That was a decently quick turnaround, I think. I'm still working on TRK, and making good progress despite numerous escape attempts by the plot bunny. I should have that out sometime next week, so keep a weather eye on the horizon. Let me know what you think! (Review responses at the bottom.)
"ARRGH" Jason yelled in frustration when he missed his snatch by inches. Immediately, he knelt down and placed his hands on the bar again, staring at the weights with determination. I will not be weak. If Bruce can do this, so can I. There's no excuse. Jason cracked his knuckles and got back into position.
Just as he was about to begin his second attempt, Bruce entered the gym dressed for work.
"Jason, it is six in the morning."
"Yeah, I know."
"How much sleep did you get last night?"
"Does it matter? You hardly ever sleep. Plus you patrol every single night and I only get to go on weekends." Jason made a face at that fact, showing exactly what he thought about the school-night rule.
"How many times do I have to remind you? Jason, you are a child, no matter how much you try to deny it. And you know very well that school always comes before extracurricular activities."
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes and went back to his weightlifting.
Bruce stopped him by stepping directly in front of the bar and looking his youngest son in the eyes. "Go get ready for school. I don't want to see you in here until after you get back and completed all of your homework to Alfred's standards. Otherwise, I may have to reconsider bringing Robin on patrol tonight."
"Seriously?! I have afternoon gym training planned and Alf is never going to think my work is 'satisfactory.' This is such bull-"
"You don't want to finish that." Bruce interrupted.
"Fine." Jason kicked the bar out of frustration, then regretted it a minute later when his big toe began to throb. He stalked out of the gym, conceding to Bruce this time, but fully intending to come back later.
Bruce watched his son go. He's too much like me for his own good. I don't want him to be so obsessed that he ends up hurting himself. Bruce headed in the direction of the changing room, ready to begin his own brutal self-loathing inspired fitness regimen.
"UGH!" Jason shoved open the door to the manor and chucked his backpack angrily across the foyer. "I hate everyone at that stupid school! Nothing freaking makes sense and everyone thinks they're so amazing because their parents are loaded but they're all just stuck. up. pricks!"
Alfred sighed tiredly as he moved through the open doorway his charge had just stormed through.
Jason's ranting continued to echo throughout the manor as he stomped upstairs. "…and no one ever understands me or even TRIES to, and then the only fun thing I get to do gets taken away and-" Silence fell downstairs as he slammed the door to his room.
Thank heavens. I don't know how much more of this I can put up with. Making a decision, Alfred picked up the phone and dialed the direct line of his employer.
"What is it Alfred?" Bruce's annoyed voice carried through the speaker of the phone.
"I daresay I taught you how to answer a phone better than that."
"I'm sorry, it's been a long day. How's Jason? I assume that's why you're calling."
"Yes, well. He is having a rough go of it, Master Bruce. I recommend you return home immediately before he gets out of hand. He needs his father, to be frank, sir."
"I'm not his-"
"I think you know very well that is untrue." Alfred's voice left no room for other opinions.
"I have a meeting-" Bruce tried again.
"Cancel it." His butler's voice was ice.
"Alfred, I can't just drop everything because Jason's had one bad day, he needs-"
"He needs you. I'll be at Wayne Enterprises to collect you shortly."
The line went dead. Bruce rubbed his forehead in what was the beginning of a migraine made in hell. He knew Alfred was right, he just didn't want to admit it. Waynes had a history of hating to be wrong.
"Jason?" Bruce called. The boy was nowhere to be found. He wasn't in his room, the kitchen was empty, and there was no sign of life in the living room. That left only one place.
Bruce groaned internally. I don't want to do this, but he has to learn to follow orders, to be a good soldier. I won't accept anything less from my partner.
But as Bruce neared the gym, he didn't hear anything. He opened the door and peered in, half expecting Jason to throw something at his head. Nothing came. In fact, the gym was totally empty.
"Alfred?" he called, looking around in confusion.
Alfred appeared out of nowhere, as he was apt to do in the Manor. No one could figure out how he managed to figure out the secret to teleportation. "Yes, Master Bruce?"
"Where is Jason? I can't find him anywhere."
If I'm not mistaken I believe there may have been a small bit of concern in that question. "I do believe the young man is in the cave, training." Alfred said with a mysterious glint in his eyes.
Bruce looked at him curiously, then headed down towards the cave.
As Bruce descended the cave stairs, he heard not one, but two voices.
"Tuck tighter on that flip for a smoother transition. You're so close, I think you're gonna get this move today!" A cheerful voice echoed in the cave, one that hadn't been heard there for a long time.
Dick?
Both his sons came into view. One performing a routine on the high bars, one on the ground. He watched as Jason went around the bar once, twice, then flipped off with a perfectly executed sommersault and landed in a defensive crouch, ready for an attack. That move was one Bruce had been helping Jason work on for weeks, but with no luck. Jason hated aerial maneuvers with a passion, preferring to keep his feet on the ground and use his strength to take down criminals. The fact that he was not only willingly working on flips, but perfectly executing them, was nothing short of a miracle.
"That was impressive." Bruce's deep baritone was obviously no surprise to Dick who kept his eyes averted, but Jason had been so focused on his routine he had failed to notice the big man that had entered. Jason whipped around, like he had been caught with his hand in Alfred's cookie jar.
He approached Bruce tentatively, stepping away from Dick and the high bars. "Bruce, I was just working on that one flip thing, I'm not in the gym, and I haven't finished my homework yet but it's really easy today and-"
"Jason."
"Yeah?"
"It's ok. I understand."
"You're…not mad at me?"
"A little, but I'll allow you to patrol tonight. I want to see if you can use that new move in a real battle situation." Bruce turned his attention to the other person in the room, who looked like he was avoiding eye-contact at all costs.
Bruce coughed slightly. "I have a hit on the Narrows planned for tonight. Robin and I could use the backup, if you have time to join us."
Dick finally met his eyes with an angry look. "You think you can just offer me a job and everything will be forgiven?"
"No, I-"
"You hurt me, Bruce, and you're hurting Jason. I'll be damned if I let you emotionally damage another poor orphan you picked up off the street. You better treat him right, or Nightwing can make things very difficult for Batman in Gotham. Don't test me." With finality, Dick snatched up his motorcycle that lay on its side, and roared out of the cave.
Jason looked at Bruce with something akin to pity. "It's ok, you don't have to say it. I promise I'm gonna make you proud someday." With that, he ran back over to the bars to practice his new skill in preparation for patrol.
Bruce watched him go with a small smile on his face. You already have.
LittlePineCone: I really don't know Steph all that well canonically, unfortunately. The most experience I have with her is through quipquipquip 's "No Dawn No Day" series (which I highly recommend if you haven't read it already.) However, I'm always open to trying new things, so if I have a spare minute I'll do some researching on her and try it out. I need more experience with female characters anyway. Thank you for the suggestion!
Sophia the Scribe: Can I just tell you how much I appreciate your sweet reviews on my stories? You make my day, seriously. I have not read "Twenty-four Months" but now it's on my list! Thank you for telling me about it!
kagome04: Thank you so much for your sweet review! I always try to keep the characters in character, but it doesn't always work out. I'm glad I did well with that last chapter though!
PrettyKitty Luvs U: Thank you!
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