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Jason doesn’t want to be in Bludhaven. He can make up excuses - he’s still in the early stages of his plan, he’s still making a name for himself, he’s not sure what Bruce has told the others - but really, he just isn’t ready . Even the thought of Dick makes his stomach twist and knot with thoughts he can’t quite figure out.
There’s anger somewhere in there. Dick Grayson had been his ideal once upon a time and Jason can’t help but be angry they weren’t as close as they could have been. Weren’t as close as Dick and the new kid are. He was an impossible standard back then too, still is really. The first sidekick, the perfect Robin. Dick wasn’t even at his funeral. Jason has plenty of anger surrounding Bruce’s golden son. Normally that’d be enough to let the green invade his thoughts and chance out any doubts.
The problem is - so little of his anger is actually at Dick.
It had been, when he’d first woke up and Talia’s words were all he had. Then Jason had met Damian, his very own little brother. The manipulations of the league had been obvious then and Jason wasn’t foolish enough to believe he was above them. Not anymore. So he’d looked into things a bit more. If anything, uncensored news had only stoked his rage from Bruce and the cowl. Reports of Batman’s growing violence, leaving common goons permanently injured while he let villains like the Joker breath easily. Reports of the Wayne fortune going into the bank accounts of obviously corrupt charities claiming they were ‘fixing’ crime alley when in reality most of them just wanted to bulldoze the whole damn thing.
It was the Justice League files that truly had Jason seeing green though. So much so that Jason has trashed the entire room.
Nightwing hadn’t been on Earth when Jason had died. Jason remembered his brother saying something about a mission. He didn’t mention the mission being off in the dark reaches of space, too far for even Justice League communicators to reach him with any sort of speed.
Jason was dead and buried before Dick even got home.
The knowledge had started a thread Jason couldn’t stop following. Reports showed a drop in Nightwing sightings after his death, hell there was a drop in sightings of all the original Teen Titans. Even when they started reemerging, Nightwing wasn’t seen in Gotham. Not until the replacement showed up.
Dick still hasn’t been seen in Gotham.
Jason wasn’t sure what to do with that information. It almost… well, it almost seemed like Dick had mourned him even where Bruce hadn’t. He’d tried to ignore the thoughts for a while and threw himself into training with Damian.
That only made it worse. He found himself mirroring Dick as they interacted, trying to forge what might be the first positive bond Damian had. Jason felt Dick’s rage, too. Every time he watched the League or Talia interact with Damian. He couldn’t yell the way Dick had, he didn’t have a death wish, but he found himself understanding his brother more each day.
He’s out of the league now. Unofficially banished because it became too obvious he cared about Damian. Talia didn’t kill him, she’d spent too long nurturing his rage to do that. And even though Jason knew she’d manipulated him, he went ahead with his plan anyway.
Red Hood was a growing name in the underground of Gotham. Undermining the Joker’s legacy, undermining every villain he could, undermining Batman too. Every time he pulled the trigger.
He hadn’t touched the replacement yet. Some nights all he could think about was breaking every bone in the replacement's body, hearing him choke and plead as Jason strangled the life out of him.
And some nights he thought of his replacement and saw him mirrored with Damian. Just as young and just as vulnerable.
So yeah, Jason didn’t want to go to Bludhaven. If he couldn’t figure out how he felt about the kid that had literally replaced him, he sure as hell wasn’t going to try figuring out his brother.
Unfortunately, criminals don’t care much for what Jason wants. No, they’ll nap kids off of Jason’s streets and smuggle them to Bludhaven without considering that maybe Jason doesn’t want to be in brother’s city but he will because those are kids goddamn .
Staking out the warehouse, waiting for the trucks and the criminals, Jason had been hoping at least that Dick wouldn’t spot him. A hope dashed as feet landed on the roof and Jason turned, gun raised, to find black and blue.
Well, at least Dick doesn’t know who he is. Red Hood’s a growing name but it’s not a big name yet and Jason really doubts Bruce told him anything.
“Red Hood.” Or nevermind that then.
“Nightwing.” Jason returns, accidentally lowering his gun. Damnit.
“Didn’t realize you’d be in my city tonight.” Dick comments with none of the gruff judgement of Batman.
“Didn’t realize you kept up with Gotham criminals.” Jason huffs, actively telling himself not to cross his arms. Just act natural Jason, damnit.
“Eh, Robin’s a fan.” Dick shrugs and Jason startles. What .
“Isn’t he an 8 year old? Bit young to be fanning over murderers.” Thank god his voice modulator keeps his words flat and not as confused and surprised as he actually says them.
“You’re doing good work in crime alley. Robin and I have unique reasons to appreciate that.” Dick claims.
“And what are those reasons?” The modulator was the smartest decision Jason ever made. The mask too, hiding the way he winces at how hopeful and desperate he sounds.
“My dead brother grew up there. Robin never met him but he always idolized him. We’re happy to see someone looking after it, we sure as hell can’t.”
“...Didn’t think you were the type to be so open with complete strangers.” Jason says, trying to shift the topic before he does something stupid. Like cry. Or rip off his helmet.
“Well, I have a bit of a request. Thought it’d make sense to build some rapport first.” Dick says. Okay, okay this Jason can handle. He did this with Bruce. In Bruce’s condescending Batman way.
“Let me guess, no killing the bad guys?” He huffs.
“No killing them in Bludhaven.” Dick corrects. He can’t see the way Jason raises an eyebrow, confused at the specifying, but he must understand the sentiment because he continues. “I’m not big on playing judge, jury, and executioner but I get it. Especially in Crime Alley. I’m not going to try to talk you out of killing some bastards you’re about to literally catch red handed.”
“You just don’t want me doing it in your city.” Jason clarifies.
“I’m the only active hero in Bludhaven. If you kill here, everyone will assume I did it.” Dick explains. “I’d rather not deal with that.”
