[It's a smallish apartment, third floor with easy access to the roof, in a part of town less likely to pay attention to a costumed teenager coming and going at all hours. Month-to-month rental, because Tim's not sure how long he's going to be here - long enough to get the Belfry up and running, all the kinks ironed out, but after that? He's not sure. Hasn't decided yet. It's not an easy thing, deciding what to do with the rest of your life.
He's not thinking about all of that now; he still has time to make up his mind, and anyway, Jason may be coming over, so that's taking up the majority of his attention at the moment. Tim's quietly tapping away at his computer, debugging code while he waits, trying his hardest to keep his attention from straying to every sound at the open window. Either Jason will turn up or he won't. Tim's extended the invitation, but at this point, what Jason does with it is out of Tim's hands.]
[ So they didn't get off on the right foot today and now Jason is on his way over to Tim's. This is probably a bad idea all around, but when has that ever stopped Jason? He wonders if he'll ever get off on the right foot with any of them- it's always so hit or miss. He's vaguely aware that today's fumble was probably on him, but whether he actually owns up to it or not is a whole other story.
He knows where Tim lives. He knows where they all live- just in case. In their line of work, it's always better to have a just in case, or to not so secretly keep tabs on each other without admitting it.
Jason takes his time, mostly because he's still trying to decide if this is a thing he should be doing, even as he climbs the fire escape leading to Tim's window and perches himself there. ]
If you leave your window open like this you never know what might come in off the street.
[They fumbled back and forth tonight; Tim's just as much to blame for how that conversation turned out as Jason. On some level, he knows that, which is why he issued the invitation for Jason to come over. So he could try to smooth things over, in his very Tim way, because if it's left up to Jason, Tim's guessing it would be another six months before he heard from Jason again, and Tim definitely doesn't want that.]
Ha. [Tim forces a laugh, flat and pointed, and sits back in his chair, arms outstretched behind his head, fingers interlaced.] Don't worry about me, I know how to handle the occasional stray.
[His arms drop back to the table, and Tim waves Jason inside. Not a single trap lies in wait.]
[ Tim's right about how Jason would have handled this. He's not big on reaching out when there's a slip in communication. Even on a good day it's a struggle at times and if he can deal with it later, he definitely will.
Tim gets a little more leeway because he doesn't actively try to drive Jason up a while. This was no big deal. ]
Do you offer to run diagnostics on all their phones?
[He climbs in, pulling the phone out of his pocket and tosses it at Tim in a way that doesn't leave why he would drop his phone off the roof to the imaginaton. Well. That, and the bullet. ]
[He catches the phone easily - thank you, reflexes and training - looks it over, and gives Jason the most severe side-eye.]
Really, Jason? Your phone's been shot?
[Somehow, Tim's just not even a little bit surprised. He sighs and starts digging through a pile of cords to the side of the computer for one that will fit the phone's charging port.]
No. I don't do this for everyone.
[Most of the people he'd do this for aren't as hard on their phones, or can afford to buy new ones immediately when they break.]
Well I didn't fling it off the roof and I wouldn't be clumsy enough to drop it, so.
[He tosses his helmet aside and rubs at the back of his head, making his hair stand up. Tim looks like he's in a better mood, at least. Jason figures he must've gone out for patrol. That seems to do the trick for all of them. If something was bothering Tim before, Jason wouldn't ask anyway. That's not really his thing.
He crosses his arms while he hovers for a moment, then glances over toward the kitchen.]
Hn. I'm gonna go raid your kitchen now. I hope you have something good.
[Ah, there's the right cord. Tim inserts one end into the phone and the other into the computer port and with a rapid tapping of the keyboard, he pulls up the program he needs to run a systems check.]
There's leftover pizza in the fridge, though I couldn't swear to how long it's been left over.
[The good thing about fighting crime as your number one preferred method of blowing off steam is that in a city like Gotham, you'll never run short on opportunities - which is good, considering how frustrating some people are. A nice long run across the rooftops and a prevented mugging later, Tim was more or less back to baseline.]
Sometimes I put it in the wrong pocket and it gets caught in the crosshairs. And hey, don't go snooping around in it while you're running your diagnostics. I'll know.
