Chapter Text
The sun was shining brightly over the streets of Star City, illuminating every building in its path and leaving no room for shadows. The sight was a stark contrast to Gotham's permanent gray sheen and constant rain, only leaving shadows. The city light was blinding, frustrating Jason to no end, and amplifying the headache he already had. He reached up for the latch on his helmet, ready for a breath of fresh air. He typed in a quick code and waited for the mechanical hiss confirming it was unlocked. A relieved sigh left his lips as he felt the fresh air on his skin and tried to take a deep breath. He was met with a slight tickle in the back of his throat, causing him to cough a little more aggressively than intended. Damn Pollen. It was a beautiful day outside, and he couldn’t even enjoy it. He could see a park in the distance, surrounded by dozens of different types of flowers that were beginning to bloom. It was truly beautiful. Maybe he would take Lian out to the park after dinner. She loved running around in the long grass and plucking all the weeds, presenting them to Jason like they were the world's prettiest flowers, and to him, they were. He’d keep a million handfuls of wilting dandelions to keep that smile on Lian’s face. He wiped the sweat that began beading on his forehead and pulled out his phone, sending a message directly to Roy.
“ETA 3 hours. Getting intel. See you soon.”
A brief message, straight to the point, meant to assure his lover that he is safe and confirm his plans for dinner with him and his daughter later tonight. She had been begging for her Jayjay to come home soon, unimpressed with how much time he had been spending in Gotham lately. Roy had been telling her to be patient, that once Jayjay gets everything caught up in Gotham, he will move in full-time with them in Star City. That seemed to appease her for a bit, but she still missed him, calling every day for him to tell her goodnight and remind her that he loved her. Jason wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but those goodnight calls— talking to his fiance and daughter, hearing their hushed giggles and conspiracies to convince Jason to get ice cream with them— they were always the highlight of his day. He could imagine Roy’s grin through the phone, throwing his hands up innocently and whispering— and he couldn’t help but love him. How could he not? Roy was perfect. Patient. Waiting for Jason when he didn’t deserve it. Somehow, through all his annoyingly charming flirting, pushing, and shoving, he made his way into his heart. Pulled all his walls down by hand and rebuilt them with him inside. And Jason wouldn’t have it any other way.
In a few more weeks, Jason would be done with Gotham— not entirely, as you can never truly leave Gotham—but he was moving out and on. Finally ready to start anew and let himself heal. He is happy with who he is, who he’s becoming, and he never thought he’d get here. Now he’s making plans with the family he never thought he’d be a part of again, discussing who would take care of Crime Alley in his absence. Oh, how far he’s come.
He was finishing up a case, one of the last cases he’d take up in Gotham. It had led him to Star City, and since he was already heading there, who was he to deny family bonding? They had planned for a dinner together, followed by a movie, and once Lian was settled into bed, maybe they could do something more.
He felt his phone buzz with a reply almost immediately,
“Ok bb, see you soon 😘😍😘😍😘😍”
He rolled his eyes fondly, and a small smile tugged at his lips as he read the message. He felt so lucky to have Roy in his life, even if he was a cheesy, hopelessly romantic asshole.
He slid the phone in his pocket, clasped his helmet back on his head, and walked through the surprisingly clean alleyway to his bike. The ride there was uneventful, calming even, and he let the fast winds ruffle through his clothes as he sped through the streets. Star was much cleaner than Gotham, much safer, and more suitable for raising an adventurous little girl. He felt a warmth in his chest as he thought about raising Lian here. He was nervous as can be, but he was ready. After this, he’ll be able to sit down with her and Roy, discussing her day at school and her favorite crafts over a hot meal. He’ll make sure this is quick. He just needs to get in, gather some information, and get out. He’ll send the information over to the Bats to deal with while he eats and enjoys a long-awaited break. What a plan. A few years ago, he’d never willingly talk to the Bats and the Birds. He’d never allow himself a break. But here he is, getting some information to send over to Bruce and Tim, letting himself be vulnerable in his lover's arms at night, and accepting help from his family to watch Crime Alley. A big, fucked up, happy family that he never thought he’d deserve.
His gratification was cut short once he arrived at a sketchy warehouse in the back roads of Star City. Not the worst place he’s been in. He quickly parked his bike in a dark alley across from the warehouse and quickly analyzed his surroundings. It was a large gray building with paint that was starting to peel at the sides. The alley across from it was dark and gray, but the warehouse itself was well-lit, blending in with the surrounding buildings. He hauled himself off his bike and confidently walked to the door of the warehouse, letting himself inside and taking a look around.
