Every time I post something it's NEVER what I expected to post next. I always have a lot of stuff I'm working on and I always think it'll be one thing or another I finish first, but then I surprise myself.
This just takes place after the end of season five, it's not attached to anything else or inspired by anything in particular, it's just a thing I wanted to do.
Disclaimer, I surprisingly don't own these characters or the show that they're in.
Jericho stared at the colorful plastic in his hands, his new Titans communicator. The original one, of course, had been destroyed on the same day he got it. Cyborg luckily had enough extra materials to get everyone new ones after the Brotherhood of Evil were defeated.
That had been two weeks ago now, and Jericho still had no idea what was expected of him. He supposed he would go on living normally, and just wait and see if anyone wanted his help. On the other hand, if he ever needed help he could actually signal for it now, which was really nice. He'd been alone up here for so long, with no way to directly contact anyone whether he needed help or not.
Jericho put the device down next to him, letting out a sigh. Still, was he even cut out to be a hero at all? He stopped working with his mother in Searchers because he didn't like fighting, even if it was usually for a good cause. It made him a little uneasy now to be in a position like this again.
Since the moment Beast Boy put a communicator in his hand, this internal debate had gone on. Jericho worried over whether or not he should hand the communicator back in and decline the membership. He picked up his guitar, hoping to distract himself by playing a bit. However, he didn't get the chance to play one note before an electronic melody rang through the air, surprising him.
He stared at the communicator, as it continued to beep repeatedly in a short melody, but he was nervous about answering it. This was the first time anyone had contacted him. What kind of emergency could there be? Why would they be calling him when there were over two dozen other Titans who would surely be more helpful? Unless the trouble was that everyone else was already incapacitated, and he was the only one left.
Jericho quickly shook such thoughts out of his head, picking it up. Whoever it was would probably worry that he was taking so long to answer. Holding it up in front of his face, the blonde chewed on his bottom lip, pressing the correct button.
To his relief, Beast Boy's face came into view, and he looked safe at the Tower. The green teen had said he would keep in touch, so Jericho allowed himself to relax a bit and smile shyly in greeting, waving 'hello' with his free hand.
"Jericho!" BB said brightly. "I'm glad you picked up! How are you?"
Jericho could only nod and smile, feeling awkward. Video chat was obviously much better for him than a regular call, but he was still limited to just one hand. Plus, he wasn't certain any other Titans knew sign language anyway.
"I'll take that as good," Beast Boy answered, seeming more at ease now that he actually knew Jericho didn't speak, and knew what to expect. "Anyways, I hate to call you about Titan stuff, but..."
For a moment, BB's bright demeanor fell, showing a glimpse of deep worry. Jericho leaned forward a bit, wondering what was wrong.
Beast Boy sighed. "It's a lot to explain, but there's something wrong with Robin and I think you might be able to help."
Jericho raised an eyebrow pointing one finger to his chest as if to ask, 'Me?'
"With your powers you can go inside people's heads, right?" Jericho nodded. "Well someone needs to help Robin know what's real or not, and Raven can't get through to him. Will you give it a try?"
Jericho nodded again, feeling an ache in his heart. Something was wrong with Robin, and Raven couldn't help. Jericho really wasn't sure what he could do that Raven couldn't, but he really wanted to help. He wasn't a fighter, but he could help people; he wanted to help people. This was a good place to start.
"Alright, let me see if I can get Herald to portal you here. Sit tight!"
Jericho stood up with a stretch, picking his guitar up again. He decided to bring it, because he didn't want to just leave it on top of the mountain; it was his most prized possession. Really, his only prized possession. He slung it comfortably over his head, the strap resting from one shoulder down across his chest, letting the instrument sit diagonally across his back.
After a moment of waiting, the sound of a horn rang out from nowhere, and a portal opened in front of him. The Herald stepped out, brandishing his signature silver horn and giving Jericho a welcoming grin.
"Hey Jericho, good to see you again. Ready to go?"
Jericho smiled back, waving hello and nodding. The original portal closed, and Herald put the horn to his lips, blowing another loud, clear note. A second portal opened, and the two stepped through, into the main room of the original Titans Tower. Everyone was sitting on the couch, waiting, and they all looked a little tired and worn out. Even still, the two guests were greeted with friendly smiles.
