When calling a random stranger āmommaā in public out of nowhere, Jason expected many things. To be slapped. Called a weirdo. For the person to grab their kids and leave. All of those were appropriate reactions that Jason wouldāve expected. Afterwards he probably wouldāve locked himself inside one of his safehouses and hoped for death once more to save him from embarrassment.
What he wasnāt expecting was the person he called mother to simply smile and laugh at his predicament before offering to explain it to him. No. Not what he was expecting at all. Ā Ā
The stranger who he now knew was named Danny, called for both kids-Dani and Dante- and said that they were going to grab something to eat. That had the kids cheering and kickinā it into high gear to get closer to their parental figure. But as they got closer, they seemed to notice Jasonās presence and stuck close to Danny as they climbed onto their lap and continued to look at Jason curiously. Ā Two pairs of blue eyes stared at him searching for something. What though, he really didnāt know.
It wasnāt until Danny reached down and pulled them closer to their body did the kids look away.
āYou two be nice,ā he warned. āheās a new friend and weāre going to have to talk about a lot of adult stuff for a bit. He might even be family soon.ā
That words had three pairs of eyes on Danny this time. Jason knew that whatever he had going on was definitely strange, especially with the āmommaā or whatever. But for someone who was facing the brunt of it all, it seemed to be taking it all fairly well. If by telling his kids to go easy on him. Ā Hopefully he would get some answers out of him soon.
Which lead to Jason here: sitting across from Danny in a Bat Burger with a burger in front of him while the kids chowed down on both of their meals. As he watched the two kids eat with a youthful and playful vigor, Jason thought back to a moment ago to when the parent ordered for the kids: two robin meals for the kids and a full-on Bat-meal for Danny. Then, the cashier asked whether or not Danny wanted to Jokerize his fries. No doubt an automatic question heād repeated a thousand times. But the response definitely wasnāt.
The cashier was met with the icy stares of Danny and the children. All of them filled with anger, malice, and hate. Jason felt the room drop several temperatures and was too scared to move. And while he wasnāt facing Danny, he felt something. It was the at feeling again. But it was colder, much less motherly, and oh so angry. It felt worse than the pit rage.
āNo.ā Came Dannyās cold response, his voice devoid of the warmth and kindness that it held when he and Jason first met. And from the looks of it, the poor cashier looked like he was going to faint. Probably even regretting asking the question in the first place.
Ā But Danny managed to calm himself down and pay the still frightened worker before going to sit down with the kids; leaving Jason to order with a cashier that could barely stand up straight and was constantly shaking. He imagined if Danny hadnāt stopped, something worse couldāve happened than just a cold chill.
Now, they were sitting at a table in the corner of the restaurant. Jason idly taking a bite of his fries as his eyes focused on the two kids who were eagerly eating their meals with smiles on their faces and a mess already forming around them. Danny ate his food at a much calmer pace. Keeping an eye on the two while absent mindedly wiping their faces clean when they got too dirty, only to watch the kids dirty themselves all over again.
It was strangely domestic, and Jason wouldāve thought that they were a normal family other than the fact that these two kids were the children of a parent that was worryingly young. He prayed Danny was an adult. Because he didnāt know how he felt if the Lazarus Pits made him imprint on a teen.
As if sensing his stirring thoughts, Danny looked up at Jason and let out a soft sigh. āWell, I guess I ate enough to start talking. So, what kind of questions do you have?ā
Swallowing the last of the fry in his mouth, Jason leaned back in his seat as he thought of what he wanted to say. He had a million questions: who was Danny? Who were his kids? Did he know about the pits? Why was he so calm about an adult calling him momma?!
So many thoughts ran through his head, but Jason decided that it was best to start with from the beginning as best as he could. āWhat do you know about the pits?ā He asked, staring at Danny with a set jaw as he waited for the answer. If Danny had known about the pits, Jason wanted to know why and how he came into something so dangerous.
Danny didnāt look like someone who worked with the League. Even if looks could be deceiving, there was something about the way he carried himself was tooā¦normal. At least, not assassin level heād seen on Talia. Just from the looks of it, Jason knew that Danny was a fighter and protective of his kids. He saw it in the way he looked around the restaurant when they entered and how he sat on the edge of the booth. Keeping the two inside in case there were any threats. All while keeping a look out the window for anything out of the ordinary. If Jason was a civilian, he wouldnāt have noticed. But as former Robin and the Red Hood, it was hard not to notice the caution and almost paranoid actions as they talked.
As he waited for an answer, Jason watched as Dannyās brows furrowed at the question. Confusion clear in his blue eyes as he stared unblinkingly at Jason. It was starting to get a bit creepy if Jason was being honest.
āWhat are the Lazarus Pits?ā Danny asked, eyes searching Jasonās for some sort of answer. It was obvious that he didnāt know about the Ā Ā Ā
His confusion was honest then. If he didnāt know the Pits by that name, then perhaps something else? Before Jason could ask, a younger voice answered Dannyās question.
