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Language:
English
Series:
Part 7 of It was Beauty...
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Published:
2015-10-04
Completed:
2017-01-15
Words:
1,715
Chapters:
3/3
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24
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242
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Screaming Louder

Summary:

"Are you kidding me?"

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: Screaming Louder

Chapter Text

An' I've made up my mind,

I ain't wasting no more time

Here I go again

© Whitesnake - Here I Go Again 

 

Tim was glad that he would only patrol with one more vigilante at his side. He needed a bit time alone and Cassandra always knew when she had to leave him to his thoughts. It had been a lot pressure on him lately and he craved for a time out.  

It was the only reason why he was in high spirits when he walked down into the cave, until he could hear the roaring of voices. The walls were too thick for him to understand anything but he at least recognized both persons. He hated when they fought even though it had been happening regularly in his early years as Robin but perhaps exactly that was the reason why he hated it so much now. With a sigh he opened the door and was greeted with a screaming match between his two mentors.

“She said she wanted to marry you!”

Tim raised an eyebrow at the outburst and the silence it left behind. Dick looked shocked for a matter of seconds than he started snarling again but Bruce started speaking before he could formulate human words.

“Have you gone crazy? What are you thinking? Have you thought about Damian?”

Dick sputtered and threw his head back, laughing.

“Are you kidding me?” Dick hissed his fists flexing at his side “And Damian knows. He knows because he is not an asshole like his father.”

Bruce' eyes narrowed until they were nothing more but slits, while Dick looked at him daringly. Eyes wider than normal and he seemed ready to strike at any given minute.

“I want you to say no” Bruce ordered in a perfect Batman voice and Tim nearly squeezed his eyes shut when he saw the incredulous look on Dick’s face. He dearly did not want to see this. While not knowing who or what they were talking about exactly, Dick never liked orders when it involved something personal. Not unlike Bruce. And if they were really talking about Dick marrying, well, Tim did not know why Bruce thought he could decide anything.   

Dick grinned, it was disdainfully and looked wrong on his face then he raised his hand. A simple silver ring was blinking in the dim cave light.

“Too late Bruce.”

Bruce stared at him unable to do anything else.

“I know her better than you think. Better than you ever could.”

The way Dick said it was nearly cold and Tim frowned at the new information. Hoping the connections, he had begun to build between the information, were false. 

“Dick.”

It was a growl but more desperate than dangerous.

“No” Dick said a bitter smile on his face “You won’t decide that for me. You never did and never will.”

“She will use you” Bruce said as if it was a dark promise and Dick bristled again “And it’s not only about you. Have you thought for one second about this family? About what this means?”

Dick gritted his teeth.

“Don’t you think I know, I still have this family to protect? I won’t let anything happen to them. You know that” and then Dick looked unsure for the first time since Tim had entered the room “You know that, right?”

“You are blinded by her. I made the same mistake” said Bruce stoically.

“I am not you, Bruce” Dick pressed out and it was silent for a few seconds, both of them assessing each other and Tim befell a strange feeling even before Bruce sighed.

“You are not. I knew that and I thought it would save you. I was wrong” Bruce said, the words spoken slowly as if he wanted them to sink right into his first partners memories “It was my mistake to give the cowl to you.”

Dick’s eyes widened. Tim could not describe the shock and utter betrayal he could see in his brother’s eyes, could not even describe his own shock in any words.

“I thought you could protect this city. I was wrong. Everything I taught you has been in vain” and with that Bruce turned away, sitting down in front of the bat computer as if he had not just ripped out his first son’s heart.  

Tim dearly wanted to step forward. First and foremost to hold onto the slowly fracturing form of his brother but also because he wanted to know what this was about. His feet did not move though.   

“I knew you would never understand it” Dick said, his voice echoing hollowly through the cave “You know why?”

Bruce did not answer, the clicking of keys filling the silence.

“Because we are all just good little soldiers to you.”

Tim stared at his brother, swallowing when their eyes met and he looked away, suddenly feeling as if he had intruded.

Tim’s mind was reeling and his eyes swept back to Bruce, who had said nothing, who was not even looking away from the screen. The only indication that Dick’s words had hurt him was the hand slowly tensing around the keyboard. 

Dick squeezed his shoulder but he did not say anything and then he turned around to leave the cave. His brother had long vanished when he found his voice again.

“Bruce?”

