Rising Robin

Chapter XII: Hit Me

Dick stood in front of the punching bag of the workout gym & threw endless punches. He breathed heavily with each fist that impacted the hard surface. One, two, three, four, Dick counted to himself. Dick felt the sweat drip from the pores of his body. His face, chest & fists were drenched in it. Dick felt his heart pound harder & harder. He pushed past his limit, past the pain. Past his shoulder.

Dick gasped. He stepped back from the swinging punching bag, still hopping on his toes. He ran a hand through his wet hair. He sat down on a bench against the wall & took a sip from his water bottle.

Bruce walked through the door to the gym. "Hey," he said.

Dick looked up at Bruce, still sipping from the bottle. He nodded at him. "Hey."

Bruce stuffed his hand in his pocket. "You're up early."

Dick nodded. "You're right," he said harshly, almost sarcastically.

"Hmm," Bruce grunted. "Your shoulder feeling better?"

Dick shrugged. "Kinda," he admitted. "Yukiko's massages really help."

Bruce nodded, grinning. "She's pretty great," he said dreamingly. Dick shook his head. Bruce continued. "You should probably cut back on these workouts, though."

"Hah!" Dick let out obnoxiously. "No, thanks, Bruce, I'm good."

"Dick, you shattered your shoulder blade."

"It's healing."

Bruce stared at Dick. His face tightened in frustration. But Dick didn't care. He reached down the bench for a towel and stood up, wiping his face. "Pain & gain, right?"

Bruce shook his head. "It's been two weeks since that kid brought you into my home. Do you remember that night, Dick? He was carrying you. He fucking carried you like a wounded soldier. You left with him that morning to eat BREAKFAST with Roy. You were out all night long doing what? Getting into more trouble. First day I left you alone, you went out & got yourself arrested. Sure, that was a misunderstanding. But then Roy brought you here, & not a few hours later, Gordon came by saying he found a motorcycle in MY name near a crime scene. An explosion in Chinatown! What the fuck, Dick!"

Dick sat there silently, letting Bruce talk. Dick wasn't ready to speak about it. Not yet. He tried hard to push the memory from his mind. He tried. But it wouldn't fade. Just like his nightmares.

Bruce cleared his throat. "Gordon sends his regards," he added softly. "He thinks this explosion may have been a gas leak...I don't know." Bruce at Dick, who didn't look Bruce in the eye. "Does this have anything to do with that girl you've been wanting to find? Cheyenne Freemont?"

Dick looked up at Bruce. He fought the urge, & he was getting better at holding it back. "It did. But it doesn't matter anymore."

Bruce nodded, biting his lip. He kept quiet. Dick was grateful he hadn't pressed on. Bruce at least knew when a discussion was to hard to continue with.

Bruce pulled his hand out from his pocket and held it out to Dick. He had a call phone in his hand. "Here," he said.

Dick looked up at Bruce with a raised eyebrow. He was genuinely confused.

Bruce shook the phone. "Here," he repeated. "You'll be needing this now that you've proven to be an adventurous kid."

Dick looked at the phone. "You bought this for me?"

Bruce nodded. "Yeah. It wasn't a problem."

Dick chuckled. "Clearly," he mumbled. He walked over to Bruce & took the phone. He sat down on the bench, looking the phone over. He was a bit mesmerized by it.