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[ It had been 910 days since Warren McGinnis was murdered in his home. Terry knew because he kept count of the days on calendar hidden in his room. His mom had found it once, questioned him about it. Wanted him to go to therapy. Terry refused and assured her he was okay. Promised her he would get rid of the thing. Instead, he just hid it better.
It had been 903 days since he met Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Terry remembers the first time he saw him, cutting an imposing figure among the guests at Warren's funeral, while he spoke quietly with Mary. They were divorced, amicably, but still very much Not Together. And while Mary appreciated Bruce's generosity, she gently turned down his offers to continuing cutting Warren's check. To help ease the burden. No, Terry remembers her saying, They would be okay.
But they weren't okay. Not even a little.
It was hard adjusting to life with Mary again. And he tried. He really tried. But there were times when she nitpicked a little too much or was a little too harsh and Terry wanted to scream at her. Because he was angry, so very angry and it had nowhere to go. So it stayed bottled up, coiled up tight in his chest and it felt like it would explode at any minute. Instead, he packed a bag and slipped out his bedroom window.
He met Batman that night and that changed his world. Tilted it upright when Warren's murder had so violently tipped it sideways.
Bruce had given him an outlet. Something to focus all of that pain and grief and rage on. And he agreed to help Terry nail the bastard who shot his father. The solution was an easy one, Terry had been home that night, had heard it all. He knew the voice - would always remember it. All he needed was a name.
When he had it, he gave it to Bruce right away. And what did he do with it? From Terry's perspective, nothing. Not a damned thing. And maybe that made him a little bit resentful. Resentful enough that he decided to do something about himself.
It's not the first time he's turned off the tracker in his suit. Just the longest. The radio in his ear cackles to life and he can hear Bruce. Robin, your signal is lost. Status?
Must be out of range, he says. And that's not technically a lie. He should be in the Bowery. That's where Bruce told him to be. But tonight, he's perched on the rooftop across from one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Through the windows, he can see him. Derek Powers, laughing and sipping expensive wine, like everything is normal. Like he didn't kill Warren 910 days ago. Maybe he didn't remember. Terry would remind him.
He hears the radio again. Robin! ]
I'm here, Batman. I'm okay. I'll catch up with you soon.
[ then he flicks the radio off. ]
It had been 903 days since he met Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Terry remembers the first time he saw him, cutting an imposing figure among the guests at Warren's funeral, while he spoke quietly with Mary. They were divorced, amicably, but still very much Not Together. And while Mary appreciated Bruce's generosity, she gently turned down his offers to continuing cutting Warren's check. To help ease the burden. No, Terry remembers her saying, They would be okay.
But they weren't okay. Not even a little.
It was hard adjusting to life with Mary again. And he tried. He really tried. But there were times when she nitpicked a little too much or was a little too harsh and Terry wanted to scream at her. Because he was angry, so very angry and it had nowhere to go. So it stayed bottled up, coiled up tight in his chest and it felt like it would explode at any minute. Instead, he packed a bag and slipped out his bedroom window.
He met Batman that night and that changed his world. Tilted it upright when Warren's murder had so violently tipped it sideways.
Bruce had given him an outlet. Something to focus all of that pain and grief and rage on. And he agreed to help Terry nail the bastard who shot his father. The solution was an easy one, Terry had been home that night, had heard it all. He knew the voice - would always remember it. All he needed was a name.
When he had it, he gave it to Bruce right away. And what did he do with it? From Terry's perspective, nothing. Not a damned thing. And maybe that made him a little bit resentful. Resentful enough that he decided to do something about himself.
It's not the first time he's turned off the tracker in his suit. Just the longest. The radio in his ear cackles to life and he can hear Bruce. Robin, your signal is lost. Status?
Must be out of range, he says. And that's not technically a lie. He should be in the Bowery. That's where Bruce told him to be. But tonight, he's perched on the rooftop across from one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Through the windows, he can see him. Derek Powers, laughing and sipping expensive wine, like everything is normal. Like he didn't kill Warren 910 days ago. Maybe he didn't remember. Terry would remind him.
He hears the radio again. Robin! ]
I'm here, Batman. I'm okay. I'll catch up with you soon.
[ then he flicks the radio off. ]
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But he shakes it off and gets to work. His gear is displayed in a case alongside some of the other unused Batman suits and it takes longer than he'd like to admit to get it open. In his pocket, his phone dings once. Then twice. Then over and over. Whoever is trying to reach him is ignored in favor of checking the belt and restocking what he could in the amount of time he's given himself. He shoves everything into his backpack and hops on the bike to peel out.
