011

— chasing shadows —

March 28, 3:23 am

THE COLD WIND NIPPED AT THEIR SKIN AS THE BIKE CAME TO A STOP IN FRONT OF THE OLD APARTMENT BUILDING. Hazel pulled her helmet off and Gar unwound his arms from her waist. He pulled his helmet off and stared up at the building. "This the right one?" Gar asked, sliding off the bike and stretching his arms.

"Yeah, I can feel the same energy," Hazel said, nodding. She hid the bike down a dark alley before Gar pushed open the back door and they started to walk up the long stairs. They walked silently down the long hall to apartment number 7. Hazel looked at Gar and she nodded. He knocked on the door twice before taking a nervous breath, taking a small step back. Gar waited another moment before knocking again, quicker this time. Gar looked up at Hazel who offered him a weary smile.

The doorknob started to rattle and Hazel turned to the door. The door creaked open and a woman's hand shot out, tightly gripping a gun she aimed at the pair. Hazel moved in front of Gar and he gasped softly. "It's 3:00 am. Who the fuck are you?" The girl snapped.

"Hi, Molly, isn't it?" Hazel questioned, keeping her tone steady. "I'm Venom, this is Beast Boy. You might have seen us on TV, were Titans. You uh, wrote a letter to Jason Todd..." Gar grabbed the letter from his pocket and passed it to Hazel over her shoulder. Hazel opened the blue paper and presented it to Molly. "It says you want to help him, we do too."

Molly slowly drew the gun back and closed the door. Gar sighed and started to turn but Hazel gripped his jacket and he turned back just as Molly opened the door. She looked up at Hazel and she offered a smile, "Can we come in?"

"Does he talk?" Molly asked as she made space for Hazel and Gar to walk through.

"Normally yeah," Gar nodded. "Just, not with a gun at close quarters." Gar chuckled nervously as he closed the door behind him. Molly's apartment was small, cramped with unique figures and posters. Molly walked to the centre, stopping between her bed and the dining table, half of the table stacked high with books and papers.

"And Jason knows a pair of Titans how?" Molly questioned, standing with her arms crossed.

"We had friends in common," Gar shrugged.

"Had?" Molly challenged.

"It's complicated. Have you seen him lately?" Hazel asked, Gar stopping at her side.

"Not in a while," Molly confirmed. "Last time he showed up here, he found a missing kid for me."

"And he seemed okay?" Gar continued.

"I mean, other than the whack suit? Yeah, tip-top." Molly nodded.

Gar took a deep breath, "Jason's in trouble. We need to find him."

"And then what?"

"Some people want him dead," Hazel said harshly before taking a small step closer. "We just want to help him. And I think you do, too."

"How does this happen?" Molly mumbled. She took a deep breath and sat on the edge of her bed. "He was erratic. But he cared. Then he wakes up one day and he's just... I don't even know. It's like the old Jason died."

Hazel's eyes shot away, her gaze wandering over Molly's room and Gar let out a soft sigh. "When Jason came back, was there anything different about him, his voice, the way he walked?" Gar inquired.

"Like dead-and-come-back-to-life-different?" Molly's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I don't know," Gar admitted. "I'm trying to figure this out like you."

"What are you asking me?"

"We need to speak with him," Gar answered. "Fix this."

"And you think you're the two for that job?" Molly snapped. Molly cursed Gar under breath, switching languages to hide her comment, "Help? You don't even know him."

"My name is Hazel Lillis, and I made that guitar," Hazel spoke up, the sudden switch to Spanish making Molly's head snap up. Hazel motioned to the hand-crafted guitar hung over Molly's bed, the body painted by Jason the moment he bought spray paint. "Jason and I stole his brother's credit card and brought so much paint that night we painted some of my completed guitars. I sent it to him when he moved back."

Molly crossed her arms, "You're very talented."

"Thank you," Hazel said with a nod.

"What?" Gar asked, looking between them.

Molly chuckled softly and shook her head. "I'll try and get a hold of Jason, the second I hear anything I'll let you know," Molly promised, and they nodded. Gar handed her his phone, exchanging their numbers before the pair left her alone.

