Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character (named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.
** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **
Chapters: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight
Now I’m hyp- hypnotised
Yeah, I trip, when I look in your eyes
Oh, I’m hyp- hypnotised
Yeah, I slip and I’m mesmerized
Now I’m hyp- hypnotised
Yeah, I lift to a permanent hight
Oh, I’m hyp- hypnotised
It was dark
Not it’s sunrise
One
In and out. That was the original plan, a simple extraction mission.
Word had gotten out that an exchange between Black Mask and a Russian mob boss was going to take place at an abandoned warehouse by the Gotham Bay docks: a billion and a half dollars for a briefcase that contained a classified Kryptonian substance that could be weaponized, and in evil hands, possibly set off a third World War.
It was no surprise that Black Mask and his crew had not thought twice about doing the exchange in an unsecured location. It was an open secret that Gotham’s finest, save for Commissioner Gordon and a few others, would turn a blind eye. After all, they had the criminal to thank for their overseas vacations and fancy cars.
Preoccupied with mentoring a new Justice League of America, Batman put Red Hood up to the task. Arsenal was only too happy to be part of the action. “Just like old times, Jaybird!” the former Green Arrow sidekick had exclaimed. Though it had already been a year since the two Heroes-for-Hire disbanded over “professional differences”, they picked up where they left off easily. In spite of their constant bickering, they grounded each other and worked efficiently as a duo. (Plus, they both secretly missed the banter.)
The plan was to slip past the guards and into the container truck. After getting a hold of the briefcase, they were to evacuate immediately before alerting the cops of the exchange. “By taking the briefcase out of the picture first,” Bruce had explained, “we remove any leverage Black Mask has over us and keep the substance out of GCPD’s reach. I’ll explain everything to Jim when this is over. But for now, we can’t afford any slip-ups.”
But, clearly, life had other plans for Jason that day. When one of the guards he had beaten up begged him for mercy, he begrudgingly relented. Then, the second he turned his back, he heard radio static from the man’s chest pocket; the others were alerted of the hostile take over. He almost regretted his self-restraint, internally cursing at Bruce for showing him the high road. The Russians panicked and opened fire. Chaos ensued.
So, there he was, just a fifteen minutes in, already running in zigzag lines to evade scorching flames and falling debris. His body was trying to keep up with his mind as he outweighed the risks of each potential exit route. Black Mask had ordered his men to burn down the warehouse, trapping him, Roy, the Russians, and whoever else was left.
“Uh, Jaybird? I think this is our cue to go. Like any. Second. NOW,” Roy yelled, watching steel beams crash around them. He was down to two trick arrows that were of no use to the situation at hand. And unless they had some sort of deus ex machina, their only option for survival was to make a run for it. Roy went ahead, clearing a path for his best friend to run through.
Jason was about to follow when he heard a whimper behind some oil drums. “Gimme a sec, Roy!” Did he imagine it? Did someone need help? He crept towards the sound, both revolvers cocked just in case he was wrong. He could make out a silhouette with soft curves. A woman? Taking a deep breath, he quickly grabbed her from behind, stifling her scream.
"I’m not gonna hurt you,” he whispered to her ear. Unless she made him. He turned her to face him, and his breath got caught in his throat. The deep hazel eyes, the full brown lips, and the smooth ebony skin that haunted his dreams… now covered in soot. What was she doing here?
He would get his answers later. He slowly uncovered her mouth. She stared at him with wide eyes, clearly petrified. Then, as if she regained her senses, pounded her fists on the graphene-plated symbol on his chest. He winced, knowing that it physically hurt her more than it did him.
He held her close, dodging falling debris as he ran them towards the only opening in sight. Almost tripping over a fallen cargo box, he heard an explosion. The oil drums. He let go of a breath he did not realize he had been holding.
Roy was nowhere to be seen, and Jason hoped desperately that he had already made it out in one piece.
"Let me go! Ugh!” she shrieked, kicking at him. If it was not for his reinforced codpiece (Dick’s idea), he would have been wailing in pain on the ground. He dragged her behind a post, just inches away from a falling block of charred wood.
The more she struggled, the harder it was for him to sprint them towards the nearest exit. There was no way he was leaving without her. But if they were to make it out of there alive, she had to calm down. And he realized that an emotionless mask with a voice modifier was less than comforting. A desperate time, a desperate measure. With a press of a button at the base, his helmet unlocked. Pfffttttzzz. “Let me try that again,” he said softly, cupping her cheeks, “I’m not gonna hurt you.” The sound of his real voice must have calmed her down because he could feel the tension leaving her body.
He could hear the sirens from a distance rushing towards the blazing warehouse.
“Jason…,” she coughed out, before passing out in his arms.
incorrect-batfamily-quotes 