Tim stretched, closing his eyes against the sudden glare of sunlight. The Flip Side wasn't as dark as the Batcave, but going from dark cave to dark night was a lot different from going from dim game store to the first sunny day in Gotham in over a month. At least on days like this, people were too busy enjoying the sun to stir up any trouble.
Speaking of trouble. Jason Todd. Tim ducked behind a light post. Jason hadn't seemed to have spotted him. Being out in this time of day, the second Robin couldn't be up to anything good. Without a civilian life to have to be up and about for, Jason was primarily nocturnal, waking up in the late afternoon, spending a few hours cleaning his guns and preparing for patrol. Out as soon as dark hit, back once dawn started creeping over the horizon, then straight to bed. Tim knew, because he'd bugged Jason's apartment.
So what was he doing out now? It wasn't even noon yet.
And what was that lump beneath his jacket?
Tim sighed and started following. If Jason was walking around in broad daylight with his guns, there was definitely something going on. He didn't have his helmet, but still.
Hm. What if he was going to meet with some other crime lords about something? Listening in on that conversation could be helpful later tonight. Carefully, carefully, he tossed a listening device. A small one, fresh off the drawing board. It scanned whatever surface it was on and then changed colour to match it. It wasn't perfect, but it should do.
The bug landed on Jason's collar. He didn't even twitch.
And so started the game of cat and mouse. Tim followed from four blocks away, keeping an eye on Jason as well as tracking his movements using the bug. Thanks to that, every time Jason slipped out of sight, it was simple to find him again.
They finally stopped at a cafe, in one of the nicer areas of Gotham. And what in the heck was Jason doing here? It wasn't even close to being the kind of place he hung out in. Tim had been expecting a fighting den or a dark alleyway. Not a cozy little cafe called Taste Buds. The interior was simple, flowery, with antique, upholstered chairs instead of the usual wood or metal ones. Helpfully, Jason sat right near the big front window, slinging his jacket over the arm. Interestingly, he sat around a large table with another four chairs around it.
Who could Jason be meeting at a place like this? Tim darted up a fire escape, placing himself on the rooftop across the street. Perfect view.
The waitress, a slender girl in her early twenties, walked up, placing a tea cup and saucer on the table in front of Jason. There was already steam curling out over the rim. He came here often enough that the staff knew his order without asking for it?
She was speaking. Hurriedly, Tim shoved his comm. in his ear. "-early today, aren't you hun?"
Hun? And Jason let her get away with that?
Apparently so. "Yeah, I had a few extra minutes. I think I saw Danny on the way though."
The waitress laughed. "And we all know how slow Danny moves. All the same, I'll get the usual."
He smiled. Jason Todd smiled. And he wasn't about to beat a thug's brains in. "Thanks Maggie." He slumped down in his chair, propping his feet up on the table legs as the waitress smiled and walked off.
So the waitress was Maggie. She didn't sound like a crime lord. And Taste Buds seemed like a terrible place to use as a front. Sure, no one would ever suspect it, but lackies would also see their bosses walking into it, which would be terrible for their reps. No, Jason had to be up to something else.
A small group of older ladies and one gent, all in their fifties or later, was heading for the door. Dear Lord. If this turned into a shoot-out, they'd get caught in the crossfire.
The bell tinkled as they entered. And headed right... for...
Wait.
What?
Ok, Tim had to be dreaming.
Or on something.
When was the last time he'd fought Ivy? A month ago? Way too long for her pollen to still be in effect.
Scarecrow? No, this was scarier. Joker? Way too weird.
The group walked right to Jason's table and sat down with him.
And he smiled at them. Not a you're-about-to-die-and-I'm-going-to-enjoy-it-smile. A hey-good-to-see-you-again smile.
"Oh, hello Pooky!" One of the ladies cried out. She was at least seventy, with a long purple dress and a grey shawl. "You're early today. I was worried you wouldn't show, after what happened last time!"
"Don't worry about it Edna. I'm sure Sarah meant every word."
Another woman, fifty-five and wearing a casual pantsuit, sniffed. "Indeed I did young man. Honestly, you will go bald if you keep doing that to your hair."
Jason laughed, laughed, and ran a hand through his white fringe. "Don't be too sure Sarah. And don't worry. It'll take a lot more than a verbal lashing to scare me away."
Maggie the waitress came back with a full tray. Coffee for Edna and the man, tea for Sarah, and hot chocolate for the last woman, based on the colours and sides. An actual stick of cinnamon for the hot chocolate. Maybe Tim should give this cafe a try...
His guesses were confirmed as Maggie listed off, "Alrighty! Sarah, your Earl Grey, honey on the side. Edna gets coffee blacker than Batman's cape," Tim had to bite back a snort, "while Danny's coffee has so much milk it might as well be a dairy farm. And Agatha gets a hot chocolate. Anything else boys and girls?"
