§𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 | 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬

1.2

§tain | chapter twelve ~ "monsters"

            Of all the terrible things she saw herself doing to Dick Grayson in that moment of awful ear-ringing silence (those awful things she wouldn't give a second thought of taking irreputable action recounted her blackened heart.) Jade, despite her deep-rooted loathing for him and his disgusting ways, let the fistful that she held of his shirt fall from her tight, unrelenting grip. It hurts. The cruel reminder of everything she lost stings like salt being tossed on a years-old wound coming past his lips. The strong tendency to rip off his head is nearly sordid. Yet Jade decided it wasn't preferable to yield to her angry, blood-warming wrath. So upset it made her...she'd be wrong to disregard his statements from the reality. It's like her failing Tina again, not to make an effort to save Rachel from the volatile hands of that horrible and vicious family.

          Therefore her reluctance caused Dick with his personal problems still unanswered. After giving up retribution to live the regular tranquil life he twisted his culpabilities, which Jade sought to justify initially via vengeance, or forgot after giving up revenge to pursue a normal, quiet life. Instead of leaving her be, the guilt manifested into relentless nightmares. Not to say the teenager should rely on her nor Dick for that matter to rescue her. Rachel peeped into her mind after all and however unintentional Jade felt the dark root of her power. Any trace of innocence doesn't reside in such darkness the ex-hero knows this fact better than anyone. Nothing good would come out of saving the girl.

              A shiver traveled up her spine. Jade shuddered from its imposing presence. Still, part of her couldn't bear to abandon her. She too was a victim of Dick's unresolved internal issues. There was no way she would stand idly by and allow it to happen to someone else. "I'll be there to help." She couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She didn't have time to second guess them because they were flowing so freely past her lips. Dick's expression softened as Jade's new decision dissolves into the air. She's left with a sense of warmth that she once knew, and even adored from him.

             His fixation on her sparks reminiscence of this gaze he gives her. Seeing herself in it makes her heart swell up with a sense of familiarity. She used to feel like she was flying on air when he looked at her, knowing he thought she was special and someone worth loving. It was long ago that he stated, "Monsters can't love." It ached to know how right he was, but Dick was also mistaken as he had forgotten how terrible he truly is considering the knife he buried in her neck. Revenge is an undying fire roaring vicariously and hoping to spread and win.

            He was the one who layered those emotions, not her. The so-called monster he accuses her of being is the result of his unpaid resolve over his brokenness and his insistence on seeing that justice is served. In the end, it is a man who breaks the man. They shattered each other's hearts. It's a fact that can't be changed by any amount of blame. Jade, on the other hand, will be damned if she allows their mutual disdain to overshadow the fact that the life of an innocent girl was on the line. "I'll help you." Her voice was a little louder this time, so her words could be clearly heard.

        The look in his eyes said, "really?" In the same way, he couldn't believe that she finally agreed to his crazy scheme. As if chasing after a family of killers to retrieve a teenager with an obvious occult background wasn't crazy. Even so, she was going to do it. For you, it's "no." It was Jade's turn to look at him, and she did. "Because of Rachel, I've decided to change my mind about this. I'm not going to stand by and watch you screw someone else over."To emphasize what she had just said, she poked him in the chest with a finger.

                With the strength of that finger, she shoved him away, creating the distance that time and resentment had formed. Her reasoning was acknowledged with a heartfelt nod, and he exhaled a relief-like breath as he ran his fingers through his hair. "So, what's the game plan?" Dick asked. He watched her make her way towards the kitchen. "Another blood oath?" Jade rummaged through the drawers, she snorted when he mentioned the unbreakable bond they had formed hours earlier. "It's impossible for a flesh-sack like yours to handle that much demonic energy coursing through it." The ex-hero killer closed another drawer, ignoring the items that had no bearing on their cause. " There's a good chance you'd blow up if the madness didn't get to you first."