[OPEN Mingle] If music be the food of love…

[robintohood]

Who: Mingle post! Jason Todd (DCAU version) robintohood is also available in a separate top-level comment
What: Valentine’s Day season at the Descendant Karaoke Bar and Lounge
When: 2/1 to 2/13, before the February game event
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: None for now. Will update if needed.

[It’s early February and even a place as gritty and tough as Central City isn’t immune to the Valentine’s Day mood.

If one visits the Descendant around this time of the year, one may notice that some of the Gritty the mascot figures are holding fake roses and Cupid bows and arrows. Don’t worry. They’re safe. Really.

In addition, there are two types of songs getting a ton of play. On one side you got romantic and sweet songs such as Truly, Madly, Deeply, My Heart Will Go On, and As Long As You Love Me. On the other side is quite the opposite. These songs about heartbreak. A lot of them also are blow-out torch songs. Classic hits such as You Give Love A Bad Name, I’m Still Standing, and Should I Stay or Should I Go are getting performed with at least as much enthusiasm as the love songs, if not more. Even mobsters sometimes have rough love lives and need to blow off steam.

So whatever your feelings are about Valentine’s Day this year, come drop by for a drink, some entertainment and maybe a bar game or two. Chances are, you’ll be in decent company. Besides, what else could possibly happen in Central City this month?]

((OOC: Mingle post before this month’s big event! Have fun. Jason’s own top-level is right here. My contact information is on this journal's profile and I'm in the game's Discord server. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns as well. I also have a feedback post.))

Comments

[robintohood]

[At that question, Jason becomes a little more serious]

Yeah. It’s happened to me before. Why?

[purplexing]

...not a fan.

[He sinks back down to sit, tracing the edges of the book with his finger.]

[robintohood]

Sorry to hear that. When did it happen?

[purplexing]

About a month ago. ...and then again this month.

[robintohood]

[Oof…]

That’s gotta hurt. Worst thing about these events is that they happen at random with no trigger.

[purplexing]

...yeah.

[It hurts a lot and he hates it.]

It doesn't make any sense.

[robintohood]

I don’t know if it’s supposed to. They happen just as sudden as people getting dropped it.

[purplexing]

[Donnie sighs. ]

Yeah but... people coming in was more predictable when the Confluences were happening, and those stopped for a while. I guess I can't really expect anything in this universe to be stable though...

[robintohood]

[Jason nods]

Yeah, that’s one way to describe this version of Earth. Do you think it’s good they went back home?

[The question is being asked because Jason knows not everyone has a good home]

[purplexing]

...I don't know.

[Donnie pulls his knees up, hugging his arms around them. He only has an idea of where Archie had come from, but who was Donnie to say that it was better for him here? It sounded like a complicated mess, but here could be just as complicated.

Hardison... The guy always complained about how different things were, how behind he felt, but he'd gotten along fine too. But he was a survivor. So was Archie.]

Maybe. I mean, who wants to be stuck here.

[Except that here wasn't so bad sometimes.]

[robintohood]

It’s not that weird of a thought, depending on where you were before the Confluence.

[And based on some of the stories Jason has heard from certain other Starfallen, it’s a strange blessing to be here instead]

[purplexing]

Yeah, I know. I wasn't saying it was. Doesn't really change anything though. They're not here anymore.

[robintohood]

[In a matter of fact tone]

And you miss them.

[purplexing]

...

Yeah.

[robintohood]

Sorry about that. It tough because of how sudden they happen. Not much else you can do except hope they’re okay and maybe somehow you’ll meet them again.

[purplexing]

[Donnie nods, not really convinced. It'd be kind of selfish wishing they'd come back, wouldn't it? He just wishes it didn't hurt so much.]

Guess it's just like a wake-up call, huh? I got used to figuring we might just be stuck here, but...it's not all bad. Staying in an actual apartment, meeting other people I can hang out with that aren't like, immediate family. Forgot it could just change without any warning.

[robintohood]

I think it’s normal to feel what you’re feeling when you’ve been here long enough and have settled in.

[Jason’s been on this version of Earth for over a year and has seen his share of people coming and going]

Not like we have a Confluence every single day. A typical day around here can feel pretty normal more often than not.

[purplexing]

[That's something Donnie's still unsure about too. Feeling like things here are 'normal.' With it comes the guilt of not getting any closer to finding a way back home, for him but most importantly for Leo. No one's saddled him with this problem but he's made it his to fix. That's just his thing.]

I...guess.

If you had to pick, would you prefer here or back wherever home is for you. [Or maybe there's no contest, the guy had said he was from Jersey, right?]

[robintohood]

[There’s a short pause while Jason thinks about his answer. The truth is it’s complicated for him. His Gotham is just a few steps away from being a hellscape but someone has to try and improve things for innocent civilians just trying to survive. His Bruce certainly isn’t doing things the right way.

On the other hand, as shocking as it was suddenly getting dropped off on this version of Earth and now dealing with the confusing mess that is the multiverse, he’s also had good things happen here. He has new siblings and friends he’s come to deeply care for. He has a truly uniquely deep bond with someone he loves. He’s making differences in his own way while being the Red Hood here.

Deep down, Jason knows he wouldn’t be happy if he was suddenly yanked away from all that and just dropped back into his Gotham alone.]

I’ve traveled a lot so for me, home isn’t entirely about a place.

[Donnie hasn’t reached the level of trust it would take for Jason to admit much but he’s sympathetic to how the turtle is feeling]

[purplexing]

[It's a careful answer, a professional one. It doesn't really answer his question either, but Donnie can respect that, even if it does make him feel like he's the one being weird here. But then maybe he should take a page from Jason and put up more walls.

Admittedly he's been far too eager to want to be open to people, to connect with others outside of family. That's not an opportunity he's had much of before. But then that's probably why the sudden absences just hit so hard.

His brow knits and he looks down for a moment before slowly forcing himself to uncurl.]

Hm. Yeah, I've heard people say that before.

[Home for him was wherever his family was, that's how it's always been. He's not entirely sure what he'd do if that changed, if he didn't have at least one of them here like he does now, and it's terrifying to think about.

Donnie looks down at the book he'd selected, picking it up again to crack it open to start reading. So much for trying to get his mind off of things, but he still hopes a good book will help.]

Well, try not to disappear either, huh? Or at least leave a note.

[It's almost dismissive but that's how Donnie's tone is, and even if he is trying to brush by the whole subject, he's not denying he'd miss Jason too.]

[robintohood]

Heh. No guarantees but I’ll try. Somebody’s gotta make sure you don’t burn a kitchen down.

[It’s a small reassurance wrapped in a joke. Jason can’t say what will happen in the future or if he’ll go back home but he senses the sentiment Donnie is having]

[purplexing]

[Donnie breathes out a laugh at that in spite of himself. It's not like they can really be making promises of anything when it comes to this place but it's good enough.]

[robintohood]

[Jason knows it’s not much. He can’t guarantee what Donnie really wants but it’s still nice to have some good company]

None of us know what the future can hold so sometimes, it’s best to live in the moment.

[purplexing]

Yeah, good point.

[To be fair, Donnie's not even sure what he really wants. He misses home and his family, but aside from the crazy things here like dealing with problems and interference of a divine scale, he likes how things are here. He wants a mix of both and he knows he can't and it's not fair.

So living in the moment and soaking up what's there is the only real option left.]

[robintohood]

Your brother’s been feeling similar?

[Since he knows they’re close]