"Friends Jericho and the Herald, it is good to see you again," Starfire said gently, walking over to give each of them a brief hug. Jericho noticed right away that she was walking on the ground, rather than gliding through the air, and this hug was distinctively less bone-crushing than the last one she gave him. Things must be pretty bad, she was clearly not her usual bubbly self.
"Thanks for coming," Cyborg said. "Wish it was under better circumstances."
Jericho signed, wanting answers, feeling the stress in the air. What is it? What's wrong?
He could tell right away that none of them signed, but Raven stepped up, lowering her hood to show her face. "I'm guessing you want to know what's going on. There's a lot to explain, though. Herald, you're welcome to stay, but what we're dealing with isn't pleasant."
"I'll stay, I want to be here to help any way I can."
"Alright," Cyborg said. "Then both of you take a seat. There's a lot to explain."
Over the next half hour, Jericho was horrified to hear that his father had been absolutely terrorizing the Titans, particularly Robin. Through Searchers, he'd known that Slade was active in Jump City, and that he had crossed paths with the Titans. However, there was so much more to the story, to his dismay. Most shocking was the man's attempt to force Robin into being his apprentice- it made the blonde's stomach turn.
Most relevant, however, was the time Robin got drugged and hallucinated that Slade was attacking him.
"He almost died," Beast Boy explained somberly. "He was dying right in front of us but we couldn't help him."
"He only snapped out of it when he found a way to ground himself again," added Cyborg, arms crossed.
"His hallucinations stopped when the lights were on," said Starfire. "Only then could he know it was not real and stop himself from experiencing his worst nightmare."
Jericho's hands curled into fists on his lap, trying to imagine the fear they all felt, the pain Robin endured.
"The drug never left his system," Cyborg told them.
"And now it's relapsing, but this time turning on the lights isn't enough," Raven said. "He can't prove to himself that it isn't real, so he can't snap out of it. I try going into his mind with him, but the imagined physical attacks always throw me back out before I can do anything to help him."
"So we were hoping you'd be able to do your thing and maybe figure out some way to help him know it's not real," Beast Boy finished, looking hopeful. "I don't know how it works but I've seen you do it."
Jericho was silent, thinking hard. Why would Slade do this? What exactly was he hoping to gain by driving Robin mad to the point of death? Besides that, how was he going to tell the others about his past with the man? He thought he should but wasn't sure how they'd react.
"Jericho?" BB said, still waiting for an answer. "Think you can help?"
Jericho nodded firmly, agreeing to help and deciding to try and broach the subject of Slade once Robin was better. First he needed to help save someone who it seemed only he could help. Hopefully...
With that, they all made their way through the Tower, towards the medical bay. Herald spoke up for the first time.
"Are you working on an antidote for the hallucinogen?"
"Not us, but someone," Cyborg explained. "We called in Batman for his help, and sent him a blood sample. He's working as hard as he can to come up with the antidote but it's going to take a while."
They arrived at their destination just then, walking into the med bay where Robin was lying unconscious on one of the beds. There were monitors, an IV all hooked up, and a tube of oxygen feeding into his nose. A light blanket covered his body, but Jericho could see the edges of the straps that held him in place. By all means, Robin should have been still, peaceful even, but even with the sedatives it was clear that he was having a fitful rest. His breaths were too short and quick, his heartbeat too fast. His hands and face twitched, as if he were having a dream. Or more likely, a nightmare.
"We do not wish for him to be this way until the antidote is ready," Starfire said sadly. "If we can help snap him out of it until then..."
Jericho nodded quietly, his heart aching for the poor boy in front of them. It was clear that he was suffering, and it made his friends suffer too, to see him like this.
"Well," Beast Boy spoke up, turning to face Jericho. "How does this work?"
The blonde paused thoughtfully, putting a half-closed fist in front of his mouth while he mulled it over. He didn't want to tell him that he wasn't entirely sure how his powers worked. He knew some things, from having used them occasionally since his mother realized he had such a gift. He motioned for a pen and paper, so that he could write everything down to communicate.
If I do it while he's unconscious, I'll still be awake, in full control. I'll probably also be going through the hallucinations, though, and I won't be able to help him if I'm caught up in it too, he wrote.
After reading it outloud, Cyborg offered a solution. "If we give him another dose of sedative after you're in there, will it put you to sleep? Would that work or would it just knock you out completely?"
