Put me back together make me right

[hititwithacrowbar]

who: Jason Todd
what: His old partner arrives and self reflection starts, along with working to keep his home in order.
when: Mid-March
where: the dive bar, a fighting ring, the guard, Kent House, Trixie and his flat at Ed's place.
warnings: Language, violence, mentioned blood, emotions... emotions count for a bat.

Comments

Four Winds Bar

[hititwithacrowbar]

Of course, Roy had come, and Jason felt like shit for the way he had treated his former partner at the speed dating. The last place Jason Todd needed to be with Harper around was a bar. Namely, Four Winds, after Puzzle's murder, but, given his brother's were aiming to keep him from drinking. It was the best place to go before he had to head to work. He'd have a few hours to sober up before hand anyway. The old rundown bar didn't seem to care of people smoked inside, so he was sitting at his favorite place at the counter nursing a cigarette with a half drank beer before him, reading from one of the novels he had started recently. His mind kept drifting back to the angry Ginger. He knew he had fucked up, he needed to apologize but it was Roy.

Why didn't Roy realize it had hurt him to? Pushing Roy out of his life had been one of the hardest things he had ever done. Leaving him busted up and alone in that warehouse had been one of the top bad nights of his life. One he replays often but, he didn’t regret it. He was no good, he was even worse for someone like Roy. And even worse, it hurt and made jealousy bubble up knowing Roy had gone back to Dick after he bailed. Figured the golden child didn’t care well, he cared but in his own Grayson way.

He closed the book and ashed his cigarette, motioning the bar tender down for another drink. Something harder.

[anotheroldsoldier]

Bucky wouldn't say he frequents bars, necessarily, but sometimes things are easier with a drink or two to fortify him. He has a favorite bar, elsewhere in the city, but he changes it up once in a while; he's been found by well-meaning friends at his usual place before and given a lecture on healthy coping mechanisms. Besides, this one is close enough to work to pop into after a patrol shift. He's still a little sweaty, though he's changed into gym clothes and out of his Perimeter Guard uniform.

It's by chance that he notices Jason at the counter, and he thinks about leaving the guy alone, but... well. He likes Jason well enough, and he's looking a little rough.

He takes a seat at the counter and orders two stiff shots, sliding one over to Jason. "Drinking alone's never a good look on anyone."

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason was a regular patron, more so now that he is living with his brothers and Jon. It was easier to get a drink or to while he was out and about and not when he was at home around the boys. He had always been the barfly of the family.

Bucky was one of Jason's favorite people to get asigned to, even if he would never flat out about it, but when the man spoke, he looked up a little shocked more than not to see him standing there. Crushing out the cigarette he lifted his hand to wave the cloud of smoke around, he didn't like making people he actually liked have to deal with his cloud when he indulged the dirty habit.

"Yeah, so a lot of people say, but, its the only way I get a drink." He replied finally lifting the drink, while he closed the novel with his other hand, and looked to Bucky. "What brings you out?"

[anotheroldsoldier]

Bucky offers a slight smile when he stubs out his cigarette, and shakes his head to say he needn't have bothered. "You can smoke. Doesn't bother me." He grew up in the 30s and 40s, smoking wasn't seen the same as it is these days, as a health risk. It was just something most men did. Not Bucky, really, he always preferred trading his ration Lucky Strikes for extra chocolate, but still.

His fingers curl around his own glass, leaning idly against the bartop. "Not much, just getting a drink before I head home." It's old habit, not keeping much in the way of liquor back at the apartment he shares with Steve, and used to share with recovering alcoholic Tony. He'll bring beer home occasionally, but that's about it. "How are things? You look like you got somethin' on your mind."

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason shook his head some. "Nah, it's rude. Anyone else, sure, but your cool so it's fine." He replied, not really thinking much of it before adding. "Unless you want one?" He offered realizing maybe Bucky smoked, he never thought about it. Lyle was his only smoking buddy, and he didn't see much of him since he left the communal housing.

"Same here, that and I have a few hours before the boys have to be at school if I lay down before then they wont make it." He explains, which was part of why he ran ragged a lot of days, even if he had a network of people willing to help he was prideful and headstrong. A trait he gained from both his father figures.

"I can't complain, I'm just tired. Have a lot going on so, I don't have the spare time like I used to. " he added with a shrug.

