[video]

[sharpes]

For the record? This 'mainland' bullshit sucks.

And not in the fun way.

Just saying.

[Somebody looks frazzled and grumpy and god he's putting miles on that pout of his. Because fuck yo' mainland, man.]

Comments

[sharpes]

I need assurances that he's in no way anywhere near as awesome as I am. I'll wait.

[he folds his arms.

but he's.

you know, at least half joking.]

How do you kn-- oh god, nevermind is this some sort of crazy Bat thing?

[controlledvariable]

No one's as awesome as you. And Nick definitely isn't.

[There, happy?

The question gets a laugh] Only kind of. My early experiences with handcuffs were thanks to daddy dearest and his assorted friends. Being a Bat just meant I learnt how to get out of them. [a beat, and then a little concern] Wait, has no one taught you how to break out of handcuffs?

[That's vigilante lesson number one!!!]

[sharpes]

I'll take it.

[Kanyeshrug.

Also there is too much in that statement that needs replying to and for a moment he just stares at her.]

Uh. What?

[TO... EVERYTHING...?]

[controlledvariable]

[What what?]

Which part needs clarifying?

[This is all normal to her]

[sharpes]

Father? Handcuffs?

[He knows the guy's a criminal but por fucking que?]

TW: mentions of child abuse

[controlledvariable]

The guy was an asshole. [She opens her mouth to say something more, then closes it again.

None of this is really a big deal to her, but she realizes Brandon probably doesn't want to hear "he got creative after I learnt how to unlock the closet door from the inside"]

Little girls make for good protection against cops. Or superheroes, in some cases.

[That's... slightly less terrible, right?]

[sharpes]

Wow. That's.

[He actually has to take a drink of hot chocolate just to think about it for a sec.]

Not terrible or anything.

[controlledvariable]

It wasn't the worst it could be. [Because

Cass's dad

is a thing]

You never answered my question about whether you've been taught to get out of handcuffs.

[obvious subject change is obvious, but it's for Brandon's sake more than hers, considering how he looks]

[sharpes]

Uh. No. I skipped that lesson of vigilantism 101.

[BABY YOUR LIFE.]

[controlledvariable]

[Good subject change, Brown. A+]

You seriously have to tell me if any of your Avengers turn up because I need to have words with them.

[How do you not teach kids how to break out of handcuffs that's basically neglect]

I'll teach you.

[sharpes]

The people we fight don't use handcuffs.

[Besides it's not like he couldn't break out of them if he tried.]

[controlledvariable]

[Now it's her turn to look alarmed and/or concerned, which she's going to deal with sarcastically]

Because obviously it's a great idea to send kids up against people like that.

[Sorry Brandon but you're technically a kid]

[sharpes]

Nobody was sending us anywhere, Steph. That's why we were in school. Because the choice was... that Osborn freak made us part of his war. The Avengers were trying to make sure we didn't kill ourselves in the aftermath.

[Literally and figuratively, he guesses.]

[controlledvariable]

[She can't really help but think of Damian, and she curls in on herself slightly, hands tight around her mug.

If Osborn ever shows up, she's going to have a really hard time not killing him.]

Then you should be learning, not fighting people.

[BABY YOUR LIFE]

[sharpes]

We're never going to be normal or left alone. One of the guys, Mettle? He's basically this laid back surfer-dude from Hawaii. Yeah, well, he's also got no skin and a giant red indestructible skeleton. And Jen's basically stuck wearing a special hazmat suit for the rest of her life because she causes cancer just by being on the same, I don't know, continent as people.

[He hasn't said much about the people back home, and until that moment he didn't realize that he actually almost missed them.]

We're never going to be normal, and no one's ever going to let us be normal. We'd be painting targets on our backs if we were ever stupid enough to go outside and hang out with --

[He looks at her, and it's... briefly indecipherable.]

'Normal' people. And I don't mean-- I know you aren't like that, but lots of people are. I'm not a mutant but I don't think people care about genetics when they're building Sentinels or passing bills in the senate that restrict the jobs we can get or the people we can marry or what we can do with our abilities or not. I'm lucky. Me? I could pass. The others? Not so much. And the Avengers... they're the only people even trying to help us.

[His brow furrows. All he can think of is Tigra telling him to get out, that he was expelled-- all because of Hood, what he'd done.]

But the Avengers aren't going to be around forever, and-- we aren't gonna be teenagers forever either. If the war's already on my doorstep, I want to know how to fight it.

