Chapter 6

"So can you tell me more about your Daddy, Dickie bird?"

"He's the awesomest person ever. I love him, and he takes care of me, and he knows everything, and he's so amazing, and he takes care of me, did you know that? Oh don't be mad, Jason. You're amazing too, but Daddy is everything, and I can't change that. Don't be mad? I love you too; I'll do whatever you want, if Daddy doesn't say different. Don't be too mad…"

"I'm not mad. I… like you alot." The words were rushed, unfamiliar in a mouth more used to death threats and cursing.

"Dick… did your Daddy ever do anything wrong? No matter how little?"

"Nuh uh."

"Did anyone ever try to convince you your Daddy was doing anything wrong?"

"Oh, I don't see other people. Daddy says I'm a big secret. Daddy says if other people see me, they'll try to take me away!" Dick gasped as he thought of something. "Are you going to try to take me away? You wouldn't, would you? Cause you're Daddy's kid too? Please, please, no?"

Jason wasn't sure how to respond. He had every intention of finding a new home for Dick, no matter what. He also had every intention of putting a bullet between 'Daddy's' eye sockets. Maybe after showing the sick, twisted creature exactly what he had done to the precious gift he had abused so badly.

"I'm going to try to get you home, Dick. No matter what." Just maybe 'home' wasn't quite what Dick was thinking off.

"Okay." Dick said, beaming up at Jason with wide innocent eyes. How could anyone look so innocent after going through everything this child had? "Do you want to know anything else?"

Jason shook his head. Best to not push too much and freak the kid out. Also, if he learned to much at once, there was the distinct possibility that he'd get violent, and that would be terrifying for the kid. Besides, he had the feeling he'd be learning more than he wanted anyway.

Dick smiled at Jason's acceptance, then started looking around the room for something. Finally he walked over to the fireplace and rolled up his sleeve. Picking up the poker, he held the redhot material to his arm.

"Stop!" Jason's scream startled Dick, who went completely still, and didn't move. Jason ran over and pulled the poker away before it could make contact. He tried hard to keep his hands from shaking, but wasn't sure he was entirely successful.

"What… are you doing?"

Dick still stood frozen in the same position, but answered Jason's question. "I was punishing myself, Jason."

"For what? And why aren't you moving?"

"You hugged me, so I need to make up for that. So I remember my place and don't think too much of myself. And I'm standing still because you said 'stop'.

'I… you can move now. And why would you punish yourself for being hugged? I thought you liked being hugged."

Dick turned to face Jason now, small face scrunched up in confusion at this strange older brother who didn't understand why Dick needed to hurt.

"Of course I love being hugged, it's amazing! But if I don't punish myself, I might start to think that I deserve being hugged." Dick shuddered at the thought. "I have to remember that I'm not worth anything, or I might start doing bad things that make Daddy sad." The very idea of this seemed to greatly upset the eight year old, and he looked up, upset, at Jason.

"So may I have the poker back, please? Or if you don't want me to use a poker, I can use something else, it's okay."

Jason stared at the kid in horror. "You'll obey whatever I say, right?"

Dick nodded exuberantly. Finally, Jason understood! "Yes! Whatever you say!" Dick was looking forward to this. He wanted to make Jason happy so badly it hurt, and Dick could barely contain his excitement.

Dick had done some thinking about Jason's world. He hoped that back where Jason came from, Daddy didn't hurt him, not Dick's little brother. (Because Jason would be his little brother over there, and that very thought was wonderful.) Hopefully, Daddy only hurt Dick, and would punish Dick, not Jason, if Jason did wrong things. That would be good. Dick didn't think anyone could be as worthless as him, Daddy had said so.

That meant that in the other world, Daddy apparently had Dick, and a son who was worth something. Dick just hoped Daddy didn't hurt Jason. Hurting Dick was alright, because he was so worthless. But Jason was very special, and Dick didn't want anything to hurt him, ever. If Daddy said so, he'd have a good reason, but Dick hoped that Jason would be the son Daddy wanted.

And Dick would serve Jason happily, and do anything for him, as long as Daddy didn't say otherwise. And now he could start! Jason would give him orders!

"I need you to not hurt yourself."

" … "

Okay, so Jason had a little bit to learn. What did he even mean, anyway?

"I'm sorry, Jason, I don't understand."

"When you do bad things, or when you get good things like hugs… no punishing yourself by hurting yourself, okay?"

"But that's how I learn!" Dick cut himself off immediately. "I'm sorry. I understand, Jason." He couldn't believe he'd actually tried to contradict Jason. This was obviously a test. Take away everything Dick was familiar with and see how he responded. Throw him off his game and see if he could react. And Dick had just failed the test miserably. He didn't know what his punishment would be.

For as long as he could remember, little punishments meant smaller pain, and big punishments meant bigger pain. A punishment with no pain wasn't a punishment at all.

Well… there was one thing Daddy did that didn't make owies. That was the worst punishment of all. That was when Daddy would sit in front of him, and very seriously tell Dick exactually what he'd done wrong, and how it hurt Daddy. Then he'd keep saying how it hurt Daddy, and Dick was always crying by this point. Then Daddy would tell Dick how worthless he was. How Dick should be nothing but grateful that Daddy even looked at him, let alone let him live in the beautiful mansion. How he should know everything Daddy did for him meant that Dick should be so grateful to Daddy that he should do everything Daddy wanted.

Then he'd say how Dick was always being an awful little boy anyway, who did far to much thinking, which always lead to being bad.

Was Jason going to always give him those talks for punishment? Dick knew he deserved the worst he could get, but he didn't know if he could take that many punishments.

And he'd just contradicted Jason, just now. Apparently it was time for his first talk.