2012-08-05 Hardly Working

Darkness. Considering that it's Gotham, though, when is it ever not darkness? To be perfectly honest, people like Jason Todd are at home in the darkness. Right now, for once, he's not out looking for some trouble to get into. Instead, he is merely looking for something else. Or possibly doing some surveillance. Whatever. Not many people know that Jason Todd is the Red Hood and thus it is much safer to just be out and about on the Gotham streets like this. After all, the Red Hood has pissed off a lot of people.

Jason is currently just wandering down this random street in Midtown, looking as easily mug-able as possible. Trap.

There could be several reason Donna is in town. Whatever they are, they are her reasons and she hasn't decided to share them with anyone. She even decided to walk today. So, maybe, it's just conincidence that she happens upon Jason while walking down the street with two coffees in her hand. Maybe. Unlikely though, all things considered.

Who knows if she recognizes it as a trap or not but as she comes up beside him from behind, the coffee is thrust in front of his face and she smiles. "Long time, no see, handsome. You never call... You never write... I'm beginning to think you don't like me, Jase."

"I'm workin'."

Jason Todd is attempting to explain this in the most easy and specific way he can. "I can't get robbed by stupid hoods if I'm being talked to by a beautiful woman with a bazillian fuckin' powers. Who, by the way, could lay them all out in one punch." It sounds like Jason's been doing his homework or something. Who knows. He's just that good with knowing stuff, though. Kinda' like his Father.

"Besides, you got a phone. You got a pen. Same goes for you." He looks at her with a wry smile and just reaches out to take one of the coffees, whether it is his or not.

"Mm. So I'm beautiful now, huh?" Donna chuckles softly before a brow arches. "Been doing a little reading, have you?" And then she's blinking. "Hey! That's ... Enjoy your coffee, Jase."

A brow is arched as she continues to walk at his side. "Don't know your address and never know when you're being sneaky so calling could be bad..." She looks over at him and winks. "So... Should I make myself scarce?"

"Not yet. We're not exactly in the Danger Zone." Jason takes a sip of the coffee and then hurls it over his shoulder so that it can go smashing against the floor. "Not enough Splenda." Whatever the case may be, Jason is likely a bit more feisty at this moment than be used to be. More angry. Donna's weirdo powers should definitely be able to pick up on that stuff. He's more volatile. Ready to explode at any moment.

"So. What's up?" Jason figures this is probably a business call of sorts. Mostly because he's been doing nothing but business lately. Ever since he talked with his Father.

Donna gives her head a little shake. "I missed you, that's all." She frowns as the coffee is just tossed. Her eyes slide over to him. "Do I have permission to read you, Jase?" She won't reach out for his emotions otherwise. "You seem... Well... Off a little." Her eyes watch him closely as she moves so she's standing in front of him and walking backwards.

"Hell no. I don't need you pokin' around up here. I'm workin'." Jason is not about to have people all up in his head. That's just not cool. And he's going to have to seriously figure out a way for him to stop this kinda' stuff from happening on the regular anyway. It really isn't kosher. Maybe this is because he really wishes he could do more than just kick and punch and shoot. Jealous, much. "And ain't nobody Off. I'm always me. I told you that before. So if you're gonna' deal? Deal. But don't start with the psychoanalyzing shit, okay?"

"Excuse me for givin' a shit." Oddly, Donna's voice doesn't sound angry just... accepting. "Have it your way though." She shrugs and takes another long drink of her coffee. She continues to walk along next to him. "At least I asked. I could have just done it." She gives a shrug. "Besides... It's just reading your emotions. I don't fuck with your mind."

"Oh. Well. Go ahead then. Whatever." Jason just offers a shrug and stops his walking, because this looks like a good enough spot where things may end up getting violent. He turns to lean back against the dirty wall of whatever closed down store front they are near. "Just, don't like, make me happy or some shit. I need my anger. Especially, now." Well, that certainly sounds ominous or something.

When they come to a stop, she reaches out to gently cup his cheek. "Contact can make it easier..." She doesn't /have/ to touch but she does enjoy touching him and it does make it a little easier. Her eyes close and she opens her empathy up to take in and read the emotions from him. "I would never force such a thing on you of all people, baby."

"You just like to touch the goods. Admit it." Jason says this with a roll of his eyes. He's rolling his eyes because his emotions are reading as something both annoyed and antsy and angry and anxious and there's even a bit of apologetic in there too. It's all coming to ahead and bubbling up and down away from the surface. Yet it all seems to be centering around a neverending void of depression. It probably gets worse the longer he's being read.

