𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 ; A Shakespearean Tragedy Called Love

13

⎸13 ⎸

Bruce slowly makes his way into the kitchen with hesitancy in his steps, he had been ignoring Jason all week but he could no longer avoid the young teenager. 

Alfred made that very clear to him.

He stands by the kitchen doorway and listens as Jason complains about his teachers and assignments. He watches while Ivar seemingly spaces out with no worry of the world around him, he finds comfort in the fact that Ivar can so easily relax in the manor without worry. 

Even now, Bruce couldn't help but feel proud of his accomplishment in getting the young boy to spend time with them. He got a friend for Jason and an ally to help speak to those who still didn't fully trust Batman but knew Taxus as the young vigilante who'd go around showing the homeless spots to ride out Arkham breakouts and storms.

Ivar snaps out of his daze and spots Bruce by the door. "Hey Bruce"

"Bruce!" Jason brightens up at the sight of his guardian and tries his best to suppress any feelings of disappointment. "Alfred made cookies, we saved some for you" 

Bruce smiles, and his body eases out of its anxious state that it was in just moments prior.

Ivar returns the nod, a chill settling in his bones as the feeling of his sixth sense reaches out to Bruce and recedes like waves of water back toward himself. It warns and weeps, it speaks of pain, blood and broken bones but it barely whispers the harm inflicted on Jason- a thin stripe on an older Jason's neck? 

Ivar can't make the whispers out but his worry for Jason increases.

( He himself is just an afterthought )

"Did you two help Alfred make the cookies or just watch?" A hint of amusement in his voice as he picks up a cookie and scrutinizes it with the intent to eat it as quickly as he can.

Ivar had to give the man credit, he was what? Only twenty-five when he adopted Dick? That was so long ago now. He was working on interacting with his adopted children, though the way he had been recently acting with Dick made it known that he was still prickly with his first ward.

And his second if the way Jason was acting was any giveaway. Jason seemingly begged for any attention from his mentor, it was given of course, but the more Jason grew the more Bruce seemed to distance himself. 

And Dick- that was something Ivar didn't even want to touch with a ten-foot pole, the guy was an absolute asshole to Jason. ( Not really ) The guy was just never there and Jason clearly idolized him, there was no way Dick didn't know this. 

( Or maybe it was just Bludhaven that was sucking everything out of the poor guy, that city was just as bad as Gotham - in fact, Ivar was surprised at first to realize the city didn't have their own Batman before Nightwing ) 

Ivar watches as Bruce eats a cookie with vigour, it was weird to watch the man do anything with such- energy. His brain quickly picking up the man's weak points, aim for the neck, grab and twist his arm, bash his teeth in when given the chance.

Violent thoughts weren't unknown to Ivar but violent threats directed at people who took him under their wing and provided shelter, was definitely a new thing.

"I should probably go" Ivar wipes his sweating palms on his jeans.

Jason frowns and ignores the ache in his chest. "You sure?"