There are times, when one stops fighting the current, and lets it carry them, or they sink.
Kyle sinks. The water flows over him and he can barely see the light, his fists are clenched, and the nails are digging into his palm. The words don't mean much to him as much as the tone does, the maelstrom of emotion Damian is holding back, and letting loose in small waves (because there's so much of it, nothing else can be done or the listener will drown. Like Kyle is drowning.)
The first thing he says is the first thought that came into his mind when he was listening.
'You shouldn't have told me this.'
His voice is quiet, and... brutally honest. He worked with Bruce, he wasn't supposed to get involved with family business like this. It was unprofessional, and he wasn't one of their people like the Arrows were. Yet Damian doesn't have anyone. Kyle wonders if he's even told Dick about this, that the reason he thinks he'll snap is because some undead Bruce clone (it would a funny phrase in any other scenario) told him he would destroy everything - that he was only meant to burn. A flawed clone, but Damian wasn't going to believe the thoughts were flawed. All children had to reach the point where they realised their parents were fallible by themselves.
He collects himself, and speaks. Still honest, but less brutal.
'He didn't consent to making you Robin because he didn't want the same life for you. The others, they all had a choice,' maybe not a very informed one, but they'd known, 'you had none. You were made to look at a field of poppies so you only saw red, and then taken to a field where everything was green, and expected to live there.'
A pause.
'I know because I don't want any child of mine to receive a ring.' I don't want any of my children, or any child at all, to have to live with the burden that their father will not come home. He would be proud, yes, but he would also be so angry. 'I know because... I saw one I trained...' he lapses into silence. Sodam Yat was burning inside the Daxam sun.
'Sorry, it. This is difficult.'
Another pause, and he exhales. There was the truth, and then there was what people wanted to see. Both of us think we are monsters, had been in their very first conversation. Had it only been a few months? It seemed an eon ago.
'I don't believe in destiny. Many Lanterns think they're born for the ring, because it comes to choose them, but the truth of the matter is we are all made, and we decide what we are, or change what we are into something else. Your purpose is what you define it as, no one else. You're Robin; that's yours. That's not going to stop being part of you unless you voluntarily let it go.'
(He's still sinking. But the surface is getting brighter. Kyle reaches for it.)
'I know you are the rest too.' A soft, frustrated noise. 'That's also part of you, but it doesn't rule you, and when it tries, you fight it. Like breaking my fingers. Honestly, with all the power I have, why would that even be so effective? Not because of the pain. Because it's you on the other end, and because of that, I would stand and fight it, as hard as I could. I made a promise to protect those who could not defend themselves against people with power. That extends to me - or something that has a hold on me - attacking you.' I keep my promises.
And with a click, he knows Damian's worst nightmare. He's known for a while, he finally puts a name to it: Damian doesn't fear losing people. He fears being the one to hurt them, and make them lost to him.
Kyle looks up at the sky (still swimming).
'I know when what I see is the truth.' It's what all artists have.
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Kyle sinks. The water flows over him and he can barely see the light, his fists are clenched, and the nails are digging into his palm. The words don't mean much to him as much as the tone does, the maelstrom of emotion Damian is holding back, and letting loose in small waves (because there's so much of it, nothing else can be done or the listener will drown. Like Kyle is drowning.)
The first thing he says is the first thought that came into his mind when he was listening.
'You shouldn't have told me this.'
His voice is quiet, and... brutally honest. He worked with Bruce, he wasn't supposed to get involved with family business like this. It was unprofessional, and he wasn't one of their people like the Arrows were. Yet Damian doesn't have anyone. Kyle wonders if he's even told Dick about this, that the reason he thinks he'll snap is because some undead Bruce clone (it would a funny phrase in any other scenario) told him he would destroy everything - that he was only meant to burn. A flawed clone, but Damian wasn't going to believe the thoughts were flawed. All children had to reach the point where they realised their parents were fallible by themselves.
He collects himself, and speaks. Still honest, but less brutal.
'He didn't consent to making you Robin because he didn't want the same life for you. The others, they all had a choice,' maybe not a very informed one, but they'd known, 'you had none. You were made to look at a field of poppies so you only saw red, and then taken to a field where everything was green, and expected to live there.'
A pause.
'I know because I don't want any child of mine to receive a ring.' I don't want any of my children, or any child at all, to have to live with the burden that their father will not come home. He would be proud, yes, but he would also be so angry. 'I know because... I saw one I trained...' he lapses into silence. Sodam Yat was burning inside the Daxam sun.
'Sorry, it. This is difficult.'
Another pause, and he exhales. There was the truth, and then there was what people wanted to see. Both of us think we are monsters, had been in their very first conversation. Had it only been a few months? It seemed an eon ago.
'I don't believe in destiny. Many Lanterns think they're born for the ring, because it comes to choose them, but the truth of the matter is we are all made, and we decide what we are, or change what we are into something else. Your purpose is what you define it as, no one else. You're Robin; that's yours. That's not going to stop being part of you unless you voluntarily let it go.'
(He's still sinking. But the surface is getting brighter. Kyle reaches for it.)
'I know you are the rest too.' A soft, frustrated noise. 'That's also part of you, but it doesn't rule you, and when it tries, you fight it. Like breaking my fingers. Honestly, with all the power I have, why would that even be so effective? Not because of the pain. Because it's you on the other end, and because of that, I would stand and fight it, as hard as I could. I made a promise to protect those who could not defend themselves against people with power. That extends to me - or something that has a hold on me - attacking you.' I keep my promises.
And with a click, he knows Damian's worst nightmare. He's known for a while, he finally puts a name to it: Damian doesn't fear losing people. He fears being the one to hurt them, and make them lost to him.
Kyle looks up at the sky (still swimming).
'I know when what I see is the truth.' It's what all artists have.