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[forceforlight]

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[robintohood]

[Jason keeps his body language neutral but he's relieved that Dick's giving him the kind of advice he needs without him needing to ask. Besides venting about the Drakes, it's perhaps the other reason why he contacted Dick this time]

Yeah. I told him I'm always open to talk. Just not great that we're getting off on the wrong foot. Was he skittish when he met you and B?

[forceforlight]

[Dick's always been a problem-solver. He's had to learn with some people to ask whether they want solutions or just to complain, but with this Jason, it's good to know that the advice is wanted.]

He came to me, first. I think partly because I was less intimidating, but also because he was trying to make his case for me to go back to being Robin. I don't think he ever gave himself a chance to be skittish in that instance. And by the time he met B, he already had me in his corner.

[It's where Bruce went wrong with Dick and Jason. Dick didn't even know about Jason until he'd already been made Robin. Dick hadn't been asked and Bruce had been dismissive of Dick's feelings. He'd done his best to get over it for Jason's sake, at least.]

[robintohood]

By then you two made the case to B for a new Robin? I can't you see ever thinking about going back.

[Jason's calm for now but he'll never be okay that more kids joined Bruce in being vigilantes, despite his death. He doesn't resent the kids specifically but it's more of the general idea and the angry is only directed at Bruce]

[forceforlight]

[Dick goes quiet for a long few minutes while drinking his coffee, considering his next words.]

I don't know what he was like in your world, Hood. In both yours and mine, you missed five years. But he was angry, Little Wing. He was so...so damned angry. All the time. I'd go so far as to classify him as suicidal, though you know he'd never admit it.

[Because Jason hadn't been there for the aftermath of what the Joker had done. Not the immediate, at least.]

He was reckless, pushing everybody away. He actually punched me when I confronted him about not contacting me about what happened. I had to learn from one of the Titans that had still been home while the rest of us went to Tamaran, and he only knew because he tried breaking into B's files. Couldn't get in, of course, but also couldn't get anybody to pick up when he called.

[It certainly hadn't helped that Danny was a little ass about it. Dick shouldn't have taken it out on the kid, but it hadn't gone well.]

Rook...he understood better than you or me what he was getting into, at least at first. I knew I couldn't be what B needed any more. But B needed...something to pull him back from the ledge. And if it couldn't be me, I could at least learn from my own mistakes and be there to support the person who could.

[robintohood]

[Jason's quiet and tried to keep his temper in as he listens to Dick. He heard part of this story from older Tim and his alternative self when they first met. Now he's getting his older brother's perspective.

It's... Not great hearing how Bruce didn't even tell Dick and how he punched him. As if Jason couldn't think any lower of Bruce. He hates that Tim becoming Robin was the solution to pulling Bruce out of the dark. It's one thing for an adult to be traumatized and struggling; it's another issue to drag a kid into this.

When Dick finishes talking, Jason takes a deep breath and talks. He's not raising his voice but there's a cold anger underneath]

In my world, I did notice B's fighting style changed. It got tougher but not far enough.

[Not enough to kill the Joker]

I don't know if that Nightwing had a big fight with him but they still sometimes work together. They were doing that when they tried to go after me.

I also know there's no third Robin around to play counselor for a damn adult.

[forceforlight]

I got over it. Eventually. I had to realize that I could never blame him as much as he was blaming himself.

[Bruce had lashed out at him, needing a focus for that blame. Dick just happened to present a good target. There'd been apologies. Eventually.]

I won't say that Rook doesn't do that. [Because they'd all done it, to some extent.] Though at first, it really was more of a case of somebody needing to look after him because the kid was going to get himself killed following us around like he had been. I'm still not sure how he managed for as long as he did. He was close enough to get good pictures, too.

[robintohood]

None of us thought a kid would stalk us during night patrols just to take pictures. We were all busy watching out for threats instead.

[And now that Jason knows a little more about the Drakes, it's easy to imagine how Tim could sneak out at night]

He became Robin right afterwards?

[forceforlight]

Started training as Robin. It was six months before he was allowed out of the cave at all, then another nine or so before B took his eyes off of him.

[Meaning over a year before he could patrol on his own.]

[He pauses a moment before adding:] I was also a lot more hands on with his training than I was with yours. I wasn't going to miss out again.

[robintohood]

[There's a slight shift in Jason's body language. He was never angry at Dick for having kept his distance during his time as Robin. But he has to admit that it would've been nice if they had spent more time together. Maybe some things would've turned out differently]

Makes sense. Can't risk having history repeat itself too much.

