Green Flecks

The Pull -Chapter 1

Cover Art is mine

TW for the whole fic: Blood, trauma, past torture, fear, mentions of vivisection and experimentation (non-graphic).

---

In Gotham City, every night held something unexpected. Between muggers, crime lords, and Batman's horde of rogues, something was bound to happen. Jason had no idea what he was expecting tonight, but he could have never predicted it to be the pit bubbling under his skin. He absent-mindedly scratched his forearms. It felt odd. It wasn't painful, per se, but it was very uncomfortable. A feeling that was urging him somewhere, most likely a trap. But the feeling would not leave him no matter what he tried.

Jason narrowed his eyes under his helmet as he scanned over the dim lights of Crime Alley. The pit rearing its head was never a good sign. All it ever caused was problems, and unfortunately, they usually festered into even larger problems if he didn't get rid of them.

Jason sighed and allowed himself to be guided by the invisible pull. He was careful to keep close track of where he was going, not willing to leave things to chance, especially if they involved the pit.

It was.. strange. This time seemed different. It wasn't a surge of emotion or a field of green clouding his thoughts, telling him to take what he wants- this wasn't even started by an emotion that Jason could have had! It felt almost like... A plea?

Whatever it was, it was plea-ding him over in that direction. Might as well find out what's happening, it wasn't as if Jason had anything else important to do tonight.

As he searched, he felt the pit tugging harsher, the goal coming closer. It made Jason feel more jumpy and protective; a feeling that the pit had never been connected to before. Jason bit his lip, apprehension building in his gut.

As Jason continued he briefly thought of calling Dickwing or someone else in for backup, but that thought was dismissed as quickly as it came. He was The Red Hood, a vigilante ex-crime boss for Pete's sake, he could handle this type of stuff on his own. And he definitely didn't need any bats breathing down his neck while he does it.

Right then suddenly something caught his eye, pulling him from his thoughts. A flash of white light. He turned his head to face it so his sensors could pick it up. Using the enhanced brightness in his helmet, he found a green glow coming from an alleyway. He narrowed his eyes and grappled down to the ground.

Jason was surprised when he found a green substance dripping in small puddles all the way into the alley. He crouched near the mouth of the alley, closely inspecting this.. goop? It was the same toxic color as the Lazarus waters, but it clearly had a different consistency. Jason voted against touching it, for now.

Jason's eyes widened when he heard a whimper coming from the back of the alley in the darkness — so dark that not even his helmet could see into.

Jason's heart fell. It sounded like a kid.

"Hey," he tried calling out, slowly rising up, only to wince at the sound of his heavily modulated voice through the helmet. He flicked his palms up in a show of peace.

Another whimper. Great, now he was scaring the kid. Jason quickly reached up to the release and pulled off his helmet, hooking it onto a clip on his belt. He still wore a domino underneath at all times, even though Dick would always poke fun at him for it. But it still helped calm down kids.

"Hey, it's okay." Jason reassured, trying to keep his voice as level as possible. He cautiously stepped forward into the alleyway, taking slow, deliberate steps around the trash littering the sides. He heard the sound of the kid moving, probably to hide as far away from Jason as he could. "I don't want to hurt you."