#BE THE POET C’MON JASON

[yonemurishiroku]

Hmm.

There’s an anonymous poll for “Who’s the fairest of them all?”. Percy is proud to say he’d always choose Annabeth. Leo doesn’t need to think to know Piper’s his choice. The whole camp votes Piper actually. Or Drew. Generally someone in the Aphrodite cabin.

And then there’s that one vote for Nico.

Hmm. Wonder who that’s from. Jason. Of course it’s Jason

[forlornmelody]

Kord Center Mall: Out In The Rain, In From The Cold

Rating: E (the nerdiest smut you’ll read all week.)

Fandom(s): DC Comics, Jack Nought from Mass Effect makes an appearance, but familiarity with the game is not important

Ship: Rose Wilson/Jason Todd, mentions of Jason/Roy/Jack

Linkage: Ao3

Summary:  Rose is finally ready to come clean with Jason, and admit the feelings she has for him. But is it too late?

Note: This is a cross over, mall-verse AU concocted by @scifi-ginger and myself. You’ve been warned. Also,  I just want to state, for the record, that I wrote this before Titans: E.L._.O. hit the internet. I have the Tumblr snippets to prove it.

–>–>

The ground’s so dry when she leaves Cassie’s, Rose doesn’t even think to grab a jacket on the way. By the time she reaches Jason and Roy’s apartment, the sky’s dumping car-wash levels of water on the bus. Even though it only takes her five minutes to walk to the building, Rose’s clothes are sticking to her when she rings the doorbell. Lightning cracks in the clouds behind her. 

Opening the door, Roy’s face flashes bright and dark as the thunder rolls around them. “Rose.”

“Roy.” Rose takes a breath. “Hey. Uh--”

“Fuck off,” Jack calls from the couch. “Jason doesn’t want to see you.”

Yeah. She deserves that. “Could you at least tell him I’m here?” Rose says it to Roy, not Jack. 

Lighting flashes two more times before Roy sighs. “Fine.” He holds up a hand to keep Jack back. “But I swear if you hurt him again--”

“Fuck, Roy. I’m here to apologize.” Rose glances at Jack as she steps gingerly through the doorway. “Nice to see you, too. Jack flips a finger in response. 

Just as Rose knocks on Jason’s door, the power goes out. “Oh come on!” Jason yells from the other side of the door, and she hears the crash of a controller hitting the floor and the rolling of batteries as they fall out. 

Rose has perfect timing. She clears her throat, reaching to knock a second time when Jason opens the door. His cellphone casts soft grey light along his jaw and highlights the sheen on his nose. “If you’re an axe-murderer, I’ll--Rose!?”

“Hey,” she says softly, pulling out her own phone to cast some light---only to realize it died on the way here. “Shit.” Better not fuck this up. 

Jason lingers in his doorway, his eyes roaming over her like she’ll vanish any second. “Didn’t expect to see you.”

“Yeah. Me either.” Rose dares to step closer, looking up at him. “Can I come in?” Jason hesitates ever so slightly, but it’s enough to kick Rose in the gut. She deserves that, too. 

“Sure.” He steps to the side, swinging his arm wide. Jason never kept a tidy room. Rose would constantly remake the bed before she left. If she brought pizza, she’d have to clear off the beer bottles and carefully move the bong out of the way. But Jason always took care of his books--bookmarking them, closing them gently and sorting them on the shelves by genre, author, title, routinely cleaning them with a fucking feather duster. At this point, Jason doesn’t even have a bedroom--he has a personal library with a bed in it. Right now--it looks like a tornado had swept through the shelves. 

“Fuck.” Rose muttered under her breath, frozen in the doorway. 

“Did you come here to talk, or to judge me?” Jason folds his arms, and Rose notices the bags under his eyes for the first time. She’s reaching to push the hair from his eyes before she catches herself. 

“To apologize,” Rose says quickly, ducking inside before Jason can change his mind. She finds a Complete Works of William Shakespeare lying open in the middle of his bed. Obviously, it’s too dark to read, but she’d know the size and thickness of that book anywhere. One of Jason’s favorites. 

Rose sets it aside, sitting on the edge of the bed with one foot draped across her lap. Jason lingers by the door, but he does close it behind him. His eyes track the movement of the book before daring to glance at her again. “Why’d you come back?”

“I missed you.” Rose says. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, she chants over and over in her brain, but “sorry” doesn’t feel good enough right now. Jason deserves the world, and Rose is just a tiny island wracked with storms. 

