The Criminal AU Meme

[cerebel]

THE CRIMINAL AU MEME

Warning: This meme will contain violent content and possible triggers.



HOW TO PLAY:
1) Post a comment below, detailing your character and canon. For best results, DO NOT LEAVE THIS COMMENT BLANK; pick a role, or an AU, or write up a little on what you'd like to explore with your character.
2) Tag around and make magic happen.
3) If you get stuck, use RNG to select from the options below.

THE ROLE.
1) Criminal. (The one who committed the act.)
2) Law enforcement. (Cop, FBI, prison guard.)
3) Witness. (What did you see?)
4) Victim. (Probably not applicable in the case of murder. … Probably.)
5) Lawyer, judge, or paralegal. (Participant in the legal system.)
6) Private security. (Unaffiliated, but with an interest in keeping your client safe. Or in getting your target caught.)
7) Other. (Let your imagination go wild.)

THE CRIME.
1) ROBBERY. The crime of stealing via force or threat or fear.
You need the money. You're desperate. You have the gun, the convenience store is right there, and everything will be better once you've finished the job.

Or maybe you've been hired. Provide a little intimidation, and someone else will take care of all your problems.

Or it's a thrill. Rolling across the country, robbing banks as you go. A Bonnie & Clyde crime spree, and it can only end one way.

2) BURGLARY. Illegal entry into a building for the purposes of committing theft.
Non-violence, for you; you're just going to break in, take this one thing. Maybe a television, to sell for the cash. Maybe some jewelry, a computer.

Or maybe you're a master thief, dangling from a wire into a museum. Sliding through the air ducts of a skyscraper in search of a particular little item.

3) GRAND THEFT AUTO. The criminal act of stealing a motor vehicle.
You know your cars. And you can steal one in under 60 seconds. Better hope you don't get tripped up with one of those newfangled security systems.

4) MURDER. The act of killing another.
He had to die. He had to, and the guilt of knowing where you buried the body, of knowing that the police are coming after you -- it's starting to wear down your sanity.

5) SERIAL MURDER. A crime involving the killing of three or more people over a period of more than a month.
You have a drive to kill. Again, and again. Nothing satisfies it, nothing stops it. Maybe you hate yourself. Maybe you hate the human scum who only exist to go under your knife.

Or maybe you're a professional hit man. You've killed dozens, you know how it goes. It's just business.

6) CONSPIRACY. An agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future.
Mafia, Yakuza, crime families who keep their operations quiet under pain of death, dishonor, betrayal of the family. You're part of one of these operations, whether as a patriarch or a peon.

7) FRAUD. Intentional deception made for personal gain.
Blackmail. Cover-ups. Insider trading -- the marks of corporate crime. Perhaps you're a CEO who thinks they can do whatever they want. Perhaps your business is on the rocks and you just need a little time to make your golden parachute before you ditch it.

Or maybe you meant to destroy it. Maybe you're a professional con man, and you're stepping away from your latest conquest with plenty of cash in hand.

8) KIDNAPPING. The false imprisonment of another person against their will.
Do you do it for the ransom? For the money? For revenge?

Or is it a hostage situation, with dozens of prisoners, for some sort of political gain?

9) TERRORISM. The systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion.
For a religion, for a philosophy. But -- are you a terrorist, or are you a freedom fighter? It might just be a matter of point of view.

10) WILD CARD. For any crime not mentioned above.

Comments

[lasiurus]

"You know what."

His voice is very low, intimate. And if he wasn't Batman, you could easily believe that he was about to snap your neck.

[newboyontheblock]

He swallows, hard, and stares up at him. Not for the first time, he feels somewhat frightened. But John's never been one to let fear motivate him, and he wraps it around himself like a cape, a shield, and uses it to feed his own courage.

"I haven't told anyone about big, dark, and broody, if that's what you're worried about."

[lasiurus]

It's doubtful anyone would believe him anyway, Bruce knows. But he stares at him silently, unwavering and thinking only of what would happen to Alfred if people did find out. He can't imagine losing Alfred after losing Rachel, and his parents.

"And why haven't you?"

