I'm back and I'm alive!
So, term tests are over-(And I am healthy and fine(-ish), having gotten over the cold I had) and I'll be updating those stories of mine!
So everyone, let' s get this party starting!(*crickets chirping*)
Well, I somewhat expected it -_-"
Be warned though, it's a little crackish in some parts but that's only for humor, as you can see I think I ignored the humor part of the fic a little…
Not to hold you any longer, here is the drumroll please…The Next Chapter….
edit: changed the line about anon was upset about. Didn't realise how problematic it was when I first posted it, and apologies for making anyone uncomfortable :( going through some editing rn but I have the outline of the next chapter planned so there's that. Changed a few things here and there for this chapter too, try and spot them if you want!
Jason hated his life.
He never asked for all of this to happen.
He never asked to be a street rat who stole tires.
He never planned to steal from the richest man in Gotham.
He never wanted said man to be patrolling Gotham at night, to be known as the feared Protector, the Dark Knight.
He never wanted to be Robin.
He never wanted to die, tortured by Joker and blown to a fiery death with his mother, who lured him there in the first place.
He never wanted to be resurrected, clawing his way out of his own grave, half-crazed, and a new piece of white hair on his bangs.
He never really wished to be a raving lunatic, killing off criminals, ending their lives in bloodied deaths, though he had to admit there was a certain satisfaction in it, wiping scum like them off the streets of Gotham, Bludhaven, and the face of the world.
But most of all, he never really wanted to be his son.
Because with that leads to a list of 'wants', and Jason wasn't used to having expectations, seeing as you get what you can get on the streets, so you could never be picky on what you eat or where you sleep.
Like, for example, he never asked for him to avenge him, to honor his death by killing that lunatic and end him so no more people could get hurt, but he expected it anyway.
He had known that someone would have to be a Robin after him, but he had hoped Bruce would respect him a bit more, and at least wait a bit longer until he 'hired' Tim.
He had hoped the people around the hero community would honor him too, and that when he would at least have a memorial service at the Titans Tower, he had expected it.
He supposed that's what he got for having his expectations raised.
The lunatic's still out, Tim Bruce's pride and joy, so alike him in his ways, unlike cheerful Dick and rash Jason, the Titan's ignorance.
That's why he never really counted on anything to be permanent, never really had his hopes raised anymore on the next deals, on his new turf and whatever else he did.
But right now, he was praying to every deity he knew to get him back.
"What is your problem, Robin?" he asked through gritted teeth at the glare the latest Robin kept sending him for ten minutes straight.
Damian, if possible, scowled deeper.
"Just wondering if your face could get any uglier, Red Hood," he sneered back, his masked eyes narrowed even more.
"Oh really," Jason drawled, rolling his eyes, "You do know I'm still wearing my helmet, right?"
To the comment the son of one of the big three of 'world's best' averted his glance.
"Shut up Red Hood."
And to that, he attempted to turn, back towards him.
Key word: attempted.
What he really did was pull Jason towards him, the hand cuffs leaving a faint red chain around his wrist.
Yep, that's right, he was cuffed to Damian, the forever PMS-ing Robin.
Cue the drum-cymbal sequence that always follows after someone made a lame joke, for some reason.
Jason really hated his life right now.
What he really wanted to know, though, was why they had decided to cuff Damian to him. Perhaps it was that they approved of Damian's ability, and trusted him with himself.
Then again, maybe it was just Dick's idea of a sick joke. You never knew with 'Batman'.
He sneered at the name. What did he know? He was the golden boy, the first and the best they always said, never caring if he was right in front of him.
Speaking of which…
"What you looking at, Martian?"
Megan squeaked and backed away even further and resumed staring at the TV, which had one of her favorite sitcoms on, though she wasn't concentrating.
Who could, she mused, what with all the negative emotions practically bursting out of the two combined, she could barely bear it herself.
Despite herself, she felt a pang of sympathy for both of them. Being Bat-kids, they could hardly hope for a happy ending. She found herself recalling memories of what few interactions she had with the new 'visitors', she found that with them, there was always an air of sadness and loneliness, carefully hidden away with snarky remarks, cheerful smiles, and work.
She just prayed Robin, her Robin would stay the same.
Back in the Batcave...
The two Batmen were busy piecing the pieces of clues they had gathered during their short trip to find the Joker.
Finally, when Bruce sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time, Dick finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Bruce, why don't you take a break?"
He stiffened at the use of his name.
"Crimes don't solve themselves."
