Thorned Rose

𝕸𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖗

Jason moved through the shadows of the Batcave like he owned the place, but anyone who knew him could see the tension in his movements. He'd stayed away from this place for a reason, and walking through its stone corridors brought back ghosts he wasn't ready to face. But this time was different—he needed Bruce's help. He was just hoping that, for a moment, everyone would forget how much he hated being here.

He swaggered over to Barbara, leaning against the bank of computers where she once reigned as Oracle. "Yo, Babs," he greeted with a cocky smirk, trying to mask his discomfort.

Barbara arched an eyebrow, giving him a look that was more questioning than welcoming. "Jason..." Her voice held a hint of unease, but her expression softened when she caught sight of the man entering behind him. "Dick!" she exclaimed, her voice brightening as she opened her arms for a hug, a rare gesture since she'd been confined to the wheelchair—Joker's twisted gift.

Dick stepped forward with a warm smile and wrapped her in a hug, holding her close for a moment longer than necessary. "Babs, good to see you," he said, a genuine warmth in his voice.

She returned the smile, and though the history between them ran deep, she was grateful they had found a way to remain friends. On the other hand, Jason rolled his eyes from the sidelines, feeling a familiar sting of jealousy. He couldn't understand it—why Babs could be so open with Dick but so guarded with him. After all, they both wore the Robin mantle at some point. It didn't matter that they were different; he still felt like he should have a place here.

He cleared his throat, shaking off the feelings that threatened to rise to the surface. "Where's Bruce?" he asked, shifting the focus back to the mission.

Barbara turned back to the screen, her fingers tapping away as she checked the surveillance feeds. "In the manor," she replied, her tone more clipped. "Having dinner with Damien."

Jason's lip curled into a sneer. "I forgot about that little twerp," he muttered, the disdain in his voice unmistakable.

Dick chuckled lightly and patted Jason on the back, steering him toward the hidden staircase that led up to Wayne Manor. "Come on, we don't have time to waste. We have to talk to him—now."

Jason grunted in response, following reluctantly. He wasn't sure how this confrontation would go, but he knew one thing—if they were going to deal with Deathstroke's daughter, he needed Bruce's guidance, whether he liked it or not.

Jason's feet felt like they were weighed down with lead as he trailed behind Dick. Each step was a reminder of how different they were—how Dick moved through Wayne Manor as if it were home while Jason felt the place pushing back against him as though it knew he didn't belong. The ache in his chest tightened, and a small voice whispered that he should turn back and leave before he remembered why he'd never wanted to come back here in the first place. But it was too late; they reached the threshold of the grand dining room, and Jason found himself face-to-face with Bruce Wayne and his ever-irritated son, Damian.

Damian's expression twisted into a scowl as menacing as a thirteen-year-old could muster, his green eyes glaring at them from across the table. "Why are they here?" he demanded, his tone dripping with disdain.

Bruce, ever the image of control, took the napkin from his lap and stood fluidly. He eyed the two with a stern yet almost fatherly gaze, the one that Jason had once craved but now felt uncomfortable under. "Dick. Jason," he acknowledged, his voice formal but with a thread of familiarity. "Sit." It was more of a command than a request.

They both sank into the plush chairs, and Jason couldn't help but take in the room around him. Opulence dripped from every corner—crystal chandeliers, polished wood, and the identical old portraits that had been there for years. He hadn't set foot in this room in so long, yet nothing seemed to have changed. It was like the mansion had frozen in time, waiting for him to return, though he never felt like he deserved to.