Intoxicating Desires | T. Al Ghul ✔

[19]

Richard wasn't sure whether he should tell Bruce that Talia had guessed their civilian identities or not. He knew he would eventually have to but deep down, he felt as if he should wait a bit.

It seemed like Talia had just thrown in a name to confuse him back then, perhaps she had no idea that he was Richard but just needed him to be distracted. There was a high chance of that or perhaps she actually knew and was going to use it as blackmail later.

"Dick, you have got to stop fidgeting," Bruce remarked, bringing him back to the present as the Batmobile was speeding back towards the cave, "it's hard to concentrate with you relapsing into your habit of nail biting."

Jason was in the passenger seat while Bruce was driving so Richard had the backseat all to himself. Currently, he was lying down on the seat, contemplating everything.

He sighed, clasping his hands tightly, "fine, no nail biting, no fidgeting... I'm sorry."

"And you also need to stop apologizing so much," Jason added, passing him a smoothie they had just picked from the drive-through.

"Thanks," he mumbled, sitting up as he took the smoothie.

"You sure you're alright?" Jason had turned in the seat so that he was facing him, ignoring Bruce's warning of sitting straight or else he could spill his smoothie in the Batmobile.

"I'm fine..."

"You're anything but fine," he remarked then faced Bruce for a second before reverting his attention to his elder brother, "you see that too, don't you, B? Even for someone who just had a sword up their throat, Dickie, you were always pretty chill about it earlier."

"Jason, sit straight," Bruce reminded him once again, "and let him be. We will go to the Cave first, check if he's hurt or not, and then if he wants to tell us..."

"He is right here, Bruce," Richard mumbled, "but you're right. I need some more time to figure things out. Then I will tell you. Promise."

Bruce knew that meant something about Talia was definitely bothering him but he didn't push it. He also knew that Richard was too trustworthy and as he had a nice first impression of the Demon Head's daughter, it was troubling him to digest the truth after what had just happened.

He needed some time and Bruce was going to give it to him. He had learned from Alfred that it was always better to put things at rest and give them time when it came to dealing with teenagers. That way, he got spared all the rebellious drama and it made the boys able to trust him more and tell him everything of their own accord.

If only that advice could work as perfectly on Jason too as it did on Richard. Jason's reaction was always the opposite of what he could expect so most of the time, Bruce had no idea how he would deal with him.

They had reached the cave by then so he drove the Batmobile inside, parking it in the usual spot. Jason was the first to get off, rushing to Alfred to give him a dramatic account of that night's events.

While Bruce waited for Richard to come out, walking with him into the main area.

The only one out of them who had sustained injuries was Bruce as he had been up against the Assassins for much longer than the Robins. Richard also had not a single scratch on him, not even at the throat where Talia's sword had been placed threateningly.

"She intentionally did not hurt me," Richard spoke up as Bruce was getting patched up by Alfred, "her moves weren't sloppy but they were very easy to dodge nevertheless. It was almost as if she didn't want me to get hurt."

"And what do you have to say about your wrists?" Bruce remarked, eyes flickering towards the slightly reddening skin on the boy's wrists.

"Um... She had a really strong grip and I couldn't break out of it," he replied.

"I saw that. When it comes to power, the Al Ghuls have secrets that no common man could even imagine." Bruce replied in a somber tone but then looked into his blue eyes in a clear warning, "but you need to stop thinking of her as an acquaintance. She could have hurt you tonight, she will not hesitate to hurt you in the future, whether she knows you're Robin or not."

His face paled slightly at those words and Bruce didn't fail to pick up on that change.

"Well about that... She was able to get hold of me because she threw me off guard by calling me Richard," he told him at last, looking down at the floor, "so either she knows or she was just throwing in a name to confuse me which coincidentally happened to be my name..."

An unnerving silence lingered between them as Alfred made no comment and Jay had gone to shower so he hadn't heard that.

"That's alarming," Bruce spoke up at last, "if she really knows then she can be an even greater threat."

Richard shrugged, "I don't know..."

Bruce shook his head, "I guess all this League business won't get done with by just one deal. But you don't have to worry, I will look into it myself."

Richard nodded, thinking about that deal and whether they would have to go up against Talia and her assassins again. "She promised not to hurt any innocent people, didn't she? I hope she keeps that at least."

"And I hope you don't let all the overthinking cloud your resting hours," Alfred remarked in his soothing monotone, "all three of you need to rest. Properly."

"I have a meeting..." Bruce tried to reason but Alfred had planned ahead of time.

"No, Master Bruce, you have a meeting in the evening and I have already informed your secretary that you will not be coming to the office before that. You are taking this day off to rest."

"Oh... Alright..." Bruce knew he couldn't protest against it with Alfred because as always the man would have a backup plan ready to get him to surrender. It was astounding how much Alfred could effortlessly manage even when he wasn't asked to look after it.

"And you, Master Richard, should also go to bed. I couldn't cancel your volunteer session at the orphanage on such short notice. But you also have a good four hours before that. Rest."

"Sure thing, Alf, you're the best," Richard smiled, heading towards the shower rooms to change out of his suit.

He had a long day ahead of him and he hoped that in those four hours, he would be able to rest, without having to think about Talia Al Ghul and the League of Assassins.

***