#immortal jason todd

[glitter-stained]

Currently writing the csa meta and having, uh, big feelings about Starlin's decisions, so here's to remembering that, on a fundamental level, his plan failed:

Oh you want us to hate Jaybin? You want that kid to die? You want to kill Robin as a character entirely? Lmao

+ bonus because it's funny:

[chaoswarfare]

do x dc prompt #48

When Jason first found himself dead in the Infinite Realms, he was just about lost without a way to contact his family. He fell into a deep depression and only started crawling out of it when Danny took him under his wing. They found they related to each other a lot and could sympathize with being a teen hero, and soon were practically inseparable.

Then he was resurrected.

Jason was so angry and he had no idea why. Every time something reminded him of what came after death, he would fly into a blind rage because he can’t remember anything. He’s missing something essential in his memories, and he can’t admit that to his family, so he doesn’t.

The second time Jason died, it was only for a few minutes. A quick enough end after hitting the surface of the ocean and inhaling what seemed like gallons of seawater. He woke up in the zone, cradled in the grip of the man who took him in the first time, who his memory of had been blocked. They barely had time to catch up before Jason was hauled back to the land of the living. This time he didn’t forget.

The third time Jason died, They thought that was finally it. There’s not a lot of people that can come back from their upper half and lower half being separated for over an hour after all. He settled in. They watched his family, making sure they were coping alright(they weren’t, and it was so painful to watch-).

On the day of his funeral almost two months later(they wanted to wait as long as possible, he came back once after all, they needed to make sure. They wouldn’t leave him to crawl out of his own grave a second time.) The halfa king and the new(?) ghost watched. Jason committed every word of his eulogy to memory, everything his friends and family said. When the alley kids even stepped up to say their goodbyes, Danny pointedly ignored Jason’s open sobs(he never liked people seeing him vulnerable). The burning grief in his core was becoming unbearable(if he was just a little more open would his family have realized that the mission had gone sideways sooner?). Danny flinched next to him and turned toward Jason just as reality snapped and warped, dragging him back. Away from the Infinite realms(his home-) for a third time.

Dick didn’t know what to think when the motion sensors started going off right before they lowered the coffin. To say he was stunned for a moment was an understatement, He didn’t so much as twitch until a fist broke through the lid of the box.

Once is a coincidence. Twice is an anomaly. Three times is a pattern. Nobody ever told Jason how awkward it could be crashing your own funeral. He’d almost prefer digging out his grave.

Danny isn’t just going to sit quietly this time. Jason is back in the living world, completely defenseless. He needs to protect his ward.

(immortal!Danny? yes. today i present to you the first ever time i’ve seen Immortal!Jason ;).)

[deepwithintheabyss]

So I know immortal Jason, cursed to come back from the dead is already a thing, explored as horror and a comedy

But did anyone think about how his family reacts?

Jason dies and they grief

And he comes back

Maybe much time passed maybe not

And it happens again

And again, and again and again

How many times does it need to happen before they become used to it? Used to death, to return, already counting down the days to when his corpse regains life

How long until the thought of "oh god what if he doesn't come back this time" turns to a whisper

How long till they realize that they're expecting him to die, sending him on misisons that he won't return from, planning for it

Treating him as expendable because he is

And what happens when one day he doesn't come back? It's from something you thought he could handle

Or maybe not even that Maybe he goes out on his own with no back up or way to call for help, why would he need to?

Because Jason comes back

-

What if they don't grow used to it, each time they grief him all over again, hope that he comes back, even knowing it's a curse, no rest for the dead.

They hokd their speech for the funeral in hands, and polish it anew each time, just in case this time this was it, he's gone.

They wonder if they're ever going to perfect it, ever going to need it.

Or if it will be Jason who stands at their graves.

He dies over and over again, recklessly throwing himself into harms way to protect anyone he can, because his heart was always bigger than he could afford

So ready to sacrifice himself for anyone that cares, and now he has even more excuse to do so.

Why should anyone get hurt if Jason can come back just fine?

Except,doesn't he see how much it hurts them? To grief and fear what could be, to wonder why he thinks so little of himself.

Knowing that Jason would rather die than see someone hurt.

(Knowing that everything comes at a price and that the universe is cruel.)

[soulless-bex]

ignoring that the canon answer to jason’s resurrection is “superboy punched a wall”, i propose immortal!Jason Todd

as in, jason is actually a meta-human who can’t die. the only reason he stayed dead as long as he did in the first place is because of how fucked his body was after everything the joker put him through and he needed to “heal.” even then he was still recovering after literally digging himself out of his grave

however, since he most definitely can’t remember shit until after his dip in the lazarus pit, he doesn’t know. talia kept her mouth shut because knowledge is power, jason never asked because he was Angry and there were no other witnesses

so immortal meta-human jason but nobody figures it out until he dies again

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 30/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra’s al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Immortal Jason Todd, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Protective Talia al Ghul, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Adopted Children, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Thirty: Cream Wild Indigo

Two Christmases passed, bleeding into New Year’s, Mardi Gras, Easter, and the Fourth of July, and Jason still hadn’t left Houma or Josh. He kept telling himself he’d go home, but every time he thought to leave, he’d look at Josh, and his heart would ache so badly, he decided to stay behind. He’d taken things slowly, thinking that Josh’s effect would wane as his grief passed, but his affection for Josh only grew as time passed. One night, Jason woke up feeling oddly bold as he approached Josh’s bedroom door. He knocked, sheepishly standing outside, his gaze cast downward as he waited. Josh opened the door, wearing a pajama shirt and basketball shorts. He scratched his stomach, squinting at Jason in the dark. “Ça va?” Josh asked as he lifted Jason’s chin. “I forget you shy… You wanna come in here?” Jason nodded. “You wanna talk?” Jason shook his head. “You wanna do more than kiss?” Jason wasn’t sure how to answer, so he didn’t. “You wanna kiss me, though?” Jason nodded, staring into Josh’s eyes. 

Josh leaned in, and Jason closed his eyes, meeting Josh halfway as their lips touched. Jason placed a hand on his own stomach, acknowledging the difference and the butterflies that came with it. Josh was gentle, leaning back to see if Jason was willing to chase him… And Jason did more than just chase. He grabbed hold of Josh’s pajama shirt, pulling him close as their lips parted. “I love you,” Jason whispered as he took a breath. 

“I love you, too. Still want to come in?” Josh questioned. Jason nodded, taking Josh’s hand as he stepped past the threshold for the first time. They didn’t kiss again that night as Josh held the sheets up, allowing Jason to climb under them, sharing the warmth. They didn’t do anything except talk. 

“Peter’s my middle name,” Jason confessed. 

“Alright… I like when we go out dancin’. I pretend I don’t wanna dance, but I feel somethin’ special when you close to me like that,” Josh replied, his eyes squinting and eyebrows pulled together in a severe expression. Jason grinned. 

“You’re the first boy I ever loved. First boy I ever kissed,” Jason whispered. 

“I figured so… Your family don’t take light to that? Is that why you don’t write or call them?” Josh questioned. 

Jason shook his head. “No… It’s not like that. My mama, she’s had a few loves in her life. Not all of them were men,” Jason answered, “I just—. If I let them know where I am, they’ll ask me to come home… And I—. I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d go… But I know I’m not—. I’m not ready to go.”

“So, they don’t know you here?” Josh asked. Jason shook his head. “Why you leave?” 

“I’m adopted… It’s no secret. They took me in when I was eleven… My stepmother, who I believed was my birth mother died… And my mama took me into her home, taught me her way of doing things, and she gave me everything I could ever dream of and more. She offered me the best education available, all the books I could read, miles and miles of land to explore, and I ate. God, did I eat… It was a huge step up from the abandoned apartment I lived in alone… And my brother never saw me as anything but his brother. He used to sneak into the room to keep me company when I was sick…

“And my grandfather… I was so afraid of him for so long, but I know now that he wanted me to be strong. He had his way of doing things, and I can respect it now… But, I left home to meet my birth mother as soon as I learned her name. It didn’t work out, and I felt so guilty for leaving… Especially in the way things turned out… I couldn’t go home and look them in the eye after that,” Jason explained. Josh played with Jason’s long curls. 

“I know they miss you… You have a gentle way about you, so I know your little brother must miss you somethin’ awful,” Josh whispered. Jason frowned. “I didn’t—.”

“I missed his last three birthdays. He’s ten. He just turned ten a week and a half before my birthday, and I—. I’ve been with you for a year,” Jason whispered. 

“You should go see him… Buy him something nice,” Josh whispered. Jason closed his eyes, pretending to be tired. Josh kissed his forehead. “We won’t talk no more tonight.”

**

Jason didn’t sleep in Josh’s bed again for nearly two weeks. It took him that long to build up the courage to do what he wanted. He made love to Josh and afterward, he lay beside Josh, holding back tears. “Why you look so sad?” Josh questioned. “I knew you was leavin’... You have to see your folks.” 

“But I—. It might be a while before I see you again. I don’t want to leave you,” Jason whimpered. Josh smiled, not completely understanding the weight of Jason’s words. 

“I’m not goin’ nowhere. Family real important… I been tellin’ you to go home. Jason, you go home and you let them know somebody here love you… And when you come back, I’m gon’ show you how much I missed you,” Josh whispered as they shared a kiss. Jason’s tongue brushed Josh’s as tears rolled across his nose and down his right cheek. Josh pulled away and wiped Jason’s tears away. “Don’t you cry now, ma moitié.” 

Hearing Josh say that made Jason’s heart sick. He moaned in pain as he turned his face into the pillow. Josh rubbed Jason’s back. Jason “Do you promise to be careful until I get back? And take care of yourself? And—.” Jason took his necklace off and gave it to Josh. “Never take this off. Ever.” Jason kissed the jeweled charm that hung down to Josh’s chest. 

“Love charm?” Josh asked. Jason shook his head. 

“Protection,” Jason replied, “When I’m back in the United States, I’ll come for you.” 

“You don’t live in the US?” Josh questioned. Jason shook his head. 

“No, I grew up on an island. I’ll know you’re okay as long as you wear that charm,” Jason whispered. Josh nodded. And when Josh woke up, Jason was gone. The only evidence of his presence was the charm necklace and a letter. 

**

Jason arrived home after three days, dog tired and longing to hear Josh’s voice. He could still smell Josh’s cologne on his skin. It smelled like Houma on the jet. He trekked through the forest for half a day, taking the long way home. It was dark when he arrived, and he quietly explained to the guards that he didn’t want Ra’s, Talia, or Damian notified of his return. They let him through, and he crept toward Damian’s room. Damian tossed and turned, muttering in his sleep. Jason smiled, touching Damian’s little hand only to be met by a knife. Jason grabbed his wrist before Damian could hold the blade to his throat. “Di, is that any way to say hello?” Jason asked. Damian’s eyes widened as he stared at Jason. “I’ve missed you.”

“Gē, did Grandfather call you home?” Damian whispered. Jason shook his head.

“Why would he call me home?” Jason questioned as he held Damian’s face in his hands. He could see a darkness in Damian’s eyes that wasn’t there before, but his soul smelled so warm and sweet like an infant. “Oh, how I’ve missed you, Di—. Damian.” 

Damian hugged Jason. “You’re going to Gotham with me… Aren’t you?” Damian asked. “I’m leaving soon.”

“I’ll have to talk to Grandfather in the morning before I can answer that. I’ve been gone so long, I’m not sure what he’ll want from me now,” Jason answered, “You’ve gotten so big. I missed you every day that I was gone. You’ve never been far from my mind.” 

“Saru’s—. She’s—.” Jason nodded and frowned. “Why didn’t you come home when—?”

“I’ll explain it to you in a little while. Will you be up for a little while? I want to sleep in here with you… I’ll tell you about my new friend,” Jason answered. Damian nodded, letting Jason go. They had so much catching up to do. It felt like several lifetimes since they were last in that room together.

[batfam-fanfics]

The Many Deaths of Jason Todd by Zoeleo

27 Chapters - 153031 words

When Jason is the victim yet again of the Joker's personal war with Batman, the batfamily begins to tear apart at the seams. Tim spearheads a risky mission to recover their fallen brother in an effort to hold them together. The last thing he expects to find on the other side of a mortuary door is a very much alive Jason Todd. But Jason's resurrection raises more questions than answers and Tim finds himself at odds with the rest of the family as he tries to uncover the truth of the second Robin's apparent immortality.

