SID & NANCY. bruce wayne

Thirteen: Dick

Two nights after the Bat Family's CC trip without Dick...

"I HATE FIGHTING WITH HER, MAN,"

I complain to Barb, who'd been nothing but the best listening ear. It's all I need right now. "I just wish shit would go back to normal."

"I know, bub," Barb speaks in a whisper tone. "But look, if Nexa is happy, you have no right to take that away from her, even if it means she's with Bruce."

Barb is always right. How? Is it because she's a woman too? But I'm Nexa's brother. I should know her better than anyone. Nexa and I are five years apart, and I've always known she was a happy girl. She didn't need our parents to be happy; all she needed was herself. Even when she was alone, she was happy. So it came as a shock to me that suddenly she's now all close with Bruce and he looks at her like that.

I knew she didn't need Bruce then, and I know she doesn't need Bruce now. Bruce looks at her with a slight glimmer of intent in his eyes. I don't know what it is but if I have to punch it out of him, I will.

What throws me off is the fact that they're probably in bed together right now. It'd been two weeks since we yelled 'Fuck you' to each other. Two weeks since Bruce took her out to God knows where. Maybe if he didn't, Nexa and I wouldn't be arguing right now.

"But I don't want her to be with Bruce." I start playing with my fingers, knowing the exact words Barb's gonna tell me.

"Well, Nexa probably never wanted us together, so we should probably give her that, right?" Barb shrugs. Okay, complete opposite of what I thought. "Listen, you found happiness with me but Nexa never obstructed that. So what makes you think you can obstruct in her happiness, something that she found with Bruce?"

"Because I'm her brother," I argue. "We're supposed to have each other's backs no matter what. We know what's good for each other."

"Then you should realise Bruce is good for her," Barb pauses for a minute. "Did you know Nexa thinks I'm good for you? Why can't you see that Bruce is good for her?"

"Because..." Oh, now she's got me in a trance. "Because it's Bruce."

"I don't think that's a good enough reason, Dick," Barb winces. "Bruce is a good person."

"How long is it gonna be until... playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne starts fucking around with other women?" Barb immediately inches back a few feet after hours of being three feet away from my face. "How long until my sister gets broken down again like Rick Flag did her? I don't need history to repeat itself, Barbara. It's the last thing I need; my sister to be broken down into nothing all over again."

Barb doesn't answer. I probably didn't need one from her, because I know the answer. So I change the subject. "So, y'all went to Central City the other day?"

"Yeah," Barb smiles. "Tim bought a car and Bruce paid whatever he lacked."

"Wait- Bruce?" I repeat. "He's never done that ever. That time Nexa bought her Camaro, he never offered, not even once."

"She said!" Barb gushes, like she always does. "Bruce really changed since being with Nexa."

"Anything happened between those two when y'all went?" I ask, not even mad. I just wanted to know.

"Yeah. They were holding hands and shit and whispering in each other's ears and laughing. The height difference is something so personal to me, I don't know why. I've never seen Bruce laugh in my life." Barb was almost starting to tear up.

"Are you crying?" I say blankly. This always happens when she sees a happy couple living the fucking life. It's nice but it gets obnoxious every time.

"Shut up," She snaps before grabbing a tissue from her bedside table. "But don't you realise? They make each other happy, Dicky. I just wish you'd open your eyes like Bruce did with us."

Yeah. They do seem happy. I haven't seen it but from what Barb told me, I think it's true. I've never seen Bruce laugh in my life. He never laughs. Tim, Jace and I would call him 'He who Never Laughs' behind his back all the time. Maybe I should just step back and let my sister do whatever she wants to do. I mean, that's what she's been doing with me. Never once did she step in and tell me what and what not to do.