Author's notes: Hey guys. Well, sad times are sad and this chapter is no exception, seeing as we are now getting a look at the breakdown of Rorschach's little psyche. And we all know where that leads. But despite that, I really liked this chapter because it gave me a little bit of opportunity to look into Rorschach's motives and stubborn-ness. Hope you think I did him "justice" hur hur wow that was bad…
Warnings: there's more swearing in this chapter. And Rorschach being a super dick. Which… isn't really all that new, if we're looking GN here. :P
22. Lost
This was going to be a bad night. Daniel knew it without really knowing it; trying to chalk up the feeling of dread and distant irritation as perhaps side effects of the beating they received the night before that hadn't really healed yet. But it wasn't that. It was that Rorschach was late. That was what really clued him in. Rorschach was never late, but he sometimes decided not to show up and never told Daniel in advance. Which was annoying, yes, but Rorschach had done much more irritating things, that wasn't the point. The point was it had been two weeks since they last worked together. Two weeks, and the only news Dan had that Rorschach was even still alive was the articles in the newspaper, which were starting to get less and less complimentary. He pulled on his cowl agitatedly, trying not to look at the front page of this morning's paper with the words "Vigilante Criticizes NYPD" glaring accusingly at Dan from his workbench. That was worrying. Rorschach was never really impressed with the men in blue, but dammit, he always knew to keep his stupid little mouth shut on the street. And besides, Dan frowned, crumpling the newsprint with a covered fist, Hollis was a cop and his mentor. Rorschach admired and respected Hollis, what the hell was that all about?
That was mostly why Daniel wanted Rorschach to actually show up in Dan's basement that night. Because they weren't exactly top of the public's popularity list anyway, but what with Rorschach running his mouth like an idiot and the investigations on the Comedian and whatever the hell happened in Vietnam. Those would blow over, he knew. The Comedian had clout, friends in high places, but that wouldn't help mend over public opinion and make Nite Owl's job a little harder.
Growling quietly, Nite Owl launched his ship and shot out of the tunnel, lips pressed thin and eyes unusually grim behind dark goggles. This was his job, it was important, people would see that all he wanted to do was help them, they had to. He would show them, and maybe then things could go back to the way they were. Feeling upset and pessimistic, Nite Owl set the ship on hover and dropped to the roof of a building. Cowl fluttering in the breeze behind him, he stared out at the dusky New York skyline, lit up by the thousands and thousands of lives being lived under his feet. Breathing in the night air deeply, Daniel collected himself; things would be okay, they would work out. He supposed he could get Ozymandias to do some PR work—
But no.
Adrian had left. He had hung up his mask a few months prior, content to step fully into the role of businessman and millionaire, a normal person. Or, Daniel amended, as normal as the world's smartest man could be. At least he wasn't being called a pervert or a deviant just for trying to help people. Dan ripped off his goggles and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation; he had to stop thinking like that. Thankfully, some commotion interrupted Daniel's increasingly depressing train of thought. Snapping on his goggles, he peered over the roof to see a mother and two young children being backed into a corner by a group of teenagers. Christ, they were just kids themselves.
Jumping off the roof, Nite Owl dropped rather impressively among them and didn't give them any time to recover from the shock of a six-foot owl descending upon them. Eyes and goggles flashing, he launched himself in the middle of them, fists swinging. It should trouble him that he found fighting so cathartic, but it wasn't about the violence. It was about the clarity he felt when he was defending others. In those moments, dodging crowbars and fists, seeing them drop from the fray one by one, that he knew exactly who he was, what he was, and what the world could be. He was the crusader of justice, and there was no second-guessing, nor was there any room for awkward, bumbling Daniel Dreiberg. There was just Nite Owl and justice. And damn if it didn't feel good.
Somewhere in the time of the fight, Rorschach showed up at his back. Nite Owl hadn't noticed him come in, but when he saw the familiar coat and shifting visage, he smiled. Here, he understood his partner with a little more clarity too.
It was the moments in between where they were getting lost.
When the last man fell, Nite Owl set about tying them together and to lampposts. Rorschach didn't join him, opting instead to see to the would-be victims. Which was surprising, Rorschach wasn't exactly the comforting type, but he was always weird when there were kids involved so—
There was a terrified, wordless shriek and Nite Owl whirled around (there couldn't be more of them, we got them all) to see the mother being hoisted off her feet by her collar by Rorschach. Her two children, a tow-headed boy and little girl with curls, clung to each other, tearful eyes wide and silent.
"Children look to be five and seven," Rorschach growled, sounding more like an animal than a person, "Almost midnight in less than reputable neighborhood. Endangering your children. Very bad."
Oh shit. The mother sobbed, too frightened to remember how to form words and Daniel sprinted over and grabbed Rorschach's shoulder.
"Shit, Rorschach, let her go! What the hell are you doing?" Daniel demanded, trying to sound disapproving and authoritative, but his words sounded breathless and frightened to his own ears.
Rorschach let out a growl, "No. Leading her children around in slums in the middle of the night. Should be asleep. What were your plans with them here?" He leaned towards the woman threateningly as she tried to find her voice.
"N-no! No, I--" Another sob shook her and Daniel couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed the hand holding the woman's throat and jerked it away. Fuming and scared, he pushed Rorschach roughly away from her.
"Rorschach, stop it. You're scaring the kids." Dan watched as Rorschach paused, and looked down at the little children, staring up at him with horrified dread, clinging to each other and their mother. He made a little non-noise Dan couldn't translate and melted back into the shadow, out of sight.
Letting out a shuddering sigh, he turned to the terrified family, "Are you okay? I am so sorr--" He took a step towards them, extending a hand, but the woman stumbled shakily to her feet, pushing her children behind her.
