High school was a joke. At least, that's how Jason treated it.

He was that guy—the one teachers hated because he talked back and broke rules just to piss them off. The guy students were lowkey scared of because he looked like he's one bad day away from breaking someone's nose. The guy who skipped class a lot but still somehow got decent grades. That one kid who showed up to school with bruises and people just assume he's constantly getting into fights. Which isn't totally wrong.

Kids assumed he was just some delinquent who lived for chaos. None of them would've guessed he spent his nights running through Gotham's streets, wearing a domino mask and cracking skulls as Robin.

Still, he had a soft spot for nerds and outcasts but will never admit it.

Today, though? He didn't care about class. Just a quick climb up to the school's rooftop, a nap in the afternoon sun, and maybe sneak back down before the next period. What were they gonna do? Give him detention? Please. Like that'd be new.

But as he pushed open the heavy rooftop door, his easygoing plan took a sharp turn.

Someone was already up here.

And not just hanging out.

They stood at the ledge, their posture tense, staring down at the schoolyard below.

Jason stilled.

Sh*t.

He knew that stance. He'd seen it too many times, in too many ways.

His mind raced, but his body moved on instinct. Hands stuffed in his jacket pockets, he strode forward like he wasn't at all concerned, like he wasn't carefully measuring every step.

"You know," he began, his voice casual, almost lazy, "that's not even high enough."

Jason stopped a few feet away, tilting his head. "I mean, if you're gonna do it, might as well go all out, right? This? You'd just end up with a bunch of broken bones and a really embarrassing hospital bill."

His tone was light, but his eyes? Calculating. Watching every twitch, every shift of their weight.

He leaned against a metal railing, crossing his arms. "Tell you what—I know a place downtown, way higher than this. Real dramatic. You want a ride?"