selfhelp | [IC] Appointments Post

And yet somehow you're the more suspicious person right now. [He's going to watch Billy squirm without intervention just yet. There'll be time for that if it looks like he's getting anyplace.]

I'd suggest you start answering qustions. You don't want to get to the bottom of this drop.

[Okay, he's reached borderline dizzy territory. He manages to grab the rope but he can't get his fingers to cooperate with the undying part, so he just. Dangles awkwardly.]

...Yeah, about that? I can actually fly, so I'm good.

[Try to threaten him again, this is fun.]

[His eyebrows raise. Always with the metas.] Really?

Let's see.

[And then Billy is released entirely.]

[Oh, there are safeguards, of course. The rope is only long enough to allow him to fall most of the way down. If "flight" turns out to be a bluff, the cord should catch him a few inches off the ground with nothing but a really bruised, sore ankle to show for it. And if he really does fly, then it'll give Robin time to assess his performance.]

["Let's see"? He can't possibly meanHOLY CRAP FREEFALL.

Billy only has about three seconds to consider the fact that Robin just dropped him to what could potentially be his death before his survival instinct kicks in. Thankfully flight is one of the spells he can pull off without chanting - he'd certainly practiced enough for it back when they'd first started training - so he indulges in the fall just long enough to wishful-think his way into believing it'll cause Robin some panic, and then, with a burst of blue energy, slows his fall to a complete stop, hovering there for a moment before he rights himself and floats back up to Robin. He should probably be angry about that, but his expression is more surprised than anything else. It seems to be a mood he's perpetually stuck in with this situation.]

You dropped me! I can't believe you actually dropped me! [A beat, and then-] You're not mad, are you?

[Don't smile, don't smile, don't smile, he can still batarang your face-]

[There's no panic. In fact, if flight really isn't an issue for this guy, then he gets zero points for showboating about it. He didn't even fall gracefully.]

If you can fly, dropping you made no difference. [He'll even cut the remaining bit of cord that was only symbolically holding Billy captive at this point.]

I'm still waiting for you to start answering my questions. [He'd birdarang your face, Billy. Robin doesn't bat-anything.]

[Billy snorts quietly, letting his magic do the work of keeping himself aloft and bending down in mid-air to give untying the rope an attempt. Good god, but it's tight. Stupid ninja boyscout knot skills.]

I'm still waiting for you to ask like a normal person instead of treating me like a criminal.

[Billy could just magic it off or something. No big deal.]

Fine. [Teeth gritted, he will indulge this game for the moment. Mostly because right now he's not sure if he should be expecting fireballs next.]

Would you please do me the favor of explaining. [You dirty filthy criminal scum.]

[Finally. Billy is sorely tempted to rub it in, but he knows that'll probably just result in another, better trap on a later date or something, and the last thing he needs is the trauma of Robin actually figuring out how to effectively trap him. Which he would, because he's Robin.

Not that it would help much with the talking part, but. Anyway. After a moment's consideration, he points upwards.]

Okay, I'm going back to the kitchen to make breakfast for my boyfriend. You can hang around out here if you want, but if you come along, I'll tell you whatever you want to know.

[Within reason, anyway. He doesn't wait for an answer, though, merely flies upwards to climb back through the 5th floor window. Come along, Boy Wonder.]

[Who says there won't be a more elaborate trap forthcoming? The longer he keeps Billy talking, the more information he'll have to file away for later.

For now, he'll follow, shimmying up the side of the building at the rate most people walk on flat land. Climbing's not hard.

That doesn't mean he likes this arrangement. The scowling is still happening. But you can make your toast, Kaplan. For now.]

[But he's been so nice about this whole situation, so why would you want to trap him again? 8D

Inside the kitchen, Billy's gone back to gathering his ingredients, and he's not surprised that Robin doesn't take long to catch up.]

...So, do you read comic books?

[... Comic books. Of course it's those damn books.]

So you're a fan.

[Robin is not amused.]

[Billy shrugs his shoulders, ignoring the look. The rope is detached and wrapped up on a chair by the counter, by the way. He defeated the knot with magic, not that he'll admit as much.]

Afraid so. Batman comics are pretty popular in my world, which is surprising considering we have "real" super heroes on the news every day.

[He'll be snatching that rope remnant and ninja-ing it back into his belt, thanks. Resources are really hard to come by here.]

And what makes you so sure they're accurate?

I can't be sure, not unless you say so. But I'm guessing they at least got a few details right.

[He lifts a brow at Robin, looking him up and down. The costume's pretty spot on, bro.]

[Excuse him, but this Robin wears pants.]

Let me try this a different way.

Does the name Slade mean anything to you? [IF YOU ARE WORKING FOR HIM, SO HELP YOU.]

Slade?

[Billy lifts a brow, slowly working towards trying to sort out a point in time for Robin now.]

Out of all the villains you could've picked, you went for Slade?

[If he's focusing on that guy, that means he's at least Titan-era...]

[NOT AMUSED NOT AMUSED SO NOT AMUSED.]

So you do know things. Tell me everything.

[...Well. Normally Billy is against sharing comic history with the characters in case he shares info that could screw with them, but Robin did ask, so okay.

He shrugs, and continues to make his toast while he launches into a long and surprisingly detailed explanation of this. Robin's free to cut him off whenever he wants or ask questions, but Billy can go on for a while.]

[It might not matter that Billy has a policy against spoiling characters, because Robin doesn't let him get very far. It's curious that this summary skips over the very-important-in-Robin's-opinion apprenticeship he'd done under Slade's demand, but when talk went to Terra it railroaded all over Robin's other sore point.]

What do you mean he had a relationship with Terra?? [She's like fourteen. That's. Robin doesn't even KNOW what to call that.]

[Billy makes a face.]

Yeah, I know- pretty skeevy, right? I have no idea why they did it, especially when comics are usually for kids.

[This face. That's his life you're talking about, Kaplan.]

[YOU ASKED, BRO. 8|

And if Robin's just going to stand there making faces, Billy will carry on with his explanation like he hadn't even been interrupted. :|]

[But Robin will interrupt soon enough, because he is most definitely not buying this.]

If you're trying to throw me off the trail, it's not working. You're saying things that don't match up with facts. [There are enough subtle canon differences to invalidate this entire line of reasoning. There's no way Slade would've been as hung up on apprentices if he actually had kids. And what the hell kind of name is "Deathstroke" anyway?]

Oh, it doesn't? Maybe you're from a different universe or something... or one I haven't seen yet. Apparently there's tons of different 'verses out there. Comics, cartoons, books- Batman's really popular.

[He's trying to keep things casual; he knows it's a weird thing to discuss, even if he hasn't experienced the surreality of it himself, yet.]

[It's good that Billy's trying, but it's still not what Robin wants to hear.]

I assure you I'm not a cartoon.

[IC] Appointments Post

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stupid html

I didn't notice :D

good 8[

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and then akai drowned in the wikia for a while, oh god

ahaha I'm sorry! D: Comics!Deathstroke is way more fucked up and complicated

don't be sorry, I picked the fanboy |D I will summarize tho

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