The Young Justice

13

Bruce knew what it felt like to lose someone. Everyone in Wayne Manor did.

Percy had lost too many to count. Dick had lost his parents. Alfred had lost his friends in the war and then Martha and Thomas. Then Bruce lost his parents.

They all knew how hard losing someone was, but watching Percy hold the burned and bloody body of Jason, surrounded by the Team and an unconscious Joker sometimes felt like the Fates were always against them.

He was only thirteen and now he was gone. He deserved so much more.

Bruce watched as Percy moved like a machine, with an ease she shouldn't have. She held the body as she rose, towering above so many with her height, and her usually soft sea green eyes had turned to red. The dark red of the Joker's blood, pooling on the floor.

Percy's eyes strayed to Joker's form, the flash of darkness and her aura flaring before she stopped it. Bruce watched with worry and pain seeping into his heart, but not his face.

He heard the crying in the background, but he was focused on h̶i̶s̶  the kids.

They both held perfectly crafted masks, a testament to their skills and experience. Percy's visible eyes held nothing, but Bruce knew why. Any emotion in Percy's eyes when she was hurting often scared people, the dark brimming anger and flashes of fury. Dick's mouth was set in a thin line, but the twitch in his face told Bruce everything.

Bruce himself, in his Batman gear, was completely blank. He was hurting and aching inside, but Bruce was Batman. He was the man in the mask and weakness meant showing his enemies that they had won.

So he did what he always did. He pushed away his pain and grief. He hid it, stopped himself rom hurting. He was not going to let any of them die again. He wasn't going to train another one.

2 weeks later

Percy stood by herself.

She had been taken off duty two days ago when she nearly killed Joker (escaped again), only stopped by Nightwing's insistent whispering through their personal coms.

"Percy, I know you're hurting. I know you're in pain, but please don't taint your hands with the blood of a monster."

Not even Bruce could get her to stop because Dick wanted to kill Joker just as much. The only thing stopping either of them was their respect for Bruce's rules, but Percy was questioning them now. Questioning whether it was worth it, to deny her nature of revenge just so Bruce wouldn't have another death.

So, four hours later, Percy found herself at Bruce's study in the early hourse of the morning.

"Come in," he answered after her knock.

She entered, softly closing the door behind her, and walked towards the desk. She wanted—needed—to do this. She had to—wanted to—see whether Bruce could do what was best for everything.

To ride the world of a monster forever.

The conversation progressed as Percy expected. Denying her the right to retribution for Jason. For her brother.

"Then let me kill him, Bruce!"

"You never killed your mother's killer! Why must it be Jason's?!"

"Because my mother, though a badass, would never want me to take a man in cold blood just to avenge her, but Jason wouldn't mind. Jason would be searching for revenge for me, or you, or Dick, right now! He would be out there drawing blood four our sake!" Percy's patience was thinning (she never had much to begin with) and she was just about done with Bruce. Why?! Why couldn't he see this would help her find solace?