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[daringyoungman]

Dick wasn't expecting to see the bar.

Ever again, really. He had become used to the bar being somewhere he could access through tents and doors in the circus. It was a new part of his world, sure, but it was a part of it.

Then his world collapsed in front of him and everything changed and suddenly he found himself living in an orphanage in Gotham City run by nuns.

He's had to deal with that new, horrible world, and he hates everything about it. Hates how it's not the circus, but at the same time, he's sort of pleased that he doesn't have to be at the circus, to see Mister Haly or the animals or any of his friends, and not see his parents. This new world is horrible, but because it's missing everything, it's not missing them specifically.

That's what he'd think if he was capable of coherent thought on the subject right now.

As it is, Dick couldn't explain exactly why finding the bar appear on the way to his dorm feels like a betrayal.

The boy stands in the doorway, fists clenching at his side as he glares at the bar for daring to still exist, and still be bright and loud and friendly when everything on the other side of the door is broken.

He glares for one second,
two seconds,
three seconds...

And then he vanishes into the rafters.

[OOC: If you can find him, completely open! But be open to very short threads, if he doesn't want to talk. DCU!Dick.]

Comments

[12goingon113]

Aang is seated at Bar sipping on lychee juice when a stray breeze catches his attention. It's slight, barely nothing at all, but it's enough to catch the attention of a master of airbending.

Someone's just jumped into the rafter.

Aang takes one final sip from his straw before he leaps up into the rafters himself.

"Hello? Is someone up here?"

[daringyoungman]

No. No one's up here.

Certainly, no one's crouching in the shadows glaring at him like he has no right to be cheerful and orange and up here.

No one is secretly hoping he'll go away and leave him alone.

[12goingon113]

Aang's eyes narrow in an effort to get a better look of the shape off in the gloom.

"I promise I won't tell, if that's what you're worried about," he says taking a step closer.

[daringyoungman]

Dick shifts angrily on the rafter.

And when wishing Aang would go away doesn't work, he asks: "tell what?"

[12goingon113]

"Tell anyone that you're up here?" he offers taking another step forward. It's about this point that the voice finds purchase in Aang's memory.

"Dick? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

[cutting_edgex23]

It's the scent that draws X in his direction.

The scent, and her worry from what Robin told her about the Graysons, and Zucco, and what happened to him when he was younger.

This is the first time she has caught that scent since then. Maybe there is still time.

(The underpinnings of his scent suggest the answer is likely 'no', but -- )

She pulls herself up into the rafts, quick and quiet, and goes looking for the boy.

"Dick," she says, once she is absolutely certain of his location.

"Hello."

[daringyoungman]

Dick doesn't just smell of anger and resentment and lots of tears shed when no one is looking.

He also smells of soap and shampoo and freshly laundered clothes, and he doesn't smell of sawdust and animals and popcorn.

He looks up at X, and stays looking up at her, and grunts quietly in lieu of 'hello.'

[cutting_edgex23]

None of this seems very good.

X hesitates momentarily, then slips a little closer, dropping into a crouch once she is within arm's reach.

Quietly --

"You are not okay."

Just so he knows that she has noticed.

[daringyoungman]

Yeah, good observation, X.

Dick grunts again, and shrugs bitterly.

And he tries to tell her.

But all that comes out is: "Will you teach me to fight?"

[cutting_edgex23]

"Yes."

Her response is prompt. Instinctive, almost.

"I told you. That I would."

Even before --

Whatever happened.

"You want to start? Now."

[the_force_abides]

The rafters aren't empty which Dick will notice when he spots the man crouched on a beam with his arms dangling between his knees. The man is quiet, his breathing even and he turns his head to look at Dick before nodding a greeting.

Korvas can feel the boy's pain; infinite, burning and hopeless. Though he can't be sure of the cause of the boys pain, it reminds him of his own when he lost his parents all those years ago. Looks like he picked a great night to exercise his Force senses.

[OOC-Totally fine with a reaction post and not much else, or more if it works. Quin just kept poking me.]

[daringyoungman]

Dick stares at him, and eventually nods back.

And draws back into himself, scrunching his shoulders expressively. That's all he's getting.

(He doesn't know. He can't possibly understand. No one can understand what Dick is going through right now.)

[OOC: <3 Later on they can have a proper meeting.]

[the_force_abides]

The man turns back to studying the people below, keeping a weather eye on the boy to see if his presence bothers him. He remembers how much he wanted to not think and be left alone back then and hopes the same is what the boy needs. If the boy does show signs of being bothered by his presence, he will leap to a beam father away with no comment.

[OOC: Sounds perfect.]

[wild_colts]

Almanzo has just staggered through the front door, holding a giant block of ice.

Realising it's in the wrong place, he's about to turn back, but it slips out of his hands, bounces off the door, and slides across the floor.

As he chases it, he spots something in the rafters, and peers up.

"Dick?" he asks, not knowing anyone else who sits up there.

[daringyoungman]

For a long moment Dick doesn't answer, just in case Almanzo gives up and goes away.

But he remembers that Almanzo hasn't done anything and it wouldn't be fair to just push him away.

"Hey, 'Manzo," he says darkly.

[wild_colts]

"Howdy Dick!" Sure is hard to see him up there.

"Do you want to make some ice cream?" he asks. "I got a big cube and they won't be missing one."

[daringyoungman]

Dick doesn't want ice cream. He just wants Almanzo to go away and leave him alone.

He wants his parents back.

He wants to not be living in an orphanage.

...actually, he really wants ice cream.

"Kay," he says, dropping down to the ground.

[not_his_pa]

William's been avoiding Milliways, its easier that way but it appears for him after a long day at work.

From his seat at a table, he sees Dick and sits up at the look on his face of hurt and anger then he's gone.

William stands up and starts peering into the darkness trying to follow where Dick went.

[daringyoungman]

Dick isn't trained in the art of ~vanishing into the night,~ so the tiny little shadow that is him stays visible.

He just doesn't want to say anything, and is maybe hoping that Will will leave him alone if he gets no acknowledgement.

[not_his_pa]

He considers letting him be but the memory of a hard bed in a hotel as he was forgotten comes into his mind. Though he hopes that's not the reason for why Dick looks like he does but he's afraid it is.

So he stands up on his table and pulls himself into the rafters,

"If you want to hit somethin', I'll take it. Even get you some whiskey from Bar."

[daringyoungman]

Dick glares at him. Not for anything specifically, just because everyone gets a glare.

"Don't want anything," he says.

[ikissdhimbck]

Somewhere far, far below him, the five-foot cowgirl is watching with concerned blue eyes. The boy in the doorway had been unfamiliar, but the look on his face — not to mention the way his fists clenched — had been quite familiar. She watched him as the seconds passed, and now she stands ever so unassuming under the rafters where he'd alighted.

"Hello?"

Her voice is soft and sweet, punctuated with a southern drawl.

"You all right up there, sugar?"

[daringyoungman]

"I'm fine."

His tone says 'go away.'

[ikissdhimbck]

It ain't hard to miss.

She's quiet for a moment.



"Did y'get pulled in against your will?"

[daringyoungman]

Technically, yes.

But.

That's not the point.

But.

"Might've done."