IMEEJI INBOX

[mind_blown]

"This is Jason. Leave a message.

Or don't. I don't care."

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[iamverybadass]

[ The good news is Talon has forgotten about birthdays

The bad news is he's staring at Talia with a stricken look of alarm ]

You knew her?

[mind_blown]

[look, this is the first time he’s seen her in his memories, but he glances at Talon. Because a few things click in to place that he doesn’t quite like.]

Yeah. I did, I guess.

She must’ve been the one paying for the teachers.

[that he was killing.

He also realized slowly— was. Was she the one giving him a direction to channel his rage...?]

[iamverybadass]

If she was behind your instruction, then she was using you.

[mind_blown]

[there's... something akin to doubt on his face when he says that, but he quickly fades into neutral confusion.]

This must have been close to when I came back to life.

[he was younger... he can tell that much.

and it doesn't force him to address Talon's statement directly.]

[iamverybadass]

—Came back to life?

[ It's an effective distraction ]

[mind_blown]

Maybe.

[he considers.]

I'm not as young as in that Robin memory. But I'm younger than I am now.

[by a lot actually.]

Maybe-- at least 5 years ago.

[iamverybadass]

I didn't realize you'd...

[ Rather than actually finish that thought, he trails off weakly ]

I would have been eight then. ...Did we know each other then?

[mind_blown]

I don't think so.

[a brief pause]

Anyway.

Guess I knew your mom, kid.

That doesn't change my opinion on the shit she did to you.

[though she clearly didn't act like the same woman around him]

[iamverybadass]

I don't want to discuss the things she did to me.

[mind_blown]

Okay.

[iamverybadass]

[ He wraps his arms around his knees and scowls out at the city for a minute or so, breathing little puffs of smoke and sparks ]





Do you recall Lazarus Pits yet?

[mind_blown]

[the name doesn’t even ring a hint of familiarity in him.]

No.

But I got a feeling you think they’re important.

[iamverybadass]

They're used to resurrect the dead.

[mind_blown]

... and they’re connected to your mom’s family.

[he sounds joking but there’s definitely a sharpness in the look he’s giving.]

[iamverybadass]

And they're connected to my mother's family.

... It explains a number of things. How my grandfather managed to live as he did, for example. You, apparently.

[mind_blown]

[there’s a long silence.

He doesn’t look at Talon, instead looking out over the city, quiet.]

... our family is so fucked up.

[a quiet admission]

[iamverybadass]

Understatement.

[ There's really nothing else to be said about that ]

[mind_blown]

Yeah, but I don’t say it out loud enough.

[iamverybadass]

What does saying it out loud do for us? It doesn't change anything. It's not going to make it less fucked up.

[mind_blown]

[a shrug.]

It won't.

But it makes me feel better.

[iamverybadass]

It just reminds me how abnormal we are.

[mind_blown]

... You're kidding, right?

[iamverybadass]

Are you?

Name one normal thing about our lives.

[mind_blown]

No, our lives were abnormal.

I'll give you that. But what are you comparing us to, here?

[iamverybadass]

[ He shrugs stiffly, scowling out at the city again ]

Other people here, obviously. Even people who have been through bizarre lives themselves are still regularly confused or shocked by my life. Or my behavior. Dealing with their pity or concern is tedious.