ataraxion | video;

[ There's no telling how much effort it takes for Bruce to actually look tired in a video feed. It's something he's taught himself not to do: awake is awake, and stolen moments of sleep are sleep--cautious, batarang under the pillow sleep. The moments have to be separate, with very little in between, and so Bruce hardly knows tired any more.

What does the trick in the end - what really gives him the worn, haunted look of a man desperately looking for something that he can't find - is the memory of his parents, ghostly and just out of reach, talking to him with words that he just can't hear; a residual image left behind by the mask. He adopts it, weaves it into his story: gaunt, eyes dark from supposed lack of sleep, Bruce fumbles his device and turns it on as though he's just woken - in fact he's been awake for hours, scheming - staring bleakly down into the lens. ]

This place gets to you even in your sleep. [ A deliberate shudder, eyes jumping from one corner of his room to the other, as though something might leap from the shadows. ] Is anyone else awake?

[ Audio; Private to Crane, 5 minutes later ]

I don't suppose I might have a moment of your time? I know it's late, but this really can't wait.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Rachel is currently in the fourteenth floor kitchen making somebody's coffee. She's not really thinking that it's somebody's. Just that it's communal. She's also wide away as she takes a sip and faces her device. ]

Nightmares? [ She sets down the cup. Needless to say, she's awake and very used to getting up early. It's something she can't shake. ]

I take the precaution of a good book and a mug of hot milk. Are you all right?

[ Bruce's hair is very loose about his face. It's from his attempts to look as though he just woke up, and he smiles at the familiar face, reassured; a wry smile. ]

Memories. The two cross over sometimes, and they have a way of becoming...embellished.

I will be, I hope. Warm milk, rather than something more potent?

Well, it's a slippery slope, isn't it? Besides: milk tastes better.

[ Bruce seems to consider for a moment, seeming awkward. He doesn't know how kitchens work, okay. ]

Do you just replace it with the water in the electric kettle, or is there a better way?

I personally use a pot-- you can get the skin off the milk that way. Have you never made warm milk for yourself?

I had Alfred for that. Sometimes Rachel's mother would make it, but that was before... [ They left, because his parents had died. Warm milk and cookies--the same ones they'd steal off the top shelf. ] I haven't had warm milk since I was ten.

Well, perhaps it's time to change that. Is Alfred your brother, someone like that?

Oh, no. No, I'm an only child. Alfred was the family butler.

Oh!

[And his surprise is clearly written all over his face.]

Goodness. Well, it's really quite simple, I promise you.

[ Is it that shocking? Bruce doesn't know--or at least that's the impression he's intent on giving. Spoilt and coddled to the point of uselessness. ] And it definitely doesn't involve the electric kettle?

Would you talk me through it? I'll try it if I can't get back off to sleep.

[ The attempts work. She assumes he's just woken up. GJ, Bruce. ]

Dreams do that. I can't tell you how many times I've dreamt about college. But, it was never right. Either the buildings were all wrong or all my classmates were friends from childhood. Dreams throw everything off kilter.

Glad to be awake?

[He laughs quietly.]

It definitely doesn't-- and I will, but I really don't think you'll need me to help you. You do know when something is hot, don't you?

it gets you everywhere.

Maybe that's the point.

[ Caution, now. This is risky, much too risky. His finger is on the shortcut key that implements his encryption, he'll hit it if he has to. ]

You put your finger in it?

More than glad. Really, I'd...like to take my mind off it.

You're not in your room, maybe I could join you?

whose point?

The ship's, maybe. Or perhaps God's.

implying both are sentient.

and present.

We all have a right to choose what we believe.

[ The encryption goes up. There's something about that he wants to focus on, but it's not subtle enough for Bruce Wayne to pursue the question. The batcryption is visible to Selina, Stephanie and Blake, also. ]

It would be difficult to say that the ship wasn't present. Or perhaps you have a better explanation?

Edited 2013-02-20 06:55 (UTC)

As good a method as any other.

Sure.

[ She has nothing better to do. ]

Fourteenth floor kitchen. Where we met before I showed you the pool. [ The pool she'd found, anyway. There are multiple. ]

i don't.

but it isn't.
i don't expect you to trust that either.

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