When Worlds Collide

20) Back at it Again With the Sappy Convos on WE

Nico stood on top of the WE building— well, Ghost King did. He tried to steel himself for the conversation that was coming, but all he managed to do was maintain his neutral face and keep his anxiety from showing.

"Jason said you wanted to meet me here," a voice suddenly said from behind him.

Nico barely managed to not jump as he turned around to face the Bat. "Thank you for coming."

"Nico-" Bruce began but Nico raised a hand to stop him.

"Let me go first," Nico said, receiving a reluctant nod from his dad. "First off, I'm not sorry about what happened on the Watchtower. Yes, I shouldn't have lost my temper, but I stand by what I said. I know that what I did was risky, but it's my decision to make. When I raided that base, I wasn't doing it as your son; I was doing it as a demigod. My people were at risk so I had to act."

"I understand that, but how am I supposed to explain to the League that my son— that Ghost King, the vigilante that I brought to them, is ignoring League protocol and doing whatever he wants." Bruce's tone wasn't angry, but it was clear how serious he was taking it. His voice was almost pleading for him to understand his point of view.

Nico let out a breath. "You once said to me that you knew you would never understand what it was like to be in my position. Right now, you are rationalizing this through the lens of heroes and villains, but that isn't what it is. This is about me being a demigod."

Bruce let out a sigh as he ran a hand over his face. "I know, and I'm trying to understand, but it's hard to separate the two when you are doing this stuff for demigods, but as a vigilante."

Nico moved to stand by the edge of the building, Bruce hesitantly following, probably not wanting to crowd him. "You remember why I picked my name, right?"

Bruce nodded. "You said that it would be easier since the monsters from your world already know you by that."

Nico looked out at the dark city as he nodded. He felt Bruce'e eyes on him, but he just kept looking at the horizon. "I have been Ghost King since I was eleven. At the time it was because I either had to rise up or die... I didn't really have a choice. When I picked the name, part of me kinda thought of it as... I don't know, reclaiming it? I got to choose that time, and I made the decision to take up the name. Now, it's something else."

"What do you mean?"

Nico stared at his ring. "I've been gone from the Manor for two weeks, but not just because I've been avoiding you. I have been going in between the camps, Leo's shop, and New York City."

"New York?"

"I talked to Rachel."

Nico saw Bruce stiffen, the corner of his mouth pinching with anxiety. "You don't mean..."

Nico smiled lightly as he shook his head. "Don't worry, there isn't a prophecy." The demigod saw his dad relax as he continued. "Even without a real prophecy, she has a knack for sensing things coming. I have kind of suspected it for a while, but I wanted conformation before I actually did anything."

Bruce's eyes were boring into the side of his head. "Conformation of what?"

Nico steeled himself as he sat up straighter and looked at the man. "Our worlds are bleeding into each other. I don't know how much or what it really means, but Rachel agreed that our world was shifting. Thalia reported that monsters have been regenerating slower and Hazel said the mist has been hiding stuff less. Maybe its the fact that mortals are more accepting of the mythical in recent days, or maybe it's just the fates having fun, but either way, our worlds are becoming interwoven. My name, the one I was forced into and the one I chose, they can't be separate anymore."

Bruce held his gaze for a long moment before he reached into his belt and pulled out the mask that Nico had discarded. He seemed to debate for a moment before handing it to the teen. "Then what can I do to help. I can't pretend to understand everything, but I am trying."

Nico smiled lightly as he took back the mask and put it on. "I know. I'm sorry for being so hot headed recently."

Bruce smiled. "It's okay. I know I'm not the easiest person to talk to, but I don't want you to feel like you have to run from me whenever you do something I might not like. We're a family and families talk things out."

Nico nodded before looking back at his hands. There was something he wanted to say, but he didn't want to break the peace he had made with Bruce so soon.

"There is obviously something else you want to say," Bruce said, seeing right through him. "I just said that we should talk things out, so you don't have to hold back."

Nico swallowed the lump in his throat, his eyes once again returning to the skyline so that he wouldn't have to look at his dad as he spoke. "After I came back, it felt like you couldn't look me in the eyes. Whenever we were together, you always avoided it unless I was wearing my mask. I just... I know that they're different now, but I'm still me. I-"

Bruce set a hand on his shoulder causing the teen to stop and actually look at him. "I know you're still the same kid and I'm sorry if I made you feel like I saw you differently. It's just... ever since Jason..." Bruce paused, taking a deep breath. "After Jason died, I swore that I would never fail one of my children again. When Jason came back, I was so grateful, but his eyes... His eyes are a permanent reminder of all the ways I fell short as his father and mentor. When you came back to us, I was so thankful— I still am thankful— but looking in your eyes just meant remembering how I once again failed one of my kids."

"Bruce-" Nico tried to say, but his dad just shook his head.

"I was the one who let you stay in the cell to distract Slade. If I had done it myself or come up with another plan-"

"Then we might not have gotten Tim and Jason out. You didn't fail me. I made that plan, I chose to stay, and I chose to keep fighting even though I knew something was wrong."

"We could have lost you— we did lose you," Bruce said, his voice barely a whisper.

Nico looked at his dad with a small smile. "It'll take a lot more than death for you guys to loose me," he said as he turned to hug the older man. The man immediately wrapped him in such a tight embrace that Nico thought he might break a rib, but he didn't care. They stayed like that for a long moment before Nico muttered, "I would totally haunt you. I am the Ghost King after all"

Bruce, despite the serious topic they had been talking about, began to chuckle before pulling back from the hug, his hands holding Nico's shoulders. "That's my boy."

A/N: na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na BAT DAD!

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