Chapter Text
Jason could have gone to Gotham after Talia threw him into the pit, he could have gone after the newest Robin who replaced him, could have gone after the Joker to get his revenge..
He does none of that, he stays with the League of Assassins, for what does it matter if goes back to Gotham? He has nothing to go back to.
He has no father.
“I don’t need a teenage rebellion”
“You’re not my son”
No sister.
“You will never be the man Dick Grayson is”
No brother.
“He is not worthy of Robin!”
“You’re not my brother”
No friends.
“Trying to replace him, aren't you? Well guess what, you’ll never be our Robin, you’re just a street rat”
So why bother?
So he stays, Ra’s was surprised by that, but was glad to have another soldier to add to his army of assassins.
They train him until he feels numb, he kills until he is ordered to stop, he lives because he is useful.
He never takes his mask off, he hates when he sees his reflection on mirrors and other stuff, those green pit eyes make him feel angry.
At some point he was ordered to guard Damian, Talia’s son...Bruce’s son, this one Bruce can’t say it’s not his son, can’t turn away, can’t disown.
He feels nothing, even though he has the pit in his veins, he feels no anger, he has nothing to be angry about, he just hopes Bruce doesn’t fuck up this one as well.
Their time together is short, the boy was already nine when they were introduced to each other, but Jason tries being kind, tries to be the only good thing in the kid’s life in this hell hole.
He tends to his bruises and wounds, he tucks him to bed, he hugs him whenever the kid looks like he is trying to suppress tears, Jason does what he would have wanted anyone to do for him if he was in the boy's situation.
He doesn’t know if the kid likes him or not, the boy treats him as any other servant from his grandfather, but when Talia is sending Damian away to his father.
The boy sends him a glance over his shoulder, an expression that Jason can’t really describe, then he is gone.
Jason admits, he will miss the brat, he was the only good thing in this shit place.
Talia, a year later, brings Jason to the lab, saying that she needed him to dispose of someone, easy stuff, he has killed a lot of people ever since he came back fully to himself.
But then he sees who he is supposed to get rid off….it was a child, he looked like Damian, skin slightly lighter and white hair instead of black.
The boy looks at Talia and then at him, scared for his life, then squints his eyes, head hanging in defeat as if accepting his fate.
It makes Jason feel sick, he won’t kill a child.
“It’s a clone” Talia decided to explain. “We made it to keep Damian healthy, my son had some transplants that needed a donor”
She didn’t, she made a child savior? Really?
“We have no need for it anymore” The woman says coldly. “Dispose of it”
“Why not keep him?” He says trying to keep his horror out of his tone. “He can be a valuable assassin”
“...it seems the years spent here have yet to harden your heart” She sighs, disappointment evident in her eyes. “Train him, then, if he disappoints, then it’s on your head” Talia turns her back to him and leaves the lab.
When he is left alone in the lab, Jason kneels to meet the kid’s eyes. “What’s your name kid? Mine is Jason”
Green eyes met his with hesitation “I don’t have one”
“Okay…” So they didn’t even give the poor boy a name, great. “You can choose a name later” He says gently.
The other eyes him, still terrified. “Why did you let me live?”
What does this man have to gain from this? What could he want from him? He doesn’t know how to fight, much less how to be useful for anything, he was useful when they were cutting him open and taking his organs, but aside from that he is nothing.
Jason eyes the boy through his mask with concern. “I don’t kill kids…”
The subject frowned at that. “...I’m not a kid”
“How old are you?” The man asks calmly.
The boy looked away as he hesitantly says: “...nine”
“So….a child” The red hooded man says bluntly.
The white-haired kid pouts but doesn't say anything in return.
But it’s okay, Jason is patient, he has to be in cases like this, one of the few things Bruce taught him well.
“Seems I’ll be the one taking care of you” He points out as he stands up. “I’ll have to train you…sorry about that, but it was the only way they would let you live” He apologizes genuinely.
The kid looks up at him, not knowing what to make of it, he would become an assassin, he would have to stay here, but at least…they wouldn't hurt him anymore, right?
“Does training hurt?” The boy asks with a whisper.
The last surgery they didn't even use anesthetics, they just cut him open and took his liver out, yes, his liver grew back, but it still hurt, it still gives him nightmares of people’s hands going through his insides and touching his organs trying to see which to take this time.
Jason grimaces behind his mask. “Not going to lie to you, it will hurt if you don’t defend yourself” He sighs. “But I’ll teach you well enough to dodge” He reaches a hand to the boy who hesitantly takes it.
From there on, Jason was responsible for the boy’s training and to take care of his needs.
He tried to not be ruthless like his own trainers, after all, some of them tried to kill him and he ended their lives in return.
The kid learns quickly, and by the end of the second month he has mastered the basics without trouble.
The child always tries to hold his crying after training when he doesn’t dodge well, his bruises aching and he looks at Jason with fear, it breaks his heart to see such a look in a child’s face.
