Thanks for continuing to follow guys! Thanks for the new alert'rs, the new fav'rs, new review'rs and the people who always review and all those little anon people running around who enjoy this story! xD. Also, thanks for the positive reactions amongst Jason's arrival ^^" I'm sure he feels the love.
Sorry for the wait! But I was caught up with booking stuff for San Diego's Comic Con and getting badges and stuff since the registration opened today, I had to get my sh—together.
-ProtectorKorii + EpicNinjaSushi made a clear point about the lack of emotional content which I will try to keep in mind .!
-Celestial: Who's Jason?
Jason, known as Jason Todd, currently under the name of Red Hood was the second Robin. So far, there have been five Robins, each with a distinctive personality which you may feel free to look up.
The "x" years ago, I based Dick's parents death on pre-crisis, meaning his parents died when he was 8. Present time in this story Jason is 22 (and a half c:).
You'll notice a dab of Jason Todd's; "The Lost Days."
And quick reminder since this was only mentioned once, Wendy = Tom's ex-wife ^^"
Hope you enjoy!
UPDATE 3/21 P.S.: GOING ON A HIATUS / VERY SLOW UPDATES DUE TO FANIME NEARING (I need to make arts to sell at Fanime so I can help pay off my share of the hotel for COMIC CON!) Thanks for understanding.
Fight, Live, Retaliate
Chapter 11
Robin - Red Hood Verse Part 1
Five years ago.
Jason heard the doorbell ring and went to press his ear against the door of his room. No one visited the Johnsons, like no one. They were a pair of screaming, bashful tots who would have argued right against left. No one could handle them unless one party was drunk.
It couldn't be his social worker because Tom always had a way with "words."
He stretched his aching spine like a cat and lowered ear to try to hear between the small spacing of the door to the floor. Who was it? He picked up a few words here and there, but not enough to put together a story. He heard footsteps creep along the hallway and stop in front of the door. He immediately dodge the door that slowly opened and watched as Tom entered the room.
The door shut softly and almost immediately he felt his assaulter's long fingers dig into his windpipe and mercilessly dragged him to the closet. His fingers were quickly replaced by a rough strap that locked around Jason's neck.
"Sit Rover." Tom hissed as he shut the closet door.
Rover? Jason traced rough lining, quickly to find a boxy shape attached to it. Shock collar. He sighed and sat quietly, perking up when he heard the door open and multiple footsteps run along the closet.
"This is where the boy will be staying." He heard Tom speak. "Oh no, no, don't go over there son, that closet is full of junk. Something might fall out and hurt'ya, I still need to clean it."
Another kid? Is this why he's been cleaning? Pathetic.
"There isn't a bed?" spoke another.
"Well, the springs on the bed popped out and I didn't want it to poke and hurt the kid, so I sent Jason to stay at his aunt's until the new bed came in. This little guy will sleep in Jason's room for now. The bed will come in in a few days then this room will be his."
Jason wanted to just scream bullshit, but he bit back his tongue as he reminded himself what was holding his neck so tightly. He heard a little high pitch sound speak happily, "are we going to get a dog?"
Then a female voice responded. "Dick is very good with animals."
"We just might." Tom replied.
After the two conversed the woman seemed to agree that this was "perfect" living conditions for Dick and left after explaining some of Dick's troubles with handling his parents' deaths. Jason could hear little footsteps wander around the room curiously and took this chance to open the closet door and slip out from it.
Dick turned to see Jason groggily appear from the closet and fell silent. He scurried backwards, huddling into the nearest corner of the room.
Jason stared at Dick with his naturally intimidating eyes. Turning to the doorknob of the closet, examined himself, noting the bags under his eyes. "Damn, I look like a monster." He managed a chuckle and slumped against the closet door.
He watched as this little child innocently toddled towards him, fearfully and watchfully. Dick took a few steps forward, wanting to take another step back, but with a hint of imagination, approaching the teenager become easier. He imagined himself walking towards the lions' cages, hand outreached wanting to touch its paw.
"Dick Grayson, famous acrobat." Jason recognized as he cocked his eyebrow, watching as the acrobat petted his hand. "I've seen your show once, heard your parents died though, must have sucked."
