( open ) it started with a spark

[brat]

WHO: Bats, birds, and friends.
WHEN: Late April into May
WHERE: Wayne Tower
WHAT: A Bat-Mingle.
NOTES\WARNINGS:

In the Northern section of Nova City, Wayne Tower stands tall above the multiple empty buildings that make up the cityscape. The top two floors consist of the Wayne Penthouse in gothic architecture while the lower floor and main entrance are largely abandoned and home to a number of fruit bats. A basement serves as a work in progress Batcave, complete with hidden elevator to the penthouse.

And within the Tower itself? Who knows how many bats and birds may be found wandering about. After all, it has WAYNE written in big bold letters right across the front of it. That means it's free real estate, right?

Comments

[batsymbol]

( He can't tell himself he's not good at this because if he does, it'll only serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts and Damian doesn't deserve that right now, so. Instead, he makes his way into the kitchen a little more — mindful of making sure Damian has space for himself if that's what he wants, but not being all the way across the room either. He's not Dick. He never will be Dick. All he can be is himself and try to be the father Damian needs. )

How many are you at now?

( As he figures Damian's talking about his pets. )

[brat]

( how many are you at, he asks, and damian has to stop and consider how to answer that because his legion consists of a couple dogs, a few sidekicks, and - todd. )

How many of what? ( brothers? friends? combat-trained animals? )

[batsymbol]

Your legion.

( Altogether, really. )

Or is that a secret I shouldn’t be asking?

( A gentle attempt at bringing some lightheartedness to it all, but. It’s also Damian. )

[brat]

It's confidential.

( or, it's not something damian feels a need to be secretive about, but given bruce is playing, damian figures he may as well also.

with the glass already placed down on the table, damian slides to the edge of the counter and drops off of it. )

But my legion is fully capable of taking down Superman.

( just as a side note. )

[batsymbol]

( Something he's not at all surprised about hearing, really.

When Damian hops down, he watches him, hands still there in his pockets. It's only after a moment that he reaches out and gently places a hand down on the other's shoulder. Not meant to keep him from going anywhere, just... a show of support. For a moment, he hesitates — wonders if he should simply not say anything, but. Again. If he thinks about it too much, he'll likely sabotage himself before he can even try. )

Think you could hold off a day with that?

[brat]

( he's quiet, for a moment. almost as if he's contemplating how to answer that, but they both know he already knows the answer. damian rarely makes moves without an in-depth plan, and this isn't an exception to the rule. )

I suppose I could. ( mostly because he wasn't intending on attacking hernan at all. they're on - relatively good terms, all things considered. he doesn't feel the need to prove he's capable of taking him down anymore, hernan already knows damian is well aware of his weaknesses. moreso than the man himself, even.

bruce's hand presses against his shoulder, and damian looks over to it, but doesn't comment or lean away. he - enjoys the contact, usually. and with grayson's absence - it's not as if he has others he can lean on like this. )

What did you have in mind?

[batsymbol]

( Giving Damian's shoulders a couple gentle pats, he slips his hand away then. )

Pack a bag for yourself. We're going camping.

( He said what he said. )

[brat]

( this isn't even the first time bruce wayne has come up to damian and told him they're going camping, although the previous occurrence also included them being hunted down with minimal gear out in the middle of nowhere with no reception, so. )

For how long?

( how much should he prepare for if they're going out? )

[batsymbol]

Just a couple days.

( Nothing longer than a night or two, he's thinking. He doesn't like the thought of leaving the tower unmanned after all. )

I've got a tent and some things in the back of the car already. Just need to bring what you want with you.

[brat]

I'll pack some clothing. And get Titus's things.

( which means he's turning to walk away from bruce, towards the room he's claimed as his own when he opts to stay over at the tower. they need to talk anyway, about what had happened back on aphaia. this feels like a good opportunity to delve into it. )

[batsymbol]

( They don't need to talk about that.

He waits for Damian as he grabs what he needs, the car already packed and ready to go. He wasn't sure if this would be received well for something to do — as a means to distract him from Dick having left, but. Surprisingly, Damian seems up for it and so he's going to take it while the other's in the mood for it. When he catches sight of his son returning, he's already waiting there in the driver's seat of the car, folding up a paper he'd been scribbling on and tucking it in his inside pocket there on his jacket. )

Got everything?

[brat]

( when damian comes back around, it's with a backpack slung over a shoulder and titus following a step behind him. because of course he's going to fit the great dane into the car that wasn't even meant to be a two-seater. drake could have babysat the dog, but titus is damian's baby, and therefore when he opens the passenger side door, titus jumps into the car first so damian can slide in and try to fit onto the seat beside the massive dog. )

A few days worth of clothes. I assume we'll figure anything else out while we're there.

[batsymbol]

( He watches as Damian and Titus get themselves in the car. Quiet. Not opposed at all to Damian bringing his dog along just... unexpected some. But, with everything in and more or less as settled as they can be, he looks back ahead. )

We should be fine.

( And with that, he ignites the Batmobile's engine and takes them out onto the road, heading for the more wooded areas of Etraya. )

[brat]

( damian has nowhere else to be and nothing else to be overtly concerned with currently, so - bruce says they'll be fine, and he takes him at his word. it's not as if they are anticipating any more missions any time soon, and laura has accelerator.

he lounges back in the passenger seat, one arm wrapped around titus as the dog settles half on top of damian, half on the floor in front of him. )

We need to talk.

[batsymbol]

About what?

( He figures it’s about Dick. Possibly about the arrival of another Jason. Either way, he’s listening as they drive, eyes kept on the road as he takes them away from the Tower, away from everything and everyone else. Just the two of them- well. Three of them out for a bit of camping. Nothing too long and nothing that will take them away from the others to show concern. Just a little distraction for Damian. Some… father-son time. With Titus. )

[brat]

Your use of Venom.

( there's significantly more bothering him, especially with grayson gone. damian hadn't even been able to - talk to him, about any of this. about his father, about how he feels regarding things that have been occurring back home, all of the things damian generally would have gone to him about and now he's - gone.

but this? this is more important than that right now. )

[batsymbol]

My use of what?

( He raises a brow as he looks over to Damian there, genuinely confused, heel of his palm resting against the top of the steering wheel as they go. The look, of course, fleeting, what with his needing to keep his eyes on the road and all. )

[brat]

Venom. The substance you injected when we were fighting on Aphaia.

( maybe he hasn't begun calling it that yet, but damian knows what it is. )

[batsymbol]

( At that, he glances over to Damian again, jaw tight, before he’s looking back ahead and making another turn into the more wooded parts. )

It’s an adrenaline shot. I have it for emergencies.

( Such as when Damian was hit and down and Bruce had been running on fumes at that point. )

[brat]

Adrenaline isn't green.

( he doesn't need to point out anything else, just - this. because it's obvious enough that it isn't just adrenaline regardless. )

Venom is dangerous. Addictive.

[batsymbol]

I'm not addicted to anything. I'm fine.

( He makes sure to put that out there relatively quickly — dismiss whatever concerns Damian's having. )

If it makes you feel any better, I don't use it very often to begin with. But I have it just in case.

[brat]

It's always just in case until "emergency scenarios" continuously pop up.

( he doesn't sound very enthused by it either. damian's been on venom, he knows how it feels. )

How much do you have remaining?

[batsymbol]

Why?

( Plain and simple. Eyes focused ahead. )

[brat]

I want to know.

( does he need another reason than that? damian thinks not. )

[batsymbol]

Six shots.

( As he answers, he pulls them into a more secluded spot of the woods where he'd scouted earlier and decided to get a tent for them. )