[Not that he keeps any of his more serious contacts in there, but still. He doesn't want Tim snooping around on his phone. He trusts Tim to a point, but there are times he still questions where their loyalties lie. They help each other out from time to time, but he knows he's nowhere near back in the fold... and he doesn't want to be. This is just fine for him]
I'll make it work.
[He goes to yank the fridge open, looking the contents over. It's about as bad as his is. Talk about frustrating. Half the point of coming over here was for the food]
[He's grinning, though, tapping out the command to execute the program to run a scan. Of course he'd snoop. Not while Jason's right here, though - that would be stupid.]
I would've ordered something, if I knew you weren't going to run off the second I'm done with your phone. [Just. Throwing that out there.] You said it was making a noise?
[He retorts. Tim can end up snooping if he wants to, but then, will Jason ever trust him completely? Answers lean toward no]
How long's that going to take?
[he has nothing else on his agenda tonight. He was going to have a drink, pass out alone. The contents of Tim's fridge isn't enticing, but not being alone kind of is. He side eyes Tim, then goes to grab the menus and heads to the couch, flopping down on it, putting his feet up on the coffee table]
[Luckily for both of them, Tim doesn't have any interest in pushing his luck with Jason at the moment. If this weren't a purely social visit - if Jason had information that Tim thought was worth the consequences of breaching what little trust he's placed in him, sure, Tim would snoop, hack, do whatever was necessary. But there's no mission tonight. Tim's interest is Jason and making an effort toward smoothing over the rockiness of their earlier exchange.]
Mmm, ten, fifteen minutes to run the scan thoroughly? Longer to implement the fix, depending on the results.
[... Is Jason actually staying? That's surprising, but Tim finds that he's pleased at the prospect.]
[ Is this purely a social visit? Is that what he's doing right now? All signs point to yes, but he doesn't do social visits, so he's not even going to think about it like that. Even though he's now sprawled out on Tim's couch like he's done this a thousand times before. ]
I'm sure it's fine. That noise it's making, it only happens when start typing.
[He's not big on texting anyway, or talking on the phone. Why does he even have that thing? Maybe because he's been using it more, lately. Tim bothers him all the time now. If he's staying, he's only doing so to bother Tim right back.]
[It's about as much of a purely social visit as Jason makes, so Tim will take it. He's not bothered at all; if he'd wanted Jason to stay away, he wouldn't have invited him over. When Tim wants to be alone, he's not subtle about it - that's the Batfam way.
Burgers he can do. Tim nods, digs his own phone out of his pocket, unlocks the screen and taps open the app.]
I have an app for that. What do you want on yours?
[ If he'd wanted Jason to stay away, Jason would have come whether he wanted him to or not, but he's not sure they're even like that with each other, are they? It's been a long time since Tim has told him 'no'. ]
You have an app for your burgers? I shouldn't even be surprised. I don't need anything fancy, just whatever their classic cheeseburger is.
[Jason likes the classics. He looks over the menus anyway, because he will never be okay with a burger app. Most of the time he just picks food up for himself. He doesn't trust anyone to come to the door. Could be that he's had a delivery person attack him more than once. Such is his life.]
It's the twenty-first century, Jason. Most places have an app. They encourage you to order online.
[It's not that Tim trusts people outright any more than Jason - well, no, maybe he does, a little. He hasn't been kicked around by life the way Jason has, and while he's healthily wary of others, that wariness is tempered with a degree of optimism.
Besides, anyone looking to attack Tim in his own space wouldn't know what hit them when Tim fought back. He's confident he can hold his own against delivery workers.
As for Jason - Tim wants him around. That's usually not the question. Usually, Jason's the variable in the equation - moody, distant. There's only so much Tim can do and say to convince Jason to stay, but for now, at least, it looks like that's what he's doing, and Tim's satisfied with it. Buying dinner is barely a cost worth noting, if it means Jason hangs around a while.
Tim finishes tapping through the screens of the app to place the order and sets the phone on the table next to him, leaning back in his chair to give Jason his full attention.]
He's fine. Busy doing his Alfred thing, you know. I saw him and Bruce a few weeks ago. [He pauses, tips his head slightly to the side while he studies Jason from across the room.] He'd probably be glad to see you, if you ever felt like stopping by to see him.
