metalogs | ( open ) and what's the worst you take

Entry tags:

( open ) and what's the worst you take

Who: Bruce Wayne/Batman

batsymbol
What: July Catch-all, Bruce assimilating to things, Batman being Batman
When: Throughout July, some August things too
Where: Primarily Central City, will mention otherwise
Content Warnings: TBD but let's just say Bruce being Bruce and Batman being Batman.

BRUCE or BATMAN

open to both [brackets] and prose, i'll follow your lead if you have a preference. if you want something else with bruce or bats, shoot me a PM or PP at

telekinetics to discuss. otherwise things we've planned/discussed can be dropped in here as well. starters in comments.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( of course there's a test. he wants to see what sort of skill level dick is at when it comes to all this. especially when running around in a hoodie and glasses.

at least he's willing to go along with it and doesn't need to be talked into it.

when dick lunges for him, bruce twists in a way that's fluid, hand reaching out to both block and grab dick's leg there. he's not looking to hurt him after all. which is why the bulk of his own moves will be more defensive for the most part.

for the most part. )

[ He's never beaten Bruce in a fight. Even getting a clean hit on him that isn't immediately blocked is a big ask. Because Dick is very good at what he does, but he's not Batman good.

Still, he's not one to half-ass training and he won't start now.

The grab is good, actually, because it gives him something to work with. He kicks off the ground with his other foot, throwing his weight back and kicking up toward Bruce's chest. ]

( this isn't just to see where dick is at in terms of skill in combat. it's also a way for him to test his own skills against someone who's a little more of a challenge in terms of combat. the ones he ends up pummeling into the ground... a lot of the time they're not trained in various styles like he is. so this is a good opportunity for him as well.

though mostly curiosity.

the kick is good even if bruce leans back from it, grabbing dick's foot there with his other hand, and spinning him, essentially. in doing so, he'll let him go — let him drop to the ground in whatever way he might land. )

[ He catches himself with his hands at the last moment, turning the landing into a backwards roll. Not wanting to lose any momentum, he darts forward again, trying to throw a punch but side-stepping at the last second to throw off his predictable trajectory. ]

( there's a blink of surprise that's fleeting when dick goes and side-steps like he does, but it's replaced easily enough with a huff of laughter just barely there on his lips as he brings an arm up to block. )

Quick thinking.

( he commends, twisting around swiftly and throwing a pulled punch towards dick.

defensive for the most part after all. )

[ Dick flashes him a smile. He sees the punch and decides to duck it, dropping low to the floor, leaning back on one heel and going for a leg sweep. Or hit, rather, since he doesn't intend to put his full force on it. There's no way he could knock Bruce down like this, but he did say "hit" not "knock down."

Bruce will notice, over time, that Dick prefers to dodge rather than block, simply because his style relies on momentum. Blocking breaks his flow. Falling does the same. His fighting style is a unique blend of several, carefully improved upon and refined over the years. ]

( he's picking up on dick's style with this little exercise of theirs and it's exactly what he wants to see. where his strengths are — what maybe needs to be worked on, and how he handles himself in a fight.

seeing that sweep coming, he uses dick's shoulder — grasping it with a hand — and pushes himself over the other, letting his hand drop down quickly to grab at the back of dick's shirt instead when he lands behind him. )

[ He turns toward Bruce instead of away, trying to twist and duck under his arm to force Bruce's arm to bend unnaturally. While he's twisting, he aims an elbow at Bruce's stomach. ]

( he'll give him that. he'd expected him to turn away from it rather than towards, so. when dick's elbow gets him at his stomach — thankfully padded from the suit — he gives a bit of an oof as he releases his grip on dick and lets himself fall back onto his ass.

even so, there's a huff of laughter there on his lips. )

Alright. I surrender.

[ Dick looks surprised for a moment that Bruce actually took the hit. Did he do it on purpose? Or perhaps Dick's unconventional style caught him off guard. Regardless, he doubts that move will work again. Bruce rarely makes the same mistake twice.

He gives Bruce a lopsided grin and holds out his hand. ]

I graciously accept your surrender.

Not bad.

( he offers, taking the other's hand as he pulls himself up slowly. you've got his weight, right, dick? when he's up, he takes a breath. )

You still need something better than what you've got on, though.

