Random chapters I can't get out of my head

Secret No More

Jason pov-
I've never told my adoptive family that I was a mermaid.

It counted as being a meta human, and Bruce's number one rule was no metas in Gotham, and I didn't want to get shipped off to a lab somewhere or have my scales pulled off, nor did I want to get turned into a lab experiment because of what I was.

God only knew what would happen if anyone found out. Not even Roy Harper, my best friend, knew what I was.

The mermaid gene came from my father, Willis Todd, and from the beginning of our bloodline when the first of us Todd's fell in love with a mermaid princess from a LONG time ago, so I was a Royal heir in a way, though I had no desire to be a mermaid. I thought of it as a curse, because literally every time I got wet, I only had 30 seconds before my long and scarred crimson red tail came out, removing my legs, and I didn't change back to a human for a long 18 hours, even if I was completely dry.

The more I shifted, the longer it took to change back.

And that was something I would die before having to deal with. I wanted to be a normal human, keep my legs, and continue being Red Hood.

But if I changed one more time, then I wasn't going to get to be a human anymore.

Never again.

So I spent my years carefully avoiding anything that contained water, trying to preserve my valuable time as a human while I could.

Sure, I could get wet with liquid, as long as it didn't have water in it. For baths, I used baby wipes, and for my hair, I just bought more wipes.

It was terrible, but a necessary sacrifice.

Now, I could sweat and be fine, but only for a limited amount of time.

It sucked.

Anyway, I was out patrolling my territory when Oracles voice shouted over the comms in my helmet. "Someone get to the docks! The batmobile was pushed in the river by Riddlers crew, and Batman is trapped inside! Hood, you're the closest. HURRY UP!" She shouted, and I dropped my patrol and started sprinting across rooftops to Bruce's location as fast as I could sprint, knowing what my fate was.

I was silently crying as I ran, enjoying my last few minutes as a human while I could, and I shakily spoke into the comms. "Guys... I have to tell you something, and Dick, Cass, and Duke, you won't like it." I said, and Stephanie answered. "What's up Jay?" She asked, and I let out a quiet sob.

"This is the last time I get to see all of you. I won't be able to be with you anymore after I do what I'm about to do." I said, crossing to another roof, the docks in sight. I could hear their frowns. "Jason, what's going on? What are you talking about?" Duke asked, and Damian tutted. "Red Hood is finally leaving the family like he should have done a long time ago. Good riddance. A shame Drake won't do the same." My youngest brother said, and I was silent.

"Yeah, you're right, Damian. Only Bruce is coming home to you." I said, arriving at the docks entrance and landing on the gravel ground. "I'm sorry for all the shit I caused all of you. You don't deserve to have a criminal like me as a family member, and I'm sorry for being a nuisance to you all. Dick, can-can you tell Roy something for me? Just... just tell him that I love him, and I'm sorry he had to put up with all of my bullshit. He's the only one who just gets me, and he's the brother I longed to have growing up as a kid. He's the only one that didn't judge me, force me to do things I didn't want to do, blame me for anything, hurt me, throw me out, abandon me, or hate me.

"Tell him, Richard. And no, I'm not committing suicide, before any of you ask. Oh, and tell Bruce that I'm sorry for everything. Have Roy tell the kids that I won't be able to help them anymore. He'll understand what I mean, but don't question him on it. He can tell you when he feels like it. And tell him that Ace is his and Lian's to look after now.