ION

I OWN NOTHING

"The L Word... y'know?"

Dick slumped on his bed, pulling out his phone and grumbling to himself as he flicked it on. He was about to immerse himself in Netflix when his phone binged.

DADDYBATS: Richard John Grayson-Wayne get yourself down here right now

Dick growled. He wouldn't even respond. He flicked through old messages, looking for something to capture his aching head. His heart froze as his phone binged again and he saw the contact name.

Little Wing: Hey, Dick. Im going to go find my Mom, Im in Africa now.. Dont come after me. Dont tell Bruce. I just… wanted you to know that even if Im going to find my reel family, youre… you have always been my real brother. I… yknow, the L word. I… care a lot… of crap it, I love you bro.

Little Wing: I love you. Bye.

Dick choked. It had been four months since Jason had died. four months since he sent that message. How it had been delayed for so long, Dick didn't have a clue. But as he stared at those words, tears began to roll down his face.

The dinner table was quiet.

Bruce sat at the end of the table fuming while the seat next to Damian stood cold and empty, set for a Master who had recently stormed upstairs. Tim shifted uncomfortably beside the other empty seat, the one hadn't been used in months.

Silence hung heavily in the air as Tim ate a couple bites from his salad, looking up awkwardly and asking to be excused. Bruce just grunted, leaving the twelve-year old to dash upstairs as quickly as he could, slumping onto his bed.

He sighed, glaring at the ceiling as if it was its fault their family was falling apart. His phone binged, and as he lifted it, his fingers shook with surprise.

Jay: Hey… Tim. I… Im leaving an not coming back. But… just… be a good little Replacement. Help B out. You… yur a better replacement than Damian could ever be… don't dy and let HIM be Robin, I dont think he'll help anyone. Yeah. By.

Jay: Also… yeah I love you. Bye, little bro,

Tim choked, tears gathering in his eyes. Despite their less than stellar relationship, Jason had been Tim's big brother. And… and now… he was gone.

Stephanie finished as quickly as she could, excusing herself along with Cass and dragging her little sister upstairs to their shared suite.

"Why do they have to… fight so much!" Stephanie flopped on their couch as Cass took the beanbag chair. The girl shrugged.

"Hard."

Stephanie sighed, dragging her hand down her face and reaching out behind her with the other in a stretch.

When her phone binged, Stephanie fumbled carelessly into her jean pocket as Cass went into her bedroom go change it. Absently, Steph put in her password, pulling up Messages.

She froze.

JayJay

She blinked rapidly, raising her hand as shakily as an old woman to press on the banner.

JayJay: Hey Steph. Ive left and aint no way im comin back. But since that;s happening, I just wanted to say… you were the second best sister ive ever had. I like the way you can be annoying even when your trying not to be and I like how you always partypoop when im with my friends. Don't ask me why cause it drives me crazy. I guess its just nice to know someone wants to be around me ALL the FREAKING time. Thanks. I love you I guess, I can say that cause ill never see you again

JaJay: And since Cass never checks her phone, show her this.

JaJay: Hey Cassenova, im gone. Forever. But I needed to tell you that… you're the best sister ive ever had. And that I love being around you. Yur so chill and nice and… bye. Ill miss you. I love you,

"CASS!" Stephanie screamed. Her sister hopped out, her pants only half on but ready to fight some intruder. She softened in confusion upon seeing the tears in Stephanie's eyes.

"Jay said he loves you."

Damian had had enough of this, pushing out without excusing himself and stomping upstairs to his room where he grabbed a blunt katana and started making work of the dummy in the corner of his room.

"It's all Todd's fault!" he growled between jabs. "If the idiot hadn't gone and died, Grayson and Father would not be at odds one with the another!"

He somehow managed to impale the dummy, and as his hand sunk in towards its ribcage, he sunk to the ground, refusing to cry but letting his shoulders shake. "I hate you, Todd…"

Just then his phone binged. Picking it up, he read it before smashing it to a million pieces. "I-I hate you so much…" he sobbed.

Todd: Hey Demon Brat. I know, im an idiot. Give it a rest. I just wanted to say… give Dick a break. He loves you and… and maybe I do to. Maybe. Don't miss me.

