[ the rain pelts against the windows of the safe house, cloaking the gentle sound of scrubbing against his armour. blood wipes off the nomex weave and flakes off with a brush, and for the third time of the night, Dick finds himself wishing for a different outcome.
the first clicks against his door have him looking up with narrowed eyes, and any second thoughts about the sound of the rain are only dispelled by the notifications blinking on his screens. the imagery pulled up outside his door show a figure cloaked in a hoodie.
Dick is at the door in a split second, back pressed to the wall on the latch side, listening, waiting, calm breaths sifting steady through his nose.
the second the door swings open, he reaches out and flips the the intruder onto his back, slamming him back against the door with his right forearm wedging hard beneath a chin, constricting against a throat as his left arm readies for a block. ]
[Jason is barely in the door, barely tasting that high of victory when Dick is on him. He's pressed against the door, arm pulled high and painful when he hears the voice. Well fuck him this is the worst apartment.
With a sigh, Jason gives himself away by speaking,] Nice to see you too.
[ there arenāt too many people who are able to pick a lock like the one on his door. the system is armed with a shock, but even that had been evaded.
the familiar voice reaches his ears and Dick is stepping back, dark eyes recognizing the slope of that nose, the shape of that mouth.
he pushes down the hood of Jasonās sweater with a huff. it doesnāt help that itās so dimly lit in here, with the only spotlight being the one over the kitchen sink, where the panes of armour still sit. ]
Better start explaining, Jason. What do you think youāre doing breaking into my safe house?
[Jason had a hint, after he bypassed the shock and the other extra measures, but on the outside it had looked like a normal lock at first. He huffs at having his hood pulled down, eyes narrowed. His pockets are full of valuables he's set to pawn. No need for Dick to get even more in his business.]
[Jason sighs, looking up at Dick with a quiet annoyance. He's got shit to do and he'd rather not stare at a symbol of what he's lost. Sure, Dick is now Nightwing, but he's still something and not a big ol' nothing like Jason.]
You're gonna turn this into some therapy session, so no. I think I'll just go.
[Jason rolls his eyes at Dick. Great. Either he gets a tag along while selling at pawn shops or he can stick around and have what will likely be an excruciating conversation.
Dick steps back and makes sure that Jason's fully into the apartment before they head over to the open kitchen, where Dick passes Jason a bottle of beer from the fridge. he pops the cap against the counter.
truth is, he's not sure where to start that wouldn't send Jason wanting to bolt right away. all his questions feel so invasive. ]
[ Dick leans back against the kitchen counter, letting there be a little more distance between them. he takes a swig of the beer, a sigh barely contained sifting through his nose. his expression isn't disappointed, isn't angry, he's just trying to... understand. ]
So you just...
[ a hand splays at his side before dropping again. ]
Left? That's it? No more Robin so fuck it all? Back to your old ways?
[ want another, Jason? Dick heads to the fridge to pull another bottle out and hold it out to Jason. he shouldn't. Jason's not legal enough, but he's close, and Dick is desperate. ]
I'm trying to help. I know you think the best way I can help is to leave you alone, but I...can't. Not when you're out here doing this.
[ Dick scoffs, dark eyes sweeping Jason's form before he shakes his head, hemming back the anger, refusing to play into Jason's emotions.
he folds his arms across his chest, the beer bottle nestled in the crook of one elbwo. ]
Stop talking about Robin. I don't care about Robin, alright? Robin's never been good for anyone besides Bruce.
You don't need to do this to survive. See this place? You can stay here. I'll get you a bank account that has nothing to do with Bruce and you can take your time figuring out what you wanna do instead.
I'm not jumping from one teet to another. I can handle this. Been doing it since I could walk.
[Paying for parental drug habits had never been easy, but by now Jason is an expert.]
I'm good at this. I'm not gonna be a cop or a sunday school teacher. You're talking to the kid who never finished high school. There aren't options for me, Grayson. This is what I have to do.
[And he chugs down the rest of his brand new beer, wiping his chin when he's finished.]
I'm leaving. And either you open that door or I'm going by window.
[ when Jason finishes wiping off his chin, he'll see Dick's brows, raised, unimpressed. there's a hard look in his eyes, like he's steeling himself up for something, but all that it results in is a sigh, shrug of one shoulder. ]
I can't stop you, Jason.
[ a shake of his head, then dark eyes lifting to look at Jason, as he steps toward the door behind Jason and opens it. the fingerprint scanner beeps, and the whole system unlocks. ]
Just know that I'm here, alright? You can come here if you ever need to. I won't ask any questions.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
the first clicks against his door have him looking up with narrowed eyes, and any second thoughts about the sound of the rain are only dispelled by the notifications blinking on his screens. the imagery pulled up outside his door show a figure cloaked in a hoodie.
