=Chapter Twenty=
•*•
The not date
=

Monday, 16th of September

Long story short, Jason and I talked extensively about features of phones that I didn't even know was possible, and all the features that I might want.

Next thing I knew, we were standing in a somewhat fancy restaurant and I was giving Jason anxious looks.

Twenty dollars isn't enough here!

I laughed nervously. "Haha.. uh maybe I'm not feeling pasta anymore..?  How about McDonalds.."

Jason raised an eyebrow questioningly. "McDonald's? Seriously?  Come on, just try it, this place is delicious."

"Uh Jason, I kinda can't.. afford.. this kind of food..?" I whispered.

Jason blinked for a second before a look of realization and then shortly after embarrassment came after.

"That was thoughtless of me, I'm sorry." He apologized then continued, "but I didn't actually mean for you to pay so.."

"Wait what?" I hurriedly walked after Jason as he walked to the hostess stand. "Table for two."

"Jason wait you don't need to do that!" I whispered in a hushed tone. Jason shook his head at me. "Nope, I'm treating you today, it's really good food so shut up and accept it."

"Right this way." The hostess said, awkwardly leading us through the restaurant.

"Jason.." I said anxiously. how could ANYONE afford this place?!!!

We sat down at a booth, Jason scooting in on the other side of the table.

"Here are your menus, your server will be Marie, she will be with you both in just one moment, can I get your drink orders?"  The hostess asked.

"Water..?" I asked.

"Wine. Moscato please." Jason replied.

"Absolutely sir, can I see your ID?"

Jason pulled out his ID and handed it to the hostess, and she nodded and passed it back.

"We will have those out soon." She turned around and went to the kitchen.

We sat there for a few seconds, my eyes still wide, his eyebrow raised.

"Chill Percy. It's just lunch."

I look at the menu and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "Jason." I hissed. "Each dish costs 35 dollars!"

"They put a lot on it." He shrugged.

"gods Jason, this is expensive!" I stared at him.

"Stop looking at the prices then.." he took my menu and put it over his. "I'll order something for you."

"Hello, my name is Marie," a server introduced, she was carrying a glass of wine and a water cup, placing each respective beverage in front of us.

"Are you ready to order or do you need another minute?"

"We're ready." Jason stated, cool as a cucumber.

"Alright, what can I get for you both?"

"I'll take a Pasta Puttanesca, and she," he gestured to me, "will take sauce rosee tortellini."

"Wonderful choices, I will get that to the kitchen and I'll bring out your sides as well." She nodded.

She left us alone after taking our menus.

"Jason this place is crazy..." I said while looking around.

"They have great service, I'm sure you will like the food too. Just trust me and chill, okay?"

I sigh. "Okay, thank you."

I still couldn't get over how fancy this restaurant was. I didn't even realize we were walking into a more modern and well lit area of town either.

Everyone dinning here were dressed semi formal semi casual, as it was lunch. I could see a few business meetings at a few tables and just rich people eating out mid shopping trip.

I felt severely underdressed, even for lunch.

Now that I had the opportunity to take in my surroundings, locating emergency exits and studying people to make sure they weren't a threat,
I started noticing the wealth in this restaurant. From little things like artwork to a full sized fountain peaking out in another room.

I turned back to Jason, finding him studying the dessert menu.

"Dessert? Already?"

"For later." He shrugged.

"Who are you?" I asked, my eyes wide.

He raised an eyebrow. "Jason Todd."

"What are you a millionaire or something?!!" I hissed.

He chuckled awkwardly. "Uh.. not exactly."

"Do you know who Bruce Wayne is..?" He asked.

"Uh.. maybe?" I thought for a second. Bruce Wayne.. Bruce Wayne..

"Does he host a lot of parties?" I guessed.

"Yes, actually.. how did you know?"

"A friend of mine has been to a few I think.. anyways what about him?"

"Percy, I was adopted by him."

I blinked. "You what."

"Adopted? By Bruce-" I cut him off.

"I heard you, I'm just surprised... you don't scream rich. You walk around in an old t shirt and jeans.. maybe your jacket is expensive but it's worn.."

"You're saying I don't dress rich. Which is true, I guess. I try not to live off of Bruce's wealth.. unless I'm mad at him." He explained.

"Do you have your own job?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah.. I do some things on the side." He said vaguely.

"Okay.. so you say you don't spend his money if you can help it and yet you're used to dinning at fancy restaurants..?"

"I'm currently mad at him." He smirked. "I know it doesn't even make a dent his account when I eat out but it makes me feel better."

"What did he do.." I asked hesitantly.

Family drama was one thing Jason and I never talked about. Surprisingly we didn't talk about much more than books most of the time.

"Called me delusional.. essentially. Gaslighting.. I'm not sure. But he makes me so mad when he waves away my concerns and feelings." He confided.

I could tell he was watering down the situation heavily. So I wasn't going to press much.

"I understand. I'd want my words validated too."

He shook his head. "It's more complicated than that. It's a long.. lifetime of disagreements.. I just can't make him understand or even care for me like I wish he would. I don't even understand why he adopted so many of us.. it's obviously too much for him to.." he hesitated while trailing off.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to unload on you like that." He apologized.

