Archive of Our Own

Summary:

Instead of being found by Talia and the Lazarus Pit, a wandering and brain damaged Jason Todd is found by someone else... Drumbot Brian takes an interest. This is not a good thing per se.

Drumbot Brian is not a good person. His help is not kind. It is kinder than some. It is less than others. It is a help that disregards means – cutting and slicing and bone saws and a ship of Theseus to rival his own brass body and mind – for the ends – the boy lives again, and his mind is intact.

The nerves of Jason's neck and spine and body finally connect to his new head, and his body responds to his shrieking commands. He jerks, uncoordinated. He screams, and his voice is metallic. He reaches for his face and finds smooth metal instead. He screams, and it sounds metallic. He tries desperately to find the latches of a helmet, but he knows even then that there is nothing underneath. He screams, and it is not his voice. He claws at the metal, and the scratches he makes on his neck tell him that his face has no feeling. He screams, and he has no tongue. He screams, and no jaw opens. He screams, and there is nothing he can do.