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There’s a figure standing next to Jason’s motorcycle and he’s immediately on edge. All he can see from this angle is shaggy blond hair and a long coat, but Jason’s been around Gotham enough to know when he sees a thug – especially with the way this guy is leering at his bike. Jason clenches his fists and prepares for a scuffle.
“Hey buddy,” he calls out as he approaches, “we got a problem?”
“Nah, man, I just think you’ve got a pretty sweet ride.”
Wait a second. “No way.” Jason recognizes the voice a moment before the man turns around. He’s a bit washed out in Gotham’s street lights, but there’s no mistaking– “Johnny 13?”
The familiar ghost turns around with a familiar greasy smile, “Yo.” He holds his hand up in greeting.
Jason clasps their hands together and bro-hugs Johnny. “What the hell are you doing in Gotham, man?”
“What, can’t a guy just visit his best bro for no reason?”
Jason levels him with a look, “Knowing you, no.”
Johnny shrugs and shoves his hands into his coat pockets. “Alright fine, you caught me. Shadow ran off and I’m trying to find him. He’s in Gotham somewhere.”
“Kitty with you?” Jason doesn’t need to look around to know she’s not.
“Nah,” Johnny goes back to looking over the bike, “she stayed in the Realms this time. Didn’t wanna go chasing after my ‘unlucky shadow’ or whatever.”
Jason hums sympathetically, “You guys fighting again?”
Johnny grumbles and half-heartedly kicks one of the bike’s tires. “You know how it is with her.”
“Yeah,” Jason agrees, “I do. Which is why I can’t believe she let you come to Gotham unsupervised.”
Johnny huffs. “Enough about that. How are you and the brat doing?”
“You mean Danny?”
“That’s what I said.”
Jason chuckles, “We’re good. He’s good. Happy. At least I think he’s happy.” Jason rubs the back of his neck, “We’ve got a kid now.”
“No shit?”
“Yeah,” Jason smiles fondly, “he’s the light of our lives.”
“Wow, you really turned soft once you left, huh?”
Jason reaches out and punches Johnny’s arm. “Shut up. I’m not soft, I’m just…”
“Soft. Now that you’re not running around doing the knight thing or whatever. What am I talking about, you two were already soft before you left. Being in the human world only makes it worse.”
“Yeah, hey, how’d you get here, anyway? I thought Danny took your portal device?”
Johnny has the good manners to at least look a bit sheepish when he admits, “I had it fixed.”
“Of course you did. Look, I know a guy that might be able to help us track down Shadow, but you gotta be cool, okay?”
“Sure thing, man.”
Jason nods and gestures for Johnny to follow him, mounting his bike and leading the way to Wayne Manor. Since it’s so late, everyone has already turned in for the night, but Jason knows that Duke will still be home since he’s their daytime hero. He also knows that Duke will be asleep, so he doesn’t bother knocking before barging into his room. “Duke, I–” Jason cuts off when he takes in the scene he just walked into.
Duke is hunkering down in the corner with Johnny’s Shadow looming over him excitedly. Duke’s eyes are wide, and terrified. He looks like he’s about to scream.
“Oh hey, there you are.” Johnny says, shouldering past Jason to yank Shadow away from the trembling hero.
“J-J-Jason what is that?!” Duke asks, pointing a shaky finger at Johnny and Shadow.
Jason looks at Johnny, then at Duke. He grins, “That’s just my friend, Johnny 13.”