Disclaimer: The word preventing me from owning much but ideas.
The night was stormy. It was cold. The moon wasn't shining.
A typical Gotham City night.
Red Hood sat hunched over on a building ledge, staring at his dagger as the raindrops split against the sharp blade. He didn't care that it was raining or that he was shivering ever-so-slightly. He rather liked the rain.
The anti-hero sighed and took of his helmet, giving up on the hopes of taking out some criminal. They may be stupid idiots, but they had enough sense to stay away when it was storming.
Jason looked up to the dark sky, letting the rain soak into his hair and skin. He hummed lightly to himself and flipped his dagger in his hand, imagining that with each stroke he was cutting at Joker.
He couldn't do that, sadly, because Batman makes sure he doesn't get to the clown first. So Jason was left to torture the madman in his mind.
He sneezed, quite loudly. And though he wouldn't admit it, he scared himself. The knife slipped from his grip and plummeted down into the alleyway.
"...dammit." Jason sighed. Grabbing his helmet, the Red Hood made his way down to retrieve it. Landing in a crouch on the wet ground, Jason splashed his way to his knife.
"Myew,"
Jason jumped slightly and froze. What was that?
He listened for another minute, but didn't hear it again. Kneeling down to his dagger, his hand barely closed over it when the little sound came out again.
"Meyw."
He jumped again. Damn, since when is he this jumpy? Well, it is almost the day when he died... that might have something to do with it...
"Aw hell... Todd, get a grip on it," he grumbled to himself, peering in the general direction the noise came from. Two little eyes appeared before him, the orbs golden and sad.
"Meyow,"
Jason tilted his head. "Meyow?" He inched closer.
"Mew." A paw stuck out of the shadows, causing Jason to jump once again. Another paw slowly came out, followed by a small round head. "Mew,"
A cat. The almighty Red Hood was scared of a cat.
"...A damn cat." he sighed, sitting back on his heels.
"Meowyu...?" The golden-eyed cat slipped out further, rain dripping from its whiskers. "Meeyu."
Jason froze again. It's fur was knotted and it's eyes were so sad and... before he realized what he was doing, he was trying to persuade the cat out.
"...hey, hey little guy," He reached towards the small wet rag of fur, slowly letting it sniff his hand.
"Myeu," the cat blinked and touched his pink nose to his fingertips. "Meow,"
He couldn't help but smile when the cat moved closer, golden eyes wide and not as sad. "Nyeow,"
"Hey, c'mere, s' alright," Jason murmured quietly. The cat gave a high-pitched prrr and slipped into the light, head brushing against Jason's wrist.
"Allttaao," the furball yawned. The anti-hero wiped his eyes of rain and ran his hand along the thin cat's back. He purred and yawned his little Alltaao again.
Jason slid his arm around the cat's stomach and stood up with him. The furball gave a little growl but didn't struggle in the gentle grip. He simply started attacking his hand softly, biting his arm without any means of harm.
The Red Hood side of him frowned upon this. What was he thinking? A cat?
The Jason Todd side of him considered this. He was lonely. No one liked him. The cat was alone and abandoned... like him.
It's a damn cat.
It's a damn cat who feels exactly like him.
Jason sighed at himself, stopping his internal argument. Why was he arguing about keeping some cat who yawned alltaao?
He looked at the feline, who had currently settled in the crook of his elbow. It's white-gray fur was ragged and those golden eyes were wide and playful.
"...why don't ya come home with me, hm?" he asked, tapping the cat-nose. Whispering, he added, "I'd like the company..."
"Aalltaao."
Jason sighed again. Ok. Easy enough. He'd think of a name later.
The cat sneezed. Jason chuckled at the little taachao sound it made. Grabbing his knife and helmet in the other hand, he turned on his heel and started down the alley.
Once back home, Jason sat the cat down on the couch and. "Stay there," he ordered, pointing between the cat's eyes. "No snooping. Lemme change, m'kay?"
"Meao."
