Chapter Text
Odd wakes up in a sterilized, white room. It's a sight he has not seen before in his past year of life. There's a dull, painful ache in his side, a reminder of the 'Birdarang' that impaled him last night, in his panic. He struggles to remember much other than the distant sound of sirens and a constant pressure in his side. Blue and red flashes, he couldn't tell what they belonged to, but they were familiar - a pair of colors that occasionally passed by his window back at home.
He tries to sit up. A hand pushes down. It's a voice that matches his own. "Oh, you should continue to rest." It says. "Who are you?" Odd asks. The voice does not answer back. Odd's vision is blurry, but as he looks down at the figure sitting next to his bed, he sees a familiar shade of brown, but vibrant green eyes that does not match his own dull ones. Anyone can have brown skin and green eyes. He tries to justify. And anyone could also have a mole on their temple. He notices that detail after his vision is no longer blurry. And he notices that the stranger not only looks like him; but he also looks like the black-and-red vigilante that defended the secretary from him last night. Black and red clothes. Odd realizes he's no longer wearing his teal custome, but a light blue gown with uncomfortable fabric.
A person comes over to his bed. Odd sees a young, white-skinned man that looks to be a little older than him. He has blue eyes. A weird haircut. He talks with the first stranger. And he calls him "Damian". What an odd name, thinks Odd. "What an odd name," says Odd. "What's your name?" says the blue-eyed stranger. "Odd." says Odd. The blue-eyed stranger smiles. "My name is Tim. Nice to meet you." He reaches out his hand. Odd looks at Tim's hand. "What an odd action." says Odd. Tim retracts his hand, shifts, awkwardly. He has a conversation with Odd's lookalike. They say words Odd does not understand.
After their conversation, Tim looks back at Odd. "Do you know where you are?" He asks. "No." says Odd. "You are at a hospital. You were injured, and the doctors will treat you. You are safe here." Tim says. There are a few seconds of awkward silence, as if an answer is expected. Odd cannot answer what he does not understand. Tim smiles again. He waves. He leaves.
Odd looks at Damian. Damian looks back. "You look like me." says Odd. Damian chuckles. "No, you look like me." Odd does not bother to argue, for in both of their perspectives, one looks like the other.
Odd goes through multiple examinations in the duration of two weeks. He's brought to an odd looking chair, one time. The woman in weird, white clothing - her name is Doctor, as Damian refers - looks at his insides and his manly organs. Odd feels exposed in a manner he has not felt before. There is something in Doctor's eyes that makes him feel this way.
"Have you been touched here?" Doctor asks, pointing down. "Won't you?" replies Odd. Doctor does not elaborate further. Her assistant writes something down on a notepad. "You're injured." says Doctor. "Tim said that too. And he said you're gonna help me." Doctor does not reply.
After that scrutinizing inspection, Odd is returned to his room that he has gotten used to. But its still very bright, and very white. Damian is constantly at his side, but he leaves sometimes, and doesn't return for hours. Odd does not understand why. And he isn't given a satisfactory answer.
Today, another man visits him. This one, while he also has black hair and blue eyes, looks much older. He brings a small, gray creature with three limbs. The creature slobbers all over Odd, and it's oddly... Annoying. "What is it?" asks Odd. "This is Haley. He's a dog. He's very small right now, but one day he'll grow up to be big and he'll be stronger. Just like you will."
I'm already big and strong. thinks Odd. The man has a conversation with Damian, like Tim did. But this time, the man's name is not spoken. After the man is gone, Odd asks for the man's name from Damian. Grayson, he learns. So, he must be the son of a guy named Gray - Odd makes a logical conclusion.
Next week, another man visits Odd. Odd no longer feels an ache in his side, so he welcomes this pleasant visit. This man is old, too. Around the same age as Grayson, if not, a little younger. This one looks roughened. He has many scars, and a particular "J" branding on his cheek. It's the initial for his name. Odd assumes. "Odd, this is Jason. Jason, this is Odd." Odd is proven right by Damian. Jason really loves his name, Odd assumes. It's fine, cause Odd really loves his name, too.
Jason and Odd begin to chat. It's awkward at first, but they find a common ground of interest.
"I have never read a book before." Admits Odd.
"Why not?"
"My father says I'm too naive for books."
I don't think that's... The right way to use that word. thinks Jason, but does not comment on the misuse. The way Odd uses it sounds like the boy doesn't know what it means.
"You shouldn't call him your father."
"But he is."
"A man like that can't be."
"Then who is?"
Jason feels like he should not give the answer to that question, at least not yet, so he doesn't. He redirects the topic back to books.
"I think you'd like this book." Jason shows a cover from his phone. It features a young, girl child, with blonde hair and a blue dress. "It's about Alice, she falls into a rabbit hole and ends up in a fantasy world with weird characters..."
"And with a weird artstyle." Odd corrects. He looks down at the ugly, jagged scar on the man's neck. It is similar to his own. But his scar is neater. He should be jealous. Odd thinks.
"If you want, I can bring the book to you next time." Jason offers, not making a remark on the blatant rudeness towards the classic.
"I'm bored enough." Odd accepts.
The other day, they give Odd a paper to sign. Odd easily replicates his father's signature. They bring the paper back to him. "You are supposed to sign your own name." They say. Odd erases the signature and scribbles the letter O in a manner that makes it look like an ugly signature signed by someone who had to make it up on spot, which would be true for Odd's case.
The crowd of people with a singular name - "Doctor" - check his vitals, then they take off the bandages from his waist. Odd looks at the new scar on his side before they bandage it again. It's an elite level of care, but the scar looks uglier than Jason's. "You're being discharged," says a Doctor.
"What?" asks Odd.
"As in, we are letting you go. Go home." clarifies Doctor.
Damian hands Odd a pair of a t-shirt and shorts. "I thought my clothes would fit you." He says. "I'd rather wear my custome. The teal cape." Odd inherently wants to refuse, but with the absence of his teal custome and the embarassment at the thought of going out in this ridiculous gown, he accepts Damian's spare pair. It's a loose fit on him. He's always noticed how Damian's arms and legs seemed a little bigger than his, a tad more muscular and filled out form.
Damian escorts him to the exit of the clean building. At the exit, there's a group of people that Odd recognizes. He sees Tim, and Grayson - whose father's name is Gray -, but he doesn't see Jason. He sees another man. So many men he has seen. This man is way, way older, as old as his father. He wears a brown suit and he has black hair, blue eyes. Tim, Grayson, and this man should be all related. Maybe he is Gray.
"Hi, Gray." tests Odd.
"My name is Bruce, but nice to meet you, Odd." corrects the man, Bruce. He's the first person to refer to Odd by his name so far. But he has that similar pitiful look in his eyes. "You will stay with us."
"Doctor told me I was going home."
Bruce, or his sons, do not reply.