on recent development at dc

[wholenewstory]

It's...okay.

If it turns out I'm not - there.

I'm still here. With you.

We're all still here.

Comments

[cowled]

[And as this is the Bruce Wayne School of Showing Paternal Affection, Cass gets a hand on her shoulder. No one's forgetting you, Cass, he promises.]

[wholenewstory]

[Cass smiles up at him, giving a slight nod.]

[cowled]

[He shifts, just a touch. His body language speaks volumes, and in this particular case he's wondering how she's been.]

[wholenewstory]

[Cass inclines her head again, but now there's a subtle difference; it's a gesture of contentment, acceptance.

Then she cocks her head, in question. How is he?]

[cowled]

[He nods. He's glad to hear it, and it shows. He's not quite smiling, but-- well, it's close.]

I've been well, Cassandra.

[It's still strange to say that and mean it, but-- he's made some progress of his own lately.]

[demon_brat]

>Tt.

[wholenewstory]

[A slight smile.] Hello, Robin.

[demon_brat]

Cain.

*... and then Damian will be staring over his shoulder at his mun. A trifle disgusted. Then looking at Cass again. Angry? Angry. Quelle surprise.*

Well. You exist where it matters. The rest can be ignored.

[wholenewstory]

[Her eyes widen, slightly, before she beams at him.]

Thank you.

I'm glad - they're treating you okay. You...deserve that.

[demon_brat]

*This kind of effect? Damian's never had this kind of effect on anyone. Or maybe Colin, and he can understand why the orphan would be overjoyed by even a little bit.

In one of his family? He blinks slightly, then ducks his head a bit in unfeigned shyness.*

I'd... rather it weren't at the expense of others.

*sure, he's always acted superior and wanted to show he's better... but it ought to be in an at least somewhat fair situation. Disappearing people altogether and making them less than they are is not acceptable.*

[wholenewstory]

[Cass watches him with a soft smile, and reaches out to put a light hand on his shoulder.]

That's because...you're good. More than you know.

[demon_brat]

*He tenses at the touch (though, for once, does know better than to try and slap the hand away)... but he flinches at the words.

Because every person who says or thinks that is one person who'll be disappointed in him, eventually. And he's had his full of disappointing people. Especially people who matter.*

No matter how hard I try, I won't ever be.

*and, yes, he's sorry about that. But he's seen good people now. And he knows he isn't one.*

But since trying is all I have, I guess it'll have to be good enough.

[wholenewstory]

[Cassandra frowns, slightly. When she speaks, her voice is firm.] You won't...disappoint me.

[She pulls her hand away, only to kneel down in front of him.] I know - it's hard. Don't expect...perfection. But trying to be good - is being good.

[She presses a hand to her chest.] I try...every day. Not to be...what they made me. To be - what I choose. [She reaches forward, to brush her fingers against the Robin crest.] If I can be good...so can you.

[demon_brat]

*With. Most of the rest of the world, he can argue. That they don't understand what it's like, to find it normal, natural, easy, perfect as a resolution. To know that you can hurt people who trust you and most of the time you want to. To find completion in the moment the spark of life leaves somebody.

But he can't, with her. Because, if she doesn't understand all of it, she does understand most. And possibly things he doesn't. There was the bid for power he was trained into, too. She'd only had the other part.

So all he manages to say, eyes on hers, is*

What if there's a difference, though? You're a real person. Me... *shrugs. Tube. He's even seen that, with his... younger brother.*

[wholenewstory]

[Her gaze is steady as her hand moves, pressing against his heart.]

You are real. Your heart beats - like mine. Like theirs.

Doesn't matter...how you started. That doesn't - define you.

[She looks at him very seriously, her words stern.]

I...know people. I see them. If you were - not - then...I would know.

[demon_brat]

*he wants to believe that. He really wants to, and it's how much he craves it that makes him stop short. Because how can he know that something is true whet he wants it so much he cannot possibly be objective?

