Bloody Brothers

◇□ Chapter Eight □◇

"What do you mean he's gone?" Tim stood from the table.

"I mean he's gone. He's not here, his window is open, and his phone is still on the charger." Jason explained for the hundredth time. Tim was practically pacing, as Bruce seemed to be the only calm one in the room.

"Tim, please, calm down. Dick is fine, he just needed some space. I'll call Commissioner Gordan see if he has seen him, maybe tell his officers to keep an eye out. I'll be right back." He excused himself from the table. Tim glared back at Jason.

"How are you not freaking out? You had a panic attack because he went on a date!" Tim questioned.

"Because I know he's fine, like dad said he needed space. We all brought up some painful memories today, he couldn't handle it." Tim uncrossed his arms as Jason started to walk out the door

"Where are you going?"

"To find him, I know exactly where he is." He shrugged.

◇□◇□◇

The Gotham city wind was cold, the sun would be coming up in a couple hours. Jason knew where his brother was, he also knew he needed time to himself. So he decided to just wonder the streets of Gotham for a while. Every prostitute he passed had an offer for him. He would he lying if he wasn't tempted at least once. He declined every offer, continuing on his pointless journey. He stood on the sidewalk, the moon hanging low in the sky. He looked up to the tall building, it was dark and gloomy. He never understood why Dick liked it so much. As he exited the stair well door leading to the roof top, he was greeted by a cool gust of wind. He grabbed at his jacket wrapping it tighter around him. He took a few steps, being able to see his brother sitting on the edge. He was going to say something but stopped himself when he noticed Dick was trying to do something. He took a couple steps back hiding behind the wall.

Dick was sitting on the edge, his legs pulled up to his chest. He looked frustrated, his shoulders were tense. He took a deep breath, and tried to speak. Only a few exasperated squeaks would come out, he threw his fist hard on to the stone ledge, Jason looked at his fist, it seemed he had done it a hundred times. His fists were bruised and bloodly, his knuckles busted. Dick sighes throwing his head in his hands in a motion of giving up. Jason quietly sighed as he stepped out from the building. Dick jumped at the sound, he quickly glanced over his shoulder he relaxed when he saw it was just Jason.

"I knew I would find you here." Jason said trying to start a conversation as he took a seat next to him. He glanced at his hands that were fidgeting in his lap. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked hesitantly. Dick gave him a look that read "Really?" Jason rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean." Dick had a soft smile on his lips, but it faded as his eyes returned to the vast city before him. Jason studied his face, his expressions. "Seriously Dick, you can tell me anything." He gripped his shoulder, letting him know he was there.

"Why am I the freak?"

"What? Dick you're not-"

"Yes I am. Everyone knows it, everyone thinks it. That's all they talk about at school. How you and Damian are so perfect, and how you care so much for your mute little brother who can't do anything for himself!" They were both standing now, "Why did it have to be me? Why did I have to lose my voice?"

"Dick we all lost something."

"No. No you didn't. Not really. You can hear now just fine can't you? And Timmy can see perfectly fine now. You didn't lose anything, you were just temporarily broken." Jason looked down at the ground unable to say a word, he knew Dick was right. Sure they all went through the pain, the torture, but once it was over it was over. He could hear now with his Wayne tech hearing aids, same with Tim with his contacts. But Dick, he never got to forget about the torture and the experiments, he had a constbat reminder he would never be able to escape.