Taking place between Parts Four and Five.
The rain came down heavily just as the figures rushed towards the dodgy bar, coats pulled up around faces and heads tucked to avoid the torrent. The streetlamps caught the streaks of rain in brief comets of light before they splashed in the already growing puddles in the heavily cracked pavement. The two figures disappeared into the door, and Dick shook his hair out as Will laughed, shielding his face as he removed his police cap.
"You had to tell me to park nearly a block away," he laughed and shook his head.
"Well there was nowhere to park and you have to be able to get back to your car should an emergency arise, so down the block it was. Come on, let's get a drink." Dick beamed and shrugged his coat off, walking towards the bar. Someone bumped into him.
"Shit." Jason swore. He held his glass tightly to keep anymore from spilling on his jacket before downing it. Dick blinked hard and then narrowed his eyes.
"Jason?" he asked in surprise, shaking his head. "What the-" he raised his eyebrows at the alcohol-soaked leather aroma of his brother before stepping back. "Whoa, Jay, how long have you been here?" Jason squinted at him and looked at his watch. He tried to judge the distance between the hands.
"A while. How long have you been here? You could have at least said hello."
"I just walked in the door," Dick laughed, pushing his wet hair back. "You look like you could be on your way out." He smiled at Will. "Go get us a couple of sodas, on me."
"Put vodka in mine," Jason told him seriously, leaning against Dick.
"I'm not buying you anything but water, Jason, you already smell dehydrated enough."
"That's why I need a drink." He stumbled to the bar and smacked his hand against it. "Another!"
"Ignore my brother," Dick snapped at the bartender as she came over. He glared at Jason. "Did you open a tab!?"
"Opening suggests I mean to close it. I have a tab. Would you like to share?" he slurred.
"I don't drink. Remember after Harley? I really don't drink with you." He smiled, catching Jason's arm and guiding him to the table where Will was sitting. Will eyed Dick's younger brother.
"Isn't he a little young to be…?"
"Aren't you a little old," Jason mumbled. He scooted his chair back suddenly and slouched his elbows on the table. Dick laughed.
"He'll be fine. How much longer you got for your break?" Dick asked Will, sipping the soda he'd bought. Will glanced at his watch.
"Five, maybe ten minutes." He smiled. "No rush."
"So Jason. What sorrows are you drowning tonight?" Dick inquired, trying to smother his amusement at how completely plastered his brother was. Jason narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him.
"Why? What 'ave you heard?" he slurred.
"Only the ones you're confirming," Dick smiled at him and glanced at Will. He laughed into his drink.
"What am I confirming? I'm not confirming anything." He stood up and tilted to the side. "There's nothing to confirm. I'm fine." He fell into the chair beside him. "I'm fine," he mumbled.
"I'm sure you are." Dick leaned towards Will, his voice nearly inaudible as he whispered to him. "Watch this," he wiggled his eyebrows a bit and then looked at Jason. "So it has nothing to do with... Pamela Isley?" He emphasized the last two words.
"No," he whined. "And it has nothing to do with you being a complete asshole."
"Oh, it has nothing to do with Poison Ivy? At all? Running away to the Amazon?" Dick put an arm around Jason's shoulder.
"Stop it. No. No. Stop." He pushed Dick away and fell against the table. "No more words." He covered Dick's mouth. Dick laughed and pulled Jason's hand away.
"You smell like whiskey soaked cigarettes," he commented. "So it does have something to do with Ivy. You know I distinctly remember you making fun of me for drinking over a girl when I did, and now you're in the same boat."
"Escuse me?" Jason squinted at him. "I believe I was the one who got you drunk over that. So shut up fuck head. Ha."
"True. And I was in a worse situation, my girl had died and I'd just slept with my ex, too, so what's your excuse? She just ran away. Willingly left you." Dick raised his eyebrows. Will snorted, and pulled his hat back on.
"I think I want to hit you. I just don't know if I can." Jason swayed. "Will you stand still?"
"I'm afraid I have a shift to get back on," Will laughed as he stood. Dick bid him goodbye and he left as Dick dodged a weak blow from Jason.
"Whoa, hey, brother don't get too cocky," Dick laughed. "I'm only teasing you."
"You're cocky. You're name is Dick." He started giggling uncontrollably.
"Ha ha never heard that one before." He snorted, sipping his soda.
"I know I'm so clever. Get on my level." He stared at the wall. "I'm tired. Are you tired? What time is it?"
"It's really not late at all, Jay." Dick looked down. "How are you, on the relationship front? I mean, are you... Have you been trying to find someone else? It'd be good for you."
