Oculus | J. Todd ✔

[26]

Alfred glanced at the clock in slight surprise noticing that it was past midnight yet the main doorbell of the Manor was being rung impatiently. The sounds of thunder were drowning the bell as a storm was raging outside and the darkness of the night would often be broken by clashes of lightening.

Despite the oddness of the hour and weather, someone was waiting outside and it seemed as if whoever the visitor was could not wait for even a second longer as the doorbell kept ringing without pause.

Alfred pulled open the door but he was not expecting to see Jason and even though he always remained rather calm and composed, he could not control the wave of shock and disbelief that hit him.

In the crackling lights of the thunder and the blazing steel blue eyes with green flecks staring right at him, Jason appeared quite different from how Alfred had last seen him. Instead of the ambitious boy who Alfred had himself sent out on patrol after giving him his favorite baked cookies and milk, the man standing in front was rather intimidating and cold.

"Master Jason..." 

The name escaped him at last and something flickered in those bluish green eyes; a faint sense of recognition, features softening slightly but the impatience in his eyes had not faltered.

"Alfred," he acknowledged him, "is Bruce at home?"

"He is in his study," Alfred held the door open for him, permitting him inside and would have gone to fetch a towel to dry him off first but his voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't. I don't have much time."

"You haven't come back home to us then, Master Jason?"

The words cut through him for there was a mild sadness in the old man's tone, as if he wanted him to return and stay with them. "No. I have some unfinished business with Bruce. I'll leave soon as that is resolved."

He nodded, face falling because for a second he had actually hoped that Jason would say he had returned, "if you need anything, let me know."

Jason glanced at him briefly but said nothing and headed towards the stairs that led to the study. Alfred paused for a minute but seeing that he was not going to turn back, he too left.

Meeting up with Alfred before directly facing Bruce had somewhat lessened the storm that was raging inside Jason. He just couldn't bring himself to be terrible to Alfred Pennyworth and he was the only member of the family that Jason had no grudges with.

He could see that Alfred had wanted to hug him despite the fact that he was soaking wet from the rain but had only stopped seeing the fire in his eyes. But that fire was directed towards Bruce and not him.

The door of the study loomed into view and whatever temporary calm that had settled over him while talking to Alfred evaporated shortly after. He pushed open the door without even bothering to knock but that had been a long held habit of his.

Bruce was working at his desk but looked up in shock seeing Jason towering over him; his hands dropping heavily at the desk, face set in a tight frown and eyes burning in rage.

The last time he had seen him was nearly a month ago at the abandoned building of Crime Alley that had gone up in flames due to the explosives Jay had set up himself.

Though back then his features were more disappointed than angry but at the current moment, the rage building up inside him was terrifying.

"Jason..."

Seeing him as such reminded Bruce of all the times he had thought that letting Jay join as Robin had been the greatest mistake of his life. But back then it had seemed to be the best option, orienting him with the just side or else he knew very well that with a restless soul as Jay's if he was left unattended, he could cause great havoc.