Red Hood: Rose and the blade (Red Hood and Ravager)

Chapter 9 - 99 Problems Times 2. (Part 2)

Date: 13th of September 2017.

Location: Jason Todd's Apartment.

Rose slowly turned the handle and entered the room. It was pitch black for the most part with only a minimal amount of blue light escaping through the open window. The room hand a mixture of both Jason's and Rose's belongings. They were mostly a few clothes and a very tiny amount of person effects. To say they were both sentimental would be the biggest possible miss understanding of their personalities.

As a matter of fact Rose would say with the exception of Todd's mental instability they were pretty similar even the way they fought was almost Identical if you over looked a lot of the finer details.  Say like Jason using duel Pistols and Rose proffering to use only the one side arm. That and Rose had her precognition she was prone to being a bit more gun-ho, will Jason was tactical like her father and Batman trying to lesson risk to himself, all though that wasn't always the case. He did more often then not charge in like a hurricane of murder when he had no other choice.

That as a team was also one of there strengths when they were working together with or with out the outlaws the was an understanding of each others strengths and weaknesses and they worked that into there approach. So she hoped it was this that would allow her to some what help with what was troubling him

It was then she took notice of Jason Todd. He was still in his black T shirt and Combat trousers  with his boots missing. He was clutching his head in the darkness curled up into a ball in the light of the window. She could tell he was shaking. Was that blood coming from his scalp? she thought to herself.

She walked towards the bloodied figure slowly trying not to alarm him. After all the last thing she wanted was for some one with the skills of a Ninja and an Elite commando to wake up and think she was attacking him.

"Jason, your bleeding." Rose said softly crouching in front of her friend. Jason's eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice and looked at her. The was something evil behind the dim green disks he called eyes and something broken to she knew that look all to well. Rose knew Jason had problems. Who didn't you don't do what the Red Hood dose with out something wrong up there. I mean to make choices like that. she pondered. Then again Rose had always questioned her own Sanity, She created a lot of death and destruction almost at the drop of a hat. However the key thing about Jason was he was no matter how brutal disciplined and focused this often making it hard to tell his true feelings, Just like his old mentor.

But not tonight. All that pain and guilt was burning through those dead eyes and she could see it was tearing him apart.

"What do you want Rose?"  His voice was shaken and weak. Not the way Jason normal spoke to people, Jason always had a power and a calculated serenity to everything he said like every word was articulately chosen to suit his ends. witch lets face it a man like him they probably were.

"Some sleep would be Nice but Its hard to do that when your screaming the place down like a dying cat." Rose hoped that sounded as funny as it did in her head. She then slowly slid down the window and sat next to him. "you can talk to me Jason, I've been through things. I know what its like to be Judged for the way you do things." Rose tried her damnedest to sound supportive but she wasn't sure if Jason noticed or if it even registered with him.   

"I don't want to Talk about It Rose. Its not that I don't think you would understand Its Just pointless" His tone was still a little Weak when it sank into a bitter silence.

Jason suddenly pushed to his feet and made for the door but Rose Noticed something that shocked even her. Jason had three perfectly uniformed cuts over each wrist that could only be self inflicted. Rose had seen enough defensive wounds in he time to tell that those scares did not come from some one attacking the Red Hood and getting lucky.

She garbed his wrist and turned it over and took a good long look at the scares. This was only made possible because of Jason's reaction time and general awareness being dampened by the alcohol after all if she had tried that on him normally she was pretty sure it would be a 50,50 who was successful. The scares were incredibly old but not as old as some of the others she had seen glimpses of when he changed between Civilian wear and his Vigilante equipment. if she had to guess she would say that Jason had tried to kill himself about 12 months ago but for what ever reason was unsuccessful. not that it was a bad thing. at the risk of sounding like a broken record to herself she liked his presence  and found some what amusement at a lot of the similarity's they shared. In short she would proffer to be here with him over being back with Tim's Team.

"Jason how did you get this they don't look like defensive injury's" Rose asked the vigilante in a matter a fact tone. Jason Just yanked his hand away and grumbled before crawling onto the bed. "whats it to you Wilson" He growled in response not even looking back at her.

Rose was a bit taken aback by how blunt his response was. However it wasn't totality unexpected. she would have to be more tactful if she wanted to get anything out of Jason after all if his anything like she is he probably hates talking about this kind of stuff.

Then she got an idea. all be it a stupid one but it was still an idea. she got into the bed next to Jason and put her arm round him to witch she was meat with nothing but frustrated grumbling.

"You better get comfortable Todd because until you tell me whats wrong I'm not going anywhere." she proclaimed with a slight giggle. Jason tried and failed repeatedly to push the white haired girl onto the floor but ultimately gave up. 

Then he began. "everyone thinks this all started when Talia al Ghul put me in the Lazarus pit, if anything they couldn't be more wrong if they tried." The Red hood paused for a moment before carrying on. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this its not like it will change anything.... Fine it started when I was a kid. My Mother was a drug addict and my Father was a Hitman and dealt a little on the side working for Carmine Falcone." He then stopped again and moved himself so he was looking up at the pitch black sealing.

"I guess I don't need to tell you of all people what men like that are like. he use to beat her to a bloody pulp and I would get it as well if I ever tried to stick up for her. The Bastard shot me when I was Ten." he stopped again resting his chin on his hand witch in turn was leaning on his knees.

"Jesus Christ. I know Slade started training me around then but he never shot me even when I was an adult, what kind of animal dose that to there own kid" Rose honestly was shocked. She like most people thought a lot of Jason Todd's problems came from the pit and being dragged back into the world of the living. She never once thought that Trauma started before his Robin days. "That's enough for tonight we can pick this up again some other time if you want, you might find it helps both of us." Rose offered but she wasn't shocked by his answer.

"Piss off  Wilson, The last thing I had you down as was soppy." It was clearly the drink and the irritation at the subject matter talking. after all this was the first time he had ever spoken to her like that.