There was a chorus of "no, thank you"s and one "maybe a biscuit dearie" from Danny. They descended into general small talk. Agatha, a spritely woman of sixty or so wearing a long green coat, had apparently had her third grandchild since the group had last met. Edna gushed her congratulations and asked her to pass on felicitations to Marcus and Jazz, who were Agatha's son and daughter-in-law. Danny, a man in his late sixties in a simple dress shirt and slacks, was thinking of moving, not anywhere too far dears, don't worry your pretty little heads. Just somewhere he didn't have to mow the lawn. It was murder on his back.
Edna herself was thinking of retiring, which got a laugh from the entire table. But she insisted she was serious this time. Sarah sniffed again and said that nothing in her life had changed. But, after a little coaxing she admitted that she had gotten herself a cat and had named it Barbara.
Jason laughed again. "Sounds like a ferocious little thing." Sarah smiled and said that's what she was going for.
Well. They weren't wrong.
Jason's turn came around. He said that work was good (which was true Tim supposed. He'd brought down three rival gangs in the past week and a half), and that he hadn't made any progress making up with his family.
Wait. What?
Wait.
What?!
Jason, Jason Todd, Red Hood, scourge of Gotham's underworld, wanted to make up with them? The Bats. The people he shot at constantly. For no other reason than "he felt like it" or "Dick was being annoying".
What?
The biscuits arrived and the chatter quieted down. Agatha put a little smile on and asked, "Everyone ready?"
The group nodded and reached their hands into their bags, or in Jason's case, the inside of his jacket. Right where the suspicious lump was. Tim tensed, ready to swing into action. He withdrew his hand and-
-a book? He pulled a book out of the inside pocket of his jacket.
"Alright. Chapter 3 everyone. What was your impressions?"
Edna frowned. "Well. Mr Darcy was positively dreadful."
"The ball was lovely though. What I wouldn't have given to have taken Mabel to one of those." Danny said wistfully.
"Mrs. Bennet is forming her conclusions way too soon. She should get to know Bingley and Darcy better." That came from Jason. No, seriously, was Tim being punked? Where were the cameras?
It seemed to startle Agatha as well. "Very good Jason. I am personally hoping that Elizabeth finds someone nice she can be with."
Sarah grinned. "Ha. Who needs someone nice? She needs someone she can banter with. Life is boring without someone to keep you sharp."
The conversation continued. Apparently, this was a book club. And they were reading through Pride and Prejudice. At some point, Jason excused himself to use the washroom.
As soon as the door closed, all conversation about the book stopped. "He's opened up a lot, don't you think?" Edna started.
Danny nodded. "Remember when he first got here? All quiet and sullen, listening in on our book talk and trying to look like he wasn't."
A proud smile lighted on Sarah's face. "Asking him to join us was the best decision I've made in almost a year. I hope you lot are grateful."
Agatha laughed at that. "Asked? You yelled at him for eavesdropping and said that he should just man up and join the conversation."
"Well, it worked, didn't it?"
Danny nodded again. "That it did. He showed up at our next meeting with the book and a basket of cookies."
"I do hope that he keeps coming." Agatha sighed. "I'm fairly sure his job is one of the... less savoury ones that Gotham offers." No kidding. "He doesn't have a good relationship with his family. Maybe we can have our next meeting at his house! We could bring baking, show our support. We could be the people he goes to when he's in trouble!"
Sarah gently smacked her fellow-reader on the arm "And scare him away from any future meetings at the same time. Trust me on this one. We just need to keep our distance, but ensure that he knows we're on his side. And stay away from his house unless he invites us." From her tone, she knew what she was talking about. Maybe a friend or family member had been one of the less trusting types? Really common in Gotham.
The door to the rest room opened, and conversation returned to the book in a very loud, completely obvious way. There was no way Jason would miss that.
He just raised one sardonic eyebrow (Alfred had taught him well) and took his seat. "Where were we?"
"We were just about to start on Chapter 4 Pooky." Edna said helpfully.
Jason nodded and opened his book. The next hour was spent in silence, broken only by the rustling of papers, the clink of cups on saucers and the table, and Agatha's fussing over the characters and their decisions.
Finally, the books were closed. Danny stood and flagged down Maggie. Ignoring the group's protests, he paid the entire bill. "Nonsense. If I can't treat my friends every once in a while, then the world is a very sad place. Same time next week?"
There was a general affirmative, even if not everyone answered in words. "And remember, don't read ahead. That defeats the purpose." Everyone laughed at Agatha's reminder. Apparently, it had been heard quite often before.
The group went their separate ways at the door. Sarah heading towards the Narrows, Danny going downtown, Agatha and Edna chatting about going for a shopping day. And Jason headed back towards his apartment.
Well that was...
Tim pressed a button. On Jason's jacket, the bug retracted the tiny claws it used to adhere to the fabric and fell to the ground, sizzling as it self-destructed.
Tim didn't know what he had just witnessed.
Jason.
Jason Todd.
The scourge of Gotham's underworld.
Perennial thorn in Batman's side.
Was in a book club.
AN: Haha! Finally! Something from me that isn't horrible and terrible! I knew I had the fluff in me.
Honestly, I just wanted Jason to hang out with a bunch of elderly ladies and books was the perfect way to do that.
Read and enjoy!