exsilium | fourth leap | from a tablet in no way traceable to that other kid Robin's

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fourth leap | from a tablet in no way traceable to that other kid Robin's

[ Dick’s sitting in a nondescript corner of what’s probably the cafeteria, facing the screen at a front and center angle that could almost pass for a little rehearsed. He’s tired and drawn, posture curled in and oddly small. He has a hand in his hair, awkward and unsettled. If he's been practicing this, it's not showing much. ]

I, um. Hey.

I just wanted to say I’m turning myself in now. As one of the guys who brought down the systems and took over the base. [ Specificity is important. His eyes aren't on the tablet anymore, but he's still speaking. ]

-Which I know I could’ve done couple of days ago. But I didn’t because I thought maybe... [ a faint, rushed breath out. ] –maybe I could still fix it. And maybe it’d just be easier if I didn’t say anything. [ For the people in jail. And the people on the outside. ]

...But it wouldn’t be. That would just be me letting somebody else take the whole rap for something a lot of people already know I had a hand in. And then not speaking up is on them too. So it has to be this way. [ He’s thinking about you, Kate. 8( ]

...Anyway. That’s just the good news. Just- I wanted to do the right thing. Not just now, but then too. And I still believe in all the same things I did before, which is... [ he has to say it, he can’t let it go. ] –yeah, they’re real people. I know they are. But when it comes to fighting their own war they’re just getting people killed.

But what- what I did about it wasn’t okay. Guys like me, we- [ It's a little specific, that word. ] -we have to follow the law even when we don’t like what it says. When we start to let the system go, that’s when everything falls apart. That’s when people get hurt. And that- I know me knowing that now doesn’t change what happened, but... [ It’s a thought that trails off unfinished. ]

But whatever the other guys get, that’s what needs to happen to me too. [ the word "mutineer" is pretty noticeably pissing. And there’s a belated moment where he stops, halfway out of his folded up pose. He’s not in a position to make demands, he knows that. But- ]

...The one condition is that you don’t get a package deal out of this. You just get me.

[Barely five minutes later, there's an addendum to this post, coming from the same tablet but in audio, and the voice is very much not Dick Grayson's.

Steph's tone is sharp, but steady:]

I want you all to know that this will be discussed with Rosyln, but no one is to even think about laying a hand on him. The same goes for any accusations or harsh words you might wanna start throwing around, regardless of what he claims to have done. From this point on he is under my supervision and protection, and he won't be harmed.

[She might have been against the mutiny, but she doesn't trust the people on "her" side either, not when so many of them were howling for blood.]

Don't test me.

Hey, I didn't!-

[The feed cuts again. Replies by Dick probably delayed ICly! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'll come over

[but he can't promise talking. signing, writing, whatever. maybe Dick can do all of that; that's usually how it's supposed to be, Joe's convinced.

in any case, he'll find his way in a half an hour to the spot Dick marked up.

but.

does he knock? does he talk to the Steph-person? he's not sure...]

[That Steph-person is out in the hall not too far from Dick's door, talking quietly on her tablet as she leans against a wall and watches the door. When she spots Jericho, she murmurs a quiet gimme a sec into her tablet and tucks it into her pocket.]

Hey, Jericho, right?

[Dick mentioned he might be showing up.]

[he hesitates.

so that's Steph.

he nods a little, trying to keep his staring somewhere in the realm of politeness. he hopes that's where it stays, anyway.]

[She's tired and frustrated, but Jericho's just a kid, so she manges a warm smile.]

You can go in and see him, I'll let you guys be.

[She won't even listen in.

Probably.]

[another nod, a little more confident, but there's a wince in his eyes as he tries to evade much more than that. she looks tired, and he doesn't want to grate on her, not knowing her.

he ducks his head and heads inside. it's an afterthought: listen in? into half a conversation, then...]

[ There's a part of him that doesn't want to let his hopes get up too high, even after Jericho said he was coming. He's still on the bed, curled around his tablet while he scrolls through responses with Zitka (the stuffed elephant) cradled in his lap. When he sees the door opening he's quick to stow her behind him. Probably not fast enough for Jericho to miss it completely, if he was looking. ] Uh, hey.

[Jericho's not in a place to look for, let alone judge stuffed animals. he nods, his face fairly blank as he swallows down on his anxieties.

of course, being addressed...

he hesitates, waiting for the door to close, before thinking to move. and...not moving. looking to Dick for his say-so.]

