[OPEN/CLOSED] A Robin came a-knockin’

[robintohood]

Who: Jason Todd robintohood and you
What: Jason’s been deaged back to his early Robin years. Antics ensue. Also contains one special closed prompt
When: January 3rd-4thish, during the age swap event
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: None for now. Will edit if needed.

[Somewhere in Central City is a small boy in a red, yellow, and green costume. It’s hard to forget someone in a colorful suit like that.

That is, assuming you can catch a good enough look at him. He’s effortlessly using his grappling gun and parkour skills to swing around and jump rooftops. You might see him as he tries to get a lay of the land.

Alternatively, you might see him fearlessly (or recklessly, depending on how you look at it) pounce right on top of a would-be armed mugger. He might not know where he is but that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop fighting crime. It’s what any good sidekick would do.]

Attic Safehouse above the Descendant Bar (Closed to people who use the safehouse)

[Later that night, Robin is exhausted but isn’t ready to trust just any place to rest for the night. For now, he’s just perched on top of the Descendant, near the attic window]

Comments

[definecat]

They make an obvious sniffing sound, despite not having an obvious nose.

"Less motor oil, but you still smell like Jason Todd, my favorite book club buddy."

They turn and start leading the way to the reading room, figuring the quiet environment and soft chairs will be good for Dylan, too, even if he isn't going to be touching any of the books if Sleeper has a say about it.

[robintohood]

It still doesn't make sense what Sleeper is saying. Evidently they recognizes his scent but Jason won't cop to his real identity to someone he doesn't trust. That can be a deadly mistake to make.

Still, he follows them to the reading room. At the very least he can't lose sight of the kid.

"Don't know who you're talking," he says in a nonchalant tone. "What kind of books do you read?"

Know thy enemy, right?

[definecat]

"Of course not. You wouldn't know anything about that," they say, clearly humoring him. How one can tell a giant ooze thing is amused is hard to say, but they clearly are.

"Well, the other night we read The Little Prince, and we've done a lot of other classics."

Sleeper seems perfectly fine with letting Robin be at his back, but then, they don't have to rely on ordinary senses. Once they hit the reading room, they turn on some of the softer lights and pick a nice recliner to curl up with the kid, their form melting into something more feline, but still large enough to surround Dylan like a blanket, the fistfuls of substance not budging in his hands. They're still more panther-sized than housecat, but not so toothy as they might be.

[codicies]

The toddler's cries have more or less settled down now, replaced with tired sniffling and cooing as his emotional distress still makes sleep difficult. Still, Dylan manages to turn his head and get a good look at the new guest.

He hadn't picked up on the kid being Jason — not until Sleeper said it. Though there's something about the outfit he's wearing that's tugging on the edge of his memory... but not a memory about Jason. He turns it over in his head, but can't quite nail where he's seen it before.

Whatever. He's too tired to worry about it.

When Sleeper settles into the recliner and shifts their shape, Dylan's cradled by the flow of the symbiote goo and settles next to his sibling. Sleepily, Dylan looks over at Jason again, then snuggles in closer with his sibling.

Warm and safe and exhausted, it seems sleep is finally going to claim him. As his eyes flutter shut, his thumb slips in his mouth, and he drifts away.

[robintohood]

Jason watches with interest as Sleeper adjusts their shape and the toddler makes himself comfortable to go to sleep. It's a strange scene to witness but nothing about it seems hostile for now. If Sleeper is a Clayface, then they're probably the gentlest so far. He just has to keep vigil.

"The Little Prince is a good book," Jason says. "Do you have any favorite books?"

[definecat]

"Frankenstein strikes a lot of familiar chords, and I'm fond of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Austen, of course, and the Brontes. I've got very little patience for most modern stuff. Too many tropes, not enough depth."

They nuzzle the kid, a low purring thrum added to the sounds of the room

"What about you?"

