Chapter Text
Life Itself
Chapter 1: Still Alive Beneath the Rubble
"That's enough tormenting him, Dick. Come along boys," Bruce smirked from where he stood watching Dick trap Jason in a headlock and ruffle his hair.
Jason swatted his older brother away, who merely grinned in response. Alfred smiled at the three of them before disappearing into the plane. Jason trudged behind his father and brother before freezing in his tracks. His hands immediately flew to his pants pocket. He frantically looked in vain to find his pocketknife.
Jason called, "Wait! I forgot something!"
Bruce and Dick turned to find Jason running back towards their car parked on the outside of the gate of the private airport. The billionaire sighed as he checked his watch. "We're going to be late."
Dick shrugged before replying, "I'll go get him. You can go on ahead and tell the pilot we're almost ready."
"Hurry, son," Bruce replied before heading for the ramp.
Dick jogged over to where Jason frantically searched the backseat of the Rolls Royce. Dick appeared just as Jason shoved a blade into his pocket. Ever since Bruce had brought Jason home two years ago, the boy had always had the possession on him. Alfred had claimed that it gave the boy a piece of mind after having been on the streets for so long.
"You know, you don't really have to depend on that dull knife anymore. Me, Bruce, and Alfred aren't going to let anything happen to you."
Jason rolled his eyes before crossing his arms. "Bruce said I could keep it so mind your own damn business."
"Language!" Dick snapped before ushering the younger boy back to the plane.
They hadn't even made it to the ramp before their whole world went up in flames.
Twenty-one year old Richard John Grayson nearly woke up with a panic attack. First a nightmare and the fact that his little brother was missing from his twin bed on the other side of their small one-bedroom apartment. Throwing the covers off immediately, Dick quickly clambered off his bed. Heart attack avoided when he noticed his younger brother sitting on the fire escape.
The teen was sitting there with his knees pulled into his chest, arms wrapped tightly around his sweat pants clad legs, and a lit cigarette between his fingertips. He took one last drag before flicking the cancer stick off the side of the railing.
Dick sighed heavily before picking his battles as he stepped out to join his brother. He'd have to tackle the cigarettes another day. It wasn't worth setting Jason off this early.
"Jay, you okay?" he asked before running a hand through Jason's curly dark hair.
Jason quickly batted the hand away before muttering, "Whatever."
Dick inwardly groaned before muttering, "You can tell me anything, Little Wing."
Jason merely rolled his eyes at Dick's comment before getting to his feet and heading back inside. The teenager dropped a couple of pieces of bread into a toaster before he disappeared into the bathroom.
Bruce and Alfred had only been dead a year. Jason had been in Dick's custody less than three months. Dick had literally fought tooth and nail just to get custody. He'd given everything to get his brother back but it wasn't enough for Jason.
Dick started the coffee pot before pouring a giant bowl of Captain Crunch. He flicked the tv on before clutching his spoon in anger. Thomas Wayne Jr. stood shaking hands with Lex Luthor as a reporter droned on about their newest business deal.
"Could've been us but you signed over our inheritance to that bastard," Jason bitterly replied coming up behind Dick.
Dick whirled around before hissing, "Don't! You don't know anything!"
Jason shrank back against the fury in Dick's eyes just as Dick said, "I'm sorry, Jay. I didn't mean-"
Jason just shook his head before grabbing his backpack and heading for the door. It slammed shut behind him as he went to catch the bus. Dick practically deflated as he glanced back at the tv and focused on the man, who looked so much like his deceased father.
"This is the last will and testimony of Bruce Wayne witnessed by Alfred Thaddaeus Crane Pennyworth and Leslie Thompkins-" the lawyer began just as the door opened to reveal Thomas Wayne, Jr.
"So sorry I'm late," the disgraced former billionaire voiced before locking eyes with Dick. "Hello, Richard."
Dick growled, "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to hear the last will and testimony of my beloved brother."
Jason scoffed, "Too late. We got everything," before looking at Dick and whispering, "Be right back. I need some air."
Thomas never took his eyes off his prey before ordering the lawyer, "Give me a moment with Richard, would you?"
"You need to leave," Dick hissed.
Thomas merely raised an eyebrow before saying, "Is that any way to talk to me, Richard?"
"What do you want?"
"I want you to sign over everything to me. Now."
"You're crazy. No damn way," Dick growled just as Thomas took a seat and pulled out his phone.
"Then I guess there'll be room for one more in the family cemetery."
"If you think you can threaten me-"
Thomas threw his hand over his heart dramatically before exclaiming, "Not everything is about you, darling. I'd never hurt you… Jason is a different story however."
Thomas held up his phone to a live video of Jason smoking a cigarette right outside the law office. Dick's jaw dropped open as he noticed the red dot right over an oblivious Jason's heart.
"You will sign over everything to me or he dies right now."
"You… you wouldn't-"
"We both know I will. I doubt you've forgotten what happened when you were eight."
Dick nodded slowly before whispering, "Don't hurt him please."
Thomas smiled before cupping the back of Dick's head, fingers gripping the boy's hair tightly. He roughly smashed his lips against Dick's. Teeth sank down hard into Dick's lower lip before a single tear slid down his cheek. Thomas pulled back before wiping the tear away.
"Pull yourself together. Don't want that lawyer to think something is wrong now, do we?"
Dick swiped at his eyes before flipping the television off and moving towards the closet to change. Last day as a Bludhaven Police Academy Cadet and last night as a bartender.