Fic: The Echo of Bats Wings (2/6)
Mar. 1st, 2009 07:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
starsandseaTitle: The Echo of Bats Wings (2/6)
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Bruce/Kal
Word Count: 818
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: Previous parts can be found here. Thanks to the great![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mithen for the beta! :D
Some time later, Bruce finally emerged from his room, feeling exhausted, like he could sleep for the next year. But, he had work to do, and as much as Kal had disliked it, only he could do it.
He had to help plan for the crowning that would take place in only a few days, send letters to other nations, try to at least give short term solutions to all the problems left from the last years of his Father's reign, try to feed starving people, get resources for houses to be repaired, or completely rebuilt, in some cases, try to ensure that there were enough hands to bring in the harvest, for this was going to be a hard winter, that much was certain. Not to mention get the guards and solders up to scratch again, ensure there were enough weapons for them, for the mercenaries that ever plagued Gotham's borders were sure to strike what they believed to be a prize for the taking. And a hundred other problems he had to solve.
How had his Father ever done it? He understood now, why his Father had been so distant, so often, after his Mother's death. No wonder he had let it fall to Alfred and Leslie to raise his seven children.
Kal's hand squeezed his, and Bruce blinked, then smiled ruefully. Kal brought their foreheads together softly, resting against each other for a moment, letting Bruce draw strength from him. Of course Kal understood, he shared many of his Father's duties, back in Metropolis.
"Lets find some breakfast... well, lunch first, shall we?"
Bruce nodded, and they walked down the narrow winding stairs to the lower rooms.
*****
Alfred had placed a plate of food before him, bread and cheese, with slices of meat and fruit. Bruce's mouth was watering. He was sitting in what had always been his Father's place at the table, Kal sitting in his former place.
Tim and Cassandra were there, Tim's food having been cut and prepared for him by Alfred, Cass keeping a discreet eye on him, should he need any help. Of his other brothers and sisters there was no sign, and he had not asked Alfred. His morning had been peaceful, healing, and he wasn't sure he could deal with Jason's anger, Barbara's disappointment, and Dick's... whatever it was, right now.
Besides, there would be enough of that later, when he had to meet with his advisers, bitterly aware that very nearly all of them were lining their own pockets, but he could do nothing about it. Yet. As much as it pained him to admit it, he needed them, needed their advice. And at least he could trust one of them: Lucius had been on the verge of leaving, after being pushed out by the other advisers, before Bruce and his siblings had returned. Lucius knew them all, knew which ones were the greediest, which ones couldn't be trusted at all, and was discreetly finding replacements for them all.
Bruce ate his food absently, thinking about the afternoon sessions, aware that his hands were aching. They always ached now, the damage he had inflicted on them over the course of the last several years would ensure they always would. But he didn't mind it. It had been worth it, even if his brothers and sisters did hate him now. Bruce sighed, finding himself oddly missing the days when his life had had a single purpose, when he wasn't being pulled in several directions at once, when he didn't need to be seen, could just stay all day in his and Kal's rooms, with only Ace, if he wanted. He would never again be able to do that.
There was a sudden weight on his thighs, and Bruce blinked, startled, to find Ace's head on his legs, looking up at him hopefully. He smiled and petted him, feeling the soft ears, even through his scarred hands, and, when no one was looking, fed him a piece of meat. Ace's tail thumped against the stone floor happily; he lay down at his feet chewing at the meat.
Kal was smiling at him him softly, and Bruce smiled back. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would be able to not attend the evening meal tonight, would just be able to spend time with Kal, talk about things, for they sorely needed to. Not only for themselves, but for Gotham and Metropolis, if Kal was truly serious about them marrying. He hadn't said a word since he had first mentioned it, but that was more to do with his Father's death, Bruce suspected. It was still the mourning period, after all.
Kal's hand brushed his under the table, and Bruce smiled again, just as Dick and Jason walked in.
