grab your hat, get your coat, the cellar door is an open throat (open/closed)

[overlyprecocious]

Who: Tim Drake overlyprecocious, others
What: catch-all post for late April/early May. some post-Jason fight things.
When: late April, early May
Where: Dick's apartment, other places tbd
Content Warnings: dissociation, references to childhood neglect and abuse, (so far) light reference to food insecurity

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[overlyprecocious]

It... shouldn't be a surprise that someone else enters the safehouse, given that Jason gave him a list of names that also had access. Only three of them were referenced as being kids, and he already knows Nico, so that makes this Dylan or Hunter, probably.

"Hi. I was just looking around." 'Looking around' here meaning 'examining the food stash and trying to decide if it's adequate'. "Jason invited me." And hopefully that invitation is still good.

[codicies]

Well, he knew enough to namedrop Jason right away, at least. Dylan looks him over, trying to get a read on the stranger.

"Okay, cool," he says, trying to sound casual. "How do you know Jason?"

[overlyprecocious]

"He's my older brother," Tim says, not quite able to make it sound comfortable right now but - well. It's not like things went well with Jason last time they talked. And he hasn't even tried to reach out like the other Jason did. "It's complicated."

[codicies]

Dylan stifles a laugh. "Yeah, been there." He brings his bookbag over to the table and settles down in the chair, pulling his phone from his pocket — he's facing the stranger, so he can't see the screen when he pulls up a texting app and shoots a message to Jason.

> Someone new is up here. Says he's your brother?

> not injured or anything.

He speaks as he types. "I got a ton of siblings back home. Complicated doesn't even begin to describe it."

[overlyprecocious]

He may not be able to see the texts, but he can guess what Dylan's doing. Which is fine. Unless Jason actually doesn't want him here anymore, in which case he might be about to get kicked out. Hopefully he'd be nice enough to not make Dylan do it.

"I have more here than I did at home. It's kinda weird. Especially since I used to be an only child."

[codicies]

Dylan smiles at that, pocketing his phone as he reads Jason's text. "I hear that. I thought I was an only child for a long time."

He's not really sure how much you're supposed to share. What's the appropriate amount of Sharing Tragic Backstory?

"Turns out I had siblings, and a dad, and grandpa was just a dick." There. That's... not oversharing, right? "I'm Dylan, by the way. Probably should have led with that."

[overlyprecocious]

"Tim," he says, unknowingly Filling the Prophecy. But hey, at least now he knows who Dylan is. That just leaves Hunter, and he'll have identified all the kids who're allowed to be here. "Mine're all adopted."

Beat.

"Kind of adopted? I'm not actually adopted, but I'm still kinda part of the family."

[codicies]

"Mood," Dylan says with a nod.

He knew that Jason's family situation was complicated, and had gleaned bits and pieces here and there, but... should really ask more questions about it one of these days.

He glances about the room, motioning toward... all of it it with a sweep of his arm. "Well, here it is, the big event: The safehouse. Make yourself at home."

Text

[robintohood]

Jason was in one of his safehouses cleaning a gun when he hears a ping. He puts down his tools and cleans his hands before checking his phone. Then he pauses when he read Dylan's text.

Right. He did tell younger Tim about Descendant having an attic safehouse. They last talked on April 27th when Jasons the fought each other and triggered younger Tim. It wasn't until afterwards that Jason realized what he had done. He's 0 for 2 on good encounters with younger Tim so far and the last one was such a disaster for everyone involved.

The worst part about it was Jason had talked to Dick and older Tim before the fight and knew young Tim had issues with hearing family members fighting each other. And yet, he still did what he did. What shitty brother he is.

He still doesn't know what to say or do with younger Tim yet and he's also been distracted by other issues that had come up during the deathday fight. It... hasn't been a good May for Jason so far.

After staring at the screen for several minutes, Jason finally types and sends a respond to Dylan:

If it's Tim, yeah. That's fine. I told him about the place and that he can drop by anytime. Let me know if you guys need anything

There. A straightforward response, he's still keeping his distance, and still leaving the metaphorical door open. Good enough for now, right?