life is sunshine and rainbows @ the_devils_see

[robinred]

Billy Kaplan's a good kid. He's helpful, he's upbeat, and I like him. But if he hurts Steph again, I'm not going to just sit back.

No, I have no idea why you would think I'm being hypocritical, but you and I have work to do. Now come on.

Comments

[ichoosefight]

At least he apologized.

[ Hypocrite. ]

[robinred]

That helps. [ He's actually being serious if you can get past the tone and all. ]

[ichoosefight]

Oh yeah, it's much better than someone hurting me not only apologetically but insisting that it was the 'right' thing to do.

[ Pointed much? ]

[robinred]

You know, I don't remember ever trying to kill you. [ Which is more than he can say for some people but eh. ]

[ichoosefight]

Invalid argument, he was trying to save us both.

[robinred]

[ Look at how that turned out but-- well, he has no room to talk on that front. ]

And all I said was, next time he should be a little more careful.

[ichoosefight]

And all I said was, maybe you should stop throwing so many freaking stones when you have a whole wing to yourself in that big glass mansion.

[robinred]

We're living together. [ What now, huh? ]

[ichoosefight]

And look at me, not throwing stones. Because I totally want to.

[robinred]

Anyway, I'm not looking for a reason to hurt him.

[ichoosefight]

He's not the one you keep hurting, bird boy.

[bodilesswarrior]

I get the impulse, Tim, but I'm pretty Steph can take care of herself and I don't think she'd appreciate you butting in.

[robinred]

She could have died. [ Or is he the only one who takes that seriously anymore? --you know what, yeah, fine, he'll quit "butting in". ]

[bodilesswarrior]

She could die every time she puts on that costume and so could you.

[robinred]

Does that mean I'm not supposed to try and help her at all? If we have a costume or not hardly even matters in that island, and I know she's already sick of me but I won't just leave her. [ Because if she had been tied to him instead, the outcome would have been much more favorable. Right. No, he doesn't believe that either but he's just trying to be helpful here. ]

[bodilesswarrior]

It means you accept that she's chosen a dangerous path, and she's capable of handling it. If she wants your help, Tim, she'll ask for it.

[Her voice softens.] I know you love her. I know it's hard, keeping your distance when all you want to do is keep her safe. But that's not what she needs.

Let her come to you.

[robinred]

[ She died, she died, she died. 'Capable of handling it' she says, as if she hadn't-- ahk. Why is he the only one who understands the point he's trying to make? ]

Sorry, I can't promise I'll do that. But I understand what you mean. [ Understand, not agree with. Ah, but why does he feel like he owes Babs more of an explanation? ] I don't want to be too late again and have someone. . . someone already died because of me. There really don't need to be any others.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her smile is soft. She understands, she really does.] Do you know how hard I was on her, when she put that suit on? I tried my damndest to scare her off. [Her gaze falls, for a moment.] I was horrible to her, Tim.

[She was scared. She remembers seeing Spoiler stumble on that rooftop, she remembers Bruce telling her they'd lost her, she remembers the guilt and the loss and the helplessness.]

But she proved herself, and more. She saved me and Gotham. She doesn't need us looking out for her, Tim.

[And she leans forward, intent.] Even if it had been our fault.

[ichoosefight]

Like he's not the one running for the hills every time we try to talk.

[bodilesswarrior]

[A wry smirk.] Well, you know Bats. Gunfights? Easy. Heart to hearts, not so much.

[ichoosefight]

You'd think he'd be happier with all the fighting for our lives we've been doing.

[wing_of_night]

[Eyebrow arch. Captain Marvel hurt Steph? ...Something's not right.]

What happened?

[robinred]

The red string of fate connected us each to a partner. Steph was paired with Billy. The string began to weave through us and attempted [ Or succeeded. ] to strangle us to death. I don't know exactly what Billy did, but his magic hurt Steph. And I might have been able to stop that.

[dorkling]

He wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose.

And if you lay a hand on him, you and me are going to have some words.

[robinred]

But he knew his magic was a risk and he didn't give her an option. [ Like he said-- he likes Billy. But there's a strict need for control he harbors and this-- this was out of line. ]

You're a teammate of his?

[dorkling]

Probably because there wasn't an option.

[ Or he thought there wasn't... ]

Yeah, you can say I'm a teammate.

[robinred]

Then don't worry about me 'laying a hand on him'. I'm sure if it came to that, he could wipe the floor with me.

[plains_hunter]

A hypocritical hero? Oh, heaven forbid.

[robinred]

Yes, because saints roam the earth as we know it.

[plains_hunter]

A lot of them certainly seem to think so. And once you stray, that's it. It's nothing short of a miracle for many of them to accept you as a person, no less a hero.

[robinred]

[ There's some gears turning in his head, because-- the entire fallout with Dick. Two months in a horror game and the incident was still fresh. ] There is a big difference between letting some words slip and straying that far that it'll become a problem.

[deciphering]

And people say chivalry's dead. [ha.]

[robinred]

It's not a topic I thought would interest you.

[deciphering]

[shrugs!] Everyone indulges in a bit of melodrama every so often. Why do you think we still have soap operas?

[robinred]

[ He wants to point out-- and he has, to others-- this isn't. . . melodrama, it's not even a drama. It's-- it's not this big, staged-- ]

[ See, if he said all that, it'd be melodramatic. ]

Because anything's better than reality TV.