#Batfam & Sandman crossover baybeee

[benbamboozled]

Had an idea a while back for a series of one-shot fics of Jason Todd meeting members of the Endless throughout his life.

Death is the only one currently done, and I feel like posting it so here it is!

Death

(And a boy named Jason Todd)

“Jason.”

A gentle hand on his shoulder.

A soft voice in his ear.

“It’s over.”

Jason Todd opens his eyes.

He’s on his knees in the ruins of the explosion. His body’s lying in a heap in front of him, which explains why he’s not hurting anymore.

His body.

His very clearly dead body.

The woman who spoke is standing next to him.

Goth Classic, but she kills it—pun intended. Black hair, black shirt and jeans.

Eye makeup that probably would have been a bitch and a half to draw, but he’s pretty sure she doesn’t have to worry about that.

She’s pale. Too pale.

He’d ask her what she’s doing there, but. Well. It doesn’t exactly take the World’s Greatest Detective to figure out who she is. And who she’s there for.

Anyway.

She seems nice. Kind.

Jason stands up, brushes nonexistent dirt off of his suddenly pristine suit.

He has a lot of questions.

What about Sheila?

What about Bruce?

What about-what about-what about—

What about him? Jason Todd, he’s Jason Todd, and he’s Robin, and…

What about him?

The questions dry up in his mouth as he looks again at his body.

His body.

Probably stupid questions anyway.

He tries to think of something to say about the whole situation, because it seems like the sort of situation where he should say something.

“At least I left a pretty good looking corpse.”

She nods after appraising it, like she has to give it to him.

“True. One of the best I’ve seen, considering.”

She doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, which he appreciates.

“Lotta work to kill some kid, right? I’m just saying, beaten and blown up? Kinda seems excessive.”

She crosses her arms, raises her eyebrows, like someone has to call him on his bullshit, but she’s still smiling.

“We both know you aren’t just some kid.”

He doesn’t want to argue, not with her, so he settles on, “I guess.”

He always kinda thought, when it happened, he’d be relieved. His life hadn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows—he’d spent most of it lonely, scared, angry, or new and exciting combinations of the three. Sometimes he only got through because he knew, one day, he’d get to rest.

But.

“I don’t want it to be over.”

“I know.”

“Do you…”

He thinks about holding back, but, hell, why not? Might as well take the leap.

“Do you think he’ll miss me?”

“I do,” she says, and he knows in whatever is left of his being that she really means it.

“I think they all will, very much. You’re a good kid.”

Jason studies the body on the floor. Another death he couldn’t stop. Another person he couldn’t save.

Another failure.

“Was it even worth anything?”

He’s asking about Robin.

Trying.

So hard.

To do good.

To be good.

Then he realizes, no, he doesn’t just mean that.

She answers the question that he’s really asking, because of course she does.

“Everyone’s worth something, Jason.”

It sounds so much like something he would say, it makes Jason want to cry. But he can’t, not anymore.

Crying is for the living.

He’s past that.

“Okay,” he says instead. He almost means it.

“Okay. I’m ready.”

She smiles. It’s the kind of smile that makes him feel a little braver. A little stronger.

He takes her hand.

Hears…

Wings. The rush of air, beating back the world.

He smiles.

For a second, for a lifetime, he’s flying.

Like a—