034 [video, backdated to yesterday]

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick has some slight bags under his eyes, but looks considerably less miserable then he did in his first post. He's sitting on the couch in his room, Costigan's wandering around in the general area of the kitchenette, and all in all, he's a little more Robin and a little less scared orphan.]

Tim and I wanted to know why we're in space, but we're not getting sucked out into it and can breathe and stuff when we're on deck. Does anyone know why?

Are we actually going anywhere, or are we just kind of... going until someone comes to take us back home?

[He looks off screen for a minute before sort of shyly saying to the off camera inmate:] Hey, Bill?

[He wants to ask how to leave messages for people specifically without telling the whole ship he'd been up all night crying about his parents, so after a beat turns back and switches the feed off.]

[Private to Mal, after filters are explained]

Thank you for coming over last night.

[Private to Tim; added after talking to Steph]

That girl, Steph, is looking for you. I don't know why, but she said she lost you.

[Spam for Costigan]

[Dick put the communicator down, fidgeting on the couch a little uncomfortably before looking back over at Costigan. He'd still been keeping an eye on him - a fact Dick really appreciated, considering how little attention he seemed to get back home - but the kid felt bad about totally losing it. He didn't know if Bruce had warned him about the nightmares or anything, although he assumed he knew what had happened to his parents.] I'm sorry I kept you up last night.

Comments

[ichoosefight.livejournal.com]

Do you know where Tim is? I lost him.

[batmanschmatman]

I haven't seen him. Do you know where his room is?

[ichoosefight.livejournal.com]

I don remember.

[batmanschmatman]

Do you have a grown up you can ask?

[ichoosefight.livejournal.com]

[ She shakes her head. ]

Nobody else knows him.

Private

[cauchemal]

[She is so touched by this, you have no idea.]

You're welcome, mon chou.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

I'm sorry if we woke you up.

Private

[cauchemal]

You did not; please don't worry. I was surprised—

[She's about to say "that he even called me", but cuts herself off.]

I was surprised to hear from Bill, but of course I was only too glad to help.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

How come?

[Dick r confused.]

[Private]

[peektuttut]

I dunno if anyone's watching her. I'm gonna get her. Thanks, Dick.

[And an afterthought:] I have something for you.

[Private]

[batmanschmatman]

No problem. What is it?

[Private]

[peektuttut]

It's a surprise. Can I come give it to you?

[Private]

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah. I'm in my room, first floor, room... uh. Ten.

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

I wonder if we're just sailing in circles.

[batmanschmatman]

Why would we be doing that? How could we tell?

[kingfor-aday.livejournal.com]

Uhhhhhhhhh.

They taught us how to use the stars to tell where we are in Sea Scouts.

But I forget. And these stars are weird.

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah, they are. It's weird. Have any grownups told you anything?

[fivestepsahead.livejournal.com]

Um. Dick, are you okay? Your eyes are all red...

Can I come over?

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry.

[He looks off camera towards Costigan for a moment before looking back at Bruce. Bill had said Bruce didn't want to be bothered, and Dick still wasn't sure how he felt about this... tiny Bruce who didn't know him.] Are you sure that's okay?

[fivestepsahead.livejournal.com]

My older self is supposed to take care of you but he's not here. [ Hands on hips. ]

I can come over and bring Zorro and read it to you. It's a really, really awesome book!

[batmanschmatman]

Bill said older you told him to watch me for you. [... That sentence. :|]

[Spam]

[lostundercover]

[Costigan glanced up from his own communicator when Dick spoke, a little surprised. Even though he was a kid, Dick didn't really seem to act his age and the inmate was honestly grateful for that extra level of intelligence and awareness because he wasn't sure he could have handled all this otherwise.] "It's fine, kid. I don't sleep much anyway."

[Spam]

[batmanschmatman]

Dick looked at him curiously. There were about a hundred and five questions he wanted to ask him about that, but he sort of didn't want to bother him. He'd already done enough of that last night when he'd started crying.

Which brought him to the thing he'd actually wanted to say, and he took a deep breath before stating in a frank voice that definitely wasn't one of an eight year old "I'm probably going to have them again tonight."

There was some embarrassment in the admission, but it was mostly a weak front for the very real fear that hung heavily on the end of his words. He was scared of the dreams, how long he'd be stuck in this place, and that Costigan would decide he'd had enough and leave him by himself.

[Spam]

[lostundercover]

Costigan was quiet just for a moment. He shifted to set his communicator aside, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees with his fingers clasped between. The thoughts that came to mind weren't really ideal, but the inmate was willing to do pretty much whatever was necessary to get through this whole ordeal with the least amount of terrified crying possible.

"You want me to ask Mal to stay the night?" He swallowed and his facade was superb, the facade that said he didn't mind the option. "I'll stay in your room again too, but this time, we're sharing the bed. My neck's still sore from that chair last night."

His tone lightened toward the end, trying to relay to Dick that it was okay.

[Spam]

[batmanschmatman]

"You don't mind?"

The question was a little less cautious than it could have been, because while Dick was still worried he'd say or do something that would make him leave, he recognized the change in tone and tried to see it as a good sign. Costigan was actually paying attention to him, and he didn't want to lose that.