7:47 pm

Cole stood in front of the mirror, fumbling as he tried to tie his tie. He huffed and straightened out the suit, partially grimacing at the crinkled shirt. Hazel wandered down the hall, stopping at the open door. "Need help?" Hazel asked, pausing in the doorway.

Cole looked up at her through the mirror, throwing his hands up. "If you don't mind," Cole muttered. Hazel laughed and walked to him, starting with properly buttoning the fancy silver silk shirt. "I can't believe Dick is dragging me to this thing."

"He's just trying to figure you out, it's like a really backward job interview," Hazel laughed, flattening out the collar.

"Now you really should come."

"To a gala? Where I get to watch you perv on random guys for three hours?" Hazel teased, pulling the tie tighter. Cole furrowed his eyebrows and Hazel chuckled. "The more you go in my head, the more I learn little things about you."

"Well, I dress better than half the boys, so that should've given it away," Cole snarked, making Hazel laugh. "Which also means you will also dress very nicely and should join me because Dick intimidates me, and I'm scared. I am scared of Dick. He is terrifying and mean and tall, really tall. Why is he so tall? No one needs to be that tall." Hazel laughed at Cole, spinning her finger to grow a rose from the gold clip on his chest. "Can't you just suck it up? Just put something nice on."

"No," Hazel complained, "You'll spend three minutes with me, then some handsome guy will come over and sweep you away, leaving me with Dick Grayson and small talk."

"Then bring Gar."

"It's bring a date, the only reason you're going is because Dick is Bruce's son," Hazel said, shaking her head as she leaned back against the small bedside table.

Cole shrugged, "I don't see your point."

"Date, Cole, it's bring a date." Cole shrugged again and Hazel rolled her eyes, "We're friends Cole."

Cole scoffed slightly and crossed his arms over his chest, "I have seen that boy almost snap his neck because he heard your laugh and wanted to know why you're laughing. But yes... Friends."

Hazel sighed, rubbing her eyes, "Stop going through my head."

"I didn't-"

"Yeah, sure, just keep your mouth shut," Hazel turned waving over her head as she stepped toward the door.

"You should tell him-"

"Enjoy the Gala!" Hazel yelled, stopping her brother's comments.

Cole laughed and rolled his eyes, "Accept it, Haze!"

Hazel raced down the stairs, speeding towards the kitchen. She yawned as she stepped into the kitchen, sending Dick a wave as she opened the fridge. "Hey Dick," Hazel called with a smile. She pulled out a pop and turned to Dick standing by the kitchen island, but her eyes moved to the dark-skinned boy in a thick bomber jacket standing by him.

"Hazel this is Tim, Tim this is-"

"Venom, holy shit," Tim shrieked, his smile growing to show all his teeth.

Hazel looked up at Dick who shook his head softly. Hazel scoffed softly and tossed aside the cap to her pop. "The Poison Ivy knockoff? Sure man," Hazel laughed.

"I've gotta run, I'm taking Cole to the gala," Dick spoke up and Hazel nodded with a good luck expression. "Can you take him home?"

"Can do," Hazel nodded. Dick smiled at Tim once more before walking toward Hazel who held a hand out to stop him. "Go easy on Cole, he's a little scared of you." Dick scoffed at Hazel, but she quickly slipped past him, urging Tim to follow her.

Hazel led Tim to the garage where they hoped into the first fancy sports car closest to the entrance. Tim stayed silent until Hazel got out onto the roads, where Hazel finally broke the silence, "Where am I taking you?"

"Excellent Gotham Golden Noodle House, it's near Harper and Downtown," Tim answered, and Hazel nodded softly. Tim stayed quiet for another second before turning to face Hazel completely. "I know your Venom; you don't wear a mask."

Hazel sighed softly and shrugged, "Okay, your point?"

Tim bit his lip in thought before finally shouting with confidence, "Bruce Wayne is Batman and Dick Grayson is Nightwing," Tim stated with a proud smile. "You're all Titans, why else would you be at Wayne Manor?"

Hazel sent a side glance at him but kept her eyes focussed ahead on the road. "Okay, I'm Venom," Hazel said, raising a hand in defence, "but I can tell you Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne are not superheroes," Hazel assured. Hazel turned down a street and huffed, "Dick got caught in the attacks the other night, I was fixing him up."

