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Giggling arm in arm with one of her best friends, Marinette swayed into the popular Juke Joint ‘Bat Burger’ on the corner of Gotham’s main street. The music was blaring from the jook in the corner and she couldn’t help but bop along with the rhythm towards their destination, coordination be damned.
Madame Bourgeois had been invited to the Wayne Gala, of course, and when Chloe had learned her father would be declining his invitation (It was election season of course and he couldn't be away from Paris for even a week!) she had decreed she wouldn’t be attending without Marinette. As such, the two girls would soon be in attendance that night, but before that had wanted to enjoy themselves by getting a bite to eat and enjoy the different scenery the American city offered.
Looking over the menu and trying to figure out what sounded good, Marinette would swear she could feel eyes on her, but taking a swift look around, there was no one staring that she could notice. Bringing one hand up to fiddle nervously with one of her ladybug earrings, she figured it was just paranoia from the thought that the Joker was known for attacking in broad daylight.
While not something she wasn’t unused to, she was used to being able to fight back as Ladybug. But Ladybug was a magical Heroine from Paris, who dealt with an actual magical villain, not a street brawler or vicious gang in Gotham.
Feeling the presence of someone by the table, the two girls looked up from their menus, expecting to see a waitress ready to take their order, but had to refrain from rolling their eyes at the duo of boys that had crowded them instead.
“Well ain't you birds a knockout.” the first one shmoozed, leaning his arm over the back of the girls seat, putting him clearly into Mari’s space. Unappreciative of the intrusion, Mari leaned away closer to Chloe, raising a questioning brow at the audacity. Is this what Americans considered etiquette? Sharing a look with Chloe she knew she had had the same thought, though probably a little more vicious in execution.
“Beat feet, Chuckle-head.” Chloe snapped, not having the patience for her afternoon to be interrupted, least of all by a couple of Dunderheads. “We’re no back seat bingo girl’s and thoroughly not interested.” she sniffed, the tried and tested daughter of the Mayor act masking her face.
“Aww, come on sweetcheeks, don’t be like that.” The second one chimed in, leering at Chloe with a smirk. “That’s not what’s happening here. We’re just two upstanding gentlemen looking to invite two hot mamas to cut a rug with us.”
The first of the unwelcome disturbances had taken to leaning in closer to Marinette, not leaving her with much room at all, a frown etched deeply on her face. “Whatcha say, gonna hang with us?” he asked moving his free hand to move a stray hair from her face.
Before she could even move her own hand to stop him, another hand grabbed his wrist, stopping it firmly in place. Following the hand up past the leather clad arm, she was met wit the sight of the dreamiest guy she’d ever seen, his black hair styled like a greaser, and his figure cutting an impressive figure. Meeting his eyes, her breath caught and a blush bloomed on her cheeks.
“Hey Doll, these boys bothering you?” he asked, as she melted. His voice was the richest baritone she’d heard and she wouldn’t lie to herself, she wanted to hear him call her Doll again.
“As a matter of fact-” Chloe started before being cut off by the second annoyance.
“Hey man, these are our birds, go find your own.” Well if that wasn’t the wrong thing to say. Marinette watched as the man’s blue eyes turned to ice as he looked at the boys harassing them.
Pushing the one he had a hold of back and into his friend, the black haired dreamboat scoffed, pulling a smoke from behind his ear and placing the tip between his lips. She had no idea how a man could make that so damn sexy to watch, but this one succeeded. Watching him light it up and take a drag, Mari felt herself flush, and reached behind her to grasp Chloe’s hand to keep herself grounded.
Even her crush on Adrian hadn’t been this fast and hard, but the man in front of her was something else entirely. From the way he held himself, brimming with confidence, to the way he expelled the smoke he’d inhaled, he had her craving his name and wanting his presence.
~~~~
Demolishing the Burger in front of him, Jason Todd savoured the flavour of real food. Tonight was the Wayne Gala, and he knew from experience it would be posh finger food and no amount of pleading would change that.
