god is a number you cannot count to

[guncleric.livejournal.com]

WHO: guncleric and 123youreit
WHERE: a rooftop, because ... Tim.
WHEN: sometime before Jason's illuminating network address.
WARNINGS: can't think of any.
SUMMARY: business meeting.
FORMAT: quickpara!



Preston has no idea why this young man wants to meet on a rooftop, but he's not going to question it - standard vigilante operating procedure isn't something he's familiar with. So he's here, watching the lights blink against the dark black skyline, pulling apart the top of his collar absently with one gloved hand.

Comments

[notlikeanyone]

Tim could have chosen a dark back alley to meet in, but somehow the rooftop seemed like the less suspicious choice. He's waiting a few rooftops away, of course, watching through binoculars and making sure Preston hasn't been followed - intentionally or not.

And boy, does he look familiar. Tim has to take a few moments to get over the surprise and tell himself that this isn't Bruce. Just from speaking to him, he knows that.

Once he's as sure as he can be that it's clear, he tucks the binoculars away into his belt and grapples across, landing neatly on the roof a meter or two away from Preston. Civilised distance and a visible entrance. Up close, the resemblance to Bruce is even more striking - he could be his double. Tim has to remind himself not to stare, or let it interfere with their meeting.

"Cleric Preston."

[guncleric.livejournal.com]

He has no expectations for Robin's entrance, and so he isn't surprised. He turns his head towards the sound of heavy fabric moving through the air, and then turns fully when he sees who's joined him.

"Hello." A confirmation and a greeting; he's distracted for a moment by his attire, but it passes. "Things have been busy lately."

[notlikeanyone]

The Red Robin costume appears to be made entirely of leather, where it isn't accented by metal. Heavy and difficult to move in, and yet Tim doesn't seem hampered by it at all.

He has to suppress a start at Preston's voice - just like Bruce's, as well. Though without the Batman growl, at least it's not as startling as it could be. He nods. "Things usually are, but not always involving the police to this degree." There's tension underlying that statement, though Tim does his best to stay neutral.

[guncleric.livejournal.com]

Preston doesn't try to cipher out an emotional reading from Red Robin, but he can't help but notice the way he moves and the subtle, barely-there way he changes his breathing one moment to the next. It's what he's trained to do: notice the things no one else would.

"They're overwhelmed," he says, his voice even and with no specific inflection. "The handling of 'street crime' is apparently very successful and a very vital function, but vigilante-terrorist relations are beyond the scope of what they're used to responding to, particularly with such diverse participants. Despite this, they seem expected to respond to it anyway. Is this typical behavior with cultures that utilize vigilantes?"

/uses uncowled icon because she can

[notlikeanyone]

The similarities to Bruce continue to pile up, but alongside them are the things that reconfirm for Tim that Preston isn't Bruce (he's dead he's not dead he's lost) on a logical level, at least. Emotionally speaking, there's a persistent sense of discomfort settling in, but Tim ignores it, knowing that it's just due to the bad timing of running into a veritable doppelganger - or, well, mostly due to that - and that it will go away in time.

"Not exactly." His tone is still neutral, but takes on a note of thoughtfulness. "I can only speak for my own world with any certainty, but there, the police really weren't equipped to deal with superpowered criminals effectively. That's one of the reasons vigilantes such as myself started appearing, since we can track down and deal with the supervillains - to use the common term - and then hand them over to the proper authorities, or take them directly to facilities designed to hold them. Here, we have the problem of a disproportionate ratio of vigilantes and supervillains to police, plus police officers from worlds where vigilantes don't exist. I can't imagine that it's easy to organise responses to both street crime and everything else."

DC needs to trap that artist in their basement forever

[guncleric.livejournal.com]

It's unfortunate, maybe, that Tim is so hypersensitive to stoic, workaholic men who look like Preston looks; his Cleric-minded opinions on lethal force and penchant for guns will probably burst that bubble somewhat uncomfortably, if the subjects happen to come up.

"I don't think I've seen enough to form a concrete opinion," he admits. "This practice of open debate seems near-constant." The wonders of free speech. Preston doesn't understand speaking out against something without intent to act - the concept of "checks and balances", even in public opinion, is lost on him. Still, he finds it fascinating.

I KNOW RIGHT? just let him draw Tim all the time

[notlikeanyone]

The very fact that Preston carries a gun - is willing to do so - and that Tim can notice it, neatly shatters the most fundamental of any misconception Tim could have formed before it becomes too large of a potential time bomb. Nonetheless, the extent of Preston's gun-related skills and preferences are likely to concern him when they inevitably come up.

"I take it that your society wasn't as big on the concept of free speech as we are. There's a constitutional - a legal right for the people to make their voices heard, if they want to, though they aren't always listened to. And it does lead to some, ah. Tangential or purely recreational debates." He shrugs a little helplessly - he's guessing that Preston is not used to the wonders of internet forums, either.

[guncleric.livejournal.com]

"You're right. But most of us had no desire to speak this way, despite it." Except sense offenders, which he won't be explaining anytime soon.

Indeed, the internet offers far too much potential for personal expression - they aren't even allowed to use mobile phones for purposes that are not directly related to government work, almost always used as simple summoning devices. He was familiar enough with things like the internet and email on a functionality level that he was able to figure it out easily, but he'd still never seen it used in this diverse way.

"Attempting to navigate what's right for the masses seems to be a difficult task," he says, turning his gaze back to the view. Something about Tim feels strange - in the ways he moves - and he doesn't feel like prying. "You wish to work with the police, in some way?"