Just Robin Oneshots Part 2

good things never last pt 3

can we appreciate TheSamonShiper for letting me do their request as an addition to the good things never last story???

Dick thought that he'd be okay. Surely he should've been happy about everything. He was alive again and everyone was being so lovely. When he felt like he could face everyone, he went to the Mountain first. The young and old team were there. He'd walked through and was instantly engulfed with tight hugs from them all despite the accusation that he was a ghost. They laughed and talked, caught up on some stuff. Then he had to leave to see Justice League members. Again he was engulfed with hugs and chatted about what he missed. He even got a few kisses from his very relieved colleagues. Then he came back home and spent a great evening with everyone. But then it came time for patrol. Alfred said he couldn't join them and he'd accepted that. He went up to bed and he genuinely thought he'd sleep soundly knowing how loved he was and how much everyone had missed him. The fears that he had that no one would miss him were proved wrong. He'd died and come back. But he wasn't okay.

As Dick got ready for bed, he went into the bathroom and brushed his teeth. The mirror in front of him was rather large and allowed him to see the parts of his body that weren't cut off by the counter. He caught himself staring at the y shaped scar that ran along his chest and stomach. It was so jarring to see it. His right hand traced the shape lightly and for some reason, he thought he could feel how deep it went. He shook his head, trying to remain on the high from the few hours he'd had with his family. He began brushing his teeth when he noticed that he couldn't really taste the toothpaste. It was supposed to taste like toothpaste but it was tasteless. No wait there was some sort of a flavour there. Dirt. He quickly spat it out and washed out his mouth. Maybe the toothpaste was really old. It was probably nothing. Though the experience made him feel weird. A bad weird. "Master Dick, are you alright?" Alfred asked. He had three folded towels in his hand and had presumably knocked without receiving a response. 

"Oh yeah fine. Think I need some new toothpaste," he responded. The butler raised an eyebrow.

 "That's odd I could have sworn that tube was new. It's from Master Jason's room." Dick paled at the new information. "Are you sure you're alright sir?"

"Yes, Alfie. Of course I am. I'm home aren't I?" he replied, his voice wavering.

"No one would blame you if you were upset despite being home safe."

"Please can you just leave this conversation? I'm tired."

"As you wish Master Dick."

Okay so maybe his toothpaste tasted wrong but that's fine. He was just readjusting and that was okay. It was nothing. He was fine. Dick thought about having a bath but there was something about the bathtub that made him uneasy. He didn't know what it was. There were the makings of a memory that looked to be the cause of the uneasiness but it was too foggy to place. He walked into the bedroom and found pajamas resting on his bed. They looked to be freshly laundered. He put his hand on them and they were still warm. He smiled to himself and got changed into them, hoping to regain some sense of complete comfort but he was left with an empty feeling. He crawled into bed and balled up under the covers. He remembered when he was a kid and the bed used to swamp him. He'd always been small so that just emphasized the lonely feeling in his bed. It had worn off as he grew up but he felt that crushing sense of loneliness now. This was the first time he slowed down since realizing he was alive. All those months and he didn't even know! There was nothing he could remember. It was a blank slate. One minute he was lying in such terrible pain and the next he was in an apartment. Would he ever remember the blank spots? He didn't like not knowing things. What if the information he'd forgotten was important? Dick shook the thoughts from his head and shoved his head into his pillow. Right now he was tired and wanted to slip into a blissful sleep. What he didn't want was to linger on the specifics. He was home. People cared about him. That should be enough.