Avoiding Past And Future

(90) Cold Hearted 2

November 11

Phantom thought he knew what awkward felt like.

Being in a new home always felt off. Meeting new people when he had no idea how to act around them felt like ripping off skin was more pleasant. Being around the team when they clearly didn't like them sounded like the worst awkwardness he could imagine.

He didn't think being on a jet with his brother and two Leaguers would be this... He didn't even know what to call it. The silence between them felt heavy, but not the type of heavy that choked out the room. The heaviness that made it hard to think or even move. Like any bit of him being perceived by them would be wrong.

Robin could chat with them no problem, he did when they picked up Aquaman. Flash was a later choice, as the man was coming from the opposite side Batman was already at. It made for a smoother arrival to their destination if they picked him up rather than Batman turn around for him.

Well, as smooth as it could be since Phantom's stance with the League was just as rocky as with the Team. But where they treated the pair like glass figurines, the Leaguers held a calculating gaze. Like they were observing him, waiting for him to snap or do something wrong that would validate them stepping in.

He felt best staying in the copilot seat with Robin. Where he wouldn't have to directly look at them until they got closer to the fortress at least. He could just tune out the conversation happening around him while he looked at the data Captain Atom sent over. The storm clusters didn't seem to form naturally around the locations of the ice fortresses, but beyond that he didn't know too much about it.

It's not like he had Vortex on speed dial to explain weather patterns to him.

But that didn't matter too much, not when navigating through the storm was already bad enough. Let alone trying to figure out how to take down the fortress from the data collected by other teams who arrived sooner. Being the ones with easier access to air travel, Batman had chosen for them to go to the furthest one, beyond fortress 5 which was handled by Leaguers closer by.

Downsides of having a good chunk either at the Watchtower or at Mount Justice for Wally's party. They were both spread out and clustered together with no modes of transportation beyond what they already had. Those in the Watchtower had to Zeta in from outside North American Zeta points, which only added time onto their routes. But it wasn't too bad, it would just take them a few agonizing moments to get there.

And agonizing they were, especially when he felt a sudden touch on his seat.

Suppressing the urge to not so accidentally phase through the plane, he turned his chair to face Flash. Though the man's cowl was hiding most of his expression, he'd come to know how to read cowled expressions somewhat decently from Batman. The worry mixed with just a hint of regret felt very out of place for their plane ride.

He felt bad for not having paid attention to what they were talking about as he could feel everybody's eyes on him but had no clue why.

Letting go of his chair, Flash crouched down to not be towering over the teen. "Look, I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me, but don't take what Wally said to heart." He started off gently, fingers twitching in that telltale way of wanting to run them through his currently trapped hair. "He's always a bit," making a so-so gesture, Flash failed to find the right word, "on his birthday. The stress of not knowing if you guys were coming probably got to him. He would have snapped at anybody offering to trade places in that moment."

Phantom blinked, not sure how they even managed to get on that topic in the first place but he had an inkling feeling Robin told them. His silence, however, didn't seem to sit right with the two adults. "Perhaps it would be appropriate to formally introduce ourselves to you, young one. We will have to go into battle together rather soon." Aquaman offered, inadvertently spiking Phantom's stress.