"Grief, I've learned, is really just love. It's all the love you want to give, but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in the hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go." - Jamie Anderson
…
"Okay, okay! God, fine, I'll take the damned thing!" Hal says, through the occasional sneaking giggle between the words belies any actual frustration he might feel with the situation, "But whatever happens in the tower-" snort "-stays in the tower."
A chorus of "aye ayes" round from the common room area of the watchtower. People are sprawled sat down or leaning across the various sofas, any crisp lines previously meticulously held by the fabrics being broken in for the first time. A bowl of pretzels half eaten lies abandoned on the coffee table, the odd crumbs surrounding it, with a few bags of M&Ms, Oreos, and Reeces scattered about also. Coasters have been abandoned in favour of holding drinks directly, a few nursing theirs while others hold the empty glasses carefully, as if half forgotten they had already drank the beverage.
For the first time in a while following a successful mission, nobody on the team had anywhere they needed to be immediately. Lois was away on a reporting trip in Japan and the Kents had gone out for dinner that night. Mera had informed Aquaman that under no circumstances was he to return until twelve hours after his departure citing a 'surprise' for him that left him both excited and nervous in equal parts. Green Lantern didn't have anything pressing from the lanterns to sort, nor Wonder Woman for the Amazonians, and Flash didn't have anything going off in Central City with Iris away on a girl's night out. J'onn was normally...present. And Batman, though he normally dashed back to earth at the first opportunity, simply shrugged his shoulders and followed everyone's suggestion in silence. Slightly odd, but not entirely out of character, Clark figured, and so they all made their way back to the tower.
At least, so Clark had thought initially, but as he observes the room, leaning back against the kitchen counter, the sour feeling in the pit of his stomach has only gotten stronger after time, but he can't place why. J'onn was leaning back against the railing on a window looking at the scene, idly toying with the olive on the tooth pick in his Martini. Aquaman is leaning forward over the back of the couch, eagerly anticipating what Green Lantern is going to say, Flash squished in the corner of the 'L' sofa and Green Lantern to his right. Wonder Woman is sat across from Hal, passing over the lasso with a fond roll of her eyes for him to grab, and Batman...Batman is sat at the very end of the sofa, a seat away from Green Lantern and away from everyone else. The glass of scotch hangs perilously from his grip, full. He is not looking at anything in particular, head hung low, cowl obscuring his face.
Clark feels his brow furrow and goes to move towards Batman but before he can interrupt, Hal's hand shoots up in the air and he exclaims, "Alright everybody, you wanted pass the lasso, you get pass the lasso. Truth of truths, ask away!"
Flash jumps in first, ever the fastest, "Tacos or burritos, which are superior?"
"I consider burritos to be tacos." Green Lantern replies, then his expression slightly shocked as he realises what has come out of his mouth, Flash jumping up in surprise and nearly dousing him with the beer on his hand, "No, oh my God, no way!"
Before anyone else can answer again, Flash asks, "Are peas meant to be in guacamole?"
"I mean they're green too, so why not?" Green Lantern answers, his initial shock at the truth being pulled out of him transforming into a shit eating grin as Flash flops about on the couch in disbelief.
Aquaman, observing from behind with rapt attention chimes in, "I do not know much about Guacamole, but I feel colour matching things to food will not always end well."
J'onn has stopped idly stirring the Martini, a small smile playing at his face, and even Wonder Woman is struggling to suppress a chuckle as Flash continues to ask more ridiculous questions and Green Lantern keeps giving more ridiculous answers, each response true and yet still able to wind Flash up, both of them laughing and talking increasing in volume, a cacophony of "No, no you can't be serious! Oh my God!" ringing through the halls followed by peals of laughter.
And Clark wants to join in on their mirth, truly he does, but Batman is still sat in the corner, unmoving despite the growing chaos to his left. Clark turns around to put his drink down on the counter away from the edge to avoid anyone knocking into it and spilling it, and as he turns around it's as if molasses has been dumped on him as he watches everything go wrong.
