"Why does everyone come to me when they need someone to picklock a door?" Jason grumbles.

"Really? You don't know why?" Duke says mockingly, standing beside Jason who's currently kneeling to picklock a door.

"Excuse me, young man, but I don't appreciate your attitude." Jason says in an annoyed voice, turning to face Duke and pointing at him, "I've never done anything remotely illegal in my life." He says as he raises a hand to his chest dramatically as if in offense.

"Uh-huh, in this one or last one?" Duke askes smugly.

"Both, pre- and post-ressurection and in death, I swear I have never done anything illegal." Jason says, hand over chest, the other raised in the air as he sarcastically swears on his name that he's never done anything illegal before.

Duke just snorts at that, "Sure, Mr. I-became-a-crime-lord-just-to-fuck-with-Bruce."

"And it worked." Jason says shrugging smugly, finally opening the door.

"So this is where the Intel for your case is?"

"Yup" Duke says, "Should be around here, somewhere..." He says trailing off as he begins looking around the room.

"This what you're looking for?" Jason asks, handing a file up.

"It is, thanks man" Duke says with a smile on his face, reading to grab the file from Jason, but Jason just holds it out if reach, "Ah ah ah- what do you say?" Jason says, teasing Duke.

Duke just groans, rolls his eyes and then says, "Wowe- Thank you so much for you help Red Hood, would've never been able to do this without your, incredible skills." He says deadpan as he holds his hand out, waiting for the file to 'miraculously' fall into his hand.

And within the next second, Jason plops it into Dukes hand, "No probs man, anytime." He says playfully, "now let's go back to the cave, hm?"

Duke just sighs, "Has anyone ever told you that you're incredibly dramatic?"

"Dramatic? Me? Never." Jason responds sarcastically as he lifts his arm and places the back of his hand to his forehead, "Oh woe is me, how could you ever think if such things? If anything, I'm the least dramatic in this family."

Duke just sideyes Jason before scoffing, "Yeah right."

Jason sighs, "No one appreciates me around here." He says sardonically.

All the heros see Red Hood as a rogue, a killer, a psychopath. But they forgot a crucial fact, that Red Hood was only 20 years old. Two years since he started his murder spree, at the ripe age of 18.

They forget that an 18 year old isn't even an adult. That a teenager was doing such horrendous things as such a young age, and the only thing they think to do is condemn and blame him? Do they not think about the why's? Why Jaso- Red Hood was doing such a thing? What his goal truly was?

What heroes they are. Not doing anything to help Red Hood, when it's so clear that he's just a traumatised boy screaming for help in the only way he knows how. The worst offenders are the bats, especially Batman with how he treats his own son as a criminal, beating him worse than the rogues who have murdered countless innocent lives.

And an even more horrifying fact was that Jason was catatonic for two years, making his mental age even younger than his physical body. So really, he was a sixteen year old when he decapitated eight heads. But no one knew if that fact did they? Therefore it doesn't matter, all they care about is 'what' Red Hood did, and not 'why' he did it...

Sometimes...

Sometimes Jason will wonder to himself, 'When was the last time Bruce considered me his son? If he even did.' he scoffs to himself at his thoughts.

This thought popped up during one of his quite moments, not engulfed in fear due to his adrenaline spiking. Just how the fuck could Bruce do this to him? He says he wishes Jason a normal life and then completely fucks it up.

So there's him being injected by Bruce's failsafe, essentially fucking him up so badly he can barely function like a normal living being.

Then there was that time Bruce asked him to do a mission together only to deceive him and take him to his most traumatic place, the warehouse in Ethiopia. And by Heaven and Earth, the man dared to asked his 'son' to recall his death to see if it would be of any use to bring Damian back without making sure Jason was okay? Like sure, if he'd just fucking asked he'd do it straight away, but no. Bruce had to fucking deceive him instead.

There was also that time when he was working for the Task Force Z and Bruce (and the other bats) ran him over and beat him up a couple times. What father runs his own child over?

Then there was the whole Penguin shit. Beating Jason so badly he was in a coma. And Bruce had no regrets about it. Jason wonders if Bruce would've actually killed him if Roy hadn't saved him.

And don't even get started on the shitty showdown between him and Bruce. He had given Bruce and ultimatum: his son, or his son's killer. And the fact that he choose his son's killer? The fact that he slit his son's throat with a batarang? It had to be intentional, after all, Bruce first few lessons is literally about how you should only throw a batarang if you know where it's going to land.