Dick shrunk back and tears instantly welled up in his eyes.
Great job Jason. That's the first thing you say?
"Sorry." He muttered, moving slowly to the crying soul, kneeling to get to eye level. He rubbed his hand awkwardly along Dick's back, trying to sooth the boy, "I didn't really know my parents if that makes you feel any better." The frail acrobat clung onto Jason's shirt, burying his head into the teenager's torso. "I guess I should just shut up now."
"Not fair." Was all Jason could make out between the Dick's muffled sobs. The once cheery child quickly melted down into a weeping mess. How long did he keep up his façade? He pressed his forehead against Dick's, "Hey, hey," he spoke softly, "it's alright."
They stayed in their clingy position for fifteen minutes; Jason patiently waiting for Dick to calm down. It was something he wasn't used to, but it felt right to do. Usually, he would have been lashing out at adults older than him or teenagers around his age, "get over it!" "It's not the end of the world!" "Quit whining!"
But this was different. This was a child, too young to should have seen his parents' death first handedly. He allowed the blue-eyed boy to stream tears down his face until no more tears would come out. Dick pushed himself off of Jason, looking at the older boy with puffy eyes and quivering lips.
With a kind finger, Jason gently wiped the last tear from the base of Dick's eyes, smiling as he wiped the tear into his palm. "You're a tough little guy, but it's okay to cry."
Dick sniffled a bit, hiccupping as he began to regulate his breathing.
Jason switched to sitting with his legs crisscrossed and like a magnet, Dick crawled into the teenager's lap. He curiously reached out for the strap around Jason's neck and whispered between his hitching breaths, "what's that?"
"A… terrible fashion statement." Jason laughed.
"Oh no." Dick gasped.
"It's not that bad." the teenager assured, leaning back with his elbows. "It still attracts the ladies—"
"No," Dick shook his mop of black hair, "mama and tata always told me to introduce myself when I meet someone new."
Jason nearly creased an eyebrow out confusion. "Well, it's not too late. I'm Jason."
"Dick." the smaller boy replied with a smile, which dropped into a confused expression. "I thought you were at your aunt's house."
The boys turned around as the door swung open and in Jason's eyes, the atmosphere just turned black. Tom entered the room looking more menacing than usual, happier that he managed to get his hands on two boys instead of just one. "I didn't say you can get outt'a the closet." Tom growled. "Who gave you that right?"
Jason felt Dick latch onto his pant leg, being unfamiliar with the situation of the sudden uproar of a stranger's voice directed so brutally, but the small child was promptly snatched away into Tom's grasp. Jason glared at Tom as the man pushed Dick aside, giving the eight year old a front row seat as he rammed his foot into Jason's side.
Dick stared into Tom's piercing eyes as the man squatted in front of him. "Now, if you don't follow my instructions and be a bad boy like him, this will be you." He threatened, which Dick responded with a slow, fearful nod. Over Tom's shoulder he could see Jason double over, his hand grabbing his side. It was hard to comprehend and he could feel his heart skip beats. There was a sudden rush of adrenaline that overwhelmed him, but it wasn't the rush that he got from swinging from the trapeze. It was anxiety in its natural form.
As Tom had his attention on his newer child, Jason picked himself off the ground and grabbed a fistful of their guardian's hair, yanking him back and away from the acrobat. With as much energy as he could muster up, he managed to yank Tom into the opposite direction, and quickly repositioned himself in front of Dick.
Tom smirked. "Boy—o, you seemed to have forgotten…"
Jason bared his teeth, snarling as he did, but as Tom pulled out a remote-like device, his expression faded. He felt a small jolt of electricity run through his neck, and the second prolonged spark was able to bring him to his knees. His hands instinctively reached for the source of pain, and another jolt was sent through his nerves. Each one seemed stronger than the last, and the spikes of pain pushed him further to the ground.
He quickly planted his palms onto the ground to avoid face planting the carpet. He groaned as another wave of pain vibrated through his neck, his breath shortening in between each episode.
Jason turned his head and unintentionally growled, "don't touch me!" As Dick was about to latch onto the teenager for security.
