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The wind howled around the desolate Gotham rooftop, whipping up trash and loose shingles in a whirlwind of familiar dance. The moon cast a pale glow over it all, making the city below look like a sprawling beast, every shadow a claw waiting to snatch the unwary. Jason Todd, red helmet daggling lifelessly from his fingertips, stood rooted to the spot, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he stared up at the precariously perched figure of his brother.
"Hi, Jason."
The kid had the nerve to turn around and wave at him.
"What the fuck, Tim?!"
Tim Drake, his replacement, the ever so slightly crazed third Robin stood on the edge of the roof, looking down with an unsettling nonchalance. His Red Robin suit contrasting sharply with the dark sky, making him look like a misplaced bloodstain on a black canvas.
"I'm just trying to figure out if falling off this roof will send me back to where I belong," the kid answered, as casual as if he were discussing the weather.
Jason's eyes widened, his heart pounding in his chest. Because what the fuck, how the fuck, why the fuck….. "What the fuck, Tim?!"
Tim's smile was lazy, almost amused. "I'm serious, Jason, I don't belong here."
What in the.....Something in Jason's heart screeched in protest and his barely controlled panic surged forward in abject horror, almost as if it too had mind of its own, trying to save his stupid idiot of a brother. "Of course you fucking do, please just get down from there."
Tim shrugged, looking more like a kid contemplating a jump into a pool rather than a deadly fall. And why, how did that remotely make any sense? How had none of them seen the signs. How was this happening, and why was the back-up he'd called for not fucking here yet?
"No Jay, I can't do that. But I'll see you on the other side, yeah? Well, guess not you-you,'' Tim frowned in almost childish contemplation here. ''But my you."
Jason's voice cracked. "What does that even mean, I'm alive, kid. I'm right here."
Tim's gaze flicked back to him, his expression mildly interested yet so far, too far. "Of course you are. None of us here, are dead."
"Yet!" Jason snapped, voice echoing off the surrounding buildings, desperation slowly being consumed by green rage. Because what the fuck Tim, why the hell was he putting him through this. He couldn't lose him. He couldn't watch---- "None of us are dead yet! But if you don't get down from there right now, baby bird, you will be. Do you get that?" He didn't want to shout, didn't want to make things worse, but he couldn't help it. He was so fucking terrified.
Tim's sigh was lost in the wind. It sent a full body shudder down Jason's spine for it looked like resignation. It felt like a mind made up. "I feel like we're having vastly different conversations here, Hood."
"I can assure you, we're not," Jason growled, his hands clenching into fists as he took a step closer, helmet gleaming under the moonlight. Tim's eyes darted towards his feet before looking up at him again. Jason swallowed down the bile rising up his throat.
Tim tilted his head, as if considering. "I'm pretty sure we are. Because you think I'm trying to kill myself.'' Here he casually waved a hand at his body, nonchalant as ever. ''But I'm not suicidal, I promise. I'm just trying to see if jumping from this roof will—"
"You are," Jason interrupted, voice raw. ''Kid, I know you don't grasp basic emotions like the rest of us common people, but what you're trying to do here is textbook suicide. So please--''
Tim's eyebrows knitted in frustration. "I'm really not. I'm just jumping."
"Just jum---'' Jason's breath hitched, frustration brimming at the edge of his eyes, threatening to cascade down his cheeks. ''You're trying to jump to your fucking death," he spat, taking another step closer, his eyes never leaving Tim's. ''Get that through your thick skull and get down from there!''
Tim rolled his eyes, exasperated. And wow, if that didn't serve to fuck him up even more. Why was the kid so casual about his own life. What the hell was going on. And where was his damn backup! None of his family where on planet the one time he needed them but where the fuck was Roy?
"What, no. You got it all wrong man. I'm really really not trying to off myself.'' The kid's words cut his thoughts short, making him flinch involuntarily, then almost lurching himself fully forward when the kid playfully mimicked diving off the roof, flailing arms and all. ''Relax,'' he continued, giving him the most misplaced reassuring grin he'd ever been on the receiving end off. ''I'm only trying to get to another life Jay. To you and the others."
Jason's world tilted. "Oh my God."
"It's okay if you don't understand," Tim said softly, almost fond in a sickeningly loving way. "It'll all be over soon."
Jason's voice broke then. Broke like his heart was breaking. Broke like his desperation had done the minute he'd seen his stupid idiot of a baby brother dancing on the edge of a roof. "Tim, Timbits, Timbo,'' he pleaded, another step. Still too far. Still too fucking far. ''I'm begging you here, please don't do this. I know I haven't been the best brother, but kid, that's because I'm fucked up. It has nothing to do with you and—"
Tim seemed to immediately raise a hand to cut him off there, frowning. "Woah, woah, calm down, Jay. I'm really not trying to kill myself, so like, no need to go all mushy on me. Besides, you're great in this version. Little grumpy but way better than the murdery version of you I remember."
