//might come back? Maybe?
Does anyone care? Because I honestly wouldn't mind abandoning this blog.
@little-todd / little-todd.tumblr.com
Does anyone care? Because I honestly wouldn't mind abandoning this blog.
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
German, she wondered. That was not among the most commonly spoken second languages in Gotham, but one sufficiently different from English that it was worth celebrating.
“Sometime maybe you’ll bring over a copy of Aschenputtel to read me,” Barbara told him. “Or Hänsel und Gretel in the original German.”
He smiled and nodded. “Okay. I have a friend, he’s German, I think he taught me. I like him. He says I used to call him my uncle. He’s really, really nice.”
“Do you get much of an opportunity to use the German?” Barbara asked.
"Yeah. Doc speaks German. I use it when I don't want other people to know what I'm asking him."
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
As police identified and law-enforcement centered as Barbara’s life tended to be, she knew that the reality was somewhat different. There was always collateral damage even for those who had homes. Not every good person made it home alive. Not every bad person ended up in jail, despite the best efforts of all involved. She shared none of this with the boy. He was still finding his place in this world after amnesia cost him so many of his memories. She would not replace that with horror if she could avoid it, though she intended to put a surveillance drone on him just to be on the safe side. One couldn’t be too careful with a child in this city.
“Well I’m very glad to hear that,” she said brightly, scooping a bit of bright red syrup onto her ice cream. “Are you back to school yet, or still getting used to things at home?”
He smiled a bit. “I don’t know. Doctor Logan is giving me a p…placement test, I think, to figure out how much I remember. I can speak German now, so that’s cool, but I really don’t remember learning it. It just kind of happened.”
German, she wondered. That was not among the most commonly spoken second languages in Gotham, but one sufficiently different from English that it was worth celebrating.
“Sometime maybe you’ll bring over a copy of Aschenputtel to read me,” Barbara told him. “Or Hänsel und Gretel in the original German.”
He smiled and nodded. "Okay. I have a friend, he's German, I think he taught me. I like him. He says I used to call him my uncle. He's really, really nice."
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
“You won’t have a problem with them anymore,” she promised. “And if you do, I’m going to give you a number to call. Anytime. Day or night.”
He nodded, already deciding this was someone he wanted to keep. “Thank you. But I’m not homeless anymore, so I don’t think cops will hurt me.”
As police identified and law-enforcement centered as Barbara’s life tended to be, she knew that the reality was somewhat different. There was always collateral damage even for those who had homes. Not every good person made it home alive. Not every bad person ended up in jail, despite the best efforts of all involved. She shared none of this with the boy. He was still finding his place in this world after amnesia cost him so many of his memories. She would not replace that with horror if she could avoid it, though she intended to put a surveillance drone on him just to be on the safe side. One couldn’t be too careful with a child in this city.
“Well I’m very glad to hear that,” she said brightly, scooping a bit of bright red syrup onto her ice cream. “Are you back to school yet, or still getting used to things at home?”
He smiled a bit. "I don't know. Doctor Logan is giving me a p...placement test, I think, to figure out how much I remember. I can speak German now, so that's cool, but I really don't remember learning it. It just kind of happened."
"Hey, hey! Let's play!"
Dick spun around in his chair with a little smile. “Alright Jason. Whaddya wanna play kiddo?”
“Sure! But I don’t know how to play, is that bad?”
“Not at all. It’s easy once you learn the controls so we’ll do a simple track first to get you used to it.”
“Okay! Let’s play, let’s play!” He grinned, running around the older man. He’s been much more like himself since he’d gotten his bandages removed. There was still a mark, and it would definitely scar, but he would definitely be alright.
"Hey, hey! Let's play!"
Dick spun around in his chair with a little smile. “Alright Jason. Whaddya wanna play kiddo?”
“I dunno, but I want to play!”
“Okay lets see if we can narrow it down. Do you want to go outside? Play video games? Or play a board game.”
“Video games please!”
“Video games it is. Shall we play some Mario kart? That’s always fun.”
“Sure! But I don’t know how to play, is that bad?”
"Hey, hey! Let's play!"
Dick spun around in his chair with a little smile. “Alright Jason. Whaddya wanna play kiddo?”
