Zippy--de---do --dah....
7/20/04 06:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxyMy, oh, my! What a wonderful day! I can see the sails of Rake The Moon on the horizon now folks! Soon comes the part where our sunny little guys get on the boat for South America,and Braaa--zil!Watch as they dance the Tango,sip champagne...gee, I'm in a Fred Astaire kind of mood today,hey! What say we get back to the laughfest?
Come, little story! Dance and twirl...
Bruce folded over him, pressed himself hard against Lex’s stomach, and jumped off the bed. Lex made a quiet little sound that hooked right into Bruce’s ribcage and he fought with himself not to get back on the bed.
“Lex. I want you. I’ve hardly wanted anything as much as I want you. I want to keep you safe, protect you, I *need* to take care of you.” He sighed deeply, and felt so ancient and so tired, tired beyond words. “I feel as though it’s more important than my own life to sa—help you… but you’ve got to help yourself too, we need to do this together, ok?”
Lex laughed, “ Oh, yes, let’s do this together, you want to help me so much, everyone wants to help me. I’m just so fucking lucky. You know what? I think you need to *fuck* off with your little savior complex and save it for someone who believes in Santa Claus and—and --- thinks Warrior Angel is real and is going to save them some--someday….”
“Hey, are you— ah shit! Don’t cry!” Bruce hovered a moment and thought,-- he probably wants to be alone, I’ll just leave for a little bit-- and felt like a complete jerk. He climbed back on the bed, pulled Lex into his lap and folded him up in his arms, let him cry, and cry.
It wasn’t the discrete little dry sobs he’d heard sometime in the room late at night. The kid shook and wailed and choked; Bruce was glad the door was shut and Lex was pressed against his chest, it muffled the cries somewhat. His t-shirt was instantly wringing wet, and Lex grabbed handfuls of it to pull Bruce even closer. He was a little afraid of the intensity of Lex’s pain, but he stayed put, and rocked him back and forth soundlessly, letting some of the poison leach out of him. Bruce realized that Lex probably never *really* cried, probably hadn’t done this in a very long time. He was sure that some people needed this from time to time.
The wailing slowed somewhat, and though he still gasped and sobbed hard enough to shake them both, Lex seemed to be regaining some control. Bruce kissed the top of his head, waited for him to uncoil.
Lex pulled back a bit and sniffed, “ Ew.”
Bruce looked down-- Jeez, that’s a mess. I guess that’s love, too--erf… “Ew is right. Hold up …” he leaned back and peeled off his soaking wet T-shirt, used it to mop Lex’s face. Lex looked embarrassed, but Bruce tilted his face up and gave him a quick kiss.
“See? That’s what I mean. You don’t have to be—just be Lex, that’s all. Ok? I swear, I’m going to fix this.”
Lex drew in a deep shuddery breath. “ Bruce. No matter how we feel, the truth is we’re not adults,we're kids. That’s how the *world* sees us, anyway. What can we do? What resources do we have? I’m not about to run off like we're in some stupid cable movie, ok? We have no money that belongs to us yet, and our names won’t get us anything but trouble….”
“ I have something no one else in the world has, so you let me worry about what we’re going to do ok? I’ll let you know when the time is right.” Bruce was positive he had it right this time. He better, because he felt like he was running out of time.
**********************
He begged off lunch by claiming to be queasy still, and tried to think; tried to organize his thoughts. Together, the only thing Lex and he could do was comfort each other, and that was great, but he wanted to fix this shit. He’d love nothing better than to make Lionel suffer like the rat bastard he was for fucking Lex up so bad, screwing with his head till the kid was afraid to move unless Lionel was there to tell him he could. Why would he lock him away in that apartment, like—like—a jewel, a bird, oh god, a favorite toy….
Bruce dropped down on the chair, the one he'd smashed into the wall, and idly noted that it was a little wobbly now, traced his fingertip around and around the arm of the chair and waited for sanity to return. He knew bone deep that if he moved now, he’d kill the man, that he could do it easily, messily and that he would enjoy it completely.
He needed help and needed it now. He went into the closet to get his bag, dug around until he found his phone and just sat on the floor, under the clothes, tossing the phone from hand to hand as he tried to decide what to say.
