Yeah. We were acrobats. We were good too, even though we were bush-league. [ A smile tugs at the side of his mouth again before it starts to fade away. ]
We used to come through Gotham once a year. That’s when, um- [ He should stop now. ]
...Well, an extortion ring got there first. When Mr. Haly wouldn’t pay up, they made the sure the lines were too weak to hold us. Only they wouldn’t give until we were center ring. [ If he gets it out all at once he won’t need to repeat himself. Only he can tell himself that over and over again and there that awful memory will always be, with a sharp twinge of guilt to go with it this time. Bruce doesn’t need to hear about it now, wouldn't want to hear about it if he'd known what he was asking. About an awful scene he’ll see for himself one day.
But lying to him about it - about this - it can't be right either. ]
...That’s how it happened. [ His shoulders lift and then fall. ]
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We used to come through Gotham once a year. That’s when, um- [ He should stop now. ]
...Well, an extortion ring got there first. When Mr. Haly wouldn’t pay up, they made the sure the lines were too weak to hold us. Only they wouldn’t give until we were center ring. [ If he gets it out all at once he won’t need to repeat himself. Only he can tell himself that over and over again and there that awful memory will always be, with a sharp twinge of guilt to go with it this time. Bruce doesn’t need to hear about it now, wouldn't want to hear about it if he'd known what he was asking. About an awful scene he’ll see for himself one day.
But lying to him about it - about this - it can't be right either. ]
...That’s how it happened. [ His shoulders lift and then fall. ]