[kindlingkeen]

Summary:

Jason is fifteen and dying, choking on smoke in a warehouse. Jason is sixteen and buried, clawing his way desperately to freedom. Jason is seventeen and drowning, waking up to green fire. Jason is nineteen and dying for the second time, bleeding out to the sound of laughter in an abandoned apartment building.

Jason is sixteen and six feet beneath the earth again. But this time, when he wakes up he’s in a hospital bed, and he’s not alone.

Jim Gordon, meanwhile, would really like to know what the hell is going on in his city this time.

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Batman - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon & Jason Todd Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth Additional Tags: Temporary Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Resurrected Jason Todd, Jason Todd is Not Red Hood, Bruce Wayne Tries to Be a Good Parent, Protective Jim Gordon, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Jason Todd-centric, POV Alternating, Other Additional Tags to Be Added 

Image from Batman: Under the Hood

[trust-and-jump]

OKAY BUT did Jason Todd's soul come back??

DIT it?????????

Listen, I KNOW this exists because this issue came to life in October 2001 and the first issue of Under the Red Hood did so in February 2005. BUT.

I just can't stop thinking, what if his soul didn't come back fully ("whaaaaat do you mean the part of his soul died with Robin?"), or (considering he's a universal glitch hehe) just got another version, filling his resurrected body??? like, there are two souls of Jason Todd now, one in Haven, and one walking alive down there??? or something (maybe that beautiful immortal Jason Todd theory thing happened because of some wrongs done with his soul, split or doubled or NOT WITH HIM ON EARTH, or something else).

what if... he feels some of it, sometimes? and sometimes he feels he's not really here but there?

and, if he doesn't have his soul with him, then what?

Green Arrow vol. 3 answers that, lol

OOPS SORRY OLLIE

this also makes the person vulnerable to possession and soul-transfer!!!!!!

oops, Ollie.......

___

yes, I want a fic with Oliver and Jason somehow discussing it despite Oliver hating Jason for that thing with Mia. Give. Me. My. Jason Todd&Oliver Queen fic.

___

lmao I imagined some batman/league adventure (some time after under the red hood) where Batman visits Haven for some "superhero stuff" reason and sees Robin (OR some superhero visits it and decides it would be better for Batman to know that his Robin is up there, you know), and, like. *loading*

No, I don't know what he would think. I'm part-convinced that by the time the dust settled after the Under the Red Hood Batman didn't really think that Jason was alive for real. He was a ghost, a vengeful spirit, the taint, the anger, some mystical event, fate's tool to torment him, Bruce Wayne, for Batman's sins.

Maybe it would mess up him more. Maybe he would think, no, I really killed a person with that batarang, and now his soul's in the heaven and that means that somehow my Robin was still in there and just needed help. Or maybe he would find in this a proff that Red Hood wasn't really his Jason.

I don't know.

But whatever.

Nice.

(ALSO WHAT THE—)

[msfcatlover]

In which I propose a new superpower for Jason Todd

Jason was resurrected by a ripple/fracture/break in space-time/reality. Significantly, he was resurrected physically to a moment right before his death (I’d argue right before the bomb went off, based on his injuries and specifically the lack of smoke-damage to his lungs allowing him to call out for Bruce from down in his grave) but he remembers dying. Some analysis even suggests that resurrection made him immortal, that his death was overwritten and cannot be rewritten in any way that will stick. Plenty of AUs speculate about this giving him a whole variety of powers, but I haven’t seen this one yet, so...

Jason Todd exists, physically, as every single version of himself that ever was, could have been, or ever could be. He is, in a way, outside of time, a permanent glitch in the metaphorical matrix. He is a very, very specialized kind of shapeshifter, able to hit fast forward or rewind on his own physical form whenever he wants, but his perception of time remains linear & constant---he can’t actually see the future or anything, and if he shifts to the time he was a corpse, he’s still trapped & aware inside of his nearly useless, rotting body. When he meets alternate versions of himself from parallel universes, he also learns of different paths his life could’ve gone down, allowing him to rewind to the point where that changed and then fast forward down that other path as far as he wants (once again, this does not grant him the memories of that alternate life, he is always the Jason who stole from Batman, became Robin, died in that warehouse, and came back with a vengeance.) Not something he gets much use out of, given how few of the alternate selves he’s met have useful powers of their own, but handy for hiding scars or changing his build slightly for undercover work.

No, what Jason got/gets/will get the most use out of is the rewind feature. It can heal wounds, as long as he removes the blade or bullet which will not be affected by his shifting, which is both very handy (in the case of the former) and very troublesome (when the latter means he can’t risk shifting at all if he’s been shot or hurt with shrapnel.) He comes back to Gotham as a ghost, the Robin they all remember him as, and haunts his family just irregularly enough to really throw them off their games in between antics as the Red Hood.

(He also did/does/will do it instinctively sometimes, losing track of what age he’s supposed to be and shifting to the one he currently feels like, or the one he wants to be. He almost always drops however many years back to his late teens whenever he’s being especially petty or underhanded. When he’s scared, he has to actively remember not to let himself literally shrink back to 14, when he was Robin & a Wayne and actually felt safe. Under fear toxin, it’s not uncommon to find Jason under ten years old, tiny & scared, trying to find somewhere small to hide. In the opposite direction, he often gets older when he wants people to take him seriously, because something Jason learned young is that nobody listens to people they think are children.)

(Needless to say, the full-face helmet is very useful, and he keeps the filters well maintained & at the bleeding-edge of bat-technology. Nightwing having to carry a sobbing six year old back to the cave for treatment should never, ever have happened even the one time, and Jason’s not about to let it happen again!)

He needs to remember to age at all, since he just hit/hits/will hit “pause” when he reaches the form he wants. He came out of the Lazarus Pit a glitchy, blurring mess of a thing, and it took a while before he was able to find a form that felt comfortable in the time he was now in (the body he would have had, if Bruce got there in time and took Jason to the al Ghuls to beg healing for his son’s wounds.) The further he gets from the current time/reality, the more uncomfortable a form was/is/will be to hold; like wearing a skin-tight suit that doesn’t quite fit, getting smaller the further he gets from “here & now.”

(Yes, that does mean Jason will inevitably experience ever-increasing discomfort as time goes on and he gets further from his original resurrection; he’s not supposed to be “here” right “now.” The longer it’s been since Jason Todd ceased to exist, the more out of place a living Jason Todd was/is/will be.)

[abyssal-ali]

you knew the hero died, so what's the movie for?

