[OPEN/CLOSED] A Robin came a-knockin’

[robintohood]

Who: Jason Todd robintohood and you
What: Jason’s been deaged back to his early Robin years. Antics ensue. Also contains one special closed prompt
When: January 3rd-4thish, during the age swap event
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: None for now. Will edit if needed.

[Somewhere in Central City is a small boy in a red, yellow, and green costume. It’s hard to forget someone in a colorful suit like that.

That is, assuming you can catch a good enough look at him. He’s effortlessly using his grappling gun and parkour skills to swing around and jump rooftops. You might see him as he tries to get a lay of the land.

Alternatively, you might see him fearlessly (or recklessly, depending on how you look at it) pounce right on top of a would-be armed mugger. He might not know where he is but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop fighting crime. It’s what any good sidekick would do.]

Attic Safehouse above the Descendant Bar (Closed to people who use the safehouse)

[Later that night, Robin is exhausted but isn’t ready to trust just any place to rest for the night. For now, he’s just perched on top of the Descendant, near the attic window]

Comments

[codicies]

He's sorry, Sleeper. He's sorry. He's so sorry. But Dylan's been shrunk down to a two-year-old, and his brain is a mess right now. He has his memories, but so many of his skills have disappeared. He can't seem to form words, his walking is clumsy and uncoordinated, and his grip strength leaves a lot to be desired.

All of this leaves Dylan feeling helpless and scared. He just wants to go home to be in the safety of the farm house surrounded by his family. But Eddie hadn't even recognized him — and consciously, Dylan knows it's not Eddie's fault, even if he's lost the words to express it. But it still drags up old memories of feeling abandoned by his father, being left alone in the apartment for days or weeks.

It hurts. It hurts. And there's nothing he can do to soothe himself. He can't talk about his issues, he can't go to another room and do another activity, he can't get himself a snack, he can't go for a walk. All he can do is just... cry.

He's so sorry, Sleeper. He clings to Sleeper with huge handfuls of symbiote goo, burying his face in Sleeper's chest as he vents his frustration the only way he can right now.

[definecat]

Sleeper can feel the frustration and pain that Dylan is radiating, and as much as they try to soothe it, there's only so much a sibling can do. They're a little overwhelmed with having to deal with a kid, one who isn't fully verbal and yet has the memories of one much older.

"I've got you, I'm not going anywhere, kiddo," they tell him, unable to do more, just trying to get him to relax enough to get some of the rest his body so clearly needs.

[codicies]

Dylan doesn't remember his first go as a two year old, but given what he knows of his grandfather, he doesn't think he got this kind of soothing and comforting the first time around.

Once he'd gotten the story on Sleeper's origin, Dylan had to admit, he'd been a little envious that they'd gotten a childhood full of love and nuturing from their parents. He didn't resent them for it, but it still left a pang of longing in his chest.

Here, with Sleeper desperately trying to provide that same love to Dylan... those pangs are a little bit softer now. This whole shrinking mess is awful, and Dylan wants it fixed soon, but for now there is something nice about being held and nurtured by someone who represents love and safety.

Even as he's loudly wailing.

[definecat]

Sometimes the wailing hits just the wrong frequency, and they shudder a bit, but mostly manage to stay together, just walking and rocking and doing what they can. Since actually putting Dylan in one of the beds has been failing repeatedly, they're trying to just be soothing and slow and quiet and wait.

"We'll find out what happened, and you'll get better."