Disclaimer: Characters belong to DC
The apartment has creaks and holes. Some wallpaper torn off here and there and maybe that's bits of blood in the doorway but who knows. Dick is pretty sure that if he got a UV light in this room, it would look like Jackson Pollock painting. But it's cheap and it's a head start. A start of what? well he doesn't know. A start of a start, he guess.
"Thanks for helping out guys" Dick said, swiping off sweats. Babs, Tim, Connor and Wally has been helping Dick moving in session for the last 2 hours. It doesn't really take that long when you have a speedster and a super muscle. Dick had told them that they didn't have to but they insisted. Babs was particularly persistent.
"Electricity and water is all good." Tim nod at his accomplishment. "Thanks, lil bro"
"I think all you need is some decoration up on the wall, Dick" Babs suggested over the couch. "maybe some rugs?"
Dick move Babs' legs so that he can sit on his new couch "Hmm…I'll think about it. I'm on a budget after all."
"Why don't you have Bruce to buy you stuff man? He has enough money" Connor said in disbelief.
"I don't want to be dependent on him"
"That's where you're stupid" Wally closing the door of an empty fridge.
Dick roll his eyes "That's where I am independent."
"Whatever, let's get some food" as if to prove his point, Wally's stomach growl into the abyss.
===break====
The silence is deafening.
It remind him of his first day at the manor. It was suddenly a silent night. No lion growling, no birds singing, no occasional snore that he has come to get used to in the circus.
So he toss and turn in his bed. A sense of independent surge through him and it is an achievement but he's never independent. There's always someone and this time, he is truly utterly alone. Sure he can call Barbara or he can go to Barbara or visit the manor or whatever. But it seems like he has to get used to the deafening silence now and he's not sure and it's kind of a disturbing thought. To be forever, sleeping in silence.
His eye bags make him look like a panda. He tried to figured out a way to get used to the silence but it's not working. So he venture out of the window, chasing voices on the rooftop. He'll be back when he's ready to pass out on the bed immediately.
At some night, he'll sleep in the mountain or he'll sleep in people's couch without their consent. Usually it's Babs' couch cause she wouldn't ask question. She would just drag some pillows and blanket to sleep on the arm couch next to him.
He's not suit up to live alone, he find out a bit too late. Cause he can't make himself go to sleep at night. He needs those steady breathing, he needs those occasional snores and those occasional half-awake fight for blankets.
Every lonely night just remind him what he doesn't want to become. So he seek others people presence, invade their house just to pass out on the couch. He doesn't want to be alone nor does he want to get used to being alone.