Chapter Text
Jason was furious, outraged, and above all frustrated by what he now knew.
He stopped on one of the roofs of Crime Hill, muttering complaints under his breath to vent his anger, even if only a little. His vision was green, and when he realized that words alone would not calm him down, he decided to punch one of the gargoyles on the roof.
It was just one punch, but it was enough to see that he had broken the part where he hit it. At first he didn't notice, but when he did and checked that his hand was uninjured, he was stunned.
Then he heard gravel moving on the roof; someone was approaching him.
He took out his guns and turned around to aim at the intruder.
- Hey, hey, it's okay, little wing, it's me.- Said Nightwing, raising his hands.
Red Hood stood there for a few more minutes, pointing his guns at his brother, until he took a breath and lowered his weapons. He put them away and turned around.
- You know this is my territory, you shouldn't be here.- He said wearily, looking at where he should go.
Nightwing moved closer to him, wanting to talk.
- Yes, I'm sorry, Alita. Since that day in the warehouse, I only received that message from you, and I was worried. You don't look very happy. Did something happen?.- Nightwing said, somewhat concerned, seeing his brother's angry state.
Jason didn't want to get angry in front of his brother, remembering the times he had done so before; he didn't feel right doing it again.
He took a breath and, after feeling his anger fade, turned around and approached his brother.
- I'm sorry you saw me like that. The truth is, I was hoping our reunion would be different.- He said calmly and sadly, but he was getting emotional.
Nightwing seemed more confused with every step Hood took toward him; he hadn't expected his brother to calm down so easily.
- The truth is, I wanted to tell you something.- He said as he removed his helmet to reveal a masked face, but with a smile his brother hadn't seen in years.
–
Nightwing couldn't believe it.
His dear littlewing, his little brother, WAS CURED!!!
He no longer had Lazaro's anger in his body; he could control himself without excessive effort.
He didn't know how, but when he realized it, he was hugging his brother while crying like a child who had found his mother.
He stood there, not afraid that his brother would hurt him, and even heard his brother calming him down by patting him on the back, which only made him cry more.
It was really happening, and all on a rooftop.
He had to take Jason to the mansion and tell everyone.
- We have to tell everyone, we have to celebrate, ha ha ha.- Said Nightwing, reluctantly breaking away from the embrace, holding his brother's shoulders and crying. (This mask is killing me.)
Jason seemed happy with the idea and laughed at his brother's reaction to the news, but he fell silent, thinking.
- The truth is, Dikybrid, I don't think I'm ready to tell everyone yet. I'm sure if I saw them now I could tell them, but I'd like to meditate more on the new emotions I'm feeling. Since Lazaro's anger left, everything feels more intense, not just anger. ...Happiness, sadness... It's all too much. I wouldn't want to break down when Bruce sees me like this.- He said with a smile, but with sadness in his eyes.
- I understand, littlewing. Let's not rush things. You don't need to do it now. We can wait until you're ready.- He said, happy to know that his brother was willing to tell them, even if it was later.
- But still, I want to know how this happened. Is it something to do with that girl I found you with in the warehouse?.- He said, now without visible tears and with the seriousness of a detective, curious and concerned about what had happened to his brother so that he could be healthy again.
- Actually, I don't know if I should tell you, because of a strange issue involving the dead and the living, but since it's just going to be between us, I'll tell you for now, but nothing leaves here until I have permission.- He said thoughtfully and seriously.
Jason walked over to the edge of the building to sit down, motioning for his brother to sit next to him. Nightwing approached Hood and sat down cross-legged.
- All right, it all starts with me being like dead...
–
The sun began to rise in the Gotham sky, the light hitting the windows of the buildings, waking almost everyone. Dan was one of the first to wake up before the others.
He looked around and noticed that Jason had not yet returned. He snorted in irritation and looked at Themis's face. Her eyelids were red and her face was slightly damp from tears that had not been wiped away.
Dan felt sorry for her situation, but let it go when he heard the door open.
He turned to see Jason walking carefully, not wanting to wake anyone, but when he saw Dan's contemptuous look at him, Jason sighed and changed his posture to a more relaxed one, but with guilt in his eyes.
- H-hi. Hey, sorry about earlier, I really didn't mean to...
- Save it, you don't need to apologize to me, but to her.- He said, stopping Jason's speech and looking back at Themis.
Jason looked alongside Dan at the image of someone devastated for not having done anything before and felt sorry for him.
- As angry as you are about the situation we're in, which is longer than you heard, you have no right to be angry with the only person who helped us.- He said, turning back to Jason.
- She's different from any ghost we've encountered. Even though she doesn't know us, she helped us without us having to fight her. She didn't ask for anything in return. She even told Danny that he needed to be punished for leaving his post and disobeying the only rule he had imposed.- He said with pity, looking at his hands.