Alfred, I’ve never really asked you for anything, and I know I owe you more than I can ever repay, but I’m asking for your help now. Lex and I need your assistance, and I’m sure you have the means to assist us…hmmm, too formal? No, I want to let him know how serious this is, that fucker Lionel has a lot of pull in this town; he can make us look like we’re nuts—Bruce was punching the numbers as he thought, listened to the ring and then—
“Master Bruce? How nice, are you enjoying--”
“ Alfred! Alfred! —It’s all so fucked up and Lex is--and I’m--*help me*!” Fuck. So much for mature.
“ Bruce, Bruce, slow down, tell me, I’ll help,” Alfred said firmly.” Whatever it is, I’ll do my best to help, son.”
Bruce sighed, feeling a bit of the weight he’d been carrying lifted from him. If there was anyone he could trust in this world, it was Alfred. He would know what to do. God, he hoped it would involve gutting Lionel!
It took a while. There were a lot of questions, and Alfred made him go over parts again, and asked him the same questions in different ways, till Bruce got angry and asked if Alfred believed him or not.
“ Bruce, I believe you completely, but I need to know *exactly* what happened –what *is* happening with Lex. It’s as difficult to hear as it is to tell, believe me.” He was quiet for a moment, and then asked, “Can you speak to Dominic?”
“WHAT! About what? That asshole--Wow. How does he do that eyebrow thing over the phone? Crap. –the jerk didn’t do anything to help Lex, he’s with—he’s doing--”
“ Well. He knows what’s happening, and I think he’d actually be willing to help. No,” he said, cutting off Bruce’s protest. “ He tried. Not in a way that you or I know is right, but he did try. I’m almost willing to bet that his upbringing probably isn’t all that different from Lex’s.”
“ Yeah. So helpful, he gave him drugs, and kept Lionel’s secret. He’s a great big ass—JERK!”
Bruce could hear the phone shift on Alfred’s side, and heard the man sigh. “ Bruce, no excuses, but sometimes things are even more convoluted than you think they are. Talk to Dominic, tell him to expect a call from me.”
Bruce hesitated, and then asked, “ No offense, but why would he accept a call from someone’s butler? I’m just saying….”
He was surprised by a warm laugh from the older man.
“ Don’t worry, Master Bruce. They all know me. They know me quite well.”
Bruce hung up thoughtfully and wondered about his “butler.” Some day, he’d find out more about him. Today, he was just pathetically grateful he had him.
TBC
Come, little story! Dance and twirl...
Bruce folded over him, pressed himself hard against Lex’s stomach, and jumped off the bed. Lex made a quiet little sound that hooked right into Bruce’s ribcage and he fought with himself not to get back on the bed.
“Lex. I want you. I’ve hardly wanted anything as much as I want you. I want to keep you safe, protect you, I *need* to take care of you.” He sighed deeply, and felt so ancient and so tired, tired beyond words. “I feel as though it’s more important than my own life to sa—help you… but you’ve got to help yourself too, we need to do this together, ok?”
Lex laughed, “ Oh, yes, let’s do this together, you want to help me so much, everyone wants to help me. I’m just so fucking lucky. You know what? I think you need to *fuck* off with your little savior complex and save it for someone who believes in Santa Claus and—and --- thinks Warrior Angel is real and is going to save them some--someday….”
“Hey, are you— ah shit! Don’t cry!” Bruce hovered a moment and thought,-- he probably wants to be alone, I’ll just leave for a little bit-- and felt like a complete jerk. He climbed back on the bed, pulled Lex into his lap and folded him up in his arms, let him cry, and cry.
It wasn’t the discrete little dry sobs he’d heard sometime in the room late at night. The kid shook and wailed and choked; Bruce was glad the door was shut and Lex was pressed against his chest, it muffled the cries somewhat. His t-shirt was instantly wringing wet, and Lex grabbed handfuls of it to pull Bruce even closer. He was a little afraid of the intensity of Lex’s pain, but he stayed put, and rocked him back and forth soundlessly, letting some of the poison leach out of him. Bruce realized that Lex probably never *really* cried, probably hadn’t done this in a very long time. He was sure that some people needed this from time to time.
The wailing slowed somewhat, and though he still gasped and sobbed hard enough to shake them both, Lex seemed to be regaining some control. Bruce kissed the top of his head, waited for him to uncoil.
Lex pulled back a bit and sniffed, “ Ew.”