Alone at the dinner table, Bruce glared down at his food. Dick was a fool. Jason was dead. Bruce had been an idiot all those years, taking his boys out to fight super criminals. So, so stupid. And now Dick had it stuck in his pretty little head that he was some sort of hero and it was his job to go out and protect Gotham.

Idiot.

Bruce growled, pushing back from the table and about to stand up when his phone binged. He seethed, about to throw it across the room when his eyes glanced across the name.

Jason

What?

Slowing, he hesitantly opened the text.

Jason: Hey bruce. So yeah. Thanks for taking me in. I purposefully delayed this text because I know youd try and use it to find me but im long gone by now. At least my siblings have the decency of trust where I know they'll leave me alone. I know I know, the whole 'im your guardian and I need to take care of you its my job' blah blah blah. Just knoe that even tho your not my dad, ill never forget you. Thank you

Bruce stared at the screen, not knowing how to feel. In the end, he settled with just burying his face in his arms before stomping upstairs and collapsing on his bed.

"Jason, why?" he whispered.

Alfred cleared the table, sighing at the food that was barely touched. As he went into the kitchen, he felt his butler-sense tingling, He left the dishes and went to his room, where he found, to his surprise, a text. Nearly no one even knew he had a cellphone.

Master Jason: Whoa- Alfie you have a cell?! No waaay! Anyway, I know you probably know where I am (you ARE Alfred) but I just needed to say… thank you. For everything. Take care of the baby we call Batman. Love, Jason~

Alfred flopped into his armchair, soft tears escaping his ice blue eyes, "Farewell, Master Jason, farewell."

4 Months Ago

Jason shifted the bag on his shoulder as he exited the plane, entering the airport and hurrying to the place he'd find his driver.

He jumped in the car, and as the man pulled out into the nowhere of Africa, Jason pulled out his phone. "No cell service?" he grumbled quietly to himself. "Okay, whatever, it'll reach him eventually."

He then proceeded to type his goodbye to his brother, his heart fluttering, All the sudden, he wasn't so sure about this. Was leaving the one person to ever truly loved him worth it…? No- his Mom would love him with a mother's love, that would be so much more than Dick's smiles, and hugs, and gifts, and assurances, and… stop!

He suddenly heard Dick in his head. "JASON! Alfred knows all- so don't disappoint him!"

Jason smiled softly, shooting a short and sarcastic text Alf's way before settling into his seat in satisfaction. Then memories had to assault him. Jerks.

Jason please! I'm not as strong as you!"

"That you aren't, Replacement."

Can you help me with my homework?"

Go ask Dick."

Dick's not… here."

FIIIIINE. Brat."

After being insulted by some classmates, Jason was ready to punch someone. Oh look, a perfect candidate. Tim looked up with that anime hair and those sparkling tiffany blues. "Jason! I think you're cool!"

That's SOOO reassuring."

They dimmed but his smile barely faltered. "You're awesome!"

After several more, Jason growled, stamping out a message and sending it.

J-Jay… I love you."

"OH GRACIOUS." Jason rolled his eyes, ignoring the look he got from his driver and adding "I love you" to the chain of text. Then he relaxed.

Yo Jason! I made cookies for you and your friends!"

Jason groaned. "Go away, Steph."

Jason! Can you play a game with Cass and I?"

NO."

It's just dolls, come on."

NO."

For Cass?" Steph gestured to the girl beside her, who used her huge honey colored eyes to her advantage.

FIIINE. Just know I hate you."

"No I don't." Jason now regretted that, typing in his phone a message to his sisters.

Then he saw that look Damian got whenever he tried to act like he didn't care but was hurting like crap inside. The kind he got when Jason was nice to everyone but him. With that he texted his sibling.

And of course. He hated Bruce. Maybe sorta kind possibly not really. In any case, he needed to wait a while. He put the settings to make it send in two months. He sat back with a sigh, finally convinced he'd be able to forget his past just like that.

He pushed tears out of his eyes, shaking his head as he stilled his breath. "I love you guys…" he whispered. He almost wished that they'd get his messages sooner, almost wished they'd break his deteriorating resolve.

There we go! Y'know, there's death fics but not many addressing the family soon after Jay's death. Anyway! I love reviews! Also- what story should I update next? Hmmm...

~Universe

ps: I realize this thing is riddled with mistakes, but I cannpt fix them at this time- sorry!