Selina, perhaps due to her long-term immersion in Gotham's dark side and encounters with numerous villains, always had a sense of detachment towards people, especially men. Additionally, having known Batman since childhood, there was a sort of familial bond between them, which might be the so-called 'too familiar to make a move.' making it difficult to transition from that familiarity to a romantic relationship. Transforming this familial relationship into a romantic one required significant psychological effort.
Unfortunately, Bruce had lost his parents at the age of eight and was raised by the elderly butler, Alfred. When Bruce reached an age where he could discuss male-female relationships, Alfred was already advanced in years and unable to engage in such discussions. Bruce couldn't bring himself to discuss women with the old Alfred.
Furthermore, Batman was remarkably obtuse when it came to relationships between men and women. Unlike Oliver, who had spent twenty years gallivanting before becoming a hero, Batman was consumed by thoughts of revenge from a young age. He grew up with the sole purpose of redeeming the city and intimidating criminals, leaving him little time to contemplate matters of the heart.
Moreover, with only a handful of men around him, he had no one to confide in. Alfred, being elderly, was the first to be dismissed. Robin always saw him as a teacher, and Bruce couldn't bring himself to discuss women with his disciple, so that was also a no-go. Even Commissioner Gordon, despite having been married, faced challenges in his own marriage, leaving him unable to offer any meaningful advice.
As a result, Batman's feelings towards Selina had remained unresolved, and Selina, unaware of his intentions, had patiently waited. Their relationship had continued to linger, and while it had been expected to eventually blossom, a sudden interference from Talia had disrupted their tacit understanding.
Nanda Parbat was presumably a subtropical climate, and Talia was as fiery as the weather. Due to a lapse in Batman's judgment, he and Talia al Ghul fell into what he had thought was love. It turned out that she was using him. It was a truce in a long drawn out war that would see the Wayne and al-Ghul bloodlines merge. Batman had failed to foresee that a son would come of it. In fact, Talia's feelings for Bruce were genuine at times, but they were complicated by her loyalty to her father, Ra's al-Ghul, and her own ambitions.
Bruce was unaware of the child's conception and returned to crime fighting for years. Talia, on the other hand, taking advantage of the hero's impressive genes, believed their child to be a perfect heir. The child was born and given the name Damian.
Selina now felt both aggrieved and sad, tinged with a hint of worry. She didn't know what to do. Today, she had the rare opportunity to meet Thea, who had nothing to do and enjoyed listening to her rambling. Since they weren't familiar with each other's teams and would likely go their separate ways in a few days, she felt no reservations and poured out her grievances.
After listening for a few moments, Thea quickly understood the situation. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly; it was such a simple matter, blown out of proportion by these individuals.
As for Selina's situation, although Thea hadn't studied any major works in psychology, she could still analyze it. Subconsciously, Selina wanted to fight for him, whether against villains or against Talia. However, Batman's previous hesitations left her in an awkward position, lacking a psychological foothold.
If she were Batman, she could resolve it with just a few words. But now she wasn't, so she could only use a roundabout way to guide her.
The approach was one of commiseration, a tactic often effective when consoling others in real-life situations.
For instance, one might recount a personal hardship, such as a father abandoning them at a young age, prompting reliance on their mother since childhood. Another might respond by sharing their own tale, perhaps of losing a grandfather to invaders at the tender age of nine, yet still managing to lead a fulfilling life.
In hearing these exchanges, individuals often find solace in the notion that others have endured similar ordeals. This realization fosters psychological resilience and a renewed sense of optimism, as individuals perceive their own struggles in a broader context and recognize the capacity for happiness amidst adversity.
When the other person hears this, they think, "That makes sense!" Upon comparing their experiences, they realize that there's always someone who has it worse, completing their psychological construction and feeling rejuvenated on the spot.
That's exactly what Thea is doing now. She embellished her own painful experiences with artistry, of course keeping Malcolm hidden, only talking about how she missed her father and brother, how her mother wanted to remarry, and all her various misfortunes, saying it in a way that was heart-wrenching to hear.
Selina was indeed stunned by Thea's tragic experiences. Upon comparing it to her own past, although she had endured some material hardship, she hadn't experienced so much heartache. With a little contemplation and comparison, she immediately felt as though a plane dragging the banner with five words saying "It is not that bad" was flying across the sky. Her childhood and youth had been quite good. Upon this realization, she immediately felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
Then Thea went on to lament about the difficulties of living in a wealthy family, such as the shareholders' prying eyes, the sabotage of peers, the kidnapping and extortion by villains—in short, she emphasized, "Was it easy for me to live like this?"
Selina automatically puts herself in the shoes of Bruce as a child when his parents were killed, then thinks of the troublesome shareholders of Wayne Enterprises. Bruce spent twenty years and still hasn't completely regained control of the group. Each shareholder is as greedy as the next, fighting them off one by one, but it's never-ending. These people are desperately grabbing money without fear of death.
As Thea became more animated in her storytelling, Selina could only sigh. Indeed, the lives of wealthy people were also filled with misfortune. They sometimes carry burdens that are indeed much heavier than those of ordinary people.
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