I'm deep in this Jason x Usagi train and I keep making new files lmao
Basically, a fic where Usagi is the girl on the windowsill who tends to Red Hood's wounds. She's new to Gotham, starting a new life to get away from her past.
No Sailor Moon powers AU. Usagi's friends are trash while Minako is her cousin. Unnamed ex is not Chiba Mamoru lmao
Thanks for reading!
-Lucicelo
"Do you purposely let yourself get stabbed?" Usagi drawled sarcastically as she dabbed a cotton swab doused in hydrogen peroxide on Red Hood's wound.
The injury wasn't bad per say. It was a deep scrape, not at all a deep wound but Usagi was careful nonetheless as she cleaned the blood off of his skin.
This was better than the first time Red Hood found himself outside of her apartment. On that night, he had a gunshot wound on his leg, keeping him from leaving the fire escape once he collapsed there to rest. The noise made from his sudden landing caught Usagi's attention, bringing her to open the window and offering her help.
The initial panic of seeing a person on her fire escape lessened when she recognized him as Red Hood.
Everyone in Gotham knew the vigilantes that protected the city.
Her nursing college friends were eager to tell her everything she needed to know about Gotham. Vigilantes and villains, included.
Of course, warnings about not walking out alone at night was emphasized by everyone from the professors to the local cashier.
Usagi was never one to walk alone at night. Her small town, as safe as it claimed to be, was still scary at night. When she was with her ex, he drove to pick her up from her home for late night dates.
In any case, she was a single woman living in an apartment close to Crime Alley, she wasn't stupid.
Red Hood reprimanded her a bit for even opening her window to begin with.
"Are you dumb? Why the hell did you open the window? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out here?"
"Yeah, yeah." Usagi waved him off, "Just let me fix you up and you can go."
His lectures ceased when Usagi removed his bullet wound and patched him up. Usagi's expedited nursing degree taught her far more than to put a band aid on a wound. She never thought to enter this career. Everyone thought she was too dumb to keep up with the curriculum.
Even she started to believe it, until she left home for Gotham.
At least, the copious hours of studying helped to distract her thinking of back home.
Red Hood responded. "It's not my fault villains want to kill me off. And I'm not easily killable."
"So, you say."
"Yes, I do say." Red Hood maneuvered into a better sitting position. "I've managed to survive this long."
Usagi rolled her eyes and placed a bandage over the scrape.
Once she finished checking for injuries, Red Hood left out the window, leaving her to resume studying.
This unvoiced arrangement continued on for months.
Almost a year or so.
Every few days, Red Hood appeared on her fire escape window, knocking on her window as a form of greeting. Usagi spent hours speaking to him on her windowsill, feeling comfort in his presence.
There were times where he arrived with take out as a means to thank her for helping him out whenever he got hurt during his patrol. Delicious delicacies from restaurants bordering the line between Crime Alley and the better side of Gotham. To Usagi's relief, he was not injured a majority of the time for them to enjoy these meals.
Little by little, Red Hood spoke about his life, why he became a vigilante. His troubled childhood amplified his need to protect those weaker than himself. Usagi could only listen, take in the acceptance in Red Hood's tone, who forgave his parents for his shit upbringing. He found better opportunities on his own, seeing no need to bash them on their choices.
At some point, he relinquished information about his adopted family members. Usagi never pried on their names. She understood his stance in keeping anonymity when he donned the costume.
In return, she spoke about her life back home. Keeping talk of her ex and her friends from the conversation. Thinking of them upset her and she didn't want to ruin their conversation. Her aspirations, as recently discovered as they were, were received with little to no mocking. Red Hood encouraged her to interview at a hospital in the better side of town. A place the Wayne family donated to under the foundation names after Bruce Wayne's mother.
"You'll do great there. Nice scenery. I hear the benefits got better after the donations started flooding in." Red Hood said.
Usagi chuckled. "Oh? And how do you know much about what that hospital does?"
Red Hood sniffed. "I research. Well, my brother researches and blabs about shit I care little about. I look into it to see if it's true or not."
"Was it true?"
"Well ...yes… but I remembered to tell you! You stitched me up with hesitation. So, I know you'll be a great nurse."
His encouragement helped Usagi during her harder weeks of working and studying. Usagi's test taking anxiety worked against her, but she pushed through it. She didn't want to disappoint Red Hood.
He believed in her.
Cared for her.
Dare she think it, thought of her a great friend. He certainly addressed her with a cute nickname.