He’d even brought Tim with him on his pilgrimage to Bat Burger. Knowing his sleep deprived brother, he could use the pick me up before the masses of pretentious gasbags shmoozed with them, trying to gain B’s favour. Not that it had ever worked for any of them.
His attention was caught by a swish of pink and a lyrical giggle as a couple of girls passed them by, and his eyes followed, head tilted in interest as he watched the swaying hips and bobbing head of the prettiest girl he had ever seen head towards an open booth.
A nudge from his left brought his awareness back to the fact he was gawking with his burger hovering in front of his face. Taking a large bite he cut his eyes to his brother to be greeted with a knowing smirk. “Ya dont have the time Jay-bird.” Tim told him, taking a bite of his own burger and gesturing with it towards the two girls. “We’ve got about enough time for this before B sicks Alfred or Dick on our tail to get ready.
Jason scoffed as he ran his hand over his quiffed hair, eyes moving back to the girl as she looked at her menu. Pity, she really was a knockout if ever he did see one, but he knew what his brother said was true, they were on borrowed time right now and could probably expect Dick to saunter through the doors at any time to collect them. “Killjoy.” he grumbled back, finishing his burger off in one bite, and wiping his hands on a napkin.
Pushing back from the counter, he reached over to swat the back of Tim’s head. “Come on then, Timmers let's hit the road.” he sighed, twirling his ride’s keys around his finger. He chanced one last look back at the girls before freezing. Two of the Joker gang wannabes were crowding them into the booth, a no good look on their faces.
Protective instincts flaring, Jason gripped his brothers shoulder to divert his attention to the situation, meeting his eyes as they held a silent conversation. Really it was none of their business, but they had the self respect to know a couple of uninterested girls when they saw them, and he was sure Alfred would rake him over the coals if he just let them be harassed, personal interest put aside.
Making his way over, his anger got the best of him as he saw the one guy crowding and reaching to touch the girl who had caught his attention. His arm was already grasping the offending appendage before he could stop himself. “Hey Doll, these boys bothering you?” he asked, meeting the bluest eyes he had ever had the privilege of looking into.
When her friend was cut off, he scoffed, pushing the miserable little snob into his equally miserable pal. Taking his smoke from behind his ear, he put it to his lips and lit it, taking a drag and blowing it in their direction.
“I don’t seem to remember asking your opinion on the matter.” he cut back, feeling his brother take up a position at his back. “But I know you weren't about to continue harassing these lovely ladies, were you, ‘cos you’d be just aching for a breaking if you were.” he warned, speaking through the cigarette before taking another drag and taking it in hand.
He watched as the two boys sized him and Tim up before scoffing themselves and scurrying off, tails between their legs. Smirking he took another drag of his cigarette before turning to the two girls.
“You okay now, Kitten?” he asked, eyes firmly on the black haired beauty, before flickering towards the blond as she started to speak.
“We had it handled” she snapped at him, and he raised a brow, grinning at her attitude before looking back into the blue eyes that had caught his attention.
“I don’t doubt it, but I see two knuckleheads harassing a couple of pretty ladies, I ain't gonna leave them to it. Not how i was brought up.” he said, finishing his cigarette and putting it out on the tray on the table, having to lean over his girl slightly, coming close enough to make out the cute speckling of freckles across her nose.
“Thank you.” the girl murmured, her eyes having not left his since he made eye contact. Jason smirked about to answer back when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned annoyed as hell at the intrusion.
“Jay, come on, we’ve gotta beat feet.” Tim warned, though Jason noticed Tims own eyes sliding past him towards the blonde in the booth.
“Fine, whatever.” he snapped, pulling a comb out of his leather jacket to make sure his hair still fell as he liked it. Looking back at the girl he hesitated, he felt such a connection to the girl for having only shared a few words with her, biting his bottom lip he sighed.
“Guess I’ll see you around, Doll.” he told her, winking. He spared a glance at the blond to see her smirking at him, a calculating look in her eyes. Raising a challenging brow at her, he slapped his arm around Tims shoulders, pushing him from the table and following slowly.