The meeting was as boring and dull as the room they sat in. Jason let his gaze drift from the man at the head of the table—Ben, he thinks his name is— to the torn-down walls, one of which held an equally torn-down door leading to another empty alley. Paint was peeling heavily around it, and dents littered the surface. Ben was discussing random things, information of absolutely zero use. They had been sitting in these uncomfortable chairs for damn near 2 hours, and the most these dealers have done is gloat about how much money they are making. Jason was about to speak—to try and lure something useful out of them—when he heard voices shouting from a distance. He cocked his head towards the main door, on guard and readying himself for a fight. What an inconvenience. Couldn’t they wait until he got what he needed? He hadn’t planned on fighting much today, and his body had been a little sore, but he supposed he’d be fine. He cracked his knuckles unworriedly and made sure his gun was loaded, and the safety was off as the leaders around him started talking over each other, arguing and preparing for a scuffle. The voices outside got louder, and the rusty entrance door slammed open, revealing a tall figure standing in the doorway, weapon drawn. Jason didn’t waste a second as his gun was aimed directly at the man in front of him, ready to shoot. He examined the figure in front of him, a man dressed in green, holding an oddly familiar compound bow, and his hold on his gun faltered. Fuck. Just his luck. Any other league member he could deal with, but Roy’s estranged father? C’mon now.
He must have been more disoriented by the realization than he thought, because he nearly didn't process the bullets ringing through the warehouse and heading right towards Green Arrow. Fuckkkkk. He hadn’t even gotten the info. What a waste of time. Jason bolted towards the dingy door, pulling Green Arrow out of the way of a stray bullet. Dammed idiot couldn’t even block a bullet. Pathetic. Olliver's pace stuttered as he realized who had just pulled him out of the way. He couldn’t process why, but he could process that the man pulling him by his quiver behind a wall and out of gun fire range was the Red Hood. Who was currently running past him and to the exit. He called something into his comm and began shooting to disarm the enemies in front of him. After getting all the guards, the main 5 left should be a piece of cake. He didn’t need Jason’s help, which meant that Jason could slip away into the alleyway and make his way to Roy’s. Jason wasn’t worried about Arrow getting hurt, nor about him getting caught, so off he ran. He should have been more worried.
As soon as Jason stepped out of that rusty door fucking door into the worn-down alley, he heard something heading towards him before he saw it. Just his luck. He quickly crouched as he heard the familiar sound of a first hurdling right above his head. Once the fist passed him, he continued sprinting and chanced a look at the scene behind him. Green Lantern followed closely after him with a large energy field circling around him. Okay, Green Arrow and Green Lantern. That’s not too bad. He can still do this.
He made his way out of the alley easily and calculated what shadows he could slip into. Unfortunately for him, Star City’s cloudless sky and bright sun didn’t leave many options, so he had opted to hide amongst the buildings. It was no Gotham, and the buildings were much brighter, less abandoned, but he could make it work. He weaved his way between buildings with practiced ease, making it seem almost effortless, and at this point, it was. When Lantern managed to follow him through the buildings, he thought it best to throw him off his trail. He threw a smoke bomb, knowing Bruce would have his head if he hurt one of his coworkers too badly. Besides, they were on the same team anyway; they just didn’t know it.
While not being as effective as a bullet to the shin, the smoke billowed through the buildings, allowing him to hop onto a building's fire exit unnoticed. Easy. Now he can climb up and remain unseen, reliving his younger days as a Robin, running from rooftop to rooftop, avoiding prying eyes. A bittersweet smile spread across his face as the memories resurfaced, and he continued swiftly leaping from one roof to another. Green Arrow fell farther and farther behind, until Jason couldn’t hear his steps, and he was positive he had a moment to breathe. He threw his back against a wall and placed his hands on his knees, trying to stop himself from panting. Jesus, why was he so thirsty? And fuck, his throat really hurt. After some slow and deliberate breaths, trying to ensure his lungs were full and working, he turned and continued his escape. He was ready to be home. Roy should have dinner ready by the time he gets there. Maybe some soup. Then a nice nap afterwards. He was pretty tired now that he thought about it.
His hopes of freedom were cut short as he heard the air around him change. An almost imperceptible difference in sound, you wouldn't notice unless you were highly trained by a paranoid bat. Lucky for him, he was. He could detect the sound of someone flying at him at mock speed from a mile away. Without thought, he reached into his belt for his Kryptonite-loaded gun. He aimed it towards the sound and pulled the trigger instinctually, not even sparing a glance. Direct hit, he’s positive. That should buy him enough time to hide. He sprinted to the edge of the rooftop, ready to release his grapple and swing down to the alleys.
