Robin slammed into the rooftop, tripping over his feet and hitting his shoulder on the cement. He rolled for a couple feet, before coming to a stop on his back. He stared up at the sky, trying to catch is breath.
What had happened? Why had he run away?
Something had snapped inside of him. Emotions that he had locked away for ages now flooded through his head. And it was driving him insane.
He stood and looked around. The sky was dark, the moon hidden under clouds that seemed miles thick.
He was alone.
His heart began to race.
Always alone...!
Robin clenched his fists as tightly as he could, trying to calm his frantic breathing. A pressure was building in his chest.
He let out a strangled gasp.
Rational thoughts struggled to make it to the surface. He was having a panic attack. A depressive episode. He just needed to calm down. To take a deep breath. Everything would be ok-
It hurt. So bad.
Robin stumbled now, his body unsure of its next course of action.
Robin clutched his arms to his chest as tightly as possible, trying to control his shaking. He barely felt as his tooth punctured through his lip, warm blood dripping down his chin.
The pressure kept on building. The pain got worse.
Robin shouted, trying to get out the static in his chest. His fist flew, connecting with a wall. The cracking of bones echoed drying in his skull, but the pain was only a dull throbbing.
It wasn't enough.
Robin whipped around, frantic.
His entire body was numb, but his head felt like it was burning. He needed to ground himself. He needed something to bring him back. He needed something else to focus on.
Robin felt the impact of his hand on his face. He sat there, dazed, before recoiling from another hit. The pain was only a warm presence on his skin...
It wasn't enough.
Robin dug through his pocket, his hand trembling as he pulled out his pocket knife. It was a keepsake. A good luck charm.
He tried to pull the blade from it's sheath but his hands were shaking too bad, fingertips numb and clumsy. The knife clattered to the ground, unused.
It wasn't enough!!!
Robin choked out a sob. He knew what he had to do.
He stood.
His eyes had seen it before his brain had registered it. His body began to move before his brain even realized what it was doing.
... The edge of the building got closer.
Closer.
Robin stared down at blurry lights that decorated the streets below. The static was gone...
Everything... was gone...
It was peaceful... It was ok...
Slade was watching. He was always watching. He watched as Robin landed awkwardly and rolled across the rooftop. He watched as he screamed, punching a wall, cracking the cement, fracturing his hand. He watched as he fell to his knees and hunched over his body.
At first he was surprised. Then amused. What had spurred Robin to act to brashly? Why was he sobbing now, like a lost child, alone at night?
But then Robin fell silent.
As he rose slowly and numbly to his feet, begining to walk towards the edge of the building, Slade was filled with a different emotion. He squinted now, taking a cautious step forward, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Robin took a step too. And another... And another...
For a moment they both stood still, as if sharing a thought. Then Robin-
Slade didn't think before he moved. He swung from his perch, sprinting to the ledge.
One arm swung out, missed. The other reaching past it only by a couple inches, snagged the end of Robin's cape.
Slade yanked the limp body upwards, grabbing Robin's arm for a better grip, and dragged him back onto solid ground.
"What the hell was-!" Slade began, adrenaline and anger making his hands twitch. But he was talking to nothing.
Robin lay on the ground, staring lifelessly upward. His chest rose and fell so slowly, so softly...
Slade clenched his fists, before exhaling slowly. Reality set in. What Robin had attempted was now clear. As picked Robin off the ground and cradled him in his arms, he wondered what he would have to do next.