"I love you, Jason." The words fell gently from Mel's lips, dripping with affection. Of course she was the first to say it. She tended to wear her heart on her sleeve.
Jason was quiet for a moment, obviously taken aback by her confession.
That wasn’t the response she’d been hoping for. "It's okay!” she hastily said. “You don't have to say it back. I know it's difficult."
"Mel…" Jason sighed, his hands traveling from her hips to her shoulder and cheek. She was straddling his lap, face just inches from his. They’d been sharing a kiss before she spoke up, but his gaze fell away from hers now, unsure of what to say.
She felt much the same, blurting out, "I'm serious! Just pretend I didn't say anything."
His silence continued for a few moments longer, heavy as Gotham clouds draped over them. "You know you mean more to me than I thought anyone ever would," he finally said, his voice soft. "I didn't believe I would ever have this."
"Me either," she admitted. "Kinda figured I was too damaged for this. Figured I'd spend my days keeping to myself."
"Just…" Jason paused, considering his next words carefully. "Give me time, sweetheart."
"Of course, Jay. Take all the time ya need.” Mel smiled, cupping his cheeks and brushing her lips against his, the touch soft and reassuring. “I'm not going anywhere."
A stray bullet tore through Mel's abdomen, hot metal cutting through flesh like a knife through butter. The pain brought her to her knees and then to the cold floor. She’d gotten careless and hadn’t moved out of the way quickly enough.
"Mel!" Jason cried out, putting a bullet in the head of the gunner who’d shot her before running to her side, taking her in his arms. "Mel, baby!"
She let out a cough, then a groan. "Jay…"
"Shh. Don't push yourself, sweetheart." He gently brushed the hair out of her face, his voice soft despite the modulator in his helmet. "You're gonna be okay, all right? You're made of tougher stuff."
She grabbed a hold of his arm, sputtering out, "Don't know about that…"
"Don't you give up on me!" Jason shouted frantically, doing his best to get her bleeding under control.
A little smile pulled at the corners of her lips as her golden eyes began to fade. She just barely managed to gasp out, "Jay…"
All she could hear in response was his voice calling out her name as everything went black.
It was the squeeze of a familiar hand around hers that pulled her from unconsciousness. Fluorescent lights buzzed above her, and she squinted as she came around, trying and failing to lift a hand to shade her eyes. She was alive, but thoroughly exhausted. Everything hurt.
"Melantha?” It was Jason’s voice. Even wiped out as she was, she’d know his voice anywhere. “You there, baby?"
"Fuckin’ shit, Mel." He let out a nervous laugh, reaching out to touch her cheek. It took a heinous amount of energy, but she turned her face into his palm, her eyes slipping closed. "You had me really worried there for a minute."
"Told ya I wasn't going anywhere," she said with a weak chuckle.
His blue-green eyes were misty when he said, "Good.” His smile was strained, and it didn’t quite reach his eyes, but there was a softness in it that she’d never seen before. “I'm gonna hold you to that."
Teetering on the edge of consciousness, infinitely comforted by his presence, Mel murmured, "I love you, Jay."
This time, Jason pulled her in close, careful of her wound. "I love you too, sweetheart,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, too.”
Thank you @ablushofrobins for editing 🥰
(Dividers are not my creation. If anyone could help me credit I'd be grateful. My dumbass forgot to take note before saving them.)
Reminder to follow my dc/Mel blog @nightblooom