Okayyy... So maybe Bruce had never considered Jason his son after coming back from the grave, but what about before?

He thinks about the time just before running off to Ethiopia, how Bruce had told him he didn't need a 'teenage rebellion' and that he wasn't Jason's dad. Huh. Maybe that was when Bruce stopped considering Jason his son?

Hmm...

Jason looks back to an earlier time. Gloria's case. Bruce's accusation, 'Did he fall? Or did you push him?'. Maybe it was this moment right here? When Bruce didn't trust Jason enough to know he wouldn't push a man to his death.

Sure, he wanted the man to die and 'spooked' him enough that he fell, but he never physically touched the man to push him. And the fact that Bruce immediately assumed the worst of Jason without any evidence? Maybe that moment was truly when Bruce no longer thought of him as his son.

Jason could only laugh to himself at this revelation, so it want because Jason came back wrong. It was way before that, back when he was still Robin, believing the Robin was magic and that Batman was one of the greatest heroes.

Jason once told Bruce that you can't stop crime, that the only way is to control it.

Sure, he's back with the fam, but he still stands by his point. You can't fully stop crime, and even if it happens, there will be dire consequences.

As Durkheim once argued, crime is an inevitable and normal aspect of social life. Without crime, society would be normlessness (anomie), where societal norms and values disappear because acceptable behaviour is no longer definable. This can then lead to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and... Suicide. It can lead to an increase of deviant behaviour, create unrealistic expectations.

Crime allows for social change, where reformations can be made to develop new societal standards. Crime can also help create social cohesion, allowing communities to foster greater connection. All if which helps stabilise society as a whole.

Therefore, without crime, society would not be able to function and is therefore, a necessity.

However, that doesn't mean that an increase in crime is okay, there should only be enough to keep the societal norms and values afloat. Which is why controlling crime, so that only the bare minimum of it is better than trying to stop crime overall.

By controlling crime, it helps makes sure there are no unnecessary victims; helps to deter potential offenders from commuting any crimes, therefore reducing the rate of offending; it helps civilians feel safe; it removes those that are a threat to society, and potentially helping them to be rehabilitated.

This is why Jason believes that you can't stop crime, but you sure has hell can control it.

Surprisingly, Jason is a good teacher.

With his shit temper, you'd expect him to be terrible at teaching, getting angry at his students all the time and being fed up with them.

But he wasn't.

When he teaches any of that bats, he'd walking through the topic slowly, making sure they completely understood before moving on. Would point out a perspective they would never have thought about and then letting them try answer it themselves.

The voice Jason's would use was soothing, never angry whenever they failed a question, no sarcasm or mocking in sight. He never teased them when they failed either, instead taking them through the answer and how they should answer it next time before giving them a similar question for them to solve.

Jason would also give the bats he was teaching snacks. Ones he'd baked earlier in the day. At the start of the study session, he'd just bring in a plate of baked goods, putting it next to them as if it was nothing. It made the bats look forward to their study session, being able to eat such delicious snacks. Jason was seriously a god-send.

Not only did Jason help teach the bats, but even his gang members and the homeless kids. He would set up the warehouse like one of those mini presentations at the public library, a whiteboard with cushions in front of it. He'd hold weekly sessions, the subject on rotation as he'd write on the whiteboard to explain things, answering any questions any of them may have.

After each session, the kids would rush up to Red Hood, proudly showing off what they're learnt from him, their faces radiating joy as he pets their head and praises them.

The adults would brag to each other about how they get to teach their family what they've learnt, often giving Red Hood some kinda of present after each session as thanks, nothing too expensive though, otherwise the man in question would refuse it and they wouldn't want that.

AU where after dying via crowbar and explosion, Jason lingered in the living world as a ghost, seeing everything that happened after his death.

Bruce's 'grieving', where he would beat up criminals so bad they had to be hospitalised, criminals that did so much as burglary, mostly like to survive. But he did nothing about the rogues who continuously killed innocents, did nothing about the clown that killed his son even after his diplomatic immunity disappeared.

He saw his own funeral, how only a select few attended, how Dick wasn't there.

He was angry, he thought that after so many fights between Dick and Bruce, that he'd started getting close to him.