Old Warehouse, Fighting Ring

[hititwithacrowbar]

A few of his friends had been asking where his influx of money had come from of late, but Jason refused to answer anyone, just claiming he got a raise. He hadn't aside from any raise Guards got for working nights. He had switched shifts months ago to fit his nocturnal lifestyle without knowing he would soon be caring for Damian and Jon. When the chance presented itself, he knew he didn't make enough for his life style and two kids, so he had found a way to make extra money without having to ask anyone or look for a sugar mama. A ring he had been watching to take down, a bunch of guys fighting in an old warehouse with a lot of gambling involved. Bruce wouldn't approve but when did he ever approve of anything Jason ever did?

Jason needed money, and money was good using his skills to his advantage. Oh yes, Bruce would disapprove. He's sure Tim and Damian would to if they knew what he got up to each night before going to work. He lied about his hours at the guard to cover his trail. Leaving the house in the early evening each night and returning with just enough time to take the boys to school. Since it was about the only way to make sure Damian went. The crowd was pretty good, cheering Jason and the bigger guy across from him on. Jason moved with the all the grace of a well trained fighter. He dodged well, and jabbed as he did each time. Punches landed on both sides but a cheer from someone in the crowd caught Jason's attention and he was .5 seconds to slow to dodge a punch to the mouth, blood gushed from his lip as he moved forward slamming his forehead into the other fighters nose taking him down from the sheer force of it. Moving his foot down to the guys throat the ref stepped out, and counted it as the crowd went crazy. Both men bleeding, and one reasonably pissed below the bare foot of the bare chested vigilante. Bruises from other fights healing on his back and chest. He didn't care about the marks, they'd go away in time.

After collecting his fee he stepped outside into the night air taking a deep breath before moving to the bike to just let his nerves chill.

Busted w/ Tim Drake

[sonofab]

In this family you couldn't keep a secret for long. Yes, they dealt in lies and misdirection often enough but due to this, it was almost impossible to keep anything hidden from another bat. Only father has mastered it, and even his secrets didn't stay hidden long. It also didn't help that Damian had recently made a vow to watch his brothers closer than ever to prevent anymore of their untimely deaths.

The work patterns? The bruises? The influx of income? It's like Todd wasn't even trying to hide that he was up to something.

"Drake!" He kicked the other tee's chair, briefly wondering why he was sleeping in the desk chair rather than the bed... but let's take this one brother at a time and shelf Drake's sleeping habits for later. "Get up! Todd isn't here and I suspect he is doing something idiotic for money or as another one of his insipid cries for attention." Honestly, Todd, could you just not? They are trying to play normal here.

[timmers]

"Wha--!" Tim had dozed off in his chair, only to be rudely awakened by a familiar pint-sized gremlin. Sometimes he wasn't sure which part of living here was weirder: the dreams or the reality.

"You mean he's gone again?" Tim covered a yawn, working the crick out of his neck. He glanced up at the clock. It was half after eleven, roughly the usual time, then. He pulled his laptop up, opening a program. It was no Bat Computer, but thankfully what passed for GPS still seemed to work reasonably well with some rewiring. "What do you know, looks like he's even at the same place." That kind of cemented one of his suspicions on what Jason was actually doing with his time, and from the data so far, regularly so, at least twice a week.

"Everyone has issues, Damian. Jason's is just more visible," Tim said absently. "So I'm guessing you woke me up because you wanted to do something about this...?" He raised an eyebrow, getting up from the chair to find his uniform.

[sonofab]

"More like he throws messier fits more often. He's been coming home with injuries and not always smelling of liquor so his tales of bar fights are obvious lies." You extroverted Robins were always such a handful. No wonder father stopped adopting those types. "No, I woke you up because I enjoy your insufferable presence." Damian deadpanned because really, what a stupid question, Drake. He is tempted to kick you again... so he does as you get up.

"What are you doing? We don't need uniforms for this." He grumbles at Drake, just knowing the other teen was getting his to show off that he has his! Still, he goes to a draw and takes out one of Grayson's spare dominos.

[timmers]

Tim snorted. In some ways, Jason was a worse drama queen than their eldest brother. "You're not wrong."

Tim saw this kick coming and recentered so it wouldn't knock him off-balance. He'd really rather not arrive at the place looking like... well, Jason. That'd kind of lose some of the impact.

"I'd like a little more authority than 'random teenager in a hoodie'," Tim said. He had the bottoms on- more like he'd forgotten to get out of them- so he just had to pull on the rest. "Besides, this is family business."