Pairing: Gen Ao3 Masterlist

Rating: E for Extra Bad Mental Health WC: 2.2k

Summary:

Babs finds some footage of Jason acting strangely and calls in the Bats to help her figure out what's up with Jason.

TW: Suicidal Ideation/Passive Suicidal Thoughts, Implied/Referenced Depression, Major Character Death/Major Character Undeath

A/N: (Yes, I'm fine<3) Title from hoax by TS. I love the Immortal Jason Todd theories but I also think he'd have a lot of Thoughts and Feelings about death and life after the first time. (Also don't worry, there is a happy ending.)

~

Barbara Gordon spun on her chair’s wheels to face the Bats. The whole clan, minus one, were admitted to her domain after her special request.

“Why could you not send us the footage?” asked Batman, his voice not so raspy with the modifier turned off.

“It’s safer here. This is extremely delicate information here, and I cannot have it fall into the wrong hands somehow.”

The Bats exchanged glances at Oracle saying she didn’t want to risk this being hacked. Her finger hovered over the play button on her large screen.

“I hacked Hood’s helmet just after he ducked out of patrol to tell him I’d received info I thought he might want to know for a case he’s on. He was speaking, but it didn’t seem like a call or voice-to-text, and the security cam from the alley he was in doesn’t show anyone or anything. The context is weird and the whole situation is…disturbing.”

Babs finally played the CCTV footage after her explanation, showing a typical Gotham alleyway, Red Hood’s large shape the only figure visible as he walked normally into it from around the corner. 

His steps stutter, then his whole being seems to lose tension as he walks further in, his shoulders curling inwards slightly. “Now?”

A pause, then, “What is it this time? I haven’t decided what I wanted to cross off my list this time.”

He leans against the wall, one foot propped on the rough brick casually as he tosses a knife through the air, always catching it by the handle. After a couple seconds of seeming silence, he turns abruptly, his posture tensing. “I just want quiet, is that too much to ask?!” 

He calms, then continues, “I don’t hate you, D. It’s your sister. She always interrupts and it’s gotten really old. You…can either stop flirting with me or do somethin’ ‘bout Elle. She keeps bringin’ me back down…”

He sheathes his knife and shifts into an offensive stance. “I was at peace, D! I’m just…so…tired…” His voice trails off, revealing the weakness his family has never picked up in him.

After a moment, he relaxes back into his slump against the wall. “We’re running outta options. Explosions, blunt force trauma, asphyxiation, suffocation, smoke inhalation, drowning, exsanguination, jugular sliced, cardiac arrest, hypothermia, electrocution…” He ticks off his fingers. “I’m immune to most poisons and toxins, so they’re out, medication burns through me too quickly…” Another pause.

“I can’t just run off with you, D. They’re detectives, and any explanation they’ll believe is falsified, and they’ll pointlessly search space and time. I’m not gonna spark PTSD and make them sad. Oh! We haven’t tried decapitation yet, we could recreate Dickens’ scene…or there’s my personal favourite, you kidnap me in my sleep. Sounds peaceful….NOT THAT I WOULD KNOW ABOUT PEACE!”

The watching Bats flinched at the sudden outburst from the dejected Hood they were wrapping their minds around. 

On the screen, he waves at air, then turns on his heel and stalks out of the alley, heading somewhere else. 

Babs’ trackers showed everyone in the Clocktower, and one red dot at a known safehouse of Jason’s a few blocks from the alley.

Babs turned to the Bats. 

“Hmm,” Batman mused.

“Ambiguous,” decided Nightwing. “You didn’t pick up any interference, magical or alien?”

“No. Everything is clear,” replied Babs, spinning back to her computer to run more scans on the footage. 

“I hate one-sided conversations,” said Spoiler, staring thoughtfully at the frozen image of Red Hood walking out of the alley.

“Who’s this ‘D’ he’s talking to?” demanded Red Robin. “He usually only calls Dick ‘D’, and even then it’s rare. And Dick doesn’t know about this.”

Batgirl got the others’ attention. “Jason is hurt. Always. Not from fighting.” She thought for a moment. “Heart-hurt. Always tired. This is…tired, but relieved.”

“Hmm,” said Batman again.

Two days later, Nightwing and Red Robin knocked on Jason’s door. He’d managed to instill the basic modicum of manners in them with careful traps, a fair amount of glitter, and occasionally a minor wound or two. When he didn’t answer after two tries, and Babs reassured them through their comm link that his tracker was still pinging from that location, they let themselves in.

The first thing they found was Jason, dead in his bed.

In shock, confusion, and grief, the Bats were notified, confirmed it was truly Jason and not some elaborate scheme to fake his death for some Jason-only-knew reason, and taken back to the Cave to prepare him for burial. Again.

To their great surprise, Talia al Ghul marched into the Cave and swept past all their baffled questionings to the table Jason lay on, more peaceful in death than they’d ever seen in life.

She carefully scrutinized him, then sighed and put her hand on his. 

“Don’t touch him,” Bruce snapped, looking worse than he had in years. 

Talia removed her hand after a slight hesitation, turning to face the grieving Bats. “Before you bury Jason, please wait one more day.”

“Why?”

“You do remember what happened last time you buried him,” she reminded them flatly.

With a grunt, Bruce agreed to wait 18 more hours, looking over at his son’s body every few moments from the tea Alfred was forcing him to drink.

The Bats were quietly mourning their brother, son, grandson, friend, tormentor, coworker, rival, saviour when a loud stream of swearing shocked them out of their grief. 

“NOT AGAIN?! WHY?! WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!” Yelled one very alive Jason Todd, sitting straight up and looking as pale as a ghoul.

He slipped off the table, stumbling towards the group in zombie-like motions, collapsing into Talia’s waiting arms. “Tals? Why’re ya’here?”

“To stop your idiotic, grieving, well-meaning family from hastily burying you again.”

“Oh, thanks.”

The still-stunned bats slowly gathered around the hugging duo. Talia dragged Jason over to the cot in the medbay and forcing him onto his side. “Stay still until you’re better. You should know better, habibi.”

“But my mom was here, I had to hug her,” he grinned crookedly up at Talia, who was unimpressed.

Still, she smiled softly at him, running her fingers through his hair. “Just lie still. 15 minutes on every side.”

“This ain’t my first rodeo, Tals,” he grunted, but stay where she left him. 