But then he saw, he saw Dick in the Cave, screaming at Bruce for not telling him that Jason died. He saw Bruce punching Dick after Dick implied it was Bruce's fault that Jason died, and Bruce's denial, instead blaming Dick.

Jason no longer felt hurt from Dick's absence at his funeral; he now knows that he didn't even know Jason was dead until well after his funeral.

He saw Alfred put up a memorial case, one that had Jason as a soldier, not a son. How Alfred talked about how Jason was a lost cause.

Bruce never defended Jason, instead erasing every good that Jason had done, taking down every picture of him, his little trails in the manor, as if he never lived there.

All Bruce talked about was how he was impulsive, reckless, angry, violent. He used Jason as a cautionary tale, 'don't be like Jason or you'll get yourself killed'.

But Jason was never like that and the betrayal he felt, seeing all this unfold, hurt him so much.

Just how?

How could the two people that should've been on his side do this to him? Not anyone else, but them.

They were supposed to be his family, and family does not do this.

Maybe he wasn't part of the family, he's almost certain that if Dick was the one to die, he'd never have been treated like this.

Jason finds that being a ghost is not fun at all. He wants to go to the afterlife now, he doesn't want to stay here anymore and see just how much worse it could get.

"Ya don' get it!" A thug screams, pointing a gun at the hostages head while holding them in a headlock.

Red hood raises his hands up, trying his best not to rile up the man further as he speaks in a slow tone, "Hey, it's okay, I do understand where you're coming fro-"

"YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING! YOU DONT GET WHAT IT'S LIKE HAVING TO SCRAP BY, RUNNING ERRANDS FOR THE ROGUES JUST TO SURVIVE ANOTHER DAY!!" He spats out.

"No. I do understand," Red Hood says in a firm voice, "Grew up in Crime Alley myself, had ta survive a few years homeless jacking car wheels, I know better than anyone what this kinda life is like," Red Hood could see the way the man's expression changed from anger to confusion.

"The almighty Red Hood grew up in Crime Alley?" He snorts, "As if."

Red Hood couldn't help my give a small chuckle that earned a glare from the man, "What's so funny, huh?"

"Nah- Nothin, it's just- I really did. My pa was a criminal, but only so that he could fed me and ma. Although... As ya'd prob know if ya also grew up there few years ago, there were lots'a addicts, my ma was one'a them. Got addicted after pain meds became to expensive and then died from od."

At this, Red Hood could see the man defences slipping, just a little bit more.

"That's why I'm currently controlling the drug trade, ya don't see as many addicts now, right? It's cause I made sure that only the best quality go out, and never to the wrong people. I've also been employing people like ya. People just want to survive or support their family, so that they don't have to work for the other rogues and risk prison or death. And if you want, you could also work under me, but you'll have to follow the rules."

The man looks at him contemplating, "What're you rules?"

"No harming kids, no selling drugs to kids, no sa'ing anyone, or harrassing anyone, basically no doing bad things, and if possible help those who need it. Those are the base ones, but there little other ones the others can tell you about once you join. We also hold weekly study sessions where I teach my gang things to help their education, and then they can teach the kids who can't go to school. Sound good?"

The man eyes him with suspicion before ultimately nodding his head, "Sounds good."

"Great, so if you could put the gun down and release the person you're holding, that'd be great." The man looks down and immediately opens his arms, letting the hostage go before putting the gun down, staring at Red Hood to see what's he'd do next.

"Cool, I'll just bring him to Leslie's front door and then we can get you employed."

The man nods as he follows Red Hood who picks up the hostage and throws him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before walking towards Leslie's clinic.

"What's your name by the way?"

"... Matt."

"Dang, we already got like three other Matt's, so you'll be 4Matt, nickname format, 'kay?"

Matt just snorts as how chill Red Hood's being, "Sure, that's all good with me Boss."

When Jason died, he spent his days happy, doing whatever it was he did in the afterlife, accompanying Death and ramble to her about so many things.

But after a while, he started missing his family, his dad. He begged death to let him see them again, and Death who had come to love Jason as a son, could only comply to her son's wishes.

But she wasn't allowed to do it for free, so she proposed a deal.

Jason could come back to life on the condition that if his family rejected or did any harm to him, his heart would be stabbed. However, it wouldn't be fatal unless it happened multiple times, only then would Jason return to Death, never to return to the living world. But if Jason wanted to come back, all he had to do was call for her.