It should work, Jericho wrote. I think. If I make a conscious effort to stay in his body, I will, and the sedative will put me in the same unconscious mental state he's in, and I think I can try to reach him from there, without fighting off hallucinations. At least in theory. I've never done something like this.
"I can go in with you," Raven said. "At least, to begin with. Like I said, the attacks knock me out of his mind but I can help you stay with him, as long as I can, until the sedative puts you out as well. And since I'm only there psychologically, I can help you remember that it isn't real."
Jericho nodded. I would appreciate it. If I can't stay with him through the sedative, or I can't reach him while we're both unconscious, then plan B... I have to go in while he's awake, and hope I can ground us both in reality.
"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," Herald said, seeming a bit worried for both his friends.
"I don't want to have to pump him full of too much sedative," Cyborg said, "so it's better to wait until just before he needs the next dose. Should be in another fifteen minutes or so. Can you be ready that quick?"
Jericho nodded again. I'm ready. As ready as I could ever be.
With that, the teens all sat down (aside from Raven, who floated cross-legged in the air to meditate) to wait. Jericho did some quiet meditation of his own, leaning his guitar against the wall. Using his powers on someone unconscious wasn't the same as when they were awake. It took a little more effort and focus to pull it off. He knew he could do it, he'd done it before, but the whole situation just made him nervous. He didn't know if this would even work. He was worried that he would fail, and Robin would continue to suffer.
Relax, he heard Raven's voice in his head very suddenly, almost jumping with surprise. He opened his eyes to look at her across the room. It's going to be okay. I believe you can help, but you have to believe it too.
Her words were unexpectedly uplifting, and it did help him to relax a little bit. One moment at a time, they would all get through this. Soon, Cyborg had another dose, ready to add to the IV.
"Ready when you are," he said.
Jericho nodded once, reaching over and folding one side of the blanket out of the way, uncovering Robin's left arm. He was strapped in at the wrists, and a strap over his chest covered his upper arm, but his forearm above his glove was bare. Proper eye contact couldn't be made with someone unconscious, but luckily, Jericho's power could be activated with skin-to-skin contact in such a case. He wrapped a hand around Robin's arm, closing his eyes and taking a slow breath.
Raven chanted her mantra, a black shadow leaving her body and entering Robin's. Jericho's body faded, and he became transparent. Like a ghost, he also entered Robin's body, and the others saw the subtle change that came over their leader. They couldn't see Jericho's green eyes under the mask, but they could tell he was there.
Jericho was more groggy than he'd anticipated, becoming completely disoriented at once, losing track of himself. His natural reaction was to try and shake off the fog that clouded his mind, because something was telling him he had to wake up. There was danger nearby, and he needed to defend himself. But, his body was heavy... No, not just that, but he was also strapped down. He squirmed, groaning softly, trying to make out the bleary shapes surrounding him in this bright room.
The Titans. That was right, he was at the Tower, but he couldn't remember why. What was going on? They were in danger, he had to get up! What danger? He couldn't quite remember clearly, but as soon as his vision cleared up he saw exactly who it was that he needed to protect them from.
Most are familiar with the fight or flight response. When presented with danger, all humans and animals will be spurred on with adrenaline, and will either try to fight or run. There is, however, a third response that is common but not as widely acknowledged.
Freeze.
The surrounding Titans watched Robin wake up, controlled by Jericho. For a moment he was just disoriented. Cyborg waited with the sedative, holding off in case Jericho could keep his bearings and fight through the hallucinations. Then, like a deer in a meadow who's heard the telltale snapping of a twig, he froze completely. He could have been a statue, because he wasn't even visibly breathing. He was staring intently at the corner of the room, as pale as the sheets.
Jericho's mind was reeling with fright. His mouth dried up all of a sudden and he could feel a cold sweat break out all over his skin. The monitors picked up his quickened heart rate. There, behind all the others, was Slade, in full uniform. As clear as day.
Jericho, remember it isn't real, Raven's voice came to him, but it sounded too far away. Raven's voice certainly didn't seem real, but the figure standing there, looming over everyone else, was real. There was no doubt in his mind. The man's single eye was darker than Jericho could remember, filled with malice. His very presence was overwhelming, without him having to even speak or move.
