[But of course, bare moments before he gets there -]
Couldn't wait. Follow the tracker.
[Its built into the message, a link which opens to a map and a small dot moving rapidly away through the depths of the down. Just too fast to be easily catchable.]
[ part of him considers that this could be a trap. this is twice now.
but that part is ignored, because damian has nothing but blind faith in his older brother. that, and the fear that dick is in danger, circumvents whatever paranoid thoughts the wayne blood in him demands he pay mind to. if dick's not staying put then he's probably hurt.
he doesn't answer this time. he just takes off to follow him. ]
[Good. Because it's absolutely a trap and Dick's relying on Damian (his Damian's) capacity for single-minded focus to drop him into it.
The tracker moves as only he would, tracing a path that's clearly moving across rooftops rather than down streets, following a disjointed, narrowing circle.
There are a couple of other messages. Short, abrupt check ins on whether he's close. And then the signal stops moving, half way up a building and halfway through it. Somewhere inside.
There's a window open to the loft apartment Dick shares with Logan and inside Dick's on the couch, a remote control plane crash-landed at his feet and two kittens play-fighting in his lap.
If Damian picks up on where he is before he makes it through the window, Dick's still expecting he'll take the time and come up to yell. He scoops one kitten up, dangling it from the cup of his palm.]
I really needed some help handling this. You're just in time.
[ realizing where they are, the scenario forming in damian's head is something like this:
dick was on patrol. dick got himself hurt. dick has spent the better part of the night running and is now holed up home, presumably after having lost the threat. or this is a location he's willing to sacrifice.
needless to say, as he slips through the window - he's not expecting to be presented with a perfectly fine dick grayson and a cat. the relief is painfully evident on his face, before it pivots to fury. ]
Dick. [ it's both a name and an insult. how convenient. ]
[It's, remarkably enough, not the first time he's had his name tossed at him like that. Damian can watch it roll off without ruffling a feather.]
You were faster than I expected. I had to keep reworking my route.
[It's an old tactic. A little honest flattery, nothing flamboyant enough to sound insincere, to soothe the savage beast. There were a few reasons for pulling this stunt, and Damian might well peg that he was being tested. Not quite on skill – although, having missed out on six years of training Dick already knows the kids skillset won't be what he imagines.
But for now he waits and watches. With the kitten.]
C'mon. [He lifts it like a miniature Simba.] I just didn't want to take him yowling all the way to your place only to have to take him yowling all the way back. This way was efficient.
[ he sounds a little hurt himself, honestly. maybe even a touch betrayed that his concern was used to play some kind of shitty headgame - superman is many things, but he's never anything but straighforward about what he expects. there's no anxiety about test a game he didn't even realize he was taking.
but dick's praise is difficult to not be pleased by.
the kitten, however, is something he has no idea how to process. his brow furrows, settling into that prideful wayne family scowl to hide whatever discomfort he feels. this is clearly a test, but he has no idea what kind of test it's meant to be. ]
[That wash of something less angry and more afraid has Dick pushing up to his knees on the couch so he can meet Damian's eyes.]
I will always tell you if I'm asking you to face something that hurt me. I don't want anyone in the field underinformed, least of all -
[Well, that doesn't need to be spoken. The lack of information could have been a clue on its own - probably was - but he relied on Damian's old tendency to rush in and found it still alive and well. It's worth knowing about, particularly here. But it was a trick, and it was probably too soon to play it - he has to keep reminding himself that they don't know each other the way the used to. There are so many years he still has to feel out.
He drops his head, conceding.]
But I'm sorry my methods were underhanded. Especially when I need to ask a favor. Can you look after him for me? His name's Hank.
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no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 04:15 pm (UTC)Couldn't wait. Follow the tracker.
[Its built into the message, a link which opens to a map and a small dot moving rapidly away through the depths of the down. Just too fast to be easily catchable.]
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 04:18 pm (UTC)but that part is ignored, because damian has nothing but blind faith in his older brother. that, and the fear that dick is in danger, circumvents whatever paranoid thoughts the wayne blood in him demands he pay mind to. if dick's not staying put then he's probably hurt.
he doesn't answer this time. he just takes off to follow him. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 04:34 pm (UTC)The tracker moves as only he would, tracing a path that's clearly moving across rooftops rather than down streets, following a disjointed, narrowing circle.
There are a couple of other messages. Short, abrupt check ins on whether he's close. And then the signal stops moving, half way up a building and halfway through it. Somewhere inside.
There's a window open to the loft apartment Dick shares with Logan and inside Dick's on the couch, a remote control plane crash-landed at his feet and two kittens play-fighting in his lap.
If Damian picks up on where he is before he makes it through the window, Dick's still expecting he'll take the time and come up to yell. He scoops one kitten up, dangling it from the cup of his palm.]
I really needed some help handling this. You're just in time.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-20 04:39 pm (UTC)dick was on patrol. dick got himself hurt. dick has spent the better part of the night running and is now holed up home, presumably after having lost the threat. or this is a location he's willing to sacrifice.
needless to say, as he slips through the window - he's not expecting to be presented with a perfectly fine dick grayson and a cat. the relief is painfully evident on his face, before it pivots to fury. ]
Dick. [ it's both a name and an insult. how convenient. ]
no subject
Date: 2021-12-05 09:30 pm (UTC)You were faster than I expected. I had to keep reworking my route.
[It's an old tactic. A little honest flattery, nothing flamboyant enough to sound insincere, to soothe the savage beast. There were a few reasons for pulling this stunt, and Damian might well peg that he was being tested. Not quite on skill – although, having missed out on six years of training Dick already knows the kids skillset won't be what he imagines.
But for now he waits and watches. With the kitten.]
C'mon. [He lifts it like a miniature Simba.] I just didn't want to take him yowling all the way to your place only to have to take him yowling all the way back. This way was efficient.
no subject
Date: 2021-12-05 11:02 pm (UTC)[ he sounds a little hurt himself, honestly. maybe even a touch betrayed that his concern was used to play some kind of shitty headgame - superman is many things, but he's never anything but straighforward about what he expects. there's no anxiety about test a game he didn't even realize he was taking.
but dick's praise is difficult to not be pleased by.
the kitten, however, is something he has no idea how to process. his brow furrows, settling into that prideful wayne family scowl to hide whatever discomfort he feels. this is clearly a test, but he has no idea what kind of test it's meant to be. ]
And why were you taking him to my place?
no subject
Date: 2021-12-29 03:22 am (UTC)I will always tell you if I'm asking you to face something that hurt me. I don't want anyone in the field underinformed, least of all -
[Well, that doesn't need to be spoken. The lack of information could have been a clue on its own - probably was - but he relied on Damian's old tendency to rush in and found it still alive and well. It's worth knowing about, particularly here. But it was a trick, and it was probably too soon to play it - he has to keep reminding himself that they don't know each other the way the used to. There are so many years he still has to feel out.
He drops his head, conceding.]
But I'm sorry my methods were underhanded. Especially when I need to ask a favor. Can you look after him for me? His name's Hank.