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schizoauthoressTitle: The Heart Already Knows
Author: D.L. SchizoAuthoress
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: 'Under the Red Hood' animated movie
Warnings: mild swearing, retconning comics canon out of the movie
Prompt/Fill: from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batstalker Dick, Jason: Rooftop dance.
Word Count: 1718
Summary: Test runs and overtures at friendship...
Word of the Day: expostulate - verb:
To reason earnestly with someone against something that person intends to do or has done.
Note: Thanks go out to Sephet and Faile_Neume for putting up with my flailing over this story idea, to Daggerpen for doing the same and nudging me in the direction that it pretty much had to go, and to Shobogan for being the best Babs roleplayer ever and helping me find the character's voice. I split this into two parts because I've been sitting on this story FOREVER.
"The heart already knows what the mind can only dream of, trust your heart."
-- Unknown
The Heart Already Knows
He didn't have much chance to get to know Jason when he was alive.
No, that's a lie. He had his chances, but he rarely ever took them. He'd been angry with Bruce, too angry to see past his own hurt and rejection to the young boy in need of a guiding hand. In need of a big brother.
Oh, he didn't stay away the entire time that Jason was acting as Robin. After Alfred mentioned his growing concerns over how violently angry Jason could get with certain criminals, Dick managed to swallow his pride long enough to go back to the manor and at least attempt to socialize with his replacement.
****
About eight months into Jason's tenure as Robin...
Dick swallowed past the lump in his throat and steeled himself to knock on the front door of the Manor. He didn't like coming back to this place... although he still cared about Bruce and Alfred, there were too many bitter feelings and angry words that echoed in his mind while here.
He could hear someone talking on the other side, voice muffled by the heavy door, but he already knew who it wasn't -- too loud to be Alfred, too young to be Bruce -- so there was only one person it could be. Dick took a step back, ready to flee, ready to write this off as a bad idea, no matter the fact that it had been Alfred who'd asked him to come...
The door opened, and Dick forced himself to stay put, to stay and come face to face with the Replacement.
"Oh," Jason said. It took a moment for his usual smirky smile to twist his mouth, and Dick didn't miss the unguarded surprise that Jason tried to hide. "It's you. Bruce isn't h--"
"Actually," Dick interrupted, "I'm here to see you."
There was another brief flicker of surprise -- and this time, mistrust -- in Jason's eyes. Then he shrugged and stepped aside. "Sure. Let's see if I pass inspection from the Golden Boy."
Dick bit back an irritated retort, knowing that it was very immature to get his back up over a stupid nickname. He just said, in a tone striving for calm and probably missing the mark, "You can call me Dick, you know."
"All right, Dick," Jason replied with a grin, putting a subtle emphasis on the name. Dick rolled his eyes. Like he'd never heard that one before. He stepped inside, hands still in his pockets, and glanced around. Jason huffed and shut the door. "It's not like I tried to wreck the place, jeez."
"No, it's..." Dick trailed off, not sure if he could articulate how there was a difference between the Manor in his memories, and the place he was standing in now. He was especially uncertain if he could talk about it without insulting Jason (as he had apparently done) further. "Never mind, it's dumb."
Jason just shrugged, and headed for the main staircase. He glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at Dick -- too hard, too edged to be a Robin smile; more like the kind of grins that smart-aleck kids who'd grow up to be thugs and toughs would give Dick when he chased them down. "Come on. Don't worry, Bruce wouldn't let Al give me your old room, and I don't think Al wanted to anyway. You c'n tell me if I'm dressin' up fancy enough for our date."
"It's not a--!" Dick sputtered for a moment, and Jason laughed out loud at him before running up the stairs. Dick scowled, sort of hating the sound of the boy's laugh. He felt like he was being made fun of... like everything Jason did was somehow a mockery of what Dick had been as Robin.
"He's trying to make friends," Alfred said calmly, from his place beside Dick. Dick had no idea how Alfred could move so quietly, unheard by even a trained vigilante, but he suspected it was some kind of butler secret. "Master Jason makes jokes with the people he likes."
"What does he do to the people he doesn't like?" Dick asked, almost dreading the answer.
Alfred arched an eyebrow at Dick. "Oh, mostly he ignores them, as Jason. As Robin, his response is a little more... forceful."
"And that's what you--" want me to deal with, he didn't finish. Dick sighed, and muttered, "...called me about."
Alfred nodded.
"Hey! Dick!" Jason yelled from somewhere upstairs. His voice took on a sing-song, mocking tone, "Don't you want me to model for you?"
