peektuttut | ➹ 104

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➹ 104 | Video

[The video clicks on as Tim is sitting back down, and he glances at the camera once before looking down. He doesn't look like he's rethinking this post - just like he's gathering his thoughts. When he's ready, he looks up again, ready to make eye contact with anyone watching.]

I'm about a month shy of being here for three years. I've had three inmates. Two of them graduated. [There's the tiniest flicker; David reminded him too much of Dodge, and neither of them got the chances they needed. But it passes quickly.] Luther's gone, now, and I sat down a few hours ago to figure out what my next deal should be for. And at some point I realized - I could be doing that again in a year. And a year after that. And maybe five years after that. I could still be playing negotiator with the Admiral when I'm thirty.

And I don't want to spend my life here. I don't want to finish growing up here.

I've made a lot of mistakes, and there are - so many things, people I could make deals for, here. I could change everything back home. I could leave here in fifteen years and be a teenager again in a completely new world. [And there's a dull light in his eyes as he looks into some middle distance, like he can see that world and it's good.]

But you know what? My life back home wasn't that bad. People there need me. Gotham needs me. [That is as close as he'll get to openly admitting that he's a masked vigilante.] And I would - give anything to see my dad again, but I know he'd be disappointed in me for wasting years here just for him. And I don't want to disappoint him.

[He ducks his head, smiling a little down at his lap.] I won't disappoint him.

So I'm leaving. [He looks back up, and the smile is a little sad, but it's confident. It might even be content.] Tonight. It's been...[He laughs quietly.] It's been real.

[Private to Dick]

Any chance you'll take Jinks? I think it'd be inhumane to take him with me.

[Note for Kon, left in his room]

I'll be gone by the time you're back, but I didn't want to leave you empty handed. I'm glad to have met you, even if you had to be here for it to happen. The formula for the serum's on the back of this, and I left a sample, just in case. Take care of yourself. And take care of everyone else. Tim

[Private to Jason]

You're still an asshole, but don't waste this. [He will probably not be replying, he still doesn't want to talk to you bro, you tried to kill him too many times. B(]

[Private to the Admiral]

I want to visit some people who have gone before I go back to Gotham. I'm sure you can make that happen.

(OOC: Open to all kinds of goodbye spam! And don't remove him yet, he'll be back. 8])

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Sure. Do you want me to come pick him up?

[We discussed this, you're so not getting away with leaving without saying a proper goodbye. B(]

[He wouldn't dream of it B( Actually he would totally slip away quietly if this place wasn't a nightmare. B(]

Yeah, door's open.

[You're a bad person and you should feel bad. B(

To say Dick had mixed feelings about Tim leaving wasn't really true. This place was terrible, and you should want to get out when you could, and honestly? Tim's probably a lot more mature (or just smarter) than him for being able to step away instead of literally selling his soul to the Barge.

But Tim's been here almost every day of the two years Dick had spent here. They'd gone through hell and back together, and the idea of being here without him really kind of sucked.

Still, he headed down the hall and let himself into his brother's apartment, wondering vaguely how long it was going to be before he saw it again.]

Hey.

[Daily. B(

Tim poked his head out from the kitchen, chewing on some cookie dough with a semi-sheepish look.]

Hey. [And Jinks is faster than him to the greeting, already winding between Dick's legs.]

I'm making cookies. Don't laugh.

Why would I laugh? [Although that does seem like a weird last thing to do. Dick stooped down to pick up Jinks, scratching his ears and wandering into the kitchen.

Be happy he's holding the cat, otherwise some of that dough would go missing.]

What for?

[It's busy work, and he couldn't just sit on his hands waiting to leave. B( He could be doing work in the cave, too, but - it just feels wrong. That's what he'll be going home to do. So he's doing something he won't do in Gotham.]

I don't know. Something to pass the time, I guess. [Something to shove at you when you inevitably cry you dork B(]

[You know, most people would say letting emotions out is a good thing. B(]

I'd offer to help, but I'm pretty sure you don't feel like putting out one last fire while you're here. [And Dick has realistic ideas of his ability to cook things more complicated than pasta. Still, he carefully puts Jinks down on the floor, washes his hands and might grab a spoon and steal some dough after all. Sorry.

