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Sure. Do you want it via text or in person?

In person. Got a place where they won't hear?

I've just had the older one in my apartment, so I can't guarantee there hasn't been a bug. He probably has Descendant bugged, too.

[Surveillance is a love language. Well, it is when you're raised by Batman.]

Rooftop from the other day? The park? I know a couple of little cafes, but they aren't that great if this is the kind of 'need to talk' I think it might be.

Descendant is definitely bugged.

[Though more for shady customers then employees]

The rooftop should be fine though

[It's absolutely for the shady customers. Dick's just certain that Tim could use it to eavesdrop. If he wanted. Which he probably wouldn't, but still.]

See you in 15.

[It's only that long because he stops for coffee on the way. One great thing about the uniform Mr. Terrific made him is that he can put clothes on over it. And his new power means he can just put the clothes away in his pocket dimension after he leaves the coffee shop.]

[So when Jason shows up, Dick's there with coffees for them both, along with sugar and milk. Because he, at least, sometimes needs a little extra pick me up when the days have been long.]

[Jason's already there and nods when Dick arrives. He takes a coffee and milk]

Rough day for you too?

Not particularly. But there aren't a lot of subjects about Robin that make you mad that won't also make me mad.

[And maybe he hasn't talked in depth with the newest one about a lot of things, but he can see signs of similarities with the one he knew so well.]

What in particular has brought this on?

[Oh good. He doesn't have to explain everything then]

Robin found me while I was in the middle of work. The conversation afterwards didn't go well because I screwed it up. Then I went to Rook for advice and there were things he implied about his parents when I asked him how does he handle anger from people he knows.

[And Dick actually grimaces. Doesn't bother hiding that facial expression behind the coffee cup or trying to school it away.]

[It's easier to handle when it's not HIS trauma.]

Ah. Yeah. Shut down, make himself small and unobtrusive. Basically do his best not to be seen.

[And he doesn't even know about the new Tim's powers, yet.]

Tim will tell you that the Drakes weren't great parents, but they weren't abusive. B and I have...very different views on the Drakes than he does.

[Dick's grimace tells plenty to Jason. It's almost nice to know it's not just him being short tempered and jumping to conclusions]

I knew something felt weird when Rook told me how he used to stalk us at night when he was a kid. I didn't have enough information though to be sure.

Ah yeah. That. [Dick shakes his head.] I never clocked it because it was you two he was stalking. And didn't start until after he figured out I was Robin thanks to the triple somersault. [Something he'd worked with all the Robins to teach them, but...he's still the best one at it.]

The Drakes were archeologists. They went on digs around the world. What they didn't do was take their son with them. They left Tim with nannies, for the most part. Came back...every six months or so for a visit and then they'd be off again. And sometimes that six months would stretch to seven or eight because something else important would come up.

[Jason scoffs]

Everything more important than their son apparently. No wonder he figured out our identities and took pictures. All that time of being left alone he had to do something.

[It's not physical abuse but the emotional neglect when the Drakes had the time and resources to take care of their son is still awful]

Edited 2023-04-26 16:43 (UTC)

Exactly. And after you...well, he's the one who came to me to tell me I needed to go back to being Robin. Even though B and I were very much on the outs at the time.

[Tim managed to make them bury that hatchet, at least. Though it had been a bit touch and go.]

Anyway, he was mostly able to hide it from his parents for a good, long while. Though once he got old enough that he didn't need a nanny any more, they sent him to boarding school instead. But when they were home, they were... [Dick pauses, squinting a bit as he considers how to word this.] I'm going to be honest. I'm not entirely certain that they ever actually liked each other. There was a fortune and a business to think about, so Jack had to get married and produce an heir. But my understanding is there were a LOT of fights and raised voices when they were home.

[Jason's quiet as he listens to Dick. He hates everything he's hearing about the Drakes. But it does help explain some things about Tim]

When we first met, I asked him what was his damage. Because no one who puts on the cape is normal. He claimed his damage came only afterwards. It sounds like it's not really true.

The first time we met was at the circus. He still remembers it.

[Jason could probably put two and two together there. Which meant the damage went a lot deeper than Tim would EVER admit to.]

Still, he's not entirely wrong. Emotional neglect is still abuse, but it leaves different scars. But as awful as his parents were, he still had them when he took up being Robin. He still loved them, no matter how terrible they were. And he lost them both because of this life. Hell, Captain Boomerang killed his father while Robin was on the phone with him.

[Jason hates how tragedy seems to run in the family. Sometimes being a Robin seems like a curse]

He always seems to put up a front that he's got everything under control. Then again, we all do that.

[For Dick, the worst of the tragedy had been before he took up the cape. Jason had tragedy at both ends.]

Tim does it more. He's gotten too used to managing the adults. His parents, sure, but B and I didn't help with that at first. And it's a very useful skill to have with the various Titans. So he's really used to defusing a situation. And if there's nothing to defuse... [He spreads his hands in a shrug.]

[Jason sighs]

He goes into himself instead?

[Dick nods.] Doesn't always mean to. And it's not like he won't fight back if he gets angry, you know? You should have heard him when everybody else thought B was dead and little D could absolutely NOT be left to his own devices.

Everyone has to have their limits. I guess when it comes to B or the rest of the family, that's when he's more riled up. It's taking care of himself that seems to be the problem.

[Though maybe this is a little bit like the pot calling the kettle black]

[The sigh that Dick let out is probably confirmation enough for Jason.]

Not that the rest of us are any better. [According to Alfred. Whose name he is NOT bringing up right now.] He's my brother and I love him. I still want to occasionally shake him until something rattles loose.

You might get that feeling with Robin then.

Something happened when we were talking and it seems like his powers are like a soup-up version of going into himself.

[And boy he's not proud of accidentally triggering that]

[Dick nods at that, taking another drink.]

Good to know. Especially if he ends up living with me. At least if I know about it, it's less likely to catch me by surprise.

[Dryly]

You'll save yourself the literal headache.

[Jason then drinks more coffee. He doesn't like what he has to admit next but it's necessary to avoid another accident and... maybe he needs advice]

Kid was tailing me while I was working. No one warned him ahead of time about how different I am since my Robin days. Then we got talking and I started talking about B and how much I don't agree with his code. I was mad but not at him and I didn't mention the Robin mantle. But it still set him off.

[Dick wrinkles his nose.]

Noted.

And yeah, I can see where it would. Probably some of his earliest memories are his parents being angry at each other. And seeing you, somebody he actually looks up to, being angry at B? I can see where that might have set off a "don't pay attention to me" kind of power.

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