"Oh." Her Hand Covered Bruces Much Larger One. When Did He Get So Big? "I Understand. I'm Not Blaming

"Oh." Her hand covered Bruces much larger one. When did he get so big? "I understand. I'm not blaming you. And your kids all have lives of their own."

"Alfred?" And hadn't that ship already sailed? Surely that opportunity had passed her by by now. "Last we spoke he seemed far too busy."

docthompkins​:

“The works fine. I enjoy it… It’s fulfilling.” She shook her head slightly dismissing the idea, lip curling at the compliment. Bruce was sweet when he wanted to be. Leslie just appreciated him dropping by, a rare occurrence these days given how busy he was.

“I don’t know.” Leslie mused. “I go to work. And then I go home. If I’m lucky, neither you or any of your brood need patching up - which is a double edged sword seeing as that’s the only time I really see any of you at the moment…” There was admonishment in her tone, though it wasn’t not unkind. She understood why.

“It gets a little lonely sometimes.” Leslie admitted quietly.

Bruce looked down at his glass. “I know. I’m sorry I haven’t been around more when I’m not bleeding,” he sighed. Did Alfred feel this way too? Bruce wasn’t sure. “Is there anything I can do?” He asked her. 

He took another pull form his drink. “I do know a nice English butler who wouldn’t mind taking you out on a date.” 

The corner of her lip quirked at his appology and Leslie was reminded again of how young the boy was.

It was with an ignored pang of sadness for the boy that she put her next question to him. Food and shelter and school were not things a boy his age ought to be concerned about. "Do you think its something you could continue to do?" She was curious to see what he would fill it with when those types of answers began to run low.

He was glaring at her notepad, but Leslie continued unperturbed. Jason would just need to get used to it. Hopefully after a few sessions, he wouldn’t care as much but it only reaffirmed that she had been right to leave it out in their previous session.

“That’s great Jason. Well done.” She wasn’t going to ask to see the journal, that hadn’t been her plan. But she did have questions for him regarding it. “How did it feel, purposefully thinking of different things to be grateful for? Was it easy, difficult, talk me through it.”

She didn't answer straight away, choosing her words carefully. "Well, if I were to make a suggestion... Why does it need to be from before? What about now? The present moment? And it doesn't need to be about your circumstances. Why not be greatful for the qualities that make you who you are?" The last thing that she wanted was for him to feel like he had to find some silver lining in the horrors he had faced before meeting Bruce. That hadn't been her intention.

Realising he hadn'tmuch frame of reference for what she was aiming to guide him towards she relented on her own boundaries slightly. This was hardly an impersonal case anyway given her relationship with Bruce. "I mentioned it the last time we spoke, but the exercise I gave you is one I do myself. Every day. If you think it'd be helpful, I can give you some examples."

"The idea is that you do it for an extended period of time. So often that it becomes a habit."

The corner of her lip quirked at his appology and Leslie was reminded again of how young the boy was.

It was with an ignored pang of sadness for the boy that she put her next question to him. Food and shelter and school were not things a boy his age ought to be concerned about. “Do you think its something you could continue to do?” She was curious to see what he would fill it with when those types of answers began to run low.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Bruce dear." And she squeezed his hand. The last thing she had meant in her confession was to make him feel guilty. Perhaps she should have kept it to herself.

No. She reminded herself. Sharing is healthy. Allowing people to show up for you is important.

"Of course he does. We've known eachother for years." People grew fond of eachother of course. He cared for her Leslie was sure. Loving and being in love, however were two different things. "The stubborn man wouldn't know how what rest looked like if it hit him square in the face."

docthompkins​:

“Oh.” Her hand covered Bruces much larger one. When did he get so big? “I understand. I’m not blaming you. And your kids all have lives of their own.”

“Alfred?” And hadn’t that ship already sailed? Surely that opportunity had passed her by by now. “Last we spoke he seemed far too busy.”

He turned his hand over and held hers, like he did as a child so long ago. “I know, but I should make time for those who matter to me.” Bruce barely made time for himself. 

Bruce huffed out a small laugh. “Alfred will always say he’s busy. But, that doesn’t mean its not true.” he took another drink. “He loves you, you know.” 

"That's great Jason." Leslie smiles, glad he was taking her seriously enough to rewlly consider what she was saying.

"Kind of. Its more about recognising where you are now. What is good about the present moment. A lot of the time life has you working to the next goal, then the next. Which - it is good to be goals oriented sometimes. It can help make changes and improvements and reach aspirations... However this is more about seeing the good in the moment. Being present. Which, in turn, a lot of people find helps them in the future."

She was careful not to reinforce his idea that he needed to become better, that was the opposite of what she was trying to achieve. "You mention being better. I'm curious. What would better look like to you? What is it that is different to the Jason Todd we have here today?"

Jason picked at his nails.

His qualities?

He was working on them, to meet Bruce’s expectations of him. “I suppose,” Jason shrugged. “I’m a quick student. In school too. I’ve already caught up with my backlog, so I guess I’m appreciative of that. And it’ll help me be better. Is that what this is for, really? To become better?”

And it was obvious, that Jason wasn’t a medical sense. Or even a psychological one.

He needed to be better than he was. To prove he was worthy of the colors, despite his early successes as Robin. As Jason Todd.

"Excellent company too!"

Out having a coffee with @docthompkins since it's a beautiful evening. ❤️❤️