jaydick; nightmare

Nightmare.

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// Credit to artists of cover art & chapter art!

A/N -- WARNING: possible tissues needed :')
Songs listened to while writing this:

Howling - RY X
War of Hearts (Acoustic) - Ruelle
Safe And Sound (Taylor Swift) - Sam Tsui and Kurt Schneider
Berlin - RY X
Anarchist (Unplugged) - YUNGBLUD

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The sound of incorrigible, bloodcurdling laughter could be heard throughout the majority of the dark streets of Gotham. The laughter was infamous, and only notoriously affiliated with one individual in particular; the Joker. The madman's identity wasn't a secret to the civilians of Gotham. Everyone knew who he was, and they also knew that all he stood for was maniacal chaos.

Unfortunately, Batman's most broken Robin was caught in the crossfire of that chaos, and had been for about a year now.

"Oh, Jason~!" the horrid voice called out in a sing-song tone, followed by the activation of blinding lights. It caused the beaten and battered man to wince quietly and shy away from the source of light, though all he could really do was turn his head away. He was seated, wrists bound to the wooden chair beneath him, as well as his ankles. Was he in Hell...? Had he died during a mission, and this was his punishment for failing Batman, as well as the rest of Gotham? The thought alone caused a deep frown to etch into his features, and a soft whimper to escape through his hoarse throat, soon lifting his head once his faded viridescent eyes had finally adjusted to the change of lighting.

"Poor, poor Jason... And here I thought the big bat would come rushing to your rescue, what a sob story..." The madman approached the detainee, gradually circling around the chair, wearing his permanent grin that just screamed insanity. The broken Robin couldn't do much but lightly tug at his restraints, but they were way too tight for him to break out from alone, especially in the condition he was currently in. Throughout the months he was missing from Wayne Manor, he had undergone a series of torturous stimulation and twisted games, and overtime they had rendered him completely helpless; unable to defend himself physically or verbally. He hated it. He hated not being able to do anything, as if watching his own end like a useless bystander.

"He'll come for me..."

Was all he could utter out, his voice low and strained from all of the screaming he'd done the past two days. He lifted his eyes to meet the clown's, the dry blood around his face making it difficult to display much emotion. The grin on the Joker's face morphed into a blatantly fake frown, and he halted right in front of the bound Robin, leaning down and placing his hands on his knees as if talking to a small child.

"Aww, now isn't that sweet! I admire your faith.. really, I do! But you Robin's are so... replaceable." He grinned again, "What makes you think he hasn't recruited another Robin by now? A better Robin? A Robin that's actually worth saving..?" Those few words registered into Jason's mind instantaneously, and a sharp pang of hurt and realisation hit his heart. He wouldn't... Bruce wouldn't just leave him. That was nuts. He was coming. By the end of the day, Jason was going to be saved, and he'd be home safe with his family. He.. He was coming... Right? By the time he snapped back into reality and abandoned his depressive train of thought, the Joker was gone, and.... and he was hanging..?

No longer feeling the uncomfortable wood beneath him, he glanced down, seeing his feet limply hanging down. His gaze then averted upwards, seeing his wrists now tied together rather than to the arms of the chair. What the Hell was going on?
Within a few seconds, he heard footsteps again. These ones were heavier though.. familiar, yet from a positive memory.