Oculus | J. Todd ✔

[30]

Evelyn was thinking whether or not to call Jason for the classes had ended but then one of her students came to her telling her that Jay was waiting for her outside. Closing her studio, she came out of the Institute and sure enough, Jason's car was parked up front.

"I'm sure all your predictions of Tim exploding the house did not come true," she remarked as she sat in the passenger's seat, turning to face him.

"Most fortunately," he replied, "everything's well that's why I left him there or else I would have dragged him along even now."

She laughed lightly, "oh come on, Tim is far from a toddler who would love to mess things up."

"You have no idea," he smiled and backed the car off from the curb.

But instead of driving back home, Jason brought her to the city park. Parking the car securely, he got out first and held the door open for her.

She looked at him questioningly to which he replied, "I wanted to talk to you."

"I see," she nodded, taking his hand as she got out and offered him a gentle smile, "and this place is lovely, perfect for a nice long walk."

"Yeah," he replied as the two walked together through the lush green park. Since it was past evening by then, the park was almost empty and only the two of them were walking along its serene cobblestoned pathways surrounded by the green shrubs, the fading light of the dusk creating a beautiful effect. 

Evelyn couldn't stop looking at the beautiful flowers and plants swaying in the breeze and as she watched the flowers, Jason watched her with an adoring expression in his bluish green eyes. She was too good for that world, too innocent and pure and the way even the tiniest of things could make her happy fantasized him and made him love her even more.

He let her take in the surroundings not saying a word until they sat down on the bench and she turned to face him, "I'm sorry I got distracted. The flowers are beautiful here."

"It's alright. I wasn't going to talk while we were walking either."

"Right," her hand was held in his and she was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to start.

"I have decided to go back home," Jay started the conversation, "to my family."

The smile that lit up her face was radiant, "that's great. They would all be so glad to have you back."

He took in a deep breath, "I don't know whether they would be glad or not... I have not exactly been nice to them..."

"But they are your family and they understand you," she remarked in a soft tone, "of course they would be delighted to have you back, no matter what has happened in the past."

Past. A word with terrible meaning in Jason's opinion and even thinking about it made him feel bad all over again. But with her sitting right next to him, her fingertips gently covering his bruised knuckles as their hands were entwined together, he took in another deep breath letting the fact seep through him that he had to take her into confidence.

It had been a month since they had gotten together and though she had told him so many times that it would be better for him if he opened up to her, but still he could not bring himself to worry her on his account. But she deserved to know about him and he felt that he could not keep her in the dark anymore.

So far she had only been very cooperative towards him and it wasn't fair if he kept taking that for granted.

"Evelyn, you told me that if I keep on bottling up everything inside me, one day I would explode... I think so too now, you were right."

Her eyes flickered in concern and she squeezed his hand gently, "and I also told you how you could stop that, didn't I? Opening up to someone you trust helps a lot, Jay."

"I... I want to do exactly that," his eyes connected with hers and she nodded, encouraging him to resume, "but you'll have to make me a promise first. You have to promise me that you'll stop me if it gets too much. I don't want to trouble you, Eve, I can't."

She smiled softly, "I promise."

He knew it was going to be hard for him recounting everything but he had to get it off his chest. Perhaps the only option that could make him feel better was to let go of all the smoke building up inside him.

He started in a low tone but she listened closely, her hand entwined through his reassurance, light azure eyes taking in each flicker of emotion on his face.

"When I was leaving with Bruce for Bosnia and had come to meet you before that, you had been worried about me leaving so I had promised you that I would come back. A promise I almost failed to keep..."  

"I remember that night very well too," she mumbled, a nostalgic expression spreading on her features, "you had wanted to tell me something but you didn't and then Bruce was waiting for you outside... You had kissed me right before you left, I remember very well."

That was their first kiss and for a long time she had kept thinking it would be their last as well. For when Bruce had returned from Bosnia, Jason was not with him instead a body in a coffin was lowered to the grave. She hadn't known that corpse wasn't Jason's but deep down there had always been a feeling that told her he was still out there somewhere, lost probably but not dead. 

Evelyn listened as he recounted exactly what had happened in Bosnia; their fight with the Joker and his gang, Jay's brash decision to follow Joker into the warehouse alone and the way Joker had mercilessly tortured him then blew up the warehouse.

"Those scars on my back are a reminder of that night, Eve," his voice was breaking and her eyes were welling up with tears upon coming to know the truth but she didn't stop him, knowing full well that it would better if he released all of the pain inside him.

He told her of the Lazarus Pit too, the way it had resurrected him and altered him slightly such as that white streak in his hair and the green flecks in his otherwise steel blue irises. But he halted at that not telling her about what he did in the League or the years he had spent traveling the world, training alongside mercenaries and perfecting his skill before returning to Gotham at last.

To Evelyn it seemed as if he had run out of words and she didn't ask him to tell her further. Silence as well as darkness engulfed the two and Jay's arm was draped round her waist pulling her close as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Time seemed to pass but it didn't for the two as they sat together in their comfortable silence. Evelyn knew she didn't have to say anything to him to make him feel better, her presence right beside him was more than enough. And even Jay appreciated the silence because it was like a feeling of acceptance that he had finally let go and was gradually coming to terms with it.

His phone rang so he had to pick it up, noticing that it was Tim calling. Soon as he received the call, the boy's mild voice greeted him, "hey Jay, are you two gonna come back or have you ditched me and gone for a dinner date?"

"Of course not, we'll be back soon."

"Good because I cooked dinner for you both and I don't want it to get cold."

Surprise crossed his features and Eve looked up, hand gently touched his arm as if silently asking him what had happened. He nodded to let her know that everything was fine then asked Tim, "you can cook?"

"Absolutely. I pestered Alfred until he taught me a few of my favorite dishes. What I have cooked tonight is a surprise though which will only be revealed when you come back."

"Please tell me you haven't exploded the kitchen. Because that's a surprise I'm not willing to face."

Tim's light laughter sounded from the other side, the contagious sound of it sending a smile on both Eve and Jay's features, "of course not. Come see for yourself if you don't trust me."

***