Shinobu hated the nightmares haunting her everyday. Sometimes part of her mind thought it was a dream and she'll wake up with Kanae beside her. Reality disappointed her.
It was impossible to live with the memory plastered in her mind. Shinobu hates looking at clowns or walking into empty spaces. Sometimes the sight of fire from the kitchen is enough to make her cry. Even in a secured mansion, she never felt safe.
She screamed loudly again. Shinobu still had nightmares to this day. It was hard to cover her ears from hearing cackles even if the room is deadly quiet. Three nights in a row of sleep deprivation. Oh god, if only she was strong enough to kill that clown.
She heard a knock from the door. Her screams must be so loud, everyone must be annoyed at her. Shinobu got up from bed and hesitantly open the door herself. A bulky looming figure towered over her, Bruce.
"Another nightmare?" his voice though concerned sounded like a threat.
"Nope I'm fine," she stood tall.
"If something bothers you, please tell me," he said. She faked a smile. "I'll remember that," As if she would tell anyone. Only Kanae has the luxury of knowing. And she is gone. At that Bruce should be on his way to sleep. Or not.
"Are you really alright?" he asked. She smiled harder. "Yes," she forced out. It was no situation for her to sneak out off. "Don't lie, you're not," Bruce said.
In her best Kanae impression, she said "What do you mean?". "Screaming at the middle of the night isn't normal,". So the walls aren't sound-proof afterall?
"It's none of your business," She clenched her fists. Shinobu's voice returned to her normal one. He lowered down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know it is hard," he said. "To lose someone you loved,"
'Don't cry Shinobu', she reminded herself. She closed her eyes to stop the tears from pooling out her eyes. Too late, they were already too obvious to /br /She didn't just cry, she bawled out like a little baby. "Kanae's gone," she choked. "Why wouldn't I feel sad,".
"I know, I lost my parents a long time ago," he said.
At least he was a billionaire. She heard about the Waynes from the other kids in the orphanage. Shinobu thought Bruce was a lucky orphan either way. Who wouldn't want to adopt a child to inherit billions of dollars?
Admittingly, part of her had hope he will adopt orphans because he himself was an orphan too. Kanae would tell her, Bruce was just a child when it happened. Her sister felt sorry for him.
"I saw them got shot in front of my eyes," he said, "After watching my favorite movie as a child, Zorro,"
"Is that why you adopted Jason?" she asked. He nodded.
"Aren't you mad?" He also nodded. "Furious," Bruce answered.
"Then how would you live a normal life?" His gaze turned to the floor.
"So you don't anymore? You pretend?"
Deadly silence filled the air. "No," Bruce said sharply. "I raise other children like you,"
She scowled as she watched her legs dangled like a doll's. "It's impossible," she mumbled. "Living with no Kanae is impossible,"
"I used to think the same thing when my parents died,"
He smiled softly to her. "Have faith, Kanae would want you to continue living,"
"You don't know Kanae," although, Kanae might make the same statement. "Then what was she like?" she never found it necessary to describe someone to another stranger. She never had to do.
Shinobu closed her eyes. Kanae was kind and compassionate. Even in suffering, she found the strength to be kind to others. She wished she had the strength. Shinobu cursed the moments when she thought Kanae was being stupid even when it was partly true.
The entire time she felt Bruce absorbing every word. Her soft voice never faltered. A tear fell out off her eye. And she bawled.
"It's alright," Bruce whispered.
"She's not here anymore," she cried out. If there is one thing in the world Shinobu desperately wished for, it was for Kanae to be alive. Alive and bright with her. How she wanted to hear Kanae's gentle laugh again. Strong hands pulled her into a tighter hug as she spilled the tears. She wished those hands were Kanae's but she knew it was her Bruce's.