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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. ]

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[He let things sit and stew for a few weeks. If he knows anything about Bruce - and he does - then he knows that he's probably watching Terry with even more insanity than he was before. Jason spent the few weeks cleaning house, getting a new safehouse, doing some work, and making sure his own movements weren't being tagged.

Unfortunately for Bruce, Terry still has to do things that aren't in the manor, and that's where Jason catches him; Jason is dressed like a fresh-faced young co-ed at Gotham University, his hair freshly washed and dyed and curling, makeup covering the scars on his face applied with a professional hand. He's even wearing blue.]

Terry!

[He says it with the air of an old friend, comes in for a manly hug.]

Where you been, man?

[ Bruce came back that night looking like absolute shit. He didn't say much, except stay away from Jason. That was it. No explanation of his injuries, no further questions about Derek or how much Terry might have known about what happened.

For once, Terry listens. Not cause Bruce tells him to, but cause he feels guilty about all this. Like he'd made it worse somehow and that was the absolute last thing he wanted for either of them. But especially Jason.

Speaking of, he's surprised to hear his name called out while he's walking to class. He turns and stares for a minute. He's glad to see Jason, but part of him thinks he should just wave and move on. He doesn't. He hasn't forgotten how much Jay's helped him. He doesn't want to seem ungrateful. ]

Hey, man. Sorry I kind of dropped off. Been busy.

[ and with Bruce watching his movements like a hawk, in his ear the second he thinks Terry's straying too far out of his field of vision, he hasn't had much of a chance to slip away. ]

No worries, no worries!

[He's as much a master of disguise as any of them, and this one is just as good. He sounds absolutely worry-free, completely at ease, like a frat bro who has never suffered a single day in his life.]

C'mon, I got calc 2 in half an hour, grab a coffee with me and we can go over your notes, right?

[He leans his head towards a nearby coffee shop, somewhere that Terry would go even if he weren't with Jason. A place full of harried students, all wearing headphones, and little nooks for a couple of people to hole up in.]

[ If he didn't know better? The act would have fooled him. His notes were pretty scant for calc 2 anyway. He slept through that class most days. The coffee shop is a frequent enough stop that he won't get an interrogation about it so he follows Jason inside without a second thought. ]

Why don't you find us a table. What's your order?

[He pulls a five out of his pocket and hands it to Terry.]

Coffee, sugar, cream. Light and sweet.

[He hunts around, finds a table nook at the very back that is being emptied by a harried looking grad student. It has a view of the door but can't be seen well from the windows.

Jason settles in and when Terry comes back he smiles a bit, like this is all easy.]

How are you doing?

[He asks and means it.]

[ Terry almost refuses the money, but ultimately accepts cause it's easier than arguing about it. He's only up at the counter for a little while before he's weaving through the other customers, two coffees in hand. His is just a plain black coffee and he pretends it's not that similar to Bruce at all.

Then he sits with an unceremonious thud. ]

I'm fine.

[ In the way that most Bats are fine. If you didn't look too closely, you'd think he looked fine. But if you look closely? It's clear he hasn't been sleeping much. He looks worn out. ]

What about you?

Edited 2025-04-23 12:30 (UTC)

[Jason takes a sip of his coffee and turns his head a little. There's a slight look of doubt in his eye, but he just wants to see if anyone is watching them or looking over at them.

Not a one. Okay.]

Fine.

B told you to stay away from me, I'm guessing.

[ Terry just sips his coffee and nods. ]

He’s been watching me. Even when I’m off the clock.

[ he leans in close, keeps his voice low ]

I found another tracker in my backpack.

Edited 2025-04-23 18:27 (UTC)

That's why I came like this.

[His voice is pitched so that Terry can hear him but no one else. He also takes out a little device, and sets it on the table.

It's a little white noise machine, in case one of those trackers is also a bug.]

I broke his hand. He broke my nose. He's being a real bitch, but.

[He shrugs.]

I didn't want you to think I was using you.

[ that unnerves him. He knew whatever happened between them must have been bad but not broken bones bad. Bruce didn’t talk about it. He just gave an order and expected Terry to follow it. ]

Is that what he said?

[ he shakes his head ]

I never thought you were using me.

Of course it's what he said.

[He says it and there's a touch of something...wistful there. Or sad.]

But I would rather he think that than he think you were determined to kill Powers.

It's not right for you to take the blame for something I did.

