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[ There's a line that's even harder to ignore, but Damian hasn't made his own personal struggles that much of a secret. The details? Maybe in some cases, but he's not bothered to paint a pretty picture of his own childhood. ]
No, it doesn't.
... guess you've been dealing with a lot of visitors after all that.
No, it doesn't.
... guess you've been dealing with a lot of visitors after all that.
[ fitz hears about damian on the day it happens, when he reunites with dick at a safehouse. dying is easy, but living through it — well, that's something much harder.
several days later, the katana prototype arrives wherever damian is recovering, meticulously wrapped. scanning the package prompts a pop-up on the implant. ]
For next time.
Get well soon, so we can adjust and upgrade this together.
— Fitz
several days later, the katana prototype arrives wherever damian is recovering, meticulously wrapped. scanning the package prompts a pop-up on the implant. ]
For next time.
Get well soon, so we can adjust and upgrade this together.
— Fitz
[ It speaks truer than he realizes. He isn't thinking about himself - and how he'd fixated on Dick's death, or on Alfred's. How he'd revived the latter from the dead because he couldn't deal with it anymore.
He's just thinking of how sad and scared those kids were. ]
Yeah. [ ... ] It isn't that big of a deal.
He's just thinking of how sad and scared those kids were. ]
Yeah. [ ... ] It isn't that big of a deal.
More arguments? Just what I signed up for.
A team learns their members' strengths and weaknesses - this isn't one of mine. Everyone's worried for these people, that's why we're doing the best we can to get to them. Those kids will be safe; I'd die for that if I had to.
A team learns their members' strengths and weaknesses - this isn't one of mine. Everyone's worried for these people, that's why we're doing the best we can to get to them. Those kids will be safe; I'd die for that if I had to.
[ Right. Allow him to let that sink in for a moment. ]
... are you saying that to make me feel relaxed about it happening to me one day, or because you don't want me worrying about you, or because you're trying to convince yourself? 'Cause...
no matter what, it feels like a lie.
... are you saying that to make me feel relaxed about it happening to me one day, or because you don't want me worrying about you, or because you're trying to convince yourself? 'Cause...
no matter what, it feels like a lie.
"Everybody dies" is just an excuse not to think harder about it. [ But he really doesn't want to go down that road right now, not to where it might lead. ]
I'm just saying if you're feeling more than that, don't avoid it over and over until it comes out at the wrong time.
I'm just saying if you're feeling more than that, don't avoid it over and over until it comes out at the wrong time.
[ He isn't sure how wise it is to send something like this through courier, but he'd be lying if he wasn't elated to have his hands on a real weapon. Perhaps not the finalized version, but a real weapon. He's back home because home is relative and he can recover better in his own bed than he can in a hospital bed. ]
Good work, Fitz.
Good work, Fitz.
No, it's not.
[ He rubs his forehead. ]
My mother and grandfather have both died a thousand deaths between them. They've come back, the same was always expected of me. The only reason I didn't die sooner is because Mother would stitch me back together. Not a single organ inside me, save my brain, is one I was born with. Death isn't anything new and hasn't brought me to my knees.
[ He's starting to understand why Jason and Bruce's first instinct, when all is said and done, is to go for a drink. ]
I'm. Fine. Death is just another test.
[ He rubs his forehead. ]
My mother and grandfather have both died a thousand deaths between them. They've come back, the same was always expected of me. The only reason I didn't die sooner is because Mother would stitch me back together. Not a single organ inside me, save my brain, is one I was born with. Death isn't anything new and hasn't brought me to my knees.
[ He's starting to understand why Jason and Bruce's first instinct, when all is said and done, is to go for a drink. ]
I'm. Fine. Death is just another test.
[ It's a reveal that he has no way to process without all the information, something shared so casually that it has him staring for a moment or two. A thousand deaths? How can something like that become mundane or lose its gravitas? What happens when it's the last time? ]
... I don't know what you're going through. Figure I probably won't ever. It's why I said "if", alright? I'm not here to force you to talk about stuff that you don't want to.
... I don't know what you're going through. Figure I probably won't ever. It's why I said "if", alright? I'm not here to force you to talk about stuff that you don't want to.
About your issues with the staff of a certain company.
There's a potential investigation into their wider involvement with the displaced.
[ he sends a LINK. ]
If that's of interest to you, we could coordinate our efforts.
There's a potential investigation into their wider involvement with the displaced.
[ he sends a LINK. ]
If that's of interest to you, we could coordinate our efforts.
[Kate loves Billy and Tommy to death, truly, no matter what versions have shown up here, but three people crammed into her tiny apartment is suffocating. They all need a break from each other, and to be honest, Kate misses Damian, so she heads over to his place and lets herself in. It's become such a routine that she doesn't even bother knocking, but she is careful in other ways. She's not sure if anyone else is here, so she calls out, sticking to his alias.]
Hafid?
Hafid?
[ He's gone.
That should be what he wanted. The old man was gone, he was finally free of his father and his concern that the people he'd come to care for would favor the old man instead. He's gone and Damian no longer feels the weight of his shadow.
It wasn't his father.
He knows this.
But he finds himself... conflicted. Lost. Elated, but... almost mourning. Feeling some fresh wound he'd thought long healed suddenly tear open again.
He's settled in the living room, his back to the door, a real canvas in front of him with real paint in hand. Not really thinking about what he wants to do, just letting his mind wander and just kind of go places with feelings and colors. He has music on, he's not listening to the door. He's hyperfocused on something that isn't violence, and its starting to take shape.
It's far better stress relief than busting his knuckles on the floor. ]
That should be what he wanted. The old man was gone, he was finally free of his father and his concern that the people he'd come to care for would favor the old man instead. He's gone and Damian no longer feels the weight of his shadow.
It wasn't his father.
He knows this.
But he finds himself... conflicted. Lost. Elated, but... almost mourning. Feeling some fresh wound he'd thought long healed suddenly tear open again.
He's settled in the living room, his back to the door, a real canvas in front of him with real paint in hand. Not really thinking about what he wants to do, just letting his mind wander and just kind of go places with feelings and colors. He has music on, he's not listening to the door. He's hyperfocused on something that isn't violence, and its starting to take shape.
It's far better stress relief than busting his knuckles on the floor. ]
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