“Seriously?” Jason asks, definitely not feeling insulted on Dick’s behalf. Not at all. “What? So everyone thinks you’re one bad day away from pulling the trigger.” Dick pauses before answering.
“Okay, so probably not everyone.” He backpedals. “But a couple will and I’m really not in the mood to deal with that.” Oh, of course, Jason thinks with an eye roll. It’s not that Dick agrees with what he’s doing or that Dick care’s about Bruce’s one rule. Dick’s trying to get Jason out of his city as quickly as possible with no consequences. He should have known.
“You don’t want Daddy Bat’s thinking you killed anyone.” He snarls. The flimsy theory he had exproates as Dick barks a laugh.
“Oh please, the day B acknowledges I killed someone is the day hell freezes over.” The hero claims. “I’ve got bigger problems than him.”
“The hell is that supposed to mean?!” Jason finally asks the question he’s wanted to ask almost every time Dick’s spoken. The question he’s wanted to ask since he first searched his brother up.
“I don’t like playing judge, jury, and executioner. Doesn’t mean I haven’t done it before.” Dick elaborates without really answering anything at all. He seems amused as Jason’s brain short circuits. “I’ll have to let Robin know you’re not as up on the super gos as he thought.” Dick teases.
“Why the hell did he think I kept up with gossip?” The words are out of Jason’s mouth before he’s even really registered the question, his brain too busy trying to comprehend Dick’s words to be concerned with his own.
“You certainly keep up with Bat gossip.” Dick grins like he’s figured something out. Maybe he has. “I’ve gotta go. My crocks like to coordinate and if you’ve got these guys, I’m going to handle the shipment of Venom on the other side of the city. Keep what I said in mind, see you round!” Dick’s already jumping from the roof as he says his farewell. Either he feels confident Red Hood will listen to him, or knows he’s done what he can.
Jason stares after his brother’s vanishing form for longer than he’d like to admit, trying to comprehend the conversation they just hand. He gives up when he hears a truck pulling into the warehouse, signaling the arrival of his targets.
He doesn’t kill them.
In Bludhaven.
Dick was lying. That’s what Jason decides so days later. It’s just like he said, he was trying to build rapport so Jason would listen to him. That’s all there is to it.
Except Jason isn’t convincing himself at all.
The best way to figure it out, he thinks, is to do exactly what Robin apparently thinks he’s doing - listen to the gossip. The first thing he learns is those reports of Nightwing in Gotham? They’re all several months old.
“Oi. You heard why Nightwing doesn’t stop by?” He asks his right hand one night, after they’ve sorted through all the boring parts of running a criminal empire. It might not technically be paperwork but it may as well be.
“Nightwing?” The man repeats. He’s a guff looking guy, exactly the person you’d cross the street to avoid walking passed. Except he’s been trying to intimidate drug dealers away from kids long before Jason showed up. It’s why Jason found him. “Seriously boss, you must’a been living under a rock.”
“Quint.” Jason glares, a warning in his tone that’s more appearance than anything else. Quint knows it too, but he relents.
“Joker got out a few months before you showed up. ‘Parently he wasn’t so thrilled there was a new Robin around. Kidnapped the kid a few days, we alls thought he killed ‘im.” Quint starts, either not noticing or ignoring the way Jason tenses. “Nightwing came by to find ‘im. The way I’s heard it, he found the Joker first and beat ‘im to death. Word is Batman brought him back, must be one of the guys powers. Along with that shadow walking stuff.” Jason doesn’t hear the part about powers, not that he'd pay it any mind if he did. There are always rumours about what powers Batman and Robin must have.
Dick killed the Joker?
What the hell?
“Who’d you hear that from?” He forces himself to ask before he can get his hopes up. It’s probably just a dumb rumour. A lie.
“Well you know the pubs I used to hang out at.” Supervillain pubs. Places that’d give Quint the rep to keep his apartment clear of dealers. “Harley was in one night. She’s still got friends at Arkham, they tell her everything. The way she said it, Joker was bragging about finally getting under the first Robin’s skin by talking bout… well, you know.”
“I don’t know.” He does, but he can’t believe it.
“The second Robin.” Quint confirms. “The psycho bragged about getting Nightwing to almost beat ‘im to death. Probably lucky for Joker he was locked up. The villains round here got attached to those two Robins. Bet they’d have given ‘im a repeat show.”
“The villains got attached?” Jason mutters because he’s not sure what else to say. Dick killed the Joker… for him?
“The ones with a little sanity left.” Quint confirms. “I swear, once I heard Riddler givin’ Nightwing a lecturer for patrollin’ round with a twisted ankle.” Jason lets himself zone out as Quint shares gossip that doesn’t shatter his world view. When he’s pretty sure it’ll be less suspicious, he excuses himself and heads back to his apartment to think.
Dick killed The Joker, or close enough to it. If not for Bruce, Joker would be dead.
And Dick did that for him.
As far as Jason knows it, the Joker never got under Dick’s skin. Usually it was the other way round, Dick mocking the villain with his knowledge of actual clowns. Bruce never failed to bring that up when Jason lost his cool in a fight.
But apparently Jason mattered enough for that to change.
And apparently Joker doesn’t like the new Robin and tried to kill him for being the new Robin. Which means there’s no way Jason can go after him now because if there’s one thing that Jason will not do it’s be like the Joker.
He doesn’t know how to feel about the decision to not hurt Tim being a relief. He doesn’t know how to feel about the fact he actually… he actually mattered to Dick.
This time Jason means to go to Bludhaven. He’s not entirely sure why. Maybe he’s hoping that seeing Dick will help sort out all his feelings.
It does.
He watches as Nightwing swoops into a gang fight, targeting first the members with guns already pulled and aimed. All the while he quips, just as usual.
“Come on now guys, have a little gun safety.” He jokes as he dodges and leaps. Super speed and flight were his rumoured powers, Jason remembers as he watches the fight, rumours that got all the worse when he befriended Kid Flash. Watching him now, Jason can almost believe it. Even though he knows Dick isn’t dodging every bullet, his armours’ just thick enough to stop them.
