"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."
It surprises him, that there's no pause. But Cass isn't like Bruce, sticking the moral conduct out of some need to pretend there's a part of him that's sane. Cass made a conscious decision. One Jason doesn't exactly agree with: if there's copies of the joker then it's their fault for following him, not Jason's. And he'd get rid of them too. But Cass is finding a compromise, so Jason can meet her half way.
"Especially here. It's not like I can do anything in here, anyway."
If it ever came down to it back at home, she would fight him. She would fight him over the life of a villain, just as she would fight anyone else over a life. She would fight him and she would win or--
She would win. That is her determination. Just as he would know in his heart that he would win. And she knows that equally. They both believe and they both live their beliefs, give their all to them. But she can't tell him he's wrong. She can't tell him that the Joker should walk free or even live caged. She can't, because she knows what monsters are and she knows how resilient they can be. She knows her own father will never stop and she knows that she will always stop him but never how he wants.
The world is complicated and wonderful and terrible. She believes that too.
That's why she holds out a hand to Jason and offers him a tiny smile.
He squeezes her hand, looking at her with a grin. He's good at mood-switching, it's how he lives most of his life. And he's aware this is a discussion where the best they can hope for is agree to disagree. Which is, honestly, a lot more than the rest of the batfamily gives him so he'll take it.
"What kind of flavors do you like? Spicy? Savory? I'm a sucker for anything sweet."
Jason rolls his eyes. Between Tim and Dick Jason had thought Alfred had a hard time when it came to feeding the baby bats, but apparently Cass also went with whatever she could get into her mouth. And Jason, who didn't have the Wayne fortune was the one who spent actual money on food.
Figures.
"Sweet it is then. But Alfred isn't here so what are you exactly eating?"
"When I was a child, I ate whatever I could find: meat raw from the dead animal, food from garbages, plants that didn't make me sick. Alfred's food is... pretty. And smells good."
She shrugs.
"I've been eating sandwiches from cafes. And pastries."
Jason nods, reaching to scratch the back of his neck as he looks away.
"I was... brain damaged, for a while. Don't remember much. Doesn't matter- point is I went through that too. I just have the luck to be able to forget it because my memories are foggy." A shrug. "But when I get to cook, I like to do it.
Helps you be healthier, too. We use a lot of calories in our... kind of life."
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no subject
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?"
no subject
It surprises him, that there's no pause. But Cass isn't like Bruce, sticking the moral conduct out of some need to pretend there's a part of him that's sane. Cass made a conscious decision. One Jason doesn't exactly agree with: if there's copies of the joker then it's their fault for following him, not Jason's. And he'd get rid of them too. But Cass is finding a compromise, so Jason can meet her half way.
"Especially here. It's not like I can do anything in here, anyway."
no subject
If it ever came down to it back at home, she would fight him. She would fight him over the life of a villain, just as she would fight anyone else over a life. She would fight him and she would win or--
She would win. That is her determination. Just as he would know in his heart that he would win. And she knows that equally. They both believe and they both live their beliefs, give their all to them. But she can't tell him he's wrong. She can't tell him that the Joker should walk free or even live caged. She can't, because she knows what monsters are and she knows how resilient they can be. She knows her own father will never stop and she knows that she will always stop him but never how he wants.
The world is complicated and wonderful and terrible. She believes that too.
That's why she holds out a hand to Jason and offers him a tiny smile.
"We should get our food now."
no subject
He squeezes her hand, looking at her with a grin. He's good at mood-switching, it's how he lives most of his life. And he's aware this is a discussion where the best they can hope for is agree to disagree. Which is, honestly, a lot more than the rest of the batfamily gives him so he'll take it.
"What kind of flavors do you like? Spicy? Savory? I'm a sucker for anything sweet."
no subject
"I used to eat a lot of cereal and whatever Alfred would leave in the 'fridge for me. What I can get at cafes."
She ticks her finger over at Jason.
"Sweet. Definitely."
no subject
Figures.
"Sweet it is then. But Alfred isn't here so what are you exactly eating?"
no subject
"When I was a child, I ate whatever I could find: meat raw from the dead animal, food from garbages, plants that didn't make me sick. Alfred's food is... pretty. And smells good."
She shrugs.
"I've been eating sandwiches from cafes. And pastries."
no subject
"I was... brain damaged, for a while. Don't remember much. Doesn't matter- point is I went through that too. I just have the luck to be able to forget it because my memories are foggy." A shrug. "But when I get to cook, I like to do it.
Helps you be healthier, too. We use a lot of calories in our... kind of life."