Diana hung up her phone. Alfred was managing to keep some early guests occupied, as Bruce was just finally making it home.
She interrupted Barry, who was bored and twiddling with his sweater. "Do you want to go upstairs? Bruce is home."
A wheelchair rolled up to his bed. Her voice rattled off about going upstairs.
He looked down at his body. He wasn't sure how he felt about being empty, having shit his guts out. His frame was so small, and there are furniture legs thicker than his legs. Belly even smaller than ever due to using the bedpan. It wasn't possible to convince himself that his hip bones were simply too big for his body. Barry was really letting himself go.
The sweater helped his appearance. Added a few pounds. Though it wouldn't make him fit in that wheelchair any better. They both knew his butt was too scrawny to support himself in the seat that was originally intended to fit a real man with a real body.
But, if it was for Bruce. Why not? Bruce has already seen this travesty of a person in his worst condition.
His butt dropped into the padding of the wheelchair. See, Diana knew as well that he'd be sliding around in it, and she put a good deal of padding on the seat.
After buckling him into the seat, she was behind him. He was moving forward, away from the bed and towards the door. With glances to his lap, he couldn't remember getting into the chair, or Diana making him comfortable. Let alone saying yes to leaving the room. Butterflies knocked around in his gut and were probably eating the tissue very slowly. The rubber of the chair's wheels was creaking along the metal floor very slowly, yet it felt like they'd teleported to the elevator.
Barry turned his head up at Diana. Her smile met his eyes. As of she knew she'd have to remind him, "Bruce is upstairs in the foyer. Alfred is tending to a few gusts who've arrived early, so we can see Bruce for a while." And how it would be good for him to get a change of scenery and some socialization.
She'd made the decision for him. As nice as it was, he wasn't sure. He couldn't poop on his own, and he'd already had his genitals on full display, and now he was being toted around like a pet.
He wondered what was going on in her mind. There's no way she wasn't flashing back to what his taint looked like. She knew now. And her wonder memory would always know. There's also no way she wasn't running with millions of thoughts - the size of his junk, the colors and conditions, how he definitely wasn't very clean, how he couldn't suppress his pleasure when her finger dabbed his prostate. How he couldn't take care of anything on his own. The smile on her face was out of respect and friendliness, but she definitely had a laugh or mocking opinion hiding behind it. It wasn't discreet.
He looked up occasionally. He trusted her, he really truly did and he really should have. But the fact she was behind his line of view made him run cold.
Her hands picked up his blood pressure and the chills down his back. She squeezed the handles of the chair and stopped right outside the elevator. "Barry, it's alright."
Barry found her eyes. His head pressed into her torso. She was so warm and plushy that it got a sigh from him.
"We're in the Manor now, Barry."
He looked around. In all honesty, he couldn't think he'd ever been there before. He didn't know what he was looking at. Sucking on his bottom lip, he glossed over the large windows and the light that bounced through the empty corridor. He turned up at Diana, then back forward to find that they were moving again. Very slowly inching down the corridor.
Her light, gradual footsteps were calming to him. It reminded him that they were going together. That she was going to handle everything. He was far from bed, but it was together with her.
Diana smiled harder when his head dug harder into her. "You'll be alright. We're going to see Bruce for a few minutes. Maybe you can have a snack. Then we can go back to bed."
He loved when she used the word "we". He had a chill on his face and neck, though her breasts and insulation were keeping him comfortable. A cramp in his belly made a snack sound good.
"We'll need to turn around so I can push this door open."
The turn was super slow, like she was slowly dragging him in a circle. His head pressed deep into her. His hand was clammy when it grabbed his hot face.
"I'm sorry, Barry." She tried to make the next turn less drastic, but it only made him more disoriented. She stopped outside the door. "Here, let's take a break."
Diana gently leaned into him. She combed his hair with her nails, both to comfort him and make sure he looked good.
He watched her crouched in front of him. His eyes were between her hand as it stroked his hair and her eyes as she studied his face. Her quiet voice said, "It's alright. Would you like to stay here, and I get-?"
Bruce came into the distance. His eyes met Barry's for a moment but felt badly and strayed away. Diana stood up to greet the man, as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
"He is getting warm again. His belly is upset, so perhaps he could have a snack or seltzer, if Alfred is finished." She gave answers to questions before they could be asked. "He ate a full lunch and used his pan."
Barry looked around everywhere, even at Bruce's forehead, before he could look into the man's eyes. To hell if Bruce were to know the details. Which he most likely did, or would.
"-and I would say some inspection is needed."
She needed to stop. He reached out to grab her, maybe her hand or arm or something.
She turned around to a brush to her clothes. Crouching back down, she took Barry's hand. "I apologize, Barry, but he needs to know how you're doing."
With a forced nod, Bruce chimed in. "It's good to know you're taken care of. It's great that you're eating now."
Diana chuckled. Tighter hold to his hand. "He's been worried. He means to apologize-"
"For not being there." Bruce sighed, trying to not avoid Barry's eyes. Despite Barry's avoiding his. "Don't know what I've been doing. I... cut short on a few things I'm supposed to be doing. Have inspections to do still, that shouldn't have been put off."
Her eyebrow raised, knowing what he was talking about. But it was fine. "Bruce is happy that you came up here with me, Barry."
Bruce and Barry shared a "yeah". Barry finally found Bruce's gaze and it warranted a half smile. The man's hand pressed to the younger's forehead. "He is warm. "
"When I checked earlier, he was 99. He's felt chilly, and I hope it's not too cold in here."
His fatigued arms wrapped around her arm, soaking up the warmth. Now that Diana had said something, he was feeling cold and lonely. And a little disoriented, like before.
She gave her arm, rubbing his chest.
He couldn't pay attention to what she'd said. He was too focused on how the pain was suddenly becoming mild. He wasn't even aware that his chest had been burning until she began rubbing it better. It was mostly in his belly now, near his liver. Something odd inside of him told him to not tell her, although she knew. Diana was well aware. And she'd make sure Bruce knew. As comforting as it was, it also sent an odd wave of doom through him. What if everyone would know, and everyone would try to help?