“I dunno, but I want to play!”
“Okay lets see if we can narrow it down. Do you want to go outside? Play video games? Or play a board game.”
"Video games please!"
"Hey, hey! Let's play!"
Dick spun around in his chair with a little smile. “Alright Jason. Whaddya wanna play kiddo?”
"I dunno, but I want to play!"
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
That she would check into. If he’d been identified, Barbara would find a way to give the kid another shot. Make the evidence disappear. The files. Everything but the notes, if the cop on the case was old school like Bullock and preferred to keep hard copies of everything.
“My Dad’s a cop,” she explained, “and I’m willing to bet that he’d be concerned about seeing a kid get shot. Any kid.”
He thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly. He’d never been identified, but all cases he was involved with had his picture, photographic or sketched, and a description of his physical condition. The estimation of his weight was always circled. There had been a solid attempt to help Jason, but there was always cruel cops in Gotham that outweighed the good ones.
“You won’t have a problem with them anymore,” she promised. “And if you do, I’m going to give you a number to call. Anytime. Day or night.”
He nodded, already deciding this was someone he wanted to keep. "Thank you. But I'm not homeless anymore, so I don't think cops will hurt me."
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
virtualbatgirl:
It pained her to say it but he had to hear it. “You know, police officers aren’t perfect. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, they goof up. It’s easy to misread some situations. You didn’t wind up in jail, so they must’ve figured it out, right?”
“No, I ran. I couldn’t go to the hospital, because I would get arrested.” He set his head on the table. “They thought I died…”
That she would check into. If he’d been identified, Barbara would find a way to give the kid another shot. Make the evidence disappear. The files. Everything but the notes, if the cop on the case was old school like Bullock and preferred to keep hard copies of everything.
“My Dad’s a cop,” she explained, “and I’m willing to bet that he’d be concerned about seeing a kid get shot. Any kid.”
He thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly. He'd never been identified, but all cases he was involved with had his picture, photographic or sketched, and a description of his physical condition. The estimation of his weight was always circled. There had been a solid attempt to help Jason, but there was always cruel cops in Gotham that outweighed the good ones.
I can smell color and maybe pass out idk
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
virtualbatgirl:
“Maybe you just didn’t know, before, how much people cared. People do care what happens to you, and anytime someone your age gets hurt? The adults wonder how we could’ve stopped it. And get mad at ourselves a lot for letting you be in danger.”
He frowned, looking down. “No… I’ve been shot before… no one cared, they tried to arrest me. It was really really scary, and I feel really bad for making you guys worry.”
It pained her to say it but he had to hear it. “You know, police officers aren’t perfect. Sometimes, no matter how hard they try, they goof up. It’s easy to misread some situations. You didn’t wind up in jail, so they must’ve figured it out, right?”
"No, I ran. I couldn't go to the hospital, because I would get arrested." He set his head on the table. "They thought I died..."
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
“Maybe you just didn’t know, before, how much people cared. People do care what happens to you, and anytime someone your age gets hurt? The adults wonder how we could’ve stopped it. And get mad at ourselves a lot for letting you be in danger.”
He frowned, looking down. “No... I’ve been shot before... no one cared, they tried to arrest me. It was really really scary, and I feel really bad for making you guys worry.”
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
little-todd:
virtualbatgirl:
Shushing him, she told him, “Just be you. That’s all I ask for. And if you like coming to visit, you’ll still be welcome even if you weren’t before.”
Barbara leaned in conspiratorially. “I wasn’t the same after I got shot, either, but the important people take me as I am. Legs that don’t work and all. You don’t have to worry about making everyone happy. Just make you happy. The ones who love you will get on board that wagon in a heartbeat. Even if sometimes the wagon’s got a little bit bumpier ride than we’re used to.”
He looked down at her legs, frowning softly. “You’re paralyzed…. the old me might as well be dead, ‘cause I can’t remember anything… Chase is trying, but I think he’s a little mad that I’m here instead of old Jason… I’m not right.”
“Don’t say that. He’s maybe just feeling hurt because it’s him you don’t remember, because even if you know how the brain works? It’s hard to process. And he’s probably more upset that you got hurt in the first place. Maybe even feels guilty.” Shaking her head, she added, “I have friends who think that if they’d been there, they could’ve saved me. This is just…it’s not ideal, but we need to move forward when you’re able to. That’s the way to heal.”
