Chapter Text
Jason carried an injured Cass to the medbay. Everyone had taken a beating. The cave was silent as the days events washed over everyone.
They left Damian behind. He faced death for them and they just left him.
“Dammit,” he slammed a fist against the cave wall. Bruce looked up from the computer for the first time since they got back.
“Jason, we’ll … we’ll get him back,” Bruce reassured. At least it was supposed to sound reassuring. Right now it was just a reminder of how they lost another Robin.
“What happened?” Superman pushed himself off a medbay bed. His wound had to be cleaned of residual kryptonite before it final started to heal.
“… too much,” Tim answered for them. He looked guilty, probably because they rushed the plans after Ra’s threatened him.
“They put him in the fucking pit. He’s a child, he should be in school right now, not being fucking stabbed!” Jason was starting to get riled up, his vision tinting green as he paced.
Alfred appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Dropping the tray of tea he was carrying. It was startling, to see Alfred so shaken.
Jason rushed to see him, pulling the older man into a hug. The green receding as he did so.
“Welcome back,” Alfred collected himself, eyes sweeping across the room. He fell back onto old habits, pulling out medical supplies from cabinets.
“Report?” He asked. It wasn’t an easy question. They’d been gone for at least a week, maybe more, they had to condense all that time down into a few sentences.
“We were taken hostage by Ra’s with the help of Damian. After unsuccessfully attempts to torture us he decided to move to as he put it ‘making us useful’. This was also when Damian was confronted by the Justice league before returning to help us.” Tim began before suddenly stopping. They all knew what happened next, but no one wanted to say it.
“He died, Alfred. They forced us to fight and Ra’s killed him for refusing an order,” Steph finished for him. Wonder Woman put her hand on Steph’s shoulder. I silent conversation happening I’m the blink of an eye.
“When we got there it seemed deceptively easy. It seems they were just stalling for Ra’s and Damian to arrive. He following commands again. We were losing, but he seemed to take control long enough to let us escape. We don’t know why he was fighting us or why he suddenly stopped,” Wonder Woman explained.
Jason hung his head in anger. This was his little brother, who he had promised to protect with his life, yet he failed when it mattered most.
“He wasn’t in control. Ra’s uses a special poison that forces the victim to follow all commands,” Talia pushed herself into a sitting position. Her back was covered in bandages from where an arrow had struck her.
It clicked. Damian would never betray them, at least not willingly. Ra’s is a bastard. Jason wished a million curses onto the man.
“Technically he shouldn’t have been able to fight back, but Damian has always been good at doing the impossible,” Talia continued, “he used the pit rage for more than just violence, he used it as a tool to take back control.”
Jason felt a somber smile take hold. Of course Damian being the persistent brat he is would find a way to use the pit rage for himself.
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Everything hurt.
Damian’s wrists were rubbed raw from the chains holding him up. His hands having gone numb long. The worst of it was his back. Long lines drawn through skin and muscle made worse with the crack of a whip.
Ra’s had excellent aim, hitting each groove in his back over and over and over. Digging deeper and deeper. Muscles shredded. Blood pouring down his back with each strike.
“72, 73, 74, 75,” each crack of the whip brought the number up. It was supposed to end at 50, but Ra’s wasn’t ever so kind as to dangle the end in site. For all Damian knew, this could go on until he passed out.
“81, 82, 83.”
Damian wondered where his family was now. Probably returned to the cave already. Did they tell Alfred? Are the making a plan to get him back?
“93, 93, 94, 95, 95.”
Or maybe. Has he already been forgotten. Another dead Robin and another Wayne family grave. Will there be a funeral? He hopes in there is, that is won’t be so … dark. If Damian could plan his funeral, it would have bright flowers and colors. I celebration of his life. With all his pets in attendance.
“100, 101.”
It stopped.
Damian could cry tears of joy as his wrists were released.
“I think that is enough for now. Return to your room, tomorrow I expect no more disobedience,” Ra’s commanded. Damian could only nod as he was led out of the room.
“I expect complete silence tomorrow, weapons don’t talk.”
Weapons don’t talk.
So neither will Damian.