Tom purposely held back his thumb from pressing the button that caused all the torment to let Jason spit out his sentences. He grinned as he watched the interactions between the boys. One physically hurt, the other, mentally scarred. It was too good.
"No," Jason whispered, indirectly apologizing to frightened Dick, "if you touch me and he shocks me, you'll get shocked too." He watched with frustrated eyes as Dick repeatedly shook his head, unable to twig the situation to its full extent. This was unfamiliar, uncharted grounds.
Jason fumbled with the collar trying to pry the thing off. He squeezed his fingers between the space, but there was no avail. He was caught by surprise when the collar went off, shocking him with a higher voltage. The unsuspected event caused Jason to accidently let a curdling scream rip through his throat and he twitched violently as the remaining currents zipped through his nerves. He hit the floor with a faint stare and edgy breathing.
Dick covered his ears, his heart racing as he took in the scene. "STOP IT!" He shrieked, as he was being pulled back into his memories. The circus came back to him and the walls morphed into the familiar, haunting canvas fabrics that surrounded it. Jason laid motionless in the center of the ring, convulsions still running through his body. Dick couldn't help but to reach out and grab his shoulder with both his palms.
"Jason?" He sniffed, panicking as he did.
The ringmaster snickered, walking past him with a crude smirk. He tossed the young acrobat a key before exiting the colorful tent. Dick squinted his watery eyes and cautiously picked the key off the carpet. Realizing what it was, he snapped back into the discomforts of reality. He stared at the key then glanced at Jason's neck.
Wiping his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, he stuck the key into the lock and undid the collar.
"Jason?" He repeated as he threw the collar to the side. The teenager's eyes were closed, making him worry. He placed his finger above Jason's upper lip and felt the warm breathing from his nose. Unsure of what to do next, he lifted Jason's eyelid with his finger, then moving it away to let his eye fall shut again.
He curled against Jason's fallen figure and stared at the teenager's face, waiting until he woke up.
NANANANANANANNANANANA
Three years ago.
"…and you're out there whoring yourself to everyone—everything that moves!" Tom hollered from the kitchen, his raspy voice crackling against his voice box.
The young acrobat snapped awake from the sudden yelling and crawled out of his pile of cotton. He toddled over to latch onto his sleeping brother in the corner. With his little fingers with broken nails pushing as far as they could go into the torn fabric of Jason's formally white shirt, he pressed himself against Jason's body.
"J-Jas-soo—on?" Dick stuttered, sniffling as he choked the words out from behind tears that streamed down his face. He shook Jason's shoulder hoping to emit some kind of response.
"Dickie." Jason mumbled with a slight smile while blinking his eyes. "You cold little bro? It's summer."
Dick shook his head, and flinched when Tom's crude sentences echoed the house.
Jason sighed and sat upright and small arms wrapped half way around his hips. Jason couldn't help but wince when Dick had his arms around one of the longer gashes and had to quickly pry is little brother away. He quickly recuperated by hugging the younger boy, one arm gently around his back, weary of any bruising areas, and a hand to the back of his head, like a caring mother would to ease her toddler's crying.
"Shhh, it's okay." He cooed as he held the shaking boy between his hold.
Dick sniffled and murmured. "I'm hungry."
Another line of ill-mannered phrases echoed through the room, making Jason frown. "Don't think we'll be able to get something to eat right now."
Suddenly, the door swung open and everything just seemed to die.
Dick let out a whimper, and quickly buried his face into Jason's shoulder. It was an act that gave their foster father an easy smirk, and Todd knew it. He moved his younger brother behind himself and forced his body to get onto his feet. He rocked on his heels as his aching joints began to protest.
"Do you get off seeing a child's pain?" He growled coarsely, barely able to keep his balance. "Some sort of sadistic pedophile?"
Tom frowned.
Jason took one step forward, pain ripping through his nerves. His step was short when a sharp stinginess returned to the back of his left leg. His knee buckled underneath him, and he fell onto the carpet in humiliation.
Dick toddled towards his fallen brother and clutched tightly to the fabric of his shirt, shaking his head in remonstration, not wanting his brother to continue to move. Dick felt himself being pulled roughly. A large calloused hand came down and yanked him forward by his bangs. His body tumbled away, and his assaulter lifted his head, exposing his purple cheek.
With the scent of alcohol emitting from his lips, Tom's hand connected to the already bruising cheek, snickering as he did.
Jason's eyes shut tightly as he tried to put himself together. He brought his leg into himself, trying once more to stand. He could feel Tom's eyes switch over into him as he managed to bring himself onto his feet. He toddled, and quickly fell towards the nearest wall, leaning against it for support.
"Jackass." Jason breathed out heavily.
Tom walked over easily, slamming a palm against the wall next to Jason's face. He looked down at his son's determined, spiteful eyes and spat on his cheek. "Repeat tha—at?"
Jason shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he reopened them, he glared at Tom with pure hatred. "Jack ah—" He was immediately cut off when a fist to his gut caught him off guard. He choked dryly as he recovered, forcing his arm back and forwards again into Tom's stomach to bring him down to his level.
He pushed Tom's head downwards, connecting the man's nose to his unsteady knee. As Tom's face rebounded from the collision, he took the chance to land an uppercut, flinging Tom to the ground.
After the adrenaline pumped out of his attacks, he slumped down against the wall with Dick quick to rush against his torso.
"Let me see." Jason breathed out as he tilted his brother's face. He brushed the purpling-blue cheek and Dick winced away. "Pretty heavy bruise there." He sighed.
Tom recuperated from the blow and the two boys stared back in surprise. "Rover shouldn't done that." He barked wildly, veins bulging from his arms and neck out of rage.
Jason could feel Dick's hands stiffen against the fabric of his shirt and wrapped his hand around the small fist.
Dick whimpered when Tom viciously reach for the collar of Jason's stained t-shirt and pulled him off the ground with one swift motion. He watched as Jason's feet struggled to hold some grounding, and his body stumbled in the air. He bit his lower lip and grabbed Tom's leg, clutching onto his limb as firmly as his hands could hold.
Tom easily shook off the youngling and proceeded to shove Jason's back against the wall. With an open palm, he pushed it onto the surface of Jason's gash. He watched as his adopted son squirmed beneath the pain.
Jason hissed, while broken sounds of pain escaped his mouth. He immediately tried to pry the hand away from his side, but he felt an immediate appliance of pressure, making him go rag from the discomfort.
"Not so cocky now aye?" Tom smirked as he pressed Jason and his gash into the wall.
"Get your hand off me." He growled angrily. With little options left, he fought past the agony and lifted his legs into the air, using Tom's arm as a support. Jason kicked both feet forward, sending quite the impact into the man's stomach. He launched himself forward and punched Tom straight in his face. He felt a sick wave of triumph over him when he felt the little cartilage in the nose shatter beneath his knuckles.
Dick scurried over to Jason and the boys looked at each other, one in thought, and one without certainty.
"What do we do now…?"
Jason grit his teeth momentarily before turning to Dick and rubbing the back of his neck comically. He spoke with strain and confidence, "I guess we could get something to eat now."
"Get something to eat?" Dick repeated worriedly as Jason pulled the ragged shirt off his younger brother. He felt himself being fitted into a more cleaner look, looking down to see himself in a red t-shirt over a thin black hoodie.
Jason threw a pair of black jeans towards his younger brother and spoke, "put this on." Jason himself continued by putting on a pair of black cargo pants, and a thin red hoodie that he knew would cover his facial features. He turned to his brother and pulled the hood over his brother's head. It covered most of his face, but it didn't feel enough. He pulled out a plastic domino mask he wore to a Halloween party and hovered it above Dick's face. It would do.
He gently tucked the piece of plastic in his hoodie's pocket and grabbed Dick's hand after the acrobat had finished changing. Jason tugged him out of the room and down the hallway.
"Bye lady, Dick and I are going to the street vendors." Jason called out as he opened the door. "We'll be back in an hour."
"Mhmm, you boys be good!" Wendy replied loudly without care from the couch.
Jason led Dick out of the house and gently shut the door behind them.