( at that, he drops a hand down against the top of dick's head as he passes him by for the table again, steps heavy as he goes. )

[ Dick leans back to maintain his old on Bruce who is obviously just messing with him at this point. ]

Thanks. I have an overwhelming amount of practice.

[ Again with the hair-ruffling. Both Bruce and Jason are lucky that he hasn't been putting gel in his hair. ]

Jason said he and the others will sort it out. [ He sighs. ] My gear not coming with me has been an issue.

( if there's a silver lining to any of this for him, it's that he at least came in with his suit, as well as the batmobile. everything else he needs to figure out and build up from scratch again, but. at least not those two things. again, silver linings.

a glance over to dick as he stands there at the table and sorts through some things, he looks back down, putting together something before he sets it aside. )

I'm sure they will.

( it's said a little softly. he and the jasons not exactly on the best of terms, apparently, out of the others. )

Before you get any ideas, this isn't where I'm settling down. ( he gestures with a look around. ) I just needed some place for a day or two.

[ Dick observes Bruce as he walks over to the table. It's hard to read this Bruce like he usually does with his own. It's weird, but it's actually a relief. It separates this Bruce from the one he knows back home. It makes this all a little easier.

Dick snorts. ]

I'm not going to bug the place. I don't have any and, even if I did, I'd use it against the bad guys not... [ a friend? family? an ally? ] ...you.

I didn't mean that.

( he looks down as he says that — gives a shake of his head. hands coming to rest on the table, he leans on them as he looks across it to dick. )

I meant if you came looking for me. If you... ever needed to.

( he looks down again, face scrunched up some. he's not really sure dick would need to, what with having jason and the others, but. he figured he'd let him know either way. )

I'm still looking around.

Oh. [ Dick shrugs. ] If I need you, I can just call. Don't worry, I can hide messages within messages easily. If I had my usual gear, I might be able to set up a comm but...

[ And he's not sure if TJ or the others set Bruce up with the 'family' communicator. ]

What's wrong with this place? Bad location?

[ Not that he knows exactly where they are, given he couldn't see out of the windows for most of the trip here. ]

It's not what I'm looking for.

( doesn't have the space or things he needs. granted, he's not exactly trying to find a duplicate for the wayne tower nor the wayne terminal beneath it, but. something similar, maybe.

moving around the table, he goes to the other one there where his laptop is still running, checking over something as he does. )

Wherever it is, it's probably going to need fixing up — source of underground power that can be tapped into since I'm not exactly looking to broadcast where it all is.

( the batcave, he means. )

[ Dick puts his hands in his pockets and looks around the room more closely. Though calling it a 'room' is generous. ]

Finding something off-the-grid is going to be tough. And you're definitely going to have to provide your own bats.

( even with looking down at his laptop, there's a faint tug at the corner of his mouth. a look of amusement, brief as it is. )

I'm sure I'll manage.

( with the place and the bats.

but, speaking of the creatures, he looks up and over to dick then. )

I'll give you a ride back to Jason's.

[ Nice try, Bruce. ]

Do you know where that is?

[ Dick assumes not, but maybe he was being too sloppy and got spotted. ]

( that was [mostly] completely innocent. )

No. But I can take you somewhere close by.

( he honestly doesn't want things to be difficult between dick and jason. )

The best place would be where we met up. [ As if 'intervening in a beatdown' is the same as meeting up for lunch.

Dick leans against the table, looking thoughtful. ]

Jason's kind of weird. Not bad weird, just weird weird.

( weird is certainly a word for him. bruce can think of a couple others, too. )

Do you trust him?

[ Dick stops and thinks carefully. He prods his instincts for any kind of doubt. ]

Completely. Same with you.

Edited 2023-07-11 15:29 (UTC)

( having not entirely expected that, he can't help but drop his gaze to the table. it's in that moment he starts wondering what he's doing here. the tracker, the batarang, the bringing dick back to this temporary spot — the impromptu sparring that led to him actually laughing a bit with playing around despite also seeing what dick was capable of. he's not dick's bruce wayne... not his batman... he shouldn't get attached.

teeth worrying his lower lip, he looks up then, grabbing his cowl as he moves away from the table. )

Don't forget your stuff.

( the batarang and tracker, he means. )

( open ) and what's the worst you take

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