Onthe_couch prompt 17.1

[sylph_fics]

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Not in my life, it's damned well not.

Especially not right now.

There's nothing resembling flattery in the shambles my name is in because of the godforsaken piece of filth that ran around as me for going on two years now. I swear, I take some time off because I'm getting stupidly sloppy and something from god-knows-when in my past apparently decides that it would be fun to screw with my life and the friendships I'd built by making it look like I'd gone insane.

If Rose didn't swear Wade was dead (and I hadn't dug up the body and had it tested just in case) I'd swear this was his damned work. My current hunch is it's something from in the multiverse, as the HIVE's remnants couldn't be tied tightly enough to my most current problem. Seems to be borne out by the Logans (and one ought to be enough, but why the hell can't any of them be the one from here?) that I keep meeting.

Then there was Bill Walsh in Grant's armor trying to convince me that he was my dead son, come back to haunt and torment me. Or should I mention-- no, I won't. It's not her fault, and it hardly meets the criteria besides.

Or Mirage's little trick of trying to copy me and make me think I'd lost my mind? As though I don't know her?

Or the half-dozen times I'd been framed and set up for a fall for things I didn't actually do?

No, whoever came up with that witty little half-assed stupid platitude had never seen what a little "imitation" can do to fuck up someone's life.


Word count: 300

Comments

[masked-merc.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Slade agreed quietly, working on his tea and leaned back along the couch, "I do."

//I don't know how I got so lucky, but I do.// The thought was quietly fervent, but he wasn't so lost in his own relief as to miss the boy's attempt at hiding pain. //Wayne is a god damned idiot, not to have grabbed onto the son he got back with everything he had.//

[lost-robin.livejournal.com]

"How's Joey doing?" Jason asked. He'd liked him, the big, blonde, NOT-quiet Titan. Joe was a chatterbox, often.

Something in him whispered that this wasn't fair, that Joe'd been accepted back... sure, Joe'd been possessed, but he'd been crazy, too, and... no, just no.

At least Joe had a family that didn't suck, and Jason was glad for his ... friend? no, teammate.

[masked-merc.livejournal.com]

"Pretty well." There was a flash of a quick, pleased smile. "I think he's still furious with the younger Titans for how they treated his sister, and he and the Kid--all of the older crowd but Raven, actually--are still figuring out how to be friends again, but he's not doing too badly." Slade shrugged a little at that.

"He picked an apartment over in Chelsea and is working on painting again. He probably wouldn't mind seeing you."

[lost-robin.livejournal.com]

Jason raised a shoulder, "Don't go about much, but maybe I will. Stop in, that is. And yeah, I heard they didn't play so nicely." he shook his head, "How the girl is a Wonder..." he looked up at Slade, "Diana's a really classy lady, y'know, and so's Donna, mostly, but that little one needs to grow up and earn her lasso. But that's just me." he realized he might be a bit out of line with that, but ah well. Since when did he toe the lines?

"But yeah. That'd be nice." he didn't say that Joe could stop and see him, because frankly he didn't want the young man in or near Gotham. Especially not where he lived.

[masked-merc.livejournal.com]

Slade laughed over the lip of his drink, and shook his head. "I'm not all that fond of the Princess--of course, she doesn't like me either. Didn't seem to care for a man who knew precisely who and what he was the way I do," he flashed the boy a wry smile.

"Trioa, I'd agree with you on, though she and Rose had... difficulties. Troy was doing her best, but the war-god's sister you're right on. Rose doesn't want me to interfere, or I'd have stepped in already." He didn't look best pleased at his daughter's insistence that he stay out of what being his child had brought down on her.

[lost-robin.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but she's still classy." Jason's voice had perhaps a little adoration in it. "Mm. Rose's her fathers' daughter? I liked her." he smiled a little. "She can hold her own, betcha, and wants to, prolly. If she's needs you, she knows she can come to you, don't she?"

Of course she did. Slade cared about his children.

[masked-merc.livejournal.com]

"So she is," Slade agreed, then his mouth quirked. He'd meant Diana, but Jason was right on the other, too. "On both counts."

"And yes, of course she does."

[lost-robin.livejournal.com]

"That's good." Jason nodded. He finished his juice. "Thank you, Wilson." he said, quietly. "I should be getting going." It was heading towards dusk.

He'd come to New York for work, after all.

[masked-merc.livejournal.com]

"No problem, Todd. Take care of yourself."

[lost-robin.livejournal.com]

"You too, Wilson. Maybe see you around." he flashed a quick bit of his old Robin smile, feeling more like himself than he had in a while.

It was amazing what human contact could do, he reflected as he headed out of the penthouse, to the subway, to work.