Fic: Jaybird Street
Title: Jaybird Street
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Alfred, mentions of Jason Todd
Note: Based off the events described in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Inspired by the lyrics of the song "Rockin' Robin".
It was a dreary morning in Gotham. A fine drizzle soaked Bruce Wayne's custom tailored suit, but he didn't bother with an umbrella. They were the tears he couldn't shed, the rainwater on his cheeks tasting of loss and sorrow all the same.
"People of Gotham," he began, his voice shaky and hoarse. Not an act this time, his pain as deep as the kind he'd experienced as a boy. His eyes scanned the crowd without really seeing them. How many of them could understand?
"Today, we name this street after a young man who died before his time. A young man who wanted nothing more than to make this world a better place, a safer place. Somewhere you could walk the streets without fear." He paused for a moment to take a steadying breath, his knuckles white on the edges of the podium. A hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to his right and saw Dick, whose eyes were red and bleary. Through his tears he gave an encouraging smile. His eyes slid beyond him to where Alfred stood, out of view of the camera cues but really no more than a few feet away. His old friend nodded at him. Bruce turned back to his audience, as if in a trance.
"I took him in as my son, and in honor of his memory this is now Jason Street. I..." he swallowed. "I only wish he could be here today." He stepped down from the stage, following Dick and Alfred to the car. He knew that the crowd was clapping politely, and that Alfred beside him was offering some words of comfort; but he could not hear them. He had gone back to a day years ago, when on this same street, he'd caught a young street urchin taking the wheels off his car.
A single salty tear slid from his eye as he remembered the same boy, now dressed in a bright costume, leaping atop the roof of that car. His words echoed in Bruce's mind as they drove away.
"This is the best day of my life!"
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Alfred, mentions of Jason Todd
Note: Based off the events described in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Inspired by the lyrics of the song "Rockin' Robin".
It was a dreary morning in Gotham. A fine drizzle soaked Bruce Wayne's custom tailored suit, but he didn't bother with an umbrella. They were the tears he couldn't shed, the rainwater on his cheeks tasting of loss and sorrow all the same.
"People of Gotham," he began, his voice shaky and hoarse. Not an act this time, his pain as deep as the kind he'd experienced as a boy. His eyes scanned the crowd without really seeing them. How many of them could understand?
"Today, we name this street after a young man who died before his time. A young man who wanted nothing more than to make this world a better place, a safer place. Somewhere you could walk the streets without fear." He paused for a moment to take a steadying breath, his knuckles white on the edges of the podium. A hand fell on his shoulder. He turned to his right and saw Dick, whose eyes were red and bleary. Through his tears he gave an encouraging smile. His eyes slid beyond him to where Alfred stood, out of view of the camera cues but really no more than a few feet away. His old friend nodded at him. Bruce turned back to his audience, as if in a trance.
"I took him in as my son, and in honor of his memory this is now Jason Street. I..." he swallowed. "I only wish he could be here today." He stepped down from the stage, following Dick and Alfred to the car. He knew that the crowd was clapping politely, and that Alfred beside him was offering some words of comfort; but he could not hear them. He had gone back to a day years ago, when on this same street, he'd caught a young street urchin taking the wheels off his car.
A single salty tear slid from his eye as he remembered the same boy, now dressed in a bright costume, leaping atop the roof of that car. His words echoed in Bruce's mind as they drove away.
"This is the best day of my life!"