7 minutes and 42 seconds. Not bad, all things considered. If this were a training exercise, Bruce would have made him do it again.
It's not until they're in the safety of the safehouse that Terry checks his phone. 1 missed call from his mom in among the dozens from Bruce. He sets it aside, face down. ]
Took longer than I wanted, but I got the job done. He had my suit in one of the cases. Couldn't get it open with any of the codes I knew, so I just broke the glass.
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Good for you.
[He means it, too. It'll drive Bruce insane, but beyond that, it had to be cathartic.]
We can change your colors if you want, too.
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Yeah, was never really into the circus look.
[ Terry takes a minute to find the suit and lay it out and search for the trackers he knew were embedded in the suit. ]
I'm thinking black and red.
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Should I be flattered?
[He reaches a hand out, to reach for the gear that Terry took.]
Let me see, I'll tell you what we can do to adjust your colors. You want to stick with the cape?
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A little. But he was working on a new suit. Solid black with a red bat in the chest plate. The cowl will completely cover his face.
[ He pauses, considers. He liked the cape, but it didn't really fit the idea he's got in his head. ]
No cape.
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Okay. I think between me, you, and a contact who owes me a favor, we'll have some good armor for you in no time.
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You're the best.
[ Whoops that just slipped out. ]
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I feel like I got you into the worst of this mess. But. Yeah. Thanks.
[Jason looks at his phone.]
I'll deal with B, too. Don't worry about it.
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[ He fiddles with his phone for a minute. ]
I don't want you getting anymore broken bones for me, alright? He's got me on camera doing the stealing. I won't let him blame this on you.
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[He considers that for a long minute.]
He's going to make it hard for you. But I'll support you. You hear me?
[He actually touches Terry, now.]
You're the only one who hasn't told me I'm insane. You're the only one I give a shit about.
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He looks down where Jason's hand is on him and it feels. He doesn't know. It makes him feel warm. It makes him feel wanted when he takes it in along with what Jason's said. Honestly, he can't help it. It's that swell of emotion that pushes him - he kisses him.
But it's over as soon as it starts and Terry looks like he might run. ]
Sorry. That was...that came out of nowhere. Sorry.
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And he shakes his head.]
No.
Don't apologize.
[He kisses him.]
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But he doesn't push him away.
He kisses him again.
And Terry puts an arm around his neck, so it'll stop feeling like he'll float away. ]
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Terry.
[He says his name and kisses him again, hard.]
You want to stay?
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Yeah.
[ His hands slide up Jason's shoulders, arms loop around his neck. ]
Do you want me to?
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[He says it so desperately, and going to kiss the corner of his jaw.]
I want you to stay.
[And another kiss to the mouth, as he brings Terry's legs up around his waist.]
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Okay, I'll stay. If you keep kissing me.
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That's all I'm going to do though.
[He runs a hand through Terry's hair, once, again.]
At least tonight.
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Okay. [ He exhales slowly. ] That was nice.
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You're going to stay. And we're going to figure something out between us.
And we're going to figure out where you're going to go from here.
And what name you want.
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Okay.
Gonna need some time to think about the name.
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[A pause.]
Except Tim. He's a kiss ass.
baby time skip
Tim seemed more like the partner Bruce wanted anyway.
Either way, Terry stays and leaves only long enough to go to class and see his little brother and mom to let them know he wasn't dropping off the map again. Things were just weird for him now while he's getting pieces of his life back. The pieces Bruce thought he had taken away.
He still puts off talking to Bruce even when he eventually shows up in his shitty little apartment to question him. He doesn't know if it's Bruce waiting for him there or Batman and he's not in the mood to gamble with it.
So he just stops going back to the apartment all together. He goes to Jason's safehouse instead. ]
I think I've got a name.
Re: baby time skip
Whatever. Bruce didn't win, that's what matters.
But whatever, because when Terry comes into the safehouse tonight, he brightens up right away, a smile touching his face.]
Yeah?
[He gets up from where he's fussing with his computer and grabs him for a kiss, first.]
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Don't laugh.
[ A lot of Bruce's training - especially in the early days - revolved around staying out of sight until the last possible second. Learning how to move in the shadows or how to hide there so he's got the element of surprise on his side. Terry's decided to lean into it a little. ]
Incognito.
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