I think someone would be on their case a lot more if they were. [Tim laughs, following him to the booth. There was one in the corner, and he hesitated, finally taking the one with the back to the wall. Clark could see through the wall if he wanted to, anyway.]
... [Tim swallowed.] Remember when that new drug was in the port? This was months ago, but it was out there. It looked like a tic tac, had no name or flavor, and was created by a female scientist who later went on to work at SERO. The Joker got a hold of it, too, and messed with it.
A lot of people got hooked on that drug without knowing it. [He grimaced.] I got hooked on them. So did a friend of mine.
[ Immediately the concern came back. Even in an odd, detached way, Bruce's family was his, and he listened to his concerns, sat up a little straighter. ]
The same drug that poisoned Khisanth? You've been taking that all this time?
Yeah. Well. Not quite the same drug. Once I knew I was going to run out of it, I began making my own. I've become a pretty good chemist.
[It's a joke, but it doesn't sound like one.]
I remember about hearing how Green Arrow reacted when he found that his protege, Speedy, was on drugs. Roy is a good friend of Dick's. I couldn't... [He swallowed, shaking his head.] If he did that, just like that, I didn't think I could handle it.
[ None of that even makes the remotest bit of sense to him. The bit about Speedy is fine, except his Oliver's speedy is a girl, so whoever Roy is he has absolutely no idea.
And things spiral all the more from there. So carefully he says: ]
He disowned him. Green Arrow was his parent. His mentor. And he didn't want anything to do with him after that. It ruined Roy. He's better, now, but it ruined him.
[Tim sighed.] I don't know if I could handle that if Bruce did that.
Listen, Oliver and Bruce have a lot in common, but... [ He reached across to pat Tim's hand. ] The truth is that you can't know until you actually give it a go. The longer you hide it, the harder he's going to take it. But maybe he can actually help. Once he gets past being a big jerk and puts his mind to something, he can make a real difference, and that's something that Oliver can't do. All he has is his gut reaction, and most of the time it's the rest of us who have to get him out of his messes.
So give him a shot--or at least let me talk to him. It's not as if he's not made his own mistakes. Maybe he'll understand.
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[ He winks, and since Tim's coffee comes he picks his own up, standing up. ]
Let's find a booth.
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What's on your mind really?
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[Real honesty. If only because he knew his basic stats, but anything else? He needed to know. To know if he was in a good mood or not.]
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[ He tilts his head, thinking about it, then looks away. It should be telling that something must be off if even Clark is looking uncertain. ]
He has his mind on something--I don't know what. He's not so great at sharing.
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So this is about Bruce? You've got something more on your mind than just his schedule.
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A lot of people got hooked on that drug without knowing it. [He grimaced.] I got hooked on them. So did a friend of mine.
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The same drug that poisoned Khisanth? You've been taking that all this time?
[ He knew about drug abuse, thank you Oliver. ]
And you've only thought to mention it now? Why?
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[It's a joke, but it doesn't sound like one.]
I remember about hearing how Green Arrow reacted when he found that his protege, Speedy, was on drugs. Roy is a good friend of Dick's. I couldn't... [He swallowed, shaking his head.] If he did that, just like that, I didn't think I could handle it.
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And things spiral all the more from there. So carefully he says: ]
What did he do, exactly?
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[Tim sighed.] I don't know if I could handle that if Bruce did that.
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So give him a shot--or at least let me talk to him. It's not as if he's not made his own mistakes. Maybe he'll understand.
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[ Oliver again. ]
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[ He reaches out to pat his hand, then stands up. ]
I'll cover this, alright? My treat.
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[ He grins, fetching out his wallet. ]
Call, okay?
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