Work Text:
".. Father, please don't take Robin" Damian pleaded to his father, "it's all I have."
His voice sounded so small and desperate, so young.
"You have proven yourself unworthy, " Bruce looked down at his youngest son in disappointment, "your incelence nearly caused the mission to fail. You disobeyed my order. and actions have consequences."
Damian flinched in reaction to Bruce's words and expected to be hit. Not that Bruce would but it's hard to unlearn reactions informed by years of his mother and grandfathers abuse.
Rage surged through Jason. The boy had been through so much and proved himself again and again, changed his morals, and gone against behaviours and actions drilled into him from birth, yet somehow he was unworthy?
"He was getting away unpunished. " countered Damian
All the kid had done was going after a fleeing gang member during a drug bust. Jason had pulled much worse at Damians age, and hell, Dick had tried to kill Zucco.
Not that those actions had gone unpunished, but to take away Robin, that was cruel. To put a kid in a suit, make them a weapon, make it thier whole life only then to yank it away.
"And now he's in jail, like you wanted, and you have to face your punishment."
Jason snapped. He stood up from his seat and adjusted his leather jacket and faced the man who called himself a father. Damian deserved better.
"I know punishment, and he did not deserve that." Jason paused briefly pointing at the small boy behind him "He followed your stupid rules, and it still wasn't good enough. So what does it take to please you? Break your rules and you fall, follow them and you still lose. It doesn't matter whether your a sinner, doesn't matter whether your a saint. What the point? " Jason's voice was full of anguish and his anger was evident in his expression.
"You know punishment? I have never been anything but soft on you. Did you not try to kill Tim in attempt to prevent more Robins? Isn't death the punishment you serve out?" B stepped a closer "Don't test me, Jason."
"Was my death not punishment enough? Being kicked out of the family? Being replaced?" Jason snarled and did his best to keep the Lazeraus Pit under control. "being seen as a villain? The fights, the screaming and punching, that not enough for you Bruce? Or do you want me to suffer more? Do crying Robins give you some sick satisfaction?"
Jason took a few deep breaths and combed a hand through the white portion of his grown hair.
"Fuck you, Bruce."
After composing himself he pushed his hair back out of his face, no longer in the neat style it was. He then pulled his hood up, ready to leave.
"Fuck you and your moral superiority. Your meant to be a dad, not a commander. You failed at that. I'm taking Damian, you don't deserve kids Bruce." Jason turned around to take the boy, forcibly if he had to. But his brother was gone, just a folded suit and a letter declaring intent to return to the league claiming it to be easier to navigate.
When had he slipped out? He'd been to focused on Bruce to keep an eye on his baby brother. He wasn't much better than Bruce was he?
No Jason told himself I am better, I'm gonna fix this.
With determination in his heart, he set out in Search of Damian. He promised himself he would be the best guardian Dami had ever had. Not that that was a particularly high bar.