multiversallogs | oh hi 8|

Who: Helena and Jason
What: a rooftop meeting, vague non-apologies for flipping out and snapping at each other
Where: Bonetown
When: n...ight
Notes: this is going to end with Jason defiantly having tea at Helena's house just because it's clear she doesn't expect him to ever come over. OH? WELL I BROUGHT SOME GINGERSNAPS WITH ICING :E
Warnings: we are absurd

He does not, as a rule, patrol.

It's because he's not a vigilante and hasn't been one for a few months now, but he very specifically does not patrol. He just keeps odd hours and is tracking gang activity. And if he interferes now and then, well, that's because he's not a total bastard. If something happens right in front of his face, he'll do something about it, but it's not patrolling, and it's not his mission. He's different now.

So it's slightly embarrassing to run into Helena on one of those conveniently shadowy rooftops because it totally looks like he is and he can't deny it without looking dumb. In any case, he drops the usual tiny audio tells that pass as vigilante politeness — letting someone know you're around without letting the whole world know you're around. It's been many years since he's snuck up on anyone he considers more or less an ally and even if he felt the urge now, it's much too soon to start. After a second or two of subtle not-lurking-but-not-just-appearing-out-of-the-shadows, he drops down beside Helena with a slight incline of his head for a greeting.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Oh, sorry, I'll try to curb my clown horn habit. It's more of a tic, really." It's more dry than sarcastic (and, of course, quiet). He slides through just as nimbly as she did and shuts it behind them. Then it's automatic to sweep a casual glance around, even though he does trust her. It's just something that has to be done.

Helena nods and starts to turn, only to stop halfway through the motion. "Ah..." She glances at her dresser.

"Would you mind just turning around for a bit? I hate walking through the place in my costume. Benny's here and ... It just doesn't feel right." She trails off, letting Jason fill in the rest for himself. It's too hard to explain why she doesn't like touching Benny in her Huntress leathers unless she absolutely has to.

He nods and turns, looking out the window instead. A more thoughtful person might realize that he might actually still be able to see her via reflection, but Jason isn't thoughtful because he isn't looking. After a moment he starts talking again, while taking off his gloves. Technically, if Tim ever comes here, he should keep them on just in case, but that also seems overboard paranoia and dumb, so he's ignoring that feeling.

"How's he doing? He care much about being here?"

Helena wiggles into her clothes quickly, having had several years to practice her quick-change.

As she pulls her pants up her legs, she answers, "Well, he's only nine months, so it's not as if Benny really recognizes that anything's different between here and home, save for the fact that he wears cloth diapers instead of disposables, and I guess that he doesn't eat as much formula as he used to." Helena pauses in the middle of smoothing down her sweater, smiling the watery smile of a besotted parent. "He's pretty easy to please, though. Don't know where he got it from, but he's a pretty sweet kid."

With a cough, she adds, "Oh, you can turn around now, thanks."

Privately, Jason wonders if maybe, when certain kinds of people become parents, your body released some hormones which turn off select portions of your sanity — not just the ones directly related to rage when your child is threatened, but other things. Not that he thinks Helena is batshit, but it's a particular kind of parenting talk that he's not often been exposed to, and it's strange to him. All he does on the surface, though, is turn around and nod again. Anyway, he did ask, even though he's well aware Benny is pretty small, and the world is probably a gigantic mystery to him with or without swapping universes.

"You okay on the money front?"

Her first instinct is to snap at him for assuming she can't take care of herself, but then she realizes that he might just be concerned for her child, so Helena settles for raising an eyebrow at him as she opens the door to the rest of the apartment. "Yeah, I've got things figured out. Apparently there's a pretty high demand for tutoring, since there's not really a school system set up."

The apartment itself is dim, but warm, and a bit more decorated than it was... although that is probably more for heat than for colour. There's wide falls of fabric covering the walls now, and several thick blankets over the back of the couch. Helena gestures at said couch, indicating that Jason should sit wherever he wants.

"Um... do you want something to drink? I can put some coffee on."

"Sure." He sounds entirely neutral about it, and sits obligingly, looking neither uncomfortable nor out of place, though he is most definitely both. After a moment he tugs a stuffed animal out from underneath him and puts it aside. Sorry, Benny.

Contemplating conversational topics, he thinks about mentioning there's a guy who looks a little like Bruce wandering the city, but dismisses the notion immediately on two fronts: that's weird, and he's actually not sure if Helena is aware of Bruce Wayne.

"Did you still have Tim and Superboy over for dinner?"

"Yeah, I did." The kitchen isn't more than a few feet away from the sitting area, so Jason can probably see Helena smirk as she sets the coffee boiling and pulls out cups.

"In case you were wondering, magic and technology don't work here in Bonetown, but superpowers are also on the do-not-use list... So I'm pretty sure Superboy's going to be steering clear of here."

Though he doesn't immediately respond, the way he settles back against the couch indicates a certain relieved acknowledgment. That's what he'd hoped for. Not that he has any plans to battle Superboy, but it's good to know. It will take the cavalry away from Tim if and when it comes time for them to meet.

"What do you think of them?"

Jason keeps his voice neutral again, since he's not looking for a repeat of the conversation that necessitated this one. Besides, she's the one who met them — his experiences with various Tims does not count for shit until they figure out how similar he is to those, if at all.

oh hi 8|

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