Not to mention that his Grandfather believes he's going good, too. Does that make him good? Damian doesn't thunk so.

On the other hand... he can't dismiss her or her words. And he won't. Nor can he dismiss the hope she gives him. It's... that hurts, hope. It's different from expectations and entitlement and any of the other ways that he's been aligning things in his present and future. It hurts, because it has the potential to vanish from his fingers like aromatic incense smoke, but it's also so sweet.*

Then... can you stay close? So if I stop, you'll know, and so with everyone, and I can be stopped before it's too late?

[aceofkillers]

Sorry t' hear about your delays, kid. Hope you make it through eventually; the 'we stopped existing' club is big enough without you joinin'.

[wholenewstory]

[A slight nod of thanks. Of acknowledgement.]

Gotham...has lost too many.

[aceofkillers]

[Go ahead, have a rueful bit of a smile.] I bet they're missin' out on a lot more with you than me, kid. You're the one who had- hopefully, has- a future, after all.

[wholenewstory]

[firmly] Only because...I made one.

[aceofkillers]

Yeah, no doubt you did.

Me, I made a future for somebody else. Kinda stings that their future is over now, but at least we're all in pretty good company.

[spoiled_bat]

That's...actually a good way of looking at it.

I'm right there with you, sister.

[wholenewstory]

Yes.

I wish - you weren't. But...

If I need to be somewhere else. I'm glad it's with you.

[im_a_shaaaaark]

Eh,sometimes that's for the best, little mammal. At least you didn't get changed into another species, or get your mind downgraded.

[wholenewstory]

True. Some of these changes...are... [She just. Shakes her head.]

[im_a_shaaaaark]

They made me a silly-lookin' Hammerhead! A HAMMERHEAD!

[punliners]

[Okay, so he's not quite sure what to make of Steph in the role of Batgirl, but Cassandra Cain? Everything he's heard about her makes Terry wish she'd existed in his universe. Even Damian likes her, which has got to be some sort of stamp of approval.

He's in uniform - though the cowl's down - and he just ruffles a hand through his hair and-- stands there, briefly awkward. You'd think he'd be over the weird dissonance of meeting members of the alternate reality Batfam by now, but nope. Still there. Dick was weird. Tim was weirder. Damian took the cake. Cassandra? She's just schway.

BRB HOLDING OUT A HAND? frands?]

Hi.

[wholenewstory]

[Cass cocks her head, considering him curiously as she accepts his hand.]

Hi.

You are...Batboy?

[punliners]

[One of Terry's redeeming qualities: he can laugh at himself.]

Huh? No, no. Batman. Just, uh. From an alternate world, in an alternate future... you know. It's complicated. You can call me Terry.

[His body language is completely relaxed. It's easy to see how much value he puts on the bat brand, but he's very definitely his own person. And he's totally stoked to meet her, okay.]

[wholenewstory]

[Her eyes widen, before she smiles.]

Different. [Not bad, though.] It's - nice to meet you.

You...know me?

[punliners]

[THIS IS SO SCHWAY.]

Not personally. I mean, we haven't met or anything. It's sort of a friend of a friend deal. I've met Dick and Tim and Damian.

[WHO IS ACTUALLY HIS BIOLOGICAL HALF BROTHER except he doesn't actually know that yet. Even though he already treats him like one. Because reasons.]

Oh, and Steph. ... And-- other-Steph. One's Batgirl, the other one's Robin. I kinda just go with the flow on that one.

[wholenewstory]

Handful.

[Then her expression goes soft, wistful.]

You know Steph? Is she - are they...happy?

[punliners]

Not really. I mean, could be worse, right?

[O-oh.]

I like to think so. Everybody has their ups and downs, but Steph's... she's a good person. I mean, they're the same person --

[And she can be a bit naive about some things, but--]

But I think she's doing okay.

[presspasskey]

You know it's only a matter of time, right?

Not that it'll be a good thing, then, but...

Someone will remember how much you're loved, and you'll find your way home.