Chapter 240: Masks & Mortality
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The gondola glided into a narrow dock beside a small café that overlooked the canal. Its doors were open, soft light spilling out onto the water, though the street beyond was still eerily quiet. No crowds, no chatter, just the faint clinking of porcelain cups inside.
Leo steadied the boat, extending his hand politely as though this were any ordinary morning in Venice. "This place is open," he said warmly. "The owner’s a stubborn man. He says people need coffee and company in life, and that’s about it. Enjoy your time."
Arthur stepped out first, then offered his hand to Didi, who took it with a small smile before gracefully stepping onto the dock.
Arthur reached into his coat and pressed a folded stack of bills into Leo’s hand. Far more than the ride was worth. way more.
Leo blinked, startled. "Signore, this is.."
Arthur cut him off with a level look. "Call it payment for guts, you’ve earned it."
For a moment, the gondolier was speechless. Then he closed his hand slowly around the money, bowing his head. "Grazie, signore. You honor me."
Didi smiled at him softly before turning her gaze on Arthur as Leo rowed away into the misty canal, his humming trailing after him. "That was kind of you," she said, brushing a strand of black hair behind her ear, "You know... I don’t get to do this at all." Her voice was light, but there was an odd tone behind it, as if the words meant more than they seemed.
Arthur gave her a sidelong look, narrowing his eyes slightly as if trying to read her. Then, with the faintest smirk, he gestured toward the café. "Let’s head inside."
The café was small, intimate, with wooden tables polished by years of use and sunlight filtering softly through the open windows. The faint aroma of roasted coffee beans and fresh pastries filled the air, mingling with the slight dampness from the canal outside. Arthur and Didi settled into a corner table, away from the empty streets, and Leo’s words still lingered in their minds.
Arthur leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched Didi take a careful sip of her coffee. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the cup settle in her hands. "You know," she said slowly, "that gondolier... he understands something very important. He lives for the moment he has. If today is the only day he’s guaranteed, he will take it fully, regardless of what tomorrow might bring."
Arthur tilted his head, listening, a slight frown on his face.
Didi’s eyes met his, calm and piercing. "You’d be surprised, Arthur, how many people cling to life out of fear...afraid of leaving, afraid of the end. And it’s that very fear that sometimes steals the life from them. The moment passes while they clutch at what they cannot control."
Arthur’s hands tightened slightly around his own cup, a small, reflective silence stretching between them. Then, with a dry half-smile, he said, "I get it... but can we talk about something else?"
Didi laughed softly, the sound warm and melodious. "You’re right. This is supposed to be a fun time, not a lecture on existential philosophies, or my work."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Work..." His voice was teasing.
Didi’s eyes sparkled faintly, unbothered by his tone. She gestured at their drinks. She took a sip and said "This is nice."
Arthur picked up his cup and took a tentative sip. He frowned slightly. "It’s just... coffee. I don’t taste anything different."
Didi tilted her head, smiling with a subtle warmth that made the edges of the café glow brighter. "Maybe... it’s not the coffee that matters. Perhaps it’s the company that makes it taste great."
Arthur’s eyes flicked to hers with his usual guarded expression. He didn’t reply immediately, simply letting the words hang in the air as he took another sip, slightly more aware of what’s going on with her, the unexpected comfort in her presence.
****
BATCAVE -
The Batcave screens glowed with feeds from across the world, rebuilding efforts, quiet streets, still-smoking ruins from the Blackest Night. Superman stood beside Batman, his cape brushing the floor, arms folded as his gaze lingered on a looping feed of civilians embracing shadowy figures, Arthur’s shadows before they dissolved into mist.
Superman exhaled, his voice steady but heavy. "If it wasn’t for him... this would have been far worse, Bruce. The Black Lantern’s forces would’ve overwhelmed us on every front."
Batman didn’t look up from the terminal he was working on, his fingers moving across the keyboard. "You’re not wrong. The Lantern Corps did their part, but Arthur was... decisive. His shadows were everywhere. I don’t like relying on unknown variables, but without him... we’d be counting losses, not victories."
Superman’s jaw tightened. "Unknown or not, he saved lives. That matters."
Before Batman could reply, a soft crackle sounded through their comms. Raven’s voice cut through, calm but faintly strained. "You’re talking about Arthur."
Batman’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, that’s why I called you, now where is he?"
There was a pause on the other end, the sound of the titans chatting in the background. "I don’t know. I asked, but... even the one who usually knows his whereabouts doesn’t."
Batman’s fingers paused on the keyboard. His voice dropped, analytical and sharp. "You mean his butler. George."
Raven hesitated. "...Yeah?" A flicker of surprise in her tone. "So you know about him."
Superman raised an eyebrow, glancing at Bruce. Batman’s mouth curved faintly, not quite a smirk. "I make it my business to know."
On the other end, Raven’s voice grew firmer, correcting him. "He’s not exactly a butler. He... keeps the estate, yes, but there’s more to it. Arthur doesn’t treat him like a servant. It’s... different."
Batman’s eyes flicked up at Superman briefly, then back to the screen "Though if you’re worried about semantics, caretaker, steward, guardian of the estate it doesn’t change the function. That sounds like a butler to me. Regardless. If George is around, make sure to tell him something for me."
"And what’s that?" Raven replied.
"That Arthur is needed. We’re going to have a conversation..whether here in the Batcave, or somewhere more... public. But he doesn’t get to sit in the shadows anymore, not after this. He has to learn how to disguise himself. If he keeps walking around unmasked, unguarded, with that much attention on him, it won’t be long before his enemies, or ours decide to close the gap. If anything, this isn’t for him, it’s for his loved ones."
Superman added, his tone softer, but equally firm, "He needs to be careful Raven, now that alot of people would recognize him. But if he wants to keep operating at this level, he’ll need to start thinking like one of us. The world has seen his shadows now. He can’t vanish back into obscurity, no matter how much he wants to."
Raven was silent for a long moment. Then, with a trace of dry humor, she said, "I’ll pass it on. Though convincing him to play by anyone else’s rules... that’s another story."
Batman’s eyes narrowed slightly at her tone. "Then make it clear. This isn’t about rules. It’s survival."
The comms clicked softly as her sound faded, leaving the cave filled once more with the quiet hum of machines and the echo of water dripping from stalactites. Superman finally spoke, his voice quieter. "You really think Arthur will listen to you?"
Batman’s hands returned to the keys, the glow of the screens reflecting off his cowl. "No. But he’ll understand. That’s enough for now."
Superman stood with his arms crossed, his expression tightening as another feed rolled across the massive monitors, Supergirl, fire in her eyes, tearing through a tide of Black Lanterns without pause or hesitation. His voice was low, almost reluctant.
"He had a great influence over Kara. When I saw her fighting the Lanterns... there was no hesitation in her attacks. Every move she made was meant to kill." He let the words settle before clarifying. "I know they were corpses, puppets controlled by those rings, but still... I held back. Even when I knew I didn’t have to." His eyes shifted toward Batman. "But Kara didn’t."
Batman’s hands stilled on the console. His voice, when it came, was cutting in its precision. "Supergirl was already a bit troublesome to deal with. You two may be cousins, Clark, but you couldn’t be more different."
Superman frowned, his cape swaying as he turned fully toward him and then sighed."I know what you mean..."
Batman met his gaze evenly, unflinching. "She’s raw power without your restraint. And now, thanks to Arthur, she’s seen what it looks like when someone uses power without hesitating or holding back. I’m afraid he normalized that for her."
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If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
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If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
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You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want