Jason always tended to his bruises though, alway making sure the kid was feeling better by the end of the day, which the boy appreciated, even though he was still suspicious of him.
The boy stayed in the same room as him, it was a small room, but they managed to make it work.
Damian’s clone starts to relax around him, finally realizing the man wasn’t going to hurt him outside training, even when sparring he could tell the other was holding back but still effective.
One day, the kid finally goes to the pile of books he always looks at curiously in the corner of their room, he dares to open one without asking for permission, and frowns when he sees strange small scribbles on the page.
“What are these?” The white-haired asks.
“Books” Jason replies, approaching and leaning to see which one the boy took.
Ah, it was his favorite, Pride and Prejudice. “I like to read, T gave me some so I can shut up about how bored I’m on my free time”
The kid’s nose twitched at that. “Read?” He asked confused.
“Yeah” Jason crouches to his level, pointing at the strange scribbles. “These are words” He explains. “You read it, this one tells a story about a romance between and woman and a man”
Oh, he doesn’t know what that means, but if Jason likes it, then it must be interesting at least.
“Can you…teach me how to read?” He asks shyly.
The man tilts his head to the side then shrugs. “I don’t see why not, kid”
It’s a slow process, but when they are not training or receiving orders from Ra’s, Jason teaches him.
Five months later and the kid was reading all his books, five months and he could now dodge efficiently.
It’s when Jason is tucking the kid to bed when he blurts out suddenly:
“Jane”
Jason blinks owlish behind his mask, confused. “Hm?”
“For my name” The kid says almost as a whisper. “I like Jane”
Like Jane Austen? It was a woman’s name, but…if the kid likes it? Who is he to deny him a name?
“Okay” Jason nods firmly. “Sleep well Jane” He says softly before placing a kiss on his forehead and also getting to bed.
Jane for the first time, actually smiles, he has a name now, he likes the sound of it.
Jason said they shall not talk about his new name around the others, afraid of them punishing the kid for choosing a name for himself when he is supposed to be just another assassin.
But when they are in private, Jason calls him by his name as many times as possible, and Jane loves hearing his new name.
One day Jason asks Jane if he wants to learn Arabic or other languages to paas the time, the kid’s eyes shine with excitement.
Jason will do anything to keep this kid’s mind occupied, or else they will both go crazy in this hell hole.
Jason watched as Talia, once a mother who would do anything for her child, became rotten, her devotion to her father making her want to kill her own son now that he has made his loyalties known.
They make another clone, Ra’s has seen how much progress Jason has made with Jane, the kid was almost as good as Jason himself, so the Demon Head throws at him a six year old kid, same skin and hair color of Damian, a perfect clone.
But those green eyes were so empty, as if devoid of any life.
He has scars all over his body, one on his left eye, they have already trained him, they were already shaping into the perfect weapon, Jason has a feeling this was a test, that Ra’s is only giving the kid to see if he will try to run away.
Jason hates this.
He wants to kill everyone who contributed to this.
But he doesn’t, he has to keep appearances, he has to be the devoted assassin, or else he will get him and Jane killed.
So he trains the ‘Heretic’.
The kid is ruthless when he attacks back and Jason has to give his all to keep himself alive, the boy was trained to kill since he could walk.
Heretic doesn’t know what to make of this assassin who was tasked to train him, the man does not punish him when he fails at taking him down, he tends to his bruises, makes sure he eats well instead of starving him as an incentive to be better.
The other boy, older than him, looks at him with fear, he can’t tell if his trainer looks at him just as apprehensively since he never takes off his mask. But he can tell the guy didn’t see him as danger.
He does not know if he should be offended by that or not.
All Heretic knows is, he likes this trainer better, he doesn’t scream, doesn’t hurt him for fun or to teach a lesson, does not treat him like a weapon.
If anything, the man treated him like a child, he sang him lullabies when he tucks him to bed, and read out loud for him whenever they have free time and have nothing else to do.
Heretic is ashamed to admit, but he likes being hugged by this assassin, whenever he comes back from training with the other trainers, who are not as kind, who break his bones and slice him up with their sharp weapons.
Jason is the assassin’s name, he hears it from the other boy’s mouth every once in awhile
Heretic knew how to read, Talia had deemed it necessary, he had learned Arabic, for he is supposed to be the heir, he learned how to fight, for he is a weapon.
He wasn’t taught to enjoy anything, but Jason’s books were interesting, some were romance, some were about history…. some were about family. That's when he learns, a parent is supposed to love their kids, to help them discover things, to care for their child, to raise them.
Talia didn’t love him, she did not raise him, she accelerated his aging, she did not care to raise him as her child, all she wanted was to make him into a weapon, to surpass her ‘failure’ or a son.
And then Heretic realizes that even though he is not loved by her, the assassin, Jason, seems to do so in her place.
He is not dumb, he sees how the man treats him and the white-haired boy so differently than the other assassins and the Demon Head treated them, as if he was their parent.
