Not Gonna Believe This…
Alexnandru Van Gordon
Okay…so my little sister has been really good as of lately, so I promised to write another one of these one-shots. I also decided to attach them, thus probably making it easier for you guys to keep a track of. I think…Oh well, I'm writing another and you can read it or ignore it. Either is fine with me. Also—I am working on the next chapter to Boogie Man, I just lost my computer key and I have it saved on that…oops…
Quick Not: Robin is still Richard, and it's still the summer of the same year.
DISCLAIMER: Hmmm…no.
Let's go—
Okay…finding a home for the kitten wasn't hard, but it was difficult to say goodbye to her. Richard actually convinced his friend Matthew from school to take her in and that way he could see her if they ever came to visit. Poor Pearl…he was going to miss her.
After a week or so he was okay with it and didn't mind too much that Pearl was gone. He went over to Matthew's a couple of days ago and said hi to them both. That wasn't too bad. He did, however, own Pearl for at least two weeks—unlike Bruce's one night rule. So much for that…even he had to admit he missed the kitten, but she had a knack for getting lost in the mansion if you adverted your sight for even the slightest of moments, and she was drawn oddly to the draperies. Alfred liked the kitten…but she wasn't exactly trained to leave things alone…
Anyway—it was at the end of that one week that something else happened.
Out on patrol, Robin rubbed the back of his head walked through the alleys and was almost tempted to start whistling. His left shoulder was killing him from a nice little blow a thief from the museum delivered in the dark. He was caught off guard, but he and his mentor got rid of the man in no time at all. Now, while Batman alerted the authorities, Robin went strolling around in search of more trouble.
Not that he meant to find the trouble that he did.
Stepping into the darkness, the faint light from the street lamp behind him allowed him to see enough of what was in the alleyway to maneuver around it—but large things like a person or a box…not little things…like a cat.
Raaaaooooooowwwww!
Okay—kitten.
He must have jumped three feet into the air, breath caught in his chest as he backed away a couple of steps. Squinting in the darkness, he saw the little kitten who was licking her swore paw. But it was no wonder he didn't see this one. She was overly small and as black as ebony. Glowing eyes turned on him and he cursed ever going out alone.
Why this?
"I'm sorry." He whispered, biting his lower lip. The kitten limped toward him slightly, stepping on her front right paw gingerly.
"No…" He said, losing the battle already. It was hard trying not to look at it. "I have to go…"
He turned to leave—
Meow?
But that couldn't have been a question…it was just trying to get to him…
Meow…
I hate cats—I hate cats—I hate cats—I hate cats—I hate cats—I hate cats—
…but this is a kitten…
The kitten followed him as far as it could walk on its injured paw—the one he injured—and that really did a number on his conscience. He spun around and picked it up, scratching it behind the ears as it curled up into his chest. "You know he's going to kill me…don't you?"
The cat meowed again and settled. Robin had always imagined street cats to be mean and hissy, but somehow he always had to find the ones that pulled at your heart strings. Well…at least this one was black. Maybe he could hide it better…
Bruce was going to know.
Okay—the plan…The plan was that he was going to find someone to take it in right after he took a look at that paw. Even though he was pretty light for his age, the kitten was a heck of a lot smaller than he was and that could have really hurt her paw.
Great—add guilt to the mixture and then there's no escape…
He did what he did last time—this time making sure Bruce wasn't anywhere in sight as he put the kitten in the trunk. This time he wrapped it up tighter for safety's sake before smiling at the sleeping figure and closing the door. Then he slid into the passenger seat and waited for his mentor to return.
"Something wrong?" Bruce asked, eyeing Robin. The boy had his arms crossed, a look of defeat plastered on his face.
"No…" Robin muttered. "Just drive…"
Okay—something was wrong, but Bruce decided to leave it be for now and attack the issue later when Robin was in a better mood. At least he was quiet the entire trip home…though he looked a little startled every time Bruce pressed on the gas…
RRR
He followed the last plan through just like the first time he snuck a kitten home, but this time he tried to be as stoic as he most possibly could. Through this, Bruce didn't question him as often…but he did look worried…
He couldn't know by now…could he?
Richard shook his head as he dried from his bath and dressed for bed. He hid the kitten in the cave this time and would bring it upstairs once Bruce settled in to sleep. That way he wouldn't have to work around the man like he had last time. Actually, last time wasn't so bad. The guilt trick the kitten used on Richard worked on Bruce too.
Go figure. He waited until about three in the morning when he was sure Bruce would have taken a break from researching. Then, watching out to see if Alfred was still around, he snuck downstairs in the dark and opened the cave door. Taking quiet steps down the stairs to the basement, he came to the trunk and opened it silently—hoping to God nothing bad happened to the kitten. Much like the first, it was still sound asleep—not dead—just asleep.
"Hey…wake up." Richard whispered, giving her a gentle shake. The cat yawned and stretched out, purring beneath his hand. "We have—"
The door to the cave was opened again and flooded the stairs with light. A muscular figure stood at the top as he slowly started his way down and Richard instantly knew it was Bruce. Sometimes the man couldn't get a night's sleep unless he cracked a case, and so far he had been working on the Joker again.
Silently, Richard cursed his persistence. Taking up the kitten and quilt, he dashed into the darkness down to the workout area and hid behind some of the machinery. Bruce, like he suspected, walked straight over to the computer and took as seat as the screen flickered on. The light from the screen illuminated more of the room, revealing the opened trunk to Bruce's eye.
