Chapter Text
As much shit as it gets from the media about being a shitstorm cesspool for the criminally insane criminals of Gotham, Arkham Asylum is, and has been, heavily funded by Bruce Wayne for years.
Jason isn’t sure what to expect when he’s admitted into the asylum. A looming dread sinks in his gut at the possibility of being in a cell down the hall from the man who murdered him.
Instead, it’s pastel walls and bustling halls and soft featured workers in equally soft looking clothes. Jason warily eyes the clocks hidden behind cages and wonders what caused that particular renovation.
Jason has his pockets checked by one of the workers. Though he desperately wanted to bring any weapon, even a damn butter knife, to give him that facade of safety, he knew he couldn’t risk it. He doesn’t know what happens to people who misbehave and he doesn’t want to know.
“You came at an odd time, Jason,” the woman showing him the ropes says. “It’s almost lights out. That means you’ll be meeting your roommate sooner than expected.”
“Roommate?” Jason questions. He doesn’t think it’s wise to put him in a closed confined room with any person in the state of mind he’s in. Though, he doesn’t suspect that Dick was very explicit about his murderous tendencies.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any free single rooms. You should get along well, though. JJ likes to do puzzles. Maybe you two can do them together.”
Yeah right. Jason can’t imagine, sitting criss cross applesauce on the hardwood floors with a loony kid doing puzzles.
“That sounds great,” Jason says, forced through a gritted teeth smile.
“Lights out starts at eleven. Seven AM is the morning check.” She gives a small grin. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the schedule.”
Jason doesn’t want to get used to the schedule. He wants to get the fuck out of here.
“Breakfast is at seven thirty, so if you want to get the good cereal, you better get ready early.”
Jason rolls his eyes at her perky attempts at being friendly. He doesn’t want to make friends with her. He just wants to lay on a crappy mattress and stare at the ceiling for hours (because he knows he’s not getting sleep here. Not yet. He can’t let himself.)
“I’ll let you get settled,” she finally says as they get to his door. “Remember, lights out at eleven. But JJ will probably remind you.” She gives him a thumbs up. “We’re here if you need anything.”
“Thanks,” Jason says flatly.
She gives him a nod and heads back down the hall.
Jason stares at the door, stares at the handle, and finally wills himself to push it open.
The room is dreary. It’s exactly what he expected. Plain, inoffensive, and simple. Built in cube shelves in the wall, two twin beds with dull blue sheets and a single white pillow, and one of those damn caged clocks on the wall.
“Uh, hello?” Jason says awkwardly.
A head pokes out from under the bed.
Jason jumps, startled. “Uh… what are you doing?”
The head tilts curiously. “Guess it’s one of those nights then.” And with that, the head disappears back under the bed.
Jason just gapes in confusion. “Uh, I’m Jason,” he says slowly, twinged with awkward uncertainty. “I’m your new roommate.”
There’s a snort from under the bed. “Yeah right.”
“Uh.” Jason just blinks, unsure of what to say. “Well, I’m just gonna…” He sets his clothes on the bed that the strange boy was not under.
“You can’t put those there,” the boy says from under the bed.
“Uh,” Jason says, “why not?”
“Because that’s my bed.”
Jason stares again, mouth open like an idiot. “Then why aren’t you under this one?”
“You know why.”
Jason’s brows furrow. “Care to enlighten me anyway?”
“Because the stars are only under this bed.”
Jason takes a long breath. “Al… right then.” He takes his clothes and sets then on the other bed. “You mind if I use this one?”
“It’s solid. You won’t fall through.”
Jason nods slowly. “Right. I… I’m just gonna go brush my teeth and I’ll… yeah.” He heads to the bathroom and glances at the bed where tiny feet poke out from the bottom.
When he enters the bathroom, the mirror is covered by black construction paper. “Are all the bathrooms like this?” Jason calls out to the boy — JJ.
“Uh uh,” he replies. “But you know what happens when I look into the mirrors.”
He doesn’t. He’s never met this kid in his life. But the kid seems to think that he has.
“Can I… move th—”
“NO!”
Jason flinches. The exclamation is raw and guttural and filled with anguish that Jason didn’t think was possible from a kid with a voice still chirped like a flute.
“Okay,” Jason says, blinking back the green beginning to cloud his vision. “I won’t.”
There’s a pregnant pause of silence.
“Thank you, Jason. You were always so good. Good, good, good, good.” He continues to mutter the word under his breath and Jason feels a chill shoot down his spine.
Jesus. This kid’s going through something, huh?
Jason brushes his teeth, rinses his mouth, and wipes his face with the scratchy white towel beside the counter, followed by his sleeve just in case. He climbs into bed and stares at the popcorn ceiling.
“What are you doing down there anyway?” Jason asks.
“I am doing my puzzle,” JJ says, the muttering coming to a sudden halt.
“Under the bed?” Jason questions.
“That way no one can take any of the pieces.”
“Can you even see under there?”
“My eyes adjust,” JJ says, matter of fact.
“Well, it’s almost lights out,” Jason says. “So you won’t be able to see.”
“That’s alright,” JJ says. “Then I get to feel all the bumps and edges.”
Jason… doesn’t know what to say to that.
“You gonna get any sleep?”
JJ snorts, as if that’s a ludicrous question to ask. “Daddy doesn’t let me sleep.”
And shit, that’s a lot to unpack.
JJ starts humming lightly to himself, a tuneless tune, just something to make vibrations in his throat, and Jason stares sleeplessly at the ceiling.