a chance encounter || closed

[mind_blown]

characters: Jason Todd (mind_blown) and Peter Parker (webshoots)
location: Village, moving towards ice cream
date/time: August 10, daytime.
content: It's just a chance encounter log, following up their last discussion-- except I guess, this time Peter isn't meeting Jason as Spidey!
warnings: None, will edit if that changes.

[there really wasn't a lot going on. part of him wanted to go out on his own, leave the rest of the group behind. but even he knew that that would be practical suicide, given how little they knew about the rest of the area. and he was too stubborn to ask dick for help, no matter how many times he offered it.

guess he was still bitter over the graves.

but also, there was only so much "being personable" he could stand in a search for information, especially after he'd worked through who was useful, and who was a dick despite being useful... and who wasn't. he didn't need a drink, but man, he sure would like a smoke to think it out. or a goddamned burger and fries.

and he didn't have time to learn how to use oil to make them himself.

At any rate, after a successful day of foraging it's time to finally hit up the mystery flavors of ice cream. that he'd said he'd do forever ago. when he jumps down from his perch, he glances at the one person he'd seen near-by.]

'Scuse me.

Comments

[webshoots]

[ it's not a total lie: now, peter can't quite imagine living without the adrenaline rush that spider-man brings, can't quite imagine not having convenient bad guys to punch to take frustrations out when required (and occasionally, when not required). he's tried, he's given it up on occasion, thinks that if circumstances were just so, he'd do it again, but as it stands, he doesn't quite know what those circumstances would be short of losing his powers entirely.

at eleven, though, peter was being shoved into lockers. living dangerously wasn't a combination of words that really entered his thoughts. ]

—Yeah? [ mildly, with an edge of surprise. ] Sorry, but I've got my sights set on the Prickly Pear next. [ although he's part way through a shrug when 'half-decent shake' really registers and he glances back at jason.

that. is a thought. ] —Why don't you suggest it to the [ uh ] crab? He's already got ice cream and balloons — enterprise and entrepreneurship is clearing his thing.

[mind_blown]

Hmm. Not a bad idea, but I don't think he’s hiding a mixer under the table. [but mention it he does? Maybe next time. Then they could plan on milkshakes. Even if sweets weren’t entirely his thing (while a heart attack in a bag fit his entire vibe to a tee), it’s be nice to have the option.]

[at 11, his mom “died”, and then he was left to fend on his own. At 12, he became robin. At 15 he died. And then at 16(?), he woke up screaming in a Lazarus pool, and Talia Al’Ghul pushed him off a cliff about 10 minutes later.

And then for years, she distracted him. Anything to get him to not go after his revenge. He had absolutely zero concept of a normal life.]

[webshoots]

He might not be, [ peter concedes, ] but you forget Rastus takes— uh, item requests.

[ even as he says it, it sounds a little too trivial, even for him. sure, it’d be nice to make beacon a little more homey, a little more comfortable but what would be the point? peter doesn’t have any intention on staying here longer than he has to. milkshakes would be great, but a way to leave would be even better. ]

—You know, let’s just forget I said that. I’m sure Rastus has got slightly more important things to be dealing with than which blender will make the creamiest milkshakes.

[ like getting the components for peter to make more webfluid. ]

[mind_blown]

[at least peter caught it before he did, so he could let him down gently. Jason wasn't about to go to Rastus for anything more than immediate needs that he couldn't meet. That was it.] Yeah.

I'd rather not get too comfortable here-- and if I wouldn't order a milkshake normally back home, I'm not gonna go out of my way to make it happen here.

[the ice cream was because it was the only thing available, but he'd endure having nothing but bread and cheese, and foraging for protein, if it came down to it. he didn't like the idea of getting comfortable.

not while shit was still happening in Gotham, and waiting for him to push it.]

[webshoots]

Right, but there's a difference between not allowing yourself to get comfortable and actively making it harder for yourself. [ a beat. ] I'm not saying milkshake's the difference between accepting a base level of comfort that this place doesn't automatically provide us with, but you shouldn't deprive yourself of something if you can have it just because you're— what, worried that if you do, it's going to distract you from your responsibilities back home?

[ peter's learnt that lesson over the years: sometimes the responsibility that comes with being a person means allowing yourself a break every so often; sometimes it's allowing yourself to relax and enjoy something simply because you enjoy it. it's not constantly pushing forward because that seems like the right thing to do. ]

[mind_blown]

Not quite. [he liked creature comforts as much as the next person. But even he knew that getting too comfortable was going to make it harder to eventually leave. Getting too comfortable meant getting to know others, and he was too tired for that.

Even Spidey was just useful in that he felt like there was a mutual understanding of expectations. That’s all.]

