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[torchbearer]

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[batsymbol]

( he wonders if he'll ever get used to that. the constructs kyle comes up with. )

Here? Or in general?

( the art, he means. in regards to the heavy lifting, he nods and starts to walk ahead, figuring kyle will follow along. )

[torchbearer]

[ kyle follows, hands in his pockets. ]

In general. I do some commission work, some logo design. It depends on what people want.

[batsymbol]

I've seen your work. It's good.

( words he softly offers as he leads them through one of the doors, taking kyle up the stairs and to one of the hallways where a few rooms are, bruce standing there with hands in his pockets as well as he watches a couple of those construct maids tidy things up. there's definitely some repair work needing to be done, but. he figures it'll take about a month before everything's "up to code" and finished here. not too bad. )

Maybe you could do some for here. If you wanted.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle blinks, feeling the momentary deja vu slide down his spine. he shakes it off after a second. ]

You want my art in your — [ not quite a batcave. kyle pauses. ] — place?

[batsymbol]

( this is absolutely not the batcave. he has a separate location for that.

gaze drifting away from kyle, it lands on the walls instead. )

This place will need something when it comes to interior design. Why not?

[torchbearer]

Honestly, if John was here, I'd direct you at him.

[ kyle ponders this for a moment before nodding. ]

I'll sketch up some plans, but I'll need to know more about what you want to get out of the, uh, place.

[batsymbol]

( bruce just stares at him because john who? )

A place to live.

( he looks around, index finger rubbing against the pad of his thumb in his pocket. )

It's not Wayne Tower — it'll never be. But if Alfred ever shows up, he'll need some place that feels like home.

( maybe he does, too. )

[torchbearer]

[ his expression softens at that. ]

Okay. So what would Alfred like in a home?

[batsymbol]

( licking over his lips, he glances off to the side a bit. )

Thought you were just going to do some pictures to be hung on the walls here.

[torchbearer]

Yeah, pictures to match what you're going for. Not just random things to splash on your ways. Something to make you both feel comfortable.

[batsymbol]

You trying to imply if I give you free rein, you'll go nuts?

( he's joking. somewhat. )

[torchbearer]

I'm just saying you don't want walls of my Dragon Ball Z fanart.

[batsymbol]

( what a nerd. )

Maybe start with landscapes.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle grins. ]

Sure, whatever you want.

[batsymbol]

( faint show of appreciation there on his face, he walks a little further into the place. )

It might seem like too much, since it's just me.

( living here, he means. )

But I figure... ( a beat, he looks down. ) ...if anyone needs some place to stay. There's room at least.

[torchbearer]

[ kyle smiles faintly. ]

You don't have to explain it. I trust you. You don't do anything without reason.

[ whether it's good is debatable or even whether kyle agrees with it, but he's sensible enough to recognize reasoning. ]

[batsymbol]

( again, he gives a faint show of appreciation there on his face as he looks over to kyle before he moves over to a wall, gently tapping a knuckle against it a couple times. )

So are there other lanterns?

( are they different colours? )

[torchbearer]

Hundreds, technically. The first on Earth was Alan Scott. Then Hal Jordan. John Stewart. Guy Gardner.

[ his expression flickers for a moment and he sighs. ]

But something happened. They were attacked by Parallax. The Rings lost their power and the Guardians were killed.

I was . . . the last Green Lantern. For a very long time.

[batsymbol]

( well that's all a little unsettling and it shows in the way he looks over to kyle as he explains. )

It's just you?

[torchbearer]

Just me. I learned everything on the go. Doing the best I could. And lots of people were gunning for the last Lantern.

[batsymbol]

And can anyone use that ring and its power? Or is it strictly a lantern thing?

[torchbearer]

[ he shakes his head. ]

It's not that simple. Usually, Lanterns are picked. And only willpower can make your constructs work.

My ring is special anyway. It's keyed to me. Taking it won't do anything for anyone else. But even if it wasn't, it's not the easiest thing in the world.

[batsymbol]

Good to know.

( because he'd hate for that ring to fall into the wrong hands. especially around here. )

Means I don't have to worry about someone cutting your finger off for it.

[torchbearer]

I mean. Other people don't know that. And I doubt even me telling them will stop them from trying.

But people don't get close enough to get that chance.

[batsymbol]

We'll try not to let them.

( who is we? bruce doesn't bother to elaborate and, instead, keeps walking down the hall to peer into one of the dismantled bathrooms that definitely needs to be fixed up. )

So how did we meet then? When you joined that team?

( the justice league, he means. )