He liked Jason, he was good to him, to them.
He starts to get along with Jane - who he finds out about the name when Jason calls him in their private room, Heretic has promised to not tell the others - the other boy has been less tense around him lately.
“How did you choose your name?” Heretic asks him one day.
Jane handed him the book that Jason always seemed to be reading. “I liked the writer’s name” He says with a shrug.
He has read this one, it was good, even if a bit boring. “Darcy” Heretic says as if testing the name.
Jane tilts his head to the side. “Like Fitzwilliam Darcy?”
Heretic nods, still wondering if he liked it.
“I think it fits you” Says the other.
“What fits him?” Jason asks, entering the room and sitting on the floor at their side.
“Darcy for his name” Jane explains.
Jason hums. “Hm, do you like the name?” He looks at him, green eyes meet less vibrant green.
The man has stopped using his mask when it’s just the three of them.
Heretic does, he just doesn't know if he deserves one, but again, he didn’t deserve to be loved either and he is.
He nods firmly, he can have this.
Jason’s hand is on his head, fingers going through his hair. “Then it’s your name”
Here-Darcy can’t help but smile, he has a father, a brother and now a name.
Everything felt right for the first time.
He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he was glad he did.
They said they were just taking Darcy to train for the night, but when he didn’t come back five hours later, Jason went to confront Talia and heard the bastards who work in the lab talking about it.
They want to use him to kill Damian, they wanted to use Darcy for the stupid fucking revenge plot. They were going to age him until he is an adult, shit, what is he supposed to do? Jason can’t just let them ruin the kid further. Can’t let them send him into a suicide mission.
“Jay?” Jane approaches him carefully, noting how his eyes were glowing pure green.
That’s when he realizes he was back in their room, he forced himself to calm down, he needs to jeep a level head right now.
“We’re leaving” He whispers, looking at the door, listening to see if anybody followed him.
The white-haired boy’s eyes widened at that, a mix of horror and hope, could they really leave without getting killed?
“Get your sword and uniform, we’re getting out of here tonight, they are keeping Darcy in the lab”
Jane nodded and quickly got his assassin uniform on, getting his and Jason’s swords, his mind was going wild with thoughts, they had Darcy, what did they do to him? No matter, they had to get his brother back.
Jason and Jane sneak into the lab rather easily, which has them on guard, this was a trap, but they needed to get in anyway, whatever it was they could deal with it.
When they enter the lab the scent of blood makes them feel sick, there are countless corpses scattered across the big room, and there in the center, is Talia, and a bulky man who looked exactly like Darcy even though he was older.
“I knew you would come here to stop it” Talia says, turning to them with a mocking smile. “Good things I had sped things up”
“You’re a vile bitch, I hope you know that” Jason snarls, getting his swords ready and pushing Jane behind him.
“You were always too soft” The woman says with disdain. “I have no need of you two anymore” She waves her hand.
The daughter of the Demon Head doesn’t turn to the weapon she created, she just points at Jaso and the other clone. “Kill them” Talia orders.
That seems to snap Darcy out of whatever trance the man was stuck into, the look he gives her is filled with pure hatred, how dare she demand that of him? As if she had his loyalty, as if she was a mother asking her child to do a simple task.
The woman did not expect it, she hasn’t been really paying attention to Jason and the boys, if she had, she would have noticed how much the Heretic has grown fond of these two.
The sword goes through the neck, she chokes on it, eyes wide, her last moments wondering why he would betray her, then with a swift movement with the blade, her head goes flying to the other side of the lab, stopping at Jason’s feet.
“We have o get the fuck out here” Jason whispers after his initial shock, because he did not expect the kid to choose them, he woudn’t have blamed him to be honest.
He quickly walks towards Darcy, takes the man’s hand on his - the kid was slightly taller than Jason, he looked the same age as him now, how could they do this to him? - and drags the bulky man to the exit where Jane was keeping an eye for reinforcements.
Darcy lets the man lead them to where they kept the jets and the helicopters, some assassins get in the way, the three of them don’t even hesitate to kill them all, they had to leave before Ra’s caught news of them trying to escape.
Jason’s heart was racing, they were running, when they got to the jets, the man let go of Dacy’s hand, knowing the kid–man would follow, he immediately went to the control panel, he had only flown the private jet once, when Talia wanted him to take her to another city nearby.
Jane closes the door going to the passengers seat, Darcy sits on the copilot’s seat, looking at Jason with concern, the man looked like he was almost having a panic attack.
Jason managed to get the jet off the ground before more assassins could go after them, all three of them were high on adrenaline, but the older man was trying his best to not panic too much.
The private jet was going as fast as it could. Jason has put a lot of distance between them and the base, he doesn’t know how much fuel they have, he didn’t check.
All that he knows is that they need to go somewhere safe, somewhere the League was not welcomed.
He hated this, but they needed to go to Gotham.
Bonus meme:
