IC Inbox - Metaheroes

[forceforlight]

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(Please note if you are messaging Nightwing's official inbox or contacting Dick Grayson)

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[forceforlight]

It's not like I don't get the desire. I hate Fantastic as well.

[reneger]

i don't care about fantastic
but it looks like there might be something else going on there. no one likes him.

and speaking of titans i've borrowed off of you, have you checked in with rayner?
since checking in with people seems like a team thing to do
or at least i assume so
i wouldn't know, given no one ever invites me

[forceforlight]

No, there's definitely something going on there. I've been keeping an eye on things. Even considered joining up with the Alliance to have a better idea, but figured it was better to stay on the outside for the moment.

I'm not actually very close to Kyle. Like, I know him, but Lanterns are mostly League, not Titans. So I haven't actually talked to him since I originally arrived.

[reneger]

he counts himself as a titan, from his brief stint with your crew
he might appreciate the check in
idiot moved himself out to newark to live all by himself

( because jason asked him to. because jason's place is a half hour drive away, ish. that's irrelevant. )

might want to plan a family meeting to figure out next steps
already fucked up my image, which leaves just you as our potential secret agent
just don't fake your death this time

[forceforlight]

All right. I'll do that.

Isn't that close to where you're based now?

[And the man says that Tim and Kon are idiots. Well, they are. But so is Jason. For different reasons.]

Yeah, that's a thought.

I'm also giving consideration to looking for a bigger place. Somewhere we can pull back to if necessary, with space and security enough for all of us. Not right now, but possibly soon.

Also. You get that wasn't MY choice, right?

[reneger]

are you stalking me?

( he's got to work better on covering his tracks. disappear better. it's not that he--really minds dick knowing where he's at, it's just that he minds it right now. because as soon as dick knows where he's living, he'll figure out the whole new amsterdam situation. which is a whole can of worms jason's just barely starting to crack open, and he doesn't want to dump it all out. )

it's not that close

i've got a place i can fit everyone in case of an emergency, but i'm not big on sharing
it's heavily secured, with enough shit set up i haven't been able to break in yet

( because breaking into his own place is clearly a fun hobby to get into. )

i can chip in, but i'm not staying

and it was your choice to stay quiet

[forceforlight]

You told me you had a place in NYC and one in Newark. Not stalking. Just a good memory. I've been told I could work as a detective if I put my mind to it.

Good to know. I'd rather have something a little closer to Central. Not just for us, but for others like Kon and Bart and the various friends we have.

Understandable.

Not exactly, but next time there's a shady organization that's using organs laced with DNA from various heroes to try to build an army to take over the world and the only person who can get in has to be entirely off the grid? I'll pass.

[reneger]

kyle's in my newark safehouse
we traded. i got his shitty central city apartment, he got my nicer new jersey one

thanks
i don't want to be left playing big brother if you disappear on us
i suck at it

Text - Dick's phone

[robintohood]

[While Jason and Tim are texting to each other, Jason also sends a text to Dick]

We need to talk

[He then sends coordinates to a rooftop that's not too close to Descendant or Red Hood territory]

[forceforlight]

[Dick had been working, but Jason knows his shift pattern. Hell, Jason's the one who sets it. So it's not that surprising that he didn't hear the text at first. He tries not to check his phone while mixing drinks, after all.]

[But once he DOES see it, it's only the matter of a moment to change clothes and head up to the rooftop, heading that direction in the least linear way possible. Not wanting somebody from Fantastic's team to catch him out. So it's a little longer than usual before he makes it to the coordinates, but Jason's probably expecting that.]

Hey. Sorry I'm late. What's up?

[robintohood]

[This time Jason's not wearing his helmet. It's just his domino mask on his face. Gang leader and Society member Red Hood can't seen with a hero like Nightwing too many times in case someone's trying to spy on either of them. Jason does have on him the rest of his gear just in case though.

He looks back at Dick once he arrives, not surprised how long it took given Dick's work schedule and knowing he wouldn't take the most direct route to get to him]

It's about Robin. He asked me earlier on how to hide food stashes from you and the furball.

[Jason then pulls out his phone and shows Dick the texts he and Tim exchanged]

[forceforlight]

[The lack of helmet does make Dick raise an eyebrow, but it's quickly replaced by concern as he takes the phone.]

Yeah. I've found a couple of them. I've left them after the first because I figure it's a bit of a safety blanket.

[And what he's reading isn't something he likes, even if he's been half expecting it.]

The more I find out, the more I'd like to go to his world and punch his parents. Because I know they're still alive there.

[He can't punch the Drakes back home. They've been dead for a while, after all. And he wouldn't have at the time because it would have hurt Tim too much.]

As rich as they were, there's no way their only child should have been dealing with food insecurity.

