Brotherly Love (Nightwing)

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

The music certainly was loud. And he didn't particularly like the song that was playing either. Jason began to question why he missed actually going outside and doing things if the clubs were loud and had bad music. Not to mention he wasn't exactly going to be getting any girls here. Besides, they were probably only good for one night stands or short term relationships that wouldn't last a week. Neither of which he wanted exactly. But at least he was with his brother. It was a relief that someone in the bat-family other than him had some sense. He was afraid that he'd be alone forever. Of course, he'd never admit he was afraid of that.

"Oh yeah, it's real peaceful. I mean, now it's like only a few hundred manned guns from being a small war. As contrasted to before when it was closer to a full scale war." Jason in dead-pan sarcasm. Though if it were any less peaceful it was probably because Jason had been operating for months in secrecy before actually ever showing himself. Nobody knew what was happening and nobody alive had seen the Red Hood until recently. Though they did know one thing before . . . they should be scared. "Though I suppose it is a bit more peaceful. After all, I did take control of three big time mobs. Weapons trafficking is up, but crime's down. Most people are too afraid to go out and pull crimes. When it was just Bats they knew that whatever they did they could just bribe their way out, break out of Arkham Asylum, wait until parole, pay bail and disappear or any number of things. But with me? They know there's easy no way out. No loop hole."

Jason heard the woman's voice behind him and he turned around to see Dick's beer and his Black Velvet. He grabbed the drink and he downed some some of it immediately before placing the drink on the bar. He preferred Black Velvet over most alcohol. In fact, he didn't like most alcohol the tiniest bit. He thought most of it tasted like piss to be honest. He heard what the woman said. "Looks like someone's fallen over you again. Unless she's one of the types who calls everyone sweety." Jason had met maybe one or two in his life. They didn't see too abundant in Gotham City though.

Jason thought about the question. Yes, he actually had to think about it. He couldn't remember the last thing he had done other than fighting crime. He had said other than the obvious. He didn't exactly know how to answer the question. "Nothing. I don't exactly go out much other than . . . y'know. I'm supposed to be dead remember? The supposedly deceased adopted son of Bruce Wayne can't just start walking around Gotham without being noticed eventually." The noise kept anyone other than Dick from hearing what he said. The only upside to the loudness he supposed. It was true. Though that was only part of the reason he didn't go out. He just had no reason to go out ever other than crime fighting. He just didn't see the point in doing it. Not when he had nobody to do it with. And while he was the distant type, he also wasn't completely the 'one night stand' type either. And he really wasn't planning on getting in a relationship. He couldn't bring someone into this. Perhaps if he met a female anti-hero who was already in the thick of it it could possibly work. In all honesty though, he still had feelings for Talia. Even if there was nothing happening there.

[Richard ''Nightwing'' Grayson]

Looking around, Dick heard what his brother said. ''Dude, can we not worry about the world's woes. We are two young handsome devils out on the town. We can go back to work tomorrow'', he made sure not to say anything that would give up their identities. ''And what can I say, I have that affect on women, man. You should be able to do it too, didn't you ever watch Bruce? Just keep it smooth, and they will all look your way once if not twice'', he said taking another swig of his beer before looking at his brother.

''Look man, you just need to change your attitude, if you weren't so gloom and doom about everything, maybe the girls would treat you the same way'', he said. Jason rarely ever smiled anymore, and that really shook Dick, because the world was cold enough to turn an innocent kid into this. A rage filled adult who wanted to avenge those who have been wronged just as he was. Either the world made him this way.... or Bruce did.

Dick looked into his glass and was beginning to get a little upset, the world had taken the character out of his kid brother, he couldn't even have fun anymore, he was to caught up in the ills of the world. Dick knew the world was a crappy place, but he fought to make it better when he was Nightwing, when he was Dick Grayson, he let all of it go. Not literally ''let it go'' but he made a distinction in between his work, and himself. If you let the world warp your character, then the task of fighting for it became a lost cause to you.

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

Jason tried taking in what Dick was saying. He really was trying. And he really did want to do something with Dick. IT was nice having someone to actually talk to for a change. It felt good to know that at least not everyone in his family still followed that antiquated code that was filled with fallacies. It was plain illogical. But the thing was that he couldn't stop thinking about it all. It was something so stuck in his head that since he had been reborn it was practically the only thing he thought about. Just how horrible the world was and how much he wanted to change that.

