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[batricide]

@hafid.alghul| ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[batricide]

What do you want.

[reneger]

ten minutes of your time
a meeting place of your choice

[batricide]

[ Fuck.

In lieu of a reply he just drops the GPS pin at the warehouse. ]

[reneger]

( it's as good of a response as any. he didn't mean immediately but whatever. jason makes his way to the warehouse. it takes him a good ten, fifteen minutes, but--he gets there. hands shoved down into the pockets of his favorite, dick grayson original jacket as he steps inside. )

D?

[batricide]

[ He doesn't do things by halves. Now or never. He keeps to the shadows, poised and ready to spring out of the back door if this is a trap. ]

What do you want, Jason.

[reneger]

( it's not a trap. he's unarmed, doesn't have anything in his hands. nothing in pockets. jason knows better than to come at damian with anything on him. he's--skittish. strong but wary as fuck. )

I want to talk to my little brother. Honestly, for ten minutes. That's all.

[batricide]

[ He folds his arms, moving no closer. ]

Time's already started.

[reneger]

( who raised you like this.

a step closer, further into damian's space, but jason's careful not to push it. )

Will you tell me how you're feeling?

[batricide]

[ He stiffens. ]

I'm fine.

[reneger]

Honestly, Damian.

( in comparison to all the other favors he could have asked for with damian's iou at least it's just this. )

[batricide]

[ His hands curl to fists. ]

This is bullshit.

[reneger]

'll make you a better deal.

( another step forward, hands sliding out of pockets. jason's careful not to tense up, to remain loose--damian's already stiffening and making fists, so. )

These ten minutes, stick to your IOU, and I'll give you three IOUs.

[batricide]

I don't want anything from you.

[ He means it with anger, but it comes out tired. He's watching Jason warily, prepared for a sneak attack. Ready to lash out if he's grabbed or a fist is swung. ]

I'm angry, this is stupid, and you're stupid for thinking the old man is any different from any other one in the universe.

[reneger]

( he doesn't grab damian, but he does take another step closer. stops when there's not even an arm length's distance between them. close enough to grab onto but not reaching for it. yet. )

Maybe I am stupid. ( voice calm, quiet; ) Maybe it's idiotic to want to believe in something, but. ( slow breath in, slow exhale through his lips. ) If he's the fucked up monster from your world, we'll take him down. There's three of us and one of him, we'll figure it out. He was willing to give me a second chance when I'd done fuck all to deserve it, and I wanna return the favor.

[batricide]

And that's why you're on his side.

[ he thought jason would understand. when they'd both come here, healed from the scars the old man decided to inflict on them for toeing out of line. he thought... he'd thought... ]

[reneger]

You're still not getting it. Said I want to, but I also said I'm on your side first and foremost. That if you're intent on giving ultimatums out, I'll choose you.

( now he reaches to close the distance, raises an arm (carefully, making sure not to spook him) to try and wrap it around damian's shoulders and pull him in for a hug. )

[batricide]

[ He wrenches out of Jason's touch, eyes burning with anger. ]

I know how this goes Jason!

[reneger]

( he could just let damian go. it'd be the safer option. the option that ends in less burns, less bruises. but nah. damian moves away and jason follows right after him. this hug is happening whether he likes it or not. )

No, you don't.

[batricide]

[ He doesn't like it. He doesn't like it at all. There's no fire but Damian reacts immediately to being caged, lashing out with fists and feet. ]

[reneger]

( the benefits to all the training jason has gone through is shit still hurts, sure: but he takes it a lot better than he used to. damian lashes out and it's--it's fine. whatever. kicks land, punches hit, but jason's fucking intent on getting his arms around shoulders.

before all this, before bruce, he'd lean into them. lean into jason and grumble crap but it was never--this. )

Damian.

[batricide]

Let go of me!

[ Before Jason was someone who could be trusted. An ally wholly on his side, someone he could turn to. Dick, too, had the benefit of being family, unquestioned, because the source of their strife wasn't there to tear them apart. It doesn't matter who this Bruce Wayne is - if these brothers are his brothers, then that man is his father.

And he can't separate the father he knows, the one who threw him away, from the man who claim to have no blood son. ]

[reneger]

( nah. he's got him now, damian can struggle all he wants. he's stuck here, dealing with jason pressing his cheek down on top of his stupid hair, holding him in tight. maybe he fucking hates it, maybe jason is going about this all wrong, but--he's pretty damn good at following his instincts, and maybe they've let him down more times than he cares to admit, but it doesn't mean he's stopping any time soon. )

I love you, you little shit. And I'm not gonna let you go that easy.

[batricide]

[ He's still struggling. Jason's holding him close and where this would usually be comforting, reassuring, now it's only suffocating. If Jason touches skin he'll feel the full weight of what Damian is actually feeling - regret, loss, fear, loathing, confusion, loneliness, panic, and rage burning in the background, always in the background, threatening to ignite and consume all of him - no part is fine. ]

[reneger]

( he doesn't need skin contact to know. doesn't try for it, because nobody wants to share themselves at their weakest point. wouldn't force that on damian even if he's forcing this onto him. an arm slides under one of damian's own, wraps around his back. uses all the strength he's got to hold onto this stupid, wiggly asshole of a sibling he's gotten. )

If you really want me to leave you alone due to some preconceived idea that I'm gonna abandon you--fine. Say it to my face. Look me in the eye, and tell me you don't want jack shit to do with me. I'll go. But until then? I'm staying right here.

[batricide]

[ He can't break free. Jason's bigger than him and stronger than him - hitting and stomping on his feet isn't having any effect. All he's left with is lighting up, and he - he's too aware of Jason's face against the top of his head to lose control that much.

He doesn't hug back. He doesn't calm down. He just stops fighting. ]