"I'm talking to Alfred!" Dick yelled back, ignoring Alfred's disapproving look even though it caused him a slight twinge of remorse. "Hold your horses, Twiggy!"
More laughter -- but Dick still didn't find it a good sound.
****
"Look, dude," Jason finished chewing the bite of his bacon cheeseburger before continuing, "what the fuck is going on?"
"Excuse me?" Dick didn't look directly at Jason.
"I'm not an idiot. I know you hate me because I took your place or whatever, and you don't give half a crap what happens to me. So who put you up to this? Alfred? Bruce? Wait..." Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. "If it was Bruce, that would have to mean you were talking to him again, and you'd look a hell of a lot less pissy."
The kid was taking to the detective lessons better than Dick would have expected, had he thought of the Replacement Robin much at all. Dick felt a frown twisting his own mouth, but he still didn't look up.
"I guess Alfred was just hoping... we could be friends." He swirled a couple French fries in the blob of ketchup on his burger wrapper before stuffing them into his mouth.
"I guess even smart guys can have stupid hopes."
Now why was his heart sinking, hearing Jason say that? He thought this little outing was just as useless as Jason did. Hell, he'd even tried fobbing it off on Babs. (She'd told him to suck it up and refused to visit Jason in his place.) Dick took a deep drink of his cola. "I guess."
Jason sighed. "So what's the point? We gonna have the chat you're psyching yourself up for, or just tell Alfred we did?"
Dick raised an eyebrow and cast his gaze around the fast food restaurant. There weren't a lot of people around, but there were enough. Jason made a face. Dick couldn't resist making a face back at him. "Finish your lunch, kid."
****
They didn't discuss things after lunch, though. In fact, they didn't even finish lunch.
Someone got the brilliant idea to rob the First National Bank a block away from the restaurant that Dick and Jason were eating at. Probably they'd thought that they could get away with it because they were comitting the crime in broad daylight.
Nightwing and Robin would just have to prove them wrong.
****
'Okay, it's just a bank robbery,' Nightwing thought, as he located a side window of the building to enter through. He could see desks and a few cubicle partitions on the other side. He explained quickly, in a low voice, "If we move fast, they won't be able to react, and coming from this way won't be expected. Get out your grapple gun and fire there," he indicated the spot, "when I say."
"Got it," Robin responded crisply. He held his grapple gun in one hand, holding it ready for immediate use. Nightwing was relieved to see that he was at least taking things seriously when he had the costume on.
He really had nothing else to say. He didn't want to give Robin too many orders, allowing Jason free rein so he could observe how the new Robin handled himself. "Ready? Now!"
They fired at the plate glass at the same time, and Nightwing charged forward, shattering the weakened glass as he dove through it. Robin followed after, dodging the broken glass (the pixie boots being sturdier than they look to those who've never worn them) and heading toward the teller windows, where they could both see the perps threatening the bank employees.
One of them started to say, "What the f--"
And Robin cut him off with a punch to the jaw. "Watch your damn mouth!"
"Robin!" Nightwing snapped, exasperated. He threw several wing-dings toward the other two, who scattered.
Robin grinned and continued to trade blows with his opponent.
****
"So'd I pass?" Robin asked, leaning just a bit over the edge of the roof to watch the police cart away the would-be bank robbers. When Nightwing didn't answer right away, Robin glanced back at him and huffed out a little laugh. "Or is that something you confidentially report to the boss?"
"It's not..." Nightwing sighed. "This wasn't a test, Robin. If Batman says you're good enough to be his partner, you're good enough to be his partner."
"And what about when he says I'm not good enough?"
Nightwing glared, but Robin actually seemed serious. There was no smile on his face, and he was holding himself as still as possible. Nightwing realized, with a bit of shock, that as much as he disliked Jason for taking his place, Jason was just as scared that he would be replaced in turn. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he answered,
"You're Robin. You'll always be good enough."
Robin smirked. "Says you," he mocked, stepping away from the edge of the roof. On the street below, the police cars containing the criminals were leaving the scene.
"That's right, says me," Nightwing teased back, "Nightwing outranks Robin."
"You might outrank me, but I bet..." the teenager grinned smugly, getting right in Nightwing's face, "you can't outrun me." He slapped his gloved hand against the bright blue 'V' on Nightwing's chest, and leaped away, yelling, "Tag, you're it!"
It took Nightwing a second to realize what had just happened -- time that Robin used to make a break for the next rooftop over -- but then he laughed and gave chase, shouting, "Hey, who do you think invented this game?"
Well... this didn't solve all their problems. But it was a start.
