Lucy noticed the stillness in him. The way his focus drifted even as he listened. The weight he carried beneath his calm. So, shw didn't press.
Bruce was grateful for that.
For a little while, he wasn't the Anomaly. He wasn't a problem-solver or a looming force in a world on the brink.
He was just someone sitting at a table, sharing a meal.
When dinner ended, Lily wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, pressing her face into his side before Lucy gently ushered her toward bed. She went reluctantly, still smiling, eyes heavy with sleep. Ash followed, padding after her before curling up near her door like a silent sentinel.
Lucy lingered in the kitchen.
"You're leaving tomorrow," she said softly.
Bruce nodded.
She didn't ask where.
She didn't ask why.
"Be careful," she said instead.
"I will," Bruce replied.
That night, sleep didn't come easily.