Jason agreed straight away, his family would never hurt him, right? So it'd be easy.

And thus Jason Todd returned from the dead, crawling his way out of his grave.

Only that, during his little escapee, he didn't have enough oxygen. So when he got out of the ground, his brain had been badly damaged and thinking suddenly became much harder.

Jason knew he had to go somewhere, but he just couldn't remember where. And as he was walking...

A car crashed into him, and all lights went off from there.

The next time Jason came too, he was understand, light illuminated by the green water beneath him, his body feeling wrong, wrong, wrong.

Turns out he was catatonic for two years, Talia had informed him of what happened during that time after he managed to calm down from his initial panic.

But when Talia mentioned he was unavenged? That he was replaced within months of him dying? He didn't know how to react. It simply couldn't be true, right...?

After finding out more information, Jason was livid. Just how, how could Bruce do all that to him?

Jason could feel his heart being stabbed but he ignored it.

He was going to give Bruce a chance and see if he'll take it.

And thus, utrh happened and you all know how that ended, a batarang to his throat after being beat down by his supposed 'dad'.

During that fight, Jason did his utmost best to not show the pain he felt as his heart was stabbed and stabbed.

Jason thinks he died, or nearly died again after the explosion, but somehow Jason was still alive and kicking.

Time passed and somehow, somehow Jason went back to the bats, reintegrated into the family.

But as time went on, the number of stabs to his heart increased, each time more painful than the last. Stabs from each and every one of them in some way, the one who dealt the most stabs being Bruce, because of course it was him, who else would it be?

Jason started to think that maybe he should really just go back to death. His heart was bleeding at this point, that sometimes it felt like he couldn't even breathe, or even function like a normal person.

Death never hurt Jason, always making sure he was happy, safe. He misses her. He never should've asked to come back to a family that clearly doesn't like him...

He misses her, missed her warmth, her hugs, her reassurance.

"Death..." Jason muttered. And Death appeared shortly after, her expression one of sadness.

"My poor child, I am so sorry for what they have done to you, do you wish to go back with me now?"

And all Jason could bring himself to do was collapse in his embrace, tears falling on his blank face.

He's just so very tired.

Death just cradles him, stroking his head in soft movements as she teleport them back to the afterlife.

"It's alright now my son, no one will be able to hurt you again." Death says, voice containing hints of certainty.

After Jason had fallen asleep in Deaths embrace, Death tucks him into a bed before disappearing to have a 'chat' with Gotham.

Gotham who also loved Jason as a son, Gotham who would most definitely be enraged by what Jason had experienced. It is time to make sure the almighty bat regret their every action now.

No mercy is deserved for a man who hurts his child both physically and mentally.

Jason is used to being treated badly, he deserves it after all. He's not like the bats who have a righteous moral.

He's killed people, tortured some, done many bad things (even if they deserved it)

So when someone asks if he's okay, he's surprised.

Someone actually cares about him?

No... They must be pretending, only asking out of politeness than actual concern.

No one cares for Jason after all, right? Not even his supposed 'family' cares about him...

They only care that he follows the rules.

Jason wonders, is it normal to think that even basic human decency is something he doesn't deserve? That no one could ever possibly care for him?

He doesn't know...

"Jason-- I've never hated you. Not once. Not for a moment." Jason freezes hearing Bruce say he never hated Jason.

Bruce has never hated him? Then what would hating him be like seeing as he sliced Jason's neck with a batarang, beat him into a goddamn coma, crashed into him with a car multiple times and so many othing things. He doesn't even do those things to the rogues he hates, so what would Bruce do if he hated him? And then Bruce continues,

"Do think you can be an insolent bonehead? A lot of times. Do I think you need an occasional kick in the ass? I don't deny it. But at the end of the day, I've got your six. And I know you have mine."

And that- all Jason could do was given a smile, one so forced his cheeks hurt. Does Bruce consider what he did an 'occasional kick'? If putting him into a coma was an occasional kick... What else would Bruce do if Jason overstepped his lines?

How much pain will Bruce inflict onto Jason the next time something similar happens? What's the limit? Will Bruce eventually kill him?

Jason didn't think he'd ever have to worry about Bruce killing him. What, with his no-kill rule.

