you just call out my name, and you know wherever I am

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

WHO: batmantled redtachini
WHERE: THE PARK
WHEN: TODAY
WARNINGS: Possibly violent things of a violent nature
SUMMARY: Dick has a best bud to rescue. The bud is less keen on this idea.
FORMAT: Quick?! AMY YOU CAN DO WHATEVER



[ By the time he clears the highway on the bike and finds the place empty he knows he’s too late. Knows he isn’t fast enough to save Roy, like he wasn’t fast enough to save Jason. Barbara. Carrie.

He’s on the edge of calling Bruce. So close to throwing in the towel and giving in to the urge that his finger stays on the comm for the first ten minutes of the drive towards the park. Babs would have been pissed.

He needs to think this through to a conclusion. Needs to look for a man and not a body.

Which would be why there’s an odd, almost crushing sense of relief when it only takes about ten minutes of wandering past a duck pond and a few mostly decent vendors before he catches that familiar flash of red. He heads in the direction, approaching at an even pace with hands in pockets. ]

...Hey.

Comments

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

[Roy looked up as soon as he saw his friend, and he arched a brow at the way he looked rather... well. Hasty wasn't the right word. Speedy was close, but that was just him joking about it, anyway, and Roy grinned.]

What are you doing here? [Because everything had worked out for the best, right? He hadn't been able to capture the Joker, but he'd tried, and come out the better for it. That was something.]

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ Damnit, of course he'd be somewhere public. Somewhere with people around. Kids. ]

This is gonna sound a little crazy, but I need you to come with me right now. [ emphasis on now. ]

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

You're right, that does sound kind of crazy. [Says idly and tilts his head slightly.]

Why do I need to come with you right now?

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ He runs a tense, stressed hand through his hair. ]

Cause I have it on pretty good authority that you've been compromised. And this isn't safe.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

[Wait, what. Roy frowns.]

I've been compromised? I haven't done anything.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ and... looking Roy in the eye, finally. He needs to know. Even if it's just the program talking. ]

...Tell me you didn't go after the Joker without any backup.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

[Roy freezes for a moment before nodding.]

Yeah, I did. But I didn't catch him. No harm, no foul, right?

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

...Damnit, Roy.

[ He paces a half step, but yeah maybe yelling at him isn't the best way to bring across the urgency of the situation.]

Yeah, on this one you're gonna need to trust me. We need to get you out of line of fire until I can run some tests.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

[Whoa, Dick yelling at him? They'd gotten into arguments before, but Roy wasn't even sure what the argument was about. This wasn't normal.]

What are you talking about? Dick, I'm fine, nothing happened!

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

You willing to stake lives on that? [ the words are less harsh, but still taut and hard. ]

There's a lot of what he does that can warp perception.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

[He bristles a little at that. Why is he questioning him like he's some kind of suspect? He's not a suspect, he hasn't done anything wrong.]

Of course I'm willing! [Warp perception. He'd seen him on the streets, went to go get him, and then... his mind drew a blank, because somehow he'd wandered over to the park. What went on in the middle?

He didn't have a problem. He didn't.]

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ So they're doing this the hard way. Fine, he can deal. ]

Humor me. Spare no gory details, I want to know everything you did in the twenty-four hours.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

You never want me to share the gory details.

[He frowns, and then sighs, getting up.] Look, I understand the whole accusing thing. Sure, I fucked up in the past, but I haven't done anything either. So quit treating me like a suspect and tell me what's wrong.

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[ hnnng, facepalm. Damnit, Roy. ]

You're not a suspect, Roy, you're a victim. And I don't know- [ -He hesitates again, then drops his hands and sags a little. ]

...I can't tell you what happened. Because I don't know what he did to you and I can't risk setting you off.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

I'm not a victim. [Ew. He hates that word, and hates it used in conjunction with him.]

What do you mean, setting me off? Because this is setting me off, right now!

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

Think I might've tangled with him a few more times than you have. [ Which is maybe a little unfair, but damnit it's like talking to a brick wall. A brick wall with lethal combat skills, surrounded by innocent civilians. ]

You gotta trust me that we can't do this here.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

Do you really want to pull out the "who I've fought with more then you" thing now? Because, Fairy Boots, I'm pretty sure I've fought with baddies just as bad as him before. [Huffs. It's not fair. He's getting mad.]

What the hell do you think he did!?

[batmantled.livejournal.com]

[oh how to even say this. ]

...He told me he'd done something to change you.

[redtachini.livejournal.com]

Bullshit. I think I would have known if something about me had changed. What did he say he did?