ICARUS BLAZING ✦ jason todd

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐.

[ now ]

"Oh, wow, you look like shit."

Valentine narrows her eyes as she locks the door behind Dick. "Thanks, Grayson. You sure know how to talk to girls," she says. "No wonder Barb left you."

He drops his duffel in the entryway and takes off his shoes. "We left each other," he clarifies. "It was mutual."

"Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." She makes her way to the kitchen, taking out two mugs and filling them up with coffee. "Sugar? Milk?"

"Milk would be nice," Dick says, leaning against the counter. As Valentine bustles around her cabinets, he watches her with interest. "Are you doing alright?"

She shrugs and hands him his coffee, leading him to the living room. They both sit on the couch; Valentine tiredly nestles herself against a cushion. She's well aware that her lack of sleep is showing, but it's Dick and he won't mind. He's seen her looking far, farworse.

"You know, when you said you thinking of visiting today, I didn't think you actually meant it," Valentine says.

Dick takes a sip of coffee and leans his head against the backrest. "Yeah, well, Tim called me last night," he begins, "after you hung up on me."

A bitterness spreads on Valentine's tongue and it's not from the coffee. "Oh? What did the replacement want?"

"Valentine."

Ugh. She hates it when Dick uses her full name.

"Yeah, yeah. What did he want?"

Dick sighs. "Someone broke into Wayne Towers yesterday during the riots. They stole money from one of Bruce's accounts."

"How much?"

"Half a billion dollars."

Valentine chokes on her coffee. "Are you fucking serious?" she coughs. "Holy shit."

"And get this — he was wearing a mask not unlike Deathstroke's."

She frowns. "What, you think they're working together?"

"Yeah. Deathstroke himself picked him up in a helicopter. Tim tried to follow" — Dick cringes — "and got dropped. Literally dropped."

"Well, that's what you get for lowering the Boy Wonder standards."

He gives her a pointed look. "What is your problem?"

"Dick, how long did Bruce wait for before taking Tim on?" she asks. "Six months in and he was already wearing the fucking uniform. His uniform." Valentine puts her mug down on the coffee table and shrugs. "The dude's way in over his head."

Dick shakes his head. "This isn't about Tim. This is about Jason."

Valentine winces. Suddenly, it's like every part of her body is doused in acid. "Don't. Don't say his name."

"It's been a year. When are you going to acknowledge that you need help?"

Valentine grits her teeth. "What do you know about what I need?" She's suddenly aware that she's yelling and takes a deep breath. "Sorry. I just — I don't want to talk about this."

Dick nods. He's too patient with her — too understanding. She hates it. Why can't he just be mean and tell her off? Give her a dose of her own medicine? It would make it so much easier.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asks.

"The break-in. Tell me about the guy." She scrambles for a question to ask. "What did he look like?"