Fic: Caramel and Apples (DCU - Jason Todd) 1/1
Title: Caramel and Apples
Fandom: DCU
Characters: Jason Todd
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Gen fic! HOMG!! O_O
Word Count: 813
Prompts: Apples, silver, gold, Jack-o-lanterns, jewelry, costumes, bells, tarot cards, fishnet stockings, Gotham. Did I miss anything? ^_~ Also, #97 - Writer's Choice: Haunted (for 50_darkfics).
Summary: Jason finds himself searching for a killer in the worst possible place.
Disclaimer: DC and WB own it all. I own nothing. Darnit.
Author's Note: Set some time before Countdown. Written for bradygirl_12's 2007 DCU Halloween Fic/Art Challenge, because this challenge is eating my brain. O_o Nom, nom, nom. Will be cross posted.
Caramel and Apples
Perched on the edge of the rooftop, Jason cursed whatever fates had seen fit to bring him to this part of Gotham on this particular night. Not too far below, an entire three-block stretch of downtown had been transformed into a massive street carnival for the holiday, with vendors and fortune tellers and food and costumes and-
Jason snorted when the aroma of caramel and apples wafted up to him. Not that he didn't like the combination, and wasn't hungry as hell, but he had no time to think about the comforting smells of foods he'd never had as a- No! he cursed himself, knowing he was damn well too old for that sort of whining nostalgic bullshit. Tonight, he had a killer to catch: another goddamn drug dealer that had shot up a schoolyard when a deal went bad. It was just his luck that the bastard had led him here. Right to the busiest part of town, where anyone - anyone - could blend in with the masses, hide behind all the glitter and masks and merrymaking.
Annoyed, Jay scanned the crowds below, seeking any sign that something might be amiss. His gaze wandered over a group of flamboyantly dressed gypsies, their brightly colored scarves twirling around them as they danced in the middle of the street, gold and silver bells, coins, and cymbals chiming almost hypnotically and glinting in the lamplight.
Nothing there.
Next, he glanced over a thick crowd waiting for pumpkin fudge at what looked to be a pretty popular street vending cart. While most of the customers were costumed, one even dressed as Robin - the little bastard - there was still no sign of his prey.
Scanning down the street, Jason took in more of the carnival, going over the festivities inch by inch, methodically, as he'd learned even before the god damned Batman had taken him in; when you were on the lookout for someone, it paid to devote your full attention to the details.
Along one sidewalk a costume contest was underway, little kids dressed in polyester/nylon costumes their parents had likely bought cheap. Fire hazards. At least a few kids appeared to be dressed in home-made outfits. Not that I would know anything about that, Jason thought with an edge bitterness.
Moving on, he searched the crowd assembled for a magic show on the other side of the street. Less costumes there. Greater opportunity to hide. Eyes narrowed behind his mask and hood, he watched people craning their necks to get a good look at the woman on the stage, who, ironically, could have passed for Zatanna in her fishnets, tuxedo body suit, and silk top hat. She had some great legs, that was for sure.
But again, nothing.
Another area was set up for jack-o-lantern carving. Nervous parents milled around as their kids took sharp objects to pumpkins twice their size, a few adults joining in the fun. Jay had to suppress the urge to chuckle at the parents hovering over their eager kids. If any of them had any idea the kind of knives and other weapons most kids in this city ran around with, and why, they'd have heart attacks on the spot.
Here, still, there was no sign of the jack-ass he was after.
Grunting in his frustration, he turned to scan in the other direction, eyes moving more swiftly over the crowds, people happily parting with their money for ridiculous Halloween jewelry, face painting, costume accessories, tarot readings, and various delicious smelling foods and candied treats. Festive laughter continued to pour up from the street, innocent revelers unaware that a killer walked among them. A killer that was still very much armed and scared; a combination Jason knew always led to disaster. And if there was one place that could add to the odds of an incident, this was it.
He had to find him, the sooner the better.
But after a long few minutes of searching, his stomach growling at the scents that refused to stop taunting him, Jay still hadn't seen anything to bring him closer to his quarry. For a moment, he considering descending from the rooftop, blending into the crowd to get a closer look. Not like he would have stood out, anyway; who would place the big bad Red Hood at a hokey Halloween carnival?
It was then that something flashed in the corner of his vision. By the time his head snapped around so he could get a better look, all he saw was a jeans-clad leg and a single green converse disappearing around a corner.
Bingo.
Leaping out of his crouch to hit the next rooftop and take up the chase again, Jason didn't spare another look behind him at the carnival. The scent of caramel and apples was enough to haunt him for days.