Just don’t want to get too attached, generally it’s not a good idea to settle in to a place that kidnaps you.

[webshoots]

[ there's a huff of a laugh at that because really, jason, you really think anyone's about to get attached to a town parading as the afterlife, with pop-up graves that like to show everyone else how its denizens quote-unquote died? ] Yeah, I'm pretty sure that has a name. [ but anyway. ] But obviously I can't speak for Gotham, but milkshakes aren't quite the bargaining chip that'd have me abandoning my friends and family.

[mind_blown]

You’d be surprised. Adaptability is what people do. And it sucks feeing like you don’t have a home for a long time, if it comes to that. [or that your home should be wiped off the face of the map. But that’s not fair to Gotham, for all her flaws.

Though he doesn’t think Peter really understands how shitty Gotham really is. It might even give this place a run for its money.

Mad spirits? Yeah, sure. At least they aren’t poisoning the water supply with fear gas.]

Anyway, doesn’t matter. We’re basically agreeing. [Lets not talk about home anymore]

[webshoots]

[ peter's familiar enough with adaptability, but that's not the comment his focus lingers on — it sucks feeling like you don't have a home. it's not a sentiment peter can relate to — of everything that's ever happened to him, peter can hold his hands up and say that he's never, not once, felt as if he hasn't had a home, hasn't had people that cared for him and he cared for.

there's a comment there, on the tip of his tongue — one that's almost a question, but he doesn't ask it. they don't know each other that well, not yet, and jason effectively shuts it down with his next remark. (evidently, home is a delicate subject.) ]

—Right. [ there's a lull as peter eats some more of his ice cream, considering the difference in attitude between jason now and the first time they'd met. some of it could be put down to a deepening acknowledgement of their situation, and some of it, he supposes, could be put down to the fact that they're both out of their masks.

'what do you do?' nah, that's probably still a little too close to the topic of conversation jason seems like he wants to avoid. ] —So. How much have you managed to explore?

[mind_blown]

[that’s a safe question. Probably the safest that Peter could have asked him, all things considered. He definitely had more social graces than his joking might have implied. He’d have to rethink exactly how awkward he was, wouldn’t he?]

Enough of this place to get the general layout, and start considering exploring outside of the town.

Only thing stopping me is not knowing exactly where and what to search for.

[or at least a good direction to head in. Plus, he’d actually want backup, he realizes. But he isn’t willing to admit it. He may be careless, impulsive, and a whole host of other dumbass behaviors. But he wants out, not to die.]

[webshoots]

[ peter hums; it's a noise of acknowledgement and consideration. the lighthouse seemed not so much a dead end as near enough impossible to approach, but everywhere else beyond that was equal measures of unknown, and as far as peter was aware, neither doc ingram nor winters had given an indication on which direction was the best to explore.

(and even then, would they know? their groups hadn't made it.)

playing detective isn't really peter's thing, never has been — sure, he's not terrible at it, not entirely, but it's not what he's best at. ]

—Could be worth following the rivers. Anyone that was here before probably wouldn't have wanted to stray too far from a reliable water source.

[mind_blown]

Maybe. [if they started at the same place. If things were always like this, he could see that. It’s a sensible suggestion.]

Guess that’ll be the next place I head, then.

[he finishes the ice cream, easily. It was nice, but not as satisfying as he’d hoped. He just wanted out, wanted to keep moving forward with his plans. And while he could make some crack about darkness being all that he deserved, he really, really hated it, after 10 days.

He can’t wait to find out what a month looks like.]

[webshoots]

[ peter nods. ]

Also might be worth checking the network — a while back, some guy called, uuuh, Shadow? Moon? [ was that his name? (pause. whatever.) ] Posted a kind of [ inhalation of breath, what's the best way of describing it? ] —open forum for everyone to comment on what they'd discovered about this place so far—.

[ jason, please don't mind peter as he reaches into his bag to hunt around for his tablet. it's — well, there are a couple of small cracks and the casing's just a little bit chipped, like he's tried to take of it, but he's either: clumsy, careless, or both. (or, you know, he's spider-man in his not so spare time.)

peter remains quiet for a moment, scrolling back to the aforementioned post and just quietly checking to see what he'd said.

(—oh, right. that'd been when he'd first found out about the ice cream.)

he looks back to jason before adding. ] You might have already seen it, but just in case.

[mind_blown]

Yeah, I saw it.

[ he runs a hand through his hair. he also had the notes that Dick had shared with him-- even though he asked they not work together. so, no matter what, there's information around. that anyone could find.

but it was still frustratingly, frustratingly small. ]

Guess I'll have to take a trip into the forest soon, anyway.

[ if only to save Dick from his bad housing choices. ]