Tim opened his mouth and Talia turned her fierce glare on him. With one motion, she directed them all away from Jason to the debriefing area, where he was still within sightline, but wouldn’t be disturbed by their sure-to-be-invasive questions.

“How did he die?” she asked them, looking sternly at Bruce.

“I don’t know.” He collapsed into a seat, staring at Jason blankly. “Oracle showed us a concerning video she found with Hood, we went to his safehouse…and found him…peaceful, in his bed. A little smile on his face,” he choked out.

Talia sighed, glancing back at Jason.

“Why are you here?”

“Mother’s intuition,” she shrugged. “Something was very wrong with him. I was worried, so I came.”

“T, I can deal with them,” called Jason. “I’m a big boy, I can handle their need for privacy invasion.”

Talia sighed but relaxed from her gatekeeping stance, letting the Bats crowd Jason’s bed again.

“How dare you alive again? You were definitely dead,” blurted Tim. 

“Life and I have a mutual hate for each other,” said Jason cryptically. “And Death and I are kinda close.”

“How did you die?” asked Dick, quietly horrified.

“Oh, D was really accommodating–I was asleep this ti-”

“‘D’ is Death?!”

“Yeah, I call Death ‘D’, so what? You all have nicknames. And like I said, this ain’t my first rodeo, We’re tight, she likes me.”

“Ethopia…” remembered the Bats awkwardly.

“Why are you lying down?” asked Steph as Jason shifted to his front, turning his head to watch his family.

“I can’t lie on my back for longer than a few second because of PTSD. And my heart hasn’t been pumping for…awhile, so blood flow ain’t the best right now. 

“First, there’s numbness, like when your leg’s fallen asleep, only full-body. 

“Then, prickles of pain as all your muscles and circulatory system start up. 

“Third, your brain’s fuzzy from lack of oxygen and bloodflow, so you spill your deepest darkest secrets to your needlessly nosy family because some twisted part of you feels guilty for putting them through your death again. That last part might just be me, though.

“Fourth, I’m tired and I want to sleep, so ask T or wait for me to wake up. Trust me, I will,” he grumbled. “Oh, you may wanna shock me a li’l bit to make sure my heart’s started properly again. Sometimes it needs a bit of a tune-up to make sure it’s good as new.”

“Why do you sound like this happens regularly?!” Dick demanded.

“It does.” Jason closed his eyes, turning his head to the other side.

Talia shooed the murmuring Bats back to let Jason rest in peace (consciously).

A couple hours later, Jason sat up again, with more colour to his skin and smoother movements. Talia carefully supported him, leading him to a chair and mug of steaming hot chocolate.

The disturbed bats gathered around him until he looked up with a grimace at them. “I’m fine, okay? Why are you even so worried?”

“No, you’re not fine! You were dead, again, and now you aren’t, and you’re acting like this happens every week!”

Jason shrugged. “Done it enough it feels like it. Don’t worry, I get better quicker the more often it happens; you’ve never noticed."

“You died the first time in Ethiopia?”

Jason nodded.

“And it took…six months for you to come back? This was…24 hours or less. So how often have you died, and what’s the exponential rate?” demanded Tim. 

Jason shrugged again. “Dunno. Based on past times…” he trailed off, looking to Talia.

“With this one, it should be about twenty hours until his resurrection the next time.”

“Why were you even looking for me?”

“I hacked your comms when you were, apparently, talking to Death, and I brought the CCTV footage from that alley to their attention,” reasoned Babs, pulling his free hand into hers and squeezing it gently. “Why would you not tell us about this? We were worried sick about you after we saw that! And then you disabled your tracker, and it took me ages to find your last ping and find your new safehouse!”

“Sorry,” he mumbled into his mug. 

“So you were actually talking to Death? Who is…apparently a person…being?” asked Steph.

“Yep, she’s cool. I’m her favourite repeat customer,” he joked. It fell flatter than one of Bruce’s pancakes.

“You sounded happy to see D,” said Cass, watching him closely.

“Yeah, she’s a lot nicer than her bitch of a sister, Life. She keeps bringing me back,” Jason bemoaned under his breath.

“You don’t want to come back?” Dick asked sadly, inching closer.

“Not really. It’s peaceful being dead. Being alive is so…tiring,” he sighed, leaning his head back and gently placing his mug down.

“Habibi,” Talia said thickly, running her fingers through his hair again.

“But…but you talked down that jumper last week!” pointed out Tim.

“So?”

Cass rewound the footage Babs had played them, playing a section back for the others on the Batcomputer. “I’m not gonna spark PTSD and make them sad.”

“‘Sad’ is…a wrecked car. Replaceable. ‘Grief’ is you dead. We cannot replace you. We are not sad for you. We grieve for you.”

At Cass’s revelation, the Bats’ heads swiveled between Jason and the screen. 

“Little Wing…do you think we would grieve you less than the first time?”

Jason didn’t answer, picking up his mug to see if there were any dregs left.

Talia laid her hand on his shoulder. “Why are you still the Red Hood, habibi? No one is forcing you to. You became the Red Hood to antagonize Batman*. You’ve done that, moved past it. Move on, don’t just give up.”

A strange look crossed Jason’s face at Talia’s face. His eyes darted to a harrowed-looking Bruce, then back to the depths of his mug. “Thanks, T.”

Red Hood retired, Jason choosing to hand the reins of his crime bossing business over to his trusted lieutenants as he moved to Europe, entering Oxford to pursue a secondary education. 

One or another of his family members were more often than not flying to and from his flat to remind him how much they loved and valued him. 

Talia visited him often, making sure that he knew just how much the other side of his chosen family also cared for him. She introduced him to a therapist that was accustomed to dealing with clients with more confidential matters than usual. 

Gradually, Jason healed and discovered his personality aside from ‘anti-hero crime-boss vigilante’. He pursued therapy as a career, becoming a therapist and mentor to the Justice League and its associates, specifically the sidekicks and teen heroes. 

The twenty-hour resurrection rule wasn’t needed for several more decades.

*****

A/N2:

*Yes, I'm aware he also wanted to change Gotham in a way that Batman couldn't/wouldn't etc, but I couldn't get into the nuances there.

Jason has canonically died several times, including the time Bruce stopped his heart (don't ask me for canon references, I don't touch those things with a 10-foot pole) but as I was editing this fic, I decided to go the good/semi-decent dad Bruce route instead; Jason's hurt enough, so you'll only find one small easter egg about that. I also left out the line about the slit throat from the Batarang Bruce threw in UtRH, which I am firmly convinced hurt Jason more than was shown in canon.