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Bruce/Kal
Word Count: 818
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: Previous parts can be found here. Thanks to the great
mithen for the beta! :DSome time later, Bruce finally emerged from his room, feeling exhausted, like he could sleep for the next year. But, he had work to do, and as much as Kal had disliked it, only he could do it.
He had to help plan for the crowning that would take place in only a few days, send letters to other nations, try to at least give short term solutions to all the problems left from the last years of his Father's reign, try to feed starving people, get resources for houses to be repaired, or completely rebuilt, in some cases, try to ensure that there were enough hands to bring in the harvest, for this was going to be a hard winter, that much was certain. Not to mention get the guards and solders up to scratch again, ensure there were enough weapons for them, for the mercenaries that ever plagued Gotham's borders were sure to strike what they believed to be a prize for the taking. And a hundred other problems he had to solve.
How had his Father ever done it? He understood now, why his Father had been so distant, so often, after his Mother's death. No wonder he had let it fall to Alfred and Leslie to raise his seven children.
Kal's hand squeezed his, and Bruce blinked, then smiled ruefully. Kal brought their foreheads together softly, resting against each other for a moment, letting Bruce draw strength from him. Of course Kal understood, he shared many of his Father's duties, back in Metropolis.
"Lets find some breakfast... well, lunch first, shall we?"
Bruce nodded, and they walked down the narrow winding stairs to the lower rooms.
*****
Alfred had placed a plate of food before him, bread and cheese, with slices of meat and fruit. Bruce's mouth was watering. He was sitting in what had always been his Father's place at the table, Kal sitting in his former place.
Tim and Cassandra were there, Tim's food having been cut and prepared for him by Alfred, Cass keeping a discreet eye on him, should he need any help. Of his other brothers and sisters there was no sign, and he had not asked Alfred. His morning had been peaceful, healing, and he wasn't sure he could deal with Jason's anger, Barbara's disappointment, and Dick's... whatever it was, right now.
Besides, there would be enough of that later, when he had to meet with his advisers, bitterly aware that very nearly all of them were lining their own pockets, but he could do nothing about it. Yet. As much as it pained him to admit it, he needed them, needed their advice. And at least he could trust one of them: Lucius had been on the verge of leaving, after being pushed out by the other advisers, before Bruce and his siblings had returned. Lucius knew them all, knew which ones were the greediest, which ones couldn't be trusted at all, and was discreetly finding replacements for them all.
Bruce ate his food absently, thinking about the afternoon sessions, aware that his hands were aching. They always ached now, the damage he had inflicted on them over the course of the last several years would ensure they always would. But he didn't mind it. It had been worth it, even if his brothers and sisters did hate him now. Bruce sighed, finding himself oddly missing the days when his life had had a single purpose, when he wasn't being pulled in several directions at once, when he didn't need to be seen, could just stay all day in his and Kal's rooms, with only Ace, if he wanted. He would never again be able to do that.
There was a sudden weight on his thighs, and Bruce blinked, startled, to find Ace's head on his legs, looking up at him hopefully. He smiled and petted him, feeling the soft ears, even through his scarred hands, and, when no one was looking, fed him a piece of meat. Ace's tail thumped against the stone floor happily; he lay down at his feet chewing at the meat.
Kal was smiling at him him softly, and Bruce smiled back. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would be able to not attend the evening meal tonight, would just be able to spend time with Kal, talk about things, for they sorely needed to. Not only for themselves, but for Gotham and Metropolis, if Kal was truly serious about them marrying. He hadn't said a word since he had first mentioned it, but that was more to do with his Father's death, Bruce suspected. It was still the mourning period, after all.
Kal's hand brushed his under the table, and Bruce smiled again, just as Dick and Jason walked in.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-02 07:26 pm (UTC)I have to admit that... Ace might just be my favorite character! *hearts him*
Why do the Batlings resent him so much? I hope they all sort themselves out, Bruce included.
It will all be explained in the next few chapters... I hope! ;)
Thank you for commenting! I'm glad you liked it! :)