Flaming wings don't fly(Jason Todd x OC)

Chapter 10: Second Chances

Jason leaned against the wall of the training room, still replaying the conversation with Bruce and Dick in his mind. He wasn't used to caring this much, and it was starting to irritate him more than he liked to admit. The tension between him and Bruce never really faded, and now there was a new layer of complication—Flare.

Just as he was lost in thought, the door creaked open. Windy stepped into the room, her movements hesitant, clearly not expecting anyone else to be there. Her eyes locked onto Jason, and her face immediately paled.

Without a word, she turned on her heel and started to leave.

"Hold up, Windy," Dick called out, amusement lacing his voice. "You're not in trouble. Not yet, anyway."

Windy froze, her shoulders stiffening before she turned back slowly, eyes narrowing at Dick. "I'm not in the mood for lectures."

Dick grinned and waved her over, an easy confidence in his voice. "No lectures. Promise." He glanced between her and Jason before adding, "At least, not from me."

Jason, leaning in the doorway, caught the way Dick's gaze softened slightly when he looked at Windy. The familiarity in it was hard to miss. He muttered under his breath, "Hypocrite."

Windy gave Jason a sidelong glance, clearly catching his comment, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she approached cautiously, folding her arms across her chest, her guard up.

Jason noted that she dressed and held herself similar to her sister. Dark black suit made of a material he couldn't identify, with Windy having deep blue panels on the sides. Flare only had red lines in the seams, a far more subtle pop of color than the ones Windy had. Windy had the same open toed, heeled boots that Flare wore, something he didn't quite understand, but he had no desire to start a debate about womens fashion. 

They both stood the same way, proud and alert, clearly analyzing him and ready to fight or flee at any moment. If he had any doubt the two where connected it was gone now. 

Jason pushed off the wall and crossed his arms. "I need to ask you something. About your sister."

At the mention of her sister, Windy's expression changed. A flicker of something—pain, maybe regret—passed through her eyes. She sighed softly, her defensive stance relaxing a little.

"Flare," Windy hissed, her voice quieter now. "What about her?"

Jason stepped closer, his voice low but pointed. "She mentioned the League. But I get the feeling there is more to it. What happened to her? And more importantly how did she get away?"

Windy hesitated, her fingers tightening around her arms as if she were holding something back. She glanced briefly at Dick, who gave her a reassuring nod, and then back at Jason. Her eyes darkened.

"The League was bad. But it wasn't the worst," she admitted, her voice laced with a heaviness that told Jason this conversation was going to go deeper than he expected. "Our family... betrayed her. Betrayed both of us, in different ways."

Jason frowned, confused. He knew Flare had issues with control, with being manipulated, but this was new territory. "What do you mean?"

Windy took a breath, clearly debating how much to share. After a moment, she spoke, her voice tinged with guilt. "Flare's issues with control—why she fights so hard against it—they go back farther than the League. Our family... well, they weren't exactly the nurturing type. They tried to control everything about her. About us."

Dick, standing nearby, watched her with concern, but he didn't interrupt. Jason realized he likely didn't know much of this either.

Windy continued, her eyes distant now, as if reliving something painful. "Flare was... different. Even as a child, her powers were strong, more than anyone in our family had ever seen. They tried to control her, contain her. But she was wild. Free. She didn't want to be anyone's weapon. They broke her trying to make her into something she wasn't. And when she finally pushed back..."

Windy's voice wavered, her hands trembling slightly. "When she finally pushed back, they abandoned her. Left her to fend for herself. That's how the League found her. That's how she ended up with them."

Jason clenched his fists, his blood boiling at the thought. He'd been through his own hell, but he knew what it was like to be abandoned by the people who were supposed to care for you.

"She says that she's on her second chance at life," Windy said quietly, guilt clear in her voice. "That's not just a metaphor. She really did die once, Jason. And when she came back... she wasn't the same. The things they did to her, the way they tried to control her... it broke something inside her. And I stood by and did nothing." Windy's voice cracked, her regret palpable. "I was too scared to fight back. I thought if I stayed quiet, I'd be safe. But all it did was leave her alone when she needed me the most."

Jason's jaw tightened, his own memories flashing through his mind. 

"So she's been fighting her whole life," Jason muttered, more to himself than to Windy.

Windy nodded. "Yeah. I know she's walking a dangerous line, Jason. And I don't agree with everything she does. But I can't lose her again."

Jason's fists slowly unclenched as he absorbed her words. She'd been betrayed by the very people who were supposed to protect her, just like he had.

Dick finally spoke, his tone softer than before. "Windy, you're doing what you can now. You're here. That's what matters."

Jason glanced at Dick, watching the way he looked at Windy. The fondness between them wasn't lost on him, and for a moment, it made Jason uncomfortable. Relationships like that—ones where people cared for each other—felt foreign to him, and seeing it now made his defenses flare up.

Windy gave a small, sad smile. "I just don't want her to break apart if something else happens."

Jason's eyes darkened, his voice hard. "She won't. Flare's stronger than you think."

Windy studied him for a moment, her expression softening. "Maybe. But she's also hurt. And that can make people do things they wouldn't normally do."

Jason didn't say anything for a moment, his mind whirling. That sounded like Windy was speaking from experience. It also sounded like a warning.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Jason said, his voice low but firm.

Windy's eyes softened, and she nodded. "Thank you."

As Jason turned to leave, he couldn't shake the heavy feeling in his chest. Flare had been through more than he could have guessed, and now that he knew the truth, he couldn't just walk away. He couldn't pretend he wasn't involved.

Whether he liked it or not, Flare was in his life now. And he wasn't about to let her go down a path he knew all too well.