[newboyontheblock]

His gaze slides off to the side. "Batman's a symbol," John says, quiet. He remembers feeling braver at night when he had to go out, he remembers the first time he caught a glimpse of the dark cape, like liquid shadows given form. "He's a symbol of hope. Gotham needs him."

[lasiurus]

Bruce tries to disguise the cynicism. He tries hard, but it flickers across his expression.

"Gotham doesn't find hope in him."

[newboyontheblock]

John fights the urge to roll his eyes; of course the self-deprecating asshole would say that. "Maybe not the rich people," he grumbles, "but you really don't spend enough time slumming it. Not...beating up the thugs and pimps," John clarifies sharply, "but just talking and listening."

[lasiurus]

"Don't I?" Bruce scoffs at him. There are a lot of scathing remarks that he isn't saying, but he turns from John and moves away, closer to the window. "Just because you figured out what I do doesn't mean you know who I am, Blake."

[newboyontheblock]

"Then you're talking to the wrong people." John's voice is sharp and unforgiving. "And yeah, you're right, I don't know who you are. But you know what I think?" Wayne probably doesn't care; John barrels on anyway. "I think you're too happy drowning in pity and self-doubt to let anyone know you."

He gets to his feet, lessening the distance between them, even a bit. "Just because you don't see it doesn't mean you get to destroy what some people see as the only hope Gotham has."

[lasiurus]

"The only hope Gotham had was Harvey Dent. They may not realize that, but he did more to clean up the streets than I have in all the years I've been doing this."

He shouldn't talk about this with some punk prostitute, but there is no one else in the world he can talk about Batman with. Alfred prefers to stick to day to day business, and more often than not they fight over it.

[newboyontheblock]

"Dent did good," John says, quiet and agreeing with a nod, "But he's also dead. He was just a man. Batman's not. Batman's a legend."

[lasiurus]

"Batman's the reason your neighbors' pimps are in jail." He reminds him sharply. "You don't want him on the streets, Blake."

[newboyontheblock]

John rolls his eyes and leans back to perch on the edge of the desk. "Are you trying to convince me or you? Because it seems kind of counterproductive for you to be convincing someone that Batman shouldn't be out there when, well." He gives Wayne a look. A deeply unimpressed look.

[lasiurus]

"I'm not convincing anyone. Or were you just drunk and being defensive when I saw you last night? You weren't exactly welcoming." Perhaps the worst part is that, with Batman being a fugitive now, all he can do is take care of the little crimes that Gotham doesn't have the manpower to take care of. Prostitution, small drug deals and gang wars, robberies.

[newboyontheblock]

"I take care of my own neighborhood," John snaps, leaning forward. "You should be in charge of bigger shit. God knows Gotham's full of it."

[lasiurus]

"It's a job for the voters, the elected officials, the lawyers." Bruce says, growls. "If you really want to tell me how to fight crime, try it when you're something other than a thief."

[newboyontheblock]

"I'm a secretary now," he grins viciously.

[lasiurus]

"Not a very good one," he retorts simply.

[newboyontheblock]

John shrugs, deceptively loose and languid. "That's the fault of my boss," he shows his teeth, "he won't let me use a computer."

[lasiurus]

"It's too bad your background check told him you can't be trusted with one," Bruce answers, tossing a little silver ball from hand to hand. "I'm not sure what you can be trusted with."

[newboyontheblock]

His eyes watch the ball, mentally calculating how much it could be sold for. "Your secret, for one thing," he says absently. "Notice how Batman's secret ID hasn't been headline news yet."

[lasiurus]

Bruce's eyes meet his, though he never stops moving the ball. "And I appreciate that. You're right, if I didn't think you'd keep the secret, you wouldn't be here."

[newboyontheblock]

"Orrr," he drawls, slow and mocking, "You brought me here to keep an eye on me."

[lasiurus]

"I can keep an eye on you out there. In fact I'd probably have a better idea of who you really are if I had done it that way." But he hadn't. And he doesn't want to change tactics now, clearly, since he just told John his other option.

[newboyontheblock]

John leans in, trails a finger down the line of Bruce's jaw. "So why bring little old me here, then?"

[lasiurus]

He doesn't flinch, doesn't pull back, doesn't do anything but watch John steadily.

"Because," his voice soft, a hint of gravel in it, "I wanted to see what you'd do with an opportunity."