Brink narrowed his eyes at the man and slowly tilted his head to the side. “Now why would I do that?” He flicked his gaze behind the man. “Speak of the Devil.” He muttered with a grin. He turned back to the man and shook husband head “sorry darling, I’m afraid I can’t let you leave. Now if you would be oh so kind and return the wallet, I’d be glad to let you go.” He drawled with a smile
Finn made the small jump to the libraries roof top. Walking oer to the pair. He was slightly out of breath but not as much as the thief. He recognized Brink and his eyes went wide. "Wasn't expecting to see you." He was still a few feet away.
The man put his hands up. "Fine take the wallet. All of this over like 20 bucks," He said dropping the wallet.
“I can say the same for or you dear.” Brink replied with a grin, twirling the knife around in his hand. “Can’t a person just read on the rooftop at 3 in the morning in peace.” He looked at the other man and tilted his head. “Aw, how generous.” Brink picked up the wallet and looked inside to see who it belonged to before tossing it to Finn. He glared at the man once again. “I suggest you get out of here before I get more agitated.”
Finn cought the wallet silently. The man ran off the same way he came. Pulling his hood up. Finn sighed and sat down at the edge of the rooftop. "Thanks," He said. His legs dangling. "Why are you up here at 3am? I think that might be against the rules." He laughed slightly. he had been thinking of Brink all week. He wasn't sure why but his mind just kept drifting back to the other man.
Brink put his knife away and sat a few feet away from Finn. “Don’t mention it. Seriously if anyone got word I actually helped you, id be dead.” He said, not smiling at first but then letting it slowly grow before looking away. Brink snorted a laugh and glared at Finn playfully. “I don’t follow rules darling. As for being here at 3, I like to read late, it’s soothing.” He said with a shrug. “Why are you here? Besides catching him?” He asked, his tattoos slightly lighter in the dark
Finn shrugged leaning on his hands. "Right now I need a quick break but in general I do patrols almost eery night." He looked down at the ground below. He didn't really like heights but he's gotten better in the past few years. "I have to lead soon though. Got to return the wallet."
“Every night? Wow. Do you not sleep or something?” He asked with a small laugh. He too looked down and shivered slightly despite the jacket that he hd on. “Leaving so soon?” Brink pouted playfully, standing and stretching before nodding to the door. “Yes if course, must return those precious $20.”
"I said almost every night," He siad not admitting that he does not in fact sleep much. Liing off of caffeine and naps. "Hey wallets are expense and it was an old guy. He probably arise around pictures or something." Finn sounded a bit more tired and less energetic than he did a few weeks ago. After a moment he went to stand up.
“Well, it looks like all nights.” Brink retorted, standing on the roof edge and going back and forth, teetering over the edge before straightening and continuing to walk. He jumped from the edge and started walking towards the door. “My point exactly, hence why we should probably get it back to them.” Brink have a smile before swinging open the door. “Then we’re getting you home. I think the city’s safe for tonight. You need rest.”
Finn was on edge when Brink was messing around on the ledge. Ready to catch the other man if needed. When he jumped to safety He sighed and yawned almost emphazing his point. Then he instinctly followed him. Taking a moment to fully process what he said before they made it to the door. "Wait we?" He asked raising an eyebrow that was only half visible because of his mask.
Brink nodded, glancing over his shoulder. “Yes, we. Is that a problem? Or do you not want to be seen around town with a villain? Don’t worry, dearest. It’s night time, no one’s going to see a thing.” He winked and made his way down the stairs to the main floor of the library where he had gotten the book from before.
Finn bit his lip but followed down the stairs. He ignored the wink and tried to look away from the Brink. "Do you come up here every night?" He asked. It was a beautiful and probably usually peaceful spot. Tonight being the exception. "because if so do YOU get any sleep" He was still figetting with the wallet.
“Yes, I do come here most nights, thought I’m curious, why do you ask?” He arched an eyebrow, a small smile on husband lips. As for sleep, not much recently, though I do get my regular catnaps in when possible.” He said with a shrug, the bags under his eyes betraying any word spoken. He pulled open the door and quickly slipped out, already having turned off the alarms so they wouldn’t sound off. “If you’re worried about me wandering around the town looking for trouble… don’t be, at least not tonight.”
