[ Clark turns his stool a little, pushing the paper over, and waves his card at the checkout clerk to indicate that he'll be paying. He's not sure whether to smile or not, uncertain what's on Tim's mind. They hadn't come into contact often, not since what had happened last year. ]
Good, actually. [ A flustered smile. It was his birthday today, and he was engaged. Later on he'd be going home to his fiancee. He couldn't be better. ] And what about you? How's work?
As long as you don't report on anything unless we say you can, we're good. Not that we're doing anything illegal or anything like that, but we don't want some other company snatching away our ideas.
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.
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[ And so he will, sipping a cup of coffee at the counter and browsing through the day's paper one handed. ]
[call/action]
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Hey.
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I really should. It'd be nice to see everyone at work. If you'd have me; what's the company policy on reporters?
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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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