āI know, Momma! I know!ā Dante said, waving his tiny fist full of french fries to get his mothersā attention. āItās that yucky ecto. Remember? I told you it tasted icky.ā The child explained, face pulled back in disgust as if talking about vegetables and not a deadly substance used to bring back the dead in a sick and twisted manner.
What shocked Jason even more was that was what got Dannyās attention. His eyes lighting up in recognition before he nodded. āAh, those! Yes, yes, I know what they are. Nasty things.ā Ā He said to himself, shocking Jason even more. Because one: why did a child know about the Lazarus Pits when his mother didnāt? And two: how did a child know about the Lazarus pits when their mother didnāt?! Ā Wait-their? Why was he thinking of Danny as his mother so quickly?
As he tried to process his thoughts and the new and quickly festering feelings, Danny spoke.
āFrom what I know, those āLazarus Pitsā that you speak of is nothing but rotten ectoplasm.ā The younger male explained with a shrug of his shoulders. āThey come from cracks and leaks of the Infinite Realms. But since this is the human realm and not the infinite realms, the ectoā¦. expires. Goes bad in a sense.ā Danny took another bite of his burger as he spoke. āSo really, itās nothing more than bubbling garbage water.ā
Jason could feel his brain falling apart under all this information he was gaining at once. The Lazarus Pits, the unholy grail for Raās al Ghulās everlasting life was sewage water? He couldāve laughed if it werenāt for the fact that Jason has been in the stuff as well. Hell, he was sure about half of the bats have interacted with them in one way or another. But if so, why was he the most affected out of all of them? Why were they not raging like he was?
His silence mustāve made Danny worried as he leaned forward to get a better view of Jasonās face. āEverything is okay, starling. I can answer any questions you have, okay?ā He said, his hand reaching over the table for Jasonās before stopping as if remembering the two had only just met. Jason felt his chest tighten when Danny didnāt grab his hand, but he didnāt move to grab it either. Instead, he looked at Danny head on.
āThe Infinite Realms. What is that?ā Jason asked, starting with the biggest thing he wanted to cover before diving into the absolute madness that was this situation.
Danny leaned against the table at the question. Head resting in his hand as he seemed to contemplate his answer.
āItās everything I guess.ā Danny said. āThe true space in between the living, the dead, and all things beyond. Heaven, Hell, Valhalla, Elysium, Hades, even limbo. Whatever afterlife humans believe in, it is all connects and bleeds to the Infinite Realms. And thatās just one part of it.āĀ
Jason took in this information like it was a lifeline. Which it was, in a way. Any way he could get rid of this pit madness, heād listen to any boring monologue.
āTruly, the Infinite Realms is home to some of the more powerful ghosts,ā Danny continued, once again wiping one of the kids faces as he spoke. āA majority of those ghosts are technically conceptualized beings that adapt and grew powerful overtime. Those would be the Ancients. Some of the most powerful in both the Infinite Realms and the mortal Realms.ā
āLike Granpa Clockie!ā Cheered Dani, excitement bouncing in her eyes. The little girl began to float up in her chair but was brought down by Danny gently patting her head with a chuckle.
āYes, like Grandpa Clockie.ā Danny turned to Jason. āClockwork. The Ancient of time itself. The kids love him and heās a big softy to them as well. And also, one of my mentors.ā
āMentor?ā Jason asked, surprised by that title. It made him curious as to what Danny could do to be deemed to be a mentee of the concept of time.
Danny nodded but didnāt say anything else on the matter. Instead, he went on with his explanation.
āThen there are the ghosts. Humans who have died with heavy emotions and feelings that they couldnāt let go at their time of death. Itās either that or their death unlocks new feelings and needs for them toā¦live, in a way. Those are obsessions. Rule one and two: Do not ask a ghost about their death or their obsession. Thatās a one way to become public enemy number one and be Ended permanently.ā
Jason, who opened his mouth to ask about Dannyās obsession-not his death, obviously-clicked his mouth closed as soon as the warning slipped Dannyās lips. As nice as the younger male was being to him, he didnāt want to risk disturbing that kindness and possibly becoming an enemy to this supposedly powerful being.
āAnd me? What does all of that have to do with me? About this strange connection that we have?ā
Danny blinked at the question. Thrown off with blue eyes staring at Jason as if he grew a second head before a flash of realization and embarrassment flashed in his eyes.
āOh! Yeah, right. Sorry. Iām so used to the lessons by my mentors that I usually just spit out that information verbatim.ā
Danny then glanced around the Bat Burger, making sure there was no one paying attention to them before he carefully leaned across the table.
āYou do know you died, right?ā Danny whispered, looking at Jason with apprehension as if the thought hadnāt occurred to him.