"You can heal people?" Tim questioned.

Hazel furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at Tim, "Were you hurt?"

Tim shook his head softly. "Nah, my dad, he was shot," Tim answered.

"Is he at the Noodle house?"

Tim laughed softly, "Yeah, he refuses to stop."

"If you'd like, I could heal him," Hazel offered. Tim turned to her, and Hazel shrugged, "It's the least I can do. I wasn't there to help then, but maybe I can help now."

They continued down the road until stopping at a Chinese style noodle shop, golden lights lightning the interior a bright golden. They jumped from the car, Tim leading her through the doors. Tim called for his mother in Cantonese, letting Hazel's eyes wander around the little shop.

The boy sitting at the counter looked up from his phone, his eyebrows furrowed. "Who's your friend?"

Tim went to answer but his parents rounded from the back and Tim quickly shut his mouth. "Oh! Tim, I didn't know you were bringing a friend," His mother called, smiling brightly.

"Sorry Ma, this is..."

"Hazel Lillis," Hazel greeted, taking a step forward to shake the woman's hand. "You may have seen me on the news, I'm Venom from the Titans," Hazel explained. The boy set his phone down and Tim's parents paused. "Tim said you were shot in the attacks. I'm really sorry, but one of the many things I can do is heal people. As I said to Tim, I could help you now because I couldn't help then."

"Just trust her ma," Tim insisted,

"It saves you a future hospital ride at least," Hazel joked, and Tim's father smiled. He sat down, pulling his shirt back to reveal the bullet hole just below his shoulder, and Hazel walked to him, gently grazing her hand over the wound. "You, Mr Drake, are one very lucky man," Hazel muttered, but she kept her smile. Hazel hovered her hand over the bullet hole in his shoulder and her eyes went green. Hazel flexed her fingers and the tissue melded itself back together, leaving no sign of a scar.

Hazel smiled and stepped back, "All done."

Tim's father petted his shoulder and smiled to himself. "Thank you, Miss., Now we can use the money to fix the windows." Hazel followed his eyes and looked up at the windows, three bullet holes had cracked the glass, the window splintering.

"Unless you can fix that too," The boy at the counter joked. Hazel looked over her shoulder at him before walking to the windows. Hazel pressed her hand to the glass and vines wound up the window. Hazel's other hand pressed against the vines, and they rippled into glass, melding the window back together.

Hazel shrugged and smiled. "I can fix that too," Hazel nodded. Tim smiled and laughed softly. "Can I grab some food?"

"Hell yeah," Tim laughed. He quickly put together a snack box and passed it to Hazel. She pulled out her wallet, but he waved her down. "No, no, you fixed our window and healed my dad."

"Well then," Hazel mumbled, she took out two hundred bills and slipped them into the tip jar. "It's a large tip." Hazel walked out the door before Tim could argue. Hazel unlocked the car, already thinking about the questioning of her monthly budget being short 200 dollars. Hazel set the food on the front passenger seat and as she walked to the driver's side, she stopped, watching Tim jog toward her. "I'm serious Tim, keep it," Hazel insisted.

Tim huffed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Can I ask you something?" Tim questioned.

"Course."

"Do you know the Robins?" Tim asked and Hazel nodded. "Who was the second? The dead one. I used to think it was Jason Todd because he was also a Bruce Wayne kid. But then, I saw him the other night."

Hazel stepped forward, her eyebrows furrowing. "You saw Jason Todd?" Hazel questioned, closing the car door.

"The night my father was shot," Tim confirmed. "He was standing across the street from the shop wearing a hoodie. He was making some call, but I didn't hear what he was saying."

"And you noticed him in a hoodie, at night, from across the street?" Hazel repeated.

"He walked like Robin," Tim explained and Hazel raised her eyebrow at him. "That's how I figured out who Nightwing and Batman are. I studied Robin, too."

