076 [voice]

[batmanschmatman]

Is it that time of year again already?

You know, talk about needing better warden communication or food or security as much as you want, I'd honestly settle for a more consistent way to contact home and never complain about anything going on here again.

... Maybe.

Comments

[batmanschmatman]

[... SOB. ;_____;]

Apparently. Time sure flies when you're here.

It's really good to hear from you.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

[ IT'S NOT HIS FAULT IT'S ALL GRANT MORRISON ]

And you're fine?

[batmanschmatman]

[MORRISON WHY. srsly bro that entire thing was way uncool. :c]

Yeah. Are you?

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

Yes. [ No. ]

Happy Birthday.

[batmanschmatman]

Thanks, Bruce.

[Private]

And you know, after like sixteen years of knowing you, I'm pretty good at telling when you're lying.

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

[ ...... Sixteen years, eh. WELP. There's a pause - not many people can give silence different intonations, but Bruce Wayne is not many people, and thus this absence of voice here is distinctly 'not sure I feel comfortable copping to this' versus 'busted'. He's good at this shit, okay. Finally- ]


I'm irritated that I don't know where you are.

[ And that, despite everything else he's shoving handily under a rug right now, is the truth. ]

private.

[batmanschmatman]

[He's still side eying you, mister.] Tim and I are on the Barge. It's a ship piloted by "the Admiral", where people who made mistakes in life are pulled to get a second chance at life. We're here as wardens, to help inmates redeem themselves and all that good stuff.

... You were here for a few months a while back. It's not uncommon for people not to remember being here, though.

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

No, I wasn't. [ It's not QUITE dismissive, but it's firm, and immediate - less a lack of genre savvy and more that plus ego; obviously if he doesn't remember it wasn't him, it was some elseworld Bruce, and Dick should clearly know that. ]

You're taking care of yourself? And your brother?

private.

[batmanschmatman]

[And Dick is fine with letting the subject drop, because he really doesn't want to talk about some of the less fun stuff that happened while Bruce was here before. :V]

Of course. [Psh, like you have to ask about the second part.] Have you talked to him?

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[ Another lapse into quiet. Aauuughh human emotions. ]

So you... live here, now.

private.

[batmanschmatman]

It's just temporary. I mean, I've met some interesting people and made some good friends, but I'm coming home eventually. [He misses Gotham like woah. :c]

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

[ ... WOW he did not expect that particular internal feeling at hearing Dick saying he wants to come home. FML. ]

If you're doing something you believe is right..

private.

[batmanschmatman]

It's right, but... We don't belong here, really. None of us do. [It's not his HOMEEE he misses you and Alfred and Babs and everyone. :c]

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

[ He's quiet for a bit trying to figure out how to word this. It comes out a little awkward anyway. ]

You're a gifted enough person to be able to belong - and to be needed - wherever you go.

private.

[batmanschmatman]

[sob oh my god Bruce why are you not here right now. ;;]

... Thanks, Bruce. [By which he also means I MISS YOU :C]

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

[ Bruce has missed Dick since he left the first time. He doesn't think he needs to point it out.

But- ]

Tim... said you heard about. Our future.

private.

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah. He told me what happened. [It's a huge reason of why he hasn't been home in almost a year. Never ever ever wants to live through that.]

... Look, don't get mad, but everything works out okay. You come back.

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

Of course I come back. [ ONCE AGAIN, WHO DO YOU PEOPLE TAKE HIM FOR. That's not the point here, Richard. ]

You understand that... leaving [ you ] Gotham was not a motivation for anything I've done. Or will do.

private.

[batmanschmatman]

I know. [PSH YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOUR RIDICULOUSLY DEVOTED FIRST BORN THIS ;;]

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

All right.

[ HE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT especially because it's highly possible when he really is back and functioning at normal levels of batparanoid jackass he won't feel as susceptible to distressing feelings. Take it while you can, Dick. ]

.. Does Tim?

[ There are some people in the world who recognize this as playing their children off of each other, and realize that it's terrible. Bruce is not one of those people. ]

private.

[batmanschmatman]

Of course he does. [Cut us some slack, Bruce, we know you pretty well by now.]

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

[ Look to be entirely fair Tim does go pretty crazy. ]

Do I - [ PAUSE. ]

Where are you?

private.

[batmanschmatman]

I told you, on the Barge.

private.

[therealfear.livejournal.com]

Where is the Barge?

private.

[batmanschmatman]

If I knew, I would tell you.

Best we can figure, it's almost like a pocket dimension. It's not really anywhere in particular, but wardens can go back home whenever we want.