"...Aren't those a little big on you?" Tim asked as Damian took a domino.

Perimeter Guard

[hititwithacrowbar]

PLACE HOLDER

Kent House

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason made his way into the house with about a half hour to spare before the boys had to get to school. "Whose hungry!" He called up the steps, as he tossed his bag and his jacket on the couch where he would be sleeping in an hour or so. Making his way into the kitchen, he washed his hands and face before taking out a pan and some eggs to get breakfast going for the kids. Unfortunately, he had forgotten to shower before he came home, so he smelled like sweat, smoke and liquor, but, he was tired and didn't care enough to go dig out his cologne.

Later in the day he had dropped on the couch to sleep, having shut off his phone in case the school called about Damian being a jerk to the gym teacher again, he didn’t have much of a plan for the day besides catching up on sleep, which would have been a good idea outside of the fact he had left the game system on, logged into his favorite shooter, which left him marked as online, a fact that only would matter to the one friend he was avoiding after he helped break his own heart, which was worse with Roy around.

His motorcycle was at the flat, but the Mustang was parked outside of the Kent house from having taken the boys to school. So the Hood was home.

That afternoon, after seeing Hana, he would be found asleep on the couch again, since the boys walked home in the afternoon, even if he was usually up by the time they got in, today his body demanded the sleep he was so behind on.

[bunnyhopped]

You played yourself, Jason.

Hana wasn't an idiot. She realized fairly quickly that Jason was avoiding her - or at least avoiding seeing her. He seemed to have no problems with responding to her texts, but every time she made a suggestion to get together to play games or anything that required seeing each other in person Jason would come up with one reason or another. She took it the first few times - she knew better than most that sometimes you just needed to fall in on yourself and not see anyone. But it happened time and time again until she realized that perhaps it wasn't that he didn't want to see anyone - he just didn't want to see her.

And that realization hurt a lot more than she realized it would, not knowing why he would avoid her like this.

He'd better have a good reason, was all she thought. She knew she wouldn't get one unless she saw him in person, though - it was too easy to divert a text conversation or ignore it, which she realized was the reason why he kept their interactions digital.

When she saw him online but idle that day, she realized it was her chance. Luckily she was off that day too - so she got into her mech and made her way to his house, stopping by her favorite bakery and coffee shop on the way to grab some food - peace offerings for whatever offense she committed against him that made him start to avoid her.

It would be hard to miss the pink mech pulling up to the driveway, landing just behind Jason's mustang. If that arrival didn't wake him up, hopefully Hana's incessant ringing of the doorbell would.

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason always plays himself. It was a fact of life.

He had found no problem in online chatter while gaming, or texting at any given point. A trick he learned from Bruce, and used to dodge anyone. Digital didn't convey emotions, he could disconnect himself and still appear just as strong even when he was breaking. He didn't think anyone had caught on, but clearly, the woman he had found himself caring about was a detective in her own rights. Figured.

He had a type after all.

The sound of the mech made him start to stir, what the fuck was that? He hadn't gotten off the couch yet before the ringing of the bell started.

"KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF!" he screamed with the trademarked Batvoice. To make his voice boom with the tone that made criminals in Gotham quake. Rolling himself off the couch he pushed himself up the sheet wrapped around his shoulders, hair sticking every direction half full of static and it was growing out of the undercut already. His lip was split in the middle with a bruise on the left side of his mouth, the black sheet covered all but the bottom of his abs and the bat printed sleep pants he was wearing as he pulled the door open ready to scream again. Then he saw Hana, and oh the wave of pain came back he wasn't awake enough for that.

God he hoped Wally and Tim weren't home... they Wally probably would have gotten the door before he could have. "Hana?" What else could he say.

[bunnyhopped]

Hana actually had to stifle the urge to laugh at the yelling she could hear coming from inside. Well, if nothing else, at least Jason still seemed like himself based on that reaction, such a typical Jason-ism.

When the door opened, though, that amusement quickly faded from her expression, concern instead taking its place.

"Surprise," she said, although it lacked any of the fanfare that should accompany that kind of a greeting. Her eyes narrowed at him; she noticed his state of (un)dress, certainly, but it wasn't anything she would dwell on now, especially not when his lip was split open the way it was, face bruised in spots.

"Jeez, what hit you? A truck?"

She was going to go ahead and try to step past him to invite herself into the house, holding up the bag with red velvet cupcakes in them at him as she did so.

