Chapter Text

Jason wakes up very abruptly to Constantine's face in his. Jason definitely does not startle, he's a b- he was a bat. Trained by Batman himself, The League of assassins, and the All-Caste, a singular British man would never startle him. Well… Maybe Alfred is an exception to that, he was always very silent for an old man. Jason stands up from the uncomfortable, ugly brown couch, nearly knocking Constantine over.

"What the fuck are you doing, man?" Jason snaps, unsettled, he didn't remember falling asleep.

Constantine blinks looking at least ten years older then he did the day before. His blue eye's look a little more haunted, which is concerning…assuming the magician had not left the apartment since Jason showed up.

"Well, mate…you've put a bat shaped bounty over my bloody head and your soul is completely fucked. Like levels of darkness I've only seen in the pits of hell, fucked. To put it to ya straight kid, no clue if i can pull any of this shit off without killing you and i in the process."

Well... He's so fucked, isn't he? Wait a bounty-

"What do you mean a bounty, Constantine?" Jason questions calmly. "I have no affiliations with the bats or Batman anymore."

Constantine just raises an eyebrow at me like I'm stupid. The dickhead lights up a cigarette and takes a long drag, exhaling smoke as he speaks.

"Yeah mate, doesn't matter. Once a bat always a bat. No one knows you're here do they?"

Jason shakes his head frustratedly and seethes, his fists clench tightly as he physically forces himself to sit down and breathe. A couple of deep breaths later, Jason sighs heavily. shoulders sagging with an invisible weight.

"You said my soul was…fucked… what do you mean by that?

John is so done, he's tired and desperately needs a drink. This kid just shows up threateningly when he's drunk and blesses him a fucking impossible task. Also the looming fear of Batman and his clan, which he is not fond of dealing with right now or ever. Isn't helpful ever. Being in this kids presence has aged him by at least fifteen years.

He sighs loudly and puts out his cigarette, rubbing his face as he says slowly to Jason.

"Your soul is…I've never seen anything like it. It's tainted with Lazarus magic as well as death itself, like literally. Lady death has a hold over your soul like she's claim you. Have you met her before, kid?"

As soon as the words leave my mouth the kid tenses and clams up. Great, bloody brilliant. Jason looks pale and the kid's eyes flash green. He fits the very definition of uncomfortable.

"You died didn't you? It's alright kid, happens to all of us eventually." John says casually before realising its probably not helping, "Do you remember anything about being dead? anything at all? I gotta know kid, I'm sorry yeah?"

The kid just shakes his head at me and whispers hoarsely,

"I remember dying but not…not after. I probably went to hell for all i know." the kid grumbles at me.

I just look at him with sympathy before trying again. "Hell? you ain't got a trace of that place on ya kid, i know that much. You reek of death and Lazarus magic, not Hell."

The kid blinks once, then twice, his mouth is agape and he shuts down like a fucking overheated mac book. Fuck me I'm such an insensitive asshole, where's Zee when you bloody need her.

I didn't go to hell?

I-

I hardly believe it, I know Constantine is not trust worthy and-

oh fuck...

I really didn't go to hell did I?

I-

How?

"Oi kid!" I shout, trying poorly to snap the kid out of whatever spell he's under. Not literally, of course. "Kid? Jason? mate-"

The kid stands up abruptly, I step back and watch him warily. Jason's eyes are fucking glowing like neon lights. He walks right past me straight out the door. I can only blink in confusion, what the ever loving fuck is wrong with that kid? I sigh, grabbing a large, dusty book on dark magic. Collapsing onto the couch, i start to reading whilst taking a swig from the nearest bottle of whiskey.

He hopes the kid will come back, he'll die before he admits he's worried about him.

Nearly ten hours later the kid stumbles through the door, Jason is drenched in rain water and…blood? John startles awake from his nap that he totally meant to have.

"Fuck me kid, you don't do things half way, do ya?" I groaned tiredly, "come on lets get you sorted, yeah?"

I ramble as i help the kid to the bathroom, washing out his hands with more care then i have energy for. I turn the shower on and expect Jason to get in. To my surprise, he doesn't Jason just stands there basically catatonic. I swallow my pride and help the kid out of his drenched clothes, leaving him in his boxers to save him at least a little bit of dignity. Grimacing at that god awful vivisection scar I get him in the shower. Slowly I wash Jason, dirt and blood washes away down the drain. Jason doesn't snap back into reality until after I somehow get him dressed, and laying down in the bed I hardly ever use. He gasps with glossy eyes…

"I really didn't go to Hell?" Jason says it so quietly i almost miss it and Christ, this kid.

"No you didn't Jason… God knows what happened to you, mate. But no kid deserves to go to hell." All I can think about is Astra when I whisper those word to the kid. Watching an innocent kid being dragged to hell because I failed her is all I ever think about when i meet other children occasionally. This kid was innocent, Jason was innocent and brought back from heaven probably as a cruel twisted joke by God for all we know. Fuck the Bat's, fuck the consequences, I'll help the bloody kid myself and probably die trying.

Jason drifts off to sleep and I compulsively start researching, I won't fail Jason like I did Astra. I won't repeat the Newcastle incident. I will fix this…