Jason snorted, realizing he was just talking to the damn thing (who seemed to answer), and trudged to his room. He quickly changed, threw his helmet on the bed, and walked back out, now in a simple gray t-shirt and sweatpants instead of his usual Red Hood clothes. A green torn-up towel swung over his shoulder
"I said stay there, dammit," he told the cat, who was poking around under the couch. He didn't like when people didn't listen to him. And a friggin' cat he found in the rain defying him isn't any better.
The grayish-white feline swished its tail and brought his head out as Jason sat down. He leaned back and rubbed the towel against his hair, trying to dry it.
"Meeoww."
The second-eldest Bat-child frowned. "What?"
"Mmyew."
"...damn furball." he grumbled, grabbing the cat by the back of the neck and pulling him up. "Spoiled brat." he muttered, running the towel through his companion's fur.
"Pppurrrrr..."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Purr? Really?"
The golden-eyed feline twitched his ear and seemed to glare. "Nyow."
"Yeesh, so-rry. Don't go all glare-y on me, furball. I can still kick your ass out,"
"Nyew-meow."
"...yeah, I probably won't do that..." he suddenly slapped his forehead. "Aw what the hell. I'm talking to a damn cat." the alter-ego of Red Hood continued drying off his cat, murmuring to himself about how stupid it is that he's talking to the furball.
"Aaalltaao," the feline yawned.
Jason snorted. "Yeah, you're tired. So am I. Want a name yet?" He tapped the cat's head and stared at the orange spots sticking out from the grayish fur.
"Meow-mea."
"I'm taking that as a yes. So... what, how about Cat?" he suggested. He paused as if waiting for an answer, and the only one he got was an ear twitch. "No? ...Furball?" Another ear twitch, and the yawn of aaallttaaoo. "...Alto?"
"Mew."
"Alto? Really? You like Alto?" he asked, moving his thumb around a golden eye and smoothing the fur. "That's kinda nerdy, ain't it?"
"Meyow."
He shrugged. "Ok, Alto then." he pushed the cat off of him and went to the refrigerator, grabbing a beer. He turned around to see the newly named Alto with is paws on the back of the couch, head tilted.
"What?" Jason asked. The cat parted his jaws. "Food? Hell... you're a needy furball." he turned back around and opened it again. "I got... leftover chicken."
Alto threw his head back. "Meeewww,"
"Ok, ok. Damn, be patient, fleabag,"
"Hsss."
Jason grinned and tore a chunk of cold chicken, heading back. "Found that offensive, did ya?" He sat back beside his new companion and tossed Alto the chicken, taking a drink of his beer. "...I'm still talking to a damn cat. What the hell."
Fumbling for the remote for his crappy TV, he started flipping through channels with bored eyes. Alto knawed on his food, letting out little ggraaa's as he tore into it.
"You haven't eaten well, huh?" Jason asked his feline, scratching the back of the cat's neck. Alto just flicked his tail, peering thoughtfully at the TV as his new owner changed what was on.
"Mya." he purred as Jason stopped on re-runs of the show Supernatural.
"You like Supernatural? Cat, I like you more." he snickered. Alto purred and licked his jaws as he finished his food. Jason grinned again and spread out on the couch, playfully knocking the feline off on the ground.
"Hhhsaaa,"
"Ah shut up," the human snorted, "You're fine."
Alto did his little Aaalltaao yawn again and jumped up on Jason. The cat purred softly and plopped right down on his chest, head just underneath his neck.
"Love me already?"
"Mew." Alto blinked those golden eyes and clicked his teeth.
Jason smiled and sighed, stroking his little feline gently with a rough hand. With his fingertips, he traced the spots of pale orange fur and wearily gazed at the dim TV.
Before long, he was asleep, with Alto purring quietly on his chest.
Maybe he could get used to the damn furball...
A/N: So? Like it? Hate it? The inspiration of this came from a drawing of Jay I was making, and then I randomly added a cat... 'cause Jay needs someone to love and someone needs to love Jay. And what better than a cat named Alto? And my bud Woodpecker is quite inspiring herself. Yes, I know Jay is kinda OOC. And I did write this rather quickly... anywho, review please!