IC Contact

[ichoosefight]

"I'm not here right now, but leave me a message and I'll call you right back!"

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[ichoosefight]

See, Batman has connections in the gang world. He has to, to keep an eye on things. It's all very secret.

So secret he didn't tell his partner about it until after it got her killed.

[tucky]

Were you involved in that?

[ichoosefight]

He had these plans, you know? Like... fantasy football, hypothetical plans to get crime under control that I guess were kind of drastic. I stole one, when he fired me. I got all the bosses of all the gangs in Gotham to meet up, and one guy was supposed to talk to them, convince them to team up under his control.

Well the guy was Batman, only I didn't know. So while everyone was waiting for a guy who didn't know he was supposed to show up, the gang bosses get antsy.

They... well, one freaked out, and they all started shooting. One guy and his bodyguard made it out, barely. Out of twenty people.

[tucky]

Did you feel like it was your fault?

[ichoosefight]

I still do, sometimes.

Sometimes I think it's his fault, for not telling me.

Most of the time I just remember all the blood and falling bodies.

[tucky]

You want me to come give you a hug and tell you about all the times I fucked up?

[ichoosefight]

[ ... ]

Yeah, I kinda do.

[tucky]

[She makes a beeline for Steph's room, knocking on the door when she gets there.]

[ichoosefight]

[ Steph opens the door of her moderately sized flat, two cups of cocoa already heating up in the microwave. She smiles, but it looks like she's been trying not to cry. ]

Hey. Come on in.

[tucky]

[Tiffany immediately slings an arm around her shoulders.]

Hey.

Jesus. How old were you when that happened? Like seventeen?

[ichoosefight]

[ She nods, leaning into the arm. ] Seventeen. For a long time I didn't want to go back, even if it meant I was dead. I was too scared to face everyone.

[tucky]

You were seventeen and you almost got a bunch of gang leaders to work together. Jesus, Steph. If anybody doesn't think you're fucking amazing, they ain't paying attention.

[ichoosefight]

I was seventeen and I nearly brought an entire city to its knees. Accidentally.

I don't feel very amazing.

[tucky]

When I was seventeen I was high all the time, getting pregnant over and over again and helping my friends steal cars.

[ichoosefight]

You have kids?

[ She sounds not appalled but excited. The microwave beeps. ]

[tucky]

[She shakes her head, looking down at the ground.]

I aborted 'em. I killed 'em. All of 'em.

[ichoosefight]

Oh.

[ Her smile slips into a frown, but mostly at the phrasing: 'killed 'em'. ]

I'm sorry. That must have been hard. I know how the hormones get.

[tucky]

People here tell me it was okay to do, but it doesn't feel that way.

[ichoosefight]

Did it-- did it hurt? Sorry, I shouldn't ask, but I was terrified by the idea when I was pregnant.

[tucky]

Yeah, it hurt some after.

[ichoosefight]

[ The thought makes her shudder. ]

Here, I've got hot chocolate in the microwave.

[tucky]

Thanks.

[She doesn't go to take it, though; she just sits down.]

Sorry. I came over to make you feel better, and now I'm all...

[ichoosefight]

[ Steph goes to get both mugs and brings them back to the couch. ]

Don't worry about it. Babies are still better than gang wars, in my opinion.

[tucky]

I was supposed to care of 'em and protect 'em. I didn't.

[ichoosefight]

[ She considers not saying what she's thinking as she hands the second cocoa over, but decides she really does owe it to Tiffany to be honest. ]

If you weren't ready for them, maybe it was better that they weren't born. My mom was a drug addict, and my dad was in prison all the time. It's not the kind of life you want for a child. I didn't want it for mine.