Hey, you can sit down. I didn't even booby trap this side of the room yet.

[ It's the kind of bad joke he's hoping will break the ice instead of bringing down the chill in here even more. But he taps the other side of the bed with his foot and then folds his legs up so there's room for Jericho to take the spot if he wants to. ]

Thanks for, um. Showing up.

[he barely reacts to the joke, but not out of unkindness; he's in his own fog. but he moves, coming to sit, seeming to gain a little more focus by simply doing that. he nods, swiping hair out of his eyes.

and...sits a moment, looking at his hands before taking a breath, lifting them up. time to sign.]

You OK?

...Yeah. It's, um. [ It's worse somehow, finding the words now that the text barrier isn't there in between them. Even though he's the one who'd pushed for that; who'd wanted the chance to smooth this over face to face.

As if it could ever just be that easy. ]

It's just where I have to be for now.

[ His gaze stays on Jericho, brow furrowed with a genuine level of concern. ] ...What about you?

[his gaze drops away almost immediately at being prompted; this was what had his heels dragging to show up. he doesn't want to talk about himself, what he's feeling.

he shakes his head, lifting his hand and shaking it to try and dismiss the question.]

It's that bad?

[ It's confirmation that there's a something. ]

[his eyes wince and he grimaces, shaking his head even more earnestly. of course bad! but when it's out in the air, in other people's business...

a couple signs come to mind, half-tested and given up before he lets out a huff of air through his nose,]

Not big problem.

Then what is it?

[ He reaches out a hand halfway; it'd be natural to drop it on his shoulder like he would with Roy or Wally or even Wonder Girl. But Jericho's so different, so easy to put off with words whether he'd meant it that way or not.

What does he do to get him to want to loosen up? ]

Look, whatever happened... [ -He'll rest his hand there only if he doesn't shy away- ] -it doesn't leave this room. No one's getting the hammer dropped on them but me. That's the deal we made.

[his shoulder droops a little with the weight of the hand, but Joe himself sits still and lets it stay. he's frowning unhappily at what Dick's saying, though; he doesn't want any hammers at all.

besides...besides. besides what?

he scrubs at an eye out of sheer need to move his hands before holding both up for a beat longer. then, spelling carefully:]

S-Y-L-L-O-N-A

[a pause, then words, ducking his head:]

Hate. Me.

Syllona hates you?

[ He- has to let the name slip off his tongue a little awkwardly, like it's the first he's heard it. He can't give her away, not even to Jericho. ]

She actually said that?

[his face scrunches up. not those words exactly but...]

No looking at me. Eyes, face. [sighing a little, trying to pick out easy signs.]

Angry.

She won't look at you?

[ Even given signs it's an odd choice of words. ]

Did she find out about- ? [ he's pointing to his own eyes without really intending to mimic the sign. ]

[he nods, unhappy.]

I did it.

[it being the obvious.]

[ For a moment he just stares. ]

...Without asking?

[he's making it a point to look away, look toward the door as he nods. it's a whole lot more complicated than that, but he's not willing to give himself the benefit of that.]

Well, that explains a few things. [ There's more curiosity in his voice than condemnation.

He doesn't know Syllona, not well. But if Jericho does, then... ]

Okay pal, you tell me. You had a reason, so what was it?

[something he can't easily sign; he doesn't even bother trying, and instead resorts to typing out onto a draft page on his tablet.]

I wanted her to get away from the fighting.

[ There's a guilty twitch to his shoulders; his head ducks and he hopes against hope Jericho won't notice. That he won't think for a second that there's anything in his tone but neutral, genuine-sounding curiosity.

He can't mess this up now. ]

What was she doing in the middle of things?

I didn't ask...she told me she wanted to be part of it.

[he's frowning hard at this, reliving that horrible encounter – and the one hours after when she finally woke up...realizing he never let her have her say. give her side. he just made the choice and decided she needed to be moved somewhere safe.

isn't that...what superheroes are supposed to do? what friends are supposed to do?]

fourth leap | from a tablet in no way traceable to that other kid Robin's

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a gentle threadjack

shyguys at

aww joe

/_\

\o/

stuffed elephants r u kiddin me rn dick

boy can't be tamed

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