Hot And Losing It

God gave me a vision

Leslie forges the paperwork, lab results etc that any media outlet could access but Bruce never actually confirms it formally. The media put the pieces together. And so the story of brave little Jason Todd, "Gotham's Very Own Cinderella" as the Gazette dubs him, who had found a new family, a place in society then had died tragically of a long term illness just as he was "saved"? It's tragic. Bruce who in a effort to make amends for his lie and do some good funds charities and research into said illness, under the Jason Todd-Wayne Foundation.

You want Jason angst? Sure.

Jason was never held by Sheila when he was born. Sheila told the nurses that she didn't want to hold him and she never even touched him. She abandoned him as soon as she could.

Jason tried to die faster when the Joker was beating him so Bruce wouldn't have to come save him and the Joker would have no reason to hurt Shelia so neither would be put in danger.

Jason cried for his mom when the Joker was beating him.

The last thought Jason had was guilt because if he had just been happy having the family he had, nobody would be dying.

Jason has issues around food security, he panics internally if he believes that he won't have enough food to see him through the week, he always has food at every safe house. Some people make fun of him for having a big appetite but he really doesn't because he wants to save food for later just in case.

Willis never actually hit Jason, he just emotionally neglected and verbally abused him. Jason has a fear of grown men raising their voice around him that triggers a freeze or fawn reaction that he works hard not to show once he's grown up.

The thing that kills Jason most about Catherine OD'ing was the fact that she was doing so well beforehand, she was almost a week clean and then he got home from school, clutching his report card and found her dead in the apartment.

Jason thinks he will never find real love because nobody would want a mess like him nor is he good enough for anybody.

Jason was almost trafficked by one of Catherine's dealers when she couldn't pay her debt. Jason remembers one of the dealers trying to get him into a car on the street once after being all friendly with him whenever he was around. Jason later put the pieces together and tries to believe that she didn't know but knows deep down that she was too out of it to save him if something did happen.

Willis used to take Jason to the park sometimes and let him run around. Willis was always trying to be a good dad whenever he got out of prison after a stint but it always ended up the same: a few days of fun and presents and laughter and then Willis would be giving Jason packages to 'look after' or end up getting banged up by cops and sent to prison all over again.

Jason was always worried about Bruce's partyboy lifestyle and had a plan in case Bruce OD'ed or started using or drinking more. It was only after he flinched when Bruce came home smelling of booze (he was sober but spilled drinks over himself to give the appearance of being sloppily drunk) that he had to admit his fears to Bruce.

Jason broke in and lived in the apartment after CPS tried to take him (they didn't really try find him after he bolted) but when the landlord found out, he had to leave. He only managed to grab a picture of his mom and dad, taken on his first birthday when things were good and his favourite plushie and then he was homeless

On the streets, Jason had to turn his hand to anything to keep himself fed. He stole tires, siphoned petrol, picked pockets, went through dumpsters. He learned to sleep in libraries and community centres during the day and stayed alert at night which helped later when he was Robin, because being a kid on the streets at night? Scary. Jason had to do a lot to survive, much of which he doesn't like talking about, a lot that he forces himself to 'forget'.

Jason was so sure that Bruce and Batman was never meant to be forever, he had gone down the road of 'forever' so many times but near the end, he really started to think of Bruce as family, maybe a real dad not just legally.

Jason sometimes holds on an extra second whenever somebody hugs him.

Jason used to write Alfred a birthday card every year after his resurrection but never sent it. When Alfred died, Jason asked that the undertaker bury Alfred with the unsent cards and letters.

Jason doesn't know where his mom (Catherine) is buried or if she was. He's too scared to find out she's in some common grave or cremated as she did believe in that.

Jason was horrifically tormented at school. He was an excellent student but teachers and students and even parents of kids treated him like trash and never really considered him one of their own. He never told Bruce. When he died, they named a wing of the school in his memory to butter up Bruce. Jason later burned it down.

Jason had issues with his body image pre death. He was too skinny but not slender like Dick and his jumps and turns are always off because of that, he was a late bloomer, he was too short, he thought he was going to look like a scrawny little kid forever.

Jason bonded with Talia at the LOA, considered her as sort of mother figure but she quickly got him out of that mindset because that sentimentality is what got him killed in the first place.

Sometimes when Bruce hugs Jason spontaneously, Jason freezes because he doesn't know why Bruce is hugging him and just as his brain is starting to catch up the moment is over.

Jason still has nightmares about the pit, the grave and his death. He has bad PTSD episodes, when stressed he can hallucinate vividly. Sometimes when he feels wet earth or gets splinter or learns a shrill laugh, he has an urge to leave and go somewhere else and most of the time, the best way to do that, is to cause a fight with the nearest person to cover it up.

after a while Red Hood is nearby and, obviously, hearing a kid in such clear distress in the middle of the night means he checks it out, and upon landing nearby and asking what the fuck is going on, the bats have to watch as baby-Damian notices the shiny red of Hood's helmet and armour, instantly recognises him, and crawls over to him to sob and clench his tiny little fists at him in an ask for uppies. and Red Hood obviously takes one look at the baby at his feet, goes 'shit wait- Dami?' and bends down to cradle him like it's the most natural thing in the world.