The fight’s maybe half over when Dick makes a quip that has all Jason’s feelings settling in dread.
“Just because your criminals doesn’t mean you should add murder to the rap sheet. That shit comes with a life sentence.”
It’s a simple thing. A quip to keep his foe too distracted to follow up when Dick kicks the gun from his hand. Dick might not even realize he’s saying it.
But every murder Jason’s ever committed suddenly flashes before his eyes.
Maybe, he thinks, maybe Dick mourned him. Back when he was an innocent enough kid. A kid that only really stole because he had to. But Jason isn’t that little kid anymore. He’s a murderer. Sure, Dick didn’t have a problem with Red Hood the murderer. But that’s because they were working together, however unintentional it had been on Jason’s part. Dick can put his morals aside to keep a job done. The guys worked with Slade before. Of course he can put his morals aside.
But that doesn’t mean he likes Red Hood.
That doesn’t mean he’s going to care about Jason anymore, if he finds out the truth.
Jason leaves the scene before Dick can hear him having a panic attack. He finds his way to some random rooftop and lets the panic run through his body until the lack of oxygen and the flooding of adrenaline finally exhausts him into a state of calm.
He can’t tell Dick, he decides. Which means he can’t tell Bruce. His whole revenge plan is out the window. Whose he kidding? He’s whole revenge plans been out the window. Ever since he found out what Dick did. There’s no way he can get Bruce to kill the Joker if Dick didn’t, there’s no way he’s going to hurt Tim.
What’s he meant to do now then? He can’t tell them the truth. Which leaves him… what exactly?
Jason doesn’t hear the feet on the roof until Dick greets him.
“Red Hood.” For a moment Jason is froze, staring at his brother with wide eyes. “What are you doing here? I didn’t miss something big, did I?” Dick asks when Jason is silent. His face is filled with so much genuine concern that Jason forces himself to find his voice.
“No.” He says before clearing his throat. “No, nothing like that.” He repeats, firmer.
“Then what’s up?” Dick asks, relaxing some and plopping onto the ground across from Jason. Shit. Jason didn’t have an excuse for being in Dick’s city. He’d just… wanted to see his brother, something he can’t tell Dick. And now he’s taking too long fumbling for an answer.
“I, uh, was just thinking about what you said last time I was here.” Jason manages, talking entirely out of his ass. “About how you’re the only hero around Bludhaven and your criminals' schedule for that.”
“Is what it is.” Dick says, his shrug light though for a moment he looks like he’s holding the weight of the entire world. “No one else who can really help, you know? Everyone’s got their own problems.”
“I could help.” What the hell did he just say? He should not have said that. Jason should be avoiding Dick, avoiding the heartbreak that is Dick rejecting him, not inviting it.
“You could help?” Dick repeats, sounding just as surprised as Jason is feeling.
“Forget about it.” Jason quickly says, jumping to his feet.
“Wait!” Dick calls before Jason can leave. Jason should leave anyway. He doesn’t. “Sorry, it surprised me a bit. Honestly, the help would be incredible.”
“I can’t like, abandon crime alley or anything.” Jason says. He should back out. He should back out. “But you know, you could call me whenever something big comes up.” Why is he doing this to himself?! “Gotham’s not that far, and it’s not that different.” Surprise is clear on Dick’s face until it morphs into a smile.
“That’d be great.” He says. “You got a burner?”
“Obviously.” Jason scoffs.
That night he leaves Bludhaven with his brothers number and a dumb joke in his messages.
At first they only meet up for cases Dick can’t handle on his own. Unlike Gotham, Bludhaven’s gangs outnumber its supervillains and they organize their attacks. Jason doubts it’s all cooperation but it’s definitely not accidental when two or more groups commit major crimes on the same night. Usually things that make choosing difficult. Does Dick stop the drug smugglers or the weapons smugglers, the ones planning to kidnap a politician's daughter or the ones robbing a large charity event?
Dick only asks Jason for his help then. Always with the request that Jason doesn’t kill in Bludhaven. Everytime he apologizes for bugging Jason (or Red Hood, really) and everytime he says he hopes the criminals wise up and stop doing this soon.
So yeah, Jason gets that Dick doesn’t really want him around. That he’s just making use of all the tools he has.
But god it’s so nice to be with his brother again. Dick sends him memes everyday, claiming it’s so Jason knows it’s him when he evidently replaces his burner phone. Which is something he does regularly. Apparently he’s a clutz. They banter and joke when they patrol before and after a job. Dick even hugged him once, when Jason was running late and Dick had to save his life.
Jason knows it’s going to end. He knows that. At some point Dick won’t need him anymore and he’ll stop putting up with Jason’s… everything.
Until then Jason’s going to milk this for all it’s worth.
It starts out like any normal Bludhaven job.
‘Hey Hood, I need a hand.’ Above the message is a meme about villains monologuing and at a hero instead of going to therapy.
‘What’s up?’ Jason returns almost immediately. He’s a bit busy but it’s nothing so serious he can’t fuck off to Bludhaven for a night or two.
‘We should chat in person.’ It’s an odd request but it’s not too odd. Dick’s careful about what he says over text, any vigilante should be. Sure, Dick’s specifically stated that Oracle’s safe guarded most of his stuff but there’s no harm in being careful.
“Must be a big one.” Jason still comments when he and Dick met. His brother’s sigh is all the answer he needs.
“It’s Blockbuster.” He starts. “He runs a pretty big criminal empire. I’ve gone up against him a few times.”
“So what’s he doing that makes you need back-up?” Jason asks. He knows it’s going to be bad when Dick takes a moment to answer.
“Blockbusters got super strength, started taking a drug to get it. Kinda like venom. It fucked with his intelligence but he might be stronger than Bane. Then he fixed the intelligence part by signing a deal with a demon and now he’s worse.” Dick gives the cliff notes of Blockbuster’s backstory. It doesn’t sound too crazy. Considering Gotham, it’s actually pretty tame. “I think I pissed him off.”