He's quiet for a relatively long moment, reluctant to speed this along. It really could be years before they saw each other again - and it would be, for him, in some ways because this wasn't the Tim he was going home to, assuming he ever got to leave the Barge - and he still wasn't exactly used to this kind of thing, that goodbye really meant for a long, long time unless someone had died.]

I have a favor to ask.

[That is a blatant lie. And you are not remotely sorry B( But it's okay because he's got most of it on a try and is pushing it into the oven before hopping up to sit on the counter. Clasping his hands between his knees, Tim leaned his head back against the cabinets as he looked at Dick, shrugging.]

Anything.

[Dick just smiles faintly and reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out a disc and holding it up.]

This is a back up copy of my files from here. It covers basically everything. I want you to give it to me when you get back, you know- [The smile gets a little wobbly, because he might have made his peace with being Batman, with the fact that things would turn out okay in the end, but he still wasn't really excited about going home to all of that, and making all those decisions. He probably never would be, as long as he was here.] In case I forget.

[He's silent for a moment before hopping down off the counter and crossing the kitchen to take the disc. He nods, after a moment, holding it in both hands. He knows what it was like to go through; he can only imagine what Dick's feeling, knowing what's coming and not really being able to do anything about it.]

Yeah. I'll beat you over the head with it, if I have to.

[Dick laughs. It's maybe a little more choked than it usually would be, but it's passable as normal for now. Because yes, he is going to get emotional, and no, you're not going to avoid it.]

Good, make sure it sticks. [Because there was plenty of stuff here he wanted to forget, but there was enough worth saving that he wanted to make sure it was passed along.] I'm really proud of you, kiddo.

[Tim just waves a hand at that, setting the disc aside and turning to check on the cookies, even though it's way too soon.]

There's nothing to be proud of. I'm just doing what I have to.

[At some point, you're going to have to witness the emotional part of this whole thing and can't hide it while pretending to cook.]

You can just take the compliment, you know.

[NO HE DOESN'T!!!

Okay fine. He turns and leans against the oven, shrugging.]

Yeah, okay. I guess I am pretty cool.

[Dick almost looks like he's reconsidering the compliment, but the smile gives him away as kidding around basically instantly.]

Well. Just a little bit.

[You're a giant jerk. Well not really. Tim just smirks.]

Ouch. You're mean.

Sometimes. [His name is Dick, after all.]

So, do you want to get this out of the way now, or would you rather wait for the whole "I get emotional, you get embarrassed but tolerate it for my sake anyway" song and dance routine?

[He scrunches his face up at that, but it fades and he shrugs, looking down. He's had a relationship with Dick here that he hasn't had in - way too long, back home. It's comfortable now. He doesn't want to lose it. And he knows, in a big way, he won't - but Dick will, here.]

Might as well get it over with.

[Dick chuckles a little, shaking his head, and while he knows he's going to get choked up - because seriously, why wouldn't he - he still manages to hold it together for now.]

First of all, I meant what I said earlier. Don't feel bad. This isn't a place to think of as home, and you've got plenty of stuff you need to do back in Gotham like, you know, actually having a life. So try to let that happen every once an a while. [Seriously you and Bruce need to learn to stop and smell the roses sometimes, jfc.]

[He lets out a quiet chuckle, nodding. Yeah, right - a life, what's that? And he knows how unlikely it is, that he'll have that when he goes back - but he can try. He always tries.]

I'll make a solid effort.

[Dick smiles, more or less guessing the thought process, but appreciating that an effort will be made regardless.] Good.

[And without further preamble, you're being pulled into a hug. Dick doesn't say that he'll miss him, even though he will, because he doesn't need to rub that in.] Be safe, alright?

Edited 2012-12-29 05:32 (UTC)

[They both know it, anyway. Tim doesn't fight the hug, closing his eyes instead and settling his chin on Dick's shoulder.] You know it.

[If his throat was a little tight, he'd just ignore it.] Don't do anything dumb.

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➹ 104 | Video

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