Fawkes

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

I was five minutes late for after the bell, but I didn't worry about it too much because training wasn't until quarter to four.

What I did worry about was seeing an all too familiar car parked outside the school. Not in the lot behind the building, no. The car was owned by someone too important to need to hide in the parking lot.

I wondered what Bruce was doing here. Even though I knew he was a major sponsor for the school, I somehow felt it had something to do with me.

I didn't have to wonder for long, because the minute I entered the school and turned the corner to head to my locker, I ran right into the man himself. And by the look on his face he was anything but happy.

He looked down both hallways to make sure no one pwas there, then grabbed the scruff of my neck and yanked me into the office, shutting the door behind him. He was practically fuming, but contained himself within seconds and instead looked down at me with hard eyes.

"Where did you go?"

"Out."

"Don't give me that." He knew the game I was playing, and so did I.

"It's not a lie."

"Tell me where you went." It was no longer a question.

I shrugged, "Seriously. I didn't call up my crime friends and rob a bank. I didn't drop by Arkham and say hello to my best bud if that's what you were thinking."

I scanned his expression, and, like I expected, something strange flashed behind his eyes when I mentioned the Joker. It was the same way he glanced at me after my first mission with the team, when he mentioned that the Justice League was 'dealing with other issues'.

I stared at him in suspicion. He didn't pass my test; something was going on. I decided to put it in my back pocket for now.

"I just got gelato," I muttered this sentence, as I was still reminiscing over Bruce's previous reaction.

"Gelato?" He quirked an eyebrow, not hiding his disbelief.

"It's kinda like ice cream except it's v—"

"I know what gelato is," he spoke through gritted teeth, taking a step towards me. He was wearing a grey suit with a navy blue tie, and I realized that he probably came over from some important meeting because he heard I had skipped class. He was trying to be intimidating, but I just chuckled and leaned on the wall beside me. "And somehow I find that hard to believe."

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, Brucie?" I didn't back down from his glare, which was far less scary without his costume, only countering it with a more powerful one.

He stared at me for a second, then sighed and ran a hand down his face resignedly.

"You've never skipped class before."

I scoffed, "Like I could've. I lived in my school and had Alfred on my back, not to mention the unnecessary security of the Manor."

"Our definitions of 'unnecessary' are vastly different."

"Yeah well I don't see the issue here, old man." I pushed off the wall and crossed my arms, "I was just having a little fun, a word which I sometimes feel you don't know the meaning of."

"No more skipping."

"What, are you gonna ground me?" I was mad to say the least. He still didn't trust that I was trying, not even after all this time.

"You don't live under my roof anymore," he said, "But you were a criminal. There's a cell in juvy that still has your name on it. I could always go back on my word, you know."