“You’re a hero, I’m sure you’ve pissed off a lot of villains.” Jason tries to lighten the tone but Dick’s shoulders remain heavy, his expression grim.
“I’ve found a few mangled bodies around. Beaten to death.” He says, too focused on looking into the distance to notice how Jason goes still. “I think he’s trying to find a way to strengthen the drug without impacting his intelligence. And everytime he fails he… well, everyone knows what happened to my brother.”
“Shit.” Jason forces himself to mutter because Dick doesn’t know he is that brother. Doesn’t know this affects them both.
“Yeah.” Dick agrees. He takes a moment to shut his eyes, taking a deep breath, before continuing. “I’m pretty sure I’ve tracked down where most of the work’s happening but it’ll be a two team operation. I’ll distract Blockbuster, team two will break in and destroy the research and save the victims.”
“I’ll help.” Jason doesn’t hesitate. “Whatever you need.” Dick finally manages a smile, tight and tired.
“I need you to be team three.” He says. “Robin came to visit a few days ago, he found out and he wants to help. I can’t tell him no, he’ll just do it anyway. Then he told Spoiler and now she’s coming. And I know, I know it’s a big mission. Too big for one person. But I can’t just… they’re my siblings Red. I can’t just let them walk into that. I don’t know what I’ll do if they end up like Jay.” Dick’s shaking by the time he’s finished and too distraught to even notice he used Jason’s name. He’s crumbling.
“You… you want me to look after them?” It comes out as practically a whisper, a fragile thing.
“Please .” Dick pleads.
“But… why me? I mean, don’t you have actual heroes you can go to?” Jason can’t help but ask.
“They don’t get what it’s like here.” Dick shakes his head firmly. “Maybe if we weren’t going into the belly of the beast but there’s no way that building isn’t meta-proofed. Even if Oracle could shut it down, every other building emits nullifiers. They’ll get hurt. Plus Star is off planet, Roy’s got a kid, the negativity will just feed into Raven’s powers in the worst way, and the others don’t deal with this kind of crime. Blockbusters a super villain.”
He’s… he’s thought about this a lot, Jason realizes. Is this why Nightwing is alone? Of course Jason had noticed and he’d thought it was a bit odd but he’d figured it was just that everyone had their own cities to protect. Clearly there’s more to it. More than Jason can’t poke holes in. Villains and Supervillains are on entirely different levels, you can’t expect the smaller heroes to handle something like this. Plus, like Dick said, Bludhaven and Gotham are paranoid enough that meta’s can barely use their powers enough to realize they have any. Hell, Jason wouldn’t be surprised if some of the buildings had kryptonite in them. Although the heavy pollution and lack of sunlight would probably be bad enough they don’t need it.
“Please, out of everyone I trust you’re the only one I can trust to be okay.” Dick begs when Jason takes too long to answer.
Dick trusts him?
But…
No, no he doesn’t have time to think about that.
“I’ll help.” Jason agrees. “Just tell me when and where.” Finally some of the tension bleeds from Dick’s shoulders.
Jason will admit, only to himself, that he’s nervous. Not about the mission. He’s successfully compartmentalized that mess and is ready to handle it. No, what he’s nervous about is the two figures already waiting for him.
Since giving up on his revenge scheme, Jason’s tried to avoid Batman and Robin. Between his work as Red Hood and helping Dick it hasn’t been all that hard either. He sort of figured he’d just… keep doing that and never meet his replacement. Except now he’s meeting both his replacement and…
Actually he’s not entirely sure how Spoiler fits into the picture. She was Robin for about a week, and she and the replacement seem close. Maybe she’s like… the Barbara to Tim’s Dick? Have the pair dated yet? Jason has no idea. For all she’s talkative and loud, Spoiler’s a surprisingly secretive hero. He hasn’t even figured out her identity yet.
His lack of knowledge is not helping him be less nervous. Maybe he should just leave. Dick asked him to look after that but he doesn’t have to actually meet them to do that.
“Red Hood! Over here!” Spoiler ruins his plans, shouting and waving him over before the replacement wacks her arm.
“I thought this was a stealth mission.” Jason points out as he forces himself to join them.
“Hardly.” Spoiler claims. “We can go in guns blazing if we want, as long as Blockbluster’s distracted. He doesn’t have any heavy backup.”
“We are not going in guns blazing.” Replacement states firmly, eyeing Jason as he does.
“Calm down, I know Nightwing’s rules.” Jason assures, rolling his eyes. “Here I thought you were a fan.” He adds.
“Oh he is.” Spoiler grins as the boy flounders.
“No I’m not!” He claims. “Hood looked into us first, I was just looking back!”
“And what you found is mysterious, exactly what you want in a man.” Spoiler says, faking a swoon and cackling when Replacement shoves her.
“No offense kid but I’m way too old for you.” Jason says, glad his face hides his expression as he pointedly doesn’t say ‘plus we’re brothers by association’ because that would ruin his cover. Even if it’s a good point.
“Gee, whatever will I do.” Replacement responds in a tone so deadpan it actually pulls a chuckle from Jason. He’s just startling to settle in with the two, nerves fading, when they get Dick’s signal and head into the building.
The rescue goes easily. Too easily. Spoiler was right, Blockbuster doesn’t have any back-up worth their time. They find the drugs, plant Oracles virvus, and help the hostage’s out without major issue. It doesn’t even take them too long.
“We’re all wrapped up here.” Replacement says into his comm. He listens for a moment before turning to the others. “Nightwing’s on his way out. He said to wait here for the paramedics, they’ll want to know what was in the drug.”
“Eye-eye captain!” Spoiler says, saluting as dramatically as possible. Jason follows suit, just to hear the Replacement sign and Spoiler laugh. He hangs around the back, keeping an eye out for any dangers, as the two help the victims stay calm. It should only take Dick twenty minutes to get to them, and the last of the paramedics should arrive in thirty.