Jason took a sip of his Black Velvet as he sat there trying to get his mind off the dark stuff in his mind. "I watched Bruce. I watched him put on a fake smile and a facade that ate him alive for years." Jason said as he thought about that fake smile and playboy facade that his adoptive father always put on. "Besides . . . my life is too dangerous to bring a girl into." He said admittedly as he took a larger sip of his Black Velvet. He really did feel that if he was going to have a girl oin his life it would have to be someone already in the whole hero or anti-hero game. It wouldn't work otherwise. It'd be too dangerous for them and if he really cared for the person he'd just stay away from them.

He watched Dick look into his glass he felt a bit of guilt starting to nip at him. He was ruining Dick's night with his attitude. With how he turned out after what happened to him. He had to think of something. Something to say or something to do to make Dick not think that he was completely and utterly like this. Even if Jason himself felt he was. "Look . . . I'm sure with time I'll be back on the scene and everything. Maybe have a smile on my face. But after everything I've seen and heard since I came back . . . I'm just not ready for it yet. And I watched Bruce put up that facade. That fake smile. It was like it was killing him or something. And . . . and I don't want to do that. I don't want to pretend I'm something I'm not. I don't want to be Bruce, Dick."

[Richard ''Nightwing'' Grayson]

Dick sat there contemplating what Jason was saying, not having a smile did not make this job any easier, but then again neither did having one. Dick had seen his fair share of bad situations, he had even seen his fair share of worse ones. But when he was not working, it did no justice for him to brood over the things he could not help. ''Sitting here not enjoying a club is exactly the thing Bruce would be doing. If you want to differentiate yourself from him, then I suggest you grab one of these girls, and have some fun'', he said smirking and looking back at the bar tender who seemed to still be looking at him as well. It was always fun going to look at someone only to catch them already looking at you.

He turned so the staring moment was not awkward and saw that two large biker boys were coming towards the bar, the type of people that just screamed trouble before you even got to meet them. They slammed into their seats and pounded their hands on the bar to gain the young lady's attention.

''Hey girly, why dontcha bring me and my buddy here a round'', he said smiling and turning back to his friend before beginning to talk about something that Dick could not hear. The pounding on the bar was already enough to put a bad taste in Dick's mouth.

He sat there and watched as the young lady went and got their drinks and was immediately grabbed by the wrist by the larger of the two. ''Hey, put a smile on that face, maybe me and my buddy here will let you leave with us tonight'', he said smirking much to Dick's chagrin. He would not do anything until his aid was needed though.

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

Jason disagreed with what Dick thought Bruce would do. He knew that Bruce wouldn't enjoy the club. But he also knew that by this point Bruce would of had at least five or six numbers and his arms around the two most beautiful girls at the club. He wouldn't be enjoying the club though. Or the female company. He'd be pretending to. Putting on that facade with that fake, phony smile as he tried to hide the fact that he was dead inside. Trying to hide the fact that he was Batman. But he didn't say that. In fact, he didn't respond to what Dick had said about what Bruce would do. He wasn't looking to start a fight or argument with his brother.

Jason noticed the staring that took place between his brother and the female bartender as he took a swig of his Black Velvet. Once Dick looked away Jason talked again as he scanned over the club with his eyes. "You going to make your move or what," Jason asked? He didn't say it rudely or meanly. Rather a bit jokingly. In a dead-pan way. The bartender and Dick were sure talking a while to hit it off despite both obviously finding each other attractive.

Jason's eyes moved to the shifty looking biker guys who looked like obvious trouble. His anger rose as he heard their words and saw what they were doing. He saw with his peripheral vision the female bar tender trying to wiggle her wrist and hand out of the biker guy's tight grip. He looked at Dick while taking a sip of his drink. He didn't understand why Dick wasn't doing anything. It got him riled up. "If you want to leave with all the bones in that hand intact I suggest you let her go," Jason said before taking a large gulp of his beverage. The guy let go and turned giving him the look of death. Jason's eyes just stared into them daring him to try and do something. "I think we should teach teach this punk a lesson," one of them said to the other before taking a swing at Jason. Jason easily caught the fist in his hand and proceeded to crush it. The man screamed and many eyes in the club turned. Jason's eyes moved to the other biker as he began to threaten him. Jason let go of the man's hand to reveal a it was bloody and looked somewhat broken. "Get out." he said flatly, though they seemed to not be intent on doing as he said as one took out a knife.