Bruce looked down-- Jeez, that’s a mess. I guess that’s love, too--erf… “Ew is right. Hold up …” he leaned back and peeled off his soaking wet T-shirt, used it to mop Lex’s face. Lex looked embarrassed, but Bruce tilted his face up and gave him a quick kiss.
“See? That’s what I mean. You don’t have to be—just be Lex, that’s all. Ok? I swear, I’m going to fix this.”
Lex drew in a deep shuddery breath. “ Bruce. No matter how we feel, the truth is we’re not adults,we're kids. That’s how the *world* sees us, anyway. What can we do? What resources do we have? I’m not about to run off like we're in some stupid cable movie, ok? We have no money that belongs to us yet, and our names won’t get us anything but trouble….”
“ I have something no one else in the world has, so you let me worry about what we’re going to do ok? I’ll let you know when the time is right.” Bruce was positive he had it right this time. He better, because he felt like he was running out of time.
**********************
He begged off lunch by claiming to be queasy still, and tried to think; tried to organize his thoughts. Together, the only thing Lex and he could do was comfort each other, and that was great, but he wanted to fix this shit. He’d love nothing better than to make Lionel suffer like the rat bastard he was for fucking Lex up so bad, screwing with his head till the kid was afraid to move unless Lionel was there to tell him he could. Why would he lock him away in that apartment, like—like—a jewel, a bird, oh god, a favorite toy….
Bruce dropped down on the chair, the one he'd smashed into the wall, and idly noted that it was a little wobbly now, traced his fingertip around and around the arm of the chair and waited for sanity to return. He knew bone deep that if he moved now, he’d kill the man, that he could do it easily, messily and that he would enjoy it completely.
He needed help and needed it now. He went into the closet to get his bag, dug around until he found his phone and just sat on the floor, under the clothes, tossing the phone from hand to hand as he tried to decide what to say.
Alfred, I’ve never really asked you for anything, and I know I owe you more than I can ever repay, but I’m asking for your help now. Lex and I need your assistance, and I’m sure you have the means to assist us…hmmm, too formal? No, I want to let him know how serious this is, that fucker Lionel has a lot of pull in this town; he can make us look like we’re nuts—Bruce was punching the numbers as he thought, listened to the ring and then—
“Master Bruce? How nice, are you enjoying--”
“ Alfred! Alfred! —It’s all so fucked up and Lex is--and I’m--*help me*!” Fuck. So much for mature.
“ Bruce, Bruce, slow down, tell me, I’ll help,” Alfred said firmly.” Whatever it is, I’ll do my best to help, son.”
Bruce sighed, feeling a bit of the weight he’d been carrying lifted from him. If there was anyone he could trust in this world, it was Alfred. He would know what to do. God, he hoped it would involve gutting Lionel!
It took a while. There were a lot of questions, and Alfred made him go over parts again, and asked him the same questions in different ways, till Bruce got angry and asked if Alfred believed him or not.
“ Bruce, I believe you completely, but I need to know *exactly* what happened –what *is* happening with Lex. It’s as difficult to hear as it is to tell, believe me.” He was quiet for a moment, and then asked, “Can you speak to Dominic?”
“WHAT! About what? That asshole--Wow. How does he do that eyebrow thing over the phone? Crap. –the jerk didn’t do anything to help Lex, he’s with—he’s doing--”
“ Well. He knows what’s happening, and I think he’d actually be willing to help. No,” he said, cutting off Bruce’s protest. “ He tried. Not in a way that you or I know is right, but he did try. I’m almost willing to bet that his upbringing probably isn’t all that different from Lex’s.”
“ Yeah. So helpful, he gave him drugs, and kept Lionel’s secret. He’s a great big ass—JERK!”
Bruce could hear the phone shift on Alfred’s side, and heard the man sigh. “ Bruce, no excuses, but sometimes things are even more convoluted than you think they are. Talk to Dominic, tell him to expect a call from me.”
Bruce hesitated, and then asked, “ No offense, but why would he accept a call from someone’s butler? I’m just saying….”
He was surprised by a warm laugh from the older man.
“ Don’t worry, Master Bruce. They all know me. They know me quite well.”
Bruce hung up thoughtfully and wondered about his “butler.” Some day, he’d find out more about him. Today, he was just pathetically grateful he had him.
TBC
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