[Open]

[deadbythename]

Date & Time: Jan 18-23
Location: Lots of bars. Lots of dark, unpleasant places.
Characters: Jason Todd the Grump and whoever decides to interrupt his willful ignoring everything.
Summary: Jason Todd is willfully ignoring everything and spending most of his time up on lonely rooftops and occasionally drinking.
Warnings: idk, gloomy bullshit, swearing, we'll see.

[ Okay.  Jason wasn't an idiot.  It was really kind of obvious he wasn't going to be able to avoid everyone forever.  Exsilium wasn't Gotham and there just weren't enough places he could go until he just.  Ran into somebody.

Maybe he'd even run into Dick or that tiny girl Robin.  Or Joey...  Though that didn't bear thinking about.   Running into them eventually didn't mean running into them immediately.  All Jason wanted was space.  He needed to reorganize himself, needed to separate himself from the memories that of this place that still floated through his head.  Exsilium wasn't Gotham, but Jason was still himself.  The holster under his jacket was a reminder of that.  So he spent most of his time in bars, in the darker, shadowy parts, nursing a drink and listening. The rest of the time, he wandered, relearning the alleyways and rooftops of this weird ass city.  If nothing else, he'd be prepared for however long he'd be staying here. ]

Comments

[deadbythename]

[ The smile drops and he tenses again. The only reason he doesn't immediately lash out is because he's fucking. In. Control. He's moved past the point where just mentioning Bruce makes him furious, damn it. ]

What, you think I didn't notice? You think I wasn't convinced that someday Nightwing was gonna decide to come back? Hell, forget Drake, there's a girl Robin from some other universe they rolled out after me.

Nice to know there's some fucking consistency in the universe.

[controlledvariable]

[She's silent for a while, partly out of indecision - she doens't know what she's supposed to say to all that - and partly because she's got her own anger here, and she doesn't want to let it get the best of her.

When she does speak, she sounds genuinely curious, rather than like she's trying to get a reaction:] Then why'd you take it out on Tim? He's been used just as much as the rest of us.

[deadbythename]

[ That's really the question, isn't it? He rolls his shoulders. It's not quite a shrug, more of a way to remind himself of the holsters he wears under his coat. ]

You can't take your anger out on circumstances. He was just. The walking talking proof of all the fucked up shit that was going on in my head.

[ He growls and turns away again, running a hand through his hair. ]

Fuck, such a load of bullshit.

Look, just forget it.

[controlledvariable]

[There are probably hundresd of different responses he could have given, but what he does say? Well, she can understand that.

That doesn't mean she knows how to reply, because she still can't forgive Jason for it, even if she can empathize.]

I'm sorry about what I said. [About him being dangerous. And she does sound like she means it.]

[deadbythename]

Don't apologize for telling the truth.

[ He glares back at her. ]

I don't hurt people unless I got a reason for it. Even if people like you think it's a fucking stupid one.

[controlledvariable]

[She lifts a shoulder in a half hearted shrug; it is the truth, but a part of her said it because she knew it'd get a reaction.]

People like me? [She can't help questioning it, she wants to know what category he's putting her in, here.]

[deadbythename]

[ He nods to the symobl on her costume. ]

You wear the bat.

[controlledvariable]

[She knows exactly what's there, but she looks down anyway.

She's still not quite used to it, despite all the months.]

And I guess that makes me one of them.

[It's not really a question.]

[deadbythename]

B might lose his fucking mind over who does and doesn't, but if you got Oracle on your side?

[ He shrugs. ]

Huntress is practically the hot second cousin everyone wants a piece of.

[ Yeah, it's easier to be snarky when he's dealing with all of the legitimately ridiculous shit. ]

[controlledvariable]

[Well, that gets a laugh.]

I'm sure she'd love to hear you say that.

[Not denying it though, Steph is a fan of Helena, even if she's also intimitated by her]

But yeah, Oracle warmed up to me eventually, which probably helps after I slapped B.

[She's allowed to be proud of that, right?]

[deadbythename]

[ Wait, hold up. ]

You slapped him? No way.

[controlledvariable]

Right across the face. [this is an appropriate moment for a shit-eating grin, right?] I don't think he even saw it coming.

[deadbythename]

[ He laughs. It's an open, honest laugh like he just really doesn't do too much these days. It takes him a little while before he can speak, but he's still snickering a little. ]

Aw man, I would pay money to have seen his face.

[controlledvariable]

[Her smile shifts from smug to something more genuine. She never thought she'd hear Jason Todd laugh, but if anything would do it, she supposes slapping Bruce would.]

I'm pretty sure O managed to dig up CCTV footage, but she won't share it. He looked pretty damn shocked, though.

[She was a bit busy being horrified that she'd just slapped him to get a proper look.]

[deadbythename]

[ He snorts. ]

Maybe if I ask real sweet and promise to stay in jail like a good boy, she'll fork it over.

[ Of course that's if he ever gets back. ]

[controlledvariable]

Good luck with that, I tried all sorts of bribes and nothing worked on her.

[To be fair this is probably because she knew Steph would email it to every superhero ever.]

[deadbythename]

I've got a few things to offer that you might not.

[ And that comes with an eyebrow waggle. If you thought coming back from the dead in a really traumatic way and having a generally shit second life has killed Jason Todd's ability to make really inappropriate jokes, boy were you wrong. ]

[controlledvariable]

[The look she gives him could be translated as oh please]

You think I didn't already try that? Still got turned down.

[It's hard to tell if she's joking.]

[deadbythename]

[ He snorts and almost gives her a smile. ]

Christ, I might have to hate you just for that if she didn't.

[controlledvariable]

It's not my fault she doesn't have any taste.

[She has no idea how this conversation is happening.

Help.]

[deadbythename]

[ He cocks his head and okay, fine, grins at her. ]

Hey, there's only a specific taste I'm curious about when it comes to her.

[ He might be pushing it to see just how far he can go before she smacks him. ]

[controlledvariable]

Oh? [She raises an eyebrow, her returning smile a little cheeky.] You wanna share with the class?

[She might be freaking out a little but like hell she'll let him see]

[deadbythename]

[ Okay, that's just a dare. He can't back down from that. ]

What, not obvious? I'm real curious about how she tastes.

[ Classy. ]

[controlledvariable]

[So classy. Steph just looks amused.]

I'm pretty sure you'll have to stick with your imagination for that one, champ.

["Champ". Okay, Steph.]

[deadbythename]

It's what keeps me warm at night when I'm staking out crime cartels.

[ And this feels nice. Which obviously means that something is wrong. Seriously, the hell is he doing bantering with fucking Batgirl. He frowns down at his feet, tensing up just a bit. ]

So, you get what you wanted?