Chapter Text
“What do you mean you're sending Damian here?!” Jason yells, flipping is Nokia to his other shoulder in frustration.
“It is no longer safe in the league; my father is not…himself at the moment.”
“Oh please, you never cared about that before! Talia—it's–it's not any safer here. The clown—”
“Will be the least of Damian’s worries,” Talia sighs, “I'll take care of the clown—just–promise me that you will look after your brother when he arrives, please, Jason.”
“...Alright,” A hand comes up to harshly scrub across Jason’s face, “Alright, fine–just–make sure the clown is dead and unrevivable before you let Damian anywhere near Bruce.”
“Jason—” Talia warns, anger tinting her voice.
“I'm not saying don't bring him to Gotham, I'm saying don't bring him to Bruce until the clown is dead. He can stay with me if you need someone to watch him while you handle it, but I don't trust that Bruce will be able to protect Damian. From the clown…or from himself.”
“What do you mean Jason.” Voice taut and brokering no argument.
A soft exhales pours from Jason’s nostrils, biting his cheek as he thinks for a moment, “...Bruce was great, he was a great father when he was around, but, Batman…Batman has a hard time differentiating what's best for his kids. We'll always be robin first and sons second to him.
It happened with Dick, it happened with me, it happened with that–uh–the–uh purple? one, hell if Damian's coming over, it'll happen to the replacement. Damian is so much like Bruce, and if there's one thing Bruce can't stand, it's someone who's Bruce instead of Batman. I couldn't tell you why; you'd have to talk to Harley to get any answers to that loaded question, but I don't want Bruce to fuck something up with Damian when the clown's around. Damian will try and prove himself to Bruce and the clown will use that to deal another blow to Batman.”
Silence echos on both sides of the phone line after Jason’s rant, only broken by their soft breathing and the hum of Gotham night life.
“I'm—I'm taking care of Zasz still. He'll be a bitch to deal with, but he’s the second biggest threat to robin. He'll be dead by the end of the week, just,...don't let Damian near Bruce until the clown is dead.”
Still silent, Talia takes a second to answer, voice carefully neutral, “And how will you watch Damian and take down Zasz? Do you plan on taking a robin of your own?”
Green blinds Jason’s vision, blood fills his mouth as his teeth pierce the flesh of his cheek, “No.”
“What then?”
“Anytime that I am can't watch Damian, I'll leave him with a close friend of mine. He's used to dealing with assassins, and he's got a kid of his own. I'll have to tell him I'm back in town, but, He's the only person I can trust right now that won't immediately turn him into Bruce.”
The other line goes quiet and Jason can imagine the way Talia’s mouth twists downwards as her green eyes harden like emeralds, glinting dangerously, “Leaving my son with a stranger–”
“He's not really a stranger, you've probably got a file on him somewhere, he was married to Cheshire for a little bit.” Jason interrupted.
“That does not put me at ease, Jason. Cheshire was loyal only to wealth and any associate of hers does not inspire my trust.”
“You’re not being fair–”
“Life isn't fair." Talia cut in with a steely tine, "This is the life of my son we are talking about, and I refuse to compromise his safety to give a stranger that was married to a traitor a chance at redemption. I will do what I believe is best for my son, whether you agree with it or not.”
“And I'll do what's best for my brother, whether you like it or not. You don’t have to trust Red, you just have to trust me. …Please, ʾUmmii, trust me.” Jason pleaded.
“...If he messes up even once, I will hold you responsible, Jason. I want you to monitor every moment that you leave Damian in that man's care and I want you to send me the live video feeds of the house. I will speak to him before I drop Damian off and you will be living with him rather than at your safe house.”
“But—!”
“yaSmutu, ash-shaqiyi, I am talking. Those are my conditions, you will either agree or I will send Damian to his father regardless of your wishes.”
Jason winces slightly, he doesn't think he's heard Talia call him a brat in any tone other than gentle or exasperated since he was fresh out of the pit, and even then, it had mainly been agitation. This was fury, cold, and burning. For once, Jason will follow the command given and be silent until Talia is done.
“After the clown is killed, you must take Damian to his father. I have kept him from Bruce for too long, and both parties are bound to be irate at my decision to do so. I do not care if you return to your father’s home, that is between you and my beloved, but do not use Damian as a pawn in your revenge against Bruce.”
Jason is kind of hurt that Talia thinks Jason would use Damian to get to Bruce, but he understands the concern, so he swallows down the instinctive defensiveness that billowed in his chest until it was nothing but a half-light ember, “Okay. I agree with your conditions, ʾum. Let me know when you're coming over and where we're meeting so that I have time to get everything ready.”
“Good. I'll send you the information later. Be good, yā aziyziyyun. ishtaqtu lak, shǎ guā, ʾuHibbuka.”
Jason rolls his eyes slightly at the nickname, “I miss you too, lăomā. Bye.”
“Good bye, my son.”
The call ends and Jason flops into the nearest comfortable surface with a groan.
Sprawled across his ratty couch, Jason tosses an elbow over his eyes and let's out a string of quiet curses.