Categories > Cartoons > Teen Titans > Silence
Alfred went to wake up Dick the next morning to find the boy's room empty. Raising an eyebrow, Alfred turned to the library to see the young master asleep in the armchair. Smiling, he gently shook Dick by the shoulder, hoping to rouse him. The boy moaned and turned in his sleep. Alfred shook him a bit more briskly this time, and Dick opened his eyes blearily.
"Time to wake up!" Alfred signed. Dick moaned and sat up. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling them flare from the sun streaming through the window. He shook his head, trying to clear his foggy mind. Alfred handed Dick his hearing aids. Dick smiled, put them in, and turned them on, allowing Alfred to help him out of the chair. Dick scratched his head and processed up the stairs to take a shower. He dressed in a white polo shirt and tan slacks, and then came back downstairs. Bruce sat at the table, reading the newspaper and sipping black coffee. He and his son exchanged "good mornings" as Alfred prepared breakfast. Dick scarfed down three pancakes with ease as he attempted to avoid any conversation. He didn't want to talk about the nightmare last night, although he knew Bruce would find out sooner or later- he always did. Bruce raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Dick just faked a sunny grin and then turned to go to his room. Once he'd left, Alfred explained that he'd found Dick asleep in the armchair. This was a sign to Bruce- whenever Dick slept in the armchair, it signaled that he'd had a nightmare. Bruce went upstairs, hoping to talk to the boy about whatever was bothering him.
*
Upstairs, Dick lunged onto his bed and buried his face into his pillow. He cursed silently to himself; why did Bruce have to be so observant? Why couldn't Bruce just leave him be? He answered that question as soon as it came to mind: Bruce cared about him. Ok, so maybe he wasn't one for showing affection per se, but, in his own way, Bruce consistently showed he cared. That was what was important. Dick saw the light from the hall filter in through the door from the corner of his eye. He felt the vibration of Bruce's heavy steps as he walked up to his son. Dick looked up slightly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Bruce signed. Dick adamantly shook his head no. Bruce lay a hand on his shoulder, not saying a word. Dick was comforted by the small gesture of affection. He smiled into his pillow before curling up in his daddy's lap. He buried his face in Bruce's muscular chest. Bruce wrapped his arms around his son in a hug, and suddenly all was right with the world. Dick reveled in the moment- He loved the sense of safety and security that came with having his father's strong arms around him. He let out a contented sigh and unwillingly pulled away. He then began to tell his father of his ugly dream. It was still fresh in his mind, as vivid as when he'd first dreamed it. He felt something inside him release when he told Bruce of it. When Dick finished telling his tale, they sat in silence. For a long minute, Wayne manor was utterly and completely silent. Bruce then pulled his son into an embrace, reassured him, and then watched as he fell back asleep, smiling.
"Time to wake up!" Alfred signed. Dick moaned and sat up. He rubbed at his eyes, feeling them flare from the sun streaming through the window. He shook his head, trying to clear his foggy mind. Alfred handed Dick his hearing aids. Dick smiled, put them in, and turned them on, allowing Alfred to help him out of the chair. Dick scratched his head and processed up the stairs to take a shower. He dressed in a white polo shirt and tan slacks, and then came back downstairs. Bruce sat at the table, reading the newspaper and sipping black coffee. He and his son exchanged "good mornings" as Alfred prepared breakfast. Dick scarfed down three pancakes with ease as he attempted to avoid any conversation. He didn't want to talk about the nightmare last night, although he knew Bruce would find out sooner or later- he always did. Bruce raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Dick just faked a sunny grin and then turned to go to his room. Once he'd left, Alfred explained that he'd found Dick asleep in the armchair. This was a sign to Bruce- whenever Dick slept in the armchair, it signaled that he'd had a nightmare. Bruce went upstairs, hoping to talk to the boy about whatever was bothering him.
*
Upstairs, Dick lunged onto his bed and buried his face into his pillow. He cursed silently to himself; why did Bruce have to be so observant? Why couldn't Bruce just leave him be? He answered that question as soon as it came to mind: Bruce cared about him. Ok, so maybe he wasn't one for showing affection per se, but, in his own way, Bruce consistently showed he cared. That was what was important. Dick saw the light from the hall filter in through the door from the corner of his eye. He felt the vibration of Bruce's heavy steps as he walked up to his son. Dick looked up slightly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Bruce signed. Dick adamantly shook his head no. Bruce lay a hand on his shoulder, not saying a word. Dick was comforted by the small gesture of affection. He smiled into his pillow before curling up in his daddy's lap. He buried his face in Bruce's muscular chest. Bruce wrapped his arms around his son in a hug, and suddenly all was right with the world. Dick reveled in the moment- He loved the sense of safety and security that came with having his father's strong arms around him. He let out a contented sigh and unwillingly pulled away. He then began to tell his father of his ugly dream. It was still fresh in his mind, as vivid as when he'd first dreamed it. He felt something inside him release when he told Bruce of it. When Dick finished telling his tale, they sat in silence. For a long minute, Wayne manor was utterly and completely silent. Bruce then pulled his son into an embrace, reassured him, and then watched as he fell back asleep, smiling.
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