metalogs | ( closed ) twisted steel beneath my knees

( and once again, ~~fuck~~ thank you, tony stark.

jason's hood had tech in it, but his domino masks have always been the plain, stuck straight onto his face with spirit gum kind that didn't do jack shit for him. the one he has on now? adjusts to the lack of light so jason can see as he grips onto the edge of the pool. squints, as he notes the - movement. not just by where something shaped suspiciously like bruce lays, but the movement in the other direction, too. he presses a forearm down against the ground outside the pool, uses it to pull himself out and up onto his knees.

he's careful, not to make a sound. doesn't want to alert anything else of his presence, especially given he doesn't know where the hell he is to begin with. as soon as his knees hit dirt, he reaches into his jacket. pulls out the mask that fits under his domino and over his mouth, just in case. fits it onto his face, then slowly, slowly climbs up to his feet.

it's too dark. unnaturally so, but it's not the first nor will it be the last time he finds himself somewhere that doesn't feel right. boots are careful to hit the dirt just right to not make a sound, careful where he distributes his weight just in case - up until he reaches bruce's side and drops down to his knees, fingers moving towards bruce's jawline to check for a pulse. )

Edited 2024-01-23 23:12 (UTC)

( the stillness of bruce there on the ground is concerning. i killed that sonuvabitch the thug had proudly proclaimed and, for all intents and purposes, it looks as if he might have.

there's no sign of life that seems to come from bruce. but there also isn't any blood or visible wounds to his face. he just lays there. with the flickering iridescence around him. still. cold. something jason might feel upon touching his jawline.

yet within the darkness that surrounds them, from behind, suddenly... movement. )

Jason! Get away from it!

( and the second bruce shouts that from behind, footsteps hurried as he runs through the darkness for him, the thing that had been impersonating the batman twists into something more sinister — more demonic and hungry for jason as it abruptly lunges up. teeth jagged and sharp. intending to take a bite out of him. )

( a thing not many of those he keeps around him know, is that this isn't the first time he's come across bruce wayne's body.

sure, good old dad has died a few times. some times more realistic than others, but none of them stick in jason's hard head as much as the time he'd stumbled across a bruce who had killed joker for him. a bruce who jason fought hard to get back out to help kyle and donna. the same bruce, who fought beside him, who jason watched a clark kent punch the brains out of. there's a lot of shit he never talks about, with anyone. and that just - happens to be one of the traumatic incidents closer to the top of the pile. he doesn't panic, because his panic response has been near-trained out of him. he heard i killed that sonuvabitch, and while a body wasn't what he was hoping to find, it's not something he's surprised to come across.

lips press together hard, fingers settling along bruce's jawline. he opens his mouth, as if he's about to say something, but instead - flinches abruptly when he hears his name being yelled out from behind. heels press down against the ground under him to push him away from the body that's suddenly shifting in shape, which isn't his dead father, thank fuck, but shit.

his arm raises to block teeth, and it's on instinct that the ring reacts: bright green light erupts from it, forming a shield that blocks teeth from digging into him. it's shock from that which keeps jason from moving for the next few moments, eyes widening under the mask. )

( the sudden flare of green is a little surprising and he wonders, for a moment, if kyle is here with him somewhere.

he doesn't wait to see if that's the case — the creature mutating and chomping for jason who remains shielded by the green lantern's light. he's there at jason's side, compact baton pulled from his suit, and he slams the weapon across the creature's face, knocking it away from jason and the shield. the creature skitters across the ground, grows and mutates into something large and snake-like, and bruce roughly grasps jason's arm. yanking him away. )

Move.

( it's more a sharp order than anything else — a growl — and he shoves jason ahead of him into the darkness, bruce keeping behind him. )

Run twenty paces straight, then ten to the left. Go.

Edited 2024-01-23 23:52 (UTC)

( he doesn't like orders, but never let it be said that jason doesn't know how to follow them. because bruce gives them, deep growled words reverberating through him, and jason - doesn't give bruce any snark, not yet. instead he's jumping up to his feet, as the light dissipates and leaves them in the dark. it makes it harder to see bruce as he looks back over his shoulder towards him, but as far as he can tell he's still in fighting shape, which jason takes as a good enough sign as any to listen.

twenty paces straight, and ten to the left. there's no point in keeping quiet with the noise at his heels, so he doesn't bother putting in any extra effort into keeping himself quiet. trusts bruce to follow behind him soon as he's gotten that thing thrown off their asses. )

( he's behind jason in the darkness — can just barely make him out as he goes the twenty paces, then the ten to the left as he'd told him to. at the end of the ten paces, there's a cave, the entrance itself being just large enough for them to fit through.

when they're at the entrance, bruce skids to a halt. turns around. baton gripped tightly in hand and smacks it across the face of the creature hot on their heels. one. two. three strikes and the creature's out, hitting the ground hard before it staggers to get itself back up. bruce lets it. baton twirling in his hand and when he swings at the thing, he misses. but it seems intentional. because when the creature lunges for him, he grabs it at the neck and shocks it with the tasers located within gloved fingers. bruce grits his teeth as he does — growls even before he finally shoves the thing off him and turns quickly, shoving jason into the cave along with him as he does. the creature is likely to get back up, but it obviously can't fit through the entrance.

it's obvious bruce has found this safe haven of sorts for him when he'd found himself unexpectedly in here, hence the knowing how many steps to take in the dark to it. because what else is he supposed to do when he's lost in a place he doesn't know? figure out the lay of the land best he can. which meant counting steps from where he'd fallen from.

taking a flashlight from his belt, he turns it out. the light fluorescent. )

What're you doing here?

