NUMB
"Boys, if you can't work together you will have an assignment."
"But Bruce, Tim's a know it all, Dick's an acrobat and Damian is an assassin. I can't compete with any of that!"
"Jason, it's not just you. Damian and Tim need to work together just the same. Dick needs to not show off and be professional. You are trying to be the best you can and help."
"Really?"
"No. Again."
"Jack-"
"What was that?"
"Donkey."
We started the training simulation again as Tim and Dick started hacking. Once they got the information Bruce sent robots to attack us and Damian and I dominated them. Tim never does combat very well. Dick runs ahead as he hacks the doors open for us. We run through and finish the training.
"Good, but still, Tim you must try."
"I am, I don't like combat. And Damian and Jason always do that."
"Well until you four can work together I want you to write a paper on a word that means something to you. Give the definition from the dictionary, then your own, finally how the word relates to you."
"But Bruce."
"You can write it in terms of a letter if you want."
I leave and head to my room as the others continue arguing. If I get it done fast enough then the others will have to just do it. I sit down at my desk and pull out some paper and a pencil. A word that relates to me. I pull out my iPod and listen to shuffle. The first song has nothing and neither do the next eleven. But the 13th song 'Numb' is perfect. I pull out a dictionary and look up the definition. I put the song on repeat one as I start writing.
'Without the power of sensation and motion or feeling. The feeling of utter nothing. I'm tired of being what you want me to be, Bruce. I feel so faithless and lost. I don't know what you expect of me anymore. You've put pressure on me to walk on Dick's shoes. Every step I take is a mistake to you. I've become so numb to the world I can't feel you there. I want to be more like me, and less like you. Everything you thought I would be is falling apart right in front of you. Every second I waste trying to be your perfect is killing me. I know I may end up failing. But I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you too. I'm tired of being what you want me to be. My word I chose is Numb because all the pain I feel from your pressure hurts so much that I can't feel anything else.
The unwanted son
Jason'
Tim's POV
After Jason left I stayed quiet as Dick and Damian continued to argue with Bruce. I soon after left and headed to my room. I pulled out one of my many dictionaries and opened it to a random page. I looked on the left hand top corner to see the word numb. I write the definition down and begin.
'Without the power of sensation and motion or feeling. Having so much pain that you feel nothing. Bruce, I don't like combat for many reasons. I'm smaller than Dick was when he became Robin and I'm only smart. I don't like hitting and hurting people causing them to be numb. I prefer the hacking and intellectual jobs because that's mostly what I've been trained for. Yes we do small combat motions but I can't get them right. I'm sorry that I can't fill your shoes as Batman but everyone knows Dick is going to be you when you leave the mantle. I know you don't want to lose control of Jason or Damian so I try to keep Jason on the right track but Damian is a demon. All I want to do is be more like me and be less like you. If I did try combat I know I would end up failing but I know you were just like me with someone disappointed in you.
The incapable son
Tim'
Dick's POV
Damian and I are the ones staying to fight Bruce on this because I know that I'm a show off but I'm trying to show Tim what he's missing out on. Damian is just being mean to get the kid to fight. Deep down I know Damian only wants Tim to accept him.
"Father, I demand you rethink this assignment."
"No Damian, the more time you waste arguing the less I will budge."
"Come on Dami let's just get it over with."
I then went up the steps and to my room. I sat down on my bed and thought. I flopped back and stared at the ceiling. After a while I couldn't feel anything and I finally thought of the word I wanted to use for the paper. I went on my laptop and checked the dictionary. I copied and pasted it on a word document and started typing.
'Without the power of sensation and motion or feeling. Not knowing what to do, an utter case of hopelessness. I know everyone expects me to be Batman once you pass on but I don't want to be the Batman anymore. I've always wondered if you adopted me as a charity case. I know I'm a freshman in college and it shouldn't matter but it does. If only my mother or father had died and they couldn't take care of me anymore would you have still adopted me? I guess when I saw them fall I was numb and when you adopted me I couldn't feel anything. Two completely different meanings for the exact same word. I want to be me and not you. The thing that drives you to give everything just for the sake of a mission is dark and I don't want that darkness thrust upon me. I know I'm the only logical choice but I would feel numb all over again. I'm not as brutal as Jason or Damian and I'm not as smart as Tim but I'm an almost to all of them. I'm just a little bit of all of them. But I'm tired of being what you want me to be. I don't want the pressure of walking in your shoes.
The charity case
Dick'
Damian's POV
"Damian I'm no changing my mind now go."
"You regret having taken me don't you?"
"No, I just want all of you to work together."
I left not wanting to hear any more lies. I looked in Todd's room and found him on his bed with a song playing over and over. I then looked in Drake's room and saw a dictionary on the floor with a word highlighted. Drake was on the floor writing vigorously on a piece of paper. I then looked in Grayson's room. He was sitting at his desk typing with a smaller screen with dictionary. It had the same word as Todd's music and Drake's highlighted word. I ran to my room as I wrote down the definition I saw as I thought of my own definition of that word.
"Without the power of sensation and motion or feeling. My arm must have been cut off because I can't feel it. I don't like my brothers and all I want is for you and Mother to be together. I feel like a part of me is gone. I'm ten and my mother wants me dead and my father hates me. I feel numb because I'm always pushed away. I'm tired of being what you want me to be Father. I will never be what you want me to be and I know I would fail but I know someone was disappointed in you too. I don't know what you expect of me anymore. Every step that I take is a mistake to you and I'm sorry.
The demon's son,
Damian Wayne Al Ghul'
Bruce's POV
"My word is numb." I read for the fourth time tonight. My boys picked the exact same word but gave me four different definitions from each of them. Their signatures though are what surprise me the most. I never knew this is how they saw themselves because they aren't. Jason is not an unwanted son, Tim is not incapable, Dick is definitely not a charity case and Damian is my son not the Demon's. I may be hard on them but it's for their own good.
"Boys, come in!"
They walk in and look at me cautiously. I pat the couch as Damian and Tim sit on opposite sides of me and Dick and Jason pull up two chairs.
"I didn't know this was how you boys felt. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Well, whenever we thought about it you were usually really pissed at us."
"I want you to know you can always tell me when you aren't okay. If anything is bothering you I want you to tell me okay?"
"Okay. Are we still in trouble?"
"You never were in trouble, I just wanted you to work better together."
"Um Jay you can let go of my arm now. I can't feel it."
A/N: Another one. I don't think I will be able to get another update on any of the other stories until later because stuff has come up and I have serious writers block. PLEASE vote on the poll.
-Leo