Ok. So. I hate Haywood (that btch).
Made her worse here and so added (unnecessary) stuff to his already horrible story.
But I'd seen a fanart long time ago with her holding a gun to Jay. And I just...could not escape it.
There was only ever one wound from his death that Jason was glad had gotten erased by the pit.
But no matter that it wasn't there anymore, Jason sometimes still felt a phantom pain from his shoulder.
Sure he'd gotten wounds one after the other after the pit. Even on his shoulders and everywhere else. Wounds from training, from lucky goons, from fighters and villains alike, from fights with the family even. But not one of those that scarred him mattered more than the one that wasn't there anymore.
Jason didn't really notice but sometimes he would reach for his shoulder and grimace. And though he didn't, his family surely did.
Once or twice they'd even try to ask questions. But the haunted look when he held it always made them stop. Yet any who'd helped stitch him up would only see superficial wounds, none that warranted lasting pain. Or such a despairing look.
And then one night, one horrible evening, Jason gets shot in the same spot the same time as his hood breaks and fear toxin gets to him.
Scarecrow had gone all out and had hired unexpected muscle. They were unfortunately seasoned thugs judging by how they fought. Wherever Crane hired them from, they'd fought with the Bats before and learned. Not enough to actually beat them. But enough to be trouble for the vigilantes.
Just when the fighting was almost finished, Crane had chosen to go big or go bust and released his new toxin. Of the few thugs still left standing, the toxin made the last armed thug trigger happy and everyone scattered.
That Jason got hit was pure luck. Bad luck. Bruce quickly took the thug down while both Robins ran after Crane.
Dick rushes towards his brother and noticed cracked pieces of the hood scattered around him.
Shit. Dick bit down on his rebreather and caustiously moved toward Jason. Fear toxin was always a fuckup waiting to happen. Especially if it affected any of them.
He could hear Bruce relaying what happened on the comms. Probably alerting Alfred. The toxin was most likely a new version. What with Crane having had ample time to modify it since his escape from Arkham.
Still, Dick hoped the antidote they all carried would be enough to help. He was worried that Jason hadn't already taken his. Of what he'd seen, Jason had reached for his belt but then nothing.
When he got closer he could see Jason on the floor scrambling back from him. His helmet was shattered on one side of his jaw. And he could see blood soaking his shoulder.
Dick wanted to go back and beat the stupid goon senseless. He got lucky twice. The shots fired must've broken Jason's helmet and his shoulder.
Footsteps get closer as Jason starts muttering and scrambling away from them.
Dick is rooted to the spot when the roaring anger in his ears dulls beneath his worry and he hears him.
"Stop." A whisper.
Jason is shaking even as he holds up a hand.
"Please."
"Little wing, it's just me. It's just us."
Jason's voice is shaking.
"Please don't."
Dick tries again but halts when Jason speaks, his voice cracking.
"Mom."
No. Jason holds his shoulder and looks at him pleadingly.
"Don't shoot me."
Dick doesn't hear the rough intake of breath behind him. He doesn't hear his hands tighten into fists as the leather of his gloves rub together. He doesn't hear his own hiss of anger. He hears nothing beneath the deafening silence of this realization.
Right now all he could do is remember every grimace, every hurt look, every glimpse of sadness when Jason held his shoulder.
It hadn't made any sense that Jason would react like that. But now he knew. And now he sees his younger brother still shaking, still pleading at them to not hurt him. He doesn't move. Suddenly lost on what to do.
But Bruce does and he moves quickly then, going around and injecting the antidote directly into Jason. All the energy from his fear is drained away and Jason falls unconscious in their father's arms.
Meeting his eyes, Dick can only imagine the guilt and horror that must be raging through him. But even as the Batman carefully binds the Red Hood's bleeding shoulder. Bruce Wayne was the one holding his son close to him and muttering assurances. Words they both hoped Jason could hear and help keep the nightmares sure to come at bay.
A/N:
So like the fam really knows nothing...they just know Joker (the fckr) beat him up with a crowbar and then blew him up with his mum and nothing of what happened after Bruce left him. I was like...what if she shot him...But baby Jay is too pure and still chooses to try and save her.
Dickiebird and Bruce don't tell the others. Jason is embarrassed but like comforted because Dick and B are all apologies even though it wasn't their fault. And even though he should feel stifled with their care, he isn't.
So, #2 isn't so bad, right?