Re: Chinatown Apt: Robert/Selina
Bruce actually considered what she said and then shrugged. "A tough love approach isn't the worst option. That's probably the way he'd learn there are some things that can't be forgiven. You know he told me ... well. I don't disagree he should treat her better than he does. But maybe Pepper will give him the talking to he needs." Really, he wondered what happened to his whole stay out of people's private lives concept he tried to hold onto. It was far, far, far gone now.
He couldn't help it. He smiled despite the broken laugh, because it was grimly amusing. "Above. Compartmentalizing is what you do when nothing else works." Bruce knew that his feelings about suicide were exactly what he said before, but classically, he thought his was a different case. Most suicidal people didn't have mountains of innocent lives guilting them into it. Gwen didn't realize how close she was hitting when they talked. "My surrogate daughter thinks I'm some kind of cold hearted bastard now, I think." Burning bridges all around him.
"Right, sorry. I get it now." What she said did not sound good in any possible way. He shot her a deer in the headlights look but then nodded, resigned, because he knew where this was headed. And it was okay. Selina deserved better. It was okay. Bruce took the time while she was in the shower to pull up his sheets and blanket and set them aside for when he'd get a chance to do laundry. He had only on set of them, so that'd have to be done pretty soon.
He put the book back on the shelf, it was only partially organized, and checked his knapsack. He didn't need to add anything to it, and he moved it over by the door for now. Bruce warmed up the food again, timed for when she got out of the shower, and set it on the very small table he had. Everything was a little cramped and small, that was a New York City apartment. It was better than he was used to. He checked his network and tried not to obsess over the fact that in a few minutes she was going to come out of there and crush him, and he wasn't mad. He didn't have the right to be.