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[batricide]

@hafid.alghul| ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[batricide]

Were you not just speaking about how dangerous it is to trust people.

[ I mean yes, but. ]

I don't think it's surface level. We'd need a clean space and anesthesia.

[reneger]

I trust you. That's why I'm asking this here, to you, instead of some random as fuck asshole doctor.

( there's a wave of a hand, idle. is jason stressing over it? yes. but it's better this way than the other way around. )

I'll find a clean space. But we won't need anesthesia. ( like he trusts damian but maybe doesn't trust himself to be unconscious. )

[batricide]

[ There's a brief look of surprise at that. ]

Jason [ his voice maybe loses some of that biting edge, a little more concern. what if he thrashes? what if he bleeds out? he's already accidentally killed one brother. ] we don't know how deep that goes. That's a bad idea.

[reneger]

( there's a pause when jason goes silent, watches the bartender comes back and slides the very, very blue drink over towards damian and takes the glass of whisky.

uses whatever credits he's managed to get to pay for both. )

So we'll get someone strong enough to hold me down. No big deal. You know what you're doing, right?

[batricide]

I know what I'm doing but there's only so much the human body can take before it goes into shock. [ He stares down at the drink, jaw tightening. he could probably do it. he's definitely had the time and the experience... and had procedures far worse done to himself.

he rakes his fingers through his too short hair and lets out a sigh through his nose, taking the drink. ]

You're an idiot.

[reneger]

And you know what you're doing, don't you? You know how hard you can push before it becomes too much. Hell, even with multiversal differences--you know my body better than anyone else here.

( that sounds a little weird, but damian gets it. )

You know what I can and can't take. I wouldn't trust anyone else to cut into me, and I sure as hell don't trust myself to try it the other way around.

[batricide]

[ He rubs his temples, taking a sip of the drink (actually tolerable, what the hell is this mix?) and considers. ]

Fine. But we do this on my terms. You'll need to be well restrained and the environment will need to be pristine. The last thing we need is a foreign infection we might not be capable of treating to present itself, or for you to cause a mess. [ He stares into the glass, momentarily angry and annoyed that all of his actual resources are so far out of reach. ] And I don't need to be the only Robin left standing again.

[reneger]

( yes good, drink it. damian's smart enough to sip at it which is. great. jason's proud. )

I'll find a good place. Already got the restraint figured out, probably. And I'm not gonna die, D. ( with one of his legs scooting over on the booth, nudging against a thigh. ) If it's too deep to get to safely, stop. I know you will. Family, and all.

[batricide]

[ He's quiet. No sharp retort, no stomping on Jason's foot for getting too close.]

... I'm not that great at keeping family alive.

[reneger]

It took a crowbar, several hours of beatings, and an explosion to kill me off the first time, y'know.

( he's tough, is what he's getting at. )

I'm not going to die. Especially not on your watch.

[batricide]

Accidents happen.

[ To people he loves, mostly. ]

[reneger]

So, what.

( a glance over his glass, before jason pauses to take a sip. )

Want me to find someone else willing to lend a hand?

[batricide]

No.

[ Taking a bigger drink. ]

I'm absolutely certain that asshole in the barracks would have a field day if he found out I'm looking for volunteers to cut open. Better to keep it quiet.

[reneger]

So we'll keep it in the family. Your hands, my chest. Worse comes to worse, I'm out of operation for a bit of time. We'll handle it.

( there's a gesture towards damian's drink that probably means he should think about putting that shit down for a moment. shit's strong, dude. ) I know a guy who likes to get himself into trouble. Probably wouldn't mind lending a hand--or a clean place.

[batricide]

[ DON'T TELL ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE except maybe do i don't drink unless under extreme duress. he'll lower the glass. ]

Who is this?

[reneger]

Loki. Trickster God, depowered.

( so they don't have to worry about any shenanigans. )

[batricide]

I'm not very fond of Gods.

[ did you know cupid has a mean left hook. ]

[reneger]

Then I'll introduce you first.

( that's probably a safe practice regardless, actually. )

Meet him, tell me if you trust him enough to borrow his shit. If not? We'll find someone else. Or steal it. Whichever's easier.

[batricide]

I met him. He led me back to the safehouse. [ Saved my ass. He tilts his head back. ] Let me get a better read on him before we commit to anything. The last thing we need is to be backstabbed.

[reneger]

You're the brains.

( it's an agreement if nothing else. and jason's leaning back in his seat, slumping over comfortably to finish off his own drink. )

There's a few abandoned buildings close by. Condemned. Figured we could stake our claim on one.

[batricide]

[ He considers. Good old repurposing. ]

We'll need to look into finding a means to power it.

[reneger]

Solar panels. Snag a few, strap them to the roof. Won't be much, but it's something to start with.

( they need more money to fix it up nice. which means jobs, or--stealing more shit. but stealing cash is hard when it's all in your head. )

I'll work my way underground, up our funds a bit.

[batricide]

I had the same plan. [ By which he means - find someone, take them out, take their place. And barring that, maybe be a hired thug so long as he needs to be and then claw his way to the top by murdering everyone who deserves it.

#lifegoals ]

[reneger]

What's your story, Hafrid?

( a beat. just long enough a pause to be noticeable. )

I've already told people that we're brothers.

[batricide]

Not too different from the truth.

[ He casts a sideways glance to Jason, then taps his fingers against the tabletop. ]

My father was a failure of a superhero. My mother was an assassin. I went to live with him when I was ten and was disowned at thirteen. My world is in shambles and it's all the old man's fault. [ A shrug. He admittedly didn't think too hard on the whole secret identity thing - it's been so long since that mattered. Hafid al Ghul is less a means to hide and more a refusal to sign anything with his father's name. ] Kara knows I'm involved with the League and am using the codename Nightwing. I mentioned I inherited it from my older brother and that I'm the only surviving sibling.

[ He's probably ticked. But what can he say? Life hasn't afforded him the ability to hide and the second he had the opportunity, he threw the curtains wide open. Outing his father meant outing everyone else associated with him - but he'd been the only one left breathing, it had been an easy choice. ] If I'd known you were here and still using a secret identity, I might have been more cautious for your comfort. [ And, a little quieter. ] I just don't like him being able to hide behind the cowl when he maims people.