(no subject)

[the_caped_crusader]

WHO: Bruce and/or Batman & YOU
WHERE: Around the three cities
WHEN: Over the last week of July
WHAT: Batman has been notably absent for the past few months, until now
WARNINGS: None, will adjust as needed



[ after his run in with selina at the costume ball last month, bruce decided he needed some time to himself. to figure things out. what those things were exactly, well... that was one of the things. whatever questions that lingered for her, he was left wanting for answers when the seductive smile that greeted him was one from his past. she would have had no idea what he was talking about, nor did she even seem to be able to comprehend the idea of a future together. it wouldn't have been fair to her.

so he dropped off the map without warning. it wouldn't be the first time, really. and his family would have expected him to show back up just as enigmatically, as though he hadn't been gone at all. well, now was that time...

bruce shows up at wayne enterprises one day, amidst the rumors that their biggest competitor-- tony stark-- was gone. it was such a big deal that one of this world's biggest staples was gone that the employees around him hardly noticed he had come in. well, all the better for it, really. bruce never did care for undue attention. if you're an employee, a family member, or just someone who managed to catch him in between things, maybe quietly grabbing a black coffee from a cafe somewhere, maybe you want to say hello.

or maybe you're one of his other acquaintances, the kind who hang around the streets at night. during your routines you may hear yelling and the dull thud of his fists on bruised flesh that you come upon batman beating the holy hell out of whatever thugs were unlucky enough to come into his attention. if you're one of the types to be more intimately familiar with him, you may notice that he's a little more aggressive than usual. ]

Wildcard

[ if neither of these prompts do anything for you, please hit me up with absolutely anything you want. or message me on BATGUY to plan something! ]

Comments

[divaricate]

[ She's one of the latter ones -- the hanging around the street kind. In her own hero-ing outfit, red scarf pulled up just under her eyes, she comes up a few feet behind him. Several, really. And when another one of the thugs tries to join in, she gives an unseen smirk. ]

I don't think so. [ Said mockingly, and scarlet wisps encircle the new one wanting to have fun too, she lifts him, turning him until he's upside down and freaking the hell out. She might just leave him like this for a bit. ]

[the_caped_crusader]

[ batman pauses, fist poised above his prey. when he turns his eyes, it's peripherally, keeping his head swiveled towards the cowering man in his grip. ]

I saw him, you know.

[desmodusdraculae]

[Kirk indeed is drawn to the sound, his tentative hopefulness washing away as he realizes it's not exactly something he wants to get in the middle of. In a costume of his own--similar and yet completely different--he perches on a nearby fire escape.]

I'd heard that you were the more civilized one.

[No judgement. After all, he sees nothing wrong with the brutal display.]

[the_caped_crusader]

I've been called a lot of things over the years. [ *WHAM!!* another crack across the thug's jaw. ] That doesn't tend to be one of them.

[desmodusdraculae]

I can see why.

[Still, he made Kirk--and the rest of the Justice League--look like goddamn angels right now, considering the guy's still in one piece. And breathing. And his blood is still in his body... mostly.]

Any chance he has a friend?

[the_caped_crusader]

What's left of them, anyway.

[ he nods his head back behind him to the small group groaning on the ground. ]

Knock yourself out. Just keep them alive.

[desmodusdraculae]

[His eyes go from the other bat to the fallen thugs nearby.

Well that's hardly fun.]

The only joy I'd get from them is dinner--and I doubt you'd approve.

[And yes, he can leave them alive in the process.]

[the_caped_crusader]

[ one more crack against the jaw puts the man in his hands out for good, and he drops him unceremoniously to the ground. ]

And I thought I tended to take my aesthetic a little too far. So, you're what, then? A vampire?

[desmodusdraculae]

More or less... Though you make it sound like I went out of my way to make a theme.

[He shrugs, using the collapsible wings of his costume to glide the remaining distance to the ground.]

The press gave me my name. Superman suggested I keep it.

[The name has special significance to him, but he isn't about to go all highlander over it or anything.]

I'm sure you just really liked bats.

[Says the guy that just really likes bats.]

[the_caped_crusader]

You're right. [ he brushes his hands off. ] I just really like bats.

[ said dryly, and without an ounce of sarcasm. he glances back over his shoulder, pausing. ]

You're not me.

[desmodusdraculae]

[Another shrug. Whatever this guy's reasoning is, it's none of his business.]

Sorry to disappoint you. I'd give you my name but apparently whenever someone with pointy ears does that someone has a heart attack, like I just killed their cat or something. Apparently it's a bat taboo.

[the_caped_crusader]

Oh, you're not disappointing me.

[ he turns around, finally. ]

I've just run into a number of Batmen lately. One who isn't Bruce Wayne is a refreshing change, actually.

[desmodusdraculae]

If this wasn't an alternate world situation, I'd accuse you of being in poor taste. The Waynes were murdered years ago, including their son.

[He pulls off his cowl, meeting the other man's gaze.]

My name's Kirk Langstrom.

[the_caped_crusader]

Kirk Langstrom...

[ he pauses, and stifles a laugh. ]

Yeah, I guess that makes sense.

[batricide]

You know, if you give them a TBI that defeats the purpose of not killing them.

[ he really has no room to talk after the clown murder stunt he just tried to pull, but here he is, watching his father with his head slightly cocked and his eyes narrowed. ]

[the_caped_crusader]

I spent more than two decades learning from some of the most dangerous people on the planet on how to punch people in the face.

[ *WHACK!* ]

I think I've got it.

[batricide]

And people call me arrogant.

[ But he's staying to watch the show. ]

[the_caped_crusader]

Well, you know what they say. The apple doesn't fall far.

[ and then one, two, three more for good measure. maybe three or more too many, but enough to put him out for good. ]

[batricide]

[ Which is really worse in every single way. He watches the guy fall like a sack of bricks, tutting.]

I take after Mother.

[the_caped_crusader]

You've certainly got the following me around part down.

[ he turns, looking up. ]

What do you want, Damian?

[batricide]

What, I need a reason to spend some quality time with my dad?

[the_caped_crusader]

You know, every time one of my children tends to say that to me, they usually plan on being an asshole about it.

[ *coughJASONcough* ]

[batricide]

Maybe you shouldn't make such miserable assholes out of your children then.

[ he steps a little closer, appraising the damage to the poor punching bag of a man. ]

[the_caped_crusader]

You're the one wearing the costume, Damian. This is a whole new world, you could hang it up whenever you wanted. Nobody's twisting your arm.

[ he stands as stoically as ever, letting the boy pass him with little reaction. ]

I hear software development is pretty lucrative these days.

[batricide]

I don't wear it for you.

[ He throws a sharp look over his shoulder, all good humor gone from his voice. ]

Somebody's got to be around to do what you won't.