Batty Family - Batfam Oneshots

Inherently - Part 1 (Batboys)

TW: gunshot
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Jason laughed, a dull, husky sound, "So, you finally caught up to me, huh?"

"I guess so," Dick replied.

The two brothers stood in an ally way that was blocked off at the end. The younger had his back turned to his brother.

"What are you gonna do now? Kill me?"

There was a long pause, but Jason already knew the answer.

"No."

He growled, "You never could."

The man turned around and tried to throw a punch, but Dick caught it, along with his other hand. He clenched Jason's wrists tightly.

"You can still come home, Jason."

"Don't you get it? I'm never going back there! Never!" he shouted.

"Jay—"

"No. You don't get to 'Jay' me. It was one thing for you and Bruce to not save me. But you let that fucking tormentor free! You let him go! Even after he took me from you."

The elder noticed the waver in Jason's voice, and his grip softened.

"Why, Dick? I'm your brother. Why'd you let him go?"

Dick faltered, "If I had killed him, wouldn't we be one in the same?"

"No! He's killed thousands of innocent people. You'd be killing one mass murderer—and doing the world a favor at that."

"I'll never kill anyone. I'll never stoop down to his level."

Dick watched a scowl form on the Red Hood's face; it was only adorned with his domino mask. Besides the point, Dick knew that scowl didn't mean well.

"Then I'll do it myself."

As Jason's hand slipped out of his grip, he snatched his brother's gun out of its holster.

"You're always one step ahead of me tonight, huh?" his brother responded in frustration.

Nightwing silently pointed the gun at Jason's chest.

The young man gave a bitter laugh, "You're seriously gonna shoot me?"

When Dick didn't respond, Jason's face contorted into an expression of hurt, but he quickly hid it with anger, "Okay, then do it. Pull the trigger, Dick. Fucking do it! Pull the trigger, Dick! Pull the fucking trigger!"

The elder let his arm fall as he bowed his head in regret. Red Hood scoffed.

"Yeah. You wouldn't."

He walked swiftly past his brother, who didn't move an inch, and went to grab the ladder that led to the roof of the building standing next to them. Just as he put his hand on the rail, he heard a faint call of his name.

"Jason?"

He paused and narrowed his eyes at the floor.

"Do you remember the backyard? At the manor?" Nightwing asked, not daring to turn around.

"What's your point?" Red Hood replied defensively. He didn't want to remember.

"We had good times there, Jason. Messing around in the garden, swimming in the pool, doing god knows what. We were just being brothers. Where's that Jason? Where's the kind yet bold kid I remember so clearly?"

Jason wanted to reach out to his brother, and his brother knew it. He wanted to say he was sorry, that he would change, but pride stood in the way of that.

"He's gone," Jason finally responded as he climbed up the ladder. Dick clenched his fist around the gun but dropped it to the floor hastily.

"No, he's not," Dick said to himself.

Once Jason had pulled himself to the top of the roof, another of his brother's stood there, with a gun pointed straight at him. He narrowed his eyes.

"You know, I always believed in you," Tim said, "When Bruce first said you had come back, I knew you could be a hero again. You pretty much met my expectations that time, but now, we're back at square one."

"Maybe Bruce should've saved me from the Joker before he killed me. And maybe after he killed me, Bruce should've killed him. And maybe after I came back, Bruce should never have let me see that man alive again!"

Red Robin pointed the gun straighter at his brother.

"I've been over this with Dick. You won't shoot me. You can't."

"I still believe in you, Jay," Tim ignored him, "Please, come home."

Jason scoffed once again and turned his back on his little brother, "You're all pathetic."

That's when he heard the gunshot. And not even a second later, he was on the ground clutching his stomach.

When Dick heard the noise, he raced up the ladder and stared at the scene; Tim Drake stood, holding a gun and staring down at Jason Todd, who was bleeding out on the roof of an unknown building.

"Timothy, what the hell?" Dick yelled as he rushed to kneel down next to his brother.

"He won't die," Tim spoke numbly, then repeated in fear, "He won't die."

Despite everything that had happened, despite everything Jason had done and everything Dick had said, Nightwing still pulled Red Hood's head into his lap, all the while thinking that this could be the last time they ever speak to each other.

Jason chuckled in his brother's arms, "I didn't think you had it in ya', nerd bird."

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of here alive. Tim, call Alfred, now!" Dick exclaimed.

"I'm not worried," he interrupted, his exhaustion evident in his voice, "Do I look cool, Dick?"

"Jason," he responded empathically, tears filling his eyes.

"Come on, Dickie, everyone knows you look hella rad after being shot."

"You're a dumbass," Dick laughed in a watery way.

"What else is new?"

Tim, finally out of his shock, ran to sit with his brothers.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded, "I researched every source I could find to try and figure out where I could shoot that wouldn't kill you—I never meant for you to die, I just—I meant to stun you, I—I never wanted this to happen, I promise."

"Hey, Timmy. Look at me, would ya'?"

Tim averted his gaze from his hands to Jason's eyes. His brother's hand stayed firm on his shoulder.

"It's fine. Thanks for putting me back in my place."

As he began to cough up blood, Tim asked frantically, "How is this fine?"

"Because I know I'll be alright, whatever the outcome."

"Stop," Dick sobbed, "Stop, stop, stop—I'm not letting you die!"

"I don't care all that much," Jason sighed, "And, guys?"

"Yeah?" Both of his brothers replied quickly.

"I'm sorry. If the end didn't come like this, I don't think I would've ever apologized, but I guess being shot changes a person," he joked, "But yeah. I'm sorry. I wanted to be good, I really did. Guess I could never quite figure out how."

"There's still time," Tim let a tear fall down his cheek, "You can still change!"

Jason smirked, "I don't deserve you two."

His eyelids began to fall, and Dick shook him frightfully.

"Jason! Jay! Stay awake, please!"

"I love you," he whispered. It was so quiet the two almost didn't catch it.

Then again, "I love you."

His eyes finally closed after that.