Jason’s eyes soften ever so slightly before they harden--cold as steel. “Missed what, exactly?”

Rose allows herself a small smile. Jason loves the big questions--meaning of life, origins of the universe, whether true love exists--he always has his head up in the clouds. Meanwhile Rose stands back on earth--rooted in doing things--going, doing, fucking, eating, breathing. The thunder outside nearly drowns out her words. “I missed the way your eyes change color when you’re angry, happy, or sad. The way you smile when you think no one is looking.” She itches to get closer to him--show him exactly how much he means to her, but it’s not her choice to make. “The way you forget the world around you when you’re reading.” Her voice thickens, with love or want--she isn’t sure. “The way your face lights up when Roy comes in the room.” 

Is it still raining? Rose isn’t sure. All she can hear is the thundering of her pulse in her ears and the sound of their breathing. Jason still hasn’t said a word or moved an inch--him and his fucking poker face. 

At first Rose thinks her eyes are straining to see him in the darkness, but then she feels a tear slip down her cheek. Damnit. This is why she doesn’t do this stuff. Love, real love, hurts. “I realized I didn’t want to live without that. I didn’t want to live without you. I don’t want to.” Jason probably can’t even understand what she’s saying at this point, with the way her breath keeps shaking her voice.

Jason finally looks away, and Rose nods to herself. Figures. It’s too late for them. It’s always too late. “Sorry,” she mutters, standing up and wiping her nose and eyes. It’s gonna be a bitch getting home in this weather, but she’ll manage. Rose always does. She’s halfway to the door when Jason grabs her hand. 

“Where’re you going?” he says softly, squeezing her hand. 

“I…” I’m going home, Rose says in her mind, but the words don’t ring true. She turns, daring to face him. “Not sure.” 

“Stay.” Jason tugs her ever so slightly, and she falls into his arms like she just jumped off a building. He reeks. Always has. Like dank weed and cheap beer. Rose wouldn’t have him any other way. 

“Jerk my arm why don’t you?” His laugh rumbles against her chest and she pulls back just enough to look at his face. Rose traces his features with her fingertips, reacquainting herself with the tip of his nose, the jut of his eyebrows, the firmness of his lips. 

Everything’s so desaturated in the dim room, but Jason’s eyes shine the brightest blue. “I love you, too.” 

Rose couldn’t tell who kissed who first. She’s too busy tasting his mouth and messing with his hair. Jason breaks for air, only to pay careful attention to where her jaw meets her neck. His hands roam her shoulders, arms, sides and stomach as if he can’t get enough of her. He has far too many clothes on. No zipper on Jason’s hoodie, so Rose lifts it to his shoulders, but he gets tangled in the sleeves. “Candles,” Rose says hoarsely. 

Jason peeks at her blankly through the bottom of his hoodie. 

“Please tell me you have some. Jack’s surely got enough to set the apartment on fire but I’m not keen on asking her tonight.”

“Be right back.” Jason frees himself of his shirt and hoodie, slipping out the door shirtless. 

Rose sits on the bed, unable to sit still, still humming with the thrill of his touch. She glances back at the Tome, and switches Jason’s phone’s flashlight on so she can finally read it. Jason has it open to Sonnet 87, 

“Farewell! thou art too dear for my possessing,

And like enough thou knowst thy estimate.

The Charter of thy worth gives thee releasing;

My bonds in thee are all determinate.

For how do I hold thee but by thy granting,

And for that riches where is my deserving?”

Rose swallows, reaching to close the book when Jason comes back inside--his arms full of candles. He freezes when he realizes what she's reading.

“Oh, hey. Lemme take care of that.” Jason sets the candles on his tv stand, reaching for the book.

Rose swats his hand. “Candles.”

Rolling his eyes, Jason replies. “Fine. Fine.” 

Leaning back, Rose watches as the candles, lit one by one, cast a soft glow along the lines of Jason’s body. She doubts she’ll ever tire of the view. 

Lighting the last candle, Jason whisks around, lighter still in his hand. He nods down at the book. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“Interesting choice. Real depressing.” Rose kicks her heels against his box spring. 

Setting the lighter aside, Jason grins slowly. “Actually. Hold on a sec.” He kneels, clearing a space on the floor. 

Rose stares at him. “No. Absolutely not. Your floor is a fucking mess.” 

“Don’t worry. You won’t be touching it.” Space cleared, Jason glances up at Rose. “Hand me Shakespeare.”

