week 11

[redhandedrobin]

Grey dusk in Gotham, and he leaned back to catch the last few rays of his 'sunrise'. He was up early this morning.  Footfalls on the rooftop, confident and at ease.  A hero, then.

"You take some finding."  Hal sat down on the edge of the building, and Jason looked over, frowning.

"You looked better with the cape and hood."

"Lost a couple powers when they took the cape back," Hal shrugged, grinning, "Won my soul and body and life. Not a bad trade."

"Yeah, it's not. It's fuckin' wonderful for you. I'm very happy for you. Fuck off or I'll send you to meet the new Spectre." the threat was as empty as Hal's old threats of making Jason sweep the walkways of paradise- not that they'd ever needed the sweeping. 

"Jason..." Hal frowned, reaching a hand and letting it rest on his shoulder. "I came to check up on you. I... of course I knew you were back, but..." he glared out over Gotham, the pilot's eyes seeking horizon, "I knew things were bad.  I've been meaning to come, just hadn't gotten around to it.   Crisis, you know.  Always one of those."

Jason shrugged.  "That's about the only constant in this world."  Hal frowned, hearing everything Jason hadn't said, and knowing more than he wanted to about Jason's return, about the last few years in the mortal realm.  The world was fucked, and so was the boy beside him.

"What do you want from the world, Jason? An apology?  Consider being alive the universes' idea of 'oops, we're sorry!'."

Jason spun to look at him, his eyes snapping, "What do I want from the world? What do I want? I want everything. I want a home. A family. Food.  Friends, even.  I want forgiveness and somebody to give a fuck about me and someone to be happy I'm alive, not acting like I'm a better memorial than a man," he choked on a sob, "I want to live."

Hal reached out for him again, and Jason let him squeeze his shoulder.  "I can't give you those things," Hal said softly.

"Yeah, I know, justice is always blind t'Jason Todd." Jason snorted.

"No.  It's not." Hal's eyes were compassionate. "Don't give up, Jason."

"Don't know how."

Hal shook his head, "Neither do I." he said slowly. "Come on. Want a beer?"

"I'm underage."

"Yeah, so?"

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

Comments

[goblin_king]

Yes. Eventually.

*smirks* More of a vocation. A calling, even.
Better than babysitting goblins for eternity, anyway.

Hah! Sounds so simple, and so very snide, when people say things like that. Cheap, when in reality it costs ... so very, very much.

[redhandedrobin]

Everyone has an inevitable.

*laughs* I had one of those, once.

I have a tendency to hate people who chirp on about lessons.

[goblin_king]

Well, perhaps, but there's no need to rush it! Or invite it, either.

Indeed? *interest* A vocation or a goblin? (If the latter, I've a couple of hundred I'd happily pass along)

And always. If you've the temerity to chirp about them, you either haven't learned them, or have forgotten what an effort it cost.

[redhandedrobin]

None at all. That's why we call it 'inevitable'.

I had a vocation, and have no need of a goblin.

I think I like you. *chuckles* That seems to be right, that, or you're still naive enough to think others can learn from your pain and not their own.

[goblin_king]

True.

*sigh* Well, if you ever change your mind, I've as many as you could possibly want, and am absolutely willing to part with them.

*smiles* The feeling is mutual, changeling ... Jason. And you're right, I think. Pain means nothing until it's yours.

[redhandedrobin]

But I like making the inevitable work for it.

Thanks. But it's not like they're really good for much, are they? no offense meant if I'm wrong. I may be thinking of something else. Never did get around to studying that kind of thing.

Pain means nothing until its' yours, or you've given it to someone else.

Especially if you cared about them. Then it means more than you ever thought.

[goblin_king]

*shark grin* Oh yes.

No offense is possible in the matter of goblins. They're vermin. Occasionally useful vermin, but vermin nonetheless. They are good for blowing things up, though.

...

*very quietly* Yes. Yes, it does.

[redhandedrobin]

I find a great deal of satisfaction in making the inevitable work.

So they're basically rats with TNT. Awesome.

You know, too, I'm guessing. Are you enough like a human to get drunk? If so, here *holds out a bottle* have some, on me.

[goblin_king]

Indeed.

That's ... an interesting description of them. And remarkably accurate.

Yes. I do know. *blinks in surprise* Thank you. I think I will. *accepts bottle*

*coughs* What's in this?

[redhandedrobin]

*snorts* Nice. And you're their boss?

Welcome. And... *eyes the bottle* Well, that's rum, so. I've never been sure what's actually in rum. I just know it's got a good alcohol content for the money.

[goblin_king]

*coughs*

Well, someone has to be. I was free at the time, so ...

Rum. Right. I really should drink more often. I'm not used to this. Alcohol and magic make for a volatile mix, usually.

Ah, if reality starts warping a little, you might want to leave.

[redhandedrobin]

Reality's always warped around here... but yeah, okay.

I don't drink often, but sometimes y'just gotta.