"But there's no use piecing a puzzle without all the pieces."
"So it's up to us to find them out," he said, but paused nonetheless.
"You've been staring at the computer for 48 hours straight, don't you think it's time for you to take a break?" he said, turning in his chair to look at him.
"I believe Master Bat," Alfred smiled at the peculiar sounding name the other Batman had insisted he call him, "Is right, Master Bruce. There's no use in insisting over something when all you've done is go around in circles."
"But Al—"
"No buts, I've prepared lunch for you and would very much appreciate it if you eat it for once."
Bruce sighed again, but this one was more of one like defeat. There was no arguing with Alfred.
Dick got up too, and stretched like a cat.
"Thanks Alf, couldn't do it without you."
Alfred smiled his fatherly butler smile and together, they walked out for lunch.
Extra: crack excerpt!
"I can't believe Bruce had family over and didn't invite us!" Barry cried, flinging his arms in the air in typical speedster exaggeration.
"Exactly, when exactly can he find it in him to actually trust us with things like this?" Arthur hinted, not-so-subtly, slamming the base of his trident on the ground.
"Cool it Arthur, I'm sure he has his reasons for doing this," Clark cut in, nudging Bruce, "Right?"
Bruce stiffened, but otherwise made no motion to answer the Super's question.
"Bruce?"
This time is was Wonder Woman who had called his name, her eyebrow quirking, daring his to answer. And somehow, even with his back to them, Bruce felt the murderous aura radiating from Diana and decided to answer.
That, and he could never back down from a dare. He was too refined for that.
"…It's complicated," he answered.
"Oh? How so," she asked, genuinely curious this time.
"Did you make sure all of your partners are out and away from the Cave?" Bruce, instead of answering her question, asked one of his own instead.
"Yep, I made sure," Barry said, confused at the sudden change of topic.
Bruce eyed him for a moment and turned to Martian Manhunter(Forgot how to spell his name:P).
He understood and scanned the Cave twice, and after so fixed Bruce with a puzzled look.
"All clear, Bruce. All of their partners, mine included, are out of the Cave."
"Good," he said, then took a deep breath(Which to any normal person was like a normal breath which you take when you were breathing, you know, normally.) and stepped in the zeta beam like he was walking through the doors of Hell.
Which, in a way, it was.
"The Hell Grayson? What's your problem?"
"I told you. I'm taking Mr. Afzal McFluffykins away until you promise no more foul language."
The League had walked in on a very strange scene indeed.
Standing in front of them, was the other Batman and Robin, who was at that very moment, scowling so darkly they briefly wondered if he could revert his face back to normal…If he wasn't BORN with that scowl.
The other Batman was holding what looked like a plush toy kitty with fluffy gray fur high above his head and out of the short Robin's reach.
"Grayson, I told you once, and I told you again, his name is NOT Afzal McFluffykins, it's just Afzal, which means better, superior, in arabic." he sniffed then, tilting his head up, "A fitting name for a clearly superior Robin, and heir to the Bat-mantle."
"Really? But I like McFluffykins better," he said, studying the kitten more closely, "Fits the colour of his fur more, you know?"
Meanwhile, as the 'Dynamic Duo' continued with their ridiculous bantering, the League's attention was caught by the OTHER Batkids.
"Steph, let me go, I'm perfectly fine and in control, I'm perfectly fine and in CONTROL," Tim said through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at the Jason, who was currently being restrained by Cass.
The eggplant purple clad Batgirl rolled her eyes.
"Yeah keep telling yourself that," she replied, "I will NOT allow you to rip up more perfectly nice couch pillows who really, should know better than to get shipped here so close to heroes anyway."
"Uh, Steph…they don't really…have a choice." Cass said after a pause, causing Jason to snort, and Cass to restrain him tighter.
"OW Dammit I wasn't gonna do anything!" Jason protested.
"Oh really," Steph said, rolling her eyes again, "And what exactly, may I ask, happened that caused Exhibit A here?" she nodded her head at the pillows, stuffings long since scattered around the floor and the couch lined with what looked suspiciously like bullet shots.
"I was just—"
"He lunged at me while I was at the final boss! And I lost!" Tim screamed, struggling against Steph who had a clearly more superior grip, "and you know what made things worse? I didn't save!"
"Hey…wasn't the JL here before?" Jason asked, momentarily pausing from snapping pictures of the weeping( but still somehow 'manly') Tim.
"I guess…but they…left." Cass said, pausing in taking the video herself.
Then they all shrugged and continued whatever they were doing.