Jason stared at his brother's body for a long moment. "How did you know that?" Jason's voice was probably a little harsher than he wanted. He had to be sure, But there was no other way the kid would know about that unless he was talking with Tim in some way. Or at least being able to access the replacement's memories. Which was not a good sign.
The kid tensed like he had done something wrong and was turning his head away. "I-... He mentioned it when you first showed up, back at the warehouse."
"So you can talk with him like this?" The kid nodded silently. Jason reached over and closed the door to his apartment behind them. "So what, is he floating around the room right now?" Jason waved his gloved finger in the air in a figure-eight pattern.
The kid shook his head. "In here, he's still in his body…" He pointed at his brain. "I'm just controlling it. I can hear his thoughts." The kid was very quiet. There was a brief moment where the kid looked like he was having an inward debate.
"Look, kid…" Jason stepped forward causing the kid to step backward deeper into the apartment. Jason was in between him and the door, and the kid probably felt trapped. He stayed where he was, Tim first.
)-(
"Phantom, I don't think he wants to hurt us." Danny could feel Tim's unease all over him, like he wasn't even sure of the fact.
Danny stepped back again. Further, into the apartment, they were trapped. "He tried to kill you! And I-, I could feel your fear when we walked in."
Tim inwardly cringed. Which was honestly all he could do at the moment. "It was a natural reaction?" Danny was skeptical. "It was natural, okay. We don't really get along. But if he wanted to hurt us he would have already!"
"You hope so! What if he does hurt you!?" Danny knew his obsession was probably leaking through.
"Look, kid…" Hood started, stepping forward again towards Danny who stumbled back another step. No way to escape now.
His eyes locked onto the red helmet again. "You tried to kill Tim before. How can… You need…" Danny took a breath. "Can I trust you to help him? That you won't hurt him?" Danny asked. He needed something.
The man sighed before reaching up and undoing the release clasps on his helmet. It came off with a hiss before placing it on the kitchen counter right next to the entrance. "Look, kid…" Hood wrung his hands together.
"And this is for both of you. Tim as well." Jason continued. "This is kind of hard to explain, but I regret what I did, deeply. I was not in my right mind and was angry at Bruce, angry at everyone, really…." He winced as if apologizing physically hurt him. "But I shouldn't have taken it out on Tim. I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you."
Danny stared at the man's face. Searching for any hint of a lie. After he took his helmet off he could see way more of him even though he was still wearing one of those domino masks underneath. His face didn't give away much. But Danny could feel his emotions showing regret and pain… and anger, but not directed at Danny or Tim, but himself.
Danny still stood frozen. He couldn't be one hundred percent sure of his trustworthiness. He felt different than any other ghost he had come across. So that meant the rules must be different. But Danny couldn't help the fact that he felt more at ease since the man wasn't annoyed or mad at them.
Danny could feel that Tim was one part shocked. And one part… calmer? From what Danny had gathered from his racing thoughts it seemed that Tim was not expecting an apology. And Tim feeling better was making Danny feel a little better.
Danny didn't want to be here, in this apartment, with his body partner's would-be murderer. But If he just ran off and left Hood in that alleyway Tim would have died. Hood said he would help Tim, and he still says he will. But Tim wasn't safe with Hood. The man had tried to kill Tim before. Yet he still followed the anti-hero.
The last thing the halfa wanted was to follow a strange man into his apartment with a body that was not his own, just because the man felt like a ghost and promised he would help. That's how people get kidnapped!
Danny stared for a moment more. He was starting to feel lightheaded. Hood still hadn't moved any closer and waited for Danny to do or say something. Suddenly Danny dropped down to his knees on the hardwood. He made a thumping sound as his knees crashed.
After his flare of protection, the pain from the bullet came crashing back to him with painful clarity. Suddenly Hood was moving closer to them and Danny leaned back. He thought he might have flashed his eyes at him in defense, but he couldn't think straight.
Normally his pain tolerance was much much higher than this. He was so used to all of the shots and pain. Also aided by his ghostly traits it didn't affect him as bad. But now… he was in a human body. A very fragile human body. And the pain was hitting him a lot harder. And apparently affecting him a lot more.