But now?

He's not too sure...

If someone asked, he wouldn't be able to firmly deny the possibility.

If anything...

He thinks that Bruce might be the one to kill him in this life, he was already close to it various times before. Maybe he had succeeded but Jason's body refused to stay dead?

Has Bruce killed him?

He thinks back to the showdown, joker laughing in his arms as Jason give Bruce his ultimatum, Joker or Jason. Let Jason kill the Joker, or Bruce killing Jason to stop him.

A hand makes its way to Jason throat, a clear reminder of what Bruce chose, Jason lying on the concrete, bleeding out from his neck just before the explosion.

Sometimes, Jason wonders to himself if he had died that day.

Damian is baffled by what he hears when the bats describe his Akhi.

Father, Pennywoth, and Drake describe Jason as an innately reckless, angry, and violent child who cause his own death, and to not be like him.

But they're wrong. Jason isn't reckless, he plans things to a T, making sure that everything will work in his favour.

Sure, there are times when something unexpected happens, but he's a quick thinker and will find a way to manage the problem in the most efficient way.

Jason isn't innately angry either, he's not just angry at the 'world' and everyone in it; he's angry at the injustice innocent face, the suffering that could've been avoided. Damian's seen Jason create a bloodbath, soaking in the blood of scum who deserve it ten fold, anger seeping out at the thought the more victims were created.

Nor is he innately violent, often prefering to wind down with a book or just spending quality time with Damian. That is anything but violent.

If anything, Damian would describe Jason as a kind soul, one too passionate and caring, putting others first instead of himself.

He's disgusted by Bruce and Alfred. Much to his displeasure, he can acknowledge that Drake is not entirely at fault as he was only a child who saw the adults trample on Jason's good name.

No.

The people he is mad about is Father and Pennyworth. They're supposed to be adults, one a hero, and yet they don't have the brain to understand that no child is at fault for their death? That adults should instead protect them from any harm?

And don't even start on the memorial case. It is downright disgusting. To say that Jason was a 'good soldier' and not a son? To tarnish his name while also holding him up to a pedestal?

It truly does baffle Damian on why he was sent to live with them instead of Jason, his Akhi, the Red Hood.

"Yeah, and you still haven't stopped Joker permanently." Jason shrugs after being told off for the millionth time for something he did 'wrong'.

"We don't kill Jason." Bruce grits out, anger behind his words since he's said these words so many times and Jason still hasn't understood them.

Jason just looks at him baffled and then scoffs, "I said stopped, not kill, there's a distinction. Sure you don't kill, but what about shoving Joker in a place where he can't escape from. For example..." He mutters in thought and then exaggerates a fist in hand with an 'aha!' expression on his face.

"You could send him to he Phantom Zone? That way he can't harm innocents and won't die. Win-win if you ask me. But you never will do that because you put your fucked up game before everything. Before me, you son. Before civilians who you're supposed to be protecting. From everyone. And please," Jason says mockingly,

"don't deny that none of that isn't true, because otherwise you would've let me kill him when we had the showdown. I didn't even fucking ask you to kill him, I asked you let me kill him. And yet..." He trails off, "you killed me. Your broken your no-kill rule to kill your son instead of the homicidal maniac that killed your son and many other civilians..." As Jason said this, his voice was devoid of any emotions. As if it was a matter of fact, as if it wasn't something horrible.

"Joker is my responsibility and therefore has to stay in Arkham." Is all Bruce has to say. Go-figures. Of course he'd ignore the part where Jason tells him that Bruce had killed him, had allowed so many civilians to die just because he won't transport Joker to a more secure prison. Of course he doesn't care what Jason has to say. Anything Jason says that goes against Bruce must be wrong, Bruce can't do wrong after all, can he?

"..." Jason sighs and then ruffles his hair, "No. I'm not doing this anymore Bruce. I'm done." He says as he twists his body to leave.

It was little things at first.

Jason dazing out until someone called out to him. Something that was unusual with how vigilant the man was, never putting his guard down, unless truly feeling safe.

Then, Jason wouldn't snap out of it, his eyes dazed as the bats tried to get his attention and failing. The colour of his eyes changed, albeit a little, with the glowing green dimming, the blue he originally had popping out more as hints of green swirled around.

It was concerning...

Seeing Jason, dissociate...? It felt wrong to see him like that, and they didn't know what was happening to Jason.

