WARNING: This chapter contains vulgar language and conversation. It includes drugs, rape aftermath, and mentions cutting.
"Control yourself, take only what you need from it." MGMT
Just One More Taste (Again) AU
By: Cas
Beta'd By: Leradomi
Chapter Five:
Bruce was grateful when he and Dick made it to the car. Only a few people had given second glances, and the billionaire simply smiled in reply. It was all he could do at this point. That and hope no one took any pictures. Dick had enough bad gossip circling him as it was, and didn't need any more. It was getting to a point of mild concern for the billionaire, and it was a problem that needed to be corrected.
Alfred had suggested forcing Dick to attend the party Bruce (apparently) was hosting this weekend, but the idea seemed almost as bad as it was good. They would have to force sobriety, and in order to do so, Dick would have to be continuously watched. Not to mention how strange the boy had been acting of late. It was getting hard to tell what would and wouldn't set the young man off. And who knew, Dick might manage to wreck his image even further.
Unlocking the vehicle, Bruce opened the passenger door and directed the teenager to get in. For a moment Dick resisted, but that was solved with a warning hiss of: "get in or else."
By the time Bruce was in the driver's seat, Dick had already passed out. His head resting against the window. Well, at least the teen had buckled himself in. It was his first good choice of the day.
The drive time between Dick's loft and the manor was about forty minutes, and it started smoothly, but halfway through Dick suddenly sat straight up and began gagging.
"Oh, hell no," Bruce flipped on his turn signal, trying to change lanes and get to the side of the road. "Hold it, Dick, ok? Just hold it."
Apparently that wasn't an option. Dick clicked his belt loose and rolled down the window. He leaned out, head into traffic, and emptied his stomach. The scream of car horns picked up, as well as curses. Fortunately, some saint slowed, allowing Bruce room to switch lanes. He turned on his hazards and rolled to a stop as Dick continued to heave. Nothing about this ordeal had been easy, and it seemed like that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
As the vomiting halted, Dick panted.
People passing made a point to continue honking. Bruce simply covered his eyes and counted backwards from ten. It was only once he heard a groan that he looked over. Dick was using his sleeve to wipe his face. Bruce opened his mouth to lecture, but decided against it. The teenager probably wouldn't even remember anyhow.
"Are you good to go?" Bruce asked instead, trying to keep a level head.
The reply was an unsure nod, like the eighteen year old didn't know where he was.
"Buckle up. Try not to touch anything," Bruce said, aware of Dick's vomit covered sleeve. "Almost home." They pulled back into traffic and made it to the manor without further incident. Bruce was thankful when Dick got himself out of the car without any prompting or assistance. Though, as they climbed the stairs to the front doors he suddenly stopped and screwed up his face.
"Why did you take me home?"
Bruce gave his head a shake. "Well, Dick, I really didn't feel up to leaving you to your own defenses. Keep moving. You need to change out of those clothes and shower. Afterwards you can sleep." Apparently the answer was enough to get them moving again. Though once inside, there was no Alfred to greet either of them.
Dick was kicking off his flip flops and tugging at his hood. He kept nearly falling over in the process until he gained the sense to use the wall for support.
"Where is Alfred?" Bruce muttered as he shrugged off his coat.
"What day is it?"
"It's Tuesday." Bruce answered. He looked at Dick and he just stared back at him. He was obviously still drunk. He was more aware than he had been, but still only half present. "Go shower and change."
The Romani did as instructed, heading up the stairs and leaving Bruce to locate Alfred. The socialite dug out his phone and called. Within seconds Alfred picked up.
"Master Bruce?"
"Where are you?"
"Master Jason's school called and asked if today would work to come in. If he apologizes he'll only be suspended for the rest of the week and may return Monday."
Bruce nodded to no one. "He'll apologize then?"
"…One does hope."
"Tell him he needs to." Bruce cleared his throat and began to climb the stairs after Dick. "I stopped by Dick's apartment. It wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. I brought him back home with me, we need to find a rehabilitation center he can go to."
"I'll call Dr. Thompson, sir."
"Thanks." Bruce hung up before a response could be given. He walked towards his bedroom only to realize Dick's bedroom door was shut. There was no noise coming from the room. Pacing over and pushing the door open, he found Dick passed out yet again. Well, at least he'd made it to his bed.
"Dick."
A groan was released as the boy reached over his shoulder and pulled his hood back up. "Back off, my head is killing me."
Back off? Bruce would be delighted, but it wasn't really an option. Not when the teenager was lying in vomit covered clothing. There was no Alfred to pawn this unwanted task off on. No, the butler would be gone for the next hour and then some. "Shower, Dick. I don't want to even know how long it's been since your last one. Just shower, ok?"
A long and discontented exhale as the teenager slowly sat up. He swayed a little, but managed to keep his balance. Then, giving Bruce a rather disgusted look, he got to his feet and stumbled into the adjoining bathroom. It was no surprise when he slammed the door behind him.
Once the sound of running water hit the air Bruce turned and took his leave.
