[ kyle gives him a long look. there is no way, not even for a moment, that kyle believes jason would be okay with him killing the joker. accepting of it if there was down the line, sure, but deliberately taking that kill away from him is not something kyle imagines jason tolerating. ]
I chose to keep you alive. If I ran into the Joker, he'd be dead. That's all there is to it.
[ he could have chosen otherwise. but he rather have his actions be about saving a life, even if that life wants nothing to do with him than killing. killing was . . . well, easy. it no longer hurts kyle to do it. after all, it's just another part of his humanity, left adrift. ]
( this wasn't even a why haven't you offed me yet conversation. bringing up killing jason in relation to killing the joker hits a sore spot. jason pulls himself up to his feet, tugs at the sleeve of his jacket. )
What, was that on your list of considerations? If you come across Joker, you'll kill 'em. If you come across me, what, you guess you'll let it slide?
Oh, for fuck's sake. You're the one who gets all cranky when he doesn't get picked. Now you're mad that I did?
[ there is absolutely no winning with this lot. this is why he keeps his distance from bat business. it's all tangled up in egos and traumas and kyle does not have that kind of patience anymore. ]
It's one thing to hit a guy hard in a fight and keep him down, but I'm not going through the place, hunting down every psychopath to put them on the wrong end of my ring. If I did that, there'd be nothing left of me.
So now I'm just some psychopath. ( a psychopath chosen out of a pile for kyle to go eh, i'll leave that one alone for now. his jaw clenches tight, hand dropping away from his sleeve but he's--shifting the way he's standing just a bit. putting one leg in front of the other, distributing his weight more heavily on the front foot than the back. getting ready to throw fists, even if he's not reaching out just yet. )
A fucked up mess who you choose to let continue parade around, 'cause, what? It's more fun that way? 'least I'll come around and keep you entertained? Or is it that you figure, I ain't worth the effort? 'cause if you went for everyone on my level, you'd just run out of juice?
[ that is not even remotely close to what he is saying, god. he can feel a headache coming on. ]
That is not what I meant. What I meant was if it came to choosing to protect someone's life over killing another, that is what I would choose. Seriously, man, just repeat what you just said to me and tell me you think that makes sense. That there is a ounce of that in me to play fucking power games.
I'm just throwing your shit back at you. I chose to keep you alive. I would've made it final with Joker. I'm not hunting down every psychopath..
( this is where he'd usually start rolling his eyes. but he's having a rough week. he's been having rough weeks. but it's--all of this, everything, and he's running on edge. hands curl into fists instead, but keep at his sides. )
[ he takes it in. the tension, the edge. kyle's a fighter too and he bristles at being read so poorly, but he's never cared that much about his ego or pride or what anyone else thought of him.
so he doesn't move. waits. then he asks. ]
Do you want me to see you as a psychopath? Is that who you are now?
( he wishes he was a that tipping point of just losing his shit right now. but jason isn't. he's standing here running through all the crap that's pissed him off, the crap that had him reaching out to stephen strange of all people, and every other messy thought that's gone through his head since getting here and he knows damn well what this is. it's jason finding holes in everything, again. taking sentences and twisting them up enough to find a reason to be angry. waiting for something to take off so he can bounce off of kyle's own irritation and escalate it until they're both bruised and pissed but at least jason'd be less antsy.
pisses him off more that kyle and dick keep not giving it to him. where's bruce when he needs someone to bounce off of who'll throw it back at him. why is kyle like this.
jason considers reaching back for the coffee table and throwing it just to break something but there'd be no way to take that aside from him throwing a stupid tantrum. fingers uncurl. the fight goes out of him. he lets out a harsh breath between his teeth. )
Oh fuck off, Rayner.
( he's going for the front door, because it's too light outside and it's too crowded in this city to think he'd get away with a window exit without someone getting suspicious of who lives inside kyle's apartment. and instead of slamming it like a normal person throwing a fit, jason'll opt to leave it wide open. )
[ kyle lets out a quiet exhale. maybe later he'll offer some kind of sparring match or beat up. but the tension had been overpowering. one of them would lose their grip and there's no telling how far they'd go.
and it's too dangerous. kyle may not have the kind of temper the jasons do, but something still burns cold in him. grayven's death was a blip in his eye. nero's permanent incarceration was nothing. he may not even be alive. kyle may not even care. and somewhere in space, major force is still screaming.
he sips his coffee quietly. best to leave jason space. he'll break in again when he needs it. ]
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no subject
I chose to keep you alive. If I ran into the Joker, he'd be dead. That's all there is to it.
[ he could have chosen otherwise. but he rather have his actions be about saving a life, even if that life wants nothing to do with him than killing. killing was . . . well, easy. it no longer hurts kyle to do it. after all, it's just another part of his humanity, left adrift. ]
no subject
( this wasn't even a why haven't you offed me yet conversation. bringing up killing jason in relation to killing the joker hits a sore spot. jason pulls himself up to his feet, tugs at the sleeve of his jacket. )
What, was that on your list of considerations? If you come across Joker, you'll kill 'em. If you come across me, what, you guess you'll let it slide?
no subject
[ there is absolutely no winning with this lot. this is why he keeps his distance from bat business. it's all tangled up in egos and traumas and kyle does not have that kind of patience anymore. ]
It's one thing to hit a guy hard in a fight and keep him down, but I'm not going through the place, hunting down every psychopath to put them on the wrong end of my ring. If I did that, there'd be nothing left of me.
no subject
A fucked up mess who you choose to let continue parade around, 'cause, what? It's more fun that way? 'least I'll come around and keep you entertained? Or is it that you figure, I ain't worth the effort? 'cause if you went for everyone on my level, you'd just run out of juice?
no subject
That is not what I meant. What I meant was if it came to choosing to protect someone's life over killing another, that is what I would choose. Seriously, man, just repeat what you just said to me and tell me you think that makes sense. That there is a ounce of that in me to play fucking power games.
no subject
( this is where he'd usually start rolling his eyes. but he's having a rough week. he's been having rough weeks. but it's--all of this, everything, and he's running on edge. hands curl into fists instead, but keep at his sides. )
no subject
so he doesn't move. waits. then he asks. ]
Do you want me to see you as a psychopath? Is that who you are now?
Or are you just taking it out on me?
no subject
pisses him off more that kyle and dick keep not giving it to him. where's bruce when he needs someone to bounce off of who'll throw it back at him. why is kyle like this.
jason considers reaching back for the coffee table and throwing it just to break something but there'd be no way to take that aside from him throwing a stupid tantrum. fingers uncurl. the fight goes out of him. he lets out a harsh breath between his teeth. )
Oh fuck off, Rayner.
( he's going for the front door, because it's too light outside and it's too crowded in this city to think he'd get away with a window exit without someone getting suspicious of who lives inside kyle's apartment. and instead of slamming it like a normal person throwing a fit, jason'll opt to leave it wide open. )
no subject
and it's too dangerous. kyle may not have the kind of temper the jasons do, but something still burns cold in him. grayven's death was a blip in his eye. nero's permanent incarceration was nothing. he may not even be alive. kyle may not even care. and somewhere in space, major force is still screaming.
he sips his coffee quietly. best to leave jason space. he'll break in again when he needs it. ]