Then
He had lost the lead. Joker hadn't turned up and Klarion was hard enough to find on a good day, but fuck it if today was a good day it was his death day (and hey where was his cake) and he was in his shower covered in bruises blood pooling at his feet because although Joker hadn't been there in person he had left enough minions behind and some new friends of his, including the Scarecrow- because go figure nothings ever fucking easy is it? But he had a new lead, a witch who had it out for Klarion and all things considered that was better then fucking nothing.
Now he just had to sneak past Kori' and Roy and hope they weren't too pissed off about the whole, you know, drugging them.
"Good morning Jay-bird." Roy's voice came as Jason exited his room later on fully dressed and clutching at his domino mask
"Aah...you're awake." Jason observed and Roy laughed bitterly
"Where the fuck have you been?" Roy asked in a growl and Jason scowled
"Just out." Jason replied and Roy laughed coldly
"So you didn't go and follow the lead on the Joker by yourself." Roy snarled and Jason scowled
"He wasn't even there." Jason replied defensively
"But he could have been." Koriand'r's voice came, soft but disappointed and Jason snarled
"As it is he wasn't, and I have a new lead. A witch." Jason replied and Roy sighed
"We're coming with you." Roy told him and Jason scowled
"No." He replied
"Jason, we can help let us help." Kori' begged
" I don't need your help to take down a no good scum bag preying on innocent Children. You've done enough this week Kor' Just- rest, will you. And I swear to all that is holy Roy if you even think of following me I will tear you balls off." Jason growled at them and Koriand'r scowled
"She's a Witch Jay! What if you get hurt?" Roy put in before she could say anything and Jason placed on the red domino mask, looking amused at Roy, a smirk on his face highlighting his more delicate features
"Then I get hurt Roy-boy. And don't call me Jay'." Jason retorted and Roy scowled
"You're just like Dick sometimes! What is it with the Bat clan and stubbornness? What do you have to prove any more?" Roy hissed and Jason growled and before Roy could twitch he found a gun at his head
"Don't you dare compare me to them! Especially to him!" Jason growled and Roy laughed
"Look I get it- I do okay. But you aren't alone Jay' not any more, what the hell is the point of us if you won't let us help?" Roy asked and Jason swore under his breath
"For fucks sake Roy. Do you not understand what day it it?" Jason snapped and Koriand'r gasps
"Jason...it is that day correct? The day you died." Koriand'r says softly and Jason twitches, pain visibly flashing across his face and he sighs pulling back the gun and placing it in his holster
"Just let me do this by myself." Jason pleads softly, sounding for the first time, his age, Nineteen years old
"Just come home." Roy says calmly and Jason flinches slightly pulling his hand up and placing on his red mask, hiding his face
Now
Jason had fainted. Jason had fainted. Dick cackled in glee as he looked at his younger brother who was sitting up glaring at him and Bruce simply shot him an unamused look but Dick simply beamed at him
"Go take a running jump Dickwad." Jason snarled
"Language." Bruce reprimanded and Dick laughed mockingly before Bruce let out a darker glare and Dick quickly shut up. Jason shuffled from where he was on the floor and stood up stretching out his tiny body and looking like a kitten as he did so, but now that he was back Dick didn't dare bring up that thought- he may be stuck as the cutest kid in history but Dick didn't have any doubts that Jason wouldn't hesitate to gut him
"So then, what now?" Jason asks, hand on hip and a precocious smirk on his lips
"Who were you after Jason?" Bruce asks softly and Jason looked up at Bruce
"A witch, obviously." Jason replies and Bruce knelt down so he was eye level with the miniaturised Jason
"Why a witch Jason? Because I can't see a reason for you to go after a witch. I've been looking into crimes that would catch your attention and there hasn't been a witch crime anywhere in Gotham, so I'll ask again- why a witch?" Bruce asks eye's blazing and Jason looks away from him
"She was a lead." A voice says from the door and Bruce looks to see Roy leaning against the door frame
"Roy." Bruce drawled in greeting and Roy smirks infuriatingly, Koriand'r coming in through the door and smiling at Jason who was glaring angrily
"Bruce. Nightwing texted me that Jason had fainted." Roy laughs and Bruce looks over at Dick who's holding back a laugh, lips pursed
"A lead you say?" Bruce asks Roy who loses his previously amused expression
"Roy." Jason hisses angrily though it has the effectiveness of a kitten spitting
"I'm sorry Jay' but this one's out of our league. If I thought me and Kori' could handle this one I wouldn't be bothering but we need help." Roy replies and Kori' smiles sadly
"Believe me Jason when I say that this is our last option. And although I hold no love for the Justice league I love you two and I won't see this monster destroy us." Kori replies and Jason sighed
"Joker. We have reasonable evidence to suggest that the Joker has found a partner in Klarion and Scarecrow is most likely somewhere in that mix as well." Jason said tiredly
"And where does the Witch come into it?" Bruce asks
"She was a lead, someone who hated Klarion at that moment enough to know where to find him." Roy answered
"Tala . Her names Tala. You've met before she's Luthor's witch. But she's also very powerful and very in the know about where Klarion is at all times." Koriand'r speaks up a bright smile on her lips
"Tala. You went after Luthor's witch!" Dick exclaimed and Jason snorted
"Did you not just hear that asshole?" Jason answered and Bruce growled
" I would like to understand what possessed you to go after a notoriously dangerous witch alone."Bruce said his voice quiet and eye's narrowed
"I would like to understand why it is any of your business." Jason retorted and the air in the room became tense as the batman emerged with Bruce, dark and dangerous
