064 [voice]

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick's voice is very flat and very depressed. He can't really deal right now.]

Costigan's gone. Off the Barge. I'm not - I'm not sure if he's coming back.

[Meaning, his item's stopped responding to him and there's no sign of him anywhere, and Dick has so many sads. He pauses for a moment like he's going to say something else, but turns off the

Comments

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[He takes note of the post but doesn't reply, already anticipating a different kind of fight than usual that night.

And indeed it is.

Responding to what he senses in Dick's mood, Slade's blows are harder and more precise, eliciting the most amount of pain while causing the least amount of damage. At some point, though, he stops, frowning a little as he considers the younger man. He's been through this with the Bats before, and it's never really sat well with him. Not quite.

He eyes the other for a moment, his mouth drawn into a thin line. Dissatisfied.]

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick's bruised and a little more winded than usual - even though he's getting his stamina back - but he's pushing himself and fighting angry, and Slade's absolutely right. He wants to get hurt, as fucked up as that is, and he wants to wear himself out fighting, like he's back home and fighting on the streets in uniform, doing some actual good.

So when Slade stops, Dick pulls back from the lunge he was planning on delivering and glares, frustrated.]

What?

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[Just a 'look', Dick. It should be familiar enough.]

You're an idiot.

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

Tell me something I don't know. [He is not in the mood for those looks, Slade.]

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[TOO FUCKING BAD. He is in the mood to give them.]

If you're that determined to punish yourself, throw yourself over the damn side and be done with it.

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

Don't tempt me.

[He's only half aware he said it, muttered quietly in sort of a half sigh, turning away to wipe sweat off his forehead.]

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[Yeah, he's just going to punch you in the face, Dick.

Enjoy that.]

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

[Well. That was uh. Unexpected.

At least his jaw isn't broken. :|

It catches him so off guard he drops like a stone, and he is just going to lay there until the world stops spinning. And then he is getting up and tying to kick your ass.]

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[Good luck with that, Dick.

He's just going to sidestep and knock you flat on your ass again until you take the hint.]

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

[That might. Take a while. Because he is pushing himself up and going right in to deliver another punch.]

[SPAM]

[terminates]

['Stubborn kid.'

Slade avoids the blow neatly and delivers one of his own, punching Dick hard in the gut.]

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

[Which immediately knocked the wind out of him. Dick gasped and collapsed, flat on his back, wheezing. For a second, he almost thought he'd been shot again, because it was hard to breathe and he was panicking even as he was trying not to, and he coughed violently, still trying to stay calm. After a moment, his breath evened out, but he didn't bother getting up just yet. He was sore almost to the point of just being numb, and he didn't feel like moving.]

[SPAM]

[terminates]

[Slade stares down at the prone figure, a hint of distaste coloring those chiseled features.

'Pathetic.']

On your feet, Grayson.

[Hard and unyielding.]

We're not done.

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

Why, so you can keep beating the crap out of me?

[It was a quiet grumble without actual venom - since after all, that was more or less what he wanted - and he was already pushing himself up, facing Slade and ready for the next blow.]

We're not?

[SPAM]

[terminates]

No.

[And sure enough, the attack comes -- a kick this time.]

You're sulking.

[SPAM]

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah, well - [He's ready for it and blocks the blow, before bringing up a fist, aiming to hit him in the good eye.]

I've had a really shitty couple weeks.