News Clippings
Summary: Sweet baby Jason is dead-- much like how Thomas and Martha are. News clippings haunt Bruce's narrative.
Tags: Bruce Wayne angst, hurt/ no comfort
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA: HOW AN EVENING TURNED TRAGIC CRIME ALLEY SCUM MURDERS GOTHAM SOCIALITES THOMAS AND MARTHA WAYNE: THEIR LIVES AND CONTRIBUTIONS
The Gotham Times does not offer time for grief; leaving the opera at 10pm became a headliner by 12pm the next day. MARTHA AND THOMAS WAYNE, DEAD. WHAT HAPPENED?
A plea, a scuffle, two bangs, and lastly, two thuds. From the eyes to the heart, to the brain. His throat closes on the way, he feels it before he knows it.
An officer's coat, warm and pointless, rests on Bruce's shoulders. The warmth seeps into his skin. A hand rests on his shoulder… Officer George, was it? "Gordan," a policewoman calls out. "Sherman--"
It rings, insistent. A plea, a scuffle, two bangs, and two thuds. From the brain to the heart, a sob wretches itself from his throat. Officer Gordan, his name is Gordan, squeezes his shoulder, mutters something, and leaves him. ~
BRUCE WAYNE, 8, ORPHANED: THE MURDERS OF THOMAS AND MARTHA WAYNE Written by Carol White, Gotham Times June 25th, XXXX
June 24th, XXXX is a night to remember; the Wayne's were ambushed by an unidentified resident of Park Row, otherwise known as 'Crime Alley', while leaving the opera.
Opera attendees reported hearing two gunshots moments after the Wayne's left the theatre. Rushing outside, Mr. Jackson Blake from Jansmire Capital Bank, says 'it was tragic, really. Thomas mentioned needing to head home early. Thea reckons that little Bruce was scared and wanted out. How that turned out, what a shame. There were two gunshots-' and Mrs. Thea Blake adds on 'At first we thought it was just Crime Alley being Crime Alley but something told me- something told me to check what that was about. Poor Brucie.'
GCPD was accompanied with ambulances, ready for the worst. And the worst happened: Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered on May 12th, XXXX. Commissioner Loeb of the GCPD has not given a full statement besides 'that's Gotham for you.'
What comes from this tragedy is yet to be seen.
Rest in Peace, Thomas and Martha Wayne.
~
Bruce sits in his bedroom, hands clenching into fists. His nails dig into his palms, only for the discomfort to be ignored. His dress shirt is aggressively wrinkle free (Is Alfred proud of how crisp his ironing is?), jacket clad and bowtie too straight, too tight. He inhales sharply, forcing his fists looser.
The Wayne Manor has since become cold-- grief wedges itself in the worst places. Not the office, not where Dad finished up the day's paperwork, not in the living room where Mom read, not really. It's slathered all over Bruce's bowties; instead of Dad adjusting each goofy attempt, it's the butler. Perfectionist, the Alfred 'I know what I'm doing, boy' Pennyworth. Too tight, too straight, not Dad's. It drips from the artwork, gifted by kids from Gotham General. Thank you for the toys, Mrs. Wayne!
He stares at the entrance to the ballroom, mouth going dry. Pitying looks were prepared ahead of time, manufactured to perfection. Alfred, butler and now, caretaker, nudges him in.
"I don't want to," he whispers. It's loud enough though as Alfred's face twists into something chilled. "This gala is being held in Thomas and Martha's honor. You are a Wayne; you will not tarnish their reputation by dodging the public!"
A plea, a scuffle, two bangs, and two thuds. From the brain to the heart, the heart shoots back with-- nobody deserves what I went through that night. And--
MASKED MAN PUTS AN END TO BLAKE SCANDAL: WHO IS HE? CAPED CRUSADER CLEANING GOTHAM STREETS?
WHAT IS THE BATMAN? Written by Lionel Singh, Gotham Times July 19th, XXXX
A masked vigilante is terrorizing Gotham's streets; criminals of all kinds are brought to the very steps of the GCPD. Plans foiled, deals halted, crimes stopped-- why does he do it? Is it for some innate desire for justice? A need to feel superior?
Commissioner Loeb has voiced his disapproval with this masked vigilante's existence by stating 'Gotham doesn't need some lowlife with delusions of grandeur meddling with legal procedures. The GCPD will be accepting tips on who this 'Batman' might be. We do not approve the presence of such an idea. If you're passionate about justice, join the GCPD. We're always looking for skilled individuals who will do the work, the legal way.'