Finn will never not worry about that but he nodded. "Let's just get this wallet back to its owner." He walked down the street. Pausing when his phone started ringing. "What's up I'll be hom-" He started after pulling it to his ear but then froze. "It's okay it's okay. She probably just had a nightmare put her speaker," His voice turned much softer. Forgetting that Brink was even there. "It's ok. remember what I told you before? Got to breathe in nice and slow." He breathed in as he said it. "And then out." Breathing out.
Brink paused for a moment when the phone rang, his mind spiraling into the conspiracy that it was whoever Finn worked for and was now congratulating him in his latest capture. He shook himself from the thought when he realized it was probably a family member, heck maybe his wife or child, by the sound of his tone. He leaned against a wall, patiently waiting as the conversation carried on. He found himself relaxing as Finn walked whoever was on the other line through some breathing techniques, finding that he too, breathed along with his instructions, pulled by his soothing voice.
Finn nodded when Poppy on the other side of the phone finally started calming down. "Ok why don't you try to go back to bed and I'll be home in a little bit." His voice was still soft. "I love you too." He hung up and turned to Bass remembering the others presence. "I umm-" He cleared his through. "Lets go. His voice wasn't as soft anymore and he turned away walkin towards where the old man was still standing outside a 24/7 convenience store.
Brink shoved himself off the wall and followed silently behind. He stopped a few feet away from where the light of the convenience store met the night, making sure to stay well into the shadows as Finn returned the wallet to the man. He had seen the man a few times before, having always felt bad that some people had been forced to live this way.
“Were they alright?” Brink asked softly once Finn had finished. “Both the man and the one on the phone.” He corridors, keeping his eyes trained down on the floor, his teasing smile gone.
"The man was fine. Seemed really happy to have his wallet back." He has slapped a little extra into the wallet. Finn didn't say anything about who he was talking too. Having to remind himself that Brink isn't his friend. Even if he seemed really nice right now. "What about you? You going to be heading home?" He tried to act like he didn't really care. Just wanting to make conversation but there was ahint of worry in his voice.
Brink nodded, flinching on the inside when Finn hadn’t answered husband other question. He truly was concerned about the other person. If they had called Finn this time of night, there had to have been something urgent. But he brushed it off. It was fine. He didn’t know this hero. Hell, he wasn’t even sure why he was there with him now. Why did he care if he got sleep? Or even ignored he was somewhere safe? He didn’t. Clearly this hero didn’t care about him so why did Brink feel as if he needed to?
“Possibly. If you consider my home a ‘home’. It’s not really a conventional house.” He jogged a few feet ahead and spun around, waving his arms around him. “The city is my home, darlin. So, in a way, you could say, I’m already home.” He put on a bittersweet smile and turned back around, humming along to a song unheard
Finn looke confused at first. "Where are you going to sleep?" He tried to walk beside the other man. Tehre was no way Finn was going to be able to go home if he didtn know if Brink was going to be safe. "I get the whole creature of the night act but you have to sleep somewhere." He took out his phone and sent something. Purposefully making sure Brink cant see his screen.
Brink smiled and shoved his hands in his pocket. “Sometimes it not an act.” He said softly with a shrug. He tilted his head up, studying the hero once again. “If you’re worried about my safety, which I highly doubt you are, I do have a place to stay. It’s not much but it’s something secure. But again, you don't care.”
Brink arched an eyebrow questioning when Finn made a show of hiding his screen. “I swear if you took a photo of me-“
"You sure?" He asked ignoring him not thinking Finn cared. He didn't have an explanation for why he did. He looked up from his phone. "I didn't. Just had to text someone." He smiled slightly. He kept walking knowing that he had to get home soon. He debated on inviting Brink over. Wanting him to be safe but he knew that Brink didn't even know his name and he wanted to keep it that way.
Brink eyes him suspiciously, “you had to text someone while intentionally blocking the screen?” Brink questioned with a nod of his head “and they call me weird…” He looked up to the sky. “I’m not sure about many things.”
"Habit," He mumbled looking around. He thought for a long second. he was getting close to his house. He paused looking at Brink. He looked the other man over trying to be subtle. "Ok, I think this is where we part ways. stay out of trouble ok?"
Brink smirked and shook his head “not in a million years, til we meet again, love.” He Bowed and turned on his heal, continuing down the street, giving the hero a final salute. He thought about looking over his shoulder, thought about telling him the truth. But no, he didn’t need a hero. He’d be fineness on his own without him. He clearly had a family’s that needed him, Brink wouldn’t force himself into that. He started to sing to himself, a sad little song he had learned long ago.