"I'm sorry. You're giving relationship advice?" He grabbed Dick's soda and took a gulp before frowning at it. "Can we give me like... a week... or a least a few more bottles of rum?""
"Sure Jay. Time, not the rum, you don't need any more to drink."
"Yes I do." He grabbed Dick's shirt. "I'm not blackout drunk yet. I know I'm not. Pinky swear. Cross my heart and hope to die." Dick shoved Jason back in surprise, forcing him to release his shirt.
"You know what? Fine. A couple more. Don't blame me when you're face down in a toilet tomorrow." Dick stared at him pointedly, and then got him a couple more drinks.
"Yes." Jason chugged a drink. "How about you?" He stared at Dick. "It's not as fun to drink alone. Come on big bro. Let's go. Hehe, rhyme." Dick rolled his eyes.
"And return home to Harley half drunk? No thanks."
"No. Return whole drunk. Huh?" He nudged him. "Then everyone wins."
"And have us both throwing up in the morning? I don't think so. I'll have one drink, how's that?" Dick smiled a little, clapping Jason on the shoulder.
"One drink after this one," he corrected.
"No, just one." Dick stood and helped Jason to his feet, going to the bar with him. He steadied his brother on a barstool and sat down, ordering himself a drink as Jason shouted his own order.
"Let's play a little drinking game I like to call 'whoever's life sucks the most chugs.' Jason quickly downed his drink as soon as it was handed to him.
"Looks like yours is worse," Dick muttered, sipping his drink. "I hope you're going home after this."
"What home," Jason muttered. Dick glanced at him, his dark hair falling in front of his face, light eyes narrowing a bit.
"Don't talk like that, Jason," he elbowed him gently. "You've got a home."
"No, no," Jason closed his eyes and waved his hand as he tried to think of a train of thought, "I have a place. Not a house. I mean," he tapped against Dick's arm to make sure he had his attention, "what am I doing, you know? Like, before all this," he waved his arms, "I used to know what I was doin. Now." He slumped against the table. "Do you know how many villains are in Arkham? A lot. And, and there are so many Bruces running around. We've got Bruce," he started ticking off on his fingers, "and you, and the devil, and, and Oracle, and... others. And... what's the point?"
"Yep, you're losing coherence, Jay. What do you mean?" Dick set his drink down, barely having touched it. He turned to Jason. "What do you mean, 'what's the point?'"
"Me. In the Batfamily. What's the point?" He slouched back in his chair and huffed out a breath of air. "We both know I'm not like you or Bruce. I'm not good." His head rolled on to his shoulder. "I wanted to help Gotham, but how can you do it if even Batman's against us?"
"Batman's not against us." Dick smiled a little. "And you are good, Jason, we're all good in our own ways."
"Yeah me, not us. You're the good son." Jason nodded vigorously.
"I thought we all unanimously agreed that was Tim," Dick shook his head. "You're good, Jason. You just have some room for improvement, like we all do."
"No. You don't get it. No." He tapped his hands against his forehead in frustration. "I can't see it. I can't see this cookie cutter, white picket fence, happy go lucky way you and Bruce follow. I never got it. The action made the difference," he gestured his arm straight in front of him and almost smacked Dick, "but he always got mad. He didn't get it. They just keep coming back. That's exhausting." He slid down in his chair. "It just never ends unless you end it. But apparently that's not okay," he muttered.
"No," Dick frowned and shook his head, and then chuckled quietly at his brother. Jason glared at him.
"Wha' are you laughing at?"
"Come on," Dick grabbed Jason's arm and paid his tab, pulling his arm over his neck. "Let's get you home."
"What? No, but we just got here," he whined, trying to struggle back to the bar.
"No Jason," Dick pulled his brother with him out the door.
"You're not the boss of me." Jason elbowed him away. "You don't have to treat me like a child."
"I'm not treating you like a child," Dick sighed in exasperation. "I'm treating you like my drunk brother who I want to help home."
"I can take care of myself," he slurred, stumbling away from Dick.
"Jason stop it. I know you can, I just want to help." He gruffly grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door. "Where's your bike?" Jason fumbled to find his keys in his pockets.
"Umm." He held the keys out in front of him like they'd help lead him to his bike. Dick sighed impatiently and pulled his coat tighter around him in the rain.
"Oh just give me the keys," he snapped, trying to grab them out of Jason's hand. Jason jerked away, and the keys fell into a puddle between them. He stared stupidly at them for a moment.
"Look what you did."
"Come on, let's get out of here," Dick knelt to pick them up, and then yawned. "Do you remember where you parked it?"