Edited 2024-01-24 00:39 (UTC)

( they're in a goddamn cave. because of course they are. jason turns so he can fit through the opening without shoving a shoulder against the walls, and uses it to keep an eye on bruce behind him, too. watches him smack the whatever around until it falls and bruce starts back up towards him.

with a flashlight, apparently. jesus. at least he's fine and not dead. the whiplash from seeing his body laid out to almost being attacked by a massive monster who'd been using his body is - something. especially given bruce shoving him around moments after.

eyes fall to the ring for a moment, remembering the joke he'd just been throwing at kyle moments before plunging deep into the black tar-like pit. decides he'll deal with however that's supposed to feel later - the kind of trust it takes to just hand over that kind of firepower. that's not a now problem. a now problem is standing right in front of him, and jason opts to handle it the best way he knows how:

raising a fist, and swinging it straight for bruce's face. )

What the hell was that?!

( because this is jason, he expects that swing and so when it comes, he catches it. glove tightening around the other's hand. eyes narrowed, the light shines between them. you know. so they can see each other in this cave. )

Why did you follow me through?

( the question comes a bit harsher than he means it to, but. this is bruce. who was in a mood prior to landing himself in this... darkness. )

Now we're both stuck here.

( it's jason, so of course he goes for the hit. and when bruce catches his fist, he - keeps up the pressure. doesn't back down any, even if he's scowling right into bruce's face. )

No. You don't get to give me shit for coming in after you. I get to give you shit for being an idiot and disappearing on us like that.

( us, as in all of them, not just jason. )

If I really wanted to disappear on all of you, I have ways of doing that.

( he didn't remove any trackers, after all.

regardless, he drops jason's fist down and shoots him a look telling him not to try it before he turns some, shining the light around the cave they're hunkered down in for the moment. )

Did Kyle come through with you?

( he saw the green, after all. )

( he thinks about trying it. it'd be so easy, to lift a fist and shove it into bruce's face. maybe he'll block again, but jason has another fist that he could use just as easily. and two legs. a couple knees he could shove right into bruce's sternum.

but he doesn't.

there's the green lantern ring on jason's middle finger, one he's pointedly not looking at because he's busy right now. )

I know that. You were being careless, you fucking idiot.

I'm guessing no, then.

( he says, shining the light around as a means to get their bearings of the cave. )

Which means he knows you're here, what with having a ring and all.

Jesus christ.

( he's mad. mad that bruce was an idiot, mad he came in here after him like a bigger idiot. madder still that the thing back there tricked him well enough it almost got a good bite of him. pissed, at bruce just talking around him like he always does.

who gives a shit if hitting each other is a bad idea. they're in here, apparently stuck, and jason's livid.

so he drops the backpack onto the ground behind him. raises a fist to swing it straight for bruce again. )

( he anticipates it. naturally. so the second he hears the backpack drop, he turns. thoroughly annoyed.

the swing comes and bruce holds up the baton to block it — twirls it. effortlessly. and jabs it towards jason's midsection. a means to knock him back. bruce slanted some as he does. )

You just can't leave me alone, can you?

( the gun is easier to reach for. it's right there on his thigh, a quick and easy block he could then turn into shoving the grip straight into the side of bruce's face. but he goes for a dagger instead, which wastes precious seconds he could have used to return the hit. instead, the side of his kris presses against the baton when it goes for his midsection.

and jason, being jason, twists around to try and shove the hilt of that into bruce's face. )

Who else was I supposed to send in after you, huh?

How about no one?

( it's said as he blocks the hilt with the end of his flashlight, swinging jason's arm away from him with a swipe of the baton in his other hand. giving them a bit of distance, bruce eyes jason there in the darkness of the cave, the bright glow of his flashlight being all they have in terms of light here. )

Throwing yourself in after me was stupid. Or were you planning on ditching Dick and Kyle again?

Edited 2024-01-24 22:33 (UTC)

I haven't ditched anyone.

( the accusation of planning to, though, just pisses him off even more. he's got his dagger in hand, the other one emptied. there's dozens of weapons strapped to him, hidden in his clothing, that he could reach for and use. dozens of ways he can slam into bruce without a weapon at all and fuck him up. this isn't his bruce, he's still young, and jason knows most of his bruce's moves by now. it'd be so goddamn easy. he shouldn't go for it.

he does anyway.

his arm twitches, the barest hint of movement as he adjusts his arm to pull the few throwing knives loose from their hidden pocket in his jacket sleeve - before jason's raising it, flinging several knives straight for bruce. they're aimed at his armor, not anywhere with skin he's concerned with damaging. it's dark, but unlike some idiot who doesn't have any lenses on his cowl, jason has his - and infrared built in. he has to reach up, fingers sliding across the side of the domino mask to flick it on, but he covers the movement by ducking down moments after to throw himself straight for bruce himself. )

( his cape swishes as he twists — arm up to block the flurry of knives thrown at him. one lodges itself between the armor and he grunts right as jason throws himself at him. falling back, he hits the ground. hard. taking jason with him. a strangled noise leaving him as he does. the flashlight rolls away and offers them only a sliver of light. )

Don't make me hurt you.

( is huffed through gritted teeth, bruce bringing a hand up to jason's neck in an attempt to push him back. push him away. push him off. )

( good. he should be down on the ground, nothing more than a bright spot on jason's infrared as he drops down hard on top of bruce. a hand comes up for his neck, but he doesn't give two shits about it.

he presses a hand down against bruce's chest, kris sitting against his palm pointed off to the side, just below his collarbone. holds it there, while the other raises into a fist aimed straight for bruce's nose. one he doesn't throw, not yet. )

Do it. Hurt me, if that's how you wanna play it. Wouldn't be the first time someone in a cowl fucked me over.

Edited 2024-01-24 23:15 (UTC)

( he's seconds away from tasering jason, hand there on his neck. but when the sudden sound of skittering fills the cave, bruce immediately turns his head in the direction of the sound. )

We've got company.

( and from the crevices of the cave crawl a number of black, twisted, spider-like creatures. eyes dark and beady, fixated on the two of them, with fangs dripping something white and slick, droplets leaving burn marks on the ground. ouch, basically.

without waiting to pounce, backs are arched and webs are shot. right at bruce and jason there on the ground. )

( bruce is seconds away from doing something, and jason's just waiting for it. waiting for bruce to prove he's just as much of an asshat as his bruce, waiting for the excuse to be pissed at himself for jumping into this with him when he could have just stayed and waited for bruce to figure it out for himself.

spiders interrupt that plan. jason still has his fist raised, balled up tight like he's just waiting for an excuse to hit. curses under his breath instead, and reaches down into his belt. )

I hate you sometimes, you know that?

( it's growled low, but without moving off of bruce jason's throwing a handful of flashbangs out towards the spiders. his lenses adjust to the lightning change quickly, which he's using to his advantage as he pulls out a lighter and a very small spray bottle of lighter fluid. gets back up onto his feet so he's not hovering over bruce anymore when he flicks the lighter on with full intention of burning the hell out of whatever wasn't frightened away by the noise and light. )

( when movement from jason happens, bruce rolls away, getting to his feet just as jason blasts the hoard of spiders with the lighter and fluid. the sounds they make are almost ear piercing and bruce covers an ear with one hand, the other gripping tight to the baton.

for all intents and purposes, it seems jason's taken care of the ones that had been more head on. turns out there's more. coming from a couple more sides and bruce swings the baton near jason when he catches one trying to drop down onto him. the skittering seems to slowly fill the cave, and bruce ducks and swings at various ones that jump at them. knocking them back with the baton. )

We need to get out of here!

( a smarter man would have pulled in someone with superpowers to be ready in case shit went down like this. jason also realizes - he did, he has them here, and someone overpowered would only be able to handle as much shit as they could see. eventually, diana would run out of stamina. kyle would need a break. jason and bruce are perfectly capable of handling damn near anything this place throws at them. including thousands of tiny skittering creatures out to - melt them? eat them? fuck if he knows.

bruce goes in with his baton, and jason takes it as his cue to duck back and grab onto the backpack he'd dropped. swings it over a shoulder, and then grabs hold of a gun to start shooting at the ones that get too close. figures this isn't the time for rubber bullets, he doubts the bullets'll take out that many of them, either, and he's only got so much ammo on him. ammo he'd rather waste here than sacrifice a few knives. ducks down again in between shots to grab onto his kris again, because he's not leaving that behind, thanks. )

Scram! ( hands reaching out to nab bruce by his stupid cape between shots to shove him out towards the cave opening, because - ) I can keep 'em from following but I need you out.

( the tug on his cape has him nearly swing at jason. a kneejerk reaction to an action done to him, but he catches himself. refrains. eyes the other and the weapons he's wielding. he hesitates for only a fraction of a second before he's running for the cave opening, ducking down to swipe his flashlight up off the ground as he does.

going back out isn't something he wanted — he hasn't even explored the entirety of... wherever it is they are. but they can't stay in there. not when they're not even entirely sure just what they're dealing with. but there's another spot. it's just a bit further. if he can keep track of how many steps he's taking once they're out. )

( they're low on time and options, but jason - well, he's resourceful. bruce listens and rushes out, which is what he'd been waiting for. he follows after, palm dragging along the wall of one side of the cave and then the other, leaving behind small circular objects in his wake. as soon as they're clear of the entrance, he holds up a small pen-shaped item, thumb pressing on the red trigger on top of it. )

Thank Dickie.

( the trigger goes down, and the cave? well, a few of the spiders might get out of it, but not many - a significant amount of rubble blocks the entrance. )

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