[ It just seemed unfair. That Bruce would throw this back in Jason's face. Jason wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for Terry. ]

I should have told him the truth. I should tell him the truth.

[ Bruce would not doubt have removed him from being Robin and if that was the consequences? So be it. Better than letting Jason shoulder the blame for it. ]

You're not going to tell him anything.

[He says it with his voice pitched a little lower.]

You...and him...deserve a..real...

You deserve something good.

[He says it and he means it, oddly enough. Jason is perfectly at ease being Bruce's fuck up, and he doesn't mind that Bruce hates him for something else he did, when he hates Bruce for what he didn't do.]

But this is a bad business. You should get out.

[ He expects to be told not to say anything.

But he doesn't expect you deserve something good. His heart tells him differently. Being Robin's about the only thing that's made him feel worthwhile in a long time. He's made a mess of things though and honestly, he doesn't feel like he deserves anything. ]

You are good to me. Maybe better than he is.

[ He quiets, passing his coffee cup between his hands. ]

I owe you this, Jason.

[He looks at Terry with a look on his face that is almost hunger. He hasn't had anyone tell him that they owe him anything.]

He won't just bench you, Terry.

[He won't stop Terry from doing anything, but he wants Terry to think about it.]

He will cut you off. He'll cut you off from Grayson and Drake.

You stuck your neck out for me and got a broken nose for it.

[ He shifts. Being cut off isn't ideal, but honestly, still better than having to fight Bruce. ]

If he cuts me off, then I'm getting off easy.

[He takes a minute.]

If he does, come to me.

I will.

[ And he'll keep his word, even if it takes him a couple of weeks to do it. He tells Bruce that night, before he even gets dressed for patrol and it's chilling how cold Bruce becomes. Like everything warm in him has turned to ice and tells Terry to leave his gear and get out. He expects it. But it still hurts. Cause it feels like none of the last two years ever mattered. Grayson and Drake aren't available anymore and Alfred just gives him a hug and a sad sounding goodbye.

He doesn't reach out to Jason. Partly because he really just wanted time to himself. To grieve losing a dad all over again. But mostly because he doesn't know how, not until he remembers the burner phone Jason gave him. That's how he got where the new safehouse is and he goes because he's feeling restless and lonely.

Jason will find him sitting on a crate, back pressed against the wall. ]

Sorry I didn't knock first. Couldn't find the welcome mat.

[The thing is: Jason knew about it, but was giving Terry the room to come and check in himself. It was better, Jason knew, to get that out of the way before he invaded Terry's space where he might not be wanted.

He knew that someone was in his safehouse; he has cameras to let him know that kind of thing, so he isn't on edge when he comes in.]

Knowing how to get in is the welcome mat.

[He takes his coat off, strips off his gloves, and then his helmet.]

Where are you staying?

[ He's glad that he's expected. Makes him feel less cast out. Makes him feel wanted again. ]

Mom helped me get an apartment. But I've gotta pay half the rent myself.

[ Not that that's a bad thing. It was just easier when he spent most of his time at the manor. ]

I've got a job now. Busting my ass selling only the finest burgers.

You're not the first Robin to have to do that.

[He tips his head a little and runs a hand through his hair. He purses his lips a bit and considers what to say next, because it could go a lot of ways, including bad ones.

So.]

Which Batburger is it? One that gets knocked over a lot?

[ Maybe not. But from the looks of it, none of the former Robins were lacking in anything. Terry's still sitting on the ass end of broke. Whatever wasn't taken up by rent is absolutely not doing much for him now. It couldn't be helped. ]

Yeah. On 4th. They were cleaning up after a robbery when I got hired.

And I know what you're gonna say. No heroics. I know, I know.

You think I'm going to say that to you?

[He laughs a bit. Clearly not.]

I'm going to tell you that I'll press the local gangs out of the area.

[He doesn't like gang activity near Batburgers anyway, because kids go there for the dollar menu.]

[ Terry thinks about it for a minute then leans in, elbows on the table. Such good manners. ]

If you want some company, I can tag along.

You have gear?

[That isn't a no; it's a legitimate question. Jason has extra gear but it's not sized for Terry, who is built more like Red Robin or Nightwing. He'll have to find some if Terry didn't get out with his gear, if he left it at the 'cave.

Or Jason could just go and get it. He knows how to get in, and when to do it.]

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Tiny time skip?

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