Jason began to understand that he had been very hard on someone who had been punishing herself from the beginning. Jason sighed, catching Dan's attention, and when Dan raised an eyebrow in curiosity, Jason stifled a laugh.
- I'm sorry, it's just that you really look like the demon child in my family...- He said, feeling the atmosphere relax.
He just frowned at him and looked away angrily, pouting his lips.
- Just so you know, I'm unique. Even if Danny and I were once the same, now I'm my own person.- He said moodily, leaving Jason with more questions than answers.
Jason relaxed and looked at the others sleeping. He felt he had to do something to wake them up calmly, so he turned to the kitchen and began to take out the ingredients they had bought the other day to make soup.
He turned to see Dan looking at him curiously and gave him a reassuring smile.
- Do you want to help me make breakfast, Dan?.- Dan's expression was one of surprise at first, but after thinking about it, he carefully climbed down from Themis' lap and struggled to get off the sofa to go to the kitchen.
Jason didn't need to do anything to indicate what he wanted him to do. Dan moved according to his thoughts, and as he stirred the soup already on the stove, he wondered if Dan could read his mind.
- I can't read your mind, if that's what you're thinking.- Dan said mischievously.
Jason was a little startled, his eyes showed it, but he just sighed and gave the boy a questioning look.
The boy just laughed at him and began to shake his head.
- We're strange to humans, but not so strange that we can read minds... yet.- He said, thinking about the possibility with amusement.
Jason no longer knew what to think of this strange family, so he simply didn't. It's better to be happy living in ignorance, for now.
Jason kept his inner detective to himself (damn Bruce and his upbringing) and decided to keep stirring the soup.
Dan stared at him intently, seemingly searching for answers to what Jason was thinking, but Jason, as he said before, couldn't read minds and still didn't know what Dan really thought of Themis.
–
Time passed and Themis began to open her tired eyes.
The smell of food in the apartment relaxed her, but when she didn't sense the young prince's core, she became alarmed. She sat up and looked around the apartment, only to find him talking to Jason about something, but she couldn't hear them because they were speaking so quietly. I guess they didn't want to wake them up.
Themis decided to look down at the two children she had with her and start waking them up by moving around a little.
- It's time to wake up, children. You have something delicious to eat.- She said in a hoarse voice from what had happened that morning.
At that moment, Jason and Dan turned around in surprise. Dan climbed down from the stool where he was sitting and came as fast as he could on his little legs, while Jason turned down the heat on the stove and chased after Dan.
As they were about to arrive, she heard the children complaining, not wanting to get up from where they were, but they began to smell the food from the apartment and started peeking out from between Themis' arms, watching as Dan tried to climb onto the sofa and Jason wondered what he should do.
Dani gave Jason an annoyed look, while Danny seemed hurt by Jason's opinion of Themis, but when Jason looked at her, he saw that she was neither sad nor upset.
She gave him a reassuring smile. Even though she had traces of tears and looked tired, she didn't show that Jason's words had affected her.
Jason felt even more guilt inside, and his core conveyed that feeling of guilt as he saw the children's eyes turn to him with concern.
Jason decided to bow down to the floor to apologize.
- I... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry for saying all that to you without knowing everything. I shouldn't have judged you for your actions, let alone left you alone when I was supposed to be protecting you and the children while you were asleep.- He said, afraid to look at Themis.
Themis felt sorry for the responsibility Jason had taken upon himself and brought Dan closer to his brothers.
- Jason, it's not your job to protect us or watch over us. I'll take care of protecting the children. You've already done a lot by letting us stay here, feeding us, and giving us clothes. I'm very grateful for that. I accept your apology, so get up off the floor and help me feed the children. I think it's getting too late for breakfast," she said, amused at the thought that she spends more time asleep than awake.
Jason got up and looked at Themis' genuine smile, and that was enough to calm him down and smile back at her.
- Even so, you shouldn't forgive someone so easily. I hurt you, and even if you don't say it, I know it. I'll do everything I can to not make you sad again, and I'll protect the children, even if it's not my job. I feel like I have to do it deep down inside.- He said somewhat seriously, but keeping his smile.
Themis thought about why Jason felt that way, and coming from a ghost, or well, more or less a subject of the infinite realms, it was normal to feel that way about children, but she decided not to say anything.
- Okay, Jason. Next time, I won't forgive you, and you'll suffer my coldness until I forgive you.- She said, smiling and lifting the children into her arms.
Jason responded with laughter and a hurt expression, saying that would be his divine punishment, in a theatrical way.
As the children were lifted up and guided to the table, they woke up even more and could feel the feelings of guilt dissipate and, instead, feelings of happiness flood them.
In the end, they all ended up at the table watching the children enjoy Jason and Dan's delicious soup.
- Hey, Themis, I was wondering why you weren't eating. Don't you like the soup?