Cold Love

Our own paths

"I can't anymore Bruce! I can't!" Dick screamed as he ran up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut.

"Richard.....I'm just trying to keep you safe," Bruce whispered to himself, dropping down in his chair. Bruce pulled at his hair. Ever since Jane left for her trip, his relationship with his son had only gone downhill. Had he been relying on her so much? Why couldn't he get through to his son?

"Master Bruce, perhaps you should try to understand the young master's perspective," Alfred advised, handing him a cup of lavender tea.

"I'm just trying to keep him safe Alfred," Bruce thoughtfully sipped his tea.

"Really? Is that why you thought it would be best to 'bench' Master Dick for a mistake his team made?" Alfred sarcastically commented. Yes, Bruce benched Robin for something his teammate Artemis did but it was for his own good. His team even agreed with him! Bruce could only hope Jane would return soon. Every time he fought with Dick, there was this feeling he couldn't quite place. He knew if this continued........he didn't want to think about it.

Next morning:

"MASTER BRUCE!" Alfred's scream woke Bruce from his slumber. Bruce raced out of the room to Alfred. Alfred stood in Dick's almost too clean room with tears in his eyes. Bruce prepared for the worst, his heart clenched in his chest.

"W-..What.....what is it Alfred?" Bruce finally muttered the words. Alfred only handed him a piece of paper before exiting the room. Bruce took a deep breath before opening the letter.

📝📝

Dear messed up family,

Thank you for being there when I needed you the most but it is time I proved myself.

Please don't try to find me. I need this for myself.

Love,

Richard Dick Grayson.

📝📝

Bruce Hugged the letter as if it were his son. He hated himself for pushing his son away. He hated the feeling of emptiness and fear he never felt until today. It was like a part of him was missing and he had no one but himself to blame. He stood alone in the silence, weeping for his son. He picked up his son's stuffed Elephant remembering how he would cling to it after having a nightmare or when he was upset. He could go find him but he knew things would only get worse.

"Love is not just about keeping. Sometimes we have to let go," Martha smiled at her son. Bruce looked at the little bird in his hands and then back at his mother.

"But then I won't get to see it again," he whined.

"Maybe but if you keep it, it will never truly be happy. In love, we must let go," she kissed her son's forehead. Bruce reluctantly let the little bird in his hands go, watching it happily fly away.

"I'm proud of you Bruce," Martha hugged her son.

Yes, he needed to let go of Dick. He needed to trust the boy he raised and trained could take care of himself and be the man Bruce would be proud of. Maybe one day, he will return. He needed to believe in his little boy. Wiping his tears Bruce placed the Elephant back in its place, and folded the letter to place in the cave, where he could see it each and every day. The manor would never be the same. After all he was the manor's life. Bruce would miss his crazy cackles, pranks, smiles, hugs, ocean blue eyes, constant babbling, his......Bruce never realized when the small boy had become his everything. He was truly going to miss his son.

A/N:

😢

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