“Whatever.” Rose hefts it over, eyes widening as Jason sets it reverently in the space he cleared. “You’re shitting me.”

Jason snickers, shaking his head. “C’mon. The book may be hard, but the pages are soft.”

“Oh my god. I’m couching you for that.” Rose chides, but she gets down from the bed anyway. She glances at him one last time before sitting gently between the pages. 

“Better.” Jason’s eyes have darkened to a warm green. The fact that a dead playwright and poet makes him all hot and bothered never ceases to amuse her. “Lean back.”

Rose rolls her eyes, grabbing a pillow and stuffing it beneath her arms. 

Jason makes quick work of Rose jeans, shucking them off and tossing them across the room. Rose snorts as they take down a couple bottles in their fall. “Tell me if you’ve heard this one before.” His grins as he lowers himself to her neck. 

“What’s in a name?” Jason murmurs into her skin, his voice as reverent as a priest’s on Sunday. His fingers drag the zipper of her soaked hoodie down her chest, and goosebumps prick across her skin. 

“That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.” Jason lavishes attention where her neck meets her shoulder, and Rose’s so caught up in his touch she almost doesn’t catch the reference. Almost. 

“Romeo and Juliet? Really?” she snorts, pulling back to give him a look of disdain. “Most overrated play ever.” 

“It’s a classic.” Jason pouts, his fingers edging underneath her t-shirt--a suitable challenge with the way the fabric sticks to her skin. He dives to kiss her collarbone. “And it has your name in it.”

“Jace, they off themselves because they’re impatient hormonal teenagers.” A moan slips from her mouth as he kisses from her waist to her chest, pushing her shirt up and out of the way. “It’s not romantic.”

Dragging the shirt and her bra up and over her head, Jason grins at her. Oh, he knows. “So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d.” 

“Do you put Jack and Roy through this? Or am I special?”

Jason doesn’t linger on her breasts, just moves her damp bra off her skin, hanging it on one of his bedposts. “Retain that dear perfection with he owes.” He plants a reverent kiss in the valley between them. 

“I am special, aren’t I?” Rose groans, for more reasons than one. 

Instead of answering, Jason snickers against her skin, breathing her in. “Without that title. Romeo doff thy name, and for that name which is no part of thee,”

Rose has another comeback coming, somewhere, but it’s hard enough trying to keep her breathing steady the farther south Jason travels with his mouth. He stops just north of her thighs, grinning up at her. “Oh, come on, already,” she groans again, letting her head fall back.

Jason wets his lips and tongue, waiting for her to look at him again. Once he has her full attention, he whispers, “Take all myself.”

Then he plants a kiss against her clit, and Rose shudders despite herself. “Really? You think some, some poetry is gonna, oh.” 

She can feel his grin as he toys with her licking gently around but never quite touching where she wants him most. His hair musses in her fingers as he kisses deeper, harder, licking her with nice, long strokes. Jason moans with her, the hum reverberating across her skin. Rose’s hips rise off the book and Jason holds her down with one arm. Pausing, Jason licks one finger, then another, and Rose can’t help but cry out his name as they thrust in and out of her while he lavishes attention on her clit. Fuck, she’s probably tearing his hair out, but she can’t help it. Now she’s so close she’s--

Jason pulls back, kissing her thigh, and Rose curses him and half his family. “I take thee at thy word:”

Fuck her, she’s pleading, pulling him back. “Jace, please. I need.”

Snickering, Jason plants a soothing kiss on her thigh before gathering her hands to her right side, holding them still. “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized;” he murmurs as he wets his lips again. Something in her belly roils as she realizes what he’s planning. 

Mm, yeah, Jack and Roy definitely heard that scream. Let them, Rose thinks, until she can’t anymore, so focused on Jason’s feather light touch against her clit. She’s so close to falling right off the cliff when he pulls back again. This time, Rose bites her tongue, shaking as she waits for him to continue. 

Jason watches her come down from the brink, his smile wide (and his lips covered in her slick), and his eyes bright. Part of Rose wants to hide from that look--she doesn’t deserve it--she’ll break his heart--he’ll find out what she’s really like and he won’t look at her like that any-- Squeezing her hands, Jason pulls Rose from her thoughts, and she swallows hard as she allows her walls to come crashing down. “Jason, I--”

“Shh. We’re almost there,” he whispers, kissing her hands, squeezing them again. Waiting until she’s relaxed again, Jason leans down one last time, his words barely audible, “Henceforth I never will be Romeo.” He brings her back slowly, using his fingers as well as his tongue, seemingly touching her anywhere and everywhere at once. Sliding one finger inside her, then another, he closes his eyes, gracing her with long, slow licks, pumping and curling. Rose isn’t even sure what sounds are coming out of her mouth anymore, as her hips rise and fall with his fingers.