The rest of the Titans watched, with uncertainty. It was clear that Jericho was afraid, but he wasn't reacting like Robin usually did. He wasn't showing any signs of pain, he wasn't screaming or struggling, or shouting at them to stop the unseen enemy. Cyborg thought it seemed like Jericho was staying at least somewhat grounded in reality, which would definitely be a good sign.
"Jer?" he said gently, watching for any response. "Can you hear me?"
Robin's uncovered hand curled into a tight fist, trembling slightly.
"Can you see Slade?" Cyborg pressed, speaking soft and slow.
Mouth barely moving, Jericho spoke with Robin's voice. He was almost inaudible. "Yes..."
That was when the calm before the storm ended with a SNAP.
As soon as Jericho spoke, even though he was as quiet as he could manage, Slade moved. His posture shifted, making Jericho flinch. Even with the mask on, the others could see that his eyes were open wide. His breaths grew shallow, as he began to hyperventilate. Slade strode forward, with an air of casual cruelty that Jericho had never experienced before. An even deeper fear flooded over him. His father was coming towards him, with the intent to cause harm. A part of Jericho's mind was unable to grasp the concept at all. Surely his father wouldn't hurt him? He might have made some terrible mistakes, torn their family apart, watched his son's throat get slit open- but he wouldn't do that himself, would he? He couldn't.
Yet, he moved forward like a shadow, like death itself, past the Titans who didn't seem to see him at all. Fear quickly escalated into full-blown panic, and there was nothing that would break Jericho from the ensuing fit of sheer hysterical horror.
"NO!" he cried out, struggling once more, eyes fixed on the approaching figure. He begged, tears filling his eyes and slipping out from under the mask. "Please, don't, NO! Please, PLEASE NO!"
Quickly Cyborg injected the sedative into the IV, but combating against the adrenaline in Robin's body it would be a few moments before it could take hold. Until then, all they could do was watch, hearing the screams and begging. It was still Robin's voice, but they could all tell very clearly that it was Jericho. It didn't sound like Robin at all, nor did he really look like himself. His voice, his facial expression, all took on slightly different inflections. Still, that didn't make it any easier to sit and watch.
The sedatives were sinking in, but Jericho fought to stay awake. Slade was standing by the bed now, just staring down at him, not speaking. Jericho continued to scream and beg, no longer aware of what he was even saying.
"PLEASE NO DON'T! DAD DON'T I'M SORRY PLEASE PLEASE DAD NO NO NO DAD DON'T-!"
He was cut off with an agonizing shock of electricity, from something in Slade's hand. It pressed into his side, no matter how much he thrashed or strained against the straps to pull away. His screams seemed to be ripping up his throat as they came out but he couldn't stop. The electricity didn't stop either, crackling, burning his skin. No matter how Jericho screamed and begged it didn't stop. His only reprieve was blacking out.
Jericho was shaken, still struggling to get away from danger when the danger was no longer present. After a moment of continued panic, he started to remember what was really happening. Now, in an unconscious state within Robin's mind, he was separated completely from the physical effects of the hallucinogen. He was able to calm down again, and get himself together. He could still feel Robin's fear, but he was no longer afraid himself. He was, of course, still a bit disturbed by what he'd gone through, but knew it wasn't real.
After enough time to reorient himself, Jericho turned his focus back on his task. Robin was here somewhere, likely trapped in a nightmare. Jericho just had to find him, and talk to him. If he could convince Robin it wasn't real in here, Robin would be able to tell the difference when he woke up, and shake off the effects. With a bit of searching, he found Robin's nightmare, and entered it as an apparition of himself. This way he could speak and interact with Robin 'face-to-face'. His form looked just like he did in the real world, but with a light green halo around his whole body, outlining him. With this, he was separated, and couldn't get caught up in anything here, real or not.
He found himself standing at the top of an impossibly tall metal staircase, which seemed to lead down to a distorted version of the basement in Titans Tower. All around were bronze-colored cog wheels, churning noisily, steam erupting from them here and there. And, below, Jericho saw Robin falling down the last segment of the long staircase, body limply rolling like a tossed ragdoll, while Robin cried out in pain and fear.
Robin was crumpled at the bottom in a bloodied heap, his costume torn, and his limbs clearly broken. He gasped, choking on his own blood, while Slade stood over him.
"Is that the best you can do?" Slade asked disdainfully. Jericho felt nauseous hearing him sound so cruel, so unlike the father he'd once known.