After the episode of Jason dissociating, they decided to ask him if anything happened or if there was anything wrong. He just shrugged saying he was fine. Clearly he was lying, but they didn't want to press harder and shoo away their brother.

But Jason knew.

He knew what was happening to him.

Could feel it.

The unholy bath water was wearing off.

Reverting him back to his hollow self of a shell. Still functional, moving as if on autopilot, but without the mind and personality in it.

He called Talia, asking if this has happened before.

On the call Talia sighs, "I should have told you before you left..."

"About what?"

"For individuals like you who've only been dumped in the Lazarus Pit once, the effects will wear off after some time, it varies between individuals, but you have been quite lucky to last. For those who have used it multiple times like my father, the effects lasts longer."

"So either I go back to Nanda Parbat to bath in neon green glop, or I revert back to my catatonic self?"

"Simply, yes. However, I would prefer for you to come back and stay here. That way you do not have to keep coming back whenever this happens."

At this, Jason nods, that makes sense, makes things more efficient. However... "What about Crime Alley though? There'd be no one to look after them if I leave."

"Leave that to me, I'll send a few of my personal to help. You have your crime empire correct? I'll get them to help look after Crime Alley as well, make sure nothing bad happens. I promise." Talia says softly as she promised to Jason, a hint of motherhood in her voice.

Jason nods, a small smile on his voice, "Sounds good T."

"Now then, with that issue out of the way, I'll come get you tomorrow. Go rest up Jason, you need some rest before leaving, goodnight and sweet dreams." That's the last thing Talia says before ending the call.

Jason sighs, flipping back into the couch he was sitting on, resting and arm over his eyes for a second before standing up and heading to bed. Best not to disobey T, he shivers at the thought of what she'd do if she finds out he didn't rest.

Jason is tired.

Being treated like a ticking time bomb. Like a failure of a Robin who caused his own death.

Sure, maybe he deserved his death?

Did he?

He doesn't know...

But if everyone says it, than maybe it's true?

But what he does know, is that he wasn't the 'angry' Robin. He wasn't innately full of anger. He was angry at the injustice gothamites faced, every single goddamn day.

He remembers nearly always smiling, cracking jokes even Batman laughed at.

He remembered sparring with Bruce one time, managing to up Bruce, how excited he was for beating Bruce after only a few months of training.

He remembered humming along a song as he did his homework, asking Bruce if he could stay up longer to do more, smiling the whole time. He loved learning. He loved going to school.

He remembered being in the library, reading book after book, so emerged in the texts that he hadn't realised it was dinner time until Bruce poked his cheek. He had jumped at this, a little scream escaping as he asked why he didn't knock. Bruce had just replied that he'd knocked quite a few times, even calling his out. Jason just blushes in embarrassment, closing the book he was reading with a bookmark inbetween, before plopping it onto the table to head to the dinning room.

He remembered jumping with joy explaining all the plots of the stories he read to Bruce, how Bruce would ask questions that he'd answer. He loved those moments, seeing Bruce interested in what Jason had to say.

He remembered helping Alfred bake a cake for Bruce on his birthday, seeing Bruce's teary expression seeing the cake. Jason wished he had captured that moment on film.

He remembered when he got sick and Bruce decided to not go on patrol, opting to watch a movie with him. It made Jason all giddy inside, knowing that Jason was more important than his mission.

But then things changed.

Bruce became more irritated with him. Not seeing how angry he was when a victim did not get the justice they deserved. Not seeing how Jason hated seeing a criminal scot-free just because they had the power to do so, unpunishable.

One time, Jason had crippled a pimp so badly they went into shock. Bruce reprimanded him, telling him that they needed to ask the man questions, but his actions had prevented that.

It got to the point where Bruce benched him from Robin, telling him he didn't need a 'teenage rebellion', and that he wasn't Jason's 'dad'...

That just broke Jason, he thought of Bruce as his dad, did Bruce not think of him as a son? Was he just Robin to him? Is so...

He no longer had any use. He was benched from Robin and the only reason Bruce took him in because of Robin.

Without Robin, Jason is nothing. Without Robin, Bruce won't want him, would throw him out onto the streets.

So when he sees that his birth mother was alive? He rushed at that opportunity, at the chance that a parent will love him.

