You can be better than that
Don’t let it get the better of you
What could be better than now
Life’s not about what’s better than
Tag: c: icarus
Jason wasn’t much for casual conversation. Everything he said meant something or another, layers of meaning stacked up one on top of the other. He reminded Dick of Bruce, in that way, except Jason was more prone to humoring Dick’s antics with teasing remarks. He did so now, which made Dick stop in his tracks, his plight up the mantle hindered by momentary hesitation.
Grinning, he pulled himself up the rest of the way, perching there like a bird set to take off, waiting for someone to notice him. He was a teenager, yes, but that didn’t mean he’d lost his childhood spirit. In fact, he rather liked imagining he was eight again, the whole of Gotham his big top tent.
”I found a ring dagger,” he said in answer to his brother’s over-the-shoulder throwaway comment. He hadn’t even turned to look back at him. Tch. The dagger was promptly thrown at the vigilante’s head.
Part of adopting a hyperactive assassin in training-not to mention being a superhero-was observing the world around you. Being hyperaware of your surroundings. Noticing, for example, that Dick had thrown a blade at him, and knocking it out of the air with the cast iron skillet, without spilling the eggs now cooking.
“Come on, dickhead. Breakfast is ready. If you want pancakes, cook em yourself. Batter is in the fridge.”
He dumped hash browns and eggs onto a plate, then set four strips of bacon on top. Two slices of toast covered that, and he slid the plate across the counter.
“Eat up. I’m taking Alex a plate.”
Just as he turned to take the tray in, he saw Arielle. Her hair was in a towel, and she was dressed only in Jay’s button down from the night before. He shot Dick a glance, watching as he scrambled down off the fireplace.
“Good morning.”
Her eyes brightened at the food, and she kissed him on the cheek as she took the tray from him.
“Sorry, I used your shower. You realize that you could fit like, ten people in there, right? You have six showerheads! Holy shit” She looked down, slightly embarrassed. “I mean, it’s nice, don’t get me wrong.” Taking a deep breath, she sat down with her tray, grabbing a piece of bacon off the top. “So tell me, Handsome, what exactly do you do again? I seem to have a bit of a blank spot from last night.”
Jason smiled, then sat down as well. “I run a security company. Government contracts, R&D, etc. By the way, this is my little brother, Richard. He’ll grown on you.”
Alaska looked startled, then composed herself. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there! Hi! I’m Olivia. It’s nice to meet you!”
Jason locked eyes with Dick, daring him to make a comment about getting her name wrong.
Nose flicks aren’t uncommon as they remain to be the safest way to wake Dick up from deadman snoozes without ending up with the blankets flung over your head or a kick in the face. Still, they aren’t very nice and Dick doesn’t appreciate them. At all.
He slips out of the room without alerting Abby to his reckless invasion of her privacy—though he thinks that she should know better than to crash-land herself in a vigilante’s home and then stay the whole night. That’s just dangerous. Really. She’s asking for trouble (of the mischievous sort!)
“I had full intentions to wake Arienne up,” he says as he intertwines his arm with Jason’s. “But your bed is just so soft so when I sat down and Roxy was there… It was fate to fall asleep again, J-Lo.”
If one boy could contain the entire sun, Dick Grayson was it, despite the Richard comment. (How impolite.) Even in the dead of the morning, he is a cheerful ray of bright and exuberant optimism. So, with a skip in his step he joins the his pseudo brother in the kitchen, hovering over the mercenary as he busies himself with taking out various pans and ingredients.
Whenever Dick was anxious, guilty, or just feeling awkward, he talked. A lot. So the ridiculous stream of verbage that was spewing out of his mouth wasn’t a surprise, or even something out of the ordinary; that didn’t, however, make it any less tolerable.
"Hey, Richard. Hush.”
Bacon went into the pan, popping merrily as it cooked. The sun, now fully risen, blazed in the morning sky. Jason could hear his shower running, and Roxy sniffing around for dropped morsels of food.
All in all, not a bad way to start the day.
“Richard? Why are you on top of the mantle?”
the boy drags his feet through the compound,
half asleep and bleary-eyed. it’s late at night,
but he can’t sleep and he’s not sure who is home,
so he’s not sure if there’s anyone he can talk to.he punches in the keycode for jason’s level
and the door creaks when it opens, dispelling
compressed air at the same time. it blows his
unruly bangs away from his eyes and he tiredly
swipes them back into place as he meanders
through the level.eventually he spots the light of a holo-pad
casting jason’s face into sharp, blue shadows.
dick walks over, drapes his arms over jason’s
neck from the back of the couch, mumbles,”Are those new specs for the Dragon?”
it’s not often the kid sneaks up on him
but then again, he was trained by the best.
the noise of the door barely made him blink
cause roxy has a chip on her tag.
he’s tired and he’s messy and he’s all that jason
isn’t. but he let him into his life anyway.
from spilled milk to shoemarks on the tv,
dick has made his home here.
jason isn’t paying attention to the comings and
goings. he’s drawing up plans for ilya to work on
later. strong arms appear, and jason smiles.
he always smiles for grayson.
“Hey Kid. Yeah, working up some additional stuff for the Mark III. Any ideas?”