"No worries, it just means I'm someone you trust enough to open up to. I really value that."

He nodded. "I guess so. But.. I'll try not to. You might not mind.. for now. But being that kind of friend is tiring. I wouldn't do that to you."

"You sound like you have experience in being the shoulder to cry on. Or rant to."

"You have no idea. My siblings probably have just the same amount of hurt or traumatic memories that I do.. and they don't always have Dick to go to..."

"So you kinda look out for your siblings?" I rested my elbows on the table.

"I try. They're all idiots who get themselves in trouble. Even then I'm still viewed as the black sheep of the family.." he sighed. "For reasons I can't really explain.."

"But it sounds like they still love you even though they may not approve of certain things you do?"

"Yeah. That's.. yeah."

We sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before the waiter Marie came back, placing breadsticks in front of us. "Here is your appetizer, your food is almost done! Can I get you guys anything else for now?" She smiled.

"No, thank you." I shook my head politely.

She nodded and walked off to another table in her section. I pulled a breadstick from the basket and took a bite. "Oh my gods this is.. mm.." I raved with my mouth full.

Jason grinned, sipping from his glass of wine. "Told ya.."

"This is amazing.. and it's just a breadstick.."

Jason also took one, biting into it, and I could tell he also melted juuuuust a little too.

"I'll be honest.. I come for the breadsticks half the time." He admitted.

I giggle. "I can see why."

"So.. how's the new girl doing?" He asked, giving us a fresh topic.

I shrugged, taking a piece of my hair and twirling it between my fingers.

"Well.. I don't feel like I know her well enough to judge quite yet.. however she just irritates me a little. It's weird how it happens and I don't usually.."

"She gets on your nerves even though you're a chill person." He completed for me.

"Yeah. I try to be chill anyways. The world can be a scary place when I'm upset or angry."

"You mean you are scary?" He joked.

I nod seriously. "Very." But then I grin. Unfortunately it's not a joke.
"So I try to be reasonable for everyone's sake."

"How considerate." He joked back.

"Anyways.. so how many siblings do you have?" I asked.

"Well some live in Bruce's house.
I don't live with him a lot, only occasionally, when we are on good terms or for family events.." he informed.

"So let me start with the ones who are currently living with him. So we got Cassandra, Tim and Damian.. then there's Stephanie and Barbara, technically they're not adopted to be officially my siblings, but they always seemed to be included in the 'family'.. and lastly is Dick, he's the first."

"So that makes it.. 4? Or 6?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Let's say 6." He grinned. "How about you? Any siblings?"

"Yeah, there's Tyson, but I never see him because he lives really far away, he's a half brother on my dad's side, and then there's Estelle. She's adorable, and my half sister on my mom's side."

He nodded. "Nice. Estelle's the little kid you've raved about to May, I assume?"

I snort. "Stalker."

"You talk loud in a small book store."

"I do not.." I blushed.

"Your voice gets all high and pitchy and you squeal when your mom sends you pictures of your sister.. it's hard not to notice."

"Brat."

The waiter stepped in.
"Alright thank you for your patience, here is the Sauce Rosee Tortellini.." a dish was placed in front of me with cute little stuffed pastas doused in a rose colored sauce.

"And the Pasta Puttanesca.." it seemed to be a spaghetti with olives and some other ingredients I couldn't tell you specifically what they were.

"Thanks." We said and dug in.

Unfortunately I had no way to offer any part of this food to the gods, and to be honest, they should be offering food to me not the other way around, so I'll give myself a pass this time.

"Woah this is amazing.." I said after taking a few bites of my.. rose pasta? I donno I already forgot.

The steam from the hot pasta fogged up my glasses so I took them off, setting them aside.

Jason seemed to look up, staring for a second.

"What?"

"Huh? Nothing. You just.. don't take those off very often."

"I don't notice them while they're on.. I technically don't need them but they are reading glasses."

"And you work in a book shop.." he nodded in realization.

"Mhm." I stuck my fork into another tortellini and ate it. "Wow they really know how to make a dish.."

"I did tell you, didn't I." He twirled his spaghetti onto his fork, also eating it.

"I can't imagine how much this costs.." I said, almost feeling bad for his dad.. Bruce.. father figure guy.

Hey, he seemed not to call him dad so I don't know what to call him either.

"I don't worry about it, so you don't worry about it."

"I mean it makes sense why you want to buy me a phone now.."

"You need something better than that prehistoric flip phone."

"It had a touch screen.." I said in mock offense.

"Yeah well it's still probably as old as Damian." He scoffed,

"How old is Damian.." I asked hesitantly.

"12."

"It is not 12 years old!" I exclaimed.

He finally grinned. "Yeah yeah. I'm just teasing."

•*•

I am spoiling you all with a 2k long chapter!! (And early)
Thanks for 40k reads :D and it's the twentieth chapter too!

In my old fanfics, the most views I ever got were 10k and my books ended around the twentieth chapter and this one is still going!

Maybe that shows my growth as an author LOL.

Anyways hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Toodles!

💙🍪