JADE (young justice/robin)

40. the family outing

Gotham
May 26, 20:18 EST

jade.

Retirement was slow, to say the least.

I hadn't been on such a strict schedule since my time on Infinity Island. I wake up at exactly six every morning, then I stretch every inch of my body using the meticulous routine Cissie told me to do. Then, I ate a breakfast that included exact protein and carb portions, given by Cissie. After that, I'm off to skating practice for a few hours. Then lunch with perfectly fixed portions that, once again, Cissie insisted I use. Once lunch is done, it's time for pairs practice with Miles until six o'clock, when I can finally go home. The minute I'm home, it's dinner with slightly less fixed, but still specific portions and ingredients given by, you guessed it, the relentless Cissie.

With the few hours I have left in the day, I try to figure out something stimulating for myself. Sometimes it's reading, sometimes it's working on jigsaw puzzles that Dick buys me, and sometimes it's cleaning the house like I used to at the manor. Other times, I didn't have the energy to work my brain and settled for watching TV. That led to a recent fixation with horror movies that showed at eight o'clock. I preferred the gory ones, with all the fake blood and chopped off limbs flying around. It was the only thing now that satiated my lingering taste for violence. Once the movie or the puzzle or the cleaning was done, I was in bed by 10:00 PM.

I didn't hate the routine. Sure it was a little mundane, but that was completely what I expected from retirement. I accepted that I wouldn't get to hit or kick things, or that the adrenaline rush wouldn't happen anymore. I even accepted that Dick doesn't want to quit and that he couldn't be home before four or five in the morning.

I used to think that a life without fighting wasn't worth living. I also used to think that it didn't matter if I died because nobody would care. My life felt disposable, like nothing but that of a worker drone. Things were different now, though. I've found a reason to get up in the morning that didn't involve fighting. I've found something else to live for. I could manage the boredom for that.

The best part of my day was waking up in the morning; finding an arm wrapped around me, meaning Dick had made it home. His suit was always thrown onto the floor, dishes would be leftover from his obscenely late dinner, sometimes towels would be tossed around if he had the energy to shower. You'd think the mess would bother me, but I actually like it. I like all the signs of his presence; if they were missing I think my heart would drop.

That wasn't to say that everything was completely normal yet. I could tell people were tiptoeing around me, treating me like a baby. When we did talk, Dick was a little more distressed than usual. I didn't know how much of it had to do with work or with me, but it seemed like he was constantly trying to check if something was wrong with me. Cissie and Miles were just as bad too. Every time I fell down or just sneezed too hard they were bustling to help me. Cissie even offered to give me time off to "recover from my kidnapping" as she put it— and Cissie never gives time off.

The worst part, though, was when I'd catch people glancing at the scars. Cissie saw my legs when I was getting measured for a costume and I could see her shock. Miles looked when my sleeve got pulled a little too high, and he let out a gasp. Dick, as much as he was trying not to, kept glancing at them too. It made me resort to wearing long sleeves and pants all day, despite it being spring time.

I had another movie on; something with Chainsaw in the title. Olly was purring loudly in my lap, taking his tenth nap of the day. My finger stroked his fur mindlessly, watching another chainsaw rip off a girl's arm.

Then, a break in the routine occurred.

I almost didn't know what to do at the sound of someone knocking at the door. Who could it be? I have no friends.