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[batricide]

@hafid.alghul| ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[reneger]

( at least jason is able to keep the bewilderment out of his expression and shift right into stupid ass jokes. he can't even--think of something damian could have done that would cause that back home. hell, bruce would do anything to protect damian. )

He's disowned me more times than I can count in the last--what, six years? Five?

( that doesn't help. )

Before the men in the shit outfits shoved us out of those vans, last thing I remember was him kicking the crap out of me and saying "No more Red Hood." Welcome to the club?

[batricide]

That's a completely asinine name, but at least you're not dressing up as Batman but with guns again.

[ But. The absolute bastard. You'd think he'd treat his dead kid with a little more care. His face clouds over, rage settling across his face. ]

He had me in lockup for a year. Mostly in solitary. Not the first time he pulled that stunt, either.

[reneger]

I had my stint in the batcostume, realized it wasn't the life for me.

( stabbed tim a few times and shit too but you know. they all go through their phases. )

Put me in Arkham for a bit, ( not lessening the blow of being locked up, but. trying to give damian enough for the message of i get you to pass. ) He's not gonna pull that shit again.

( because jason may have not fought back much when it was for his own faults, but he'd be damn sure to give bruce every ounce he's got to protect damian. )

We're family, right? I've got your six.

[batricide]

We're family.

[ He wouldn't have admitted that at thirteen. Never. Being the blood son had been all that mattered. He could say something back - like, i'm not going to bury another brother. But really we're family says it all. ]

There's one more thing we should address.

[reneger]

( something shifted in damian. the tiny child he knows wouldn't have admitted that just like--this. maybe if the situation called for it, but not. in a shady ass bar, discussing bullshit.

hell, jason wouldn't usually either. )

I'm all ears, little D.

( better to be open than to start asking him shit now, right. )

[batricide]

It's only a matter of time before we get our hands dirty and start up the family business again. [ It's fact. Because they can't help themselves. You get a taste of being good and you choke for more. ] My father's methods are flawed. I've seen first hand what happens when you give unrepentant sickos and monsters an endless string of second chances.

[ Death on a massive scale. Far more human suffering than needs to ever occur. ]

If you still follow his philosophy -- fine. Don't expect me to, and don't get in my way. Some people deserve to die.

[reneger]

I stuff heads into duffel bags and toss them to their gangster bosses.

( like a: what the fuck, damian wayne. and b: why would jason even be concerned about murders in the slightest. does he want damian doing that shit? no. that's his thing. but. he agrees: some people just need to die. )

Don't worry 'bout me.

[batricide]

Good.

[ Because he'd hate to have to add Jason to his shitlist of people who let their morality and ideology sit about human lives. ]

[reneger]

But I'd rather you leave the finishing part to me.

( leave all the blood on his hands rather than it being on damian's. )

Not gonna fight you on it, but. If one of us goes down, I'd rather it be me. You're the brains here. I can handle lockup.

[batricide]

I was raised by the League of Assassins, you were at least trained by them. We're not going to be jailed unless you have the subtlety of a rampaging elephant and have forgot how to dispose of a body in a pinch.

[ And also that's dumb. everyone knows the last hitter gets all the exp, jason, you fucking kill stealing asshole. ]

[reneger]

We don't know how this place operates. How deep their surveillance goes.

( look sometimes you just need to collect all the coin for extra items? he needs them. )

Until we figure that shit out--if you need someone dead? Really prefer it if you leave it to me.

[batricide]

Fine. Whatever. [ Is he rolling his eyes? He's rolling his eyes. ]

What about the others from home? Are they going to be an issue?

[reneger]

( yes thank you, damian. much appreciated. )

Steph's not strong enough to be a problem if she tried, ( though he does pause for a moment, clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. ) but she's not the one from my universe, so I don't know. Kara might be, but she already told me she doesn't give a shit if I put holes in the guys who are behind us getting stuck here.

[batricide]

I've spoken with her. She seems amiable enough. [ He has also spoken to Steph -- but until he has a longer conversation, sussed out her moral standing, and assessed her skills, she's not a priority. ]

There are a few here who seem decent enough to consider if we put together a team for the task. [ He considers. ] Hawkeye owes me a show of skill, though.

[reneger]

I don't want a team.

( firmly, leaning forward to rest both of his elbows against the table. )

Teams always turn to shit. We'd be better off without trying that crap.

[batricide]

[ He does have a point. All it took was Luthor throwing a tantrum for everything to fall apart. ]

Fine. But we'd be fools not to use all the resources at our disposal if push comes to shove. [ And he's not about to get the snot beat out of him on national TV for a sixth time, thanks. ]

[reneger]

If you wanna make a team, it's your call. But I'm not gonna be responsible for them.

( he doesn't want that. doesn't want the guilt of failing them, of being the piece of shit who couldn't protect people he was supposed to. )

I won't get involved with it.

[batricide]

I don't need you to be responsible for my team, Todd. [ he snaps, bristling. like jason maybe just insinuated that he's not competent enough to run it even if no such thing was said or even thought. but he's a little older, a little wiser - at least wise enough to realize when someone maybe isn't really about his shortcomings.

Maybe.

but that maybe... sounds like there's something else there.

hm.

aw, hell. ]

What happened?

[reneger]

( he gets what damian's asking even if he doesn't like it. damian's onto something, and it's something that jason doesn't want to share just yet. his big old mistake. )

I don't like teams. You should know that--despite whatever discrepancies there are in our universes.

[batricide]

You killed Amanada Waller and took her Suicide Squad in my universe.

[reneger]

That's not a team. That's a bunch of assholes I can use.

[batricide]

Isn't that the definition of a team?

[reneger]

No. Teams are people you work together with. People you trust to have your back, whose backs you'll watch over.

( god, damian. how are you this dark. )

Teams are friends. People you use are just that.

[batricide]

Teams are little more than coworkers. You don't have to be friends with them, you just have to work well together to accomplish your goal.

[reneger]

If I'm gonna work beside someone, you'd better be damn sure I trust them not to fuck shit up. That I know if shit goes south they'll have my back. That's a team. Coworkers, whatever you wanna call them.

( tbh he's not all too happy about possibly being responsible for the deaths of whoever the hell damian wants to drag in, but. )

There's respect between coworkers. An' I'm not gonna let anyone I don't respect fight with me.