A/N) Here's another snapshot.
Starts out angsty ends fluffy.
Motivation is your Superpower
Blood.
So much blood it hurts his eyes. The angry splatters scarring the floor, pooling grotesquely underneath the body.
This can't be happening - he didn't mean to . . . it wasn't supposed to be like this. Bruce-Batman - warned him this would happen if he let Zucco get to him.
Dick breaths - when had he stopped? Black spots swim around his head, the corner of his vision blackens. He's going to throw up - the smell of blood pungent and metallic, it makes his spit thicken under his tongue.
Batman slides out of the shadows behind him. Silent. Terrifyingly silent.
Dick shudders, he needs something stable - something to hold on to because the ground was no longer steady under his feet.
"What have you done."
He knows, it's not a question - Batman is appalled. Dick can hear it in his non descriptive voice.
"I - I - I - I didn't - Didn't mean to." Dick shudders, hot tears blurring his vision as he tries to find a green spot on his blood soiled gloves. There isn't one.
"What. Have you. Done."
It's colder.
Dick turns around, the Bat looms like the fear inducing gargoyle he is. And Dick sees the anger - the disgust the . . . the hate.
Batman hates him.
He's turned into something the Batman loathes and -and -
Dick knows he's crying now. He's only twelve and . . . and he finally found Zucco and then he just -
"I saw him, he - he was happy - and I just - I just -" Went crazy. Dick remembers, the feeling suffocated him, the rage rose so fast, not even a forest fire lit up that fast. It just swelled and he nearly choked on it - the only remedy was to get ride of the cause.
Primal. Animalistic- not even and animal was that savage.
He had a kid with him.
Dick doesn't know what happened to her.
Oh God.
His stomach twists violently and he heaves harshly on the cold stained floor.
"I'm sorry- " He's shaking, his teeth chatter - his face and hands are sticky with blood and sweat. "I'm sorry - "
"Sorry doesn't bring you back from the line you've crossed."
"No - no Batman - I - Bruce - I'm sorry, please - I'm Sorry!"
He screams as the righteous bat-monster swoops on him and everything goes dark.
He's still screaming when he opens his eyes and realizes he's in a dark room, in a warm bed, with his blankets nearly choking him.
The door bursts open and he can make no sense of the words being said, the wavering sounds and then hands - big warm hands grasp his shoulders, cup his face and something sharp pricks him.
Dick hiccups and can hardly draw breath fast enough, tears still streaming down his small face. "B-Bruce?"
"Shhh, it's alright Dick - it was just a bad dream. You're fine. Breath."
Dick's not sure it's Bruce for a second. He sounds too gentle - to real . . . not afraid of saying something nice for once. The kid decides he doesn't care. He throws his arms around the man and sobs.
"I'm sorry B-Bruce - I didn't mean it, I would never - I'm sorry."
Bruce's body heat was soothing, so were his hands as he pushed back the boys sweaty hair and mutters uncertain comforting words.
"It's alright Chum, you're alright. Just breath. It wasn't real Dick, you have nothing to be sorry for."
"Yes I do - " His sobs subside to hiccups. "I - I killed Tony Zucco - "
Bruce's eyes look confused in the dark as Dick pulls away instantly missing him.
"That's not possible Dick."
"I did in the nightmare . . . and I - it felt so real Bruce, like real anger, I've never been that angry in real life - but I was angry in the dream." He shivers.
Bruce drags his blanked around his thin shoulders. "And?"
Dick turns his sharp face, aquamarine eyes wide and watery. "I liked it - it felt . . . good. Like he deserved it - I liked killing him. Then you came and . . . and I wasn't glad anymore and - "
The older man sighs and pulls the boy back into a hug. "I get it Dick. I know what that was."
Dick sniffs. "You do?"
"Yes. I used to have dreams just like that after my parents died. Used to dream about what I'd do to the man when I found him. "
Dick's eyes widen. "You? But you're batman."
Bruce mouth turns up on one corner at that. "Mine were probably worse - uglier. But it never feels good for long, Dick. As long as you realize that then you'll be fine." He sounds so sure about it.
"You're not mad at me?"
"Of course not. It was just a dream. It'll get better Dick. Maybe it won't ever go away but, it'll dull a bit most days."
Dick smile is watery but he nods. "Thanks Bruce."
"Anytime. Good night Dick."
The little boy keeps up the brave face until he realizes Bruce is going to leave him alone in the dark. He's not usually afraid of it but - he's been Robin for nearly a year now and . . . and things live in the shadows in Gotham.
"Hey Bruce?"
"Yah Chum?"
"Can - can you stay here for a - a while."
The dark is silent and Dick's suddenly afraid he's asked for too much. Until heavy footsteps creak back towards his bed and the mattress dips. Dick sighs in relief and manages to curl into Bruce's warm side.
"Thanks."
"Good night."
Dick drifts off peacefully, missing the great and scary Batman's soft smile as he brushes the little boys dark hair off his pale forehead.
"You'll be alright Dick - you'll be better than me one day."
The shadows aren't so scary anymore after that.
Review and follows are much appreciated!
I like being motivated and that motivates me ;)
Help this dried up author become a well of inspired again. Because seriously - at this point . . . I'm a desert.