[robintohood]

"I got a lot of favorites," Jason replies. Again, it's the truth. It's just what happens when one is a bookworm. "Little Prince, Secret Garden... I only started reading Austen but so far I like Pride and Prejudice."

He watches Sleeper and hears the purring.

"Ever read anything by T.S. Eliot?"

[definecat]

"If you are implying I might be a proper Jellicle Cat, we might have to have words," they warn, but it's with a clear smile.

[robintohood]

Jason giggles and smiles back.

"Gotta make sure! The definition for one seems pretty loose," he says. "For one thing, none of the poems said they couldn't have four eyes."

[definecat]

"I'm not human, I'm not exactly a cat, so why not make it obvious I don't feel the need to blend into the background? And it definitely helps in the bar. People who can't decide if they're seeing straight or not cut themselves off instead of the staff having to work at it."

[robintohood]

Jason giggles again, imagining winos stumbling while they stare at Sleeper's four eyes.

"Yeah, must be. So you're an employee here?"

[definecat]

"Well, not officially. I just help where I can when I'm in town," Sleeper says, not really willing to get into why they don't live here and why the commute isn't something they do easily.

"It's more I'm a friend of the owner."

[robintohood]

"Some friend," Jason murmurs as he slowly walks and looks through the bookshelves. "I haven't really heard of a bar with a reading room before."

Granted, while Jason knows more about bars than most kids his age, he's never visited one without Bruce. And with him, it's only to ambush the criminals lurking there.

[definecat]

"It's a place for quiet relaxation. Sometimes that's what people want. A really expensive glass of something and a good book," Sleeper says, shrugging a little.

"I can't say I really understand why you humans have a fondness for the voluntary ingestion of toxins."

[robintohood]

Jason giggles.

"Well, sometimes the spicy stuff is worth it."

[definecat]

"You don't want to get into my dietary preferences," they tease.

"So are you just here to rescue my brother, or did you have other reasons?"

[robintohood]

"What if I am?" Jason says confidently. He doesn't know for certain yet if Sleeper will turn on him. "I'm just on patrol."

Sleeper doesn't need to know he was resting on the rooftop.

[definecat]

"I'm not about to eat the kid. We're just waiting here until our parent can get here."

Still, they're not about to leave Dylan alone anywhere.

"See anything interesting?"

[robintohood]

"Maybe," Jason says trying to keep a cool exterior. He's trying to be professional but truthfully, he's curious to check most of the books. It's nowhere as large as the collection at Wayne Manor but he loves libraries all the same. "I haven't read some of these before. The owner bought them?"

[definecat]

"Some of them were bought, some of them were donated. It's run like the Little Free Library. A collection for everyone," they explain. "People are free to add, borrow, or remove books from the collection, although outright stealing of multiple titles is frowned on, but sometimes...you forget."

[robintohood]

Jason nods, intrigued.

"Yeah, I've heard of that before. It's a nice idea if you don't have a regular library nearby," he says. "So the owner's a big reader too?"

[definecat]

"We share a book club," Sleeper says, wondering how Jason will feel about this when he's back to normal.

[robintohood]

A bar owner who has the same name as him and who also likes books. Then there was the mention earlier about age reversal. It still doesn't feel right though. Jason has no memories of being an adult. He's still just a kid.

"What else does he like?" Jason asks. There was a mention of motor oil earlier which lines up with him liking cars and motorcycles, even though he can't drive yet. Is this all just a coincidence?

[definecat]

"Not sure what I should tell you. I know he really hates clowns, and likes punching bad guys, but more than that? I'd say you should ask him, but..."

That would be difficult considering the situation.

[robintohood]

"He's busy?" Jason finishes. "Can't say I blame him for not liking clowns though. They're usually bad news. And who doesn't like beating up bad guys?"

Jason doesn't seem too troubled talking about clowns or beating up bad guys. It's all just part of being a Gotham vigilante. He's especially learned to take great care of he ever faces the Joker.