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[batricide]

@hafid.alghul| ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[batricide]

You fell and broke your neck. It was instantaneous.

[ it's not a lie. but it's a lie by omission. ]

I'd rather you didn't.

[identifier]

[ oh.

well.

he fell and no one caught him. poetic in a way.

if he doesn't ask for details, he can fill in the picture. it'll probably be better than the truth. ]

Okay. [ but it's here if damian wants it. ] I know about the empathy bond, and... anytime you want.

[ damian is welcome to reach out to him. ]

[batricide]

[ he really wants to. ]

I'll keep that in mind.

[ ... ]

What about you?

[identifier]

[ he could push it. he can see how important he is to this boy. and that he is haunted by a death that took place years ago.

well, dick can relate.

but he won't press. damian bleeds for him. that's enough. ]

Me? [ he shrugs. ] I'm mentoring the Titans. At least until Jason steps up to lead them. Then I'm done.

[batricide]

Jason is gong to lead the Titans?

[ forgive his shock here. ]

[identifier]

[ dick folds his arms. ]

Is there a reason he shouldn't? [ he understands if jay doesn't want to. but everyone acting like this is the worst idea.

he's not jay's biggest fan, but the kid wants a family. the titans are that family. is it hard? ]

[batricide]

I’m just surprised he would.

[ damian loves his brother dearly, but Jason is sometimes even less a team player than he is. And all that self loathing gets in his way more than anything else does.

But, then again, the Jason that Dick knows might not have been quite so broken. ]

[identifier]

[ you're killin him little d ]

It's his choice - the team looks to him. He's Robin. [ the team looks to dick because he takes charge of stuff. he hates it.

besides, he thinks it will help jason. ]

[batricide]

In my world, Starfire was leading it when you decided to go solo.

[ after the nasty breakup you had, what a mess that was. ]

[identifier]

[ kory would be. she's good with the kids. ]

You're not with the Titans?

[batricide]

No. Vic and I are members of the Justice League.

[ and raven had been too. for a time, at least. though they never called it the Justice League anymore. ]

[identifier]

[ dick blinks in surprise. ]

You're...

[ omg ]

That's great! I'm... [ is it cool to say he's so proud????? he doesn't even go here. ]

I'm proud of you.

[batricide]

[ oh.

he's clearly not sure what to do with that, his eyes widening a fraction. he should be immune to how this feels after all the time with the Dick before, he thinks. any little bit of attention or praise feels like it changes the whole damn world. he can't quite keep the smile off his face.

that's the problem with putting the dead on a pedestal. and dick might not be proud of how they do things. the regime of his world isn't anything to aspire to and damian's been leading the charge. ]

Please. I've been bossing them around since I was thirteen. [ is this being tsundere. stop being tsundere damian. also bragging? stop. ] Besides, I was just following in your footsteps. Nightwing belongs in the League.

[identifier]

[ he's not sure he's nightwing. he's been staying out of things. he doesn't want to have been dragged back into this.

but he doesn't know where he's going either. he'll figure it out.

dick focuses back on damian. ]

League of Assassins to Justice League is a big deal. Take the compliment. [ have it while it lasts, little d. ]

[batricide]

[ hahahaha about that. ]

You've met that side of my family, right? The choice was easy.

[identifier]

[ dick smiles at him and shakes his head. ]

I just told you to take the compliment, D. [ the al ghuls were brutal. he wouldn't blame damian for running away.

but he was also raised by them. dick remembers talia being very proud. ]

[batricide]

[ no. he just... decides the best thing to do is to not acknowledge it and move right along. ]

I imagine you have questions about this place.

[identifier]

[ he pats damian's shoulder. he will allow the deflection. ]

Yeah, plenty. How long have you been here?

[batricide]

[ oh god. he's touchy. his eyes jump to the hand, it's a simple gesture, he doesn't know what to do with it. ]

Roughly seven months.

[identifier]

[ he offered you a hug, dork.

but dick withdraws quickly. not wanting to make damian uncomfortable. ]

So you've gotten around a lot. Have you made any allies? [ he was going to ask the same question alfred had asked him after school. did you make any friends today, master dick?

he'd been an antisocial little fucker. he'd tried, though.

it's going full circle with little d. dick likes it. it was as though he was born to play this role. ]

[batricide]

I don't -

[ it's almost reflexive at this point. i don't need friends to cover up the absence of them. all they do is disappoint me.

but that's not true, is it? ]

I have, yes.

[ but if he snoops back through the network he'll see that it's a goddamn miracle he has. ]

[identifier]

[ dick smiles in even more pride. he manages to keep in his excitement. but he's doing a bad job pretending it's not there.

he'll put his heart on his sleeve for damian. ]

I'd like to meet them. If you're okay with that.

[batricide]

[ what is this, his first day at school? it's... terribly nostalgic. dick needling him about befriending some of the younger heroes, or hanging around his friends, just trying to broaden damian's tiny social circle into something bigger. ]

Knock yourself out. Kate Bishop, Daisy Johnson, Rey, and Stephen Strange tolerate me the most.

[identifier]

[ he doesn't need damian to be the center of attention. he should have just enough friends to keep him safe. or strong. or on the path. whatever he needs. ]

All right. [ surprisingly painless. he just doesn't want to press on the wound of his loss. ]

There's just J here from my universe. I've found a lot's different so far.

[batricide]

[ oh. something clicks. ]

So the younger one is from your world. That makes sense.