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tower

[copsormasks]

[Jason tries to swallow down the heat in his throat as he punches in one wrong code after the other at the tower’s keypad. Finally he codes in correctly and sulks the entire elevator ride up. He’s not exactly looking for Bruce, but when he’s not readily visible, Jason forgoes saying hello at all and instead heads off to his room where he slams the door.

This is bullshit. This is all bullshit. They keep handling him like a bomb is about to go off or like a small child playing with matches. Fuck them. Fuck all of them.]

[batsymbol]

( He's currently in the middle of working on something when he hears the elevator start up and, for a moment, he'd almost forgotten what that was like.

It's Jason — he has a room here for himself after all. He glances over from his spot there with what he's working on and notices the sullen temperament he has going on as he stalks to his room and slams the door. Hm. He's... been here with Damian before, so. He has an idea of how to go about this. Just a matter of whether or not Jason even wants anyone there for him.

Setting his tools down, he makes his way up the stairs and over to the room Jason has for himself. A pause, he gives care in the way he knocks on the other's door, gently pushing it open just a crack and a bit in case he's changing or something. Also, just out of respect for his privacy. )

[copsormasks]

[Jason is busy sulking on the edge of his bed when he hears the knock. He stands up and makes his way over to the door to crack it.

Seeing Bruce on the other side, he cracks it further and steps back.]

[batsymbol]

( Well. At least he didn’t slam it in his face? There’s that.

When Jason steps back, he lets himself in, briefly throwing his gaze around the room more as a means to see if Jason has added anything to it. He knows he prefers to move around, but. This room is for him. Whenever he wants it anyways.

Gaze back on Jason there, he looks to him curiously. )

Everything ok?

[copsormasks]

Just more of the belfry.

[Jason crosses his arms and sits on the edge of the bed.]

Either I’m a bomb waiting to go off, a head case they know, or a child. Don’t know what’s worse.

[Though he knows that Bruce had experienced some of this too.]

[batsymbol]

( Quiet, he stands there, letting Jason tell him of his troubles. He hums, soft — gaze wandering around the room again for a moment. )

You run into them again?

[copsormasks]

Can’t seem to get away from them.

[Jason goes to lay back in bed before he remembers the lingering pain in his nose.]

They’re locked out right?

[batsymbol]

They have ways of getting in if they really want.

( Damian, small as he is now, had climbed the side of the tower after all. )

But for the most part, they don't come around here.

[copsormasks]

[Jason doesn’t like not feeing entirely secure. An urge to cut and run rises, but he looks up to Bruce and reminds himself that he needs to trust.]

Does anyone know I’m here?

[batsymbol]

No.

( He looks to him, gaze soft. Thoughtful. )

I got something for you though.

[copsormasks]

[Jason releases a breath at knowing that at least no one seems aware of him right now. Maybe they’re tracking him again, but they already know he visits the tower.

At the mention of something for him, Jason perks up.]

For me? [He’s still getting used to the whole gifts without a price thing.]

[batsymbol]

Yeah. I asked Aurora for it.

( At that, he turns a bit but stops. Looking back to Jason. )

Wait here.

[copsormasks]

Okay. [Well now Jason is getting nervous. Something provided by that weird AI thing running the place? How good could it be?]

[batsymbol]

( How does Jason think he got his car and motorcycle? He had to ask for them. Unfortunately.

Still, he leaves to fetch the item he'd asked for Jason — doesn't take more than a minute before he's coming back into the other's room with a grapple gun in hand. Looking down to it, he holds it out for Jason to take then. )

I got one for you. Like I said I would.

[copsormasks]

[Jason’s breath catches. For a moment he stares at the grappling gun and what it represents: the fall. He sees the floors racing past him, the wind in his hair and then the sudden intervention of Conner. He stands from the bed, still a bit dazed.]

That’s. Teach me how to use it?

[batsymbol]

( He knows what it means to Jason and what it brings up, but. He doesn’t want him to be in that situation again, let alone to be left vulnerable and without a means of escape if it comes down to it. It’s… not anything as fancy as some might be, but. It’s a model of his - from his Gotham. Bulletproof as well if that ever comes into play.

A nod, he looks down to it again for a moment. )

I will. I just want you to have it for now.

[copsormasks]

[Jason nods, trying to blink away the leftover PTSD from the fall or whatever Leslie called it. All the windows in his room are tightly draped, but he gets s sense of vertigo, of things tilting. He shuts his eyes and focuses on recentering himself. The tower isn’t falling and neither is he.]

Yeah. Yeah, I. Thanks.

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( Gently, he reaches out and places a hand on Jason’s shoulder there, squeezing it as a means to show that he’s very much here with him. That he’s not alone. Not falling. That he’s right here in this room with him. )

I got you.

[copsormasks]

[Jason steadies with Bruce’s touch and he takes a deep breath. Not falling. Not falling.]

I know.

[It is perhaps the first time that Jason has really meant that he knows Bruce is there for him. It’s an odd feeling for certain.]

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( Hand remaining where it is, he watches Jason closely. Ready to catch him if he feels like he might fall, metaphorically speaking. )

When you’re ready we’ll go over it. Or if it seems like you might need it for the next mission. For now, just keep it with you in your room. Unless you’d rather I keep it with your suit.

( That he’s still working on. )

[copsormasks]

Here. [Jason replies quickly, urgently.]

I need to get used to seeing it.

[Diving into the deep end of exposure therapy is maybe not the best idea, but when has Jason had a good idea.]

[batsymbol]

( It’s not that he doubts Jason, it’s more that he wants to be certain it’s a good idea. )

Are you sure?

[copsormasks]

I can do this. [Jason insists. He needs to prove that he can, even if this Bruce isn’t asking him to do so.]

[batsymbol]

( At that, he gives Jason a slow nod. )

Alright. If you’re sure. But if you need it out of here, you let me know. No judgement.

[copsormasks]

Yeah. [Jason nods firmly. Then he remembers he didn’t see Bruce on the way up.]

Were you working on something?