river, and watches as it sails through the air and listens to the small plonk it makes as it hits the water.

He never holds a gun again.