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Jason doesn't want to see the bats, he's been actively avoiding them since his neck got sliced, it still aches and it's been months.
He doesn't care why Bruce did it, if it was a mistake, when the bomb went off, he left him and saved his murderer, and that tells him all he needs to know.
He knows he's being looked for, but he was always the best when it came to staying hidden.
…
But no one can hide forever.
———
Jason knew he was cornered the second Nightwing and Black Bat jumped on the rooftop he was on, he knew the rest of the bats were just seconds away.
He stayed in a relaxed position, he could already see the rest of them dropping in as he scanned the roof for an escape plan.
Batman was the last to drop to the roof, but the first to move forward, “the fuck do you want? Did I miss an invitation or somethin’ I'm a bit busy” he waved towards the warehouse he was just staking out before.
Batman moved closer, “Jason,” Bruce said in his usual monotone voice, “I-”
“Ah ah ah, no names on the field B”
Bruce tightened his jaw, he never did like it when Jason would make jokes when he was still happy.
Bruce stopped in the middle of the roof, Jason not taking his eyes off of him for even a second, “Red Hood, you need to stop.”
Jason tightened his hands around his gun, he knew that Bruce didn't care about him, only his hypocritical rules, “go fuck youself would ya, i dont work with you and i dont follow your stupid fuckin’ rules”
“Woah woah, lets all just calm down a little" Nightwing stepped in with both his hands raised, trying to keep everything under control. “Hood, were not here to fight okay”
Jason hated the way he relaxed slightly, hearing Dick’s voice bringing back memories of before.
Dick noticed and smiled slightly, “we just want to talk”
Jason heard the way he talked to him in his victim voice, he doesn't know why it made him relax even more. “Fine, what the fuck do you want.”
Dick moved closer, “we jus-”
“Why are you doing this”
“B!”
Bruce moved closer as Jason tensed, entirely ready for a fight now, “doing what?”
“Killing people, is it some type of petty revenge against me in some way, why won't you just stop”
The roof was silent as they waited for him to react, but Jason was having a hard time comprehending all the bullshit coming from Bruce's mouth.
His body turned so that he could escape faster if needed, “why the fuck, do you think everythin's ‘bout you, me killin’, has nothin’ to do with you or the rest of them, I kill to protect those you don't give a fuck ‘bout”
Jason knew Bruce was reaching his limit of patience before he started to throw fists, “you don't have the right to-”
“Oh please! Like you fucks don't play ‘Judge Jury and Executioner’ every fuckin’ night by beatin’ those you see as criminals daily, and jus’ ‘cause ya don't kill Don't mean you ain't responsible for more than half the bodies in the cemetery”
Jason was over this stupid fucking argument, “you bastards may not have killed them directly, but you doin’ nothin’ ‘bout the various Big Bads in Gotham other than hittin’ them on the wrist every now and then makes you partially responsible by just lettin’ them get away with it”
Jason knew he hit a nerve when Bruce tensed like he did before throwing a punch, luckily for both of them, Dick was standing in front of Bruce in record time, blocking his access to Jason.
Dick looked tense, more so because Bruce almost hurt his dead son, (more than he knows, at least.) “Li'l Wing, please, we just want to understand why you're doing this.”
“Why! ‘Cause you fucks don't think ‘bout the fact that the rapists and pedo's you imprison always have enough to money and fame to get away with everythin’ and always get out of jail, were they're no longer your problem without ‘em doin’ somethin’ ‘gain, not to mention the fact that if ya actually dealt with those like the Joker, then Gotham would be a much safer place for kids and others”
Stephanie, Duke and Damian honestly agreed with the sentiment, but Bruce never took it well when he was questioned.
Bruce was as cold as stone when he answered, “I don't control the actions of others-”
“Nooo, you just let them continue their actions, don't ya”
The roof was silent.
“Not t’ mention, the fact that you almost got your first death on your hands”
Dick and Cass looked sharply up at Bruce when he said those words, “B, What is he talking about.”
Bruce didn't answer as he continued to look at Jason, his jaw visibly clenched though, and his fists went white.
They looked back at Jason for their answer, “Li'l Wing, what are you talking about”
He looked like he didn't want to know, but he had to, “oh, did he never mention?”
“Hood-”
“Honestly I'm not that suprised-”
“Don't-”
“It was our first meetin’”
Dick shit Bruce a look to keep quiet.
“I asked if he would either, kill the Joker, or let me do it, and y'know what he did,” Jason tucked his costume covering his neck down slightly just to show them, he also did a slicing motion with his other hand, smirking slightly as they all looked shocked, “he didn't even come to check on me after, just left with Joker before th’ Bomb went off, reminds me of somethin’, don't it.”
Dick looked furious the second his words really made their way into his head. He turned to look at Bruce with the most hateful expression Jason has seen on him.
Cass looked at him and Bruce, she looked pissed as she could tell he wasn't lying, even if he could keep a secret from her, it was the way Bruce's shoulders immediately tightened and his scowl deepened that told her the truth of his words.
After Jason had managed to get their attention elsewhere, he jumped off the roof and leapt into an alleyway and ran.
“Jason wai-”
He only felt slightly bad as his older brother called out for him.
He was already halfway gone by the time they noticed, eh, he was sure they would get over it sooner or later.