Her world flashes whiter and hotter than lightning. 

Maybe seconds pass, maybe hours, when Rose finally opens her eyes. The candles have nearly guttered out, and Jason lies, with his clothed legs intertwined with her bare ones. Rose should pay him back for that--when she finds the energy. She leans her forehead against his, murmuring. “Power still out?”

“Yeah.” Jason reaches out, trailing a hand down her bare back. 

“You need to clean off the bed before the candles burn out.”

Jason groans, holding her tighter. “Fine.” He releases her standing up stiffly and reaching for the stuff scattered across his bed. “Love you too, Rose,” he muttered under his breath. 

Rose sits up quickly, grabbing his hand. “Wait.”

Looking down at her in exasperation, Jason asks blankly, “What?”

“I love you.” The words feel so strange coming off her tongue, but Rose knows them to be true. “Meant to say it earlier but you were too busy going down on me and quoting lines to listen.”

Jason pulls her to her feet, and into a kiss. “You can say it whenever you want.”

Rose’s so busy tasting herself on his lips she almost doesn’t notice the hiss of the guttering candles. “Shit.”

“What?” Jason pulls back, looking around at nothing. “Fuck.”

[eventually-write]

Gunpowder and Garlic Bread

Request?: Yes (@axelwolf8109 )

Prompt: Jason’s first date

Fandom: Batfam

Pair: Jason Todd x Reader

Word Count: 1,538

Warnings: Cursing, canon-typical violence

Jason panted as he was pushed up against a wall, his back stinging comfortably at the bite of pain. He smirked at the person in front of him who was holding him there.

“You know, I usually wait until the third date before I let someone pin me down like this,” he smirked, pushing the drug dealer with enough force to knock him to the ground. He pulled out his pistol from his holster and shot the thigh of the goon running towards him. The bulky man shouted in pain as he crumbled to the floor just as Red Hood realized the main boss himself was retreating to his getaway van out back.

“Oh no, you don’t!” he growled irritated, his mask deepening his voice. He fought off a couple of the other guys still in the warehouse and sprinted out to where he hid his motorcycle. He hopped onto it and began to pursue the retreating van. They raced down the dense streets of Gotham, but thankfully Red Hood’s motorcycle was narrow enough to squeeze between cars.

Eventually, Jason was able to catch up to the boss’s van, so now he was racing alongside it.  “C’mon, man! I’ve got plans tonight. Can’t we just do this the easy way? You pull over so I can arrest you and I don’t beat the shit of y’all. It’s a win-win for everybody. What do you say?” Red Hood asked with a cheeky grin of his. At that, the boss had his peon in the passenger seat roll down his window and start shooting him.

Red Hood groaned and checked his watch. He really needed to go get ready. “Fine, I guess we’re doing this the hard way, but just letting you guys know, you really just pissed me off.”

---

Jason ruffled his hair both because he was frustrated and because he wanted to make sure it looked stylishly tousled. As he jogged through the doors of a little Italian restaurant, he looked down at his phone. Oh god, he was running late. He was almost 20 minutes late now. He was so not making a good impression.

“Uh, hi, I was supposed to be meeting someone, but I’m a little late… Do you know if they’re uh… are they still here?” Jason asked the maitre d’, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. The woman just looked at him with an expression somewhere between unimpressed and pitiful. It was almost as if she wanted to be upset with him for being that douche who’s late to the date and also feeling bad for him. She sighed softly and picked up a menu for him.

“Right this way, sir.”

As the young woman led him through the loud restaurant, Jason felt his stomach twist. He hardly had any time to change as he was already running late. He just brushed his hair, changed out of his Red Hood outfit and then dashed out of the door. He wondered if he smelled bad… he had been working out vigorously--kicking ass does count as a work out--which meant that he inevitably sweat throughout the day. He hadn’t even showered before coming here. The thought of being so disheveled only made his palms damp as they approached the table. God, what a charming guy he was gonna appear as on a first date.

“Here’s your table, sir,” the young girl said, her pity melting away when she saw the person sitting at the table, waiting for Jason as they had been doing for the last 20 minutes. Y/N raised one eyebrow at Jason as he sat down.