Twenty-five minutes later Jason’s worried. Especially when Dick doesn’t respond on comms.
“I’ll go check on him.” He decides, pushing off the wall.
“I’ll come with you.” Replacement immediately decides.
“No.” Jason refuses. If something has happened, he doesn’t want either of these kids to see Dick like that. Hell, he doesn’t want to see Dick like that but he’s the oldest here. That means he has to bite the bullet.
“He’s my brother!” Replacement argues and Jason has to bite off his immediate response.
“Nightwing probably just got distracted helping some old lady cross the road.” Jason says instead, even though he doesn’t believe it. “We need two people here to keep an eye on the victims, you’re both a lot more approachable to paramedics than I am.”
“He’s got a point Robin.” Spoiler cuts in, her own light-tone heavy with concern. “I’m sure we can trust Hood to check on Nightwing.”
“If you hurt him I’ll kill you.” Jason’s been threatened by a lot of people, most of whom have more experience killing than this teenager. Most are less credible threats.
“I won’t.” Jason assures. “Not ever.”
“Let us know when you find him.” Spoiler says, after a moment. Jason nods, wasting no more time in heading towards Blockbuster’s office.
When he finds Dick he fears the worst. His brother is collapsed on the roof, a pile of blood forming around him. Jason can’t tell where it’s coming from, the suit hiding the source of injury.
“Fuck. Fuck, please still be alive. Please.” Jason practically begs as he drops next to Dick, only relaxing when he finds a pulse. What the hell is he going to do here? There’s no Leslie in Bludhaven. The only place that might have enough first aid is a hospital or Dick’s apartment. Which Jason hadn’t bothered tracking down because he got over his stupid revenge plot.
Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Jason reminds himself one thing at a time. He takes the comm from Dick’s ear.
“Red Hood here.” He greets. “Nightwing is down and bleeding. I can’t tell where the wound is. He needs medical attention.”
“Where are you!?” Tim immediately shouts but Jason hesitates.
“I don’t think you should see him like this.” He admits.
“What the hell are you talking about?! I’m coming to find you!” Just out of range Jason can hear Spoiler telling him to stop.
“Oracle, the only place I can help him is his apartment.” Jason says. Tim starts to say something but is cut off by a voice Jason hasn’t heard since before he died. He hadn’t known he’d missed it so much.
“Okay.” Barbara says. “Your helmet’s digital right?”
“Yeah.” Jason confirmed.
“Nightwing should have a USB in a pocket at his hip, right side. If you can plug that into your helmet I can look through your eyes and guide you.” That’s… that’s a lot of trust to put into Barbara. Once she’s in, he’s not getting her out.
“Oracle, you have to be kidding!” Tim exclaims. “You can’t just lead a murderer to Nightwing’s house!”
“I trust him.” Barbara says, calm and even. “Besides, he already knows who we are. You know that Tim.” They know? And they haven’t… they haven’t brought it up or tried to stop him or threatened him or-
“I’m plugging it in now.”
Barbara leads Jason first to Dick’s apartment, and then helps him take care of the hole in Dick’s side. It’s not too deep, hasn’t hit anything too vital. Barbara reckons the broken leg will be a bigger problem.
“I’ll send someone that can help him heal once he’s awake.” She says, when Jason has stabilized him.
“I can stay with him until then.” Jason volunteers before he even thinks about it. Barbara breathes a sigh of relief.
“Thank you.” She says.
“Thanks for keeping the kids away. They didn’t need to see this.” Jason turns the apology around, not sure what else to do.
“Do any of us?” It’s practically a whisper before Barbara sighs again. “I’m supposed to give you some threat about what’ll happen if you hurt him.” She says, forcing her tone to be lighter.
“Will you?” Jason asks, forcing himself to do the same.
“Nah, it’s been a long night.” She decides after pretending to think about it. “Just make sure to tell everyone it was scary, yeah?”
“The scariest. I’m shaking in my boots.” Jason jokes, getting a light laugh.
“I’ll check in soon.” With that the comms disconnect and Jason is left standing in his brother’s apartment, covered in blood. He’s not normally too bothered by blood, not any more anyway. But something about it being Dick’s blood makes it different. Hoping Dick will be alright alone for five minutes, he hunts down the bathroom to take a shower.
Jason runs back, barely having gotten his pants on, when he hears Dick whimper his name. His actual name - Jason, not Red Hood.
“Dick?!” He shouts as he skids to a stop in the living room. Dick is sitting on the couch still, staring with wide eyes at the empty space ahead of him.
“Jay, I’m so sorry.” Dick whimpers again, reaching for something that isn’t there. Shit, is he hallucinating? Jason hadn’t thought to check for drugs, has no way to.
“Oracle.” He calls, shoving the comms back in. “Oracle, I think we missed something in Nightwing’s system. He’s hallucinating.” For a moment he’s worried Oracle’s not there but finally, finally the comms crackle to life.
“It might not be a drug.” She admits.
“What?”
“Nightwing’s been… he’s been hallucinating for a while now. I think it might be all the fear gas exposure as a kid or maybe his mental health. I don’t know, it comes and goes.” She explains.
“Is he going to be okay?” Jason asks, watching as his brother starts to mutter incomprehensible apologies, tears beginning to slip down his face.
“Even if it is a drug, they’ll fade soon.” Barbara says, pointedly not answering the question.
“Can I help?” Jason asks.
“...Sometimes he says it helps to get a hug. Something physical and grounding. He might not be able to tell though, especially with the blood loss.”
“Okay. I’ll uh, I’ll try that.”
“Keep me updated. Please.”
“I will.” Jason settles on the couch, trying to talk to Dick as he does. He doesn’t get any response, even as he carefully pulls Dick into his chest. The hallications last hours and Jason can only make out a fraction of what Dick says throughout. Still, it doesn’t take long to realize he’s seeing all the people he’s lost. Even the ones that have come back.
