dove in the darkness ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ⋘ jason todd ⋙

•Chapter 11•

~Hazel's~

The corridor was very pretty. Gray stones lined the pathway toward a small fountain area, but it seemed almost like a secret due to a weeping willow tree standing tall in front of the walk way, keeping everything hidden from view.

The leaves brush against my arms as I slowly walk through the tree, immediately meeting eyes with Jason.

He cuts off the contact before looking back to the fountain and muttering,"I thought you were Alfred."

"Sorry to disappoint." A slight frown covers my face before I move to stand next to him,"This is really beautiful."

He stays quiet, not turning to look at me.

I wait a few moments before making a move to leave.

"I didn't think Alfred would tell anyone where I go."

I pause and turn back to him, a small smile tugging at my lips as I say,"I think they all know."

"They all know not to mess with me when I am mad." He crosses his arms over his chest, giving the indication that he doesn't really want to talk to me either.

"Well, sometimes it helps to talk. And I am unbiased, which means I'm an even better candidate than the others." I smile slightly and nudge his shoulder.

He doesn't spare me a glance as he stares down the fountain in front of us.

"Come on, I should be mad at you. Not the other way around." I find a strange note of sadness that I didn't realize was there. Trying to pretend I was simply mad, I cross my arms over my chest and watch for his reaction.

His jawline twitches as he finally turns toward me, guilt storming in his eyes.

"Listen... That wasn't what you thought. I wasn't leaving you stranded. I was actually going to take you here."

"Why? Why not tell me then?" I question, not fully meeting his eyes. I didn't want to have this conversation.

"Because-er-something came up really last minute and I realized I had to leave town. And I was leaving to go explain everything to Bruce and then to you...but you woke up and saw the bag."

"And jumped to conclusions." I finish for him,"That's my fault. But it really did look like you were just leaving."

"I know, and I would have explained that but I heard the bombs. That's why I was trying to get you away from the door." He elaborated.

"But I was too stubborn to move." I sigh, running a hand through my hair,"But back to you, Mister Anti-Bruce."

He lets out a sigh before fixing his gaze on the fountain in front of us. I began to think he wasn't going to talk when he suddenly says,"He is manipulative. When I was little, I loved being Robin. Loved it. But after... I didn't want to be Robin. I knew nothing would change if I became him because nothing had changed when I was gone. Bruce didn't fix anything. But he did bully another kid into being Robin. And he broke off too."

Tim. And Dick was probably before Jason. Clearly, Dick had grown out of the Robin mantel, Tim too, but Jason? He was forced out of it. It was taken way from him.

I clench my teeth as I think over everything he said, but he didn't give me much time because after a few moments of silence, he continued with,"And he is trying to mess with you. He is trying to use you as a way to benefit him and solve the case. All he cares about are missions." His emerald eyes seem to blaze up, from anger or the light I can't tell, but they seem brighter- almost glowing- as he speaks.