[robintohood]

[For Jason, it's almost refreshing to see that Dick's sentiments about the Drakes are identical to his]

Yeah, that's the thing. What the fuck did they put him through? Hiding food like that isn't normal, even by our family's screwed-up standards. I know why I did it and I'm not liking what this says about him.

[forceforlight]

[Dick hums as he finishes the conversation, offering the phone back to Jason. Not mentioning a thing about the fact that Jason broke a promise to Tim. In fairness, Tim really should have expected it when it comes to his well-being.]

Back home, the Drakes were always travelling. Hell, the first Christmas he was Robin, they sent a message that they wouldn't be home in time and TJ acted like that was an entirely normal thing to do.

[You could say a lot about Bruce, but once he realized how important Christmas was to Dick, there was never a year it wasn't celebrated. Even when he and Bruce were on the outs, because Alfred would still do it.]

But they had a housekeeper that they left in charge of TJ. So it wasn't like he was entirely on his own. Just easier to sneak past her.

[robintohood]

[Jason pockets his phone]

So maybe with Robin he's been left on his own for longer than TJ? There's gotta be some differences between them. TJ Never had hidden food stashes back home?

[forceforlight]

[Dick shakes his head.]

We all know where your stashes are. Anything that could have drawn in pests was taken out, of course, but the actual areas are still there.

[Not exactly his, of course, but it's not a surprise that there are similarities between the Jasons.]

They get checked occasionally to make sure no mice or rats have gotten into the house for the food source, so we would have noticed if things were being replaced.

[Which means that Tim's Bruce and Alfred and Dick almost certainly have noticed as well. But figuring out how to bring it up would be difficult.]

[robintohood]

[Jason still isn't entirely sure what to feel about Alfred and Bruce not having the heart to get rid of those stashes after he died. He doesn't even know about the memorial in the BatCave and has been assuming his belongings have been put into storage or gotten rid of. It's easier to just stay angry than to unpack that for all of his fuck-ups, they still love him]

I hate this is something we have to talk about when it comes to TJ or Robin. And I know I said I wouldn't talk to you about this but this is serious. You get along with him better than I do.

[forceforlight]

[Wait until he finds out nobody's really touched his room except for straightening it up after he died and dusting when Alfred can face it.]

We live together. I have to get along with him.

And I'm also his guardian and responsible for his wellbeing, so thank you for being willing to break that promise.

[He reaches up, rubbing a hand over his face.]

We had a bit of a conversation after it happened. But you may have noticed that Robins don't like to talk about things when it's something they know is odd or hits too close to emotions they don't want to deal with.

[robintohood]

[Jason snorts before dryly responding]

Yeah, I might've noticed a little bit of that. I tried to throw him a bone because I didn't want another fight with him. I figured a tip to keep Haley away would be enough for now. But the kid's smart. Maybe sometimes too smart for his own good.

[forceforlight]

[That gets a sardonic smile from Dick before he shakes his head.]

He's putting them up high enough and out of the way enough that it shouldn't be a big problem. I don't think Haley's going to get that big, at least, so keeping it up is probably enough for now.

[He sighs.] Letting him have them for now is all right. We can work through what's causing the anxiety spike when he doesn't have them. Maybe get him to a point where he knows he can go to the people in his life that care about him when things are bad.

[Sadly, not the people he cares about. Tim loves his parents, after all. But it's very, very obvious that they don't feel the same.]

[robintohood]

Hopefully. We know he looks up to certain people so maybe he's also worried about not pulling enough of his weight. Gotta be a good little useful self-sufficient sidekick and all that.

[Jason then waves his hand before Dick interrupts him]

And I know that's not what any of us see him as but that's probably something that's been sitting in his head for a while now. I know that's what I used to worry about.

[forceforlight]

[Dick does go to interrupt, but huffs when stopped. And sighs again.]

You're not wrong. Especially with him. If I had a dollar for the number of times he 'hasn't wanted to be a burden' or 'you don't need to worry so much about me'? I'd probably be able to buy someplace to be the Belfrey myself.

[robintohood]

[Jason snorts again]

Figures. And nevermind that as well-trained as he is, he's still a kid and others should be looking out for him as well.

You think after we set up a Belfry, it'll be better?

[forceforlight]

I think he'll keep stuff more to his own room, but probably not to start with.

[There's only so much that he'll change in that amount of time. Depending on how long it takes.]

This is literally going to be baby steps. Might be faster if any of us felt that mental health services could be trusted, but even if this isn't Gotham? I don't trust that they wouldn't be in the pocket of the Alliance right now.

[robintohood]

[Jason nods]

It's not worth the risk for any of us right now. Shit's been ramping up a lot and doesn't seem like it's gonna slow down anytime soon either. We've made do on our own before.

[With varying results but still]