Jason just holds him tighter until Dick finally falls asleep again.
The Justice League has resources. Aliens, magic users, technology, metas. There’s always at least some method for spending up healing, even for total mortals like Dick.
That doesn’t mean Jason’s about to let him go on patrol a week later. Or the week after that. Red Hood can patrol Bludhaven, Nightwing needs to rest. Jason tells Dick as much and, despite some protest, Dick eventually gives in. They settle into a routine. Jason stops by before and after patrol, keeping Dick up to date, and Dick becomes increasingly stir crazy. Sometimes ‘before patrol’ becomes ‘showing up in the morning to hang out so Dick doesn’t get bored and start doing flips’.
“Are you cooking?” Jason asks as he climbs in through the window on one such morning.
“Baking, actually.” Dick corrects, grinning. “It’s my nephew’s birthday today, I want to make him a cake.”
“You have a nephew?” Jason frowns. Who and how?
“It’s a long story.” Dick says. “Impulse is from the future, he’s Flash’s grandkid. Came back in time to save the world and got stuck here.”
“If he’s the Flash’s grandkid, how is he your nephew?” Jason asks, still not following.
“Well me and Kid Flash were together in his time.” Dick answers.
“But not this time?” Surely they were. Jason knew they were head over heels for each other when he was 12.
“Hard to date someone who’s gone.” Dick says, his smile going tight. It still takes Jason a moment to understand what he means.
“Oh shit, I am so sorry.” He says. How the hell had he missed that?
“It’s okay, it was a while ago.” Dick claims. “Maybe he’ll come back, maybe he won’t. You can never tell with the speedforce.” He adds, somewhat bitterly.
“Hopefully he comes back.” Jason offers.
“At this point, I just want to know which it is.” Dick sighs. “Hoping is just… exhausting.” Before Jason can say anything to that - and he has no idea what he would say - a timer goes off. “Cake’s ready!” He announces, forcing a perk in his step as he twists again. Jason takes the moment to look around. The kitchen is a trainwreck. Dishes are scattered around, batter and flour and other ingredients coating each bench, and honestly how can this much mess come from one cake recipe? Considering that and Dick reputation, Jason can’t imagine the monstrosity that’s about to come out of the oven.
Except, when Dick places the cake on the cooling rack, it’s perfect. A golden hue with just enough bounce when Dick tests it. What the hell?
“I thought you could burn water.” He states frowning, before realizing what he’s said and clearing his throat. “I mean, that’s the rumour.” Jason backtracks. It’s not even a lie. Everyone knows that Nightwing can’t cook to save his life, so if he saves yours you should cook him something.
Dick lets out a sheepish laugh, not meeting Jason’s eye.
“...Why the hell would you lie about not being able to cook?!” Jason asks, probably sounding angrier than Red Hood has any right to be. It doesn’t matter to Red Hood if Dick can cook but it sure as hell matters to Jason. He’s the reason the rumour started, damnit! Because Dick told him he couldn’t cook and Jason started cooking for him, and chewed him out when he was late for his mid-patrol snack. They bonded over it! Where the hell does Dick get off, lying about that?!
“People don’t like it when you’re perfect.” Dick finally starts, so quietly Jason almost doesn’t hear it over his rage.
“The hell does that have to do with cooking?” For a moment Dick is quiet, collecting his thoughts and finding his words. It takes a serious amount of self-control for Jason not to just snap at him to hurry the hell up and answer him.
“I’m one of the strongest people in the universe. Maybe the strongest, if we’re talking non-meta humans.” Dick eventually starts again and though Jason still doesn’t know where this is going, he continues before the younger can interrupt. “I’m the first sidekick, the first Robin, the first one to ‘grow up’. People either look at me like I hung the stars in the sky or I’m some goal post to prove their worth.”
“So, what? You tell them you can’t cook?” Jason still does not get it, but at least now he’s a little more confused than angry.
“Yeah, basically.” Dick shrugs. “It took me a while to actually get to know my first brother. I was mad at B for, well, everything. And then I was mad he didn’t tell me he took in a new kid, and then I was mad he gave away my name like it was his to give. By the time I pulled my head out of my ass, B had already put me up on a pedestal. Jay looked at me like I was some impossible expectations. Like B hadn’t literally fired and replaced me within a month.” He cuts himself off, taking a deep breath as a rage Jason’s seen but never understood almost simmers to a boil.
“But one day Jay was cooking, and A complimented him, and he looked so proud of himself. ‘I bet you messed up your first creme brulee’. It was pretty on par for what he said to me, but usually he looked so mad. I thought, maybe if he ‘won’ he might like me you know? So I told him I could burn water. I guess I could have just said I was a decent cook, he was just better. But it didn’t feel like enough.
“Then word got out and people started giving me food to thank me and I mean. It made them feel better, so what was the harm?”
That’s… a lot to take in. Jason wanted to stay mad, being angry was always easier. But he couldn’t. He remembered how much he hated the idea of Dick Grayson, back when Dick first started trying. That moment in the kitchen really had been a turning point. Anytime Jason got jealous he just thought about how Dick couldn’t even boil rice and he’d feel better. It hurts a bit to know it was a lie but Jason’s old enough to stand by himself.
Besides, he kinda gets it from experience too. The first time Damian had beaten him in a sword fight, the kid had been thrilled. Maybe Dick should have waited for a real moment, something Jason could actually win at. But Dick had been seventeen with almost ten years experience and Jason had been twelve and still malnourished. Who knows if that would ever happen.
So yeah he’s not mad… he actually almost feels happy about it now.
Although… “so you won’t tell anyone you’re bleeding out on a rooftop but you’ll let people make you cookies so they feel better?”
“One time, you bleed out one time and no one lets you forget it.” Dick huffs with a frankly concerning lack of consideration for his own life. “But I don’t know if it’s that altruistic.”
