starsandsea (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
starsandsea) wrote2009-08-30 07:24 pm
starsandsea) wrote2009-08-30 07:24 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: The Cacophony of Bats Wings (4/13)
Title: The Cacophony of Bats Wings (4/13)
Rating: PGish
Characters/Pairing: Bruce/Kal, Jim, Harvey, Tim
Word Count: 1530
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: Previous parts can be found here. Betaed by the wonderful![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mithen!
Bruce watched the soldiers sparring with each other. They had improved greatly since they had been retrained. The Captain, James Gordon, came over to Bruce's side.
"They have improved a great deal, my Lord," he said, echoing Bruce's thoughts.
Bruce nodded. "They have."
"The Princess and Princes have been most helpful."
Bruce glanced at him, then inclined his head. "As have you."
The Captain looked away. They watched the soldiers in silence, Bruce making mental notes of the best fighters, which ones still needed to improve. Jason circled around them, yelling commands, glaring when one of the men made a mistake. Cass was more quiet, appearing silently behind the soldiers, telling them what they were doing wrong, taking special care of the younger ones, the ones who were not so confident, while Jason took the more arrogant ones down, either with his words or quickly beating them in a fight.
Bruce nodded to himself, satisfied. He saw Tim watching from the shadows, Ace by his side, and reminded himself to confer with him later, to get his input.
"My Lord," Gordon began, and Bruce quickly turned his attention back to the other man. "I've heard that you might send some men to the borders." The Captain was looking at him evenly, and Bruce suppressed a smile. He could see why his Father had approved of this man.
"They are rumours only, based on rumoured information itself. Only when I have more certain evidence will I decide what to do."
"My Lord." The Captain bowed; the training session was over. Tim had disappeared, and Ace walked over to his side, tail wagging very slightly. Bruce nodded at Gordon, at the soldiers, at his brother and sister, and began to walk back to the castle, where more work was waiting for him.
He touched his ring, and wandered what Kal was doing. Ace padded along at his side. Alfred appeared in the doorway, waiting just inside. Bruce paused once he had stepped inside the narrow entrance, and looked at Alfred expectantly.
"You have another message from Metropolis, sir."
Bruce blinked in surprise - he had only sent his letter to Kal three days ago, there was no way his lover could have received it and replied so soon. He took the thick message from Alfred, aware of eyes watching him. "Thank you, Alfred." He moved further inside, then went up to his and Kal's room.
He fell onto the bed, after he had closed and latched the door, Ace leaping up beside him, then very carefully opened Kal's letter.
Bruce,
I know it has only been a few days since I last wrote to you, and you will receive this letter maybe even before you send a reply to my first letter, but I could not keep myself from writing to you again. I keep finding things I want to tell you, share with you. I miss you so much.
There will be letters from my Mother and Father with this letter also; my Mother was annoyed I had already sent my last letter to you without letting her know. She is still organizing our wedding, love, and has pages of information and questions she wishes you to answer. I am somewhat reluctant to answer on your behalf, but since she has only included Metropolis customs so far, I told her that we should include costumes from Gotham, also. I have the impression that... well, we might need to have two ceremonies. One in Spring, in Gotham, and maybe another in Metropolis in Summer? No doubt the details can be worked out. I would be happy, and I know you would be also, with a ceremony with only our families as our witnesses, but just so long as I marry you, I couldn't care less about what flowers are used.
I am sorry that sounds so negative, Bruce, but Mother has been speaking of nothing else, and I find myself greatly weary of it all. I miss you, and I have not been sleeping well without you with me...
Which brings me to my next piece of news. I have a puppy! He is pure white and very energetic - I wonder if Ace would like him or not! I found him when I went for a ride, near your cave, my Blaidd, and I could not leave him there alone through Winter. My parents are not pleased about him, but he makes me smile and my days less weary. I have named him Krypto, for his color. I shall bring him with me when I return in Spring, and then we may see what he thinks of Ace.
I must go now, love, as Martha has just told me Krypto is chewing her sewing.
We will be together soon, love, and I think of you every moment.
I love you.
Kal.
Bruce found himself smiling as he came to the end of the letter. He was pleased Kal had been cheered by his puppy.
Ace suddenly moved, pressing his head against his hands and Bruce laughed. Ace looked up at him. He captured the dog's head with one of his hands and shook it slightly. "Well, Kal's got a puppy of his own now. His name is Krypto and we shall meet him in the Spring."
Ace woofed at him, and Bruce let go of his head, stroking his soft ears as the dog laid his head on his chest. In a minute, he would get up and return to his work. In a minute. He closed his eyes and was asleep before he knew it.
*****
The knocking woke him up. At first, he thought it was just part of his dream, or that he was not asleep in the first place. Ace was barking, and Bruce reluctantly opened his eyes.