The man kicked Robin so hard that he flew up off the ground and hit a wall, before collapsing back on the floor. He was whimpering with pain, quietly begging for Slade to stop.
"I'm not going to stop," the man answered simply, picking Robin up by the back of his neck and punching him hard in the stomach. Robin spat up blood.
Jericho bared his teeth in a snarl that was actually audible. Here, he had a voice. Here, he had some control. In the blink of an eye he was suddenly at the bottom of the stairs, kicking back the form of Slade so hard that it knocked over a cog wheel. He let go of Robin on impact, leaving the young man on the floor again.
"That's enough," Jericho said, though his mouth didn't move. He got down on one knee, touching Robin's shoulder. "Robin, this isn't real."
"He's back again," Robin choked out, struggling to get up. "I have to..."
"He's not here. It's the drug again, he's not really here." Jericho focused, manipulating the dreamscape around him as much as he could manage, erasing Robin's injuries, his hand still firmly clasped on his friend's shoulder.
Robin noticed, but didn't question it. He got back on his feet, but still looked exhausted. "The lights... He doesn't go away when the lights are on. That's how I know he's real."
Right, Starfire and Raven had explained that. Luckily, Jericho had already come up with a new way to prove it wasn't real.
"Do you have your staff?"
Robin pulled it out of his belt, extending it.
"Fight back. Take his mask off, if you have to then break it like you have before. If you see his face, for the first time, you'll know it's real. If not, you know it isn't."
Robin nodded once, grip tightening around the staff. "I can't fight him alone. I'm not strong enough."
"You're not alone," Jericho said. "I'm here with you."
Across the room, Slade started to get up from the pile of rubble that had been created from the impact of his body being thrown back. Robin got into position to fight, though Jericho could still sense uncertainty and fear. He stood at the ready, knowing it was crucial to fight Slade alongside Robin. Not because it was real, but because having an ally would help Robin feel stronger, and if he felt strong enough he could beat this version of Slade very easily, and find out for himself that it wasn't real.
Robin ran forward to make the first move, and Jericho followed behind to help. He materialized his own bo staff, so he could strike at more of a distance. Robin needed to do the majority of the fighting, for his own sake. Jericho focused on blocking Slade's attacks against Robin, to keep him from getting hurt again.
As the fight went on, Robin's confidence grew, and he gained a lot of ground because of it. Soon enough, Slade's own staff was knocked out of his hands, and it was as good as over. With a final cry, he struck the man down, landing on top of him. Triumphantly, he pulled off the mask, but there was no face. With this Slade's true nature revealed, his whole body vanished, leaving Robin sitting on the ground.
Jericho let out a soft breath of relief. He'd done it, he'd helped to save Robin. It'd been relatively easy, which was nice because the blonde knew he had other difficulties to face soon. He had to tell the Titans the truth.
For now he just sat down across from Robin.
"How could this have happened again..." the young man murmured to himself. "It still seemed so real."
"It did," Jericho agreed. "I got a taste of it on my way in here."
Robin looked at him, as if registering for the first time what was going on. "Are you... really here Jericho?"
"I'm real. The Titans asked me to come to the Tower to try and help you. You're sedated for now, so we're in your unconscious mind. You were still experiencing hallucinations in your sleep, in a dream."
Robin was silent for a moment, taking it in. "Thank you. I couldn't have done this by myself. What now?"
"Now that you've proven to yourself it isn't real, you'll be fine again when you wake up. I was told Batman was coming up with an antidote so it wouldn't relapse again," Jericho explained.
"Great," Robin groaned. "I didn't want him involved with my team. I'm glad they thought to ask the right people for help though."
"I can stay a while, until the sedatives wear off," offered Jericho.
"You don't have to."
"I want to stay. It's a rare opportunity I get to have a conversation without signing," Jericho answered. Plus, he wanted to talk. Both to get to know Robin, and if the right opportunity arose, he thought he should try to mention his connection to Slade.
"Yeah... I wouldn't mind the company," Robin admitted.
Together they sat cross-legged, face to face. Jericho looked around at the dark and gloomy atmosphere they were still in and frowned. "Robin, do you remember where I live?"
"Um, yeah it's..." as soon as Robin thought of it, they were sitting atop a mountain, surrounded by flowers. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and there was a warm breeze ruffling their hair. "Oh."