Sitting on the edge of Jason’s bed, Dick pokes at Roxy’s furry butt as another received text causes his phone to chirp. The woman in the adjacent spot left quite a mess of clothing everywhere, the sheets just barely covering her naked fleshy bits. With a slight flush, he turns away back to his phone…
[ 7:24 am; txt; sent ] alexis will definitely be awake and around when you get back with the milk.
Twenty six minutes later, Jason was back home, two gallons of milk in his hand. Tossing his keys onto the counter, he found the room empty, and quiet. After stowing the milk into the fridge, he made his way into his bedroom, where-no shit-Roxy, Dick, and Adrian were asleep, in one large pile. Exhaling slowly, he stepped forward, crouching next to the bed. A scratch behind the ears woke Roxy, and a flick on the nose, Dick. A slow kiss woke Anna, and she opened her eyes, bleary.
“You’re awake!” She yawned, stretching. She hadn’t noticed Dick yet, but idly rubbed Roxy’s stomach. “Morning, Handsome.”
Jason grinned. “Breakfast in fifteen, girls. Snooze, and lose.” Glaring at Dick, he left the room, hearing the telltale sings of the gymnast behind him.
“So much for awake and around, Richard.”
There’s a Rat at Your Boot || Jason & Dick || Flashback
In all his life, he’d never wanted something more than this, never wanted anything so desperately. It was agonizing, having to wait. He’d do anything at all for this, his chance to have revenge. Bruce didn’t understand, didn’t even try to reason with him— just threw him out when the man realized his ankle-biter hadn’t let go of his issues. Red Hood was his last chance to get some help. He knew he couldn’t do it himself as he was now, having already tried to confront Zucco and being beaten to a pulp for it. His bravery had left him that day, withered out of him as if Zucco were a scorching sun and Dick was the last plant in the desert.
The young boy faced off with the other criminal with narrowed eyes, reminding himself that he was still in danger here. He didn’t know this guy, not up front. He could very well push the kid off the roof if Dick didn’t say what he wanted to hear. Gotham was a grimy place, filled with dirty, dusty people who played by their own rules. Despite all his time, he still didn’t understand all of it. This place and its customs. It was all so strange, nothing at all like the bright circus he was so fond of.
“I want to know everything you can teach me on how to kill someone and get away with it,” the boy stared down at his hands again, looking at the callouses that spoke of years of bar training. There were cuts and scrapes on his fingers too, from climbing a fire escape and slipping in the rain a few days previous. An amateur mistake. “Someone killed my parents and I got dumped here, in this shit-hole of a city.”
With a fire blazing behind his eyes, Dick looked up to meet Red Hood’s own gaze, shifting his weight to the back of one foot. “I’m not dumb enough to think I can do this on my own. I need a teacher. Please, help me.”
So he was angry. Good. Anger got you places, took you to another level of existence entirely. But anger without an outlet was like a fire left alone; it could easily burn out, burn down a forest, or hurt the innocent. But rage, rage was different. Rage was a tool something you focus, like a scalpel on the tumors infecting your soul.
Rage was an ally.
Jason looked him over again, taking in the set of his jaw, the stubborn puff of his chest. His arms, rippled with muscles, were firmly held at his side. He was trying to hide it, but there was a current of nervous energy running through him. Despite the confidence he was attempting to show, this kid was scared, and with good reason. Still, the kid had a point. Who better to teach an angry young orphan than Jason Todd? Talia, maybe. Plus, having a new face around the Complex could be fun, if for no reason other than training was always a highlight of Jason’s day.
Jason sighed, pulling out his sword. He rotated his wrist, slicing through the air. “Here’s the thing, Kid. Teaching requires lots of time and effort. If you’re serious, you’ve gotta prove it.” He handed him the sword, then took a defensive stance. “Land a blow, then we’ll talk.”
Unsheathing his crooked knife, he took a backhand grip and waited, crouching before the kid with Ra’s al Ghul’s blade. Talk about a first impression.
[ 7:24 am; txt; sent ] where else would i be, this is my home now. mi casa that is also su casa. my cave of wonders. my bread cabinet. my rabbit hole.
[ 7:25 am; txt; sent ] please get milk
[7:29 am; txt; sent] I’ll be back within the hour. If Ava is still around, wake her up. I’ll grab milk if she’s gonna be awake.
[ 7:23 am; txt; sent ] that is not a lady and ur already out
[ 7:23 am; txt; sent ] you get milk 😡
[ 7:23 am; txt; sent ] Interesting. Could be Henri, or Ilya. We all were out. I remember falling asleep in the Library, anyway. You’re at the Complex?
[ 7:23 am; txt; sent ] And no, I’m busy, and apparently I’ve got a Goldilocks problem now. I’m not getting you milk.
[ 7:20 am; txt; sent ] who’s in your bed then?
[ 7:21 am; txt; sent ] also we’re out of milk. ): ): ):
[ 7:23 am; txt; sent ] Go look, if you’re so curious. I think her name was Amy. Annie? Andrea. Something. See if she wants cereal, when you go get milk.
[ 7:12 am; txt; sent ] hey old man, when are you going to get out of bed
[7:13 a,; txt; sent] I’m in the Narrows, kid. What do you want?
and all of this will never be the same again 