“A man named Red saved me... he heard the shot and got me help right away... Doc says he’s very upset now. I don’t want him to be.” He sighed, looking down. “I hate making people sad... last I remember, no one cared. Now they care too much. It’s really hard to get used to. I don’t want to upset people.”
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
Shushing him, she told him, “Just be you. That’s all I ask for. And if you like coming to visit, you’ll still be welcome even if you weren’t before.”
Barbara leaned in conspiratorially. “I wasn’t the same after I got shot, either, but the important people take me as I am. Legs that don’t work and all. You don’t have to worry about making everyone happy. Just make you happy. The ones who love you will get on board that wagon in a heartbeat. Even if sometimes the wagon’s got a little bit bumpier ride than we’re used to.”
He looked down at her legs, frowning softly. “You’re paralyzed.... the old me might as well be dead, ‘cause I can’t remember anything... Chase is trying, but I think he’s a little mad that I’m here instead of old Jason... I’m not right.”
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
little-todd:
virtualbatgirl:
Shaking her head, she indicated that she was not his aunt. “No. Just a friend you used to visit sometimes when you were bored. Your brother recently took a job working for me. It was you who introduced us.”
“Oh. Is he a good worker? I hope he is. That would be nice.” He kicked his feet under the table, pretending he didn’t just give up details about his family. Can he undo that? That would be nice. “He said I’m here a lot… after school and stuff.”
Chase had just started with Barbara. As yet, she’d had little opportunity to assess him, but he seemed eager and pleased to have a halfway decent job that allowed him to keep his clothes on.
While Jason was in hospital, she’d kept her distance to allow him to forge new bonds with his family. The last thing she’d wanted to do was interfere. At least not as long as it seemed that the boys were being kept reasonably safe.
“You come by sometimes. Mostly you just drop by. We’ll watch a movie here and there, or pig out on pizza or some kind of treat.” If nothing else, having him around was a way to indulge her more maternal impulses. Charlie was already far too grown up for all that, and with each passing year Barbara became more sure that motherhood was not in the cards for her.
He nodded. “That sounds nice... Did you hear what happened? If I made you worried, I’m very sorry. I don’t really know what happened, I just know I was shot.” He looked around, still kicking his feet. “I can try to be the way you said I was... but it might not be right... I still want to try to make people happy.”
Jason knocked on the womans door, shifting nervously.
The electronic locks could be heard opening. Long before he’d reached the penthouse, Barbara knew Jason was in the building. She was busy in the kitchen just beyond the entry hall. Her goal? A banana split to beat the last of the summer heat.
By the time she heard the door shut, she had the delectable dessert laid out on the table. “Oh, good. You’re just in time to help me eat this. It’s way too big for one person.”
little-todd:
virtualbatgirl:
For a long time she’d known the little boy. Clearly the injuries he’d sustained were every bit as severe as she’d heard. Logical or not, she’d hoped that his arrival might trigger something like a memory of snuggling on the couch to watch a Disney movie with a huge bucket of popcorn, or of sharing a chili dog on the Amusement Mile.
Smiling sweetly, she beckoned him into the kitchen and took a place on the opposite end of the table from the doorway. That way if Jason needed some space, he would be more likely to take it and hopefully less uneasy.
“You can just call me Barbara,” she told him. “How’s your head feeling? You took a pretty good knock in the noggin, didn’t you?”
Jason’s heart ached a bit. He’d always been a perceptive kid, and today he regretted it. He could see she was hurt and upset that he didn’t remember. He wanted to, really, he just couldn’t.
He sat in front of her, smiling softly. “I like your home… It’s super fancy.” He looked around. “You look like Mom…. Are you the Aunt I never got to meet?”
Shaking her head, she indicated that she was not his aunt. “No. Just a friend you used to visit sometimes when you were bored. Your brother recently took a job working for me. It was you who introduced us.”
“Oh. Is he a good worker? I hope he is. That would be nice.” He kicked his feet under the table, pretending he didn’t just give up details about his family. Can he undo that? That would be nice. “He said I’m here a lot... after school and stuff.”