He goes there often. Being his favorite food and all. So he does an exaggerated bow as he motions at towards the door. "So, wherever you're ready, princess."
And there's no amusement in his body language, so she should be able to tell he's being honest as he closes the door behind her. "But I can quit if you don't like it."
It makes sense, in Jason's head. He's always giving people a hundred different nicknames, never really thought much about it. "It's not supposed to be literal."
She considers it for a moment before nodding and making her way away from the door, considering whether or not she's looking forward to trying chili or just having a night out at a restaurant more. Because this is new. She's never actually... done something like this.
A shrug. He doesn't believe them blindly, but he has no reason to doubt them either. Batman is thorough, and the only files Jason knows he shouldn't believe are Bruce's own files... or Jason's.
"Not that Batman would know what 'cool' is, but still."
"We did, too." When they actually worked together, that is. Otherwise it was usually just Jason on his own at the manor. Probably why he spent so much time with Alfred instead. "I've read the files, but they are vague on some parts. How did you get the job?"
"I didn't want him to die. So I did what I had to do."
It really was as simple as that for her. She wasn't trying to dismiss the praise or the kind words or Jason's esteem. But it's like Barbara does sometimes, how Dick used to once upon a time: she doesn't understand the value of her life if she can't use it to do the most good possible.
"Barbara has told me about him. I'd agree with you."
Jason taps the side of his leg in a nervous gesture, to the rhythm of a random tune in his head. He'd try to hide how nervous the subject is making him but he's pretty sure she'd be able to pick on that, so why bother?
"I kill people. I'm not going to stop, I think some people deserve to die. What happened to Babs is one of the reasons I think prison isn't enough.
He purses his lips in thought as he follows her. This is... well, weird. Usually people disagree with him or they think someone has to do the dirty job too. Mostly the later, because of the crowd he usually goes with and how ruthless he can get. Disagreeing but not fighting him on it is a new one and he still has to decide if he likes it.
“You know he hurt Barbara, too. Even after that, you don't agree the world would be better off?”
"When I was eight years old, I knew with absolute certainty that I was supposed to kill a man," Cassandra says, not easily but smoothly. It's not that this is simple or that the words come freely, but it's something she's thought about. Something saved up inside of her.
"I knew it until the moment I ripped his throat out. And then in that moment, I knew that I was wrong."
She looks back at him.
"I was made by a man who wanted to create the perfect weapon and a woman who wished to create an heir who could kill her, both of them accomplished murderers. I was raised and trained by the League of Assassins with the intention of creating the ultimate fighter, someone who had all of their skills and talents and fighting forms in one person. There are people who would look at that and say that there was nothing in me that could lead to anything but death."
She tilts her head.
"I don't know why I knew in that moment. I don't know where that feeling came from, how I knew. I don't know what made me run. I don't know if my firmest belief will be turned on its head by something tomorrow."
She turns back to their path.
"But I know there's no way to unkill people. Not one that will bring them back the same way the left. And I know that the world is strange, that there's no telling what tomorrow brings.
"I hate the man who hurt Barbara. Who hurt you. Who's hurt Batman. I hate him, and if I heard that he died tomorrow, I would see justice. I would feel safer. I would know that you and Barbara and Bruce all feel incredible relief.
"But I won't kill him. Because I know how much I don't know. I know how flawed I am. And I know how strange the world can be."
She looks up at Jason again.
"If you're sure, then you should follow your heart. But I can never be sure."
Cass always makes him feel awkward when this subject comes up, so he tries to avoid it. But in this case he walked right into it. He doesn't regret what he did and never will, he doesn't think he's going to stop any time soon because someone has to get rid of those who deserve it. But he has to admit that knowing someone who was made to be a murderer turn her back on that and make her own path does put things into perspective.
“He'll always hurt people. It was me, it was Babs, it was Gordon and I'm just naming those because we know them. Count all the lives he's ruined outside our circle, how many have died or worse.
So yes, I am sure. I may be flawed but I refuse to let people get hurt because of some shitty moral code I didn't choose.”
"And if he dies as a martyr and only inspires a dozen copies?" is her answer. "Is the purpose of his death to bring justice to the pain he's caused or to prevent further damage?"
She holds up a hand.
"I don't know. I ask the questions, but I don't know the answers. No one does. Not really."
Then she turns to look at him.