[Not that he thinks most anyone could steal information from Tim, but look, these are the things that cross his mind. Trust no one (Except for his dumb redheaded friend and this replacement bird). The optimism isn't strong with Jason.
Those fake delivery men who tried to attack Jason? Yeah, they're dead. He's not going to stand for anyone trying to invade his space just to take him down. Let's just hope Tim doesn't end up with a delivery guy at his front door. Jason's not going to hold back on account of Tim.
He's not sure what convinced him to stay this time, or even why he thought coming over was a good idea at all, but sometimes the quiet gets too much, and the nights are too long. Tim, surprisingly enough, is less annoying than the rest of them. At least he doesn't push.... though that thought may have been premature: Bringing up Bruce is never a good lead in to any conversation.]
I'm not big on reunions. Besides, I can't just stop by to see him.
[Look, Jason, you asked about Alfred. Bruce is part of the package, unfortunately. Tim folds his arms over his chest, leaning back further in his chair, ankles crossed under the table.]
I bet you could if you tried. People are often happier to see you than you think.
[Yeah, he's definitely rethinking the whole Tim not being as annoying as the rest of the bunch. He doesn't want lectures, or reminders, or empty words, which is all Jason thinks most of this is.
He tosses the menus aside, dropping his legs off of the table to give Tim a look.]
Yeah? Well maybe I should drop by, then. Remind them why they shouldn't be so happy to see me. I can redecorate with some bullets, that might help.
[If Tim is happy to see him, he should be happy right here. Not trying to get Jason to go do something he's not ready for. He's wasted too much of his time thinking about Bruce, obsessing over how things between them would go from here on out, ever since he got back]
[Ah, yes, there's that familiar sense of frustration rising in his throat.]
I wasn't talking about Bruce, Jason. I was talking about Alfred. I was talking about -
[No, this is just going to piss Jason off. As much as he wants to call Jason on his bullshit, Tim knows it's better not push it. He sighs loudly, mouth set in a tight frown, and turns to the computer screen, watching the program run.]
[ Jason knows the feeling. Especially because Tim wasn't talking about Bruce. That's just the looming figure in his own head. He should take his own advice sometimes. Not everything has to be about Bruce. ]
No, continue, Please. [His tone is sarcastic, but then he continues on anyway] What were you talking about, then?
[He shouldn't be so irritated that Tim turns away from him, back to the computer screen, but he is. It reminds him of... okay, yeah, so he does have a problem. It's not like they all don't know this]
[He shouldn't rise to the bait; Tim knows this. Jason's going to get mad and sullen, and he's going to leave, and that's the opposite of what Tim wants.
But he's just irritated enough to push back. So he pins his gaze on Jason, opens his mouth, and doesn't take care to hold anything back this time.]
I was talking about you, Jason - this pathological need you have to keep pushing people away. Have you ever actually tried not swinging at everyone who tries to get close to you? I get it - you think no one gives a shit about you, you think you're the black sheep no one wants around, but how thick is your skull, really, to see people making an effort and decide it's all bullshit?
[There's a dark cloud that passes over Jason's face when Tim continues, though how can he blame him when he asked? He'll find a way. Tim, of course, is not wrong. From the mad and sullen, to most of his words. Most, but not all.
The problem is, all of these truths and emotions are so tangled up in his head, and it's been that way for a while now. Lately, though, he's been trying to untangle it. He's been trying not to push people away. Apparently he's not doing such a great job of it. Is anyone really surprised about that, either? ]
You think I don't try? I try when I don't want to. When I shouldn't even have to.
[Sadly, that's all he's got for the moment, because his head is telling him that whatever effort they're all making is indeed bullshit. He doesn't need this. He stands up, grabbing his helmet and holds his hand out in front of Tim.]
Or what? You'll beat me unconscious - again? [His hand moves to cover the phone.] I'm not finished.
[With scanning the phone, or with Jason, apparently. Tim doesn't budge from his chair. Maybe this is a bad idea - Jason's a lot bigger than him, stronger than him, more dangerous than him - but Tim believes this is a gamble worth taking.]
You're trying so hard? Prove it. Sit down. Stay. Have dinner with me.