He never got the chance. Just his luck. He hurled himself off the building, arm outstretched and a grappling hook in hand, and a body slammed into his. They crashed together into the wall of a building, an arm around his waist, attempting to take most of the blow. How sweet. It was in vain, however, and he felt the rough impact in his ribs, and heard more than he felt the impact of his helmet crashing into the wall. With his ribs burning and his head spinning, he couldn’t help the loud “oomph” that left his lips. Fucking Wonder Woman. He should have known the air wasn’t dense enough to be Supes. Wonder Woman held him firmly as he tried to fight, descending gently onto the solid ground. Once they gained footing, he was mulling over what to do, and he would forever blame the foggy mind of sickness for compelling him to aim a punch, full force, directly at Wondar Woman’s face. She caught it with ease and cringed as she heard the bones in his knuckles and wrist shatter. Must have been a hell of a lot easier to hear than to feel. Jason felt the white-hot pain shoot up his wrist. On any other day, he wouldn’t have even tried to land a punch on her, but right now, he was exhausted and as stubborn as always. He let out a surprisingly pathetic squeak and let his body relax. He felt heavy, like his limbs were being held down by concrete, and his head, now ringing with pain, couldn’t stay up.
His body dipped forward, unable to hold itself anymore, and Wonder Woman clearly wasn’t expecting it, and he fell from her grip. Gaining a moment of clarity, Jason realized he could work with this. This is an out. Usually, he would try to keep his dignity, refuse to look this vulnerable, but this just might work. Seconds before he fell flat on his face, he bolted forward, sprinting as far as physically possible. He couldn’t keep this up. There had to be a way he could get out of this; his brain was just too cloudy for him to realize. He kept running, completely unaware of Wonder Woman’s teammate heading towards him. He realized that standing a few yards ahead of him was Green Arrow, bow drawn and aimed right at him. Jesus, he actually cannot catch a break. Where did he even come from? Whatever. At least this one isn’t superpowered. He’s trained enough with Roy to know the weaknesses of an archer. If he could just get a hold of his bow, he would have the upper hand.
He ran full speed ahead, going for a close-range attack. He knocked loose the arrow and grabbed hold of the bow. He doesn’t know how he did it with his head still ringing and his face getting hot, but he got that bow. He aimed it directly at Green Arrow, in a manner that was remarkably identical to Roy. The action made Green Arrow flinch, and Jason reveled in it for a moment.
“Fuck, man!” Jason heaved, more out of breath than usual. Maybe he was getting sick.
“I got dinner in an hour, and I REALLY gotta go,”
The modulator in his helmet masked the bone-deep exhaustion in his voice. He was just so tired. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and drew the bow string back further, adjusting it slightly. Wonder Woman had gotten closer somehow, and Green Lantern caught up to them, panting and slightly out of breath. Out of breath from the most pathetic chase in history. embarrassing. Bruce needs to find a better crime-fighting group.
“Take another step, and he’ll have his own arrow in his brain.”
An empty threat. He had no need to kill any of them as long as they were a net positive to him, but he had an image to keep, and wouldn’t go down without a fight. He’d usually go for something witty, but his brain isn’t coming up with words the way it normally does.
Wonder Woman paused at the threat of her friend as the world around her began to move, raising her hands in a placating manner. For all she knew, there was a very likely meta, wanted crime lord, pointing an arrow at her colleague's head. Jason was swaying slightly, hand still on the arrow, and trying to ensure his feet were placed solidly on the ground. He vaguely heard Wonder Woman begin to speak,
“We do not wish to fight—”
A gunshot rang out, cutting her off and heading right towards Green Arrow. Everything moved in slow motion. He might have hallucinated the whole event with how quickly he was moving. He jerked his head to the sound, moving the bow with him. He recognized the man behind the gun, bloodied and bruised— Ben. He must have gotten away and was NOT happy with Green Arrow taking his friends down. He was dizzy as all be, but his instinct to protect kicked in. His hand let go of the arrow, and it flew beautifully, landing in the middle of a bullet like a moth to light. The bullet shattered mid-air, mere seconds away from Green Arrow's face. Jason let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Jesus. Luckiest shot of his life. He’d have to brag to Roy about that later. Right now, though, his body was getting heavier, as if the concrete in his limbs was hardening, no longer permitting him movement. He felt himself swaying, and the floor slowly got closer to his face. The bow hit his feet. When did he drop that? He couldn’t remember. He couldn’t feel his fingers; he couldn’t feel anything really. He heard a loud thud, probably his helmet hitting the floor if he had to guess. Just his luck, passing out in front of the League. He was supposed to be Earth’s most wanted, but here he is passing out from a chase. He’s worse than Lantern.
Everything was happening in snippets, so fast he couldn’t even try to process. He opened his eyes to see Ben in handcuffs. He closed his eyes for a second. Wonder Woman appeared in front of him, grabbing his wrist, probably trying to check his pulse. He flinched, pulling back his wrist, trying to will away the pounding in his head. Darkness. He was being held. He could feel bullets of sweat dripping down his forehead, drawing at his chest, and his whole body was hot, nearly on fire. He heard a pained groan; it sounded distant, and he wondered who was hurt. There was a hand on his neck. He tried to swat it away before realizing his hands were anchored into the ground, unwilling to move. How annoying. He hated being touched. His breath was shaky, and he couldn't quite fill his lungs before everything went black.