Just like when Catherine loved him before her addiction, before Wills disappeared.

He was so happy to finally meet her, all his previous grievances from Bruce disappeared, replaced with warmth that at least someone loves him.

But he was wrong once again. Sheila had taken him straight to the Joker after he revealed he was Robin.

Handed him right over to the clown, lighting a cig as she watched the crowbar hit her son.

Jason could do nothing but endure, it was his fault for trusting Sheila, right?

It was his fault for running away.

His fault for hoping someone on this damn earth would love him.

He should've known he'd never be that lucky.

What a fool he was.

So maybe he did deserve his death, maybe he deserved to be killed again? Who knows?

But he was anything, but the 'angry' Robin. Sure he did get angry, but it wasn't his main trait, and he had as much anger as any other Robin.

He was cheerful, lighting up any room. He was mournful, empathetic with any victim he came across. He was angry, enraged at the injustice innocents faced, how their suffering could've been prevented if only they were faster, stopping the criminal before they did anything.

What if, instead of the memory of Bruce taking the day if patrol to look after sick Jaybin wasn't his happiest memory. What if it was his second happiest?

What if, he fooled himself into think that it was his favourite, so when S'aru borrowed and then took his 'happiest' memory, it really wasn't. Locked so deep inside, even someone like martial Manhunter may struggle to find it.

The happiest memory Jason can recall is a night before Bruce, before everything went downhill.

It was Jason's 6th birthday, Catherine was healthy, smiling like the sun she was, as she baked a cupcake for her beloved son. Willis had gone to a store to buy their favourite ice creams and ingredients for dinner, all Jason's favourites.

Jason can remember him and his mum humming to a song, both grinning as Catherine stirred the batter.

Jason can remember when Willis came back, bags in hand as little Jason rushes to his dad to hug him in excitement, letting go quickly to rush him inside.

He remembers sitting on his dad's shoulders as he started cooking.

He remembers when the food was ready, he rushed to plate the table, just so they could eat faster.

How, after eating the delicious dinner, his mum brought out the cupcake, a strawberry shortcake cupcake.

It costed a lot, but it just showed how deeply Jason was loved by his parents. He had only mentioned once how he really like this cake flavour after having it this one time, and since then, without fail, they would bake one for him on his birthday.

As the cupcake was being brought out, his mum light the candle up that had the number 6.

Jason can remember his mum and dad's faces as they asked him to make a wish before blowing, going straight into a family hug after doing so.

That day was truly his happiest and nothing would change that. Sure, he was happy with Bruce, more than that, but...

This memory was just different, special, unique, there's no word to accurately describe it, but if Jason had to explain, then he'd say that he had no worries, no concerns, no bad thoughts, was just experiencing pure happiness.

And if Jason had the chance, he would relive the most nightmarish memory a hundred times over, if only to relive that moment. That's how much it meant to him.

Bruce, who remembers utrh movie as what happened vs. Jason, who remembers utrh comic as what happened.

Bruce who remembers throwing the batarangs at Jason's hand and hitting it.

Jason who remembers the batarang being thrown at him, slicing his neck open.

-

A few years later and Jason's is back in the fam, but quite noticable, Jason has a scar on his neck. One that is often hidden, only ever coming out to light is rare occasions.

They just assumed it was from before he came back as Red Hood doing whatever it was he did. And so did Bruce.

After all, he hit Jason's hand, right? No way did he cause that scar. Thank God, he wouldn't know how to live with himself.

But despite this, for some reason, Jason never stayed in the same room as Bruce for a long period of time, always finding an excuse to 'leave early', as if Bruce had done something to him.

But that's not right, right? Jason just being awkward like all teens eventually do after growing up. There's nothing wrong between them. He's done nothing wrong to Jason.

...

But Jason would like to beg to differ.

After experience the shit show of Bruce choosing Joker and slicing his throat, he no longer felt safe with him.

Always feeling jittery, and the need to escape increasing whenever he was in the same space as Bruce for too long, memories of that night popping up like a constant reminder.

A reminder of what Bruce did to him, the scar, now a permanent reminder. One he sees every day, in the mirror, in his reflection, even people's eyes when he talks to him.

A very painful reminder of what his dad choose between his son and his son's killer. One he wishes wasn't true. One he can never forget. One that is so engraved into his memory that he constantly has nightmares about his dad killing him.