Prompt

Prompt

Jason owning a book cafe or a bakery or something as a day job in Crime Alley. It’s technically a front to launder money for his crime lord stuff, but also just a place where he can take a break to read and chill.

Obviously, the people of Crime Alley are suspicious of the shop at first. But Jason slowly gains their trust. Sometimes kids will come by asking for a job, assuming it’s a front for something larger. Jason doesn’t correct them but does give them a simple job and some cash and leftover baked goods as payment. The kids are wary of such easy jobs but learn quickly that Jason is chill.

Jason gets close with the Alley’s kids and one day a kid is complaining about going to school and his grades. Jason says if the kid shows him his report card with improved grades or just comes to the cafe every week and earnestly shows he’s putting work into studying, Jason will give him a reward or a treat for free.

The kid scoffs at the idea but Jason is serious and tells the kid to spread the word that the same deal applies to anyone interested.

Some don’t take it seriously, but when report cards come out and a few kids come by to show their improvement, Jason gives them a proud look and a box filled with clothes, food, general supplies, and some cash.

Now, Jason would have done this regardless of the kids grades, but the kids in Crime Alley wouldn’t really accept it. They’ve learned over the years that nothing good comes for free.

As the word spreads, some kids show up a couple days a week to study at the cafe. Jason gives them free food and helps with their homework whenever they ask for it.

By the time report cards come out next, a bunch of kids show up and Jason gives them all rewards and tells them how proud he is and stuff.

Some of his usual kids at the cafe don’t show up though so when he sees them next he asks why. The kid says that their grades didn’t improve bc their teacher didn’t grade them properly. Jason says that doesn’t matter since he saw that kid come in weekly and earnestly study and then gives him his box of goods.

And if Jason went to the teacher and struck the fear of Red Hood into them, nobody had to know.

Over time, the literacy rate in the Alley improves. More kids are graduating. There’s just a general improvement of Crime Alley that didn’t come from Red Hood, but rather Jason Todd.