“What do you mean?”
“When people think I can’t do something it sort… humanizes me? Which in turn makes me feel more human.” Dick admits.
“You don’t feel human?” Jason frowns as Dick just shrugs.
“Would you? I’ve been a superhero since I was eight, I regularly go side by side with gods. Sometimes it’s hard to remember I’m mortal.”
“No wonder you act like you have a death wish.” Jason means it as a joke but, again, Dick just shrugs. “Okay, I need you to start talking to someone.”
“Find me someone I can be honest with, without the hero worship bullshit, and I will.” Which… yeah, he’s got a point. “Sorry, I’m not usually this depressing. It’s just hard. KF and I were going to do something big for Impulse this year and it’s just…”
“I get it.” Jason assures. “Well, I don’t get it get it, but I get it. It’s okay.”
“Thanks.” Dick smiles, a little more honestly. “So, want to help me decorate?” Jason does.
The decorations end up being a bit of a mess but they get the message across. More importantly, Dick says, they had fun doing it. Jason would say they have less fun cleaning up but that would be a lie. Dick tricks him into helping clean the rest of the house too. Before they know it, it’s 11 and a blur is rushing in through the window and tackling Dick.
“Uncle Dick!” The boy, Impulse, greets.
“Happy Birthday Bart!” Dick returns the hug just as fiercely. Shit. Jason hadn’t noticed the time. He starts to sneak towards the window, trying to leave before he ruins the moment. He fails. Bart turns, grinning just as wildly at Jason.
“Uncle-” He catches himself, noticing the helmet. “Red Hood! Yes Uncle Red Hood, that is what I call you and have always called you. Uncle Red Hood.”
…Definitely a speedster, with backtracking skills that bad.
“Uncle Red Hood, huh?” Dick teases, ruffling Bart’s hair. “Good to know we’re friends in at least two timelines.”
“Yep. Friends.” Bart opens his mouth, pauses, and then forces himself to close it. He looks less like he’s going to explode now. “It’s good to see you. Again, technically, for me. But not for you. Has Uncle Dick mentioned I’m from the future?”
“He mentioned it.” Jason confirms.
“Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.” Bart rambles, making Dick chuckle.
“Come on, spoiler warning, time to open presents. You sticking around Hood?” Jason plans to say no but then Bart looks at him with so much hope in his eyes and Jason falters.
“Yeah, sure.”
Bart grins, racing forward to hug him just as tightly as he hugged Dick.
Things are going well. Dick might not know who he is, but they’ve started patrolling once a week. They even alternate - Gotham one week, Bludhaven the next. Robin even joins them every so often in Gotham. Spoiler joins them regularly. She joins Red Hood regularly, even outside his and Dick’s patrols. They get on like a house on fire and it’s great.
Violent crime in crime alley is down, drugs stay out of the hands of kids, and he hasn’t actually had to kill anyone in a few weeks. Even the handful of times he’s seen Bruce, the man has just stared at him before turning away.
Which means it’s about time Jason did something to fuck it up.
He doesn’t mean to. He knows Dick’s rule, he keeps to them. But the guy is raising a sledge hammer right above Dick’s head and Dick’s just taken someone else down. He’s already starting to take out the man behind him but Jason doesn’t think he’ll be quick enough. The sledgehammer is going to come down on Dick’s head and Dick is only human .
The bullet hits the man in the throat. He stumbles backwards before falling, choking on his own blood. Dick startles, turning and meeting Jason’s eyes behind the helmet. Jason wasn’t even meant to be here. It wasn’t their patrol day. He’d been happy about something - he can’t even remember now - and wanted to share it only to find his brother outnumbered. Jason knows the rules. No killing in Bludhaven.
Dick opens his mouth but Jason is already turning, leaving. Running back to his motorbike to take the hour trip back to Gotham. Dick doesn’t run after him. Of course not. (Jason doesn’t know he wants to, doesn’t think about how Dick is still midfight).
Jason runs.
He gets a new helmet, one without Oracle in it. He avoids his old patrol routes, desperate to avoid running into Spoiler. Dick was right. The gossip is that Nightwing killed a goon.
“Hole right through the neck. They say it’s from his sticks. Must have super strength or somethin’.” Quint tells him. “Well, that’s the gossip anyway. I don’t know how much stock I put in it. Nightwing doesn’t seem the type, ya know?” Jason doesn’t answer.
On Thursday, Jason stays curled up in bed. He’s meant to go patrolling. He’s meant to go patrol with Dick. It’s Gotham’s week, which means Dick isn’t showing up. Jason’s not disappointed when the knock on the window doesn’t come. He’s not . This is what he knew would happen. He was expecting it.
So why is he still crying?
Tim finds him on Friday, breaking into his safe house and seeming unphased by the gun pointed at him. He’s not even in costume.
“You’re going to Bludhaven.” He states.
“I broke the rule. I’m not welcome back.” Jason replies, forcing himself to keep calm and to keep the gun pointed ahead.
“Yeah, you broke the rule which means you have to fix this.” Tim glares.
“I can’t fix his reputation. Only an idiot would believe that bullshit anyway.” Jason argues.
“Not his reputation, idiot. Deathstroke.” Tim points out.
“What the hell does Deathstroke have to do with anything?” Jason frowns and Tim startles out of his annoyance.
“He didn’t tell you?” He asks. “Deathstroke’s the reason he asked you not to kill in Bludhaven.”
“Again, what the hell does Deathstroke have to do with anything?” Jason repeats, suddenly growing a lot more nervous.
“Well, Dick didn’t tell me that. I just figure. Because it’s pretty obvious Deathstroke’s obsessed with Dick. It’s kinda terrifying. After - well, uh, after the Joker Deathstroke didn’t leave Dick for months. I think he thinks he can make him his apprentice. Actually, I’ve been digging into the files and I think he might have already done that once.” Tim starts rambling without his annoyance to guide him, pacing in Jason’s living room and talking as much with his hands and his mouth.
