3374/Nightmares on 14th Street

Nightmares on 14th Street
Date of Scene:	15 September 2020
Location:	Upstairs - Red Cave
Synopsis:	A nightmare disturbs a quiet day's sleep at the Red Cave.
Cast of Characters:	Jason Todd, Valeria Richards

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Jason Todd has posed:
The ride back from Starling on the 'Loop took less time than it took to get from the station in Bristol on the metrorail to Park Row. By the time Jason and Valeria reached the Red Cave, even Jason with his Lazarus enhancements was feeling his eyelids getting heavy. Through the garage, then up the stairs, he opens the door to let them both in, flicking on the lights on his slightly less work-in-progress home.

As they're both inside, he pulls Val into his arms if she'll let him, stealing a kiss, "So, definitely on board for the real rest thing we were talking about, if that's still what you're thinking. The last couple of days are catching up to me."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Valeria snuggles against him into the kiss, making an mmhmm of agreement. "Sleep sounds... really good, yes." She glances around the place, noting the improvements but doesn't say anything, though she does actually grab his hands and playfully drag him back towards the bedroom, shrugging out of the jacket she's long since stolen from him and flopping into the bed. Where she promptly claims a pillow and a side.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason steps over his former-jacket with a grin, "Should really steal that back," he threatens without any intent on making good. It looked better on her anyhow. Jason drops his own jacket on the floor, and slips out of his jeans and shirt joining Val on the bed and nudging her over to her own side of the bed before wrapping his arms around her. "Don't get an idea that this is a thing, with the snuggling, it's just been a long forty-eight hours for me," he says through a yawn as he closes his arms around her.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"Of course not," Val replies amusedly, closing her eyes and dragging the blanket up over them. It's not really a pretty blanket, but it's fairly comfortable at least. It's only a matter of a few minutes before her breathing slows, evening out, and she's fast asleep beside him.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason smiles, "Good, as long as we're," he yawns. "Clear." It's not long before his own breathing begins to slow and sleep claims him too.

It begins as it always does, in the warehouse, or at least what he can remember of the warehouse, it's all twists and turns, everywhere he goes, there's a dead end and that voice. Laughing. Mocking. He turns to fight, but his arms feel like they're in molasses, his punches don't land, but the crowbar does. One moment he's cornered among the shelves, the next he's laying on the warehouse floor, his mom, the one who sold him out is already dead, Joker looms over him as Harley looks on. He tries to fight, tries to move, but he can't and the joker keeps hitting him. His body rocking with every hit. This was a dream, he knows its a dream, he should be able to wake up. It's the blow to the head that does it, he sees it coming the crowbar raised over the Joker's gleeful face as it continues its arc until-

Jason jerks awake, he;d squirmed in his dream, his arms tightening around Val without his knowing, but as soon as he wakes, he lets go, sitting up, breath coming hard and ragged, his chest beaded with sweat.

Valeria Richards has posed:
Val is shaken awake by Jason's nightmare and sudden startling upright. She rolls over to face him, sitting up. "Is everything all right?" she asks, sleep still in her tone and her eyes somewhat bleary, though clearing moment by moment.

Jason Todd has posed:
Shit he wasn't alone. He'd forgotten that. He retreats out of bed, rolling quickly out from under the covers and getting to his feet. "Are you okay, I didn't-" he makes a face, mostly hidden in the bits of light that makes it through the blackout curtains he set up around the bedroom. "I'll be back in a sec," he promises and then heads out the still open bedroom door and down the hall to the bathroom. Running some water and splashing it on his face. "Get it together," he says, giving his reflection a dirty look as he reaches for a towel.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"Jason?" Val calls down the hall, her tone concerned. She slips out of the bed and pads to the door of the bedroom barefooted. She leans against the doorframe, chewing her lower lip as she waits for him to return, listening. Water running... okay. She doesnt hear him being sick, so that's something, perhaps.

Jason Todd has posed:
"I'm fine! I'll be back in a second!" Jason all but snaps. Embarrassed. He splashes another handful of water on his face and drys himself with the towel. Face and chest before he turns off the water. The towel is hung back up on the rack before he turns to open the door startling when he sees Val there waiting for him. He pushes his hand through his partially damp hair, "Hey," he says, voice more calm. "I'm okay. This happens sometimes. It's alright."

Valeria Richards has posed:
She moves over towards him, sliding her arms around his neck and leaning up to kiss him, if he allows it. "Want to talk about it?" she asks. "You seemed pretty upset." She begins lightly tugging him back towards bed, where it's darker, more comfortable, and if he wants to hide a bit more in the darkness while they talk he has that option.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason pulls away as she reaches up her arms. He's too exposed too embarrassed and he knows it's showing on his face. "Sorry, just need a sec," he tells her, turning about in the small space feeling trapped. Though when she draws him out towards the bedroom he follows craving the darkness and the wider spaces. He takes a breath during their short trek down the hall before stepping into the bedroom again.

"It's alright," he repeats once he's inside, sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed. "I just need a moment." His heart was still racing and he looks ready to bolt or fight at any second.

Valeria Richards has posed:
Val settles in the middle of the bed, drawing her knees up to her chest and watching him in the mostly-darkness. She's quiet, but calculating, even if she doesn't speak. She does pull the blanket up over her after a moment, peering out from under it.

Jason Todd has posed:
The quiet is unsettling and after a moment Jason looks back at Valeria, "Aren't you going to say something?" he asks, by which he means judge. "Or just run. It's okay. I wouldn't blame you if you did. I can take you back to the train in a sec." He gets to his feet looking for his clothing in the dark.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"No." She peers out from under the blanket at him. "You said you needed a moment, so I was letting you have whatever you needed." Val lets the blanket fall back as she reaches for him to try coaxing him back to the bed. "Why would I run?" She sounds genuinely unsure of what he means. "You didn't hurt me, did you think you did? Just startled me a little. Was it a nightmare?"