* * * * *
Fandom: DCU
Characters: Jason Todd
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Gen fic! HOMG!! O_O
Word Count: 813
Prompts: Apples, silver, gold, Jack-o-lanterns, jewelry, costumes, bells, tarot cards, fishnet stockings, Gotham. Did I miss anything? ^_~ Also, #97 - Writer's Choice: Haunted (for 50_darkfics).
Summary: Jason finds himself searching for a killer in the worst possible place.
Disclaimer: DC and WB own it all. I own nothing. Darnit.
Author's Note: Set some time before Countdown. Written for bradygirl_12's 2007 DCU Halloween Fic/Art Challenge, because this challenge is eating my brain. O_o Nom, nom, nom. Will be cross posted.
Caramel and Apples
Perched on the edge of the rooftop, Jason cursed whatever fates had seen fit to bring him to this part of Gotham on this particular night. Not too far below, an entire three-block stretch of downtown had been transformed into a massive street carnival for the holiday, with vendors and fortune tellers and food and costumes and-
Jason snorted when the aroma of caramel and apples wafted up to him. Not that he didn't like the combination, and wasn't hungry as hell, but he had no time to think about the comforting smells of foods he'd never had as a- No! he cursed himself, knowing he was damn well too old for that sort of whining nostalgic bullshit. Tonight, he had a killer to catch: another goddamn drug dealer that had shot up a schoolyard when a deal went bad. It was just his luck that the bastard had led him here. Right to the busiest part of town, where anyone - anyone - could blend in with the masses, hide behind all the glitter and masks and merrymaking.
Annoyed, Jay scanned the crowds below, seeking any sign that something might be amiss. His gaze wandered over a group of flamboyantly dressed gypsies, their brightly colored scarves twirling around them as they danced in the middle of the street, gold and silver bells, coins, and cymbals chiming almost hypnotically and glinting in the lamplight.
Nothing there.
Next, he glanced over a thick crowd waiting for pumpkin fudge at what looked to be a pretty popular street vending cart. While most of the customers were costumed, one even dressed as Robin - the little bastard - there was still no sign of his prey.
Scanning down the street, Jason took in more of the carnival, going over the festivities inch by inch, methodically, as he'd learned even before the god damned Batman had taken him in; when you were on the lookout for someone, it paid to devote your full attention to the details.
Along one sidewalk a costume contest was underway, little kids dressed in polyester/nylon costumes their parents had likely bought cheap. Fire hazards. At least a few kids appeared to be dressed in home-made outfits. Not that I would know anything about that, Jason thought with an edge bitterness.
Moving on, he searched the crowd assembled for a magic show on the other side of the street. Less costumes there. Greater opportunity to hide. Eyes narrowed behind his mask and hood, he watched people craning their necks to get a good look at the woman on the stage, who, ironically, could have passed for Zatanna in her fishnets, tuxedo body suit, and silk top hat. She had some great legs, that was for sure.
But again, nothing.
Another area was set up for jack-o-lantern carving. Nervous parents milled around as their kids took sharp objects to pumpkins twice their size, a few adults joining in the fun. Jay had to suppress the urge to chuckle at the parents hovering over their eager kids. If any of them had any idea the kind of knives and other weapons most kids in this city ran around with, and why, they'd have heart attacks on the spot.
Here, still, there was no sign of the jack-ass he was after.
Grunting in his frustration, he turned to scan in the other direction, eyes moving more swiftly over the crowds, people happily parting with their money for ridiculous Halloween jewelry, face painting, costume accessories, tarot readings, and various delicious smelling foods and candied treats. Festive laughter continued to pour up from the street, innocent revelers unaware that a killer walked among them. A killer that was still very much armed and scared; a combination Jason knew always led to disaster. And if there was one place that could add to the odds of an incident, this was it.
He had to find him, the sooner the better.
But after a long few minutes of searching, his stomach growling at the scents that refused to stop taunting him, Jay still hadn't seen anything to bring him closer to his quarry. For a moment, he considering descending from the rooftop, blending into the crowd to get a closer look. Not like he would have stood out, anyway; who would place the big bad Red Hood at a hokey Halloween carnival?
It was then that something flashed in the corner of his vision. By the time his head snapped around so he could get a better look, all he saw was a jeans-clad leg and a single green converse disappearing around a corner.
Bingo.
Leaping out of his crouch to hit the next rooftop and take up the chase again, Jason didn't spare another look behind him at the carnival. The scent of caramel and apples was enough to haunt him for days.
* * * * *