Mirrors, a young justice fanfic

Disclaimer: If I owned young Justice Robin would be the main character. Always. And he'd be gay (Gayer than he is canonically). But I don't, so alas, I am left to simply writing fanfics. Lol. Not that I mind.

A/N: This was done for the Pain is weakness challenge. Robin and Spectrophobia. I will have a link posted under the challenge on here. You may find others and the prompt there.

Dedicated to:30secondstomarsfan101 Hope you enjoy it!

Spectrophobia– fear of mirrors and one's own reflections.

Mirrors. Surrounding him. Caging him in. His own face reflected a million times, a stranger to him. Freezing him in place with hollow masked eyes. Mocking him with what he'd avoided for so long. What he'd hidden from.

He doesn't really recall when it began. The avoidance. The fear. But it was here now, burrowed into his very core. Twisted inside his guts, tugging on his insides. The fear of something so simple and mundane that if it weren't for the paralyzing fear, like ice in his veins, he'd laugh out loud.

"What's so funny bird-brain?"

Oh. Apparently he was laughing out loud. How had he missed that? Faced with his own reflection, Grinning (or frowning perhaps. Who knows? Maybe he was hysterical. He probably was hysterical.) like a madman, it seemed impossible not to get. He was laughing. A million times over, laughing.

"C'mon let Uncle J in on the joke."

There was no joke. Only horror. Fear. Agony. His own face. His own fucking face, in every single fucking mirror. Each surface holding a piece of him. Whoever he was.

"Bird-brain? Have you broken so soon?"

Eyes snapping away from the ground (When did he look away from the mirrors?) he looks for the source of that awful mocking voice, but all he see's is himself. Robin. Or maybe Dick Grayson. He'd doesn't really know anymore and -OHFUCKINGOD!-he can't stand to look anymore. Can't stand to wonder.

Who is that looking back? Who is that boy? Black hair, blue eyes(No, no blue eyes, just a mask. A blank mask.), and this pale skin. Is he Robin? Or Richard Grayson?

It's all so unfamiliar. The names. The faces. Robin and Dick. Robin or Dick. Which one? Which one?

"Boy Blunder...?"

He glares at the reflections. At the lies. All lies. 'Who are they? Who the fuck are they? Robin or Dick. Robin or Dick? ROBIN OR DICK?', His voice asks, there in his head.

"Yoohoo! Birdy wordy? You home?"

'ROBIN OR DICK? ROBIN OR DICK? ROBINORDICK? WHO ARE THEY? WHO ARE THEY? WHO ARE YOU?', his own voice asks-no screams-again.

A sob breaks from his throat as he stares at the faces, each one the same. Who are they? Why won't they answer him? Why doesn't he know?

He doesn't want to face this? Worked so hard to avoid the question. To avoid that nagging question. But now he can't get away. He's stuck and he can't look away and they won't stop staring and the question's still repeating in his head. 'WHO ARE THEY WHO ARE THEY WHO ARE THEY?', but it's changing 'WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU?'

And now he's crying out. begging. "Stop it! STOP IT! STOP IT! PLEASE! JUST STOP IT! FUCKING STOP! S-STOP!"

"Didn't know you held so much anger birdy. When did you get so fun?"

His hands are bleeding. Oh god, he's breaking them. All of them. He doesn't know why. Maybe it's because he can't stand to see them anymore. See him anymore. And the Joker is laughing. Cheering him on, and he's supposed to be catching him. Stopping him, but he's not. He's breaking them. Mirror after mirror. Shattering.

And he doesn't stop because he doesn't want to answer that stupid question-Who is he? Robin? Or Dick?-because, to be honest, he doesn't know. Hasn't known in so long. Can't answer it.

Doesn't want to.

Can't stand to know the answer. What if he doesn't like the answer? What if he doesn't like who's looking back?

He doesn't want to know. Doesn't need to. So he breaks them. All of them. Fists smashing into glass, leaving shards behind in his flesh. Blood flecking the smooth empty surfaces. And the Joker cheers and cheers. Cackling like a madman.

Yes, he breaks them, beats them, destroys them. All because they scare him. Because he's afraid of them. Can't stand what they hold. And as the Joker laughs, and the glass shatters, he can hear the voices of his teammates and of Batman. They're calling him and he tries-oh god he tries-to answer them, but he can't.

So he just falls to his knees, hands slamming down onto shards of broken glass. And as he stares down, down at that face that's haunted him, he feels tears slip down his cheek and a sob rise in his throat.

"It's been fun, but...this is getting a little crazy, even for me. So until next time Boy Blunder! Stay sharp!", a pause. "HAHA! Sharp. With all the blood and glass-whowhohahaha- that's good..."

And then he's alone. Alone with his reflection, the voices of his friends and mentor echoing in the empty funhouse. And as he stares into his own now mask-less eyes, so empty...so empty ( have they always been so empty?) he can't help but ask.

"W-Who are you?"

"Robin...? Over here!"

His teammates, friends, and Bruce. And looking up he can see them. And they're talking, but he can't hear it, can't understand. All he can feel is fear. Bone chilling fear.

There's a hand on his shoulder and Batman is there. So are his teammates, eyes on his bloodied form. "Robin. Are you alright?"

"B-Batman?" A sob falls from his throat. "Wha-?"

"Where's the Joker? What happened?", His mentor asks softly.

"I-I was chasing him...and he came in here. And I was fine until..."

Wally moves forward. "Until?"

He shakes slightly, whispering it. "The mirrors."

"The mirrors?"

He nods. "My reflection...I-I'm afraid..."

Aqualad frowns. "Afraid of what?"

ORIGINAL ANGST ENDING:

He sobs more, holding bloodied hands to his chest. "I'm afraid of my reflection. I don't know who I am anymore...and I-I can't stand to see it and not know...who's looking back..." And before he realizes what he's saying it's spilling from his lips, echoing in the cool air. The real question. The source of it all."Who am I?"

And then there's an answer, Batman's voice warm in his ear. "A wonderful son."

And another when Wally leans over to smile at him. "A best friend anyone would be lucky to have."

"A great teammate.",M'gann says softly.

Artemis nods. "An incredible hacker."

"An incredible fighter", Superboy.

And then he see's Kaldur, smiling at him. "A hero and someday...a great leader.", the Atlantian nods firmly. "You are Robin."

And he knows he's right. He is Robin. Not Dick Grayson. No. Dick Grayson wasn't a brave hero, he was a mathlete. He wasn't exceptional, he was ordinary. So he'll be Robin. Just Robin.

And he smiles because the question is answered. Finally. And as they leave that place, Batman holding him lovingly in his arms, he makes sure to keep his eyes averted from every mirror they pass, despite knowing the answer. Just in case Dick Grayson tries to come out. Because he's Robin now.

"Just Robin."

ALTERNATE HAPPY ENDING:

And then there's an answer, Batman's voice warm in his ear. "A wonderful son."

And another when Wally leans over to smile at him. "A best friend anyone would be lucky to have."

"A great teammate.",M'gann says softly.

Artemis nods. "An incredible hacker."

"An incredible fighter", Superboy.

And then he see's Kaldur, smiling at him. "A hero and someday...a great leader.", the Atlantian nods firmly. "You are Robin."

And Batman softly adds in his hear: "And Dick."

And he smiles because the question is answered. Finally. And as they leave that place, Batman holding him lovingly in his arms, he looks in every mirror that they pass...and after the longest time he isn't afraid of what's looking back.

Who's looking back.

Thought I'd add a happy ending for those who wanted it. Lol. Anywho. Please review.