Hazel nodded and smiled. "You know how Spider-Man doesn't share his identity? Even to the other superheroes?" Hazel questioned and Tim nodded. "That's Robin. I know you wanna learn about this stuff, help out, whatever but don't push your luck. Those attacks were bad, you need to focus on you and your family." Hazel paused and grabbed a pen from her pocket. "If anything goes wrong..." Hazel wrote her number on Tim's hand. "Feel free to give me a call. Nice to meet you, Tim."

"We'll meet again," Tim called before turning back to the Noodle Shop.

Hazel pulled herself into the car and called Cole. She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, the ringtone filling her ears. "What's up, Haze?" Cole questioned.

"Are you at the Gala?" Hazel questioned.

"Yeah, you finally put something nice on to join me?" Cole chuckled.

"I need you to find someone for me," Hazel requested. Cole quickly told her to wait as he found somewhere more private and quieter. He gave her a quick acknowledgement and Hazel continued. "There was a boy by the Drakes restaurant the other night."

"And who exactly am I looking for?" Hazel stayed silent and Cole sighed. "That Jason kid, isn't it?" Hazel let out a small hum, picking at the sides of her nails. "Okay got something, give me a sec..." Cole grew silent, and Hazel waited in silence, continuing to pick at her skin. "Uh, Old Street, near Cross avenues, grey hoodie."

Hazel breathed a sigh of relief, "Thanks, Cole. I'll see you later." Hazel clicked her phone off, tossing it aside. She pulled the car out onto the road, following the street signs to Old street. She parked the car down an alley, taking her phone and locking the car. Hazel held her hand out, lightning the dark street ahead of her as she dialled Jason's number. It rang a few times and Hazel cursed, "C'mon Jay."

"Can you stop calling me," Jason snapped, pushing himself off the brick wall. Hazel clicked her phone off and stared at Jason, noting the sickly pale colour in his face and the dark circles under his eyes. "It's getting hard to ignore you. Especially when you get Molly on my ass." Jason turned and walked away but Hazel ran after him.

"Wait, Jay- Jason please," Hazel called. She grabbed his wrist and stopped him spinning him to face her. She took a breath, stammering as she tried to soothe her breathing, "Just... talk to me. What happened Jay?"

Jason shrugged Hazel's hand off and snapped at her, "Go away Hazel."

"No!" Hazel grabbed his collar and slammed him against the brick wall. "Hanks dead, Dawn gone, Dick's fucking crazier than ever and Gar and I are losing our minds looking for you!" Hazel shouted. He tried to turn away, but Hazel shoved him back into the wall.

Jason met Hazel's eyes, pausing for a moment before pushing Hazel back. "Shit happened, okay!?" Jason snapped. "If you're still my friend, let me go."

"I know it's not your fault."

"How do you know that!" Jason shouted, his voice cracking. "I fucked things up so bad!"

"You were hooked on Scarecrow's shit!"

"Doesn't matter!" Jason turned and staunched away.

"I fucked up to Jay," Hazel called and Jason paused. "With CADMUS. I was fucked up with whatever they put in my brain. I almost killed the Titans, I killed a fuck ton of people, and they still forgave me. You helped me then, let me help you know." Jason stayed silent and Hazel shuddered tears threating to spill over her cheeks. "I found my brother Jay; do you know how bad I wanted to tell you? I wanted to call you. I wanted to tell you about him. Let me help Jay. Settle this with Dick. It's not too late."

Jason turned and looked over his shoulder. "You gonna tell the others?"

Hazel cast her eyes down. "You know I have to."

"Is your brother nice? He's not being a dick to you?"

Hazel shrugged, "You should meet him."

Jason sighed and shook his head, "Stop calling me."

"I won't." Jason sped off into the dark and Hazel cursed, running her hands down her face. "Fuck." Hazel turned back, hopping back into the car. She dropped her head against the steering wheel, trying to calm her panicked hands. She grabbed her phone, calling Dick as she dug through the Chinese food.

"Please be important enough to get us outta here," Dick pleaded, laughing softly.

"You like me, right Dick, I'm part of the team?" Hazel rambled, taking a bit of the spring roll. "You would give me the benefit of the doubt if I did something objectively stupid but secretly really brave, right? Plus, I did heal you after you did something stupid, so I think we're pretty even."

"Hazel, what's wrong?"

Hazel sighed, "I talked to Jason."

— rage —