Once he found out her name meant bunny, he called her Buns.
Had they exchanged numbers, he would have put her down as Buns.
But, throughout their entire friendship they never shared phone numbers. It never came up. Red Hood visited her almost every night, never bringing his civilian cellphone along with him. Usagi could have given him her number, but she liked the whimsical aspect of his visits.
He simply popped up, grinning at her with dimpled cheeks, waving a plastic bag of take out to entice her to open the window.
Like the foodie she was, she opened the window and sometimes ate there. The window had a big enough strip for them to set containers onto to eat there.
By the time her hectic schedule lessened, Usagi returned home to flowers on her windowsill.
Knowing full well those were from Red Hood, she kept them alive in her apartment for as long as she could.
The card on it read, Congrats on not flunking, Buns. I'll bring a cake next time I visit. Will be out of town for a bit on business.
Usagi shouldn't have been surprised that Red Hood knew she passed her final year exams. Most would have balked at being stalked, but she knew better. He was under the guidance of Batman. Red Hood would be used to investigating everything about a person.
Days of anticipation passed before Red Hood appeared with a busted lip and a cake box.
Sighing, she dabbed solution and soothing gel on his lip before he insisted on her taking the cake from him. She grabbed it before he went to grab plates from her cupboards. Claiming his grandfather figure was an amazing baker.
They ate most of the cake before Red Hood was called back onto the streets.
Before long, she realized the heart palpitations and fluttering in her stomach returned. She developed feelings for Red Hood.
She didn't know when it happened. Stress about school was the first assumption of her dilemma, but the longer she thought about it, the signs were all there.
She just didn't acknowledge her feelings.
There were multiple awkward nights on her end. She didn't want to burden Red Hood with her feelings. They were friends above all else. She didn't want to lose him in case he didn't feel the same.
She was certain she kept her secret well. Memories of her heart-struck behavior were left behind in her teen years. She wasn't as cringe worthy as she once was. There was little time for her to even behave in such a manner.
If there was indication that Red Hood knew her feelings, he hid his findings well. He treated her same. Arriving for treatment for his minor scraps, brought her dinner, and talked about whatever nonsense came to mind.
Usagi released her resentments long ago. There were no lingering feelings for her ex. The pain whenever she thought of him was long gone. The more time she spent with Red Hood, the more her thoughts filled with him.
To cut into her peaceful life, she was reminded of her life back home.
Phone calls flooded in all of a sudden. Messages of concern caused immediate anger inside of her. A year or so passed before anyone tried contacting her. Not like it was hard, she kept the same phone number.
Her parents sounded heartbroken in their voicemails. Wanting her to return home, claiming they sided with her on this ex-boyfriend debacle.
As nice as the sentiment was, Usagi needed more time to herself.
Her parents claimed they understood, sending updates and told her they expected no answer.
Her ex-friends, on the other hand, persisted. Their badgering made it almost impossible for her to use her phone. Begging her to reconsider her distance from their friend group. She was the glue that kept them together. The one who always insisted on trips, dinners, all the adventures that littered their teenage years.
Without her, they were strangers with similar interests. They expected the others to put forth their effort while they simply agreed or disagreed. Glaring differences in goals as aspirations further broke them apart.
Usagi gave in and answered the one person she thought was rational, Ami.
Their conversation was alright.
Ami said nothing too controversial for Usagi to hang up. Although, by the end of it, her heart stung at the astonishment in Ami's voice when she told her that she was in nursing school.
Since she answered Ami, the rest tried again to reach her. Possibly after Ami told them what she said on the phone.
Usagi gave in, again, when Makoto called. Nostalgia over her cooking beat her down enough to answer, but this was a huge mistake.
"No! I'm not taking him back! How could you ever suggest that?!" Usagi exclaimed into the phone. "Drunken mistake or not, he shouldn't have laid a hand on Minako. Oh, don't lie to me-"
Throughout her rantings, she didn't realize Red Hood entered inside her open window. When he heard her almost frantic on the phone, he assumed the worst and entered inside.
Upon hearing part of her conversation, his eyes narrowed. Strutting forward, he leaned over her to end the call. "Who in the fuck is giving you bad advice? Taking back a cheater? Are they stupid?"
Turning around, Usagi's face went bright red. "Someone from my old friend group." She admitted before she could stop herself. "Makoto is a romantic and thinks I can look past this-"
"Bullshit. Some friend she was." Red Hood caught on to their past friendship.
Usagi turned away from Red Hood to toss her phone onto her sofa. When it landed, another incoming call took over the screen. This time it was Rei.