His mind was screaming Talia Al-Ghul at him but he had no clue why and how it had happened. He did not want to think about it and hated all of this. But it was the only conclusion after Bruce had asked about Damian’s knowledge.

When Bruce finally turned around the man had no answer for his question, only orders.   

“Black Bat and you are alone tonight. I’ll be working on another case.”   

Chapter 2: Getting It Right

Notes:

Yep, this still exists.

Chapter Text

The door of his room banged against the wall loudly and Drake stepped in with a thunderous expression. The blue eyes were blazing with an anger barely contained.

“Well?” Damian prompted, with a raised eyebrow as the silence expanded.

Drake hesitated, eyes widening a little bit as if he did not know why he had entered at all. Damian didn’t understand why the older Robin had to preach his private space just to stay silent.

“You knew about Dick and your mother?”

Damian huffed haughtily, giving him a superior look but Drake only frowned, seeming to brace himself.

“Bruce told Dick that giving the cowl to him was a mistake.”

His pen clicked against the desk with a flick of his finger.

“He said what to Grayson?” Damian asked carefully and controlled, not believing the words while simultaneously knowing that Drake would never lie about it.

“I hope your mother is happy now.”

Chapter 3: It’s You And I

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Dick was looking at the ring when she came home, body stretched over the couch. Bruce had spoken to him about their relationship and as predicted it had gone wrong. The young man did not need to tell her. She could see it in the frown on his pouty lips, in the crease of his brow.  

Dick looked up at her when she settled down beside him. He looked unsure and it was no shock to her. As always Bruce had his hand over him but she knew this time her beloved would not win.

“You don’t need his approval,” she whispered against his lips, her nails scratching over his chest, “It’s your decision, yours alone.”

She lightly kissed him, nipping at his lips until he kissed back and then she stood up again, all sharp teeth and curves. Talia knew she was playing a dangerous game but it did nothing to cease her excitement. Seeing Bruce lose Dick would be the greatest satisfaction she had ever had.

This was no plan, no scheme to break his heart. She had never wanted to use him, had wanted nothing from him, not even the love she enjoyed now but seeing Bruce lose for a chance and in such an important game made her want him even more.

Even though she had never wanted to be saved by a knight in shining armor Dick was one and she would keep him, the whole packaged deal; his faults alongside his perfection.  

Dick turned on the couch, looking at her thoughtfully.

“Can you say it?” he asked suddenly and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I love you, can you say it?”

Talia laughed and walked towards him again, her heels clicking and Dick tilted his head up to her.

“I love you,” she said against his lips and kissed him again, a bit longer, a bit deeper than the first time, “but I might still hurt you.”

Dick hummed, their noses brushing.

“I’ll forgive you” he whispered with that little smile that even Talia could only return-

“I did not expect you to be able to say this so easily,” he said sheepishly and she stroked hair behind his ear, fingertips brushing along the skin. His eyelids fluttered for a moment, another hum leaving his lips.

“I’m not Bruce Wayne, Ya Amar.”

Dick chuckled.

“So, I get my own expression?”

“You are not Bruce Wayne either,” she said and she meant it. They were two different men in her life, meaning different things. Bruce had been the chosen one, the one who could make her strong in her father’s eyes. Dick had always been the dirt clinging to gold for her father and even for her and now he was the one who made her weak.

“Thank you, Talia,” he said and hesitated shortly before he spoke in a tongue she did not know “Isi mánde chaiyorri, isi mánde shukarni.”

“I thought you were American,” she said, scrunching up her nose in confusion and Dick shrugged.

“We are all Immigrants, Talia. I still hold dear what my father left me even if the traditions got lost. I still have his diaries and stories. It’s one of the few things I have to remember him, to honor him.”

She chuckled when she saw him sleeping on the couch a few hours later and crouched down beside him, kissing him and snapping a picture of it. She knew well that Bruce hated to see his sons vulnerable. She hit send and kissed Dick awake until her lover rose to carry her to their bedroom.

 

Notes:

Ya Amar – My Moon (means: My most beautiful)

Isi mánde chaiyorri, isi mánde shukarni. – I found a girl, a beautiful girl (Taken from a poem: Desh-u-shtar-war dui because Headcanon: Dick only knows his culture and language from the stories and diaries his father left behind.)

I hope I used both cultures/languages in a respectful way, please tell me if not.

Notes:

This will probably have multiple chapters in the end. But I am not sure yet. Well, I am not sure with anything about this fan fiction.

Series this work belongs to: