milliways_bar | (no subject)

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.]

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"Oh," Dick tries to sound casual, but it's hard, and he's started now so he'd better finish what he was saying.

"I live with a lot of nuns, now."

Aang stops swinging back and forth to level a questioning look at Dick.

There were only ever a few reasons why someone would go to live with the nuns: either you or your bison were very ill and that was the closest temple, or you were expecting a baby, or...you were an Avatar being sent to another temple for protection in the last place anyone would look for a little boy.

Dick doesn't look sick, and as far as Aang knows Dick's world doesn't have an Avatar.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

Dick looks at Aang, then shuts his eyes and looks away.

"Is your mother having a baby?"

There's a bad feeling beginning to well up in Aang's stomach.

"Nnnn..."

He doesn't even finish the word. He just swings himself away, deeper into the dark of the rafters.

Aang watches him swing away before rolling back up onto the rafter himself.

"I didn't mean to, I don't... Dick, I don't understand. Back home there weren't a lot of reasons for a boy to live at a sister temple. If you're not sick, and there's no baby, then why would the circus ...

...

Dick, has something happened at the circus?"

Dick stops, hunching himself down as small as he can get (which is pretty small.)

And takes a huge breath.

"It was an accident."

"....oh no. Dick, I'm so sorry."

Hiding in the dark. Being asked all his stupid questions. Aang could kick himself for being so callous.

"You didn't know."

He sits on the rafter, hugging one knees, staring down.

But he doesn't move away from Aang.

"Still."

Aang shifts again, sitting so that he's facing his friend.

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

He's got everything he needs.

Dick shrugs with one shoulder. He kind of wishes he had an answer to that question.

He knows that feeling all too well, the relentlessly crushing weight that comes from grief.

"For what it's worth? I've found that not being alone helps. So if it's okay, I'd like to stay here with you for a while."

Dick looks up at him, wondering if he could ask the question - how does Aang know? Then he wants to tell him that even being here, can't possibly make him any less alone.

Then he gives up.

"Okay."

Aang offers him a small, somewhat timid by Aang standards, smile that he hopes is reassuring.

"We don't have to talk if you don't want to, or I could tell you a story if you, you know, wanted me to."

"Kinda story?"

Aang's smile broadens.

"The true legend of how the great Earth Kingdom city of Omashu was founded. This story has everything from battles to true love, and even has its own song.

It all started thousands of years ago..."