Every time I upload a chapter I seem to always have to apologise about something. Sorry for the incredibly late update! Enjoy!
"You live in Wayne Manor?" Tim nodded, fiddling with the hook of a grappling gun in his tiny hands. Knowing what this meant the adults kept quiet, watching the shrinking face behind his glasses.
"It's okay," the boy said, "You can ask if you want."
Nelya shifted closer to him, crouching to his level, "We won't ask if you don't want to say." She reassured.
At this he shook his head, brow suddenly furrowed, "My mum passed away a couple of years ago, but I had to be put into care because my dad wasn't the best guy in the world."
Both Nelya and Blake winced: growing up with two loving parents, she couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to lose one and being forced to put up with abuse from the other. Blake felt similarly, the only difference was that he knew in situations like this kid's, losing parents who he knew loved him seemed better than experiencing being unloved from someone meant to protect and care for you.
She ruffled his hair, "What say we lighten the mood and see if we can find you a job to do here?"
"And work out a schedule if you're going to be a regular." Blake inputted.
The suggestion made Tim's eyes brightened, a grin and glance at them dissolved his previous frown, "Really?'
"Really?" Nelya repeated, equally as excited.
"Yeah, yeah..." Blake rubbed the back of his head, "But right now, you gotta go up. Don't want anybody missing you."
Tim shrugged, jumping off the table they sat on, "Meh," he sighed, "No one really misses me."
Nelya pouted, "What do you mean?"
Tim looked down, "I'm not the most popular person with anyone up there, even some of the teachers and carers ignore me."
"Well that's just not cool." She frowned, crossing her arms.
He shrugged again, "I don't like them much anyway."
She nodded, "Good. They don't deserve your love."
Blake sighed, "Okay, squirt. I think you should head up now, get some sleep..." He yawned extravagantly.
She took Tim by the shoulder and led him to the lift, "What Blake is trying to say," She rolled her eyes at the man in question, "Is that we all need some rest. We'll let you know when you can come down soon, kay?"
He held up his little finger, "Promise?"
"I promise." She agreed, curling her own little finger around his, sealing the deal.
When Tim had left, the two remaining were silent for the better part of five minutes. Finally, Blake piped up, not being able to stand the quiet anymore, "We need to talk."
She looked up at him from where she tapped and clicked on the super-computer; she still didn't turn all of her attention to him, though, despite how serious he was. Her face was unusually open, in spite of being seemingly distracted; clearly, she had been thinking the same thing. Instead, she replied with, "What about?"
He ran a hand across his cheek, letting his frustration be shown, and quickly hobbled over to her, holding his side, "Don't give me bull, Nel. You know what about."
"I don't think what I want to talk about is what you want to talk about." Her stiff, incredibly English, upper-lip was put into play. That and her natural stubbornness always meant that he was always the first one to surrender.
But not this time.
He was annoyed. Annoyed at her. At himself. At getting shot after the massive dive that happened today. It didn't feel like they were even friends anymore. There was something else there that he realised they both couldn't place. Before, he had passed it off as feeling the burden of being the Batman; having thought on it during confused late nights, it started to feel like something different. "I know what you want to say to me and that can wait. This," he motioned between the two of them, "this can't."
She remained silent. He tried not to pull his hair out. "We've been at each other since before your parents came to visit, and I don't think I completely know why." He held up his hand when she did try to answer, knowing what she was going to argue, "It's not our normal bickering either. These are full on fights we're having over the smallest thing one of us does."
He expected a witty retort or a snide remark but she didn't breathe a word.
"Are you going to say anything or am I gonna have to do all the talking for once?" He huffed, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts.
"What if, 'for once', I don't want to do much talking." She said it like a statement rather than a question he could answer.
"You said it yourself, you have dragged me through hell and high water. So you owe me as much."
Inhaling sharply through her nose, she released her breath and clenched jaw, "Do you remember, previous to getting kidnapped, we were being held at my apartment and Nathair said...some things?"
He nodded slowly, affirming what she was saying.
"They were true. At least the basics of what he meant were."
He stared at her hardened eyes and pressed lips. It were her reddening cheeks that gave away what she was explaining to him. Someone would think motion didn't seem to register in his mind from the way he was standing. Nelya rolled her eyes and slapped him, not entirely gently, across the cheek.
He gulped, still dazed, "Wow."
"Listen, if you're going to make fun of me-"
Instead, he kissed her.