theknightshift | open post (nsfw)

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CODE BY TESSISAMESS

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[ If he's going to let this go, he has to cut the cord. So Bruce silences all of Jason's correspondence, except on the emergency line. If Jason really needed him, Bruce would be there. But he wouldn't entertain anything else. He couldn't. It made life difficult, but Bruce could deal with difficulty. He's trained by it, honed by it. It just didn't make missing Jason any easier.

But he managed. Three whole days before he considered reaching out. But he suits up for patrol instead and throws himself into the work. His cowl alerts him while he broods on one of the tower buildings littering Gotham's skyline. A disturbance in the cave. One of the backup servers returns an offline status and Bruce didn't need to to check the surveillance or the log of the most recent visitors. He knew immediately who the culprit is and he's swooping off into the night to confront him.

The tracker embedded in the server leads him to the safehouse and he comes in through the window, ready to greet Jason. He's not hostile. A little annoyed -- he's going to have to replace that server -- but not angry. ]

If you needed information, you could have just asked.

[Jason is angry enough for the both of them.

He is sitting with the computer between them, a hammer in hand, because he will absolutely go berserk if he feels like he needs to. He is on the floor with his long leg curved around the computer, no less.]

Oh, is that how I could have gotten you to answer your phone?

All the texts I sent, like the ones asking you to call me, they weren't enough?

[He looks angry enough for the both of them.]

[ He's angry enough for the both of them. Bruce wants to reach for him, pull him up and tug him into his arms. But he keeps his distance. Less so because Jason might try to hurt and more because Bruce needed to keep his resolve in tact. ]

If you wanted my attention, you have it.

Talk to me.

Talk to-

[He throws the hammer at Bruce's chest. There is no finesse to it, so if Bruce wants to dodge, he can, and he probably can easily. It's rage flung out of Jason's hand right at Bruce's heart.

He thinks he can feel the heat of tears rising behind his face but damn it, he is not going to cry.]

What the hell? You abandoned me.

[ It's easy to step out of the hammer's path and Bruce does so. The accusation hits harder anyway. ]

I didn't abandon you. If you needed me, you could have reached me.

[He gets up, then, and his hands are fists at his side.]

I tried. You didn't reply to a single text.

What is this about? Is this payback for going on a mission? Are you being petty as fuck? I was out there doing something important, and you've been fucking around the Diamond District.

[Oh, he's been keeping tabs.]

[ He braces for the swing and though it doesn't come, he doesn't relax. ]

No. It has nothing to do with that.

[That's when the punch comes, right to Bruce's jaw.]

Go to hell!

[He yells it, and it's clear he's going to cry any second now.]

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. You lied.

[ It's not the first time Jason's ever punched him the face. But when it connects, he doesn't feel just the force of the punch. He feels the weight of everything Jason must be feeling. The break in his voice. It breaks him. ]

Jason, stop.

[He aims another punch, this one to Bruce's shoulder, which won't do much in the way of pain, but:]

You are so goddamned predictable, I should have known-

[He aims another punch.]

I should never have trusted you, I should have known, this is my goddamned fault-

[ It doesn't hurt. Bruce allows it because it closes the space and he can reach out and put his arms around him. ]

Stop. Listen to me.

Listen to you?

[He slaps Bruce, then, open handed and sad.]

I kept doing that and you kept fucking with me, and now you-

[His lips pull away from his teeth in a growl.]

I’m always the idiot, aren’t I?

[ It stings. And he doesn't know what to do with the pain. He could bury it, like always. Or give himself the space to feel it. He doesn't know what to do with any of this. ]

No. You have every right to be angry with me. But I didn't lie to you.

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