“Heh, sorry for keeping you waiting. I got caught up in something. I know it’s no excuse, but, uh, I’m here now,” Jason chuckled obviously awkward and guilty. He picked up his menu, eyes scanning over it for only a second before he turned to you. “See anything good?” he asked, trying to ease them into having a nice date.

“Their breadsticks are good. I would know. It’s all I’ve been eating since I think it’s rude to order by yourself on a first date,” you spat out, tone venomous, but expression neutral At that, Jason visibly winced. He reached over and held your hand, rubbing your knuckles with his thumb soothingly.

You and Jason met because of your job at the used bookstore. It was a quaint little place, resting beside a nice coffee shop across the street from the train station, so you liked to hang around the area after work. He had been shopping around the classic literature section while you were organizing the books and before you knew it, you had this cute stranger chatting you up and debating with you who the best romantic poet was. (Shakespeare was alright and all, but Lord Byron would totally kick his ass after smoothly luring him into his bed.)

Jason had spent weeks just playfully bantering with you before you guys started to take your discussions to the coffee shop. When he had finally asked you out on a formal date over an analysis of Dorian Gray and a cup of earl grey, you just rolled your eyes playfully, remarked, “Finally, Todd. I was wondering how long you were gonna take,” and let him know the next time you had a weekend free. You were hesitant at first because, while he was sweet and a damn good debater, he was also a flirt. However, you didn’t want to just tack him under the player archetype, so you gave him a chance. It seemed, though, that perhaps you had him perceived him correctly.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I was just dealing with a lot of stuff right before I came here and it was totally last second. I didn’t want to leave you hanging like this. I’m sorry. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” Jason asked with his overly done puppy eyes. You sighed softly. They were totally dramatic and lame, but he was hard not to forgive and he looked truly remorseful.

“Fine, but you’re buying the coffee next time,” you relented with mock reluctance which caused Jason’s face to light up. Your heart melted a little at that. “Dork,” you muttered fondly to yourself.

From there the date proceeded nicely. There weren’t any awkward gaps in the conversation, no food spillage, no other glaring slip-ups. Actually, the date was quite nice. It felt like a natural extension of all the time you had been spending together anyways. By the end of the night, you two walked out of the restaurant together, Jason walking you to your car. Something about how it was unsafe to be walking alone in Gotham at night. You didn’t mind. You totally agreed with him there and you were glad to have a few more minutes with Jason.

“Well, this is mine,” you chuckled, leaning against the driver’s door. “This was really nice, Jason,” you offered with a smile. Jason stood in front of you, leather jacket wrapped around him to protect him from the chilly night air.

“It was. And again, I’m really sorry for being late like that, I really do feel bad about that.” There Jason was apologizing for the tenth time this evening. You had forgiven him completely at the third apology and at this point, you were getting slightly annoyed.

“Jason, I told you I forgive you. I’m a big kid and I get it. Life gets in the way sometimes, but you still showed up and you were a complete gentleman all evening and I had fun. In fact, I’d like to do this again sometime,” you spoke softly, touching his arm gently to let him know that you truly weren’t mad.

Jason watched your hand. You were shorter than him so he was looking down at you slightly. With his own grin he responded, “Yeah, I’d like that too.”

Then for a moment you were both just staring at each other with soft grins on your faces as the lights of the parking garage and the window open to the large moon cast a warm glow on the two of you. Jason seemed to be leaning in and you didn’t stop him. Just as he closed his eyes, however, you put your hand up to stop him. “Ah, ah, ah. Boys who are late on the first date don’t get a good night kiss. Plus you smell like gunpowder and garlic bread, but nice try,” you whispered since he was just a breadth away.

You winked as you got into your car. You rolled down the window at him after you backed out of your parking space. “Maybe you can try again on Sunday. I know the park by my work is hosting a Shakespeare festival and I’ll be there at one precisely. Don’t be late,” with that you drove off into the night, leaving Jason gaping after you, a grin stretching out across his face.

Next time, he was going to be sure that if he had a mission, he would leave himself plenty of time to shower, get you flowers or something, and be there early. He wasn’t gonna let any person who was that observant go that easily.

Author’s Note (A/N): I know that you asked for his first date, but I kinda wrote it as his first date with the reader rather than his first date ever. I hope you like it anyways though! Remember, feedback inspires me to write faster, so drop me some inspiration! Also check out my request rules here if you want a piece like this.