dear_mun | he's scared of an umbrella lol

How are things, where you are?

[If Tim isn't scared then Dick certainly isn't here to inquire after his health/safety/state of mind. Nope. Especially not since Tim is currently not happy with him. So clearly this is not concern. See how this works?]

[ And it works miracles, Dick. Your logic is absolutely infallible. Tim gives a weary sigh. ~~stop that, mun gdi~~]

No casualties so far.

[Plausible deniability. Which is less plausible if, you know, you have eyes and can see Dick studying Tim like he's a mysterious painting with arcane symbolism that hopefully leads to non-metaphysical treasure. (In this analogy the non-metaphysical treasure is hugs.)]

Any allies with you?

[ Which, of course, would work better if Tim hadn't had it drilled in his head by no one other than himself that Dick is searching him for some glint of what he'll dub sanity. If Tim looked tired before, well, now he's gone blank. He can handle the situation. He won't lose his head over unfortunate circumstances. He can stay in control. ]

There are a few people who possess useful skills. [ Like Steph. Batgirl. When in the world did Steph become Batgirl? "Allies", though? He's not sure. ] They've been on the island before, and may prove to be assets later down the road.

[There is something to be said for the fact that Dick has for years pretty much taken Tim's support for granted. Since he's known Tim, he has never not had it, even when he was off having identity crises and whatnot. Now that he doesn't have it, and does not fully understand the circumstances under which he lost it, he's like someone out on the high wire without a safety net for the first time. He's reminded of all the calls that went straight to the machine when Tim's dad died.]

From what I understand about the place, it sounds like a survival situation.

We have a decent supply of food for now. The water's recently gotten this weird taste but there doesn't seem to be any harmful side effects. [ Survive they can do. Especially with the monster attacks suddenly becoming less frequent. The bodies have stopped washing up on shore. Tim sounds like he'd rather not divulge the next little detail but he does so anyway. ]

We have an unwelcome visitor. The encounter should happen later tonight --if my mundane can see it through. Batgirl and I should be able to subdue her.

Batgirl? [He struggles to contain his ambivalence. It wouldn't necessarily be better or worse ambivalence if he knew it was Steph, just different.]

That's... something, at least.

[ Thinking back, he should have mentioned her when he was asked to list allies. Keep any guessing at bay. Keep any explanations as simple as can be. ] It's not Cass, but she's had training. [ Unsatisfying as it may be for him.

Tim turns his head. If he's going to avoid Dick's gaze, may as well be obvious about it. It's not like he can only shift his eyes and not be questioned, aloud or not. Just some downside of being a Bat, right? Everything is questioned, everything has some ulterior motive, even if he just wants a break. ]

[Oh, he does not like that. Not because of his own feelings — those aren't great, sure — but because of how Tim must be feeling. If he didn't list Batgirl as an ally, then to him she's not, whoever she is. Tim must feel alone, and though it must be partially his own doing, that thing always spirals with Tim.]

I'll come there, Tim. I can get my player to do it. I miss you.

[ A part of him-- a really stupid part of him which knows better because this isn't even "in-game" or, heck, even in their real universe, hates Dick for saying that. "I'll come there". No. No, this is what they fought about. --this is what he fought Dick for. To be left the hell alone and to be trusted on his own and to do what needs to be done without Big Brother Dick peering over his shoulder feeling sorry for him. No.

But.

Yeah.

Yeah, of course Dick would be valuable. He could help. He would help. There's no doubt about that. Tim doesn't look bewildered. He's practiced a poker face too long. ] Sure.

[Damnit. He'd said that primarily to get the reaction, and it doesn't happen because Tim is too smart for that. And Dick does not like trying to push people's buttons like this. It's like an actual fight, where he's considering strategies and looking for openings.]

"Sure"? Really? You're going to be okay with me showing up? And not knowing what's happened, and asking you what that uniform is, and asking what's wrong, and following you around, and begging you to talk to me? Because I'm being restrained right now, Tim. I'll be anything but if I show up on an island full of monsters and you won't look me in the eye.