[Richard ''Nightwing'' Grayson]

Dick was going to wait for something bad to happen, but Jason, being the less calm of the two said hs piece to the bikers. In his head, Dick let out a sigh as the first stone was cast, now it was his fight as well, and he hadn't even done anything. But regardless, right now, it was time for action, for just as Dick put his beer down, the large man stood and turned to Jason.

''What'd you say to me you punk ass pretty boy'', he snarled as he began stepping over in front of Dick towards Jason. Instantly Dick sprang from his seat and threw a viciously precise and powerful muy thai elbow, catching the man in the temple and causing him to fall to his knees grasping his head, a bit wobbly.

''Hey, asshole, don't ever step to my brother in a threatening manner again. This time you are lucky I hit you, and not him'', he said as he stepped around in front of him. By this time everyone in the bar was looking, certainly some of the guy's friends were there as they made their way to the bar to retaliate. To finish the job he grabbed the kneeling man by the head and rammed his knee into the front of his face causing him a few teeth to fall out, and the man to fall on the flat of his back unconscious.

As the rest of the men neared him, they paused for a second as they saw their friend on the ground motionless, Dick had no idea whether he had killed him or not, but he certainly did not put enough force behind the blows to do so. ''Alright jackasses, who wants to gargle a their own teeth next?'', he asked and watched as nobody stepped forward for a moment. No doubt the sight of their buddy made them hesitant.

''Fuck you!'', one of them screamed as he rushed Dick with a knife.

Without hesitation as if it were natural, Dick gripped the man's wrist and twisted it causing a snapping to occur and him to holler out in pain before he threw a solid punch that would catch the punk right square in the nose sending him back a few steps before Dick would deliver a painful push kick to his chest, causing him to fly back and roll across a neighboring pool table. ''I just wanted to have a nice night, with some drinks, my brother, and some girls... But no, I have to deal with you wastes of space'', he said as he prepared for the next fighter to come.

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

Jason was still sitting on a bar stool sipping his alcoholic beverage while watching what was happening. He had already crushed the one guy’s hand and Dick had knocked out another. He might’ve looked like he was sitting back and doing nothing, but in truth he was completely assessing the situation. What each person had as a weapon. Which one’s looked like they had a gun tucked into the back of their pants. Besides, he could easily jump in at any given moment and easily take them all out. He was sure of that. It was nice actually having someone defend him for once though. It had been a very long time since that had happened. As it got more serious Jason decided it was time they double team these bastards. He began to chug the last of beverage. When he was finished a moment later he slammed it on the counter, though it didn’t break.


He caught a punch one of the men threw at him and then easily landed a punch square in his face before kneeing him in the stomach and pushing him away. He easily took down two others at the same time. They had been drinking and they weren’t exactly trained. Jason was a master martial artist. This was like a baby game to him. It was too easy in fact. One of the men went to punch him and he caught the wrist and turned it around his back as he went behind him. He saw one of the men take out a handgun aimed at Dick being that Jason was covered by one of his own men. Jason took out a handgun that was tucked into the back of the man’s pants and immediately shot the other man in the hand before he could pull the trigger. He watched the man go down into a chair near him having dropped the gun as he now was yelling. Jason had never been shot in the hand. Though he could imagine it was probably painful.


He let go of the arm he had twisted behind one of their backs. and pushed him forward. He lifted the gun and they put their hands up. “You’ve got to the count of ten to get your asses out of here before I pump so many bullets into you that you die of lead poisoning before blood loss.” he said threateningly. He was being relentless right now. He wasn’t really going to shoot them to death or anything. If Jason was going to do that he wouldn’t have given them the count. His face showed he was completely serious though. He was given them the wolf stare. “One, two, three, four,” he began as the bikers began to scurry over chairs and push each other as they tried to get out the door. Some shouting out threats at him. Things like I’m going to kill you or we’ll be back and other kinds of insults. He knew they were full of shit though. Once they had left Jason slid back into his chair before putting the safety on the gun and placing in his jacket pocket. “Assholes,” he said flatly with clear discontent in his voice. He was acting like that didn’t just happen and it seemed most of the bar had the same idea. Though many eyes lingered on him or kept dodging between him and Dick. Not that Jason cared much.

[Richard ''Nightwing'' Grayson]

Richard smiled as the thugs ran with their tails between their legs. Served them right too, they had no business making up such a fuss when he and Jason were only trying to enjoy themselves. Still, Dick knew he had gone too far, and now people were beginning to stair. ''Maybe we should go, no need to get the police involved in our nights bro. And I'm positive the owner just called them'', he said eying the guy on the phone in the back who started dialing as soon as the fight started. Dick took a long swig of his drink and made a stride for the door bursting outside to make his way to his bike. He was positive Jason was right behind him, his brother knew when an exit was needed.

