The Red Hood

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 Abandoned

                                         Forgotten

The Robin nobody trusts

Independent, multiverse, canon divergent Jason Todd RP blog.

18+

REVAMP AS OF 12/5/17

That was definitely what she needed. Raven curled up in her bed after she dried off. But for the life of her she couldn’t get over this oppressive loneliness that was starting to creep its way back in. She’d forgotten what it felt like to be around people that genuinely enjoyed her company; at being respected and cared for instead of feared, for her father. Eyes pressed tight, she let out a long and deep sigh before drifting off.

Monday morning. Eight AM literature class. It was engaging and informative, everything she could have ever wanted in a course. But that pop quiz was something she wished she’d been a little more prepared for. 

Most of the day was about the same for her. Stress upon stress for most of her courses as she just added more and more papers and deadlines to her planner. Thankfully she didn’t work again until Wednesday. Raven hunkered down in the campus library for the long haul tonight. She just couldn’t risk being distracted by those drums tonight.

‘Your neighbor? Very cute.’ The thought crossed her mind again and she grumbled. How dare Joey put that burning curiosity in her mind. Rude.

Monday was a day at school in earnest for Jason, hours of lectures by professors that ranged from rambling to engaging, pages of shorthand notes and three quizzes half the class wasn’t expecting. College life felt so much like constantly falling and catching yourself just to trip again.

All day however he could hear the singing in the back of his mind, not enough to be a distraction but, enough to illicit a note when he got home. He had never been a library guy. He worked better in his space then anywhere else, so before he fell into his headphones at tinnitus causing decibels as he broke down the metaphors in the three poems they had read that day; he slipped a folded piece of paper into the mail slot.

Joseph smiled at the man and nodded in greeting as he passed, watching just for no other reason than he was there. With a shrug he turned back to fiddling about on his phone. Another minute later when Raven joined him, they began their walk. ‘You look great.’ The gallery was a few blocks from here, closer to the art district of the city. About a half hour’s walk. Not too bad considering the weather. And if they felt like it they could always hail a cab back.

He held the door open for her and grinned wide. It had been far too long since he’d gotten to show off his work for one of his closest friends. “When did you have the time to do all of these?” Raven asked as she saw just how many new paintings there were. Needless to say, she was impressed. “Is that why you haven’t been skyping me?” It was all in jest, Raven let out a soft laugh and nudged him with her shoulder.

‘I get so wrapped up in the moment. Hard to pull away.’ He led her towards the back, wanting to show her one in particular. ‘This one not for sale. Painted it for you.’

Raven stood in front of a moderately sized canvas, on which the bird of her name sake soared upwards through swirls of dark blue and purple colored smoke. There seemed to be a shimmer in the paint, and Raven lightly touched the canvas surface.  “It’s magnificent,” she whispered as she looked back up at him and leaned against him. He responded in kind by wrapping  an arm around her shoulders for a quick hug.

Raven had needed the night out more than she realized. A good friend and a bottle of wine at the end of the night were two things she didn’t get enough of lately. “Are you sure you’ll be alright getting home?” she asked him as they stood in her doorway. They were both busy, so moments like this were far too precious. “You called a cab?”

‘Don’t worry. I’m good to go.’ Joseph smiled and reached a hand out to pat her shoulder a few times before he continued. ‘See you soon. Promise.’ He almost turned to leave when he remembered something else. ‘Your neighbor? Really cute.’  The statement was punctuated with an over dramatic wink.

She couldn’t help but laugh at that, and a slight heat crept to her cheeks. “Careful, or I’ll think you’ll try to take my apartment from me just to see him again.” 

‘No no. One man for me.’ And he held up his left hand. ‘Best night I’ve had in a long time, Raven. I miss you.’ Joseph smiled down at her and heaved a sigh.

 Raven returned the smile and leaned up to give the man a peck on the cheek. “I miss you too, Joey. We’ll do better to keep in touch, yeah?” 

After a few more pleasantries they parted ways. She’d sleep well tonight after a long shower. Raven set the water as hot as she could stand it and let the room fill up with steam. She hummed, a song stuck in her head for the past week. As her muscled loosened up in the hot water, she felt more relaxed and started to sing.

Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high Mama’s dancin’ with baby on her shoulder The sun is settin’ like molasses in the sky The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything Always wanting more, he’d leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy’s smile Black velvet with that slow southern style A new religion that’ll bring you to your knees Black velvet if you please

A long day but less fighting then the one before and Jason was back up to his room, passing the guy he saw earlier in the day. Brushing his teeth, he heard the water flowing in the wall between the apartments and the muffled humming. So, that guy wasn’t his neighb-Oh.

His thought process ground to a halt as the voice penetrated the thin wall. She, most definitely see had the pipes on her. As he finished up he started bobbing along with the beat of the song he knew. He stepped into his recording room and went to grab his bass when his phone went off in his pocket.

A light rapping on her door drew Raven’s attention from her book that Sunday morning; she was going through the course readings for Monday’s lecture to keep on top of things. Making sure to mark her place, she picked Beleth up out of the way and opened the door. Standing there before her was a friend she hadn’t seen in quite a long time.

“Joseph!” She ushered the man in and closed the door behind him. After setting the cat down, Raven slipped into her habit of signing with him as she spoke. She was rusty and needed the practice. “How are you? I didn’t know you were in town. Opening a new art exhibit?”

The man smiled and nodded, holding out the bag in his hand. ‘Bag was on your door. Look familiar?’

“Oh…uhm..” she plucked the piece of paper out and chuckled. “My neighbor. We haven’t met face to face yet, so this is how we talk.”

