dove in the darkness ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ⋘ jason todd ⋙

•Chapter 22•

<Hazel's>

Apparently a lot can go wrong.

Who knew how horrible game night with the boys would be? Well, now I know and I am not enjoying it as much as I thought I would have.

They immediately jumped into arguments about who was better and who would be partners with who and it ended up with them basically bring Vigilantism and who was better, to which Jason replied with, "Well, I died."

I can't take it. I thought I could, but I can't.

"Hey!" I shout catching their attention. "All you guys have been doing since I got here was fight. Heck, Alfred has earplugs on hand when you all walk into a room together." I point out, the butler already having the earplugs in. "I don't care about your stupid macho man crap, and pretending you guys don't care about each other, but you need to work it out because we-" I gesture to Bruce, Alfred and I, "- aren't go to keep dealing with it."

Each of the pairs of eyes on me had widened a considerable amount as I scolded out the boys in front of me.

Damian, his face flushed red started to open his mouth, which caused me to hold up my hand up to stop him. He does what I want, making me continue with, "I don't care how you fix it, but go fix it. Siblings fight, but not as much as you guys do and it can't be healthy." They all only stare at me, shifting uncomfortably as if they weren't sure what to do. "Go." I repeat, causing them to immediately get up and run out of the room, each muttering something incoherent under their breath.

Silence plunged over us as we all glanced at each other until Alfred started to chuckle, "Well, Miss Hazel, I thought you had it in you. I just wish they would remember everything you just said and take it to heart."

I smile sheepishly, "Well, they needed to stop. I never had a sibling, but I know they fight, but those boys fight a lot more than needed."

"I think it's their way of showing they love each other." Bruce speaks up, his eyes finding mine. "Dick grew up with a very loving family, which means he likes to hug and tease, but not to the point where it could hurt anyone. And, as you know, Jason lived in the street for a good bit until I adopted him. And with his... well, he won't show it-"

"But he cares about you guys." I finish for him.

He nods before saying, "And Tim is just an overly stressed teenager than didn't realize he wouldn't be the last kid added to the family. Damian was raised with assassins, so compliments are... somewhat a changing for him. And he didn't expect me to still be housing everyone."

Despite most of the things I thought I knew, I still started to feel guilty as if I crossed a line. I didn't know everything, and that little fact means that I didn't understand the level of love they had for each other.

"So I shouldn't have-"

"No, they deserved it." Bruce cuts me off reassuringly. "They would not have stopped until one of them was bleeding and we intervened."

I find myself nodding along to him despite my mind being back with him in the cave only an hour ago.

I guess a lot can change how a person looked at you.

Then again, I was the one who pushed back in the cave.

"I have a question." I had said as soon as Jason was gone.

He had only paused for a few moments before he said, "Ask it."

"Why does Jason hate you?" I had questioned him.

Stupid question, I realize now, but maybe it wasn't as stupid after all. It got Bruce talking, which was better than him just glaring at me.