Hood hesitated but still got closer, kneeling down in front of them holding his hands out in front of him. "Look, how about we get that all fixed up first, alright?" The man pointed to Tim's side. "Then we can find out what to do next, okay? I won't hurt either of you."
Danny couldn't help it. He glanced down at all of the weapons around Hood's waist and down his thighs to his gun holsters, still full. Hood grimaced when he noticed. He stood up and walked over to the other side of the room quickly undoing his belt and holsters, dropping them half-hazardly on the floor next to an old TV. "See, not going to hurt you."
Danny was sure that those weren't the only weapons the man carried, but it still helped his peace of mind. "Just sit on that couch okay?" Hood said. "Don't worry about the blood. It's already covered in it." Danny winced. Hood bit his lip before pointing down the hallway. "I'm just… going to get the med kit."
Danny narrowed his eyes and gave a sharp nod. When Hood went around the corner he tried to lift himself up onto the couch. Wincing in pain as he did so. Without the adrenaline of being so scared, it was hurting more and more each moment. 'Are most bullet shots this painful?' He asked mostly to himself. But himself was also Tim's self.
Danny felt amusement from Tim "Regretfully so. But normally I get mine patched up a lot faster than what we did." Danny didn't make it up onto the couch. He just settled on kneeling on the floor at the base of the couch with his arm draped up onto one of the cushions.
And that's where he was when Hood came walking back around the corner. His jacket and some more pieces of his armor were gone as well. Hood's eyes locked onto Danny and he cursed under his breath before tossing the kit on the coffee table and reaching out to help them up.
Danny glared at it for a moment before reaching out and letting himself get pulled up. He hissed in pain as it stretched his side. Once Danny was up on the couch, Hood turned around to open up the kit. "First time being shot?" he asked
Danny was holding his side again, carefully watching what Hood was grabbing out of the kit. "Not really."
When the man turned back around Danny could see a raised eyebrow under his domino, asking him to elaborate. "First time with a human gun. Very different than with a hunter's blaster."
Hood hummed, before turning around with all the stuff he needed laid out. He stared up at Danny for a second before gesturing for him to pull up his shirt. Danny narrowed his eyes to glare at the man, even though it was obvious he would need to pull up his shirt for him to work on it.
As he pulled up his shirt he winced at the sound of it sticking to his skin, peeling away like wet clothing. The blood was all over the front of the shirt and smeared across Tim's torso. Danny hated it, but Hood and Tim showed no reaction. They must be used to bullet wounds.
Danny turned his head away, his obsession flaring again. How could he have let that happen to Tim? And it was definitely his fault. He was literally controlling the body they were in. How could Danny fail this badly? Danny pinched his eyes closed.
"Hey, so what's your name kid?" Danny glanced over at Hood again, but said nothing. "Unless you want me to keep calling you the kid. You should say. I need something to work with, here."
Danny paused. "Phantom." he winced as he felt stinging pain, an antiseptic, maybe. The halfa refused to look at the damage he had done. That, and he felt if he tilted his head down he was going to hurl.
"I don't think he would appreciate it if you threw up all over him," Tim commented.
"Phantom, huh?" Hood asked. Danny nodded weekly. "Name's Jason. Not sure if Timbo has told you yet." Danny could feel the man shrug.
Danny shook his head. "Not yet. Just… Red Hood." Danny tried to keep his breathing steady. It was getting harder to stay conscious. But he needed to be ready to protect Tim.
Hood -Jason- made a sound of approval. "Those guys are always such sticklers for the rules."
Jason said something more but Danny didn't catch it. His head throbbed and his eyes stayed shut. He fell unconscious.
Author's notes
Beta read by 'gamma_radio' Thanks for keeping my inspiration flowing!
He he he! heyo! We got Jason, Tim, and Danny here together now! Jason is not very good with apologies. and he regrets what he did to Tim. He also now knows that Danny and Tim can communicate. This is probably just going to turn into one big game of Telephone XD.
Also, there was some art made for this fic. It was posted in my discord server, But I also posted it on my Tumblr 'Playedcrowd5610' you can also find the Discord link there.
Please tell me what you thought of the chapter! I love your comments! have a good week!