[otherflash]

[ It's not long after Jason arrives back at the house from his night of work or whatever that Wally comes shuffling into the kitchen wearing a pair of grey sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and a serious case of bedhead. He is the one that keeps an eye on the kids while Jason is working the late shift and they switch roles during the day.

It's a system he thinks is going pretty well so far all things considered. ]

Mornin'.

[ The greeting is said through a yawn as he rubs at one of his still bleary green eyes with the back of a hand. The still sleepy speedster proceeds to grab a carton of this place's equivalent to orange juice out of the fridge and a glass from one of the cabinets.

After he fills the cup and takes a drink, he's finally awake enough to give the man making breakfast for the boys a quick once over and has to admit he looks about as bad as he smells. Then again, this has been a pretty common sight for the last few days. Wally can't help but wonder if the arrival of their mutual archer friend has anything to do with it. ]

Rough night?

[hititwithacrowbar]

More often than not, Jason doesn't bother changing out of his guard uniform until after the boys leave and he drops on the couch to sleep, so aside from his jacket he was still in his work gear as he whipped some eggs when Wally made his way in to the kitchen.]

Mornin'.

[ He replied with a tired draw to his voice, of course he knew Wally moved, the gust of wind and the sudden glass in his hand. His tired blue eyes looked back at the speedster. Red hair and green eyes.... always that comination. Barbara, Kori, Wally and of course Roy. Dick's collection of red heads, Jason always coming in after Dick's waltzed off and tried to hold things together. He didn't know why he was that way, but the idea brewed in the back of his head. It had been forming since he ran into Roy nights before.]

You could say that. I didn't dodge fast enough. [ Odd for a bat to say, but he's been lying so long about his random bruises that it was becoming second nature to fall on his bat training and lie better. Usually he didn't bother.]

Boy's didn't give you any trouble did they?

[otherflash]

[ Wally raises a skeptical eyebrow at Jason's explanation for his appearance. He knows almost better than most that Bats don't get sloppy or caught off-guard while on the job unless there's something else going on with them. His best friend is the illustrious Dick Grayson after all. ]

Really? The other person must have been pretty fast, then.

[ He's sure there's plenty more to the story about the bruises, but he doesn't feel it's his place to butt into Jason's business unless it starts to impact things around the house. He simply doesn't know Jason well enough yet to press him on things like he would be doing if Dick was the one standing in front of him. ]

No more than usual. They stayed up a little longer than they were supposed to playing video games, but I think they'll be okay.

[ He takes another drink of his juice, the silence lingering between the two of them for a moment, before he feels the need to say: ]

So... Roy's here. But I'm guessin' you already know that.

Trixie

[hititwithacrowbar]

Tonight was one of his nights off, instead of staying home and hanging out with his brothers, Wally and Jon, he waited until about his normal time to leave and headed to Trixie. He didn't often go, but now that he was on better terms with Loki again he decided it was a good idea. Moving to the bar he went to his usual seat. The one that let him see the mirrors and around easily the club from where he sat. He didn't send for Loki, instead he ordered a drink and waited, watching life around the club instead of reading.

Thinking of the differences between the old Tim and the new Tim. So alike but so different at the same time. The same could be said for the Jason of the other Tim's world, a ginger, bigger and a lot crazier… least from what Tim said. Looking in the mirror again, at his two days worth of stubble, and dark lines around his eyes. He wondered, how would he look as a red head? Would he look like he belonged to Catherine, instead of Willis? Almost a touch sad he didn't seem to get any looks from Shelia but his eyes. Which were pretty much the same color as Catherine's at least as well as he could remember anyway. Maybe his father had a thing for blue eyes… hell, he didn't want to think about that either. His mind was running from lack of sleep and stress.

Running a hand through his short locks of dark hair he lifted the drink he ordered to his lips when it arrived, he didn't really care that the liquor made the split in his lip burn. It was nothing new, pain like that was just a reminder he wasn't in his grave.

[deathkid]

By now, Nico was getting off his shift at the bar. And as he usually did on nights like this, when he didn't have anything else planned, he stuck around for a drink. But tonight, to his surprise, Jason was there, nursing something at the bar. When Nico tucked his gear behind the bar, he noticed the other man and paused, dark eyes noting the split in Jason's lip.

Obviously, Jason was up to something again, likely getting into trouble with something or other. Nico frowned to himself as he grabbed a bottle from behind the counter and settled down next to him.