She should have blocked their phone numbers months ago. Even more so after she answered Ami, but Usagi missed what they had before all the chaos.
The illusion of a cohesive tightknit group.
"Now, I get why you never really talked about your town that much in detail." Red Hood grimaced. "Why haven't you blocked them?"
"Never thought to do it. They had not called me for so long that I thought they forgot my number." Usagi answered. "Maybe, they want a reunion of some kind. Where two estranged lovers get back together and get married." Gagging, she stuck her tongue out. "No, thanks."
Red Hood snickered. "Why not? Surely, you two were so perfect. The envy of everyone who is here single."
"Kind of impossible when I don't want him anymore." Usagi waved her hand back and forth in a shooing motion.
"Been on any dates?" Red Hood inquired, his tone bordering on snapping. "You never told me you were dating anyone."
"Nope. Not at all." Usagi looked at Red Hood with an inquisitive glance. "You're one of the few guys I have interacted with outside of school and work."
Red Hood appeared to deflate as he leaned close to Usagi. "So, our late-night talks were not dates this whole time?" He laid a hand on his chest. "Buns, I'm hurt."
Usagi lightly slapped his shoulder with a laugh. Red Hood had this uncanny ability to cheer her up whenever she was down. Even during the times when Usagi was certain she wasn't upset, he pulled her out of her funk.
"You're not serious."
"I'm serious." Red Hood informed her. "I'd like to take you out. When I'm out of uniform that is."
"You're really serious?" Usagi croaked out, cursing at herself for tearing up.
The damage from her first love and cousin stung at her insecurities. Without the support of her friends, she was left to stew in her thoughts. Thinking about the what ifs and the whys.
Worse off was the reaction from her friends. They thought her reaction was exaggerative. That her boyfriend was drunk and thought her cousin, Minako, was her. They looked so similar, almost like twins.
Usagi listened to none of their explanations and dipped. Running away to Gotham to start anew, leaving her own family who badgered her to forgive Minako and move on.
Families forgave and forgot.
Yet, Minako offered no apologies or even sympathy. Shrugging her shoulders over being kissed by someone else's boyfriend. Seeing it as nothing to cry home about.
Usagi couldn't bear the sight of her and cut off all ties. Their relationship was built on nostalgia and blood ties, not through liking her. She meant to do this when she first turned eighteen, but familiar ties kept her from openly cutting ties. Add on their supposed tight friend group and she was forced to tolerate her own cousin.
Moving to Gotham was a blessing in disguise. No one thought she would move there. Seeing her as delicate and naive, unable to survive the rough terrain of the city.
This change did wonders to her small town perspective.
The biggest change in her life was right in front of her.
And he wanted to date her.
"Yeah." Red Hood grinned. "I like you a lot, Buns. Our late night rendezvous have been something I look forward to whenever I'm out busting faces."
Letting out a choked laugh, Usagi wiped a tear from her eye. "Okay…okay… those were dates."
Red Hood slowly encased her in his arms, "I'll come pick up tomorrow afternoon. If you hear a motorcycle, that's me."
Usagi's mind spun. " Tomorrow ?"
"I can't wait to see you as Jason Todd." Red Hood, Jason, said. "You can't fault me for being excited."
Usagi grinned. "No, I can't." She burrowed her face into his chest, close enough to hear a static voice bellow out.
"Hey Hood! Where are you at? Stop flirting and get your ass over here!"
"Todd has a paramour? Who's desperate enough to tolerate his presence?" The young, but rough sounding voice sounded shocked.
"Why didn't you tell us Jay had a lover? Don't you love us Timbo?!" A mischievous girl cooed out.
"I only found out because the tracker keeps going to this one-"
Taking an arm off of Usagi, Jason pressed two fingers against his turtleneck. "I can hear you; you know. Fuck off." He pressed his finger in another area and the static cut off. "Ignore that."
Usagi looked up at him, "Kind of hard to do that when I listened to the whole thing." She giggled. "Get going."
Jason fake pouted. "Kicking me out already?"
Usagi removed herself from his arms and guided him to the window. "Out you go. I'll see you tomorrow."
Jason climbed out the window, giving her one last smirk. "See you." He jumped off the fire escape and ran off into the distance.
Usagi watched him go, unable to stop the smile from her face. She let out a sigh before she closed the window and locked it. Ignoring her ringing phone, she went to her bedroom, anticipation of her date lulled her to sleep.
The end.
