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The memes were unintentional, for all that Jason had learned to lean into them. And really, it wasn’t
his
fault - entirely - that B had decided to confront him without doing his due diligence.
Becoming a crime lord was a legitimate business move in Gotham. When Jason had decided on that route during his training with the League, he had been aware it would mean causing waves and chopping heads. What he hadn’t prepared for was for more than Crime Alley to embrace Red Hood as a hero of sorts.
The thing was: the League of Assassins made for brutal, efficacious teachers. His lessons included hotwiring, explosives, any number of guns. They hadn’t included social media relations.
Which was to say, even Jason didn’t know how to chart what had led him from Crime Alley crime lord with a blood red bat across his chest to… sitting across from an enthusiastic, sweet old lady from the Bowery while holding a ceramic teapot. He was in a
suit
even and wearing a tie.
Sure, the suit was his trademark red and he still had a diamond on, but this was just weird.
“Do you know. My granddaughter who is an
avid
fan, said that you,” she hesitated, her voice warbling to Jason’s ears as she tried to her granddaughter’s words. “Might be too busy taking out the trash?”
“I can. I can explain.” Jason assured, as he finished pouring her tea and addressed his own. At least explaining the meme would keep him from dwelling on how peculiar it was to have
fans
in the first place.
What was the best way to explain?
“So, I’m a bit of a rabble-rouser,” he began.
“How exciting!”
Maybe less peculiar than he wanted to think, actually.
“One of the things younger people know me for is this argument I had with Batman. I told him ‘Fear can’t control crime’ and then I did this
ridiculous
dance maneuver where I waved my hand in front of my face and said ‘I’m taking out the trash.’ Except in the clip, I don’t say it like that. I say it like
‘
I’M TAKING OUT THE TRASH
.
’
”
“Oh, I see. It’s gotta be
‘
I’M TAKING OUT THE TRASH
.
’
”
“That was excellent,” Jason complimented her rendition. “I’m out of a job.”
“I’m no Bat.”
“Don’t worry,” Jason smiled, toasting her with his tea cup. “They say that about me too.”