[ what's strange is how strange this feels to think that Bruce might be dropping by for no reason at all. he has a hard time convincing himself to believe it. ]
[ the door to his apartment swings open to reveal Dick, dressed casually in a pair of dark pants and a black hoodie. part of him wonders how Bruce got into the lobby and up the four flights of stairs, but the other part of him doesn't want to know.
he just tips his head at Bruce with a knowing smile tugging at his mouth. ]
Guess you were closer than I thought since you got here so quickly without speeding.
[ he steps to the side to let Bruce into the dimly lit apartment. ]
Bruce steps into the apartment and for a moment has the strangest sense of deja vu. But it passes and when he pulls his hand free from the pocket of his coat, there's an envelope in his hand that he offers to Dick. ]
[ his tastes echo Bruce's on the best and worst of days.
Bruce is barely in the door before he's handing an envelope to Dick. Dick stares at it as the door swings shut with an automatic click of the locks. then, he looks up, surprise lifting his brows. ]
To...what?
[ plus-one doesn't have the best connotation. especially not when the invitation is fancy enough to come in an envelope. ]
Wait. [ he holds a hand up to halt whatever was going to be Bruce's answer, disbelief pinching between his brows. ] Is this the gift?
[ Which...isn't news. There's stacks of invitations to parties that could last Bruce this year and the next. But there's something special about this one. ]
Lex Luthor is hosting. I don't want to go alone.
[ And he needed a distraction. But he'll get to that. ]
[ he has a rebuttal for that, could say that it was an accident, that Superman would never intentionally kill thousands of people, that he loves humanity and earth, and that they, too, have blood on their hands.
paranoia, however, was by definition unreasonable. the words stick in his throat then vanish when Bruce pushes on. ]
Am I—yeah. Yeah. [ of course Bruce cuts straight to the chase. this isn’t something up for debate. ] I’m not gonna let you go in there alone.
[ It's a small relief that Dick agrees. He'd been prepared to go in alone, just Alfred in his ear if Dick had refused. But his boy wouldn't let him go in there alone and secretly, Bruce is pleased. They really were a dynamic duo. ]
Blueprints put the room I need downstairs in near the kitchens. Alfred's going to talk me through how to get me there. You make sure no one follows me down those stairs.
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You knew that, didn't you?
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[ what's strange is how strange this feels to think that Bruce might be dropping by for no reason at all. he has a hard time convincing himself to believe it. ]
Are you headed over now?
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Really. It's not my birthday.
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You're driving at speed limit right now, right?
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[ not. ]
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You were saying?
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he just tips his head at Bruce with a knowing smile tugging at his mouth. ]
Guess you were closer than I thought since you got here so quickly without speeding.
[ he steps to the side to let Bruce into the dimly lit apartment. ]
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Bruce steps into the apartment and for a moment has the strangest sense of deja vu. But it passes and when he pulls his hand free from the pocket of his coat, there's an envelope in his hand that he offers to Dick. ]
You're my plus one.
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Bruce is barely in the door before he's handing an envelope to Dick. Dick stares at it as the door swings shut with an automatic click of the locks. then, he looks up, surprise lifting his brows. ]
To...what?
[ plus-one doesn't have the best connotation. especially not when the invitation is fancy enough to come in an envelope. ]
Wait. [ he holds a hand up to halt whatever was going to be Bruce's answer, disbelief pinching between his brows. ] Is this the gift?
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[ Which...isn't news. There's stacks of invitations to parties that could last Bruce this year and the next. But there's something special about this one. ]
Lex Luthor is hosting. I don't want to go alone.
[ And he needed a distraction. But he'll get to that. ]
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Dick doesn't answer that. instead, he opts to wait expectantly for Bruce elaborate, and the elaboration drops his eyes to the envelope again.
he takes it and starts to pull the invitation out of its wrapping. ]
Why not? What are you trying to do?
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[ A lie. A lie Dick is likely to sniff out right away so Bruce decides honesty might be the better course. ]
And there is something Luthor's files I need. I need someone to make sure they don't look in my direction.
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dark eyes lift to Bruce's face, conflict clearly pinching between his brow. ]
You could at least tell me more than that.
[ he's pretty sure they both know he won't say no. ]
What do you need from Luthor's files? What's it for?
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He has intel on the White Portuguese. I need it.
[ Yes, he's still on that Superman is a danger and must be eliminated kick. ]
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he can’t say no because Bruce needs him. he can’t abandon Bruce to the paranoia.
he starts to shake his head before a sigh precludes his words. ]
You need it? He’s not our enemy.
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Dick, you saw what he did in Metropolis. Thousands of people dead. Thousands. I'm not waiting for a higher body count before I do something about it.
[ It's the paranoia, but it sounds so much like clarity to him. ]
Are you going to help me or not?
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paranoia, however, was by definition unreasonable. the words stick in his throat then vanish when Bruce pushes on. ]
Am I—yeah. Yeah. [ of course Bruce cuts straight to the chase. this isn’t something up for debate. ] I’m not gonna let you go in there alone.
Have a specific distraction you’re looking for?
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Blueprints put the room I need downstairs in near the kitchens. Alfred's going to talk me through how to get me there. You make sure no one follows me down those stairs.
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Okay. I got your back, Bruce. I’ll make sure no one tails you. Could you let me know what you find, though? I just wanna know.
[ curiosity aside, Bruce at the edge of his paranoia is something Dick has to monitor. this he knows by now. ]
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You should stop by the Cave sometime. I'll show you everything I have so far.
[ The invitation is his way of saying thanks. And of course 'you never visit anymore.' ]
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Yeah. Sure.
[ inviting him to a party, to work a case, and to the cave all in one night. what has he done to deserve this? ]
Maybe after Luthor's party, we could head back together. I'll help you figure out whatever it is you find in those files.
[ see? he meant it when he said he has your back, but it's not all that simple when he's skeptical of Bruce's plans in the first place. ]
Then we can decide what to do about it. [ we, because Dick wants to be in on it. ]
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idk if you wanna get into nitty gritty, we can skip ahead too!
I can skip ahead!
ty!
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Oops totally lost this one
No worries!