"You've been fighting," he said, a brow lifted in mild judgement. "What've you been getting up to now?"

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason was usually down at Four Winds despite most of his friends protest about the seedy place, more so after the murders, but the scummier the bar the more fun for the Hood. Who was not looking for fun tonight, but company of his friends who he had not spent much time with since new years, not as much as before hand anyway.

When Nico slid up to him he lifted his glass in greeting to the other. "You look nice, Niks, hows the new boytoy?" he asked, oh yes, he heard Nico, but he was being classic Todd and ignoring it because he didn't care to answer it. He was a fighter, it's what he does.

He was also tired of lying to his loved ones but, life demanded it.

Closed to Ed - Post Nico leaving

[hititwithacrowbar]

Baby was on lockdown.

Well. No, Jason was on lock down. After Tim and Damian discovered where his influx of cash had come from, needless to say Jason wasn't fighting for funds the last week or so. Only leaving the house to go to work at the Guard, or the store, or to drop the boys at school. He knew the damn stalker had a tracker on him, and despite hating it, he listened.

He listed until he found out Nico was gone. Then he sent Ed a text, and called a cab, and threw his phone back on the couch before walking outside without it. Better to make it harder to call him. Luckily dinner was already done, and he knew no one would really need him there, so, he left. Without a word.

A stop was made along the way, as he made his way into the general store to the main living area putting down two bags. "Ed!" He called out moving to the speakers before remembering he left his phone at home...awkward. Anyway he pulled a can out of the bag cracking it open. Time to get started.

[alchemyfreak]

Admittedly, Ed had a lot going on. Jason was busy, they weren't quite as close as they had been before his memories had been erased and even as much as he liked to pretend that he was fine with Al leaving being used to something didn't mean that it stopped hurting. Alphonse had left, which he'd expected to happen sooner or later - Al wanted to be home, and Ed had insisted that he was just too different to be who his brother wanted here, better that he went home. However, it also meant that the Elric income was halved almost entirely without warning.

Then Nico left, and again Ed couldn't begrudge the guy, he knew Nico had obligations back home to get to. He also mentioned other demigods being here and although Ed wasn't sure they were from his world if a handful of them were here and had an opportunity to go home together to handle things there, it only made sense that they would. Except for Ed it meant that he had less income and now a giant dog to feed on top of it.

At the sound of Jay's voice, Edward came through the kitchen - having been down the hall before the other's arrival. He looked Jason and the bags over, crossing both arms in front of his chest as if intent on remaining as closed off as possible for this exchange. "You better not be here to tell me you're leaving too." He didn't think Jay was, but he was certainly in a mood, this year had not been good for his track record of people he cared about disappearing.

[hititwithacrowbar]

Jason always had a lot going on, but he tried to make time for Ed, even if their was a change in their friendship. He could tell it from the start but he didn't want to let go of what he had, he's lost enough and didn't have much desire to move on, he still instended to stay.

Since he had gotten caught by his brothers working his other job he had been stuck to the house, no booze no nicotine, just hanging around bored but working on things around the house. With Nico gone, he didn't care. He needed to check on Ed.

He sat the bag down as he took a drink from the beer he pulled out. "Fuck that, I told you I'm here for the long haul, your stuck with me. Unless your leaving, in which case I dont begrudge you. I'm sorry about Al and Niks."

[alchemyfreak]

They were both stubborn, and Ed was particularly stubborn about friends. He had plenty that pissed him off before Jason Todd, and so far Jay had definitely not been the worst offender. Their friendship was not what it had been in more recent months, but Jason was still Ed's best friend here.

"I have nowhere to go." That wasn't entirely true, and he knew it. If anything he had too many places to go, too many homes that he'd never see again. "Nico was pretty clear about needing to get back and take care of things, there's no surprise he took the first chance he had to leave. At least he made a point to say goodbye." Al hadn't, things hadn't been right between them he knew that, but he didn't know why, and he wondered if the memories he'd erased were the key to that mystery.

"Al wanted to go home from the moment he got here. That portal can send you anywhere you want to go, not just the moment you came from, at least that's what they say. He thought we could go home, but he wanted to do it together. He only stayed because I wouldn't leave. It doesn't matter if we go back to Risembool, the only place we're going to end up in the long run is Germany." It was an inevitability that Ed wasn't ready for, and that's why he'd refused to go anywhere.

"I really messed things up with him, didn't I?"