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schizoauthoressTitle: If I Don't Have You
Author: D.L.SchizoAuthoress
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: kinda for Teen Titans v3 #74 (Another Titan Dies!)
Prompt: Anonymous askbox prompt for "reunion Jason/Eddie"
Warnings: these boys like their strong language
Word Count: 252
Summary: Some days hurt.
Word of the Day: jubilate, verb:
1. To show or feel great joy; rejoice; exult.
2. To celebrate a jubilee or joyful occasion.
If I Don't Have You
...since you've been gone
Everything's gone a bit wrong
I wish you were here
Holding me near...
Jason never thought that there would be a day that hurt worse than the anniversary of his own death. But this one…
He has a postcard from El Paso and several handwritten letters that all somehow found their way to his post office boxes — which were supposed to be secret — over the handful of years he’s been alive again. All of them have the same salutation (“Dear Penpal”) and Eddie’s neat, flowing signature.
He’d answered none of them. Not one.
He’d needed the distance — because of his plans, and because so much time had passed, especially after Eddie changed so radically. Jason’d had no idea that Eddie wanted superpowers so badly, and to be perfectly honestly his new form was too close to the vague memories that haunted Jason’s darkest nightmares. So he’d stayed away. (‘Like a coward,’ Jason told himself bitterly. ‘No matter what he looked like, he was still Eddie.’)
And now Eddie is dead. He’d died a hero, sacrificing himself to save an entire city. He’d died because those powers had been taken away.
He’d died before Jason had a chance to say he was sorry.
Jason stares out over the sprawl of Gotham City, curled up on a wide ledge that jutted out from the rooftop of the apartment high-rise, hugging his knees to his chest. He wants to scream. It’s not fair that he’s here and Eddie isn’t.
The access door opens with a creak. Without turning around, Jason snarls, “Leave me the hell alone, Dick.”
He’s expecting an admonition from his so-called older brother. (Dick would say “No names in the field”, as if pretending his nickname wasn’t also an insult changed things, as if that hyprocrite and his dumb friends didn’t throw “Jason Todd” around all the time anyway…)
"Such language, Robin!”
Jason freezes. That voice. Should be. Impossible.
He uncurls from his seated position then moves, slow and careful, off the ledge and back onto the roof proper — all before he dares turn around and look up into the speaker’s face.
Eddie Bloomberg — human and dressed in civilian clothes — grins widely at Jason, twiddling his fingers in a little wave. Jason stares in utter disbelief. Eddie’s grin goes wry as Jason fails to reply verbally. “Never thought I’d see you at a loss for words.”
"You… you’re supposed to be dead!"
Eddie laughs. He steps closer and holds out his right hand. “Hi, pot; I’m kettle,” he jokes.
Jason stares for a moment longer, then grabs for Eddie’s hand like it was a lifeline. Eddie yelps with surprise with Jason uses that grip to pull him into a tight hug… but he hugs back just as tightly.
"I missed you too," Eddie says against Jason’s shoulder, throat constricted around unshed tears. Jason makes a pained sound at that, and one of his hands comes up to cup the back of Eddie’s neck through his long hair. Eddie presses closer, clinging tightly to the back of Jason’s leather jacket.
"I’m sorry," Jason says roughly. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry.”
"It’s okay, Jason. It’s going to be okay now."
*-*-*-*-*
Note: The song lyrics quoted at the top are from "If I Don't Have You" by The Backstreet Boys. It's an inside joke.
Author: D.L.SchizoAuthoress
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: kinda for Teen Titans v3 #74 (Another Titan Dies!)
Prompt: Anonymous askbox prompt for "reunion Jason/Eddie"
Warnings: these boys like their strong language
Word Count: 252
Summary: Some days hurt.
Word of the Day: jubilate, verb:
1. To show or feel great joy; rejoice; exult.
2. To celebrate a jubilee or joyful occasion.
If I Don't Have You
...since you've been gone
Everything's gone a bit wrong
I wish you were here
Holding me near...
Jason never thought that there would be a day that hurt worse than the anniversary of his own death. But this one…
He has a postcard from El Paso and several handwritten letters that all somehow found their way to his post office boxes — which were supposed to be secret — over the handful of years he’s been alive again. All of them have the same salutation (“Dear Penpal”) and Eddie’s neat, flowing signature.
He’d answered none of them. Not one.
He’d needed the distance — because of his plans, and because so much time had passed, especially after Eddie changed so radically. Jason’d had no idea that Eddie wanted superpowers so badly, and to be perfectly honestly his new form was too close to the vague memories that haunted Jason’s darkest nightmares. So he’d stayed away. (‘Like a coward,’ Jason told himself bitterly. ‘No matter what he looked like, he was still Eddie.’)
And now Eddie is dead. He’d died a hero, sacrificing himself to save an entire city. He’d died because those powers had been taken away.
He’d died before Jason had a chance to say he was sorry.
Jason stares out over the sprawl of Gotham City, curled up on a wide ledge that jutted out from the rooftop of the apartment high-rise, hugging his knees to his chest. He wants to scream. It’s not fair that he’s here and Eddie isn’t.
The access door opens with a creak. Without turning around, Jason snarls, “Leave me the hell alone, Dick.”
He’s expecting an admonition from his so-called older brother. (Dick would say “No names in the field”, as if pretending his nickname wasn’t also an insult changed things, as if that hyprocrite and his dumb friends didn’t throw “Jason Todd” around all the time anyway…)
"Such language, Robin!”
Jason freezes. That voice. Should be. Impossible.
He uncurls from his seated position then moves, slow and careful, off the ledge and back onto the roof proper — all before he dares turn around and look up into the speaker’s face.
Eddie Bloomberg — human and dressed in civilian clothes — grins widely at Jason, twiddling his fingers in a little wave. Jason stares in utter disbelief. Eddie’s grin goes wry as Jason fails to reply verbally. “Never thought I’d see you at a loss for words.”
"You… you’re supposed to be dead!"
Eddie laughs. He steps closer and holds out his right hand. “Hi, pot; I’m kettle,” he jokes.
Jason stares for a moment longer, then grabs for Eddie’s hand like it was a lifeline. Eddie yelps with surprise with Jason uses that grip to pull him into a tight hug… but he hugs back just as tightly.
"I missed you too," Eddie says against Jason’s shoulder, throat constricted around unshed tears. Jason makes a pained sound at that, and one of his hands comes up to cup the back of Eddie’s neck through his long hair. Eddie presses closer, clinging tightly to the back of Jason’s leather jacket.
"I’m sorry," Jason says roughly. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so damn sorry.”
"It’s okay, Jason. It’s going to be okay now."
*-*-*-*-*
Note: The song lyrics quoted at the top are from "If I Don't Have You" by The Backstreet Boys. It's an inside joke.