[ There's the smallest hint of regret that flashes through Jason's eyes when Tim bring 'the incident' up, just like that. Guilt, regret, sadness... it all trickles back to anger for Jason and it's always been hard for him to temper it all down. Would he ever do anything like that again, though? No. Tim is wrong about that one. He doesn't try to take a swing at everyone who tries to get close to him.... Is that what Tim is trying to do?
Jason decides that he could just shove Tim away and snatch his phone back, because he doesn't have to prove anything, but that's probably a lie in and of itself. Something that he tells himself regularly, because he sure as hell isn't doing anything he does for them.
Stay isn't something Jason hears very often. He gets words hurled at him, lectures, useless apologies that are all a little too late, but no one ever has any sort of solution. No one gets that he is trying. If he jumps back out that window again, then what exactly is that saying? He's not sure, exactly, but his hand drops down and he pulls his helmet back off, giving Tim a look.]
I don't have to prove anything to you.
[Just to be clear. But he goes to sit back down anyway, leaving his helmet on the table]
[The fact that Tim can bring up that whole beating-unconscious incident and in the next breath ask Jason to stay speaks volumes about how much he wants Jason to stick around. Some people wouldn't be able to forgive an attack like that, but for Tim, it's so far in the past it's practically ancient history. He knows exactly how it must've looked to Jason, coming back from the dead and finding that Bruce had taken Tim under his wing. He can understand Jason's motivations, his anger. He's felt that anger, too, the kind that makes you feel like you're burning up from the inside, the kind that promises to only be sated with blood - maybe Tim hasn't felt it as often or as consistently as Jason, but he understands it all the same. He's been there. He's an orphan too, after all.
Tim's heartbeat races as he waits for Jason to react, and he's more relieved than he can safely show when Jason answers him by agreeing to stay. Jason's right; he doesn't have to prove anything to Tim, but the fact that he does so anyway is a sweeter victory than Tim can remember tasting in a long, long time. He inhales a slow, steadying breath and wills his hands to stop shaking as he turns back to the computer and reads the now-finished diagnostic report displayed on the screen.]
Well, there's good and news and bad news on the phone front. Which do you want first?
jason } and i wish i could shout you out.
He's not thinking about all of that now; he still has time to make up his mind, and anyway, Jason may be coming over, so that's taking up the majority of his attention at the moment. Tim's quietly tapping away at his computer, debugging code while he waits, trying his hardest to keep his attention from straying to every sound at the open window. Either Jason will turn up or he won't. Tim's extended the invitation, but at this point, what Jason does with it is out of Tim's hands.]
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He knows where Tim lives. He knows where they all live- just in case. In their line of work, it's always better to have a just in case, or to not so secretly keep tabs on each other without admitting it.
Jason takes his time, mostly because he's still trying to decide if this is a thing he should be doing, even as he climbs the fire escape leading to Tim's window and perches himself there. ]
If you leave your window open like this you never know what might come in off the street.
[Har har]
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Ha. [Tim forces a laugh, flat and pointed, and sits back in his chair, arms outstretched behind his head, fingers interlaced.] Don't worry about me, I know how to handle the occasional stray.
[His arms drop back to the table, and Tim waves Jason inside. Not a single trap lies in wait.]
So, how high of a building are we talking about?
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Tim gets a little more leeway because he doesn't actively try to drive Jason up a while. This was no big deal. ]
Do you offer to run diagnostics on all their phones?
[He climbs in, pulling the phone out of his pocket and tosses it at Tim in a way that doesn't leave why he would drop his phone off the roof to the imaginaton. Well. That, and the bullet. ]
Five stories, give or take.
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Really, Jason? Your phone's been shot?
[Somehow, Tim's just not even a little bit surprised. He sighs and starts digging through a pile of cords to the side of the computer for one that will fit the phone's charging port.]
No. I don't do this for everyone.
[Most of the people he'd do this for aren't as hard on their phones, or can afford to buy new ones immediately when they break.]
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[He tosses his helmet aside and rubs at the back of his head, making his hair stand up. Tim looks like he's in a better mood, at least. Jason figures he must've gone out for patrol. That seems to do the trick for all of them. If something was bothering Tim before, Jason wouldn't ask anyway. That's not really his thing.
