Trapped In The Wayne Manor

A Meeting...Really?

Watch Tower: Meeting: Saturday, 12, 2008, January: 13:36 pm

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is sadness at the back of life which some people do not attempt to mitigate. Entirely aware of their own standing in the shadow, and yet alive to every gleam of existence. There they suffer.

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Jason Todd was annoyed—no, scratch that, he was furious. For what felt like the fifth time in a row, he was stuck here, enduring the same pointless conversations that went nowhere. The endless cycle of lectures, threats, and scolding grated on him like nails on a chalkboard. He'd had enough. Nothing ever changed, and it didn't seem like it ever would.

Jason clenched his jaw, his eyes darting around the room, scanning the sea of faces. Everyone you could possibly imagine was here, either in person or via hologram. The Justice League, Young Justice, every single Bat, the Titans, the Green Lantern Corps, Flashes' entire legacy team, even Green Arrow's old crew. Hell, the Avengers had shown up too. Was it really that big of a deal? Jason had made one slip-up, and suddenly every hero on the planet was scrutinizing his every move. Was he really so horrible? So, hated? So... disposable?

For Christ's sake, did anyone even want him alive again?

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No. They need you gone. It's your fault. They left you to Ra's al Ghul. Never even looked for you. Just replaced you the first chance they got.

Jason's heart twisted at the intrusive thought.

How did it feel?

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"How did what feel?" Jason muttered under his breath, responding to the voice in his head. It sounded insane—talking to yourself—but when that's all you have, what choice do you have? Better that than slipping completely into madness like the Joker.

His lip curled in disgust at the thought of the clown. He hated that man—the one who had killed him—but the hate felt hollow sometimes. The Joker had left him alone, broken, scared... empty. The emotions churned in his gut, but he shoved them down where they couldn't reach the surface. He couldn't let anyone see the cracks. Love and pain made you—

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Weak.

"Shut up! I was going to say that!" Jason growled internally, his scowl deepening.

Sure, you were, the voice sneered. Just remember his words: Fear makes you weak. Anger makes you STRONG.

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The words roared through his mind like a thunderclap. Jason barely had time to process them before he was ripped out of his thoughts by the sound of his name. He looked up sharply, his sharp glare locking onto Aquaman, who had apparently decided to drag him back to reality. Jason's attention snapped to the rest of the room as someone cleared their throat.

"Well, it seems we've all come to the same conclusion," Black Canary said, her voice smooth and professional, but with a faint edge of satisfaction.

Jason tensed, swallowing hard. He braced himself for the verdict. Was it prison? Some new punishment? Maybe exile? He could only hope it wasn't going to be something as mundane as house arrest.

"The Justice League," Canary began, her words deliberate, "has decided that you will stay with the Waynes for a month."

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Jason's jaw dropped. He stared at her, blinking in disbelief. Him—Red Hood—staying with them? The one group of people he actively tried to avoid.

His shock quickly turned to fury. "A whole meeting for this?" he hissed, his voice dripping with venom. Without waiting for an answer, he spun on his heel, storming toward the Zeta Tube. Every step was heavy with rage, his movements sharp and purposeful.

He paused at the entrance, his eyes sweeping back over the room one last time. His lips twisted into a sneer. "Don't call me again for something this pointless," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Or so help me, I'll let this whole damn world burn."

The silence that followed was thick with tension, the kind that made even the bravest of heroes shift uncomfortably. Before anyone could respond, Jason drove his fist into the nearest wall. The impact left a deep, jagged dent, the sound reverberating through the chamber. Several members flinched, exchanging uneasy glances.

Jason didn't look back as he stepped into the Zeta Tube, his figure disappearing in a flash of light. But the room he left behind was heavy with unease. The punch wasn't just anger—it was a warning. And everyone knew it.

Nice so far, right? I hope. The abbreviations are JL / Justice League, YJ / Young Justice. 

I feel like a just got gut punched. It's been 3 months, and I cannot believe this is how a wrote. So, I edited it! <3