I got the inspiration for Jason dealing with post-mortem/post-resurrection stiffness etc from a fic but I can't remember which one. Possibly Who I Am. Who I'll Never Be by Zootopon?? If you find one, feel free to lmk.

Jason is depressed and isn't very objective about the Batfam, and even though they're on fairly good terms in this fic, they're still emotionally consitpated Bats and Jason's a good actor; they're not thinking to reassure him they love him and want him, and he's sure not gonna outright ask for reassurance. As someone with depression (not speaking for everyone, just drawing on my own experience), it really makes you feel like even those you love most and who love you most don't actually. It's hard to ask for confirmation of their love, and especially with dynamics like the Batfam/Jason have, that complicates matters further. If you're reading this and you don't somehow have Issues, learn from this and face your feelings.

[glitter-stained]

Prompt:

After Red Hood stopped killing and someone leaked footage hinting that he's the second Robin, he expected to fight for every morsel of territory, for everybody to desert him and the murder attempts to triple.

And, well. It's not like he doesn't find himself in a rigged warehouse on Monday, walking off that one explosion with singes on his back. It's not like on Wednesday, a bullet pierces through a hole in his armour and he's losing half his blood in an alley. And sure, someone takes advantage of him throwing his helmet away on Friday (he was out of grenades and needed a bigger bomb) to fear gass him, but it's fine, he can function normally under fear gass nowadays.

Except. Except nobody deserts him. By Monday, the attempts have completely stopped. He walks into a meeting with his men and sees his goons' hands won't stop shaking, and even his lieutenant won't look him in the eyes.

Jason is confused, and so are the other bats, but soon the rumours reach their ears: you can't go after the Red Hood, because no matter what you do, once you've targeted him it's over, like a dog with a bone, he'll get you eventually- no matter how you shoot or how many explosives you use. It doesn't matter that the Red Hood doesn't kill, because the Red Hood doesn't die.

[lady-ofliterature]

Do you ever just think, Batman passed the bat paranoia down to his children. Like, the Teen Titans will be chilling and Beast Boy asks what Robin would do if he turned evil and Robin just has a detailed file on each of them, counting all possible outcomes on how to take him down and their weaknesses. Jon asks Damian the same question and Damian has the most detailed contingency plan Jon’s ever seen, plus eight backups. The JL makes the mistake of mentioning it to Batman and he spends hours walking them all through what to do if he goes evil. Everyone is both impressed and concerned with the level of craziness and paranoia in that family. Clark will just walk in to the Batcave and see Bruce buried under a forest’s worth of papers full of what to do in any circumstance ever. Someone asks what to do if Alfred goes evil and every single bat pops up at the same time and says, “run” in the most serious voice possible.

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

@groot2yoda Don't hide this in the notes! This is wonderful! I love the idea that they're living happily in this little farm in the countryside.

Is Clone Tim a normal human? Will Danny offer to make him a halfa at some point and finally have an immortal husband who understands him and thier children? Will they live happily every after until they get found by someone and that someone thinks Danny was the one to clone Tim? Imagine Danny gets captured alongside Clone Tim and thier children and they all get separated as Danny is detained by the Justice League. The kids are scared and don't know what's going on. Clone Tim is assumed to have been brainwashed or programed, ect.

The miscommunication! The angst! The fluff! The chaos!

So...anyone remember that version of the Rejected Soulmate AU where Danny turns Tim into a Halfa against his will and Tim developed picture powers and trapped Phantom in a painting?

Well I do and I'm about to make it everyone else's problem.

When Danny is finally released from the painting he is not okay. He had been trapped in an attic where pretty much no one went to and then everyone outright avoided for years.

He was essentially stuck in solitary confinement for Ancients know how long. People don't just walk away from that and get to be perfectly sane afterwords. Whats more was that Dannys core was damaged right before being picturefied. Usually the damage sustained would have been nothing more than the equivalent of a skinned knee but being surrounded on all sides by the essence or not only another ghost but another Halfa...well...when two ghosts mix thier essences together they can create a new core.

A baby.

Unfortunately for Phantom both of them were Halfas and Danny had no access to human requirements such as food and water.

Phantoms body couldn't handle the strain of a pregnancy and he had a miscarriage. Worse still, he was constantly surrounded by Tim's essence so he just...kept getting pregnant and kept having miscarriage after miscarriage. When Danny was released he sobbed. It wasn't unusual so hear sobbing or crying from what was dubbed "Dannys room" all around him were the empty cores of the children he had lost, splayed across the floor without a glow and without a life. He looked up at the wall he had been hanging on and saw a distinct discoloration where his portrait used to be. For the love of the Ancients, how long had be been trapped there??

Danny eventually managed to calm down and went over to one of the boxes that hadn't been touched since Alfred stopped coming he tried not to think about that and quietly dumped the contents out onto the floor and used the box to gather up the so many far too many cores.

He would hold a funeral for them all at a later date, but for now he needed to escape the manor.

Sneaking down the stairs he kept his senses sharp. There seemed to be no one in the manor and it appeared to have been that way for quite some time. Alfred would rise from the grave himself if he knew how much dust had accumulated in his absence.

Danny walked past a puddle on the living room floor absently noting the large stain on the ceiling that periodically let a drop splash down into the dampness below. What had happened here? Clearly Tim hadn't died the rest of the way anytime soon after locking Danny up and throwing away the key, so what was up with the manor? How long had Danny been gone? Did they abandon him along with the house? That thought sent his stomach churning.

He knew Tim didn't want him. He had been okay with that so long as he played with him. Most soulmate bonds were platonic and Danny wasn't above pestering someone for attention. Red Robin had almost always seemed annoyed by his presence though and never really gave him a chance even when he seemed to be having fun with whatever "mini game" he had constructed (he made sure to base them off of Reds own hobbies and likes) he had seemed to be holding himself back. Tim never opened up to Danny.

Now Danny was the one trying to avoid Tim as he slipped out one of the manors secret passageways. Thank you old school money and your paranoid aristocrats. He wondered it Bruce even knew of all the secret passageways the Phantom had scoped out in Wayne Manor as he slipped out of a bush behind some old house on another property. Judging on how he had to phase his way out of the hidden door and under the bushes roots he'd go out on a limb and guess no one had used this one in quite a while.