He crosses his arms while he hovers for a moment, then glances over toward the kitchen.]
Hn. I'm gonna go raid your kitchen now. I hope you have something good.
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[Ah, there's the right cord. Tim inserts one end into the phone and the other into the computer port and with a rapid tapping of the keyboard, he pulls up the program he needs to run a systems check.]
There's leftover pizza in the fridge, though I couldn't swear to how long it's been left over.
[The good thing about fighting crime as your number one preferred method of blowing off steam is that in a city like Gotham, you'll never run short on opportunities - which is good, considering how frustrating some people are. A nice long run across the rooftops and a prevented mugging later, Tim was more or less back to baseline.]
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[Not that he keeps any of his more serious contacts in there, but still. He doesn't want Tim snooping around on his phone. He trusts Tim to a point, but there are times he still questions where their loyalties lie. They help each other out from time to time, but he knows he's nowhere near back in the fold... and he doesn't want to be. This is just fine for him]
I'll make it work.
[He goes to yank the fridge open, looking the contents over. It's about as bad as his is. Talk about frustrating. Half the point of coming over here was for the food]
This is pathetic.
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[He's grinning, though, tapping out the command to execute the program to run a scan. Of course he'd snoop. Not while Jason's right here, though - that would be stupid.]
I would've ordered something, if I knew you weren't going to run off the second I'm done with your phone. [Just. Throwing that out there.] You said it was making a noise?
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[He retorts. Tim can end up snooping if he wants to, but then, will Jason ever trust him completely? Answers lean toward no]
How long's that going to take?
[he has nothing else on his agenda tonight. He was going to have a drink, pass out alone. The contents of Tim's fridge isn't enticing, but not being alone kind of is. He side eyes Tim, then goes to grab the menus and heads to the couch, flopping down on it, putting his feet up on the coffee table]
What are we ordering?
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Mmm, ten, fifteen minutes to run the scan thoroughly? Longer to implement the fix, depending on the results.
[... Is Jason actually staying? That's surprising, but Tim finds that he's pleased at the prospect.]
I'm not picky. You can decide.
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I'm sure it's fine. That noise it's making, it only happens when start typing.
[He's not big on texting anyway, or talking on the phone. Why does he even have that thing? Maybe because he's been using it more, lately. Tim bothers him all the time now. If he's staying, he's only doing so to bother Tim right back.]
Burgers, then. Some nice, greasy fries.
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Burgers he can do. Tim nods, digs his own phone out of his pocket, unlocks the screen and taps open the app.]
I have an app for that. What do you want on yours?
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You have an app for your burgers? I shouldn't even be surprised. I don't need anything fancy, just whatever their classic cheeseburger is.
[Jason likes the classics. He looks over the menus anyway, because he will never be okay with a burger app. Most of the time he just picks food up for himself. He doesn't trust anyone to come to the door. Could be that he's had a delivery person attack him more than once. Such is his life.]
How's Alfred?
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[It's not that Tim trusts people outright any more than Jason - well, no, maybe he does, a little. He hasn't been kicked around by life the way Jason has, and while he's healthily wary of others, that wariness is tempered with a degree of optimism.
Besides, anyone looking to attack Tim in his own space wouldn't know what hit them when Tim fought back. He's confident he can hold his own against delivery workers.
As for Jason - Tim wants him around. That's usually not the question. Usually, Jason's the variable in the equation - moody, distant. There's only so much Tim can do and say to convince Jason to stay, but for now, at least, it looks like that's what he's doing, and Tim's satisfied with it. Buying dinner is barely a cost worth noting, if it means Jason hangs around a while.
Tim finishes tapping through the screens of the app to place the order and sets the phone on the table next to him, leaning back in his chair to give Jason his full attention.]
He's fine. Busy doing his Alfred thing, you know. I saw him and Bruce a few weeks ago. [He pauses, tips his head slightly to the side while he studies Jason from across the room.] He'd probably be glad to see you, if you ever felt like stopping by to see him.
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[Not that he thinks most anyone could steal information from Tim, but look, these are the things that cross his mind. Trust no one (Except for his dumb redheaded friend and this replacement bird). The optimism isn't strong with Jason.