There have been sightings of the Batman in numerous places across Gotham. Those who have met the Batman have described him as 'a brave man', 'righteously aggressive', and 'scary'. While his 'tools' have yet to be identified, he can be seen wearing what looks like a Bat-themed costume.
Again, the GCPD will be opening a tip line, dedicated to identifying the Batman.
~
From cheers to a SNAP and, thematically, thuds, to screams, all the way to wind whooshing and a child's giggle. Robin. A kid in red, yellow, and green. A kid with so much life, standing with him, the Batman. Giggling, crackling, grieving--
BATMAN & ROBIN: THE DYNAMIC DUO THE BAT'S NEW SIDEKICK DYNAMIC DUO DELIVERS 3 HIGH-PROFILE ARKHAM ESCAPEES BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONG
--a kid in red, yellow, and green, standing beside Batman as Robin, to a man in black and blue, from cheers, screams, laughing and then… nothing.
The silence just never ends.
The shadows steep, wrangling the familiar darkness into suffocation. June 24th, 24 years ago to the day, the world stopped. A plea, a scuffle, two BANGs, two thuds. Grief, twisting into something else--
And perhaps it's the throb of guilt. Perhaps the knowledge that 24 years ago, Bruce Wayne lost his parents and perhaps it's that plus the I miss Dick.
Bruce, Batman, stands there. Crime Alley looms around him, taunting in silence.
And then there's a clatter and a--
BOY WONDER SAVES MAYOR HILL ONE BIRD LEAVES THE NEST, ANOTHER FLIES IN: THE NEW ROBIN
Jason, my boy.
- The Gotham Gazette does not offer time for grief; Bruce knows that. Even though its been, what, 25? 26? years since the two bangs and the accompanying thuds, it lingered. The ricochet in the silence, in the unintentional clattering of pots, from the heart to the brain, the uncontrollable grief became controllable, lockable, avoidable. It became easier to swallow. To breathe, to exist with less weight.
But.
JASON TODD, SON OF BRUCE WAYNE, ANNOUNCED DEAD BRUCE WAYNE'S SON, DEAD. WHAT HAPPENED? WAYNE FAMILY IN SHAMBLES
The motorbike's roar, the churning of wheels, a BOOM, and orange. So many oranges-- licking the sky, it taunts him, Batman, Bruce, in the crackling of flames, its height a reminder.
From the eyes to the heart, to the brain, the feeling closes his throat on the way. He feels it before he can confirm it. Concrete, large and burning, sat and shifted, all-knowing. You're the protector of the innocent?
He grabs at debris, pulling and pushing. He huffs once, twice. He shakes his head, moving inwards. And perhaps it's the grief, perhaps it's the smoke. And likely, he'll tell himself he couldn't breathe because of the smoke. Something about failing to--
BATMAN & …WHERE HAS ROBIN FLOWN OFF TO?
BATMAN: ALONE? Written by Cassidy Claire, Gotham Gazette August 23rd, XXXX
*It's been a chaotic week out in Gotham. Sightings of the Dynamic Duo were not reported, crime picking up within the three days of their absence.
When the Bat returned, there was no instances of the familiar bird-themed hero.
Some Gothamites wonder, 'has Robin II found a new place to nest?' After all, the former and original Robin left Gotham behind and eventually settled in Gotham's sister city, Bludhaven. Robin I has became Nightwing, so who's to say Batman isn't having 'empty nest syndrome'?
A plea, a scuffle, two shots--no, a BOOM, thuds, he counts three this time. Crackling orange in the alley, a tire iron.
THE WAYNE FAMILY CURSE NEGLECTFUL BRUCIE?
"I mean, Bruce was the only witness to his parent's death. That Joe guy--, you're right, the Joe Chill, was found a few blocks over-" "What're ya gettin' at'?" "Bruce Wayne just isn't normal, man. An idiot at galas- Brucie Wayne's just a decoy, I just know it!" "A decoy." "Yeah-- the Todd kid, fly high lil' guy. Can't be a coincidence."
Headline after headline, it started with a plea, scuffle, so on and so forth. 10pm to 12pm the next day, Gotham Times, Gotham Gazette, and hell, newspapers originating outside of Gotham, had a field day.
He was 8. And he's 34 now-- and now what? Headline after headline; Jason Todd, Robin II, Wayne curse, that plus some.
A motorbike's roar, the churning of wheels, a BOOM, and orange.
It just keeps going. It just keeps going. It just keeps going.
The damned mission.
