Bruce noted the change in Rick’s eyes, the joyful amusement replacing the exhaustion, and he couldn’t deny it felt good to see it. They were unlikely friends, both of them living lives where friendships were scarce, a luxury they could barely allow themselves to have. Ever since Wayne Tech signed a contract with the United States military to create and test out non-lethal weaponry however, the soldier and the billionaire had been drawn to each other. It was strange, comical even, and Flag’s involvement in the Suicide Squad had turned the whole thing complicated. But the two men had more in common than either of them would ever realize or care to admit. They barely asked questions and there was an obvious wall between them, one neither cared enough about to break (or at least Rick didn’t seem to care). Still they were friends, the closest thing to that people like them could afford. “And here I thought it was my pretty face that attracted the ladies.” There was an expression of hurt across his face, but that was simply a joke. The playful demeanor crumbled when Rick finally shared what he’d been wanting to speak about however, Bruce’s expression hardening a little–Rick and June?! “Congrats,” he said, making his best efforts to sound genuine. “Where did you guys meet?”
The tease stirred a cheerfulness out of Richard who flashed a crooked grin that would reach his hazel eyes. “Maybe the made-up Bruce… but have you looked in the mirror lately? ‘almost look as bad as me…” He sipped from a glass of cool water, chewed on the thin square sliver of ice that slid between his lips while looking past Wayne, “No rest for the wicked… as they say.” There was no insinuation. Merely talk for the sake of talk. Rick was hardly an insomniac. Beside the haunting memories dreams, his head whirled with concerns, ideas, guilt near constantly, and he was lucky to see a mattress with the persistent demands work presented. His office chair was the best spot to steal an hour, maybe two per day, but this self-destructive routine had been interrupted due to a certain doctors care–though June was not a doctor in the traditional sense. The turn in Bruce’s mood went unnoticed by the naive Colonel who was still caught up in the nerves that came with such a topic. A strange huff escaped the soldier who wasn’t certain a ‘congratulations’ was in order–only because he remained a novice to personal relationships. Was it appropriate? Rick just grinned it off, head ducked slightly as if he were attempting to hide away. The question seemed typical yet Rick appeared phased as the shy smile hesitantly furrowed. He could make up an elaborate lie, but… “At work. She’s an archaeologist, so.. ‘comes in handy at times.” Not that Rick really knew much about that end of things. She had merely been an asset at the beginning, then a dear friend to Flag, and more recently a lover. Digging up five-hundred year old pots and analyzing rocks was about the last thing they’d done together. Not to say Richard wasn’t interested in June’s profession, but for now he remained ignorant.