It's Christmas!

[alderwood]

Characters: Baby turtles and you!
Date: December 25/26/27!
Location: All over Keeliai!
Situation: The baby turtles are hatching, and Christmas spirit comes with them!
Warnings/Rating: Please include warnings in comment subject lines, otherwise have at!

OOC Announcement

Comments

[cowled]

[Bruce raises an eyebrow at the admission, and doesn't reply right away. Those that know him, Kal expected, prefer not to admit weakness, because they know all too well what he's willing to do with them. Almost, he's faintly surprised. And it occurs to him that despite the fact that he could put together a complete psychological profile on Arthur, anticipate his moves in combat, and perhaps even manipulate him into positions he might otherwise resist, he doesn't actually know him at all.

He has so many colleagues, but few of them are anything he'd call friend, and Arthur may as well have just slapped him in the face with the resultant epiphany.

Batman, by nature, doesn't cultivate friendships. Some have been foisted on him in his time, namely by Kal and Diana, but he never approaches them willingly. And Bruce...

He thinks about Thomas Elliot. Hush, as he's known now. No, even Bruce Wayne doesn't fare too well in that arena. Public, private. Old ghosts are always at the edges of his perceptions, and grief defines him. But he's chosen light and hope before. Perhaps this is one more venue where it's needed.]

Are you sure you should be telling me that?

[His tone is curiously devoid of anything, the statement effectively neutered of all sentiment.]

[relentlesstide]

[Arthur's answer is honest and straightforward, accompanied by a slight shrug.] No, I'm not. But sometimes progress doesn't come without someone making a leap of faith.

[Maybe it's the season, maybe it's the fact that today was one of the best he's had since Mera disappeared in October, maybe it's even the fact that without her, he feels more alone, more isolated. Maybe some part of him is tired of being an outsider with the League or that the frustration of his team not doing all they can to work together on this is getting to him. Whatever the reason, he's not entirely sure of it himself, but there's a truth to his statement; he and Bruce will never move on as coworkers and friends if they don't try to change. Their constant alpha male standoff has them stagnating, standing on the precipice, and maybe Arthur feels like he should at least try to change that the way things changed with Clark here.

Bruce has never really been one for change, but Arthur knows the value of adapting to the currents of life. He's leapt over the edge, and it's time to see if Bruce will follow, will show Arthur that he can be trusted. If not, they can continue to stagnate, but at least they can say they tried.]

Merry Christmas. [And with that, he tips his beer as if in a toast.]

[cowled]

[His silence is a calculating one, but it's tinged with a different flavour than his usual grim suspicion. It's the silence of a man who is examining the various facets of his life in an entirely new light, and perhaps even finding them wanting. He inhales enough to feel his breath catch on a rib, lately cracked, and then he glances away.

Batman has always been characterized by being someone who does what's necessary, no matter the personal cost. But time, experience and family has taught him that it's not the only way to live. In fact, it's not living at all. He's spent more of his career than anyone should simply waiting to die - not looking for it, per se - but expecting it at every turn, around every corner, at the bottom of every dark pit and in the culmination of every tough fight. But for the past two years, he's gone over the public speech in his head, the one he'll give to the public when he announces Batman to the world. Perhaps it's time, also, for this.

He goes from being perfectly still to motion with no transition or outward indication he'd planned to move, and he reaches over, knocks his bottle against Arthur's.]

And a Happy New Year.