Ghost King Meets Batman

What Is My Legacy?

[Edited July 24, 2022]

"Where were you?" Bruce asked as he came out of the clock entrance. Nico had known that Bruce would want to talk to him once he got back so Nico had decided to save them both the trouble and wait for him in the study. He must have taken his time at the mountain making preparations for his arrival because he was back later at least an hour after the demigod was. Nico vaguely wondered if Bruce had set up a room for him or if he was just trying to sell the idea to the rest of the team.

"I was in the Underworld. I only expected to be gone 30 minutes tops." Nico defended himself. He knew that Bruce wasn't really mad, he just didn't like the idea of Nico being out of reach if he were to need help. If something happened to him in one of the camps or the Underworld, there was no guarantee that Bruce would be informed about what happened, much less be able to offer assistance if Nico needed it.

"You were gone all day and I couldn't find you anywhere on the GPS," Bruce said as he settled onto the couch. Seeing the boy in front of him was setting him more at ease and his anger was beginning to melt into relief.

Nico decided not to complain that the vigilante had him on GPS, even though he had removed the first tracker. The son of Hades was sure that Bruce had them all tagged with trackers in case of an emergency. That would be just like the bat. Nico was being more conservative about picking his battles and he didn't think that this one was going to be worth it right then.

"I didn't mean to." he apologized. He knew the excuse was weak, but there wasn't anything else left for him to say, either.

"I know you didn't. I just worry when you're essentially off-world." The older man sighed and leaned back into the couch with a long sigh. He looked exhausted. Leading a double life was getting exhausting for the demigod and he had only been doing it for about a year. He couldn't imagine how tiring it must have been for Bruce to keep up the act for literal decades.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Your brothers have gone on patrol. I suggest you get some sleep. You'll need to be ready for your training tomorrow." Bruce stood to leave.

"There's more that I'm going to need to do this week. There are a few things I need to take care of in California." Nico spoke up. He knew that Bruce wasn't going to be crazy about that, but he wanted to be honest with him.

"Ok. Just keep your phone on you and let me know before you leave, alright?" Bruce rubbed his face and retreated further into the house. Nico hoped that he was going to go relax, he looked like he needed it. Bruce was busy all the time and he rarely took time for himself. You could blame it on the hero complex, but Bruce never seemed to stop looking out for the people of Gotham, whether they deserved it or not. In both personas, Bruce dedicated all his time to making the city and the world a better place.

As Batman, he put criminals away, submitted drug addicts to rehab facilities, and fought off the supervillains to protect the civilians. As Bruce Wayne, he donated millions each year to different charities and organizations around the city. Homeless shelters, Red Cross, group homes, orphanages, and rec centers all over the city could keep their doors open because of Bruce and his donations. Not to mention the fact that Wayne Industries created thousands of jobs and Bruce wouldn't turn people down for having a criminal record. The man was an army all by himself and Nico really admired that about the man who took him in. He deserved to take a break every once in a while.

Nico knew that he needed rest too, but he didn't think that he would be able to relax just yet. He was still buzzing with anxiety from exposing his powers to the team and the monster attack itself. He could almost imagine that static electricity was arcing along his skin with how it tingled. He had too much adrenalin running in his veins to lay down yet. Nico left for his room, but he took his time, looking at the manor as he never had before.