[ And-- see-- he'd been trying not to think about that. ]

If you show up, Dick, you know what's going to happen? You'll be one more person, somebody else who knows how to fight for themselves as well as for others. You'll help people, because you sure as hell aren't just going to let them die, are you?

[ As far as he's concerned, that bit is great. He's looking forward to that bit. And he can just pretend he answered all of Dick's questions right there and then. ]

You're right. It'll be busy, and I'm very well known for my submissive acceptance of emotional stonewalling.

[If he's honest, he finds this more difficult than dealing with Bruce. Bruce he knows and is used to. This is new rocky and exceptionally disheartening terrain.]

I'm sure after you shut me down the first thirty or forty times, I'll slink away and leave you alone.

[His voice says: nope.]

[ Now it's awkward. Tim knows the feeling springs from something that has to be said but isn't. It's practically something learned in basic interrogation training: if someone has a confession to say, they'll want to say it.

Right now he wants to say that that would be really great. Please. Just. Go away.

He hadn't noticed his jaw tightening. He's probably grinding his teeth, too. Oh well. Hey, good thing he decided a while ago not to look at Dick, right? Tim's sure he couldn't handle it right now. ] That'll work.

[That almost causes some kind of explosion from him, which he manages to temper down to an explosive exhale.]

It won't. You'll have to explain it, and anything else you left out. And even then, I'd still be there. I'd wait, because you're my brother and I need you in my life. You'd pretty much have to turn into Jason to get me to go away.

[SORRY JASON. Well, if Jason ever calmed his tits, that might not be true.]

[ The funny thing is that Tim honestly listened to none of that. He heard. . . words. Sure. But they're a dull rumble except for the name "Jason". Tim brings a hand up to head. ]

Look just save it for later, okay?

What did the umbrella do? You didn't get poked in the eye, did you?

It's a monster, not just an-- a normal umbrella. I just don't want it to get close to people it could hurt.

A monster? Are you sure it wants to hurt people? Not all monsters are mean, you know. Maybe there's something else going on.

Look, it comes from the same place the monster that did try to kill us did. I don't want to take the risk.

It's better to find out for sure, so you don't do something you'll regret later. [ She knows this from experience. ]

To find out for sure, I'll have to wait for it to hurt someone. Even if it's not dangerous by itself, it's a problem we don't need to have.

Isn't there anybody you could talk to? All the monsters I've seen have been controlled by somebody who made them fight.

[ Well-- she lost him. ] Talk to about what?

About the monsters! [ This seems obvious to Hikaru - you have to know your enemy's motivation before you can decide that they're actually your enemy. ]

They might not be responsible for what they're doing.

The only people in the island are being attacked by the monsters, so no, I don't think there's really anyone I know controlling them. [ But hey, he is keeping tabs on everyone just to make sure. It might all just be a ruse after all.

But omg the umbrellas are harmless. :V ]

[ Are you sure? Maybe it's the umbrellas controlling them all. ]

Oh. Then, I don't know! You can't just let them hurt your friends...

[ Oh no, he'll get ideas. ]

I won't. It doesn't seem that there are many, anymore. For the meanwhile. That's. . . one problem we don't have to worry about right now.

[ Pause. ] Are. . . you coming to the island?

It looks like it! [ If she's excited, it's only because she doesn't really understand what's in store for her. And maybe a little nervous, because New Adventure! ]

I don't know if my mun is sending me first or the faceless guy, though.

[ Face. . . less? And Tim's back to practically scowling. ]

Which faceless guy?

He wears a trench coat and a fedora hat and he won't say what his name is. [ The Question is just special like that. ]

he's scared of an umbrella lol

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aughhh sorry I was writing a paper that I put off too long

I feel ya, bro >_>

we can form a procrastinator club. you know. some time. later.

sorry, too busy pretending to be busy to join a club. maybe some other time.

well that is pretty bus-- oh. :'''C

sssometimes I can persuaded if somebody else buys the dinner. just sayin'.

the procrastinator club hasn't collected enough fees yet so it'll be olive garden

still surprisingly better than what I expected :D

haha

it's a date.

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