Disclaimer: Batman does not belong to me. I make no profit from this. Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger.
Author's Note: My first completed story of the new year is dark and moody Jason. Started and finished in an hour. Not sure if I'm setting a great tone for the next eleven months...
He has a gun in his hands. His mentor hates them, loathes them, does what he can to rid the world of them.
Jason, Jason likes them. He likes the power, likes the feel of cold metal and kickbacks and the sound of gunshots. God, he loves the sound.
He hates crowbars, though. Cowardly weapons.
But a gun? No, a gun is strength.
Not that he really needs that much strength against the petty dealer at his feet.
"What...what do you want with me?" He says, acting coy and tough like he even has a chance.
Jason says nothing, only nudging the man's head with the barrel of his gun.
"Look, I...I just deliver the supplies, I don't really know where it's made."
"Did you sell this to a boy in the Narrows?" Jason asks, pulling a small bag with a white powder out of his pocket.
"Yeah, yeah, I did. I don't know what the fuck is in it, though."
"See, whatever the fuck is in here put that kid in the hospital."
"Like I said, Hood, I really don't-"
His excuse was cut off by a scream as Jason pointed his gun to the man's shoulder and pulled the trigger.
"What the hell, man! I told you, I don't know anything."
"I know." Jason said.
Later, Jason scrubs the blood off of his jacket in the small bathroom of his apartment. He stares at himself in the mirror, one hand clutching the jacket as the other holds onto the edge of the sink.
His hair is short and messy, the white streak of it sticking up like an obnoxious middle finger.
Jason has a moment of reflection, wondering what his life would be like if he hadn't died and taken up the life he lives now, doing things he was taught not to, using tools he was taught to never touch.
And just like that, it's over, and he's the Red Hood again, his anger the only thing anchoring him to his lifestyle of bloodstained clothing and handgun therapy.