You would not believe how hard Alfred had to push to get him out of the penthouse.

[i_own_this]

In Gotham, weird is relative. In comparison to the bat-themed vigilante, the scarred murder-clowns and their fangirls, the mind-control otakin, the C.H.U.D.s, et cetera, seeing one of the richest men in the world hanging out at the local cafe/bookstore, drinking a latte and coping notes out of a book on... is that Chinese herbal medicine...? is

Comments

[agent_m0thman]

The sleepy looking teen staring at a laptop and drinking the last shot of espresso the cafe will give him today doesn't seem to think so.

Granted, the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man could be sitting in the cafe and Dib might not notice. He's still not sleeping well and has been avoiding his apartment to hide from certain neighbors.

[i_own_this]

Whatchya doing on that laptop, Dib? Huh?

"Hey," he says -- not from behind him (not wanting to give the poor kid a heart attack), but moving into his field of vision from the right -- "Dib, right?"

[agent_m0thman]

If Bruce can understand the wall o' text on symbolic logic that Dib is looking at, he'd appreciate a tutor. When not firing on all cylinders, logic is not the best thing to study.

He jumps anyway. He's jumpy and some random person is talking at him...

A random very rich person oh my god what. "Uhm, hello. Yes, it's Dib, Mr. Wayne..."

[i_own_this]

Bruce was always fond of logic. Nice and clean and sensible. Pares the world down to A and B and therefore C.

"Good to see you again. Are you okay? You don't look too good." Bruce 'Obvious' Wayne.

[agent_m0thman]

Dib will be fond of logic later. After he can sleep for more then two hours at a time.

"Sorta. Arkham was fear gassed. Got caught in it." And now they won't give him more espresso, Bruce. Something about 'fatal dosing'.

[i_own_this]

"I heard about that." He does look something like actually concerned, even. "Have you seen anyone about it? The Gotham Victims Advocate Foundation has some good resources."

[agent_m0thman]

"I'm, uhm, actually seeing Dr. Stark." Because the man is less likely to have Dib committed for his recreational gassing.

[i_own_this]

"Really?" Well, that's... "He has some experience with that kind of thing, I hear. His open house got gassed last year."

[agent_m0thman]

"Yeah, my girlfriend mentioned it. That's mostly why I'm seeing him, rather than some shrink picked out of a hat."

Well, that's kind of the truth. From a certain point of view.

[i_own_this]

Bruce is all about 'certain points of view.' He nods. "I think the GVA has recommendations on their website, but personal word of mouth is even better. I think that's how he gets a lot of patients."

[agent_m0thman]

"That's how he gets all of his patients. His office is too remote to get walk-in's and he didn't have any way to advertise for a long time..."

An idea!

"Would you know of a good area for him to move offices to? I know he's looking."

[i_own_this]

That's a rather good idea, too! Why didn't he think of that?

"I have a few buildings mid and uptown. Respectable neighbours, and right in the middle of a lot of traffic flow. I could even get him a reduced rate."

[agent_m0thman]

"That's... Wow. Really?" Oh, look how excited he is. "That would be very nice of you, sir."

Dib, you don't work there, Livvie does. Calm down.

[i_own_this]

"It's my pleasure. He's a good guy." It's a skill honed over many years, lying through his teeth like that.

"I'll bring it up next time I see him."

[agent_m0thman]

Could he teach Dib that skill? He'll need it soon.

"That be great. Mention it to his secretary, too. She's more interested in the move then he is..."

And that's all Bruce should say to her. Ever.

[i_own_this]

"Livvie? Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks."

Oh God, he knows her name. PICKMAN WAS RIGHT, DIB.