"Of course I like touching you." Her hand is pulled away and she blinks. "I'm sorry that my reading you makes it worse." She takes a step back and offers a gentle smile. "I won't do it again." Her coffee is brought up to her lips and a small sip of it taken. It's an impulse move that has her leaning forward to lightly touch her lips to his before bringing her coffee back to her lips.

"Shit happens." Jason just shrugs away a lot of things in that moment. He's not really sure what he should be feeling. He just knows he's pissed off and needs to get mugged so he can beat up on some thugs and maybe even get some information from them about any new or old deals about to go down in Gotham this week. It's much more fun this way. "It's when it hits the fan that it becomes a problem." Waxing philosophical? Not quite, Jason Todd.

"Yeah but when I can stop it, why not do sO?" Donna smirks and moves to stand beside him, leaning again the same wall. "If I ask why you're so pissed are you going to tell me?" And then a thought occurs to her. "Ya know... We could spar some time if you like. I can go for hours and hours..."

"I don't fight fair." Jason says, crossing his arms over his chest and just leans back nice and comfortable on the wall. He's barely paying too much attention to anything. He's just kinda' existing. Which is all he can do at this point in time. "And if you think about it for a little while, I'm pretty sure you can figure out why I'm pissed off. It's not as if it's a big secret." Batman. "I almost killed him the other day, by the way. It was awesome."

"Most don't. I can handle it." Donna's eyes cut over to him and she can't help but smirk a little. "I can, yes but I was hoping for specifics..." She gives a little shrug before leaning over to lay her head on his shoulder. "I'm sure it was, baby. He got away, I take it?" In truth... She just needs to hear him talk. She can't help but feel as if she's losing or has already lost her friend.

"Always does." Jason doesn't even look in any direction but forward. Yeah, there's a hottie leaning on him right now, but that's not part of what's going on in his head right now. Which is where he is. What he's focused on. "He cheated. He always cheats." Jason just frowns at this moment. A frown that almost makes it seem like he's more upset that he didn't cheat better than the ultimate cheater. "Whatever."

"I know, baby." Another sip of her coffee is taken before Donna nuzzles at him gently to try to bring him from his headspace. She doesn't like the idea of losing him. Especially to himself. "Hey... Do I have to strip to get your attention?" There's a teasing tone to her voice.

Jason shrugs. "I wouldn't advise stripping out here. You could probably catch something just by thinkin' about it. It's Gotham." As if that should just explain it all. Jason does just look over at her at this moment, before raising that eyebrow again. "Not exactly sure what you want me to do here. I'm workin'. So it is what it is." This is what happens when Jason is allowed to fight Batman. He loses all sense of being normal and returns to being the hardened killer that he believes himself destined to be.

"He always gets you like this. It's to the point I'm starting to hate him myself." Donna sighs and moves so she's standing in front of Jason. "Why do you allow him to influence you in such a manner? You're so much stronger than that."

"Or... maybe I'm not. I don't fuckin' know. Whatever." Jason is about to get all angry and defensive. It's that look he gets in his eyes whenever somebody decides they want to talk about Batman. Yes, he hates him. But he doesn't want anybody else talking shit about him. "Look. After I kill this jerk off, I'll be all good, okay? So just don't worry 'bout what I gotta' do and how I gotta' do it. Just let me do it. It's not your problem."

"Whatever. It's not like I care about you or anything. Geez. Someone would think we're friends or something." Donna's eyes roll before she goes back to leaning against the wall. She still isn't angry. She's learned not to get angry or hurt with Jason.

Jason checks his watch. It's getting later. And there's actually criminal activity he has scheduled for this evening. "Look. Just let me do this, okay? I told you, once I take care of business, we can go skip through the fields of daisies and shit. But not a second before. This is important. To me. You gotta' understand that." Jason isn't really pleading with her. He's just kinda' saying it. Telling it like it is. But also trying to not get mad. Like he wants to. He's capable of a lot of shit right now and taking it out on Donna is not on the top of his list.

Donna waves a hand in a dismissive motion. "Go. Maim. Kill. Have a blast." Yep. This is just how Donna is with Jason. She isn't going to change him. Isn't sure she'd ever really want to. He is who he is and above all else, he is her friend.

"You're cute when you say violent shit." Jason offers a smirk and a wink, before he's rolling off the wall and into the alley that's right next to them. Granted, he's not there for long, because the revving off an engine can be heard and out comes Todd on his Jaybird. He pops a wheelie just to see if he can get a smile out of Donna. "I'll call you." is mouthed silently at her before he tears off down the street. Off to kick some criminal ass. Or commit some crimes against criminals. One or the other.

And get a smile he does. As well as a roll of her eyes before Donna is lifting herself into the air with a light chuckle. Somehow, he always manages to make her smile despite his own temperment.