he was always someone cold, distant, and absent. and since you were 'bout 12, you're always the only friend he had. and the only one who took him out of that comfort zone. as if you were a younger sister he had obligation to worry about, take care of, look out for.

but you're also the typa worry too much. and your biggest concern when you gained maturity, as bruce's niece, was that he become someone like your uncle.

he also feared the same. but always wanted to prove himself to bruce. and his fear of never achieving this was greater than of becoming a copy of him.

and as a teenager, you spent most of your time trying to decipher what's going on in his mind, trying to understand him, repay all years he took care of you like a sis, trying to protect you from traumas you experienced at wayne mansion. and little by little, he began to feel suffocated. the more you tried to understand him, the more the puzzle in his mind seemed to become indecipherable.

until, the two of you managed to get out of that toxic environment. and he gives in. falling into the temptation of proving his worth to bruce again, assuming robin's identity. and so, spending most of his time trying to hide it from you. making lame excuses when he came home late full of bruises, or stressed, almost every day. and you couldn't take it anymore.

you were up until two AM. sitting on the couch, staring at the screen with a frustrated look. wondering why's he acting so strange. your mind full of neuroses.

'til he appeared at the door, closing with a little force. with firm and quick steps he passed straight by you. with a cut on his face, empty and cold expression as always. and you got up abruptly from the sofa, heading towards him.

— "where've you been?!" — you said, already changed. and he soon stopped and turned to look at you, his cold, apathetic eyes fixed on yours.

— "busy." — he simply said, his tone sharp and cold. but it was clear that something was bothering him.