"G-go away!" Her voice was shrill and panicked. Dan was horrified.
"No, no! I-I just want to help--" But she had already scooped up her children and ran out of the alley into the night.
He watched her run and stood there after, motionless and trying to process what had happened. He clambered up the fire escape after a few minutes of shock, shaking and confused, the woman's terrified face haunting behind his eyes. Upon reaching the roof, he fumbled for the remote when something caught his eye two rooftops over.
Rorschach.
Fury rising in his throat, he leapt over the divide and sprinted across the rooftop, concrete pounding through his boots. He threw himself over the second divide and onto his partner, who saw him before he jumped, but realized too late he wasn't trying to land next to him. Landing hard, Daniel's larger body slammed into Rorschach's smaller, leaner one and they crashed to the ground. Rorschach's fist shot out and caught Dan in the chest hard just below the collarbone. Daniel, having the physical and tactical advantage at the moment, managed to flip Rorschach's writhing body over so that he was on his stomach. Pulling up, Daniel grabbed his arms and wrenched them back, driving a knee into the other man's bony back. Rorschach kicked out viciously, catching Dan in the knees and thighs, but anger drove Dan on and he shook Rorschach's shoulders violently.
"What the hell is wrong with you, you stupid bastard?" Daniel roared, pulling Rorschach's arms back tighter as he tried to escape. At this point, Dan didn't care if Rorschach killed him, so long as Daniel got to say his piece before he was ripped limb from limb. "You stupid goddamn bastard, who says you get to terrorize victims?"
"Situation was suspicious." Rorschach ground out, sounding a bit breathless, as though Dan had knocked the wind out of him, "Towing around small children in the middle of the night in a part of town known for its red light district--"
"If you feel the situation is suspicious, then we investigate it. Rationally." Dan snapped, "You don't know everything! For all you know, she was lost, or new to the city or running away from someone, we've seen that before—oof!" Rorschach had gained purchase on the concrete and flung himself back with as much force as he could muster. His head smashed into Daniel's forehead and (damn, he's flexible) caught be surprise, Dan released his hold on Rorschach and fell backwards. Rorschach shot to his feet and looked down at Daniel. Dan scrambled to his feet and as soon as he was upright, Rorschach punched, lighting fast, and blood erupted from Daniel's nose. Dan doubled over and the smaller man delivered a stunning blow to the ear leaving his head ringing. A swift kick knocked him off his feet and his vision swam. He felt a hand grip the front of his costume and wrench him upwards. Soon, he was face to face with furiously swirling inkblots and distantly he wondered if he was about to die and whether or not he deserved this. Probably.
"Not everyone's intentions are honorable, Daniel," Rorschach growled, dropping Daniel who landed hard on the roof.
"I know that," Dan snapped irritably, rubbing his backside, "Just because I give the people the benefit of the doubt doesn't mean I'm an idiot."
"You allow your naïveté and your benefit of the doubt to cloud your judgment as a crime fighter," Rorschach shot back, "just because the individual in question was a woman and a mother does not exempt her from responsibility for actions."
"Okay, yes, I agree with that," Dan rubbed his forehead in aggravation, "But that back there, was not the way to investigate this. God, Rorschach, as if people weren't disgusted with us already…"
"Doesn't matter what people think," Rorschach grunted dismissively, "Only thing that matters is justice."
"Well, you know what also matters?" Dan glared at him, "Public opinion. Because if people stop trusting us and wanting our help, then we've lost sight of the point."
"The point," Rorschach snapped, losing his disaffected edge, "Is dispensing justice to those who deserve retribution. Isn't a popularity contest or Ozymandias would still be here."
"Don't be an asshole," Dan retorted, "That's not it and you know it. Ozymandias—Adrian—may be flashy, but he knew when he was needed and when he wasn't." Dan pushed back his cowl to scrub a fist through his hair, "Maybe he knew something we didn't."
There was a silence and even the inkblots on Rorschach's mask froze. "So," he snarled, voice quiet and dangerous, "You want to follow Ozymandias, Daniel? Want to sink into the ignorant complacency of inaction and blindness? Want to willingly turn your back on this city and those who need heroes because times are inconvenient?" His hands were trembling fists and his entire body was whipcord-taut and about ready to release all the barely restrained fury he was obviously holding in this frame. Dan would have been worried if he wasn't so pissed.
"No, that's not what I want, calm down, you weird jerk," Dan replied, scowling furiously, "I want to help people. I want to do the right thing. But you are making it really hard for people to come to us for help and therefore, making our job harder. Part of helping people is that people want to be helped. You're right, times are hard now for masks and we have to be careful about the public opinion. People appoint us, Rorschach. Not in the same sense of policemen and lawyers and firemen and all that, but they ultimately get to decide if they need us."
"People don't know what they need. Isn't about what they want, it's about justice. Justice is what appoints us and we are bound to serve its cause."
Dan let out a frustrated yell and Rorschach tensed, waiting for Daniel to rush at him again. Instead, Dan shook his head suddenly and turned away. "You know what, man?" he sighed, subdued, "I don't wanna argue with you. I- to tell you the truth, I don't want anything to do with you right now, okay? Just—I'm gonna go. See you around."
With that, he fiddled with the console on his belt, summoning Archie to him. Without looking back, he clambered aboard the Owlship and flew off without pause.
And Rorschach was alone.
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A/N: AW, SAD. :( This isn't as fun as the happy stuff, what the hell guys? Sigh. So yeah, now we start to see the breakdown of Dan and Rorschach's friendship and guys, we are almost to "The Case" and it makes me very sad.