Dick is at the door in a split second, back pressed to the wall on the latch side, listening, waiting, calm breaths sifting steady through his nose.
the second the door swings open, he reaches out and flips the the intruder onto his back, slamming him back against the door with his right forearm wedging hard beneath a chin, constricting against a throat as his left arm readies for a block. ]
Who the fuck are you?
no subject
With a sigh, Jason gives himself away by speaking,] Nice to see you too.
no subject
the familiar voice reaches his ears and Dick is stepping back, dark eyes recognizing the slope of that nose, the shape of that mouth.
he pushes down the hood of Jasonās sweater with a huff. it doesnāt help that itās so dimly lit in here, with the only spotlight being the one over the kitchen sink, where the panes of armour still sit. ]
Better start explaining, Jason. What do you think youāre doing breaking into my safe house?
no subject
[Jason had a hint, after he bypassed the shock and the other extra measures, but on the outside it had looked like a normal lock at first. He huffs at having his hood pulled down, eyes narrowed. His pockets are full of valuables he's set to pawn. No need for Dick to get even more in his business.]
How about this: I leave and it never happened.
no subject
No chance. Itās worse if you didnāt know it was mine.
[ he levels a look on Jason, a different kind of concern starting to pull between his brows. he still has Jason cornered against the door. ]
What do you need the cash for?
no subject
I don't remember the part where it was any of your business.
no subject
[ feeling smothered yet, Jason? but there's no threat in Dick's tone, and he even backs off a few inches and lets Jason's arm go. ]
What do you need that Bruce can't do for you?
no subject
[Jason shakes his head and huffs.]
Look, I said I'll leave. I'm leaving.
no subject
You just got here. And I need your help with something.
[ he tips his head toward the kitchen, to the Nightwing suit laying in pieces across the counter. ]
Give me a hand?
no subject
You're gonna turn this into some therapy session, so no. I think I'll just go.
no subject
Iāll come with you. [ a raise of a brow, and itās almost a threat. ]
Or stay for a beer. I just wanna know how youāre doing.
no subject
But the second one at least involves beer.]
Fine. I'll have the beer.
no subject
[ now that wasn't so hard, was it?
Dick steps back and makes sure that Jason's fully into the apartment before they head over to the open kitchen, where Dick passes Jason a bottle of beer from the fridge. he pops the cap against the counter.
truth is, he's not sure where to start that wouldn't send Jason wanting to bolt right away. all his questions feel so invasive. ]
You still living at the Manor?
no subject
[Jason lingers near the door, as if he might bolt at any moment if the conversation turns in a way that he doesn't like.]
no subject
Are you serious?
[ there's genuine surprise in his gaze. ]
Did Bruce make you leave?
no subject
He didn't have to. I could see it in his eyes. All that disappointment.
no subject
So you just...
[ a hand splays at his side before dropping again. ]
Left? That's it? No more Robin so fuck it all? Back to your old ways?
no subject
[Jason takes a long swig of the beer and leans against the door.]
Not like you give a shit.
no subject
Jason. I didn't know Bruce was gonna make you stop. Maybe I should've kept better tabs on you but it's not like you reached out either.
no subject
[Jason states flatly, polishing off his beer at a rate a teenager should not have practiced.]
I'm not reaching out to someone else who will lecture me.
no subject
[ want another, Jason? Dick heads to the fridge to pull another bottle out and hold it out to Jason. he shouldn't. Jason's not legal enough, but he's close, and Dick is desperate. ]
I'm trying to help. I know you think the best way I can help is to leave you alone, but I...can't. Not when you're out here doing this.
no subject
Yeah? Too embarrassed a former Robin is doing what he needs to survive? Don't want the legacy tarnished?
[Another swig.]
You're so full of shit.
no subject
he folds his arms across his chest, the beer bottle nestled in the crook of one elbwo. ]
Stop talking about Robin. I don't care about Robin, alright? Robin's never been good for anyone besides Bruce.
You don't need to do this to survive. See this place? You can stay here. I'll get you a bank account that has nothing to do with Bruce and you can take your time figuring out what you wanna do instead.
no subject
I'm not jumping from one teet to another. I can handle this. Been doing it since I could walk.
[Paying for parental drug habits had never been easy, but by now Jason is an expert.]
I'm good at this. I'm not gonna be a cop or a sunday school teacher. You're talking to the kid who never finished high school. There aren't options for me, Grayson. This is what I have to do.
[And he chugs down the rest of his brand new beer, wiping his chin when he's finished.]
I'm leaving. And either you open that door or I'm going by window.
no subject
I can't stop you, Jason.
[ a shake of his head, then dark eyes lifting to look at Jason, as he steps toward the door behind Jason and opens it. the fingerprint scanner beeps, and the whole system unlocks. ]
Just know that I'm here, alright? You can come here if you ever need to. I won't ask any questions.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
I somehow lost this!!!
all good!