Lies like Dominos

Tidy Scran

I looked out the generous window of Alph's jeep, watching the familiar scenery that lead to his apartment building. It was deathly quiet as Alph pulled into the building's underground parking, pulling into his reserved spot for residents. Once the car was in park the doors unlocked and Alph snatched the bag holding our gear before he slipped out of the driver's side. We all made our way out of the crimson vehicle, silently and slowly following Alph over to the elevators.

The ride up was unbearably awkward, I exchanged looks with my adoptive brothers, all of us thinking the same things. When the elevator dinged with Alph's floor number on it my anxiousness only built. It only continued to grow with every door we passed by, why did Alph have to live at the end of the hall? Upon arriving at the door Alph easily fished out his keys by the lanyard he kept them on, the lanyard itself always dangling out the top of his pant's pocket. When the lock clicked open Alph lead us in, all of us entering in a hurry though we tried to hide it. The very second the door closed behind us the silence was broken.

"You promised us answers. Now." Damian's strict and calloused voice rang out, seemingly so loud compared to the long held silence. Although he was facing away, putting down his keys, I could see Alph's toothy smile.

"Aye, Ah did." Alph said as he turned to face us, all four of us standing and waiting, overwhelmed with questions. Alph leaned against his sofa's armrest, crossing his arms as he looked at us. While he was cool as a cucumber the rest of us were stiff; Damian standing straight with crossed arms, Tim fidgeting with his own hands, Jason trying to glare Alph down, and me. I probably looked like a shocked and confused mess. "Go oan then, ask away." The moment the words left his lips I had expected an explosion of questions and voices but it was quiet. At first we had been bursting to ask, fueled by feelings of betrayal and anger that he never told us he knew. However, after such a long and silent trip there, we had all reflected on it. Who were we to feel angry and upset at Alph lying to us when we were the ones trying to keep it from him, lying since the beginning. 

For once Damian wasn't the first to speak up, instead I found myself asking the question burning within all of us. "How long have you known? How did you find out?" My voice was trembling slightly as I dared to ask. Alph's smile quickly fell when the question was finally posed.

"Ah figured it out whin Ah first encountered ye as Robin in an alleyway. Ah had bin on mah way home from school. Yer teasing voice 'n' goading laugh wis always the same with or with out the mask." Alph explained simply, a nostalgic smile gracing his lips.

Damian and the others turned to me as I racked my brain. I had bumped into Alph in costume before, though it was rare it had happened more than once over the years. But when was the first time? I searched by memory, it was when I was Robin. That's when it hit me; Batman and I were on patrol and had stopped a pair of muggers. I had seen Alph before we grappled away to the rooftops.

"But that - I had only been Robin for a week." I struggled with that thought. Alph had known my secret nearly as long as I had had a secret to keep. "You've known this whole time?" I was in shock, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I could feel Damian's disapproving eyes on me, but I didn't care.

"Yea, 'n' it wasn't tae hard tae figure out who Batman wis as a result. 'N' when a new Robin came, ye seemed tae always git a new brother at the same time." Alph had figured all of us out, he knew our secret identities as we got them. All those times he had come over to the mansion, every interaction he had with any of us, he knew our family secret.

"It's rather poetic really; keeping it secret that you knew our secret." Tim had analyzed, an analysis Damian did not appreciate.

"No one cares about poetry or irony, Drake." Damian's spiteful voice cut through the air. Tim and Damian where soon arguing, threatening to kill each other. I walked over to break up the fight between Damian and Tim, stealing a glance at Jason who looked rather calm about the whole situation.

After the lack of anymore questions Alph pushed himself up to stand up straight. "Ye fellas hang tight whilst Ah go make a tidy scran fur all o' ye." Alph said before heading towards the kitchen, Jason following him for some reason.

I was about to ask why when I heard Jason's voice and the sound of a fridge door opening. "Got any beer?"