"I think I heard Tim." Dick says and leaves the room Kori' and Roy following Jason watched them leave then turned his eye's back on Bruce
"I am your Dad . It is inherently my business." Bruce says his voice cold and Jason looks at him sadly
"Forgive me for being sceptical about you claiming a paternal right over me when it seems that for so long you have denied it." Jason replies and Bruce moves to the sofa and sits
"I have made mistakes Jason . You once told me you were my greatest failure but you aren't. My greatest failure was not what I did do Jason but rather, what I didn't. I forgot in the madness of it all that you are still a child, one who never got to learn all that he should have from me." Bruce says and his voice is dull and broken
"And what would you have taught me Bruce?" Jason asks, eyes narrowed
" I would have taught you to control that anger, the impulsive nature hone it into something spectacular, I would have taught you ethics Jason. I would have taught you why I don't kill. I would have taught you to be so much more then you are now." Bruce replies
"And what am I now? " Jason murmurs softly eye's watching Bruce imploringly
"Lost." His Dad answers
"I'm not lost." Jason replies and Bruce sighs
"Yes you are, you're lost and hurting and I never saw it before all of this. Before the Joker even, I never asked you about your life before me and I should have. I know now though. I know it all." Bruce says and Jason's cheeks pale
"All of it?" He whispers, eye's wide as he looks at Bruce
"All of it son." Bruce tells him sadly and Jason runs a hand through his hair
"Even my Father?" Jason asks and Bruce looks at him sadly
"Even that." He sighs and Jason whimpers, looking down at the floor
"You're a better Dad then he ever was." Jason says softly looking at his hands and Bruce thinks maybe they're getting somewhere
"I'm still not very good." Bruce admits and Jason closes his eye's
"You're awful sometimes...hear me out...You forget that we're not soldiers, Me, Dick, Replacement, we just fight alongside you. Sometimes you get caught up in this crusade of yours I wonder if you'd notice if we died. But you've proved me and that wrong time and time again I did some snooping and found out you'd hospitalised Joker and I think I'm beginning to understand why you won't kill him. You're awful sometimes- but without you I'd be stuck in Crime Alley or in prison as someone's bitch and I love you for getting me out there. You piss me right off, but I suppose all Dad's do that." Jason confesses
"I love you too kid, so I'm begging, give up this poisonous dream and come home the Joker will kill you if you go after him again." Bruce says to Jason and Jason sighs
"So?" He whispers and Bruce feels his heart clench and stands before crouching to Jason's new height and hugging him tightly
"So? Do you not even realise how precious you are to the people here? To me?" Bruce murmurs and Jason rest his head on Bruce's shoulder
"Sometimes I'm so tired Dad. So fucking tired. I'm not special like Dick or the Replacement. I wish I had remained dead Dad. I don't belong, I don't. It's just day after day after day of this bullshit and I'm one step away from putting a gun to my head and ending it. But I'm too much of a coward to go through with it. I'm not good enough and I'll just let everyone down again." Jason says into his shoulder a confession baptised with his tears and Bruce holds Jason out at Arms length, feeling tears prickling his eye's as Jason looks at him in fear
"Is this a suicide mission Jason. Has it always been a suicide mission?" Bruce asks his voice breaking halfway through and Jason tries to pull away but Bruce shakes the boys shoulders
"Jason! Is this or is this not a suicide mission?" Bruce asks and Jason sobs
"Dad please-" Jason starts and Bruce growls and pulls Jason into his arms, standing up and lifting Jason with him, pulling his son into his lap as he sits on the sofa, trapping Jason tight in his arms as the boy tries to escape
"Answer me." Bruce snarls at him and Jason grips at the man's shirt and tries to pull his mask of stoicism back on but he's still a child and he can't calm down and his breathing is getting faster as he tries to reply
"Please. Bruce. Please. Stop." He begs between gasps and Bruce shifts him so Jason's face is pressed into his chest, his new, tiny body easily fitting in Bruce's arms
"Jason answer me." Bruce murmurs and Jason is trying so hard, but he's already a wreck from the lack of control and he's so damned tired of lying all the fucking time and saying he's fine
"Yes." He whispers in return the confession causes Bruce to grip him even harder until he's worried that he'll bruise
"You don't leave my sight. I'm not letting you out of my sight until you understand." Bruce hisses at him
And once again he's disappointed the man
HK –
So sorry for the slow update guys. You've all been fantastic though and your reviews are made of happiness. The interaction between Bruce and Jason is rushed and Bruce is a little violent but I don't really see him being soothing when it involves Jason's life. Also I've been re-watching Under the red hood because Jensen Ackles is my baby and I didn't realise N.P.H played Nightwing and I've been laughing so much every time I think of it.
Also I'm working on Flash Day's if anyone is reading that as well. I had a burst of inspiration the other day. I'm also getting into writing Star Trek and Les Mis F.F but they're taking a back burner whilst I get a feel of how that sort of F.F needs writing
I can't stress enough how brilliant you guy's are. Your reviews honestly make me smile.
And one more thing (Sorry I know this is long) Jason is suicidal but I haven't put any signs of it really because I haven't explored it that much (mainly because I didn't want it to be too obvious)but honestly guys if you ever feel down or like it's getting too much- tell someone, it's the hardest thing to do and it won't make all the problems go away, it's not a miracle cure telling someone but it can lighten the load. Hell if you want to message me.
So yeah thank you guys please review and fave and wherever you are I hope you're happy and safe,
HK