A/N: As requested by Penny Tortoiseshell, here's some interaction and slight angst with Jason and Jester. One-Shot.
Jason's POV
I had found him in an alley.
At first, I thought he was some drunk, or a stray dog. When I shone the flashlight on him, he stirred. However, he didn't have the strength to stand, and he would have slipped on his own blood anyway.
Bringing him to the cave would have been risky; there were too many toys. Luckily, Mount Justice had an infirmary, where he could rest peacefully.
A few members of the team were nervous, but I told them to simply stay away. Even Mgann wouldn't go near the door; she said his mind was too… loud.
No one was allowed in, except the healers. Nightwing and Batgirl occasionally came by to check on him, but I spent the most time there.
It was three days before he woke up.
Jester opened his eyes; my hand was on a batarang, poised. However, he only looked around blearily. He propped himself up on his pillow, wincing, when he saw me. "If it isn't the Boy Blunder."
I wasn't like Nightwing; I wasn't willing to play the game. "You're only here until you can walk."
He frowned. "Where's here?"
"An infirmary."
"Oh, I thought it was a zoo." He stretched, but collapsed back in pain.
"What happened?" I asked, watching without concern.
"Dad was pretty ticked about the Batgirl thing, so I volunteered my services as a punching bag." He smirked.
I was surprised to find myself smiling. "You need to get out of that house, Jester."
"I would if I could, Red."
There was a pause. Outside the window, I could see Batgirl walk by. She glanced in, acknowledging us with professional salutations. Jester grinned and waved at her, wincing as he did so.
She hesitated, and then waved shyly back. We watched as she turned and walked down the hall.
"Do you guys have to dress up all the time?"
"Only around prisoners or the public."
"Sounds exhausting."
I shrugged. "It's part of the deal."
"Like not killing."
I didn't respond. What was he getting at?
"Oh, please; don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, Red. You don't like this job."
"I chose this life."
"Did you? Or did he just adopt you out of pity, like Dick?"
He knew our identities, or at least Nightwing's. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
"You don't want to spend your nights parading around in spandex taking out eccentric lunatics. You want to be behind the big guns, taking down the real threats. There's only one way to stop it all for good, and the Bat's prohibiting it like some neurotic preschool teacher."
What he was saying sounded appealing. I wanted to believe he was right; to throw down the mask and leave.
"You should eat something." I turned towards the door, tensing as I heard his cold chuckle behind me.
"We're not like them, Red; mercy is a sick joke. We know the true philosophy of the world; kill, or be killed."
I left him in silence; his words echoed in my mind.