IC Contact for Mask or Menace

[dontforgetpie]

"This is Dean Winchester. If this is an emergency, leave a message."

( text | call | email | voicemail | action )

Comments

Backdated to after their first run in

[chiroptophobic]

[ Message preceded by a blurring encryption key in which a batsignal /V\^^/V\ is present ]

Explain in detail how you know who I am.
And since you know who I am, do not presume to lie to me.

1/2

[dontforgetpie]

Seriously? How much detail are we talking here?

2/2

[dontforgetpie]

Comics or movies?

[chiroptophobic]

Fiction? You learned who I am though fiction?

[dontforgetpie]

Batman and Robin are huge pop culture icons where I'm from. Guess you didn't know?

[chiroptophobic]

Which Robin?

[ It's a test. ]

[dontforgetpie]

Usually the first one. Dick Grayson. A lot of people like Tim Drake too.

[He has no clue that this is a test. Shouldn't Batman know his Robins? Did he pass?]

[chiroptophobic]

[ He needs a little time to really adjust to this information, so there's a delay. Generally speaking though there isn't any getting around it: it's a viable solution to this unnerving general knowledge of his secrets.

Worse still, with his question about Robins answered, it becomes clear that the damage goes far deeper than he could have ever guessed at. All the people from the world in which Gotham stands must have fictional allegories in Winchester's world--and potentially others. ]

Do you understand the full ramifications of what you know? [ How could he? Knowing Bruce's identity and being found out to know it would make him a target. ] I am real. My enemies are real. My secrets are real. The danger you are in, the risks that exposure would cost to my family and I - among others - are beyond your comprehension.

[dontforgetpie]

[Okay. Yeah. Switching to voice because texting this is crap.]

You mean the "full ramifications" of knowing that there's a bunch of books written about your life? [Because Dean's been there, actually, and it was decidedly "not fun".] Yeah. I can take a guess. But how the hell do I know you're not just fucking with me here?

I mean. Hey. If you want to run around in a totally awesome Batsuit? Not judging because seriously the best hero out there. And if you are actually Bruce Wayne? [Which wow. Would be seriously awesome and maybe make Dean regret mouthing off.] Pretty sure I can handle myself.

[Unless we're talking the Joker here, but hey! And then because Dean can't resist.]

If you really are Bruce Wayne, tell me something only you would know. [And... we're back to being an asshole.]

[chiroptophobic]

[ Talking out loud on this subject is so much harder for him. How does he deal with this fictional problem in real time? ]

The ramifications of whether or not my experiences have been serialized in fiction in your world are irrelevant. I can't convince you of something you don't want to believe, but if you do believe it, then you must ask yourself this: if the Joker held your life in his hands, and asked you my true identity, could you truly prevent yourself from telling him, or would you dismiss it as trivia?

What would satisfy you? You said yourself, I've been idolized, my life written about, films made about me. What would I know about myself that anyone couldn't find out for themselves? My childhood brand of toothpaste? My Mastercard pin number?

[ There's a pause, and then Bruce speaks softly, a full pregnant weight of emotion in his voice. Dean wants something from him? Fine. He'll give it to him; and he won't hold back. After all when this conversation is over he'll discover that the audio is corrupted; irrecoverable. ]

Between the gunshot and my mother's scream, I heard the bullet casing hit the ground.

[dontforgetpie]

[Dean's silent for longer than he should have been, the reality of Bruce's situation - the legend behind the Bat - weighing heavily on him and reminding him of his own ghosts.

Take your brother and get out as fast as you can. Now, Dean. Go!

He shakes off the memories, steadying himself and extinguishing the flames that Bruce can't see through the phone before he speaks again, pointedly not mentioning Bruce's parents. He's lost his parents, too, and he has some tact. Sometimes.]

The Joker's not here, is he? [Some muttering under his breath about how humans are just crazy and at least monsters have patterns, reasons.]

And, okay. Point on the whole... Life being written about thing. Let's say I believe you. [Which he's pretty sure he does.] There's gonna be other people out there who know about you.

......Can you do that thing with your voice? [Meaning that growly Batman thing. What? He's a fan. And when else is he ever going to have the opportunity to ask.]

[chiroptophobic]

[ Bruce recognises that silence for what it is, and knows that in some degree he has Dean's understanding, and perhaps by extension his cooperation. Maybe it's not his way to admit to it out loud.

So cooperation. He can work with that. Especially when Dean draws attention to the fact that not only does he knows that--others will too.

Maybe he can use him. ]

If he were, we'd know it.

[ There's another thoughtful pause on his end. He hasn't had long enough to adjust to this yet, but he'd working on adapting as fast as he can. ]

I'm not sure what you mean. In any case, I think you can help me.