Jason gripped the edge of the table at the question. So tight that he thought that he might chip it. He mightāve chipped it if he looked. Because of course, the reason that this strange feeling bounced around him was because of the worst day of his life. He felt relieved that it didnāt have anything to do with the League of Assassins, but he wasnāt out of the woods yet.
āYes,ā Jason bit out after a moment, taking a deep breath and slowly letting go of the table. āYeah, I died.ā
Danny stared at him for a moment longer before nodding in what seemed to be acceptance before leaning back.
āSorry about that. I know I pretty much almost crossed one of the rules I told you about, but you canāt be sure. Sometimes the most difficult kind of ghost to deal with is the one that doesnāt know theyāre dead, yāknow?ā
Jason slowly nodded his head in understanding, wondering if this wasnāt the first time Danny had to explain this. And if so, how badly had other ghosts reacted to their unknowing deaths and existence as undead?
āBut anyway,ā Danny said waving a hand, āall ghosts have a core. A replacement of a human heart in a way. Their emotions, their entire being, all of that is in their core. You destroy that and no ghost can come back.ā
His expression darkened. The air around their booth seeming to chill in an instant. Jason swore he saw his breath in front of him as he gasped. But what surprised him was the kids being unaffected. Just eating like nothing
Ā āA ghost doing that to another is one of the highest forms of offense which can lead to exile or their own death in turn,ā Danny answered coldly, āitās a big no-no. Okay?ā
And as soon as it happened, the air returned to its stale and warm atmosphere of the Bat Burger, with Danny clearing his throat with his cheeks a faint pink. He didnāt mean to lose his temper then.
āExcuse me.ā Danny apologized with a small smile. āBut it is a crime in the Infinite Realms. A big one that no one takes lightly. But weāre talking about you, so I guess I better get to it.ā
Jason nodded. His elbows on the table as he leaned close as possible. The explanations were great, but he wanted to know why he specifically was affected like this after all this time.
Danny sighed, leaning back in the booth while toying with the straw to his drink.
āOf course, when people arrive to the Infinite Realms-when theyāre born-everything is new to then: your senses, your abilities, especially your core.ā
Danny sat back up. āYour core technically adapts the fastest. It replaces your heart in every way that matters while also doing more. It also gives you additional senses that can be detected and projected. Senses like safety, anxiousness, aggression, sadness, etc. But what when talking about you, what had happened was a bond.ā
Jason sat up, eyes inquisitive and excited to finally learn about why he acted like this. He glanced down at the kids, who had moved from their food to Danny's. Though it seemed like he didn't mind as he slid the food towards the twins for them to eat.
Danny gave a timid smile when he noticed Jasonās gaze. āYeah, sorry about doing all that. But my friends say I have a bad habit of skipping over important details. So it's either oversharing or not knowing the important things at all." He chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Anyway, think of it this way: you know how some people talk about a baby crying when their born only to calm down when given to their mom or dad? The bond can work like that in all directions. Blood, or ectoplasm, doesn't matter. It reaches out and clings to the person. Sometimes in love, sometimes in hope, sometimes in desperation. And from the feeling of it, your core was really desperate."
Jason furrowed his brows at that. "Desperate," he repeated slowly, as if the word wasn't in his vocabulary, "desperate for what?"
"For a bond, most likely. Or at least another ecto being." Danny answered with furrowed brows. "Most ghosts have some sort of bond, even if it's just some sort of enemy. But then again, from the feel of it, your core isn't stable. So maybe it reached out to me in order to help stabilize it?"
Danny leaned forward on the table, he was staring at Jason more intently. Head tilted to the side as he focused on it.
"Those 'pits' we talked about ealier are toxic, even for the infinite realms. If those how you earned your core, then that can explain why it reached out to me. A corrupted core that had no real extoplasm. It's probably been making you act out in all kinds of ways that aren't good."
Jason bit back the scoff he wanted to let out. 'Act out is definitely one way to put it,' he thought dryly, thinking to his days of pit rage and how it'd be days before he could calm down properly.
"So, how do you suggest we do this then? Does cleaning my core fix me? Stop this bond?" He asked, hands gripping the table tight enough that he definitely heard it creaking under his weight this time.
Danny shook his head. "Stop the bond? No. A bond can be broken, yes, but cleaning your core can't do that. That's something you'd have to do. If you want it."
He looked down at Jason's hands. "As for fixing you, I'm going to guess that the pits had a lot of effects on your body-" Jason snorted "but with a clean core, you'd definitely be in more control and could probably use your ghost powers. Develop properly and we can work from there. I might have to ask some people to help to learn about the process, but after that and we get you healed then we can focus on the whole momma thing, deal?"
Jason stared at the young man across from him. The man who heard a grown man call him momma and rolled with it. The twins who were staring at him, his supposed siblings, with interest and perhaps excitement. They would be his chance. Perhaps his only chance of being normal.
Jason took a breath, sliding his untouched fries over to the twins, watching as they eagerly dug in to the food before turning to look up at Danny.