"No. I didn't think I'd be leaving." He pulled his jacket closer. "It's wet. Let's just go back inside."
Dick hesitated and frowned. "No more drinking."
"It's a bar. There will be drinkin. That's why I came here." He nodded vigorously.
"Jason, no. If we go back inside, you're going to tell me what's wrong and you're going to drink some water, or we are walking home."
"I am doing none of those things!" Jason cried. "Why don't you go fuck yourself? I'll find my own way." He shoved Dick and stumbled down the sidewalk. Dick practically pulled his own hair, growling in frustration. He wanted to let his infuriating brother walk his ass wherever he was trying to go in the rain, but he knew he couldn't. He didn't really think he wanted to, either.
"Jason! Jay, wait up. Come on," he caught his jacket sleeve. Dick tugged his own jacket off and held it above himself and his brother, trying to block some of the rain. "Let me call you a cab and we can have some beers at your place, eh?" He smiled and elbowed him a bit. Jason wiped the rain out off his face.
"Fine. But I don't need you. I don't need anyone," he mumbled.
"Yeah, I know," Dick chuckled and followed along beside him. "Wish it wasn't so late. Maybe we could hit the movies." Dick glanced over his shoulder as a taxi pulled to the curb.
"You boys need a ride?" The driver called, and Dick smiled, pulling the back door open. He and Jason piled in.
"Thanks. That's very kind of you to stop," he smiled at the middle aged woman driving the van.
"Oh I always prowl the bars at this hour, especially when it's rainy." She grunted. "Where to, boy? Since you seem to be the sober one?" Dick laughed and told her Jason's address as she started driving.
"Wait," Jason glanced around, "we forgot my motorcycle."
"We'll get it tomorrow, Jay," Dick assured him, leaning back in the seat.
"No I need it." He yanked at the door handle. When it didn't work, he looked around him in confusion. "Am I in a cop car?"
"No, Jason it's a cab," Dick laughed.
"Good because I haven't done anything really bad in a while." He slumped against the door. "Are we there yet?" he whined.
"Nope. You gonna tell me whether or not this is about her?" Dick glanced at him, mopping his dark hair out of his eyes.
"No." Jason crossed his arms and pouted.
"Jason," Dick looked at him sternly.
"Why does this have to be about anything?" he cried and flung his arms out before hunching back down. "Leave me alone."
"Alright Jay. Hold it in, just like Bruce. You and Damian have got to be the most like him, you know. You could be a blood son. Despite how much you hate the two of them…" Dick yawned and stretched in the back seat.
"I'm not Batman!" Jason swung at him, and Dick caught his hand. "Don't you fucking say that."
"I didn't say that," Dick glanced at the driver. "I said you're a lot like Bruce. You act like him, and you know what? I think you try to," he teased.
"And I think you try to be a dick," he mumbled and then glanced up at him and giggled. "Dick. Get it?"
"I get it, Jason," Dick rolled his eyes. "You are a good son, you know, no matter what you think. No matter what Bruce says."
"Apparently not good enough," he muttered. He sat up and smacked Dick on the arm. "Do you know what's in the Amazon? Nothing. There's not buildings… or streets… or stuff. It's just…" he waved his hands in front of Dick's face, "the Amazon."
"Yeah," Dick urged. "And…?"
"And what?" Jason demanded. "What do you want to hear? That I'm alone, again. That not everyone gets a happy ending like you? That she left? Is that what you want to hear?" He leaned forward to talk to the cabbie. "Can we stop at the nearest liquor store please?"
"No, please don't Ma'am," Dick leaned forward.
"Jason, I know that she left. Why didn't you fight for her?" He glanced at him. Jason stared at him in confusion.
"Why would I stop her from doing what she wanted?"
"No- Jay, come on. She wanted you to fight for her. She… Well I can't tell you what she would have wanted, but you should have. No, that's not right either." Dick sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "You can't always be like Bruce, Jason. You should have talked to her. You still should. Write her a letter," he said lamely.
"I don't want to talk about this." Jason turned angrily away. Dick nodded a bit.
"Ok. This is the last we'll talk of it. But… I want to tell you that if I could trade my happy ending for yours, I would." Dick hesitated, thinking of Harley. Thinking of the baby. He chuckled softly. "Actually, you know, I don't know that I could." He looked over at Jason. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love."
"La, la, la," Jason covered his ears, "I'm not listening."
Dick laughed and nudged his arm, smiling. "We're almost to your house."
"Good," he muttered. "Then I don't have to put up with you anymore."
"Oh no, you stayed with me," Dick grinned.
