( easier. somehow, over the years, it has become easier to just be by himself. after the death of his parents, growing up, he'd kept to himself — reading alone in the library rather than socializing with others his age. even now, he still does this. the reclusive prince of gotham who barely makes an appearance anywhere outside his tower. he could say it's because he works nights in gotham, but. it all started before that. his seclusion from the world. from others.

looking down, he stares. contemplates. lets something roll over in his head a few times before he decides to say it. )

I've been here for as long as I have and I haven't done much in the way of getting to know them. ( dick, dick jr, the jasons, the tims... ) Not personally.

( their names, their relationships to some other version of him... sprinkles of history here and there, but never all that much. never anything beyond that. he couldn't even tell you their birthdays, their favorite colours, not even some of their ages. he's largely kept to himself ever since arriving here and knows he hasn't made the effort to reach out to them. rarely, if at all. )

I was... afraid to. ( a quiet admission. ) With Alfred at home, I just... I don't want to feel that here, too. ( softly, he looks to her and there within his eyes, a pained bruce wayne. ) The fear of losing people I care about.