( closed )

[imaginate]

Characters: Kyle & various.
Date: Nowish.
Location: Earth, Metal, and Wood Sector.
Situation: Various.
Warnings/Rating: Mind control related trauma, discussion of mass murder.

Comments

[hackingyoursensors]

"I was the one who asked." He watches Kyle play with his ring. Hal and John... gone.

He takes a bite of his ice cream, looking thoughtful and somewhat sad.

"But what about Soranik?"

[imaginate]

'Took me a while, but I fixed it.' This time the smile is real. 'Found out where most of them were, gave them back their rings and their badges. Dragged a few out from hell itself.' The words are serious, even if the tone isn't. He tries to downplay the horrors of his life. 'Universe is getting back on its feet. All four of us on Earth are serving with pride now. And...' there's a catch in his breath, 'that thing is locked down where it can't hurt anyone.'

He takes a bite of his ice cream, untouched for the past few minutes. 'This is my past. I can't - and I won't - change it. But this is a possibility for your future, and I'd rather we tossed an im there while we can.'

[hackingyoursensors]

Dick looks at Kyle. His gaze says that he knows that it wasn't nearly that easy. That he knows Kyle is downplaying it. An idiot could see that.

But his eyes flicker down to his ice cream again as if to say I'm not going to ask. Calling Kyle out on this? Would be a terrible idea.

"How can we make sure they believe me? If this thing has been locked up for centuries, they might not believe that it will break free."

[imaginate]

'They'll believe you.' If anything, he had complete faith in his fellow Earth Lanterns, and he is glad he isn't being called out on that pathetic downplaying. Really. He should know better than to fool a detective. Yet, he doesn't.

[hackingyoursensors]

He frowns, unable to keep the worry out of his expression.

"What makes you so sure? If they don't, there's no plan B."

[imaginate]

'It's called having faith.' He taps his spoon on the table. 'But if you like, I can give you a list of some very personal details only someone close to them would know, if they need convincing.'

1/2

[hackingyoursensors]

"If it's enough for you, it's enough for me."

It's likely Kyle knows them better than Dick does. After all, he rarely has time to hang around the Lanterns. If they're not saving the Earth, they're in space.

[hackingyoursensors]

"Although," he grins a little devilishly, "maybe I'll take that list for future reference."

It's a tentative subject change. Dick understands what he needs to understand, and he's inviting Kyle to change the subject.

[imaginate]

He chuckles, and then remembers the last detail. 'There's one more thing. If it happens, and you can stop it...' He puts his hand on the table, still as a statue. 'I won't become a GL.'

[hackingyoursensors]

And then the tentative smile disappears.

"What?"

He sounds... almost sad.

[imaginate]

'If nothing happens to the predecessor, the successor won't really be needed.'

[hackingyoursensors]

"Yeah, but..."

He looks down again, definitely sad.

"... you're a good Lantern, Kyle."

[imaginate]

He tells himself he doesn't need people's approval anymore. At home, he and Nightwing kept their distance from each other. Walked in different circles. That's not the case here. He's being told point-blank that he deserves this. Maybe in his timeline, he does. The Kyle over there? Maybe not. He doesn't know how different they are, but if they are anything alike—

'What's more important, getting the power of a ring, or protecting my family?'

It's that simple.

[hackingyoursensors]

"I know."

He knows about duty and self-sacrifice. He knows he would make the same decision if he were in Kyle's shoes.

"It sucks that you can't have both."

[imaginate]

Kyle reaches across the table and squeezes Dick's hand gently. 'If we all got everything we wanted we'd run out of space to put all the candy.'

It's a joke, because they both want things that are so much more than that.

[hackingyoursensors]

Dick smiles weakly. "We wouldn't want that."

He hesitates for a moment.

"You're still going to visit me, right?"

[imaginate]

'Come on. You seriously thought you could get rid of me?'

[hackingyoursensors]

Have an actual smile, Kyle.

"Just making sure you're still up to the task of actually finding me."

[imaginate]

'Is that a challenge, Half Pint?'

Because if so, accepted.

[hackingyoursensors]

"What do you think?"

Well this is... certainly one way to lighten the atmosphere.

[imaginate]

'I think it is. So what's my prize for winning?'

[hackingyoursensors]

"Hmm. How about a meal at an actual, non-skeevy restaurant in Gotham? I'll even throw in a tour of Mount Justice."

[imaginate]

'Mount. Justice.' He repeats it, and then starts laughing helplessly.

[hackingyoursensors]

"I didn't name it. The League did."

Beat.

"Then again, they do call themselves the Justice League so."

[imaginate]

'Well, we like to call ourselves the Just Us League, so it makes sense.'