He threw his leg over his bike and started it to hear it's engine roar. He backed out of his space and zoomed out of the parking lot to stop at the red light. He looked to see if Jason followed. After all, there was nothing left to do there. He was glad he slipped that bar tender his number. After seeing him kick that guy's ass, she would DEFINITELY call him now. If to do nothing but thank him. Everything was strategy with Dick, everything had it's purpose, and everything happened for a reason. Besides, that was enough fighting for one day. ''Damnit... I wish I could have finished my beer'', he grumbled to himself as he looked on for the light to change colors.

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

Jason didn’t smile as the thugs left. He simply watched them with narrowed eyes. Once they were gone his eyes moved over the rest of the people there who were all looking off-put and were staring at them. “What’re you all looking at,” he snapped cooly as all of the heads began to look between each other before looking away. Jason’s eyes moved to Dick as he suggested they leave. He figured that was a good idea being someone was dialing nine one one. He figured that figuring printing him and coming up with Jason Todd as a result would probably freak some people out. Being Jason Todd was dead. Or at least he was supposed to be. “Yeah,” he replied as he turning around following Dick to the door.

Jason stopped in the doorway after Dick had walked out and turned his head to look at them all. All of them seemed to stop what they were doing as they looked towards him with fear. He huffed. “Ungrateful bastards,” Jason said before he continued out the doorway and began to walk slowly with his hands in pockets back to his motorcycle cooly. As if he hadn’t just shot a man in the hand in a bar. Jason got on his bike and put on his motorcycle helmet before going off behind Dick. He wasn’t far behind him and kept close. Not in a weird or dangerous way. He kept enough distance between them. When they got to the red light he allowed himself to go up next to his brother. “We’re we going,” Jason inquired loud enough that the traffic wouldn’t affect his brother’s hearing what he said. Jason didn't know where they were going and he liked to know before he got there. The way they were going they could be going anywhere in the city at that point.

[Richard ''Nightwing'' Grayson]

Dick revved his engine as his brother neared him and spoke. ''I have no idea where we are going. Any suggestions'', he asked, he really planned on finishing his wings and flirting with the bartender, but that just wasn't meant to happen apparently. He waited for the light to change and it was taking forever to do so. ''We can go back to kicking a little ass, the night doesn't have to end in such a fashion. I'm sure, in this city full of crime there is a LITTLE room for us to get some action'', he said smirking as he looked around. At times like this he wished he had super hearing or something, then he could just hear the trouble out and find it like that, but of course, he just had to be a human at this point in time.

As the light turned green he began revving his engine and yelled back to his brother, ''Keep up!'', he said as he took off and left a trail of smoke behind him. He made several lane changes weaving in between cars as he made his way down the crowded street and came to a halt at another stop light. These damned things were getting annoying, it's like, he understood the logic, without traffic signals, people die, but did they have to always be red when he was moving towards them? Damn, he was about to hit two hundred miles per hour, and he was gonna go faster, this bike had potential, and he had tuned it up to reach about 300 tops.

[Jason "Red Hood" Todd]

Jason was so busying thinking as he neared his brother on his motorcycle that he almost didn’t catch what Dick had said. Jason immediately knew what he wanted to do. It was the main thing he had been thinking about. He wanted to get back out there. Don his Red Hood metal helmet and continue his crusade against the criminals of Gotham. Who knows what could of happened while he was enjoying a glass of alcohol with his brother? How many children had lost there parents? How many parents had lost there children? How many banks had been robbed? The list went on and on. He had to get out there and protect his city. Because Batman sure as hell wasn’t going to get the job done.

Jason looked at his brother through his motorcycle helmet. Dick was a smart guy. He was sure that he could figure what Jason wanted to be doing. He was too consumed in his work to think about much anything else other than vengeance. Luckily it only took a second later for Dick to suggest exactly what Jason was thinking. “Good. Then we’re on the same page,” Jason replied just before the light turned green. Jason smirked a bit. He kept right up with his brother with no problem. Each turn, each change of line, he was right there. He stopped at the next light with a frown. He hated lights. Well, rather he hated waiting. He wasn’t exactly the most patient man in the world. He understood why they were needed but sometimes it felt like they just recognized his license plate and turned red. Once the light turned green Jason turned his head. “Let’s kick some ass,” Jason said before taking off.

Continued in A New Duo