Those fake delivery men who tried to attack Jason? Yeah, they're dead. He's not going to stand for anyone trying to invade his space just to take him down. Let's just hope Tim doesn't end up with a delivery guy at his front door. Jason's not going to hold back on account of Tim.
He's not sure what convinced him to stay this time, or even why he thought coming over was a good idea at all,
but sometimes the quiet gets too much, and the nights are too long. Tim, surprisingly enough, is less annoying than the rest of them. At least he doesn't push.... though that thought may have been premature: Bringing up Bruce is never a good lead in to any conversation.]
I'm not big on reunions. Besides, I can't just stop by to see him.
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I bet you could if you tried. People are often happier to see you than you think.
[Tim is, anyway.]
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He tosses the menus aside, dropping his legs off of the table to give Tim a look.]
Yeah? Well maybe I should drop by, then. Remind them why they shouldn't be so happy to see me. I can redecorate with some bullets, that might help.
[If Tim is happy to see him, he should be happy right here. Not trying to get Jason to go do something he's not ready for. He's wasted too much of his time thinking about Bruce, obsessing over how things between them would go from here on out, ever since he got back]
Not everything has to be about Bruce.
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I wasn't talking about Bruce, Jason. I was talking about Alfred. I was talking about -
[No, this is just going to piss Jason off. As much as he wants to call Jason on his bullshit, Tim knows it's better not push it. He sighs loudly, mouth set in a tight frown, and turns to the computer screen, watching the program run.]
Forget it. You asked how Alfred is - he's fine.
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No, continue, Please. [His tone is sarcastic, but then he continues on anyway] What were you talking about, then?
[He shouldn't be so irritated that Tim turns away from him, back to the computer screen, but he is. It reminds him of... okay, yeah, so he does have a problem. It's not like they all don't know this]
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But he's just irritated enough to push back. So he pins his gaze on Jason, opens his mouth, and doesn't take care to hold anything back this time.]
I was talking about you, Jason - this pathological need you have to keep pushing people away. Have you ever actually tried not swinging at everyone who tries to get close to you? I get it - you think no one gives a shit about you, you think you're the black sheep no one wants around, but how thick is your skull, really, to see people making an effort and decide it's all bullshit?
these idiots!
The problem is, all of these truths and emotions are so tangled up in his head, and it's been that way for a while now. Lately, though, he's been trying to untangle it. He's been trying not to push people away. Apparently he's not doing such a great job of it. Is anyone really surprised about that, either? ]
You think I don't try? I try when I don't want to. When I shouldn't even have to.
[Sadly, that's all he's got for the moment, because his head is telling him that whatever effort they're all making is indeed bullshit. He doesn't need this. He stands up, grabbing his helmet and holds his hand out in front of Tim.]
Phone. Now.
birdbrains ... pls
[With scanning the phone, or with Jason, apparently. Tim doesn't budge from his chair. Maybe this is a bad idea - Jason's a lot bigger than him, stronger than him, more dangerous than him - but Tim believes this is a gamble worth taking.]
You're trying so hard? Prove it. Sit down. Stay. Have dinner with me.
[Don't leave me.]
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Jason decides that he could just shove Tim away and snatch his phone back, because he doesn't have to prove anything, but that's probably a lie in and of itself. Something that he tells himself regularly, because he sure as hell isn't doing anything he does for them.
Stay isn't something Jason hears very often. He gets words hurled at him, lectures, useless apologies that are all a little too late, but no one ever has any sort of solution. No one gets that he is trying. If he jumps back out that window again, then what exactly is that saying? He's not sure, exactly, but his hand drops down and he pulls his helmet back off, giving Tim a look.]
I don't have to prove anything to you.
[Just to be clear. But he goes to sit back down anyway, leaving his helmet on the table]
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Tim's heartbeat races as he waits for Jason to react, and he's more relieved than he can safely show when Jason answers him by agreeing to stay. Jason's right; he doesn't have to prove anything to Tim, but the fact that he does so anyway is a sweeter victory than Tim can remember tasting in a long, long time. He inhales a slow, steadying breath and wills his hands to stop shaking as he turns back to the computer and reads the now-finished diagnostic report displayed on the screen.]
Well, there's good and news and bad news on the phone front. Which do you want first?
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