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason studies her for a long moment, "No. I mean I'm glad I didn't but that's-" his lips draw in a line and he glances at the door. Slowly though his head turns back to Val, he shifts, turning towards her on the bed. "Just not my best moment." One he didn't want people to see.

Valeria Richards has posed:
Val continues to observe him, impassively, though her expression isn't the easiest to see in the mostly-dark. "If you want to talk about it, we can. Or not. We can go back to sleep and pretend it never happened, or I can get dressed and go home if you really need the space, Jay." She flops back against the pillows, still watching him. "Or think of something else to do." There isn't the playful wickedness that might otherwise come with that last. She seems concerned, but not pushing.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason regards Val with a considering look in the near darkness. Slowly, he rolls his shoulders and pulls back the covers to get back under them with her, holding her if she'll let him. Staying silent for a time before he says. "It was a nightmare, they happen a lot since I've been back. Nobody else knows."

Valeria Richards has posed:
She curls up with him, snuggling into his arms and against him. "Different ones? Or the same?" she asks quietly after a few moments. She seems content to let him talk if he wants to.

Jason Todd has posed:
"It feels like a rotation," Jason says. "Like when one comes it gets to the back of the line and waits its turn. So a bunch of the same dreams. Dying, waking up, things I did," he says, pausing a moment, feeling exposed. "Sorry you had to see that. I thought things were under control, but I guess I don't usually have company that stays this long."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Val frowns at him. "Your dreams are bad memories?" She leans up and kisses him gently. "I mean... I don't know what happened, exactly, but dreaming of dying? I know it was bad. And you said the... coming back... wasn't good either." She brushes his face lightly with her hand. "And you're stressed about... the other things." She sighs softly. "I mean, I suppose I should be flattered you're keeping me around this much." There's a lightness to that, trying to help him relax.

Jason Todd has posed:
"You make it easy," Jason says about keeping Val around as much as he does. A small smile at the words, before he becomes more serious, though his words come more freely. "And yeah, they're memories, just preserved in amber, so they don't fade like the rest, so that they're just as strong now as when I lived them. Believe me, not the ones I'd choose to save like that."

Valeria Richards has posed:
There's silence from her from a little bit as she simply snuggles against him. Then... "Tell me about them? Maybe that might... knock them loose."

Jason Todd has posed:
"Tonight was the one where I died," Jason begins. "I guess you don't know that story. I'd messed up on a job, someone died," a pause there for a brief moment before he carries on. "Bruce benched me after and that's when I started finding leads about my mother, my real mother, she ditched me after I was born. Anyhow, I was bored and angry so I took off after the leads on my own, thought I was real smart too putting it all together, 'cept I wasn't," he lets out a long breath through his nose. "It was a trap set by the Joker, one my mom, helped to bait. He turned on her of course, because that's what happens when you trust the Joker, anyhow it was me and him and Harley. They won. Joker beat my ass with a crowbar and let Harley kick off the timer on the bomb he set. Got to watch the last few seconds of my life tick by," he says,

Jason pauses again, his hand gripping tight to Val's arm. "Anyhow, I didn't get to the bomb part tonight, just the beating. Sometimes I think I dreamed up the part of the bomb, other times I remember it clearly. Memory is fucked up like that."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Val's breath catches. "...so that's what really happened?" Of course she didn't know. Just that something had happened, and it wasn't what the cover story had been. But the details? It's possible Bruce had shared them with Reed and Sue... but the kids, not so much. She pulls him closer then, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she murmurs. She has dozens of questions, each probably worse than the last, but she doesn't ask them. She's not really sure she wants to know.

Jason Todd has posed:
"Yeah, pretty much," Jason says, finding it easier to put some distance from it with casual disregard. "And it's fine, it happened, nothing I can do with it but live with it." Though he does Val well enough to guess at her curiosity. "Other than if your dad does decide to prod me and make sure I'm not a space lizard, this'll probably be the only time I feel up to talking about this, so if you've got questions, you can ask."

Valeria Richards has posed:
"I really hate him," Val mutters petulantly. Jason had been younger then, a child, really. Well, a teenager, and not much younger than Val herself is now, but still! "I'd ask why, but... because they're all monsters here in Gotham. Real monsters." She pulls back enough to look him in the face, her hand moving up to run through his hair, first toying with the streak of white before gently moving back through it. "And I hate that you're reliving it."

Jason Todd has posed:
"I hate him too," Jason says, his eyes seeking Val's. "And one day I'm going to kill him for what he did, when I get the chance." She might as well see his determination towards that end now rather than later. He'd come this far. "No more games, no more trying to prove a point, just a bullet in his brain and stop him for good."

His expression softens, as she expresses her sympathies, and he looks uncertain as if he's not sure what to do with them. "Thanks, but I'll be okay," he says, because it's what feels like the right thing to say.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"You will be," Valeria agrees. Not because it feels like the right thing to say, but because she's used to willing the universe to do what she wants it to do. She doesn't seem to be... opposed or even really flinching in any way at his vehemence and desire to kill the Joker. If anything, she seems somewhat relieved, maybe resigned? no, more accepting... by it. She kisses him then, fiercely, as if again she's trying to force the world back into the neat little boxes she wants it to be in.

Jason Todd has posed:
There's no argument from Jason about the words or the kiss that follows them. He might not know if Val's words will prove prophetic, but the kiss makes sure that in the moment he doesn't care. He kisses her back just as fiercely wrapping his arms around her as he does.