"Alright, I've had enough of being judged for my life choices, time to pass it off to Mr Grumpy over there." Green Lantern says with a laugh, smacking Batman in the arm with the lasso of truth. And Batman, for all that he had seemed removed from the party, latches onto the lasso out of reflex as Green Lantern lets go of it, the gentle golden glow of the lasso stark against Batman's black gauntlet.
Batman drops his glass.
Clark has already made his way over to Batman (to slow, too slow, dammit!) but the sound of glass shattering has caused everyone else to look in their direction, chatter halting abruptly, the silence a pregnant pause. Everyone looks confused except for J'onn, observing from a distance, a slight frown and what looks like pity in his eyes. Clark kneels gets down on one knee next to Batman, ignoring the glass and scotch soaking into his clothes.
"Batman, can you look up for me, please?" Clark asks, voice even and steady, the same as the one he uses in the field. Batman is unmoving for the most part, though his breathing has become heavier, chest visibly hitching in the middle of his breaths. Everyone except Wonder Woman remains where they are as she moves around next to Clark. She moves to touch Batman's hand but he has an iron grip on the lasso, squeezing it like a lifeline, hands shaking, clenched on his knees.
Drip.
Tilting his head, Clark is befuddled at the sound the cuts across the room, trying to locate it as -
Drip, drip.
Snapping his head back around, Clark looks back just in time as Batman lifts his head up and-
"Oh, Batman..." Diana breathes, compassion more than pity evident in her tone as he looks up, tears streaming down his face from beneath the cowl as he sucks in breaths, almost all of them hitching in the middle as he tries, even now to repress the sobs. Batman has often had a five o'clock shadow, but now Clark is wondering how much he is misremembering, because the shadow is less of a shadow and more a few days worth of stubble, at least.
"He's gone." Batman gasps, as if the words themselves pain him to speak them, tears welling up with greater fervour in his eyes as he squeezes them shut against the bright light of the watchtower.
"Who's-" Flash starts to ask, before Batman continues, with a shout,
"He's gone! Oh...he's gone, he's gone, he's gone-" Batman's voice strangles off into a groan and he drops his head again, this time openly sobbing, unable to stop the tidal wave of emotions even if he wanted to.
Everyone is stood stock still, concern and confusion warring on their faces. Clark glances to J'onn but only finds the Martini, half drank, left on the edge of the counter near where he stood. Clark looks back to Batman, placing a hand on his shoulder, and Batman seems to crumple in on himself, shuddering through wet gasps.
Clark is about to open his mouth again when Batman whispers, "Jason-" cutting off with a strangled gasp and whine, so unlike anything Clark has heard from the man, when it hits him like a tonne of bricks.
About a month ago Clark had been busy off world and had come back a few days later. Clark never directly visited Gotham, not keen on breaking Batman's 'no metas in Gotham' rule but he always kept an ear out for anything, just in case. He'd heard whispers of 'where's Robin?' and 'Batman's quiet' and there was nothing much more said. Clark hadn't heard anything of the Joker for a few days and he remembers Lois looking grim one morning as she flicked through reports about a warehouse explosion in Ethiopia completely out of the blue, and another article about Bruce Wayne's adopted son dying tragically. Before Clark could grow worried; however, Batman was back on the scene and he'd thought nothing further of it. Didn't think it odd that Robin was not there also.
Clark feels his breath leave him at the realisation, Wonder Woman looking to him in confusion, seeking answers, but Clark knows this is too raw, too soon, too personal to speak on. The other justice leave members are simply staring on in horror, a look of dawning pity appearing on Aquaman's face at the implications, with Flash and Green Lantern still staring on in equal parts of shock and confusion.
"My boy," Batman croaks, sobs diminished but still present as his tears fall, "He was just a boy..." His shoulders still shake with the effort but Batman slumps into himself, energy spent.
Wonder Woman closes her eyes for a moment, a pained crease on her forehead, mouth flat, before she takes a breath and opens them again. She takes Batman's left hand into both of hers, his grip on the lasso now loose and weak.
Diana takes the Lasso from Batman's hand.
Bruce weeps.
A/N: Okay so I have not read the comics and have no clue which members are meant to be there and when so please forgive my hodge podge knowledge lol. Hope you enjoyed!