Jericho sighed peacefully. "Thank you, that's better, isn't it? We're still in your dream, you can change it if you think about it."
Robin smiled, enjoying the scenery. "I can see why you live here."
The blonde just smiled back."It IS a nice place to live, but... I live in Tibet so I won't be easily found."
"Found?" Robin asked. "By who?"
"Anyone dangerous," Jericho said carefully. "Like some of my family."
"Your family... They would hurt you?"
Jericho was quiet for a little while, preparing himself. There was no going back once he said it. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine what the warm breeze would really feel like, but every sensation was dulled here. It wasn't real.
"My father... He tore apart our family. My brother is dead, I'm mute. Mom has never been the same, and he was the cause of it all." He looked at Robin, making eye contact, no matter how much he wanted to look away. "I haven't seen him in years, because while I've been on my mountain, he's been here. Hurting you, now, hurting your friends."
It was painful to say, and downright frightening to admit. He waited, watching Robin put the pieces together, seeing his suspicion grow.
"Who is your father?" Robin asked tensely, looking ready to attack.
Jericho didn't want to say it, but he knew he must. Better to tell them himself then for them to find out later from some other source.
"Slade Wilson."
For just a few seconds, Robin was still and silent, in shock. Then, he snarled, getting to his feet in one quick motion.
"Slade?! Slade had a-? YOU!" He pointed accusingly. "You joined the Titans to take us down just like Terra, didn't you? Get out! Get out of my head!"
Jericho didn't move a muscle. His reaction was no reaction. Defending himself or trying to convince Robin he wasn't an enemy wouldn't do any good. He knew that Robin wasn't just angry, he was afraid. It made sense. The son of his worst enemy was here, right in the center of his mind. But Jericho wasn't about to leave. Outside he couldn't speak, couldn't begin to try and tell the truth. In here, though, he could communicate on a deeper level than regular human beings ever did.
Robin would know the truth, with as certainty as he now knew Slade wasn't really here. He had to know, with no room for doubt, or he would never be able to fully trust Jericho. The blonde continued to stay silent, not even moving.
When Jericho didn't respond, it just made Robin angry. Here on a subconscious level of the mind, emotions were stronger, especially just after a nightmare. Jericho could feel the wave of anger and fear, and braced himself. Robin snarled and leapt forward, pinning Jericho down flat on his back, his hands holding down the blonde's wrists.
"Tell me the truth!" he demanded.
Jericho still didn't move, didn't fight back or attempt to defend himself. Words would mean nothing. He didn't have much practice with them, anyway. But, emotions ruled here, in the unconscious state of mind where dreams come from. Emotions, he was good with. With a short breath, he let down the barrier keeping him separated from Robin, the faint glow around his body disappeared, and their minds overlapped.
In the blink of an eye, Robin lost himself in the wordless thoughts and feelings of Jericho. Memories were presented like a dream, taking up all the time in the world yet passing by so quickly. Early, fuzzy memories of a whole and happy family, embraced him, making him feel warm yet bittersweet. He knew the people he saw as if they were his family. Mom, dad, Grant... He felt real love and trust towards them. Family was safe, family was good.
It ended. The most prominent word to describe how sudden and painful it was, was sharp. The pain wasn't just physical, but emotional and psychological. There were strange men, snatching him up, a knife covered in his blood. A man called Deathstroke who sounded like dad, but he was a stranger. Everything became grey after that. The family was broken into individual pieces. He was full of confusion, and sorrow, and just so much pain. Dad was gone, mom wasn't soft and warm anymore, and before he knew it he was looking at Grant's body in a casket. Everything was so broken.
The years at Searchers Inc. were just as dull and grey. He trained and trained, but he secretly hated how hard his mother pushed him. He had an incredible power that frightened him, that he didn't even want. He grew old enough to understand more of what happened, and to see what was still happening. His mother kept tabs on his father, and trained him more than ever. She talked about when they would finally catch up to him, make him pay for everything he had done. She told her son how he would be strong enough to defeat his father, and it scared him. He didn't want to fight. He was torn between the sense of utter betrayal, and the lingering love for his father. His mother was becoming a stranger now, too.
Then, a time of brightness. There was color in the world again. A beautiful mountain top, covered in flowers, miles away from anyone. Here he found peace, and sorted through his thoughts and feelings. He was able to be happy again, to make music and paint like he'd always loved to do. No more training until he could barely stand, no more fighting armed enemies, and no more using his power to hurt people.