Jason was sitting beside Alfred at the conference table. Adrian Pierre and Samuel Salzburg were there as well, each accompanied by their mothers. "Looks like it hurts," Jason had whispered to Adrian. The kid's nose was braced and his face bruised.
Alfred had put a firm hand onto Jason's shoulder and squeezed hard. No doubt trying to reign Jason in.
"Well, Jason, I think you have something you want to say to these boys and their families?" The Dean instructed as he closed the door to ensure privacy. He alone remained standing, looking down at the student he mentally referred to as 'the hood rat'.
Jason blinked up innocently and offered no reply. Alfred cleared his throat in frustration and warning, but the teenager still kept silent.
"You physically attacked these two young men, and seemingly without any provocation. You're fortunate the punishment is merely suspension and not expulsion. Do you understand?" The Dean folded his arms against his chest. Again, he waited for a reply.
When Jason still said nothing Adrian's mother made a noise of protest. "We came all this way to be mocked? Look at my son's face! Why isn't this young man expelled?"
"Because, he's normally well behaved. This is his first offense."
"I'd understand if this were a public school, but it's a private academy. We pay a lot of money to send our kids here as to separate them from faulty school systems!" Mrs. Pierre wasn't going to let this slide."My son says he's Bruce Wayne's newest foster child, and I very much support that. I just don't think having a Crime Alley juvenile delinquent, who has proven to be aggressive, is something parents will allow."
Mrs. Salzburg proved to be more vocal than her seemingly mute son. "I agree completely."
Alfred leaned towards Jason's ear and hissed a warning. "Apologize, young sir. Master Bruce is already in a foul mood. One would think you would want to avoid his wrath."
Jason had been enjoying the show, but Alfred had a point. It was time to take action. So, clearing his throat he gained everyone's attention. "I'm sorry," he lamented, sarcastic down to the bone. "I'm sorry your sons both suffer from being smug little cunts whose feet don't touch the ground. I had assumed you abuse Xanax to help you deal with that fact. B-."
"Enough!" The Dean demanded, slamming a hand against the conference table.
Jason simply continued talking through him. "-I know some dealers in the Alley I could hook you up with. Though-."
"Jason Peter Todd. You will close your mouth and keep it shut." Alfred's voice was ice, and it did the job. The teenager stopped his verbal onslaught. A sigh as the butler got to his feet, motioning for Jason to do the same. "I offer my sincerest apologies to the lads and their mothers, as well to the school. Come along, Jason."
Huh. Apparently they were done with all the 'masters'. Jason got to his feet, happy with the surprised expressions greeting him. He even ruffled Adrian's hair, which made the kid's mother go rigid. "Spread your rumors about Dick now, and just see what happens. I dare you."
"Don't threaten my son." Adrian's mother seethed. "You're lucky we haven't pressed charges."
Jason held up his hands and backed away. He felt fairly good about the meeting. All-in-all, he'd say it'd been a success. His smile was natural, not even Alfred's icy glare could make him feel bad. Bruce would be pissed, sure, but this was still a victory. Private school sucked.
"I'll be starting expulsion paperwork," the Dean was saying to Alfred. "But he needs to get off campus right now."
Neither Jason nor Alfred spoke until the car pulled away from the school. "Master Bruce will not be pleased. I myself am deeply embarrassed."
"I wasn't going to go back to that hellhole. The kids are mostly assholes. Not to mention boring. I don't see why I can't just go back to my old school." He only half meant that. Going back to his old school would mean returning to friends, but Jason wasn't so stupid as to think his old classmates would accept him. No, he'd been living with the richest guy in the city. He'd become the very thing Alley kids loved to hate.
These days Jason was stuck in a kind of limbo. Socially, he didn't belong anywhere. Not really.
"May I inquire as to what you meant when you dared your classmate to spread rumors about Master Richard?" There was honest curiosity.
Jason met Alfred's eyes in the rear view mirror, but then turned his attention to look out the window. He offered no reply.
Bruce busied himself for the next fifteen minutes, changing clothes and looking up a few rehab facilities on his phone. He made sure to listen to the water running in the room next door,and once it switched off he pocketed his cell and went into the hall. He waited a minute before knocking on the door.
"Come in."
Bruce could have done without the snarky tone. He entered to find Dick once again sprawled across his bed in pajama pants and a hoodie. "Come on, we're going to the cave." Dick looked surprised, but complied. The two made their way downstairs. They took the lift, as Dick was still wobbly. Neither man spoke. Motioning towards the medical table, Bruce began to pull out various pieces of equipment. "Shirt off." He instructed. "You need stitches."
Dick wasn't making any motions. If anything he looked like he was about to be sick.
"You do recall that I've already seen your arms. We already discussed them. Now stop wasting time and let me stitch them up." Why had the school moved Jason's meeting up? It should be Alfred doing this. Dick listened to Alfred. They never butted heads or fought over something as stupid as this. Granted, the butler had more patience, but Bruce felt he'd been pretty reasonable today. Hell, he'd had to dress the kid, if that wasn't a perfect display of patience, he didn't know what was.