[controlledvariable]

[She listens without comment, waiting until she's sure he's finished and then a little longer as she makes her to properly think about what's been said. Everything about Sentinals and restricting jobs makes her frown, because it sounds like people with powers are, well, being oppressed, and it's nothing like her world that it leaves her a little confused. But she's not sure if she should ask.]

You're right, I'm sorry. [Not for the situation (she is, but it's not what she's apologizing for right now), she's sorry for talking about something she really has no clue about.

At the end of the day, she can put away her Batgirl suit and walk away from all this. It would be hard, but she could be perfectly normal, no one would know that she used to be vilgiante, she wouldn't have to worry about hiding powers or being an alien in a strange world or-- anything. The only thing that makes her different from a civilian is her training.]

I wish things were different, I wish they could be different, but I'm not from your world and I don't know what it's like and it's - stupid and idealistic to just wish for change.

I'm glad you're learning to protect yourself.

[sharpes]

You don't have to be sorry, babe. It's--

[He shrugs.]

It's never really been my fight, you know? I've seen it, or read about it in the news, or-- whatever but until Osborn it never really touched me. I've had these powers since I was... what, eight? But Mom knew how to spin it and she was willing to publish all my paperwork proving I didn't have the X-Gene-- hell, she even got this one doctor to run tests on national television.

[He rubs at his arm, a little... embarrassed, more than anything.]

So I feel kind of stupid talking about it like it's this big thing that's affected my life. Mutants get killed in hate crimes all the time. Usually ones that can't really defend themselves, like maybe their mutation is making plants bloom or something, or maybe they've got butterfly wings and you get the wrong crowd of people riled up and it's... bye-bye, freak.

[Talking about this with Steph is... a lot easier than it should be. He exhales.]

And yeah. Me too. Even if it's a pain in my ass. You ever been punched by Captain America? Not fun.

[controlledvariable]

[For maybe the first time, Steph actually likes Brandon's mother for something, for keeping him safe even if it meant more of a media parade, even if he looks a little embarrassed. She hates that it was necessary, but if she ever did meet Brandon's mom, she'd hug her just for that.

Everything else he says just makes her angry, but she swallows it down, because, well, anger is as useless as wishing. Brandon doesn't need it, it doesn't help the people who are being killed for something they can't control.]

People are awful. [It's all she can really say at first. They are awful, she's seen too many hate crimes and abuse and senseless violence to think otherwise, even if she still tries to have faith in the world to be better.]

I'm not-- I don't know if this is what you want to hear, but I think it's okay for you to talk about it, or feel, like it's affected you. You've still got powers and they're still your friends and it's... [she trails off with a frown, not sure what more she wants to say, so she ust decides to sum it up with:] You're not heartless, of course it's going to affect you.

[She doesn't quite smile, but her expression softens]

I have, he's got a hell of a right hook. [She's sparred with Steve a couple of times, occasionally he gets a hit in.]

[sharpes]

[When she says 'you're not heartless' he actually looks guilty for a moment. It's barely more than a micro-expression, but it's there. And then he's just shaking his head and laughing it off.]

No, not that Captain America. He's a lightweight compared to the one back home.

[controlledvariable]

[She catches that, because she'd been watching him carefully anyway, she's just not sure what to do with it. So she lets him laugh it off for now]

I wouldn't say that to his face. [but she doesn't sound that serious] Is he really that different?

[sharpes]

Well, he doesn't call himself 'Captain America' any more, for starters. There's a bunch of reasons, I guess. I don't really pay that much attention. He's older than this one and he's been through a lot more and he's one hell of a jerk when the situation calls for it.

[He makes a face.]

But he's a good teacher, I guess, if you don't mind broken ribs.

[controlledvariable]

I can't imagine him being a jerk. [Steve is basically a puppy, okay]

It's good he's teaching you all, even if he's not the same one. [Steve's a good fighter, and with the experience that extra years would give, it reassures her that Brandon and his friends are learning properly] But, hey, if you ever want a little extra training here, I can help out. I promise not to break any of your ribs.

[What a good girlfriend]

[sharpes]

[dryly,]

I'm not reassured.

[controlledvariable]

[Steph presses a hand to her chest, her expression one of feigned injury]

I'm hurt you'd say such a thing.

[sharpes]

Hey, I'm just saying. You're the super trained Wombat Girl.

[he is so teasing.]