How to Lose a Bird

Chapter 11

The simple ceiling staring back at him was infuriating. White looked light blue in the moonlight streaming in through the window, the bumps in the ceiling making it look like a ragged ocean, churning and twisting before the oncoming storm.
Dick clenched the red blanket into his fists, glaring up at the blank canvas above him.
He shouldn't be here. He should be feeling the chill wind rush through his hair, his whole body conforming to the air around him as he swings from skyscraper to skyscraper. Batman should be beside him, lightly praising and criticizing his movements as he takes down multiple crimes.
He shouldn't be in his bed, 10:47 at night, right after a mission, while his mentor roams the perilous streets of Gotham.
Granted, the mission with the team had been a complete success for once. Everyone was jovial and filled to the brim with joy. But all Robin could think about was how he had barely any part in the mission. And they had done everything perfectly.
It was starting to seem that he was even more useless than he thought.
Dick clenched his eyes shut and attempted to calm himself, listening to the noises around his spacious room. The same room he had the hardest time adjusting to during the beginning. Going from a small trailer where everyone shared a bed to a large room where he could fit two trailers had been difficult, to say the least.
He listened to the crickets chirping outside, the gentle breeze brushing the maroon curtains together. The wind whipped into the room and created a small whistle, creating a chill. Below him he could hear the old manor settling in its foundation, the old boards creaking to create the illusion of footfalls on the floor. Dick could faintly hear Alfred in the main kitchen, still cleaning from the quick dinner Bruce had before suiting up for the streets.
He let out an irritated breath and sat up, rubbing the palms of his hands over his face. It wouldn't help to even try to sleep anymore, as his body and mind simply wasn't accustomed to being in bed at such an early time.
The ebony briefly looked out the patio doors, the moon shining far above the Earth. Everything seemed peaceful on the Wayne estate, but he knew that was only because of their distance from the actual city.
    When he saw a small colony of Bats fly in the distance, he couldn't take it anymore.
    Springing from his bed with the stealth and fluidly of a feline, he stalked across the carpeted floor to the walk in closet. Slowly opening it as to not make a sound, he reached in and pressed on a panel of older wood. It pooped inside, and Dick reached inside to pull out a small box with a domino mask sitting idly on top.
    He wasn't supposed to keep a spare of his uniform in his room. It was one of Alfred and Bruce's rules, as to protect their secret identity's. But when he found the small pocket in the wall, he couldn't resist putting a spare inside, despite the rules.
    It was only for emergencies, of course, as this night was. Dick thought he might die if he had to stay confined any longer. It was also a coincidence it was one of his older models, which had all of its trackers taken out by none other than Robin himself.
Really, a huge coincidence.
    But, in all honesty, Bruce should have seen this coming. Since when has Robin always played by his rules?
After all, it doesn't bode well for the captor to cage a bird for a long amount of time.
    Quickly and quietly slipping on the suit, he snapped the belt on and hastily slapped on his mask. He took on look in the large mirror beside his closet, and a devious smirk pulled it's way onto his lips. 
    It felt good to be a Robin of the night again.
    Tip-toeing over to the patio he stepped outside and relished in the slight breeze he already felt. A bright smile lit up the bird's face as he looked out towards the city. His city, that he had been absent from for what seemed like an eternity. 
    In reality, it had only been about a month he had been out of commission in Gotham, but it felt like forever to the ebony.
Leaping up onto the railing, he spread his arms and took a deep breath of the crisp air, smile still plastered onto his face. Crouching down, Robin leapt into the air, trying to stifle a cackle as he raced toward the ground.
Once he hit the ground, he rolled to soften the landing, and immediately moved to one of the many alarms blind spots. It wasn't like Batman to have any faults in his security, but it was to be expected from playboy Bruce Wayne. Even the best money couldn't buy perfect alarm systems.
From there, he easily evaded the rest of the alarms, ending his escape by flipping over the gate to the large estate. He gave one last look behind him, saw Alfred through the window, cleaning an antique vase, and took off to the gleaming lights of the city that seemed to call out to his very essence.
All he could do now to ensure he wasn't caught was try to evade the eyes that Batman seemingly had everywhere.
Simply put, that was going to be a lot easier said than done.