Author: D.L. SchizoAuthoress
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: 'Under the Red Hood' animated movie
Warnings: mild swearing, retconning comics canon out of the movie
Prompt/Fill: from
batstalker Dick, Jason: Rooftop dance.Word Count: 1718
Summary: Test runs and overtures at friendship...
Word of the Day: expostulate - verb:
To reason earnestly with someone against something that person intends to do or has done.
Note: Thanks go out to Sephet and Faile_Neume for putting up with my flailing over this story idea, to Daggerpen for doing the same and nudging me in the direction that it pretty much had to go, and to Shobogan for being the best Babs roleplayer ever and helping me find the character's voice. I split this into two parts because I've been sitting on this story FOREVER.
"The heart already knows what the mind can only dream of, trust your heart."
-- Unknown
The Heart Already Knows
He didn't have much chance to get to know Jason when he was alive.
No, that's a lie. He had his chances, but he rarely ever took them. He'd been angry with Bruce, too angry to see past his own hurt and rejection to the young boy in need of a guiding hand. In need of a big brother.
Oh, he didn't stay away the entire time that Jason was acting as Robin. After Alfred mentioned his growing concerns over how violently angry Jason could get with certain criminals, Dick managed to swallow his pride long enough to go back to the manor and at least attempt to socialize with his replacement.
****
About eight months into Jason's tenure as Robin...
Dick swallowed past the lump in his throat and steeled himself to knock on the front door of the Manor. He didn't like coming back to this place... although he still cared about Bruce and Alfred, there were too many bitter feelings and angry words that echoed in his mind while here.
He could hear someone talking on the other side, voice muffled by the heavy door, but he already knew who it wasn't -- too loud to be Alfred, too young to be Bruce -- so there was only one person it could be. Dick took a step back, ready to flee, ready to write this off as a bad idea, no matter the fact that it had been Alfred who'd asked him to come...
The door opened, and Dick forced himself to stay put, to stay and come face to face with the Replacement.
"Oh," Jason said. It took a moment for his usual smirky smile to twist his mouth, and Dick didn't miss the unguarded surprise that Jason tried to hide. "It's you. Bruce isn't h--"
"Actually," Dick interrupted, "I'm here to see you."
There was another brief flicker of surprise -- and this time, mistrust -- in Jason's eyes. Then he shrugged and stepped aside. "Sure. Let's see if I pass inspection from the Golden Boy."
Dick bit back an irritated retort, knowing that it was very immature to get his back up over a stupid nickname. He just said, in a tone striving for calm and probably missing the mark, "You can call me Dick, you know."
"All right, Dick," Jason replied with a grin, putting a subtle emphasis on the name. Dick rolled his eyes. Like he'd never heard that one before. He stepped inside, hands still in his pockets, and glanced around. Jason huffed and shut the door. "It's not like I tried to wreck the place, jeez."
"No, it's..." Dick trailed off, not sure if he could articulate how there was a difference between the Manor in his memories, and the place he was standing in now. He was especially uncertain if he could talk about it without insulting Jason (as he had apparently done) further. "Never mind, it's dumb."
Jason just shrugged, and headed for the main staircase. He glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at Dick -- too hard, too edged to be a Robin smile; more like the kind of grins that smart-aleck kids who'd grow up to be thugs and toughs would give Dick when he chased them down. "Come on. Don't worry, Bruce wouldn't let Al give me your old room, and I don't think Al wanted to anyway. You c'n tell me if I'm dressin' up fancy enough for our date."
"It's not a--!" Dick sputtered for a moment, and Jason laughed out loud at him before running up the stairs. Dick scowled, sort of hating the sound of the boy's laugh. He felt like he was being made fun of... like everything Jason did was somehow a mockery of what Dick had been as Robin.
"He's trying to make friends," Alfred said calmly, from his place beside Dick. Dick had no idea how Alfred could move so quietly, unheard by even a trained vigilante, but he suspected it was some kind of butler secret. "Master Jason makes jokes with the people he likes."
"What does he do to the people he doesn't like?" Dick asked, almost dreading the answer.
Alfred arched an eyebrow at Dick. "Oh, mostly he ignores them, as Jason. As Robin, his response is a little more... forceful."
"And that's what you--" want me to deal with, he didn't finish. Dick sighed, and muttered, "...called me about."
Alfred nodded.
"Hey! Dick!" Jason yelled from somewhere upstairs. His voice took on a sing-song, mocking tone, "Don't you want me to model for you?"
