(no subject)

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

It's been years.

The boy who's racing, outside, and finds himself racing through the front door now doesn't hurtle into a table, doesn't land on anyone; he catches himself with preternatural agility only a step beyond the door and scans the room quickly and sharply with hard blue eyes.

He's about fourteen, but he carries himself like someone much older -- for a half-second, until he drops back into a customary slouch and lets a mask of stupidity dull his features. His shirt and trousers are expensive, but frayed at the sleeves and scuffed at the heels, tie deliberately askew.

He smirks a little. Ah, this place.

Bar, Jason Todd. You may have met once or twice.

Comments

[will_scarlett]

Its that first moment before the mask falls that Will spots him and gives a too old and knowing smile,

"Was quite an entrance, lad."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"Huh?" Jason looks him over, smirk remaining in place.

[will_scarlett]

"First came in 'ere that way, runnin' from a man at arms. Who's chasin' ye?"

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason's eyes narrow infinitesmally.

"Who says I ain't the one doin' th'chasin?"

[will_scarlett]

Will doesn't blink at that look though he grins slightly while he shrugs,

"Cause ye seemed to be runnin' away though I could be wrong. I'll buy ye a drink an ye can tell me."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

That gets a smirk of approval, and Jason nods towards the bar.

"Sure, I could, if I wanted."

[will_scarlett]

"Oh aye, ye could but I'm offerin' an why turn down a free drink?"

He calls over a wait rat, "What do ye drink?"

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"Scotch," Jason says, swinging a seat around to sit in it backwards, elbows resting on the back. "On the rocks."

The smirk isn't going away.

"I never turn down a free drink."

[will_scarlett]

Will orders two glasses and a bottle, since if Jason is too young this way he'll still get some to drink,

"Do ye 'ave a name or should I be waitin' till the spirits 'rrive 'fore ye answer questions?"

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"Jason." That's given easily enough. Jason's proud of his name. "Jason Todd."

[will_scarlett]

"Will Scarlett, ye sound 'merican."

Then the drinks arrive, ice in the glasses and Will pours out the amber liquid.

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"Gotham," Jason confirms, leaning back in his seat with a smirk. "You sound like you just walked outta the theatre."

[not_a_hologram]

The sudden movement catches Al's attention, and he looks toward the door from his seat at a table.

"Everything okay, there?"

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason looks over at him sharply, even though he's stuffing his hands into his pockets utterly casually.

"Sure. Why wun't it be?" he asks mildly.

[not_a_hologram]

"Oh, no reason, but I figured I'd ask. You don't look lost like a lot of people do when they come in, though."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason's lip curls in distaste for a moment -- maybe he should have pretended to be? -- but he shrugs.

"I never look lost anywhere. If y'lost, y'an easy mark."

[not_a_hologram]

"I know," he grins. "About the easy mark part, anyway. City kid, I'm guessing? Been there."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"You and six million others." Jason shrugs, irritated by being called 'kid.' He's touchy. "Bet your mamma's proud."

[not_a_hologram]

"Wouldn't know," he says. "She ran out on us, and I got sent to an orphanage. But that's life."

He shrugs, remarkably cheery given the subject. "I've been a city kid all my life. It gets in your blood."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason scowls at him, but it's only half-hearted.

That story's a little too familiar.

"Yeah," he allows, slouching over and helping himself to a seat. "Does, a bit."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason scowls at him, but it's only half-hearted.

That story's a little too familiar.

"Yeah," he allows, slouching over and helping himself to a seat. "Does, a bit."

[not_a_hologram]

"Course, being taken in by a pool hustler made things better," he says, and sips his coffee. "And the circus. And, really, anything but ordinary. But you could do that, back then. I don't think kids can get away with that now."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

Jason shrugs again, this time smirking faintly.

"Reckon you'd be surprised. Been a while since I've had t'sleep in a doorway."

His clothes are expensive, and well-cut. It's just that he'll never look like anything but a street kid, even if he was wearing purple velvet and a jewel-studded crown. It's something in the eyes.

[not_a_hologram]

"...well, it's more that nowadays--at least the time I came from--within a day of a kid running off like that, there'd be a big police manhunt for them. There's a lot more communication. Back then, as long as I was far enough away from the orphanage and didn't get in trouble with the cops I could go anywhere I wanted and people just figured I belonged there. Now, I'd be all over the TV news, picture in the paper, the works. It's harder to blend in."

[not-his-son.livejournal.com]

"Got put in an orphanage once." Jason shrugs. "Split within a day. It was fulla crooks. Di'nt have a TV manhunt or anythink, but that was a coupla years back. Eighty-four or somethin', ain't sure."