[forceforlight]

[Maybe they would have. Maybe Jason would have felt he could call Titans Tower, even if Dick wasn't there. Maybe he would have gone to the Titans instead of going after the Joker on his own.]

[Dick might have gotten another brother out of it, but it doesn't mean he doesn't feel bad about the one he didn't know as well.]

Never let it be said I don't learn from my mistakes.

[robintohood]

Heh. Someone in this family eventually has to.

You two ever took the car without the old man around? Like what we did?

[Can't let this conversation about family be entirely about regrets]

[forceforlight]

[The change of subject is appreciated. And Dick does flash him a grateful smile before he laughs.]

Us? No. You want to know what Rook did?

When he and Young Justice were in San Francisco, he SOMEHOW managed to hide an entire second Batmobile in the budget.

And THEN he let a Flash drive it.

[robintohood]

[Jason grins back and laughs]

That's both genius and incredibly stupid. Truly living up to that legacy. Did B ever find out afterwards?

[forceforlight]

I believe the tracker got turned on in the middle of the crash.

[So, yes. Absolutely.]

I'm still not sure how he talked B into letting him stay with the Titans after that. Probably realized that if he hadn't noticed it by that point, he could soak it. And Rook needed to be with his friends.

[After all, that had been the reason for the new Teen Titans. Getting Young Justice back together so that the kids HAD their friends.]

[robintohood]

[Jason nods]

Can't let the leash be too tight, otherwise Robins pull harder to get out.

[It was certainly the case with him and one of many mistakes that happened]

It's good Rook found friends.

[forceforlight]

He was, like, fifteen at the time. I wasn't actually with the Titans. There were...

[He waves his hand. Donna's death had made him turn his back on the Titans for a time. No need to tell Jason about that, though. Not when they're trying to get away from talking about grief.]

Anyway, yeah, it is. Having friends is important in our line of work. It's not easy, being out there on your own.

[robintohood]

It's doable being solo.

[It's uncomfortable but Jason agrees with Dick about having friends. It's true that Jason fell into an awkward in-between generation. Too young to be really part of Dick's team but too old to have friends like Tim's. Instead, Jason has spent much of his life alone. He's adapted to that but most of it was only out of survival instead of by choice]

But some are better off with having people around.

[forceforlight]

[That gets another laugh, this time of recognition. Because, yeah. Dick knows very well that he's the latter.]

Well, the other one ended up falling in with some friends, too, so you may have that to look forward to. People back home that he works well with.

[robintohood]

[Jason snorts]

Yeah, I'm a real kumbaya type. Still weird that any version of me would team up with people like a Green Lantern or Donna again.

[But then again, Jason has made some strong connections on this Earth so far. Sleeper in particular has been a welcoming and significant presence for him. Maybe he is capable of working with a team in the long run]

Maybe with the right kind of people, it'd be nice.

[forceforlight]

Lantern was always more your friend than any of the rest of us, so I don't see where it's that weird. Still, yeah, you have a point. You're not really the kind who likes joining in on group projects, but I'm pretty sure if you found the right people, it would make a difference.

[robintohood]

Yeah, maybe.

[He pauses as he thinks about what to say next]

It's what I've been learning with Sleeper.

[If there's anyone who can understand getting very close with an alien, it'd be Dick]

[forceforlight]

[Ah. Something else that he's been meaning to pick up with Jason.]

Oh? I mean, I'd noticed you guys are pretty good friends.

[robintohood]

Yeah. We've gotten close.

[Jason fidgets a little with his coffee cup as he tries to figure out how to explain his bond with Sleeper]

We both realized how much we like being each other. I've never felt like this with anyone else before. Sleeper feels the same. So we decided to be in a bond.

[Jason fidgets again]

Their species, the Symbiotes, can physically bond with others. They can be parasites or it's mutual. We're the latter.

[forceforlight]

[Dick settles back, more than willing to let Jason take his time and tell him what he wants to tell him. It's a bit of a shock, but probably less than it would be to some.]

[So he simply raises his cup to Jason in acknowledgment.]

I can't say I know what it's like, but I'm glad that you have something like that in your life. Though you now realize that Sleeper's going to get the Batfamily shovel talk.

[robintohood]

[Jason softly huffs and then chuckles. The mental image of his family giving Sleeper that talk is funny. Sleeper would probably take it in stride too]

Good luck. Sleeper's a one-alien shapeshifting chemical factory when they feel like. Great taste in media though and unlike another cat-related person, usually doesn't have a bad case of sticky fingers.