"Hm?" He hummed aloud and stood; a curious look on his face as he strolled over to his wheels. Staring inside he noticed the blanket was gone but shut it and leaned against the vehicle. Arms crossed, he sighed and looked around the cave… "Richard?"
Instead of answering he kept his mouth shut. By the way Bruce was acting Richard could tell that the man suspected that he was done there. He didn't actually know he was down there and that could prove useful.
The kitten stirred in his arms, somewhat alarmed by the booming voice that echoed in the cave. Not only that, but a few bats screech and began to flutter around, not quite the most relaxing of sights or sounds when you were small and fluffy.
Then it meowed.
Bruce had actually turned back toward the computer then, about to toss his suspicions aside, but that sound seemed so loud right now…
Staring up at the bats, Bruce paused where he stood and took another look around the cave. "I know you're down here…" He started, and began to walk around. "Come out."
Now Richard knew why criminals could get so scared of this guy. It was damn freaky when you were being hunted by him…it wasn't fun.
Taking the blanket from around the kitten, he wrapped it around his body and held the kitten to his chest. When Bruce stepped over to the evidence table, back to the workout machinery, Richard slipped aside to another table which held an array of their own weapons. Then he moved toward the wall and hid in a fissure in the stone just as Bruce spun around.
"Richard?" The man asked and moved toward the workout area. The boy began to thank his luck that he moved when he did rather than waiting. It would have been all over…
Bruce raised an eyebrow when he found nothing there and turned around sharply again, this time heading for the computer. Richard thought perhaps he had given up—but that was nothing like the man's character. Instead, he went right over to the computer and shut the screen off.
Instant darkness…
Richard felt trapped now. He knew his way around the cave, but now his better judgment would be set off by no vision—but Bruce on the other hand was just like a bat. All he had to do was wait and listen.
Moving out from the fissure, he stared around the corner at the stairs. The door was still opened and lit only the stairs, an easy escape if he made a break for it. But that was what Bruce was expecting. He was going to wait for him to run for the stairs—and then he would grab him.
It was so taunting and Richard hated it. Now that he thought about it, he really hated this game. He didn't like the idea off having something jump out at you in the dark to grab you—and he didn't like who was hunting him. Maybe if it had been a villain it would have been better—because then he could hit them. But with Bruce, a hit would get him grounded…unless they were sparring.
Meow.
Richard covered a gentle hand over the kitten's mouth and held his breath. He could hear Bruce moving closer—and dodged to the side just as the man passed the spot he stood last. He could feel the wind brush against his face as Bruce moved only inches in front of him.
Bruce was good…
"Richard…" The man started in a deep, authoritive voice. "Come out now."
"I don't like this game." He whispered, and moved aside as he felt the wind off another close call. His eyes were beginning to adjust to the dark and that meant Bruce's would too. Right now, he could see an outstretched hand moving toward his face and so he ducked quietly, moving aside again. Right now his best bet was to make a break up the stairs…but first…
Richard dropped his quilt and, as he suspected, Bruce heard the material against the floor. He bent down and reached for it, feeling the blanket in his hand as Richard slowly moved away. He could see Bruce's figure as he stood and turned to look one way and then another…
Then he went for it. Richard found himself at the top of the stairs in the blink of an eye, and he didn't just stop there, he dashed into the living room and knelt behind one of the couches, holding his breath no matter how hard it hurt. Actually, he expected to have Bruce hot on his heels…but instead he heard nothing.
Glancing around the couch…he saw no one else in the room. Bruce could have gone to check somewhere else…
After a while, Richard stood and returned to his room, kitten still in his arms. He closed his door behind him and settled the purring creature on his bed, sitting at the foot of it with his knees brought up to his chest. Staring at the cat as it rolled around and stretched, he sighed to himself. "There's no way I'm going to find a new home for you now…not with Bruce knowing and all…"
"Don't sound so sad."
He jumped and stifled a yelp as someone grabbed him around the waist from behind. "Bruce!" He called out and thought of how stupid he had been to return to his room. Of course Bruce was going to check there—where else would he go?
His surrogate father sat down on the bed with Richard on his lap, the kitten moving toward the two playfully. Much to Richard's surprise, Bruce reached out a hand and moved to pet its head, his other arm still around Richard's waist.
"So…" The man began. "When were you planning to tell me you decided to get another pet?"
"Never." Richard muttered. "Because I wasn't going to keep her. I wanted to check with Matthew or someone else if they would take her in…like the last one…"
"I see…then…were you ever going to tell me?"
Bruce took Richard's silence as a no.
The kitten crept onto Richard's lap and he took over with the petting. It was a sweet kitten too like the last one.
"What's her name?" Bruce said in a low ton, showing Richard he wasn't angry.
"Um…Ebony."
"Ebony?"
"Because she's black."
"…I see…"
-A-
Yeah…I have a puppy named Nancy, so I was tempted to call the cat that…but my dog is hyperactive and the kitten is pretty cuddly really…Odd. I'm not used to talking about cute things so I hope this wasn't corny for you or really…not…cute…whatever. I try. Oh—and don't count on all the one-shots being about pets and kittens…I just have to think up of something else little kids like my sister like…
Until again,
Alexnandru Van Gordon