"If you believe that, and I think you do, then I won't tell you not to do what you believe. You have to live what you choose, what you believe. For good or for bad. I won't look down on you for it. I just believe differently."
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He goes there often. Being his favorite food and all. So he does an exaggerated bow as he motions at towards the door. "So, wherever you're ready, princess."
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"...is that... a pet name or are you making fun?"
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And there's no amusement in his body language, so she should be able to tell he's being honest as he closes the door behind her. "But I can quit if you don't like it."
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"I like it. But I don't know how I'm a princess."
...her parents were certainly no royalty, after all.
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It makes sense, in Jason's head. He's always giving people a hundred different nicknames, never really thought much about it. "It's not supposed to be literal."
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"The fact that you're this cool wasn't on the files."
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"Would you have believed them?"
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"Not that Batman would know what 'cool' is, but still."
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She tilts her head a little as she considers the question more, though.
"We usually go straight to work anyway."
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"We did, too." When they actually worked together, that is. Otherwise it was usually just Jason on his own at the manor. Probably why he spent so much time with Alfred instead. "I've read the files, but they are vague on some parts. How did you get the job?"
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She keeps walking.
"I didn't know he was my biological father at the time. He did. He wouldn't shoot me."
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"That was very brave of you. And selfless. You know that, right? Gordon's a good man, one of the few left in Gotham."
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It really was as simple as that for her. She wasn't trying to dismiss the praise or the kind words or Jason's esteem. But it's like Barbara does sometimes, how Dick used to once upon a time: she doesn't understand the value of her life if she can't use it to do the most good possible.
"Barbara has told me about him. I'd agree with you."
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"So you risked your life for him, even without knowing him?" Even after all her training.
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"I didn't need to know for myself."
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"I kill people. I'm not going to stop, I think some people deserve to die. What happened to Babs is one of the reasons I think prison isn't enough.
How does that make you feel?"
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"Sad. Worried. For you. Here."
And she lets her hand stop an inch before touching his chest, but it's over his heart.
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"That sounds a lil bit like pity, princess."
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"Pity would imply I don't think you can change. You could, if you wanted to. You don't want to. You make your choice. The same way I do."
She pulls her hand away.
"We'll never know for certain which of us is right. We can only act as we believe. But we're both trying."
She starts walking, not away from him but towards their destination.
"I don't have to agree with you to like you. Even about that."
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“You know he hurt Barbara, too. Even after that, you don't agree the world would be better off?”
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"I knew it until the moment I ripped his throat out. And then in that moment, I knew that I was wrong."
She looks back at him.
"I was made by a man who wanted to create the perfect weapon and a woman who wished to create an heir who could kill her, both of them accomplished murderers. I was raised and trained by the League of Assassins with the intention of creating the ultimate fighter, someone who had all of their skills and talents and fighting forms in one person. There are people who would look at that and say that there was nothing in me that could lead to anything but death."
She tilts her head.
"I don't know why I knew in that moment. I don't know where that feeling came from, how I knew. I don't know what made me run. I don't know if my firmest belief will be turned on its head by something tomorrow."
She turns back to their path.
"But I know there's no way to unkill people. Not one that will bring them back the same way the left. And I know that the world is strange, that there's no telling what tomorrow brings.
"I hate the man who hurt Barbara. Who hurt you. Who's hurt Batman. I hate him, and if I heard that he died tomorrow, I would see justice. I would feel safer. I would know that you and Barbara and Bruce all feel incredible relief.
"But I won't kill him. Because I know how much I don't know. I know how flawed I am. And I know how strange the world can be."
She looks up at Jason again.
"If you're sure, then you should follow your heart. But I can never be sure."
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“He'll always hurt people. It was me, it was Babs, it was Gordon and I'm just naming those because we know them. Count all the lives he's ruined outside our circle, how many have died or worse.
So yes, I am sure. I may be flawed but I refuse to let people get hurt because of some shitty moral code I didn't choose.”
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She holds up a hand.
"I don't know. I ask the questions, but I don't know the answers. No one does. Not really."
Then she turns to look at him.
"If you believe that, and I think you do, then I won't tell you not to do what you believe. You have to live what you choose, what you believe. For good or for bad. I won't look down on you for it. I just believe differently."
She pauses then before looking up at him.
"Can you like me given what I believe?"
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