He decided to still stick to the shadows. Even if he had escaped the manor it didn't change the fact that if Tim didn't already know he escaped he would soon enough and would be out looking for him with the rest of the furry patrol.

What about Hood? Did he still hate him? Danny wasn't even sure what went wrong. One day they were friends and then the next he wouldn't even look at him. Did Tim say something? Would he stoop so low? Either way he didn't think Hood would help him. He could feel Hoods Ecto-signature over in the direction of Crime Alley so he couldn't have been trapped for two long, right?

Wrong. So so wrong. According to the date on the electronic billboard he had been trapped for 133 years. Ancients. In other news Tim Drake had been attacked and fallen into a coma not too long ago, which would explain why Danny was free and not being chased. That and his collar that hid his ecto signature. Every day he's thankful for it.

Now would be the best time to leave Gotham. Now while everyone is distracted and Tim can't shove Danny back into his own private Hell.

By the time Tim realizes Danny is missing he will already be long gone.

[d-1hater]

honestly one of the main reasons I like dc is that they can’t keep a storyline straight for shit. anything I don’t like is just *not real*. that’s different storyline babes what are you talking about???

like at this point I can consider shit like wfa and hell even well written fanfics as canon bc who knows what’s going on with those funky little people?? certainly not the dc writers

[writerfromthestars]

DPXDC PROMPT : ALFRED IS IMMORTAL

Alright. Don't get me wrong, I love au's where John Constantine is like "soul tax evader supreme", but hear me out.

Alfred.

Alfred, Alfred Pennyworth. Who just doesn't die. The guy's immortal. The reason for this is that Alfred is awesome, so anytime he dies, whether it be from old age or a bullet or a world-wide catastrophe, he looks Death straight in the eyes and tells them that he will die when the day comes that no one needs him anymore, and not a second before, and then he just kinda pops back to life. Because let's face it, the batfam would fall to pieces without him.

So, Alfred Pennyworth has basically just been cheating death for centuries, by this point.

Needless to say, Death is none too pleased. Finally, Death goes to Phantom, the new king, who is much more reasonable than Pariah Dark was and who agrees to actually help.

Clockwork helps Danny set up a portal and he zaps into existence in the middle of a Wayne movie night. The bats are all prepared to fight this mysterious weirdo, but Danny ignores them and turns to Alfred, who he then begins lecturing about ghostly tax evasion and how defying death isn't a good thing, so he needs to file paperwork through the proper channels to stay as an immortal almost-God.

Alfred is chill, he plays cards with Clockwork once when he dies, so he knew this was coming, but the batfamily thinks that this mysterious entity is going to kill Alfred, so they're all panicking, trying to think of ways to avoid this horrible future. Alfred calmly listens to Danny, then he interjects.

"Sir, are you aware of the fact that there is a revenant on earth? One who is most certainly under threat of more paperwork than I, seeing as he has been using the Lazarus Pits to revive himself for millennia. I, however, have only been alive for a few hundred years, so I should think that he is a bigger priority. "

Danny glances over at Jason, doubtful. "He doesn't look several millennia old, Mr. Pennyworth."

"Certainly not, seeing as Master Jason is not. Besides, his Undeath License was filed. I have a copy of it if you need to see it, your Majesty?" Alfred answers, demure as always.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, sir."

Alfred leaves and returns, moments later with a light green glowing piece of paper. he hands it over to Danny, who examines it.

"Seems legitimate. I assume you filed it during one of your many encounters with Death?"

"Indeed. I have it on good authority, however, that the other revenant, a man by the name of Ra's Al Ghul, has not renewed his License in at least the last half millennia, most likely longer."

Danny sighs. "Where can I find him."

"Nanda Parbat. The signature is impossible to miss."

"Alright, Mr. Pennyworth. I will return once he is dealt with, be it by filing his paperwork or returning him to the Infinite Realms."

"Very well. I will be ready." Alfred answers.

Danny opens a portal to the area around Nanda Parbat and then another, which plops him down right in front of the Demon's Head himself, in a strategy meeting with his daughter and several commanders.

They all raise their weapons, but he just basically grabs Ra's by the ear and tugs him through a Lazarus Green portal, lecturing him about tax evasion and paperwork and bureaucracy the whole time. The League is thrown into uproar, and Ra's is set down in a room with all his overdue paperwork from the past few thousand years. He feels a little bit like crying; if he had known immortality meant this much paperwork, he would've just died, honestly.

Meanwhile, in Wayne Manor, everyone is crying, because they think Alfred is going to die, Jason is confused about the whole revenant Undeath Certificate thing, Bruce is trying to make contingency plans, Tim is contacting the Justice League, and Alfred is planning out his defense and going through every ghostly law loophole he can think of because if he leaves these emotionally constipated crime-fighting vigilantes, he knows that the house that Martha so loved will go up in flames within a month.

Eventually, Danny comes to get Alfred for his ghostly court trial/hearing or whatever, and Alfred says goodbye to Bruce and everyone, goes to the Infinite Realms. Clockwork is on his side, and Alfred ends up winning the court case, on the condition that now that the has an Undeath License, he actually renew it every twenty years, like he's supposed to.

A week later, Alfred returns, crashes his own funeral, and explains that no, he will not be dying anytime soon.

Two weeks after Alfred's return, Constantine shows up at the manor basically begging to learn how the hell he managed to avoid death, and not only that, win a damn court case against them.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Lily of the Valley

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason Todd dies and comes back to life. As the League takes him in, he navigates his morality and family values over the years.

Chapters: 25/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Talia al Ghul, Ra’s al Ghul, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Immortal Jason Todd, League of Assassins Jason Todd, Protective Talia al Ghul, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Jason Todd Needs a Hug, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Adopted Children, Resurrected Jason Todd

Chapter Twenty-Five: Water Lettuce

It took Jason a little longer than usual to recover from the pit. Talia cared for him, barring anyone other than Saru from seeing him. He struggled with fever and violent delirium for nearly two weeks. Saru pulled Talia out of the room. “Talia, it’s not good news. I found her,” Saru whispered. 

“Is she—?” Saru nodded. “How long?” Talia asked. 

“She’s been dead for maybe two or three days. I don’t—. Is he any better?” Saru questioned. Talia shook her head. “Will you tell him?” 