The only person to find him was a green boy, who climbed all the way up to ask him to join a team. Apprehension and fear came back, but this wasn't like being in Searchers. He could help people, and be with other teenagers just like him. A new family, maybe, made up of other broken pieces. Friends. He hadn't realized how lonely he'd been. Now, he found a strong sense of duty and loyalty. A pure love for others, the need to protect them and help them. His new family. Even upon finding out the truth, about Slade, he was determined to protect his new family over his old one. He still couldn't hate the man, but even then he couldn't tolerate the actions of such a villain. He could help, he could heal, despite his heritage. If they gave him a chance.
Jericho restored the barrier, after he felt that Robin had seen enough. He'd bared his own most base feelings, his truest intentions. It would be almost impossible to lie when they were in so deep psychologically. Jericho's hope was that it would be enough.
Robin was still for a minute, processing everything. He stared blankly for a moment, before remembering that he was pinning Jericho down. He crawled backwards, letting his fellow Titan sit up again. They were both silent at first, both of them just quietly feeling the emotions and thoughts shared between them. Jericho saw Robin start to relax, for the first time since he'd entered his mind. That was a good sign.
Jericho held one hand out, palm up. With a little hesitation, Robin took it. Without words they both knew what this meant. They were friends, allies. Maybe something more, something that there wasn't a word for.
"Thank you," Robin said as softly as he could. He didn't want to break the silence, but did feel a strong need to put words to what had just happened. The scenery around them had brightened up, the mountaintop seeming much more colorful now. This was the peaceful place, where two sides could find balance. Robin understood, now, exactly how it felt for Jericho to have found this place. The feeling was replicated again, here, now that they'd connected on a subconscious level.
"Sorry," Jericho answered. "Normally I wouldn't... I don't like to…"
"I know." And Robin did know. It dawned on him, that he knew Jericho more intimately than he'd known any other person, now. Jericho didn't like to use his powers, much, and when he had to he liked to stay within certain boundaries. "I know you. I'm sorry I got mad and attacked you."
Jericho offered a small smile. "No harm done. I would have felt the same if I were in your position. You were afraid, with the son of your enemy inside your mind, how could you not be?"
Robin's first instinct was to protest, to say he wasn't afraid. He automatically opened his mouth to argue, but then realized what he was doing. There was no hiding anything here. No secrets between them, now. He wasn't afraid anymore, at least not of Jericho being any threat to him. Still, he couldn't quite wrap his head around it all. It was strange, what'd happened.
The blonde stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his pants. "There's a lot to talk about, but I understand you'll want to process it on your own. You still need to rest, too, so I'll leave."
"You're going?" Robin asked, standing up quickly.
"Oh, no," Jericho shook his head. "I'm not leaving the Tower. I'll be there when you wake up, and we can talk. I just meant I'll leave your body. I can't overstay my welcome."
"I... Thank you, again, for helping me find my feet. And for sharing everything with me," the boy wonder answered. He wouldn't have even really thought of it, but now that it was brought up, he realized he did want to process all this on his own. It was a lot to take in over the course of a few days, let alone a few hours... He held his hand out politely, to shake.
Jericho looked at his hand, then back up at him. He seemed to be considering things in his head. He smiled again and quickly pulled the younger teen into a tight hug. Robin was surprised, but pleasantly so. Another thing he wouldn't have thought to ask for, but something he found himself enjoying. He hugged back, letting himself feel comfortable. This was Jericho, who could only communicate in physical ways. This was his friend.
"Get all the rest you need," Jericho said as he pulled back, still grinning. "See you soon."
And he was gone.
Yes, I plan on continuing this a bit. When I first conceived of it I thought it would be a one-shot, but then it just got longer and longer so now it'll be a two-shot. As per usual I know what I want to do to wrap it up, and it probably won't be longer than this one, so hopefully I can get it out soon. Then again that's what I always say, isn't it?
November is around the corner, so we'll see what I can crank out with NaNo, I'm hoping to post more of something before the end of the year, at least once if not twice. ATM I have three different things open to work on, all three of which have been promised in some capacity to one or more people each. And then I guess the second half of this will be the fourth thing.
As always, if you liked it, I'd like to hear about it in a review. If you want more, follow the story or follow me and I'll see you in the next post!