"Bruce? Bruce, are you all right?" Harvey's voice. Bruce blinked and sat up, gesturing for Ace to quieten with his hand. He got up from the bed and walked over to the door, rubbing his eyes and suppressing a yawn. He must be more tired than he thought, falling asleep in the middle of the day... He just had not been sleeping well since Kal had left.
Kal. Bruce quickly reversed course, picked up Kal's letter from the bed, then carefully folded it and tucked it into his shirt, over his heart. He would read it again, later, before writing his reply tonight.
"Bruce?"
Bruce moved back to the door, Ace at his side, and opened it.
"Bruce! Are you all right?" Relief was on Harvey's face, though worry lurked in his eyes.
"Yes, I am fine. I am sorry for making you wait." He stepped outside his and Kal's room and shut the door behind him, before turning to the staircase and seeing Tim. Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why he was there, but Tim just nodded. Maybe he had heard Harvey's yells and Ace's barks and wanted to be sure everything was all right.
"Bruce. My Lord. May I speak with you, please?"
Bruce glanced back at Harvey. "Of course. After lunch?" He suggested, then hid a wince. He did not know how long he had been asleep, lunch could have been hours ago...
"Lunch was over an hour ago, Bruce."
He could feel two sets of eyes on him, Harvey's bright with concern, Tim still lurking in the shadows. "I am afraid I missed it. If you would excuse me, Harvey?" He was hungry and had a feeling Tim wanted to tell him something.
"Of course." Harvey seemed to deflate, but Bruce was already walking down the stairs, just behind Tim, Ace following them.
He did not see the look on Harvey's face.
*****
Bruce went to his study and found Alfred there, waiting with a plate full of food. Ace's meal was already on the floor for him. He sat down, and Alfred placed the plate before him. He moved some papers aside, nothing that there were two other letters there, one from Jor-El and a very thick one from Lara. He would look at them later. Right now, Tim was waiting.
Alfred quietly left, and Tim slowly sat in the chair before his desk. "Are you all right?"
Bruce nodded, taking his first bite of food. "I just fell asleep."
Some of the caution left his brother's eyes then, but... something was wrong. Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, waiting. "It's Harvey. At the council. You missed it."
The words were not accusing, yet Bruce felt guilt starting to eat at his heart anyway. He should have been there, he should not have missed it, not because he was sleeping... There was so much for him to do, he could not afford to fall asleep in the middle of the day.
"He got angry," Tim continued and Bruce stopped eating, remembering the look on Harvey's face, seeing the guilt and shame he hadn't recognised before.
"He yelled, but..." Tim looked directly at him. "He hit Barbara."
Rating: PGish
Characters/Pairing: Bruce/Kal, Jim, Harvey, Tim
Word Count: 1530
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Author's Note: Previous parts can be found here. Betaed by the wonderful
mithen!Bruce watched the soldiers sparring with each other. They had improved greatly since they had been retrained. The Captain, James Gordon, came over to Bruce's side.
"They have improved a great deal, my Lord," he said, echoing Bruce's thoughts.
Bruce nodded. "They have."
"The Princess and Princes have been most helpful."
Bruce glanced at him, then inclined his head. "As have you."
The Captain looked away. They watched the soldiers in silence, Bruce making mental notes of the best fighters, which ones still needed to improve. Jason circled around them, yelling commands, glaring when one of the men made a mistake. Cass was more quiet, appearing silently behind the soldiers, telling them what they were doing wrong, taking special care of the younger ones, the ones who were not so confident, while Jason took the more arrogant ones down, either with his words or quickly beating them in a fight.
Bruce nodded to himself, satisfied. He saw Tim watching from the shadows, Ace by his side, and reminded himself to confer with him later, to get his input.
"My Lord," Gordon began, and Bruce quickly turned his attention back to the other man. "I've heard that you might send some men to the borders." The Captain was looking at him evenly, and Bruce suppressed a smile. He could see why his Father had approved of this man.
"They are rumours only, based on rumoured information itself. Only when I have more certain evidence will I decide what to do."
"My Lord." The Captain bowed; the training session was over. Tim had disappeared, and Ace walked over to his side, tail wagging very slightly. Bruce nodded at Gordon, at the soldiers, at his brother and sister, and began to walk back to the castle, where more work was waiting for him.
He touched his ring, and wandered what Kal was doing. Ace padded along at his side. Alfred appeared in the doorway, waiting just inside. Bruce paused once he had stepped inside the narrow entrance, and looked at Alfred expectantly.
"You have another message from Metropolis, sir."
Bruce blinked in surprise - he had only sent his letter to Kal three days ago, there was no way his lover could have received it and replied so soon. He took the thick message from Alfred, aware of eyes watching him. "Thank you, Alfred." He moved further inside, then went up to his and Kal's room.
He fell onto the bed, after he had closed and latched the door, Ace leaping up beside him, then very carefully opened Kal's letter.