"I'm talking to Alfred!" Dick yelled back, ignoring Alfred's disapproving look even though it caused him a slight twinge of remorse. "Hold your horses, Twiggy!"
More laughter -- but Dick still didn't find it a good sound.
****
"Look, dude," Jason finished chewing the bite of his bacon cheeseburger before continuing, "what the fuck is going on?"
"Excuse me?" Dick didn't look directly at Jason.
"I'm not an idiot. I know you hate me because I took your place or whatever, and you don't give half a crap what happens to me. So who put you up to this? Alfred? Bruce? Wait..." Jason's eyes narrowed slightly. "If it was Bruce, that would have to mean you were talking to him again, and you'd look a hell of a lot less pissy."
The kid was taking to the detective lessons better than Dick would have expected, had he thought of the Replacement Robin much at all. Dick felt a frown twisting his own mouth, but he still didn't look up.
"I guess Alfred was just hoping... we could be friends." He swirled a couple French fries in the blob of ketchup on his burger wrapper before stuffing them into his mouth.
"I guess even smart guys can have stupid hopes."
Now why was his heart sinking, hearing Jason say that? He thought this little outing was just as useless as Jason did. Hell, he'd even tried fobbing it off on Babs. (She'd told him to suck it up and refused to visit Jason in his place.) Dick took a deep drink of his cola. "I guess."
Jason sighed. "So what's the point? We gonna have the chat you're psyching yourself up for, or just tell Alfred we did?"
Dick raised an eyebrow and cast his gaze around the fast food restaurant. There weren't a lot of people around, but there were enough. Jason made a face. Dick couldn't resist making a face back at him. "Finish your lunch, kid."
****
They didn't discuss things after lunch, though. In fact, they didn't even finish lunch.
Someone got the brilliant idea to rob the First National Bank a block away from the restaurant that Dick and Jason were eating at. Probably they'd thought that they could get away with it because they were comitting the crime in broad daylight.
Nightwing and Robin would just have to prove them wrong.
****
'Okay, it's just a bank robbery,' Nightwing thought, as he located a side window of the building to enter through. He could see desks and a few cubicle partitions on the other side. He explained quickly, in a low voice, "If we move fast, they won't be able to react, and coming from this way won't be expected. Get out your grapple gun and fire there," he indicated the spot, "when I say."
"Got it," Robin responded crisply. He held his grapple gun in one hand, holding it ready for immediate use. Nightwing was relieved to see that he was at least taking things seriously when he had the costume on.
He really had nothing else to say. He didn't want to give Robin too many orders, allowing Jason free rein so he could observe how the new Robin handled himself. "Ready? Now!"
They fired at the plate glass at the same time, and Nightwing charged forward, shattering the weakened glass as he dove through it. Robin followed after, dodging the broken glass (the pixie boots being sturdier than they look to those who've never worn them) and heading toward the teller windows, where they could both see the perps threatening the bank employees.
One of them started to say, "What the f--"
And Robin cut him off with a punch to the jaw. "Watch your damn mouth!"
"Robin!" Nightwing snapped, exasperated. He threw several wing-dings toward the other two, who scattered.
Robin grinned and continued to trade blows with his opponent.
****
"So'd I pass?" Robin asked, leaning just a bit over the edge of the roof to watch the police cart away the would-be bank robbers. When Nightwing didn't answer right away, Robin glanced back at him and huffed out a little laugh. "Or is that something you confidentially report to the boss?"
"It's not..." Nightwing sighed. "This wasn't a test, Robin. If Batman says you're good enough to be his partner, you're good enough to be his partner."
"And what about when he says I'm not good enough?"
Nightwing glared, but Robin actually seemed serious. There was no smile on his face, and he was holding himself as still as possible. Nightwing realized, with a bit of shock, that as much as he disliked Jason for taking his place, Jason was just as scared that he would be replaced in turn. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before he answered,
"You're Robin. You'll always be good enough."
Robin smirked. "Says you," he mocked, stepping away from the edge of the roof. On the street below, the police cars containing the criminals were leaving the scene.
"That's right, says me," Nightwing teased back, "Nightwing outranks Robin."
"You might outrank me, but I bet..." the teenager grinned smugly, getting right in Nightwing's face, "you can't outrun me." He slapped his gloved hand against the bright blue 'V' on Nightwing's chest, and leaped away, yelling, "Tag, you're it!"
It took Nightwing a second to realize what had just happened -- time that Robin used to make a break for the next rooftop over -- but then he laughed and gave chase, shouting, "Hey, who do you think invented this game?"
Well... this didn't solve all their problems. But it was a start.