“What the fuck.” Is all Jason can say in response, remembering back to their first conversation. Yeah. Deathstroke would be a bigger problem than B. A much, much bigger problem.
“You have to go help.” Tim restates. “I’d go but Dick doesn’t want me in Bludhaven when Deathstroke’s around, and Barb’s on his side, and I think Raven is too because I literally can’t leave Gotham in the direction of Bludhaven.”
“What can I do?” Jason asks. “It’s Deathstroke!” Jason might have trained with the League but this was Deathstroke .
“I don’t know!” Tim exclaims, turning to face him. “Something! Anything!” His shoulders drop. “No one else will. Barb won’t let me or Spoiler near him, and the Titans said they’ll just make things worse but they won’t explain why, B is in denial about the whole thing which means none of the League will listen to me. I’m worried about him.”
Shit.
That sounded… that sounded really, really bad.
“Okay.” Jason decides.
“Okay?” Tim repeats, hopeful.
“I’m going. If you don’t hear from me by tomorrow morning, assume the worst.”
“Make sure to message me before tomorrow morning then.” Tim says, firm enough Jason thinks maybe he can manage this.
He gets to Bludhaven in 40 minutes. It should take him longer than that to find Dick, but the hero’s standing on top of his own apartment complex. Deathstroke stands across from him. As Jason gets closer he can see scratches literally both Dick’s suit and Deathstroke’s armour.
“Give up already Slade.” He hears Dick huff. “I’m not joining you and you can’t make me. You alright tried that, remember?”
“Don’t you get it, apprentice? You could do so much more with me.” Slade argues. Jason can’t see the man’s face but he can hear the smirk. “I know you miss it.”
“I don’t miss shit.” Dick claims, quick and heated.
“Get the fuck away from him.” Jason’s finally close enough to shout, sliding between Dick and Slade, his gun aimed between the mercenary's eyes.
“You think that little toy can stop me?” Slade asks, almost sounding amused.
“Hood, leave.” Dick hisses. Jason ignores him.
“Hood, that’s right.” Slade drops his stance, unbothered by Jason’s appearance. Jason would be more insulted if his free hand wasn’t shaking. “I’ve heard all about you, Talia’s little experiment.”
“Failed experiment.” Jason points out.
“Oh yes, I’ve heard she’s quite annoyed you didn’t kill Robin.” Slade hums. “Tell me, does Richard know who you are?”
“Fuck off.” Jason orders.
“Seriously, this isn’t a good idea.” Dick mutters.
“I’ll take that as a no then.” Slade grins. “If you’d like to keep it that way, leave. Richard and I have matters to discuss.” That’s not a threat, Jason knows. It’s a promise. He freezes for a moment, selfish terror gripping him tight.
“Go, it’s fine.” Dick says. “I can handle this alone.”
“You don’t have to.” Jason states. He pulls his helmet off, his cowl still sitting on his bedside table. He was in a bit of a rush. “The name’s Jason Todd. Leave me brother alone you.” He shoots the gun. Jason’s not really expecting it to do much. But he is expecting Slade to do something, and he’s hoping the gun shot will help Dick out of his shock. It must, because when Slade lunges, Dick meets him with his escrima sticks.
“I’m not going with you Slade.” He manages through clenched teeth, both men straining when the effort it takes to hold each other back.
“I’ll drag you back if I have to.” Slade hisses back. Jason fires another shot, this time into Slade’s shoulder. It does about as much as the last shot. That is to say, it gives Dick the upper hand. He swipes out Slade’s feet, striking downward with electricity as he does. Slade rolls out of it, perfectly unharmed.
“Not today, and you know that.” Dick claims. “I didn’t think you were one for wasting time.” Slade grunts, slipping out of his stance once more.
“Until next time, apprentice.” He says, slipping into the shades easier than Bruce. For a moment the roof is silent, both vigilantes waiting to ensure Slade is really gone. Then, finally, Dick turns.
“Jay?” He asks, voice soft and fragile.
“I-” Jason tries to think of something. An excuse, a way out. Eventually his shoulders drop. “Yeah, um… hi.” Dick steps forward and Jason startles back, startling all the more when Dick throws his arms around Jason.
“You’re alive.” He says, half a laugh and half a sob. “It’s really you.”
“You can hate me now.” Jason says, blinking back tears. He can’t do this. He can’t have his brother back in this moment. It’ll just hurt more when Dick remembers who he is.
“What?” The hero frowns, pulling back to search Jason’s face for an answer. “Jay, you’re my brother, why the hell would I hate you?”
“I’m a murderer.” Jason reminds, looking away. “And I don’t regret it.” He adds, because he doesn’t. Even if it means his family hating him.
“Jay, I don’t care.” Dick says, hands resting on Jason’s cheeks, leading his eyes back to Dick;s. “I didn’t care when you were just my friend Red Hood, I sure as fuck don’t care now.”
“How can you not care?” Jason asks, just as fragile and soft as Dick had said his name.
“Buddy, little wing, my baby brother.” Dick smiles. “I have a much higher body count than you. I’m not a hypocrite.” A moment ago Jason wouldn’t have believed it but after that interaction with Slade? Yeah, it doesn’t surprise him too much. Still…
“That’s different. I doubt you did that willingly.”
“Not must of it.” Dick admits. “But those were innocent people. At least you’re thinking before you kill, not just taking a paycheck. Kill one murderer and there are just as many murderers, kill a hundred murders and there’s ninety-nine less.” He states, grinning. Jason tries to remember all the reasons this can’t be real, even as he catches himself smiling.
“You… it’s not a big deal for you? I’m still…” He can’t make himself ask, words catching in his throat.
“You’re still my baby brother.” Dick confirms it again, pulling Jason into another hug. This time, Jason hugs back. “I love you Jay, I missed you so much.”
“I love you too.” Jason manages, unable to hold back tears any longer.