Well, Bruce could try a different approach. "Please, Dick, let me do this. Once I do, you can go upstairs and sleep, ok?"
Surprisingly, it worked. Dick carefully tugged his hoodie over his head. He was still blushing as he pulled himself onto the table. Keeping his eyes focused to his right, he refused to watch as Bruce removed bandages, then cleaned and stitched the wounds.
The socialite made a point to remember trying the gentler approach with Dick. Anything to get the kid to listen without starting a fight.
As soon as they'd arrived home, Jason was sent to talk to his guardian. He was now in the cave, Bruce a few feet away, livid. The man was going off on a rant that bad behavior wouldn't be rewarded. Jason was mostly spacing out until Alfred interrupted by coming off the lift to announce that Dick was fast asleep.
"Dick's here?" Jason asked. He was happy to hear that. He loved when the older teen visited.
Both adults stared at him for a few seconds, probably because it was the first he'd spoken since the car.
"Is he sick or something?"
"Well, according to your expertise, I shouldn't be worried. He's just a normal rich kid. Except that he was so completely wasted he couldn't even walk without help," Bruce addressed the butler next, "Thanks Alfred, let me know about any rehab centers you or Leslie decide on."
Jason didn't hide his surprise. "Rehab?!"
"We're discussing you, not Dick." Bruce snapped, turning to face the fourteen year old.
"You were literally just discussing Dick!"
Ignoring the teen's remark, Bruce focused. "If you did all of this just to get into public school, you'll be disappointed. There are many more private places, some of which are even quite religious. I'm sure we could get you into one." The billionaire hoped so anyway, with enough money.
The threat was ineffective. Jason just looked bored.
"Why did you attack your classmates. I want the truth. Alfred said something about them spreading rumors about Dick?"
Jason glanced away and shrugged. "I shut them up, don't worry about it."
"Was it about the drug situation? Dropping out of college?"
Taking a deep breath, the boy shook his head, not especially eager to say his thoughts aloud.
"Jason, what was it?" Bruce's words were clipped. It was clear he was growing impatient.
"Has Dick, like, ever been, you know…attacked?"
That shut Bruce up instantly. He didn't need Jason to use specifics to know what was meant. His brain seemed to spiral away before he forced himself to be logical. "Not that I'm aware. Why? Is that what they were saying?" Terrible possibilities were clicking into place, and they explained Dick behavior lately.
"They said there was a party and he hooked up with a bunch of guys. They acted like it was consensual though. So either they're assholes, or you know – either way, I told them to shut up and they wouldn't, so I made them." Jason blinked at his shoes. "But it got me thinking, you know, with your night work – maybe Dick's been through that?"
"It's something we train for, as you are aware, but no, to my knowledge he's never been sexually abused or assaulted." The billionaire glanced over to where Alfred stood. "Why don't you go up to your room. We'll talk later." As Jason left, Bruce stood still, thinking. The tabloids had mentioned gossip about Dick playing the field, but Bruce knew that wasn't true, at least not recently. Lately Dick appeared uninterested in any kind of romantic liaison.
Oh.
The ever lurking voice in his head whispered its' continual reminder: 'you failed.' Bruce had no business taking in children. How many times had he messed up with Dick? How many times with Jason? How could he have not known Dick's current predicament resulted from something so sinister?
'You don't know for sure.'
True. Bruce tried to reason with himself. There wasn't any proof. All he had to go on was Dick's flux in behavior, the increased drug use, the cutting, the lack of hygiene, the trashed apartment …..the list went on and on. Besides, all of this could easily point to a number of things, depression being the forerunner.
'He hasn't shied away from physical contact. Not really. At least not with the family. Right?'
It was a sad thing to admit, but Bruce didn't know for sure. He had noticed Dick flinch a few times when physical contact came into play, but so what? Just a few days ago Dick had fallen asleep next to Jason. Not to mention earlier today when Bruce had helped the Romani dress. There hadn't been any pulling away. Well, besides when trying to get the hoodie on, but that had just been Dick being difficult and drunk.
'Dick doesn't care anymore. He went from happy and adjusted to depressed and unbalanced.'
Dick was always the type to wear his emotions on his sleeves, but that wasn't the point. No, the problem was how he went from calm and collected one moment, to complete rage the next. And it wasn't just normal anger. It was an out of control, scream at the top of your lungs, kind. The anger had scared Barbara, and it'd led Dick to hit Jason with no pretext.
Bruce wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there, but when a hand gently rested on his back he was drawn back to reality. He turned to discover Alfred and shook his head. "I'm tired. I'm really tired."
Alfred seemed to understand and offered a distant smile. "I believe it's time to have a serious conversation with Master Richard, sir."
To be continued...
1) Thanks to FM and 805, thanks for keeping up with support ... Sorry my replies were not correct regarding the update, but I really loved everyone who asked when I'd post again. I'll try to be faster next time round. You guys are awesome.
2) I managed to get a great beta for this chapter, so big nod and thank-you towards Leradomi.
3) Thanks for reading.