Joseph tapped her chin so that she’d look back up at him and his grin widened. ‘You’re smiling. Long time since I saw that.’ He looked puzzled for a moment before his face brightened back up. ‘Want to go with me to my gallery? Could use good company.’

She missed him, she really did. Joseph had been one of the things at community college that kept her going. Hell, he was who convinced her to pursue a masters. So to be able to catch up would be great. “I’d love to. I’ll change, then we can head out? It’ll only take a moment so I’ll meet you outside.” He understood, giving her the privacy she needed, and stepped back out.

Jason had to double back to fill Stripes’s bowl, never wanting to be neglectful to the sleek animal he shared space with. In the timne he went down came up fed his cat and came back, he noticed the light haired man now standing in the doorway and the bag gone.

Friend? Boyfriend? Don’t have time is what.

He gave a genial wave as he took the stairs three at a time, he was running late. Before him was a morning of grease and oil and idiots who didn’t know how a car worked half the time. His afternoon was a math class, which was the main thing detracting him from going after an engineering degree. He was good at math, that was the problem. Every math class was always going to have one person asking too many questions because they couldn’t grasp the mechanics of an equation and the application there of.

Her calm evening and meditation had been interrupted by the slam. Raven hadn’t been inside the apartment, but she could hear it from the balcony where she’d set up a small mat and her incense. Mild frustration was replaced with curiosity as the outburst was followed up with an apology. Was everything alright over there? Perhaps it was just a habit from before he had a neighbor. At least that’s what Raven chalked it up to. She took it as a sign, though, and packed up her things to head back in and set up the crockpot for dinner the following day. Raven couldn’t cook to save her life so she mainly subsisted on pre-seasoned crockpot meats, soups, and salads.

Later in the night, something else caught her attention. “I know those lyrics…” Raven muttered to herself. And all at once, she felt pretty bad for her neighbor. He sounded like he might have been slurring. But she didn’t want to assume. Still, she would have to say something. Raven scribbled out a new note, tossed it in a grocery bag with a few pastries and loose tea packets, and quickly stepped out to hook the bag onto her neighbor’s doorknob.

I’m not sure what happened, but MFL leads me to believe it might be relationship troubles. I’m sorry you had a rough day. Not sure what helps you, but these usually help me. -R

Jason woke up on the floor, as he was wont to do after more beer then was at all advisable to be drinking, but to his backs chagrin. He had an early afternoon shift and a class that night, so he was in no rush. He swept up the cans from the night before and stepped outside to smoke, looking over he saw the begins of what his neighbor had started on their balcony. He smiled and made sure to blow the smoke away from the plants.

As he headed from the door he almost didn’t notice the bag hanging from his door. He pulled the note out and his smile grew. Stepping inside he found a tin and filled it with some loose leaf Alfred had brought him not that long ago. He wanted to return the unexpected favor, as well as a note.

I wish it was that simple, but thank you anyway. Tea is always welcome

‘What an interesting young man,’ Raven found herself thinking as he left. It wasn’t an unwelcome interaction, of course. Much more enjoyable than some of the others that liked to wander in closer to the afternoon. Those guys were only interested in hustling her and her manager for sharp deals, or their phone numbers. Raven could handle them. It just wasn’t fun.

But thankfully, her shift continued without much more to report about. She chatted with the shop owner Will when he came in, got her schedule for the following week, and headed out to enjoy her day and a half of freedom. A quick stop by the bakery and new age store for some pastries and incense was just what she needed.

The walk home was pleasant; not many people bothering anybody, and a nice cool breeze keeping the temperature mild. As she climbed up the steps to the entrance to the walk-up, Raven figured it would be the perfect day to organize the small balcony she had access to.

Jason’s afternoon was much more argumentative. He took the long drive up to the hills and handed Bruce the check. What should have been a simple exchange of course turned. Bruce could smell nicotine on Jason and had umbrage to take with that. That argument turned into another argument into a another argument and the afternoon ended with slammed doors as always. At least Jason didn’t hit anybody this time.

Beer, beer and cigarettes were what he needed. Hell a lay would be welcome but he was to pissed off to put in the effort to pick anyone up. A stop at the liquor store for a carton and a 24 pack and he was back home, the door slammed hard behind him before he remember he had a neighbor now. “Sorry...” He grumbled loud enough that he hoped the sentiment would register. He would have went to his kit but it was still stripped down for jazz, which is not what he wanted. he flopped on the floor and started to make beer disappear.

Half buzzed he leaned against a wall and drunkenly sang to no one. 

“I’m certainly inclined to agree,” Raven said as she took the list from him with a plastered on retail smile. Going over the titles, she recognized all of them. It was the very same course list she’d had the semester before. It was worth a shot, so as she motioned for him to follow as she walked off to pluck each book she took a guess as to his class. “Professor Peterson, I assume? This is the same selected reading list I had.” The Great Poets series, D.H Lawrence in 90 Minutes, Canterbury Tales; she had a copy of every one of these in her apartment.

One by one she piled them up in the man’s arms, offering her occasional tips and pointers on the more challenging of the works in the pile. “I’m taking his Gothic Lit class now. Maybe we’ll be in the same Shakespeare course next year.” Raven wrapped and bagged his books for him back up at the counter before handing his receipt right to him. “Good luck.”

“In the rapture of my enormous humiliation I live in your warm life, and you shall die—die, sweetly die—into mine. I cannot help it; as I draw near to you, you, in your turn, will draw near to others, and learn the rapture of that cruelty, which yet is love; so, for a while, seek to know no more of me and mine, but trust me with all your loving spirit.” Jason smiled and recited at the mention of Gothic literature, despite his tremendous differences with Bruce, being raised in a house with an aggressively sized library had its benefits when he needed to be alone.