Hood then has to explain that he knew Robin in the league and helped care from him when he was really little, which is probably why Red Hood is currently the only person in the city that baby Damian recognises/views as safe, and Bruce is left with the annoying realisation that the only way to both keep Damian safe and happy while they figure out how to reverse the de-aging and get his son back to normal, is if he brings the Red Hood back to the cave with them. a man who is supposed to be his enemy and whom none of them realised Damian even knew, because clearly that little shit has been lying about some stuff.

for lack of a better solution they end up cautiously bringing Hood back to the cave, which Jason easily goes along with because the second he clocked baby Damian his paternal/protector instincts took over and he doesn't currently care about anything but keeping Damian happy. so there's a period of time where the bats are working as hard as possible in the cave to figure out a way to get Damian back to normal while also warily keeping an eye on Hood to make sure he doesn't try snooping around/go up to the manor/start shit, and Jason is just. not even clocking that this is a worry for them. he's genuinely just zeroed in on Damian like an activated sleeper agent, humming lullabies and changing diapers and even letting the baby clumsily try to take off his helmet because he wants to see Jason's face. Jason lets him, because he still has the mask on underneath, but it's still the first time any of the bats have seen under the helmet and so Dick and Tim end up on the other side of the cave watching with dropped jaws as Jason lets Damian play in his helmet -which he's like. small enough to sit in.- like... is that a fucking teenager under there???

Bruce finally figures out how to get Damian back to normal and when they fix him he comes back really disorientated and not really understanding what the fuck's been going on, so when he blinks open his eyes all dizzy and trying to gain his bearings he clocks Jason's face as one of the first things he sees and without thinking he just goes 'wait- Jason? what the fuck happened, where am I?'

all the bats turn in unison to stare at Jason in question and Jason just freezes in place. like. 'god i wish you'd just stayed a baby.'

Mentors in Deltarune are either a dead old man or an anime twink trying to fuck your dad

Alternatively:

Bruce calls Dick from the Manor and asks whether he knows who took that bottle of the 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild he was saving for his date with Selina and Dick just glances over to where Jason is adding it to pot roast he's making for dinner in his apartment and he just goes "nope".

Bruce comes running because he hears a crash and the shattering glass but when he comes into the library, Steph and Duke are just sitting there. Reading, quietly at opposite ends of the coffee table. Not a thing out of place... "Where's the vase?" Steph just frowns and asks "what vase?". Bruce describes it, blue and green, bought by some great-aunt, not a favourite but expensive. Duke just shakes his head, "Never saw a vase there, B". Bruce interrogates every Bat but they all look at him like he's crazy. He even digs up all the photos taken in the library because the vase... Isn't there? The Bats had removed and replaced every image file and picture because if Bruce found out they had snuck one of Harley's hyenas in to babysit it for the weekend, they are all cooked.

Bruce opens the fridge and sees that sweet treat he was saving is gone and he lays into Tim because it was his reward for sitting through that board meeting and Tim is about to apologise when Damian just ambles through the kitchen, nose on his phone and goes "Father I saw you consume that cake" and Bruce is "I did not" and Damian just looks up, "You ate it over the sink, Father." And Bruce just bluescreens because did he? Damian and Tim just share a nod, they never speak of it.

Jason accidentally gets knocked out during an intense game of tag which they are not allowed play in the house. They know he's going to be OK but he's still out and Bruce's keys are literally in the door, angling as they turn and... Cass is on the doorstep waiting for him, wanting a hug from her dad and a chat. All the while the Bats have thrown Jason into a wheelbarrow and are extracting him from the house.

Little Dick is a complete meanance. He's running circles around his big brothers, getting them into trouble and running to Bruce whenever he gets upset

Is a complete spoiled brat. He gets whatever he wants, candy, toys, extra time on screens because he's totally a brothers' boy

Always climbs into bed with one of his brothers when he can't sleep and usually ends up asleep laying practically on 90% of the bed.

*while Bruce has WE investors around the manor for a business dinner*

Alfred: *opens cabinet full of alcohol* *reaches for a bottle of whiskey*

Jason, peeking his head around the doorway: psst, pst, Alfie, they still here?

Alfred, looking over, slightly amused: yes, Master Jason. if you wish to avoid having to exchange pleasantries with Master Bruce's associates, i recommend avoiding the main study.

Jason, grinning: neat, i can use the kitchen.

Jason, eyeing the bottle Alfred is going for: uh- whatcha doing...?

Alfred: Master Bruce has requested something to drink for him and his guests.

Jason, cautiously: ah....

*a hesitent beat*

Jason: you uh... you might wanna take a different bottle...?

Alfred: ?

Jason: well i'm pretty sure i stole and drank that one when i was like. fourteen? so yeah- i'm pretty sure that's apple juice in there, not whiskey.

Alfred:

Alfred, sighing: of course. *reaches for a different bottle*

Jason: *winces* not that one either. or- maybe not any of the ones on that row, actually.

Alfred:

Alfred, suspiciously narrowing his eyes: and... which bottle do you think i should take?

*a beat*

Jason: yeah you might wanna try a different cabinet.

Alfred:

Alfred: my boy, i think you may be an alcoholic.

Jason: -in my defence the pit makes it really hard to get drunk nowadays.

Alfred, pointedly raising an eyebrow: and when you were fourteen?

Jason:

Alfred: