[CLOSED] Drowning without water

[robintohood]

Who: Jason Todd (DCAU) robintohood and Sleeper solo_sleeper
What Jason is prevented from making a bad decision
When: 2/14
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: Mention of death, murder, and PG-13 level violence

[As soon as Dick contacted the BatFamily, Jason’s temper flared up. One moment he and Sleeper were at a safehouse in the heart of Backbreakers territory and strategizing how to further protect their territory from the attacking Atlanteans, the next Jason was ready to take his deadliest guns and kill whoever hurt Barbara. For Dick to sound as scared as he did on the comms meant that whatever happened was life-threatening. Jason wasn’t going to let the culprit get away with it.

Being in a bond with someone and sharing thoughts and emotions with them is both wonderful and a curse. In this case, it’s the latter. Before Jason could finish gearing up, Sleeper shapeshifted to restrain him]

Let go!

[At the moment, he’s furious at both whoever hurt Babs and his partner as he physically fights with his every being to break free]

Comments

[robintohood]

[Jason gets up and this time, he's calm as he finishes putting on his gear. The action will at least give him some sense of control again and it's better to be ready at a moment's notice.

He's touched by Sleeper's comment about how committed they are to him. It's not a surprise but it always feels good to have the reassurance of how much they care about him]

It's the helplessness of not doing something. I've been there before.

[He watched his mother's addiction eat her away despite his best efforts. He's seen far too many innocent people in Crime Alley suffer. Gloria Stanson couldn't get justice before her death. His world's Barbara is permanently paralyzed and still the Joker lives. Jason's sick and tired of seeing and experiencing so much helplessness]

[definecat]

There's doing something and there's doing the right thing. You know better than to settle for the first when a little planning will get you the second.

[They don't point out that Batman trained him better than that because it's one too many sucker-punches than the situation calls for at the moment.]

If there's something to be done, we'll be a part of it. But I won't lose you because you refused to think because you were too busy feeling.

[robintohood]

[Jason puts on his jacket before walk back over to Sleeper and offering a hand to let them climb back on him and nuzzle. It's hard for him to stay angry at his partner for long. He trusts them with anything, including his own life]

Heh. You know my history with working with anybody.

[definecat]

I only have one example to go by. You never worked with those folks in Gotham.

[They nudge the palm, then shifting down to housecat scale they leap up to hang around his shoulders like a collar.]

And anyone who'd say you were fired clearly doesn't consider you an equal partner.

[robintohood]

[Jason reaches to give Sleeper scritches around their neck. At this point, it’s become a habit of his as a way to give affection to his partner and to ease his own nerves]

For a long time I thought I was better off alone.

[definecat]

You care too much to truly be alone. But it also means you get hurt more, and this is one of those really painful spots.

[They pause, flicking an ear towards the comm unit.]

Sounds like your sister pulled through. Why don't you see if we've got anything to help clean up?

[robintohood]

[Jason nods. He needs to shift his attention to the right priorities again]

The gang’s got their orders. We’ll come back here later.

[Then there’s a short pause]

Join me? Feels like web-slinging could do me some good tonight.

[definecat]

You've only to ask.

[Their substance glides over, blending into the uniform as they join together to share in a way nobody who hadn't experienced the bond would ever really understand. Even Sleeper was sometimes surprised by the depth of the connection, and how well they worked together.]

[robintohood]

[Even after nearly a year of being bonded, Jason still struggles the find the right words to describe what it’s like to be in a symbiote bond. It’s not the kind of relationship most humans experience. It’s far more intimate.

No matter how often he and Sleeper bond, Jason always finds it simultaneously thrilling and very comforting. It’s the very opposite of the lone wolf mentality he had. When they’re in sync as one body, there’s little need to debate. They just do it. They are one. They’re far more stronger together than separate. It’s the ultimate expression of how much they love and trust each other.

Once he and Sleeper are together, they open a window, fire from their wrist a string of black fluid at a nearby building, and then swing out]