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[copsormasks]

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[batsymbol]

Got the drinks.

( Just... you know. Upstairs.

Door pushed open, he waits for Jason to make his way in with him before he starts for the elevator to lead them up to the penthouse of the tower, where he mostly stays. )

There's orange juice... water. If that's ok for you.

( There's also alcohol, but. That's for Bruce. )

[copsormasks]

[This is weird. This is so weird. Jason immediately hates all of it, but he's making the effort. He holds the pizza as the elevator starts up but frowns up at Bruce at the mention of orange juice or water. What is he, five?

He swallows down his immediate reaction and breathes out.]

Water's cool.

[batsymbol]

( Look, he doesn't have a lot around and the water and orange juice are mostly for Damian. )

I, uh... might have... iced tea?

( He squints some, seeming unsure about that as he looks to Jason there in the elevator and he stands there, waiting for it to take them up to the penthouse. )

[copsormasks]

Water’s fine. [Jason offers a stilted smile.] Unless you got beer.

[He expects pushback on this but who knows, maybe the drinking age is lower in this Bruce’s Gotham.]

[batsymbol]

Sorry.

( He looks down then, hands sliding into his pockets quietly. )

I'm... still getting the hang of... not having Alfred around.

( It's been a year that he's been here but he still misses him. )

[copsormasks]

[The mention of Alfred stings in Jason’s chest. He looks down at the pizza box and thinks about how life post-Titans could have gone differently if Alfred was still around.]

Yeah, me too.

[batsymbol]

( A glance over to Jason there, he mulls over it for a second before he reaches out and, gently, places a hand on the other's shoulder. It's fleeting since the doors open and all and his hand slips away as he wanders out into the penthouse in all its gothic architecture glory. Looking over his shoulder, he waits for Jason to follow. )

Kitchen's this way.

[copsormasks]

[It’s… weird to be comforted by Bruce. It’s foreign. And he’s not sure what to think of it. He follows Bruce out of the elevator and tries not to think about how high up they are or how far he would fall if dropped.

He sets the pizza on the counter and pulls open the lid, purposely turning himself away from the nearest set of windows.]

You ever have stuffed crust before?

[batsymbol]

( A shake of his head, he looks almost a little puzzled as he goes to grab a couple glasses down from the cupboards there. )

No. Is that how you like it?

( Glasses set down, he eyes Jason curiously before he goes to the fridge and brings out... the iced tea. )

[copsormasks]

Hell yeah.

[Jason reaches in for a slice and pulls it up for an epic cheese pull.]

Whenever I get pizza, this is my order.

[batsymbol]

( It's faint but there's a smile there on his lips as he watches Jason help himself to a slice of pizza. Taking care of the iced tea, he pours them both a glass, setting the bottle down after, and looks around for napkins. )

Guess it's a good thing they have it here.

( Napkins found, he drops a few down between them, holding the glass of iced tea out for the other. )

[copsormasks]

Getting anything from the mart still feels like stealing.

[Jason takes a bite of the crust of the pizza first and the cheese sticks to his chin for a moment before he pulls it into his mouth.]

Try it.

[batsymbol]

( With the glass set down for Jason and his own nearby, he eyes the pizza rather curiously and takes a slice for himself. Leaning some into the edge of the counter, he takes a second to look the slice over before he helps himself to a bite of it, chewing slowly. After a moment, a nod follows — slow. )

It's good.

( Looking to the slice again, he licks over his lips. )

Takes a little getting used to. ( A beat. ) Just taking things here, I mean.

[copsormasks]

[Jason takes another bite and grins at Bruce.]

Told you it was good.

[The mention of getting used to things brings Jason’s mood down a few notches.]

Yeah, well this place sucks most of the time.

[batsymbol]

( He's not about to disagree with him, but. He doesn't agree either. Instead, he takes a slow sip of the iced tea poured and stares down to the glass. Quiet. )

Sometimes it does.

( Like when you end up losing people here... when you're without people you miss, even if he had gone back to his Gotham for a bit. It's still just him here. )

Like anywhere, it's what you make of it. Do what you can to get through another day.

[copsormasks]

It’s what you make of it.

[Jason shakes his head before taking a sip of his iced tea.]

You sound like Leslie.

[batsymbol]

I don't know who that is.

( Sorry, Jason, but. He does help himself to another bite. It's... good. All of this, that is. Not just the pizza. )

[copsormasks]

Your… The psych my Bruce sent me to after I started having nightmares.

[Jason scoops up some cheese with his finger and puts it in his mouth.]

[batsymbol]

( Hm.

Taking another sip for himself, he eyes Jason there. Curious. )

What do you have nightmares about?

[copsormasks]

[Jason goes quiet, chewing on his bite of cheese. It's honestly a very long story how he ended up strapped to a window wiper's basket.]

Falling. [He sets his piece of pizza down on the plate and looks up at Bruce. It's a leap of faith telling him this, in hoping he won't be rejected.] I got dropped fifteen stories.

[batsymbol]

( The look of concern that touches his face when Jason says that... )

By who?

[copsormasks]

Deathstroke. Slade Wilson. [Jason's expression grows distant.] Got kidnapped. Strapped to a window cleaner's basket and then--

[He goes quiet again, looking down at his slice of pizza.]

Boom. I'm falling.

[batsymbol]

But you're still here.

( In Etraya. Right here in front of him. )

[copsormasks]

Got saved last minute by Superboy. He happened to be in the right place at the right time.

[batsymbol]

( Superboy. He... doesn't think that's the Jon Damian knows, but. Maybe he's wrong. It's not as though Robin is a thing back in his Gotham. Yet? Ever? He doesn't know. )

They seem to have that ability.

( The Supers, he means. Though he can really only go off Clark. )

I took an arrow for Clark here once.

( He shrugs, finishing off his pizza. )

Do you still have those nightmares here?