Jason needs to go. This might be his only opportunity to escape before Talia comes up with another valid reason or distraction why he should wait a little longer or train more. She's good at that, he thinks. Finding reasons for him to delay the enactment of his plan.
It usually involves more training which Jason can't turn down because she probably knows he'll never turn learning new skills. But he's starting to think it's less about him being strong enough to beat batman and more her plan to stop him from going after Batman. Which is why he's leaving now, with her current distraction.
He has no idea what happened, but tensions have been high in the base for a couple of days. Jason would let his curiosity get the better of him and ask her, if it the incident didn't align so beautifully with his own plans.
He zips his weapon's bag shut, then stuffs a couple of t-shirt into a duffle bag. He's shrugging on his leather jacket when he hears the soft click of the door closing behind him.
Jason turns, slightly startled and draws his weapon as he moves, only to exhale harshly when he sees who has invaded his room. Then he tenses when he sees the brat's current state.
Damian is drenched in blood, from his head down to his toe. His clothes are soaked.
The joy doesn't move further into the room. He stands with his back to the door, a box, dripping blood is clutched in his little hands.
"Dami?" Jason asks, as he abandons his current activity to approach the kid.
The brat doesn't respond. He watches quietly as squats down to meet his eye, pouting adorably when he notices the the bags Jason had packed.
"Hey," Jason calls, pulling his attention to him. "Are you hurt?" the kid is not bleeding anywhere that Jason can see, but he's cover in blood, so there's no telling how much of it is his.Instead of answering, he shoves the box in his hand at Jason, pushing the box a bit more forcefully when Jason hesitates before taking the box. At Damian's expectant stare, he lays the box on the ground to view its content.
Jason had no illusions about what a box, dripping blood could possibly contain, but the breathe is still knocked out of him, like a hard punch, when he sees the severed head of green hair and pale skin.
There's no denying whose head it is.
How? Jason wants to ask.
Why? he doesn't ask.
The words fail him. He knows why, after all. They both do.
With one last glance at the content of the box, he shoves it aside to pull Damian in his arms, blood and all. Damian hugs him back just as tightly, if a little desperately.
Jason is so overwhelmed by the well of emotions bubbling inside of him. He doesn't realize he's sobbing until Damian pulls back to wipe away his tears.
There are no words for what he feels. He feels heavy and light all at once. Like he could drift off in the wind at any moment, while also being weighed down by an anchor.
"Dami- " He chokes.
Damian understands, going in for another hug before Jason could gather his wits to form a coherent sentence.
