Real quick and real special shout-out to EmbraceSadness, the amazing person that read this over and gave me an idea for the title!

Love you, Merry!

Now, on to the heartbreak!

"Are you proud of what you have done?"

Jason quirked an eyebrow up as he found Richard standing at the top of the stairs of Wayne Manor, arms crossed while his blue eyes were covered by glasses. This was slightly surprising for the elder bird, seeing how Dick barely ever wore those glasses when in the house because he had nothing to hide for once, but didn't ask anything. Instead, the beaten older bird looked away from his brother and snorted. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his bratty younger brother.

"Are we a family?" Richard tried again after a moment of silence and Jason was caught completely off guard.

... Were they? He would gladly lay his life down if it meant saving either of his three supposed 'family members', but he had never truly felt like he belonged. He was the rowdy street rat that happened to have been adopted by Bruce Wayne quite a few years before Richard ever came along. If not for the Bat feeling bad for him, he most probably would have ended up dead on the streets years ago.

But he didn't want to tell his younger brother this, so instead he asked, "Why are you asking so many questions, Dicky? Isn't it already way past your bed time?"

The boy didn't even seem to react at that. He just stood there, face a blank and unreadable thing.

They stared down at one another for a while, but soon enough Jason's wounds were aggravating him and he knew he should go up to bed and just try his best to avoid the rest of the people in the Wayne Manor. It's not like he would be accepted by them. He wasn't good enough to be accepted.

"Listen, kid, I'm going to sleep. I had quite the night." The black haired boy said, already on his way to go up the stairs.

But Richard spoke up before he had even reached the middle of the stairs, "You know, if you were my son, I would have kicked you out a long time ago."

These words made Jason's movements immediately halt and he looked up to his brother, only to find that cold face that just didn't belong to the young bird. It was much too cold and rigid to be on a thirteen year old's face.

"I think Bruce has been too nice and lenient with you. You're only sixteen, Jason, but you are a problem." The kid said coldly, voice seemingly devoid of all emotions other than apathy. "And I think the solution to you would be to just let you self implode. Trying to save somebody like you is worthless."

Jason flinched beside himself. He didn't want his brother to gain any ground on him, but those words hurt him. In his crap filled life, the only good thing that had ever happened to him was the fact that Richard was his brother. Sure, he didn't help himself with all the parties, the smoking, the drinking, and the rest of the stupid shit he got up to, but it hurt to hear someone tell him what he already knew. He was worthless.

"Do you know why you're not worth saving, big bro?"

The elder of the two kept quiet, looking down at the rug of the stairs. What could he say?

Richard kept his resolve, even if it broke him inside to hurt his older brother in such a manner. But he was tired of it. Tired of Jason and Bruce always fighting. Tired of having to worry about his older brother every time he went out of the house. Tired of waiting for that one phone call that told him his brother had died- from an OD, drunk driving, or worse- and he was tired of having his brother not understand just how bad things were. He may have been younger, but sometimes he swore he was the smarter of the two.

"You're not worth saving because you don't want to be saved. You don't think you're life is worth more than the blunt you buy and I cannot tell you that you're wrong... You are worthless because you took away all that was worth something."

The young boy's words cut sharper than any weapon ever could and Jason flinched at just how emotionally charged they were. Every single word the boy said... Every thing he said weighed heavily with nothing but pure honesty.

Richard's cold blue eyes bore into Jason's hair for a moment before the young boy huffed and shook his head.

"Good talk, bro. It's nice to know you have something to say."

Then he walked off. No other words were shared. Jason couldn't think of anything to say. Richard had nothing left to say.

There was nothing left to say. No more words left to be hissed. No more hearts left to shatter. No hope left to give.

They were a broken family, after all...

... They couldn't even properly be called a family.

Hope you all enjoyed this heart-wrenching one-shot. This must be the shortest chapter I've ever publish of anything at less than the usual 1,000 words. But I think it's perfect the way it is.

Please review!