“No. He’s in such a fragile state… I’m focused on—.” 

“Please don’t try to bring her back… I love her, but I don’t want—. I can’t bear to see her suffer,” Jason whispered, his voice breaking as he leaned against the door. “Can you do me a favor? Please, I need you to—.” Jason turned his face away, nestling his forehead into the crook of his supporting arm. Talia reached for him, and his legs threatened to fold underneath him. 

“You should be in bed,” Talia whispered. 

Jason shook his head as Talia tried to lead him to bed. “This isn’t your fault. You shouldn’t feel bad. I know you. I know your heart and spirit. You didn’t take her life,” Jason mumbled. Talia nodded, trying to hold him up. “Can you do something for me?” 

Talia nodded, her eyes searching for his gaze, desperate and fearful. “Whatever it is, consider it done,” Talia replied. Jason looked up, staring into her eyes. His strange eyes were bloodshot and feverish. He hadn’t cried… Not yet.

“Bury her in Gotham… Please, bury her in Gotham,” Jason pleaded. Talia nodded. 

Saru turned away and left the room. “Consider it done,” Talia replied, “Now, please… Rest, my little one,” Talia whispered. 

Jason nodded, allowing Talia to tuck him in. He grabbed her wrist. “Stop feeling guilty. I should be the one apologizing to you. My selfish heart forgot your kindness,” Jason whispered, “I won’t be this foolish twice.” 

“Is love foolish, Jason? I know in my heart you forgave her a thousand times over. You will always have a place in your heart that aches for her, and I feel no ill will toward you for it. What can fill an endless space?” Talia whispered, “Now sleep. There are no more worries. There is only sleep.” 

**

Jason’s fever finally broke the next day, and he awakened to a meal while Saru sat quietly beside him. “Saru?” Jason whispered. He propped himself up on his elbows. He could see something change in her eyes. 

“I didn’t kill her, but I wasn’t upset that she died,” Saru confessed. Jason nodded. “How could you forgive her after what she’d done? “

Jason took her hand. “She’s my mother, Saru. Sometimes forgiveness is all we have. I can’t explain it. I love her. I can’t help how I feel. I don’t understand her, but I can forgive her. That power is mine and mine alone,” Jason whispered. Saru fed him a spoonful of soup. Jason smiled. “Thank you.” 

“The depths of your kindness—. Jason, I wish I was more like you,” Saru whispered, “But I think loving you will suffice…” 

“You’re kinder than I am… You just don’t see it that way,” Jason replied. Saru kissed his cheek. 

“Are you just saying that because you’re hungry?” Saru questioned as she placed the food tray over his lap. The soup cooled enough to eat but not so much that it felt cold. 

“No. I think you’re fiercely protective with a wonderful heart. I’ll never love anyone the way I love you,” Jason whispered. Saru gave Jason a sip of orange juice to build up his energy. 

Talia returned, her hair dripping wet, and eyes red and swollen. It was the first time Jason had ever seen her in a state of disarray. She had a pair of sweatpants and an old band t-shirt on. “Ya amar? How are you feeling?” Talia asked. 

Jason smiled. “I’m alright,” Jason replied. Saru lowered her gaze and passed by Talia on her way out. “Mama, thank you for bringing Saru along.” 

“Jason… It’s alright if you’re upset. I—. I admit I wasn’t—.”

Jason turned away as the dam broke. He gasped and tears slid down his warm cheeks. “I thought of you the whole time,” Jason wept, “I thought about how you would’ve stopped it. You would’ve done anything to stop it. I cried for her, and she—. She let him kill me. She ran. I can’t help but think I deserved to die. It would’ve been better that way. I’m not fit to be your son—.” 

“Lies!” Talia shouted. Jason sat up straight and silenced himself as his tears continued to flow. “I’ve known you for such a short time, but I would trade a million lifetimes if I could be your mother for the rest of this one… If you deserved to die you would’ve been granted that four years ago. You deserve more life than most, and I—. I want you to live it however you see fit. I’m sorry that this reunion wasn’t a sweet one, but I won’t allow you to believe you deserved this brutality.” 

**

Talia fell asleep beside Jason that afternoon until he felt strong enough to climb out of bed. He grabbed his duffel and crept out of the hotel, using the window. He disappeared into the night before taking the first car ride out of the city. From there, he hitched a ride to the Kenyan border on the back of a truck and boarded a plane to Cape Town. He had to move quickly and unpredictably if he wanted to disappear. And he wanted to disappear. 

Jason stayed in town for three days before stowing away on a cargo ship headed to his first destination. Talia left Jason a list of important contacts in the journal she gave him for his birthday. He decided it’d be best to train with them all before returning home. He wanted to become a better resource to his family, instead of an eternally expendable resource. He made a pact with himself to return home after he was strong enough. It didn’t matter how long it took. He’d travel the world, going through Talia’s contacts until he could prove himself again. 

He wanted to be able to look at Talia, Ra’s, and Damian without feeling weak. In the dark cramped space in the cargo ship, he relapsed into his fever and nearly succumbed to madness. The sound of the voices on the upper deck and the gasp of fresh air when the ship went quiet at night were all that kept him sane on the month-long trip to Australia. He ate scraps and snuck in the kitchen whenever he could manage it. It wasn’t until an old man came and sat beside him, eating an apple with a knife, that Jason regained his senses. He thought it was a hallucination. “If I give you half of my orange and don’t tell anyone you’re down here, will you promise to let me eat in peace?” the man questioned. Jason nodded. The man plopped half of the fresh orange in Jason’s open hands. “Wait.” He dropped a handful of basil leaves into Jason’s hand. “Eat those first.” 

Jason obeyed, chewing the basil leaves as the boat rocked. After he finished chewing the leaves, he ate the orange, and quietly watched the older man. “The Demon’s Head said you might be here. He told me not to disturb you… Instead, he wanted me to ensure you don’t die or get buried before you get where you’re headed… I didn’t believe you’d be here… And I wasn’t sure you’d like what I had to say,” the older man explained. 

“And then you’ll tell him where I am?” Jason asked. He shook his head. 

“We were told not to report that we’ve seen you if we have. You’re much better at staying hidden than I expected. Had you been in your right mind, I never would’ve found you,” the man replied. Jason tensed up, realizing that the man was right. He wasn’t in his right mind. He’d have to get that in check if he wanted to be good enough to protect Damian.