Bruce,
I know it has only been a few days since I last wrote to you, and you will receive this letter maybe even before you send a reply to my first letter, but I could not keep myself from writing to you again. I keep finding things I want to tell you, share with you. I miss you so much.
There will be letters from my Mother and Father with this letter also; my Mother was annoyed I had already sent my last letter to you without letting her know. She is still organizing our wedding, love, and has pages of information and questions she wishes you to answer. I am somewhat reluctant to answer on your behalf, but since she has only included Metropolis customs so far, I told her that we should include costumes from Gotham, also. I have the impression that... well, we might need to have two ceremonies. One in Spring, in Gotham, and maybe another in Metropolis in Summer? No doubt the details can be worked out. I would be happy, and I know you would be also, with a ceremony with only our families as our witnesses, but just so long as I marry you, I couldn't care less about what flowers are used.
I am sorry that sounds so negative, Bruce, but Mother has been speaking of nothing else, and I find myself greatly weary of it all. I miss you, and I have not been sleeping well without you with me...
Which brings me to my next piece of news. I have a puppy! He is pure white and very energetic - I wonder if Ace would like him or not! I found him when I went for a ride, near your cave, my Blaidd, and I could not leave him there alone through Winter. My parents are not pleased about him, but he makes me smile and my days less weary. I have named him Krypto, for his color. I shall bring him with me when I return in Spring, and then we may see what he thinks of Ace.
I must go now, love, as Martha has just told me Krypto is chewing her sewing.
We will be together soon, love, and I think of you every moment.
I love you.
Kal.
Bruce found himself smiling as he came to the end of the letter. He was pleased Kal had been cheered by his puppy.
Ace suddenly moved, pressing his head against his hands and Bruce laughed. Ace looked up at him. He captured the dog's head with one of his hands and shook it slightly. "Well, Kal's got a puppy of his own now. His name is Krypto and we shall meet him in the Spring."
Ace woofed at him, and Bruce let go of his head, stroking his soft ears as the dog laid his head on his chest. In a minute, he would get up and return to his work. In a minute. He closed his eyes and was asleep before he knew it.
*****
The knocking woke him up. At first, he thought it was just part of his dream, or that he was not asleep in the first place. Ace was barking, and Bruce reluctantly opened his eyes.
"Bruce? Bruce, are you all right?" Harvey's voice. Bruce blinked and sat up, gesturing for Ace to quieten with his hand. He got up from the bed and walked over to the door, rubbing his eyes and suppressing a yawn. He must be more tired than he thought, falling asleep in the middle of the day... He just had not been sleeping well since Kal had left.
Kal. Bruce quickly reversed course, picked up Kal's letter from the bed, then carefully folded it and tucked it into his shirt, over his heart. He would read it again, later, before writing his reply tonight.
"Bruce?"
Bruce moved back to the door, Ace at his side, and opened it.
"Bruce! Are you all right?" Relief was on Harvey's face, though worry lurked in his eyes.
"Yes, I am fine. I am sorry for making you wait." He stepped outside his and Kal's room and shut the door behind him, before turning to the staircase and seeing Tim. Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why he was there, but Tim just nodded. Maybe he had heard Harvey's yells and Ace's barks and wanted to be sure everything was all right.
"Bruce. My Lord. May I speak with you, please?"
Bruce glanced back at Harvey. "Of course. After lunch?" He suggested, then hid a wince. He did not know how long he had been asleep, lunch could have been hours ago...
"Lunch was over an hour ago, Bruce."
He could feel two sets of eyes on him, Harvey's bright with concern, Tim still lurking in the shadows. "I am afraid I missed it. If you would excuse me, Harvey?" He was hungry and had a feeling Tim wanted to tell him something.
"Of course." Harvey seemed to deflate, but Bruce was already walking down the stairs, just behind Tim, Ace following them.
He did not see the look on Harvey's face.
*****
Bruce went to his study and found Alfred there, waiting with a plate full of food. Ace's meal was already on the floor for him. He sat down, and Alfred placed the plate before him. He moved some papers aside, nothing that there were two other letters there, one from Jor-El and a very thick one from Lara. He would look at them later. Right now, Tim was waiting.
Alfred quietly left, and Tim slowly sat in the chair before his desk. "Are you all right?"
Bruce nodded, taking his first bite of food. "I just fell asleep."
Some of the caution left his brother's eyes then, but... something was wrong. Bruce raised an eyebrow at him, waiting. "It's Harvey. At the council. You missed it."
The words were not accusing, yet Bruce felt guilt starting to eat at his heart anyway. He should have been there, he should not have missed it, not because he was sleeping... There was so much for him to do, he could not afford to fall asleep in the middle of the day.
"He got angry," Tim continued and Bruce stopped eating, remembering the look on Harvey's face, seeing the guilt and shame he hadn't recognised before.
"He yelled, but..." Tim looked directly at him. "He hit Barbara."