Outlandish Love (Jason Todd x Male OC)

Ch. 24

Dani P.O.V

After the revelation that Scarecrow had seemingly been killed by Joker, causing him to make off with Scarecrow's Fear Toxin recipe, the team worked endlessly to chase down any lead we could muster.

However, today Jason and I got a day off. Whether he was happy about it or not.

"I really don't want to do this," he grumbled as I got ready backstage.

"Oh, woe is you," I said. "Forced to go public with your boyfriend. How ever will your survive?"

"It's not that I don't want people to know your mine," he defended. "It's more...the attention that will come after it."

"Oh, yes," I teased. "I hear stardom can be quite the stressful scenario."

"Dani," he sighed, rolling his eyes at me from his spot across the room.

"I'm sorry,"  I said with a smile. "I know. It'll be weird, but people are asking questions. We've already made tabloids. So, the other option is...stay hidden and let other people try to pursue me again, or...start a publicity relationship with someone else so people stop asking questions."

"Hell, no," he said immediately. "I'm not gonna let some bozo off the street pretend to fill my shoes and take you out for publicity stunts and bullshit. That's my job."

I shot him a look through the mirror.

"Now, the stay hidden option? Seems a little better. I think I could handle any assholes who try to hit on you when I'm around."

"See, the last thing I need is more tabloids being made because someone is beating up innocent people for me," I said. "That takes us right back to where we are."

Jason thought about it for a moment, then sighed and waved me off.

"Whatever," he said. "Let's just get this over with. I wanna head back to the manor to hear what they found today."

"Babs told me it wasn't much," I said, touching up my stage makeup. "No better off than where we were a week ago."

"Everything counts," he said. "Every little bit helps us get closer."

"I meant to ask," I said slowly. "What exactly are we getting closer to?"

He looked at me a second, rising to his feet as he began to speak.

"What do you mean?" He asked as he walked over and leaned against the vanity I was sitting at.

"When we find him," I continued. "What's gonna happen?"

He looked at me a moment, clearly understanding what I meant.

"I...don't know," he said quietly. "If I had my way? Well, I don't need to explain what I would do. But, Bruce is taking point on this mission. So...I'll follow his lead."

I nodded slowly, taking in what he said. As I did so, the door cracked open and a stagehand peeked in.

"Five minutes," he said, to which I nodded and began to compose myself.

"Ready?" I said to Jason.

He sighed and didn't meet my eyes, his mind still running wild. I stepped over and ran my hands down his chest, smoothing his sweater. He finally looked at me as I stood in front of him. I smiled up at him briefly, before pressing my lips to his.

"Come on, big guy," I said, pulling him after me. "It'll be over before you know it."

As we stepped onto stage, a huge round of applause echoed through the room as we found our way to the couch in the middle of the stage. To build appearance, Jason put his arm around me as we sat down.