The Troublesome Trio

One Shot ~ 1) Alternate Ending

IMPORTANT!!! I didn't accidentally redo this lol. This, as the chapter suggests, is an alternate oneshot for the Dick and Jason chapter I wrote previously. The italics is what was already written for the oneshot and the rest is the alternate ending ❤️

"I don't want to talk about it," Jason growled, breaking away from Dick's hold. Dick grabbed him once more and brought shaking, pale fingers to his lips. Jason violently shook under his hold, "Please don't make me talk about it."

Dick was about to insist, until he saw the unnatural bright flash of green in his eyes. Deciding Jason needed comfort over a confident, he murmured, "Don't say another word, if you don't want to," encircling his arms around Jason's waist and running his fingers through tussled hair. Jason looked up, a scowl etched with uncertainty on his face, into Dick's eyes, the green fading just the slightest. He offered a reassuring smile to his slowly crumbling boyfriend. And with that, Jason melted to the floor.

He worked to blink away frustrated tears and his knuckles were turning white with how hard he clenched his fist. "The Lazarus does it sometimes," he gasped out, "and I can feel it's pull. It wants me to do things. I don't want to listen, anymore. Please, don't make me me. Please, I can't."

Dick shushed him nervously. Jason found it difficult to ask for help, nevertheless beg. He rarely got these attacks, but when he did it was always a mission to calm him down. "Shh, Jaybird. You're stronger than it. Just relax. Shh." He hated not knowing how to handle this situation, hated not knowing to help Jason.

Jason pulled Dick impossibly closer, desperate for his compassion, sanity. Dick allowed himself to be used, trying to comfort Jay the best he could. He drew little circles on his face with his thumb and whispered little hushes in his ear.

"It hurts," Jason said, undeniably whimpering. "Fighting it hurts."

"Then don't fight it," Dick said suddenly, making too-innocent eyes glance up in surprise, "Use me as your outlet of you need to."

Jason shook his head frantically, "I won't hurt y-you." He watched as Jason dug his nails into his palms, punishing himself for whimpering and stuttering and having weakness.

"What's hurts me is seeing you like this."

Jason looked conflicted. He ran a hand through his hair, and his eyes darted from Dick to his other fist.

"I-"

"I'm alright with it."

Jason still looked wary, so Dick gave him a reassuring nod. And with a deep breath, Jason's eyes melted into a deep green, and his look quickly became murderous. With a single sloppy punch, Dick was stumbling backwards.

"That's it, Jay," Dick said, rolling his shoulders back, and preparing for the next blow. Jason lunged at Dick, almost animalistic and catching him by surprised, to continue marring his face with an onslaught of brutal punches.

Dick didn't fight back, in fear of hurting Jason, and instead took the beating. Luckily, they had just came back from patrol (after Dick insisted on leaving once seeing Jason look so out of it) and was still wearing his armor.

It continued, and Dick took punch after punch without complain or regret. That fact that Jason wasn't in pain any longer kept him going.

They continued like this until Jason, about thirty minutes later, passed out from exhaustion on Dick's chest. By this time, Dick's face was covered in scars and bruises, and Jason's fist was coated in his blood.

Dick reached up with pale, shaking fingers and gently touched his side. He pulled back to see crimson red instead of the usual porcelain of his skin. Jason might have gotten a bit too far. Not that he was complaining. He wouldn't complain when it came to helping Jason.

He struggled to sit up, a limp body sprawled over his chest always made things a bit more difficult. Once he succeeded, he cradled Jason close to him and ran a bloody hand over his hair. He would clean himself off once he knew Jason was alright. He placed Jason on the floor, where he was once laying, and stood to go to the bathroom. He made it about two steps before collapsing back to the floor.

Jason might've been stronger with the Lazarus than Dick was used to.

Dick let out a cuss, unsurprised by how strangled his voice was. He tried to move again, but a pained groan made him instead curl up into a ball and abandon all hopes of a good enough sleep.

He woke up like usual. Jason had always been an early riser, but preferred to lay in bed and watch Dick rather than get up and face the day.

"Hey, Jay," Dick smiled, and winced right after. His hand shot up to his throbbing jaw. He let out a loose chuckle, "Ouch."

There was a beat of awkward silence.

"How did I get in bed?"

Jason didn't respond. Instead, he stood and walked over to Dick's side of the bed. He gently scooped him up, holding him protectively and mindful of his injuries, and carried him to the bathroom. That's where he spent plenty of time offering tentative care to his broken boyfriend.

"I'm fine, Jay," Dick struggled to say around his broken jaw. "No need to worry."

Jason didn't respond. When he finished, he placed a soft kiss on Dick's head and pulled away just as fast. He took his hand, but instead of his usually rough grip it was a delicate hold - as if he were scared to break him -, and lead him back to bed.

There, Dick had tried talking to him once again. "Don't be scared of yourself, Jason. That wasn't you there."

"I remember it," Jason finally said, a choked cry tearing from his lips. He covered his mouth and slumped further in bed. "I hurt you. I can't... I can't do it again. I won't. I'm so sorry."

"You didn't want to," Dick insisted. "Even in the state you were in you resisted, because you didn't want to. The Lazarus was making you."

Jason, with silent tears and his shoulders shaking, ran his thumb over the scars on Dick's cheek. "I can't hurt you again. Lazarus or not. When I get like that again, I want you to keep me as sane as possible. No matter what I'm doing or saying or feeling."

"Okay," Dick said, and took his free hand. "I don't care if you hurt me or kill me, though. I would let you if it helped. I don't mind what happened, and I don't blame you. I love you, Jay."

"I... love you too," he said, his voice raw and hoarse and slightly breathless. The words made Dick smile, since it was "Usually, I'm resisting getting a beating from those I love. Not the other way around."

"Well, you're not the only one used to being beaten by someone they loved," Dick said, shaking says thoughts about George.

"Doesn't mean you have to continue it."

"I know."

"I love you." This was the first time Jason had initiated this.

Dick smiled. "I love you, too."