"But I'm fine." Jason flailed in annoyance. "I'm fine."
"Yeah yeah, I know," he laughed, sitting up as the driver pulled up to the curb and he paid the fare. Dick hauled Jason out into the street. It had stopped raining.
"No, no, no," Jason shoved him away, "you don't get it," he slurred. "She hates me-men. She hates men. And me. How di-did I think it wou-would work," he hiccuped and stopped for a second. "I thought it would work." He sank down to the ground with a groan. "I th-thought I would work. I'm turning into you."
"What, you're emoting?" Dick asked sarcastically, rummaging around in Jason's coat pockets for his apartment keys.
"No." He crossed his arms, making it more difficult for Dick.
"Then what," Dick sighed, straightening up and staring at him with his arms crossed. "You sure you don't want to go sit in your warm apartment rather than on the wet pavement?"
"Are you sure you don't wanna shut up?" Jason muttered. Dick shivered a bit and looked around the dark street, pulling his wet jacket back on.
"Ok." He fell silent, staring up at the street lamp. It still misted a bit outside, the moisture catching the light.
"You think I'm a moron," Jason accused. "I'm drunk not stupid. You don't have to treat me like a child."
"Jason, I'm not going to win with you, so I'm going to let you sit there until you get cold and then I'm going to take you inside," Dick raised his eyebrows at him, shivering again. "I'm not trying to treat you like a child, I'm treating you like the petulant, difficult asshole you're being."
"Well at least I'm smart enough to realize you took my keys when we left the bar," Jason fired back.
"You keep your house keys on the same ring? I don't," Dick chuckled, pulling them out of his pocket and shaking his head. "Harley keeps saying I'm losing it." He smiled a little and held his hand out to help Jason up. Jason ignored his hand and pushed himself clumsily to his feet. He glared at Dick and jerked straight when he swayed. Laughing slightly, Dick shook his head again. "Jason, I'm sorry," he said lamely, unlocking the door and then heading up the stairs to Jason's apartment. He unlocked that door as well and then stepped aside to let Jason in. Jason stumbled past him and dropped immediately onto the couch, nearly sliding off. Dick sighed and stared at him. "You're a mess, little brother."
"You should have seen yourself over the Harley mess. At least I know how to hold my liquor."
"You've got me there," he sighed, dragging Jason to his feet again and pulling him towards his bedroom. When it became clear that that wasn't going to work, Dick pulled Jason's arm around his shoulders and walked to the bedroom door. He had to force it open, and nearly fell with Jason hanging off of his shoulder.
"I thought you were tough, pretty boy. Whas the matter?" he slurred.
"Okay, I thought I was over the 'Pretty Boy' title when I donned the red uniform," Dick muttered, pulling Jason's jacket off for him and dumping him into his bed.
"Never," Jason mumbled into his pillow, "not until you fix whatever's wrong with your pretty boy face."
"Uh huh. You gonna take your wet pants off or not?" Dick watched him. Jason sat up abruptly and stared at him, giggling like a maniac.
"Why, are your pants wet?"
"Jesus, Jason," Dick groaned, rummaging around on the messy floor, reminiscent of his own messy bedroom at home, and picked up a pair of sweatpants. He threw them at Jason, hiding his amused smile. "Just shut up, I don't want you to get sick or something."
"Well you're sick…" He snorted as he tried not to laugh. "Sick in the head if you're wet." He burst into another fit of laughter. Dick rubbed his temples in irritation.
"I can't even deal with this."
"They're your pants. I'm not dealing with it." He laid back down.
"Oh, you're…" Dick trailed off before he said something rude. He shook his head. "If you want to sleep in rain-soaked clothes, that's not my problem. I need to get back to Harley. Don't go back out," Dick glared at him, meaning his words. "And I'm taking away all of the booze you have here." Jason giggled.
"Good luck with that."
"Even the stuff hidden in here," Dick raised his eyebrows at him.
"I'd like to see you try." He glared up at Dick, who casually looked around the room before walking towards the stash hidden in the closet.
"Don't you fucking dare!" Jason cried. Dick stared at him calmly and pulled the closet door open. "You're dead to me," he warned. Dick stared at him a moment more, and then reached down to grab the bottles lying haphazardly on the floor. He bolted out of the room before Jason could catch him, quickly taking the bottles out of his liquor cabinet and then adding Jason's flask to the pile in his arms. As he strode to the door, he glanced toward the window and saw a lone potted plant, sitting on the sill forlornly, as if also waiting for Ivy to come back. Dick smiled a little and locked the door before shutting it behind him.