What in the world? For the first time horror was temporarily replaced by confusion. "Wh—Version?"
Tim's expression turned sombre, but only slightly. "Yeah... hate to break it to you, Jason,'' He fidgeted in place. Jason really really wished he'd stop fidgeting. Imagine going over the edge because you were fidgeting. Imagine dying because you couldn't stop fucking fidgeting. ''but... um, I really don't know how to say this…. Um you're a video game character." The most apologetic look marred his face and the kid looked at him with utter resignation. ''This is all just a video game Jay. None of it is real.''
Jason's breath hitched. "Oh my God. Oh my God, you've really lost it this time Timberly."
Tim's smile was almost condescending in its fondness now, almost as if the ridiculous nickname had brought some light back into his eyes. It made Jason's own flair with hope. "No need to be rude. It'll all make sense soon."
Then Jason watched, horror-struck, as Tim took a deep breath, smiled at him; a kind of smile that bordered on heartbreak and leaped off the edge. Time seemed to slow, the cityscape suddenly a blur of lights and shadows. He screamed,
But in a split second his instincts kicked in. Without thinking, without a thought left to grieve, Jason lunged off the roof, his grappling hook shooting out and catching the edge just below where Tim had been standing. He swung out, strained, reached with all his might because no, no no no. This wasn't happening. Tim wasn't---- Dick wouldn't lose someone else like this, fuck, this couldn't---- And just as his vision began to blur, his heart began to shatter and his soul began to cry, his arms tightened around a rigid armour, slamming the frighteningly too still body against his ribs. The force of the catch sent a shock of pain through his shoulder, but he had him, oh God, he had him.
And he couldn't help but tear up as his grunt of agony at the definitely dislocated shoulder, mixed oh so wonderfully in with Tim's surprised yelp at surviving his own stupid attempt at insane suicide.
But soon enough, ''What the fuck Jason! Why would you do that,'' weak fists that were shaking he noted absentmindedly, hit him across the back. The currently impersonating a ragdoll Tim unhappy with his rescue. ''I had it under control, why did you ruin it. Leave it to your algorithm to mess everything up!''
Jason slapped him.
Not his finest moment sure, but---
''I'm not a fucking algorithm you asshole,'' he nearly screamed in the kid's face. ''You could have died, do you get that! Died! The fuck is wrong with you! This is not a game, I'm not a game----''
''You are!''
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''Um….yeah, so guess I almost ended it all for real, huh?''
Jason grunted, chin digging into the squished up babybird currently sitting on Roy's bed or more precisely, held hostage in his own arms. ''Glad your insanity has expiration date.''
''In my defence,'' Tim muttered, eyes flittering around the room, following Roy's pacing as the redhead kept examining the glowing rock that caused it all with several layers industry fortified gloves. ''When I started hearing voices, I didn't think the glowing rock was talking to me.''
''Dear lord,'' Jason muttered, clutching the idiot tighter even as his left shoulder ached bandaged as it was securely against his chest. ''You're so under house arrest indefinitely.''
''Hey,'' his idiot baby brother pouted, pouted! ''I just thought I'd cracked the code. Like it all made sense in the beginning and then,'' he frowned, fingers drumming against Jason's hand, he secretly welcomed it. The warmth of those fingers, how alive they felt. ''I guess, I started losing it slowly over the next few months without noticing. The rock was kinda really persuasive I guess.''
''You guess,'' Roy sounded wholly unimpressed. Jason couldn't have been more proud of him.
Tim shrugged as best as he could in his hold. ''No wonder Bart was always so confused.''
This time it was Roy who slapped him, a sharp thwack against his forearm. ''It played into your bizarre level of paranoia you moron. Of course you would think none of us were real. This thing must have had a field day with you.''
''Ow,'' Tim muttered, rubbing the place then promptly leaning into the hair ruffle that soon followed after.
''Idiot,'' Roy said, dark circle under his eyes overshadowed by fondness after full twelve hours of trying to detox Tim from the rock's influence. ''Never do this again. You suspect something like this ever again, you go to your family, friends, us, anyone but don't you ever do this again.''
Tim nodded. ''Sorry, I will.''
Jason hugged him tighter and Roy's fingers remained in his hair.
''You fucking better,'' Jason muttered. ''And when Dick gets here, you're on your own you little shit.''
''What?'' Tim tried to wiggle his way out, it did not work. Jason was sure it never would now. ''No, please. You can't do this.''
Roy just snorted. ''I say the punishment fits the crime, little Robin.''
''It really doesn't!''
It kind of did.