§tain | chapter seven ~ "I ain't super, birdboy"

Balanced on a silver fork, her teeth sinks all but slowly into the ever so juicy, tender piece of chicken. She wore a neutral face, braids casually falling over one shoulder while she bent over her plate. The perfect picture of innocence. Poised and delicate-like grace. Except for the sauce dribbling onto her bottom lip, her tongue tantalizingly ran over its seam and licked it away, breaking the entire image. Jade was a demon now, all tricks, and cursed with a wicked heart. However, his eyes never left her. A dangerous fascination still lingered there. Curiosity peaked, wrapped in many burning questions.

Dabbing the corners of her mouth with a domino's napkin, Jade finished after two bites. An unlikely human gesture, before pushing her meal towards Rachel - which became the teen's third helping of the night. Dick didn't mind her greediness so much than what the ex-hero killer did next. He found her dull hazel eyes, dull as two copper pennies, glinting in the dim lighting of the room. Jade sent him a wink, dark lashes kissing her pale brown cheek and tilted her head back to drain the rest of the chardonnay sitting in her wineglass. She offered him and Rachel some earlier, but he had politely declined for the both of them. Because for one: Rachel was underage; and two: He antagonized this new veritable attitude she wore like a second skin.

If Jade thought she he's easily fooled, she has lost her touch. She was in the kitchen now, in front of a beat up kitchen hovering before the contents inside. Dick couldn't see much of it since she turned to the counter, he glimpsed her holding a tightly sealed bag. Again, Jade turned where he could not follow what she was doing. But he still heard plastic being torn and liquid filling the glass. Eventually, she swiveled around, crushing the now empty bag. Rivulets of red trickled down and stained her skin.

Memories flooded his overflowing mind. Whereupon an abhorring image formed. Images of Jade and the blood of her victims on her skin after having slain them mercilessly. They sent shivers down his spine. Though Jade didn't seem to care. He recalled how she'd suck on her fingers after they'd fallen dead; as if she were glaring finishing the most delicious meal she ever had. She even did that now, tongue sopping the dark red trails of liquid off her hand like she couldn't wait. Fear settled in him just as it had when she slaughtered. He'd see the look she was wearing, and the cold fire in her eyes. A walking epitome of a monster among society set to kill just for the hell of it. Jade paused long enough to sip from her glass as she was coming to rejoin them at the table. Once she did, a heady scent cut through the air and filled Dick's nose. It wrinkled upon its familiarity, impending his brain like a predator's insatiable hunger.

Blood. She was drinking blood.

With that, it startled him at the horrible realization. His stomach roiled with disgust, but his face betrayed any emotion of a sort. Nothing ever gets past Jade. She flashed him a razor-sharp smile, teeth hideously bloody red. "That wine rarely ever does me any favors, but this-" she held the glass up to the light almost like it were a silent cheers to sating her glaring desire for human flesh and blood.

It fell deathly quiet after that, other than the only sound being the gentle scrapes of their silver forks against the fine china. Jade had long muted the television, however, no one braved to make light conversation. They stuffed their faces instead. Using that mostly as an excuse to remain encompassed by the heavy silence. Except for Gotham's ex-hero-killer. She swirled the contents in her glass and then drank from it rather than enjoy the very meal she must have spent hours preparing. She drank and drank, each sip becoming greedier than the last. It was inhuman, the sight. But the worst of it, though, was how oblivious Rachel seemed to it all. The purple-haired-teen enjoyed her dinner in humble quietude. His gaze flicked to Jade who wore a sly smirk behind her drink.

What game was she trying to play? They were enemies, through and through, yet, she invited them in- despite the minor mishap earlier - and was feeding them from out of genuine concern that they haven't had a decent meal. Since their attempting to locate her. Deep down, he knew she was toying with him. Behind the benign act and charismatic front, lied a sadistic nature. It tangled her victims in an inescapable web before she devoured them-but not him. Not this time.

"How come you won't eat?" Dick asked before he thought to realize it was a foolish question.

Such questions often received a ruthless stab to the eyeball by her thoughtless hand in an instant. With a gaze overshadowed by blood lust. Like as they had when she first opened the door, saw his face and spaced for seconds at a time. Dick was all too familiar with her thought process, predicted very moments when she was ready to go in for the kill.

She didn't answer at first. She only stared and stared until her body gave a gut wrenching laugh. "You and your questions, birdie. They're about as wild as an untamed horse."

"But-" he canted his head. "why?"

Her eyes downcast, falling upon the wine glass she sat on the table. "I do." she said. "Sometimes. But certain things can get a little rich for my taste." she didn't elaborate. Though she didn't need to. A sign stretching beyond those words hit him hard, like a blow to the gut. Jade couldn't eat human food like she wanted. Weird.

"Then why cook if you can't enjoy it?"

She shrugged, gaze never straying from the glass. "I don't know. I guess... it gives me a purpose." Meaning, it allows her to feel normal. His mind thought beyond it. Overlooked the emotions settling in his stomach Dick looked vacantly at everything else but her, taking in the open, and spacious living room. Tastefully furnished in modern, but homely styling. It was comforting, the warm browns, rich blues, and accented, eccentric whites all melded together, beautifully to create a welcoming aura ever present. Even the sliding door looked adorned in such fashion Beaded curtains drawn back, displaying where the prevailing city lied beyond this disreputable neighborhood.

"Does this mean you're dieting? Rachel spoke up, shattering his thoughts. Her clear blue eyes dropped to the wineglass filled with blood. 'Like a juice cleanse.' She was still unaware of what was going on.

Jade's head tilted to the side, a sweet innocent smile lighting up her face and dull hazel eyes. Gone were the bloody stains. In their stead were pearly white gleaming in the dim light.

"Let's go with that."

Rachel nodded and shoveled a forkful of chicken and noodles into her mouth. Languorously, slurping a hapless noodle which lapped at her chin, and left behind a smatter of sauce behind. She took two domino napkins to wipe the mess away, glanced up at the woman and said, "All done."

She chuckled, "Damn. Quite a hungry one you've got here, birdie. Seem's her appetite's insurmountable."

"I feed her." he answered bluntly.

"Pizza and coffee." was what Rachel added; though her words softly spoken, as if muffled by a gloved hand. The ex-killer heard her loud and clear.

She shook her head disapprovingly. "Well, if you still have room..." her eyes flicked to Dick's for a split second before reverting to Rachel. "I have Ice cream in the freezer; or if you prefer donuts, they're on the counter."

"Wait." Rachel sat up. "Really?"

"Sure. Have both if you'd like. I'm not one for throwing food away. I'd rather giving it to those who either want or need it." she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Thirty seconds later, rambunctious clattering of dishes sounded from the kitchen. The purple-haired teen scoured cabinets for a bowl, drawers for a spoon, and the freezer for the carton of snickers ice cream. Dick bothered not including himself with any of it. He busied himself by eating instead. Stabbing stray pieces of chicken, and twirling noodles, then shoving them into his so furiously. And chewed meticulously before he swallowed. He kept repeating this process over and over - until it became a pattern. Stabbing, twirling, chewing. Taking his frustration out on the generous meal. The savory sauce left a bitter taste - or perhaps it was his thoughts doing such.

"Eh, kiddo." Jade called over her shoulder. Rachel paused. Three ice cream scoops sat proudly in a decorative ceramic blue bowl. "You can enjoy your dessert in the living room. Watch TV."

She smiled. "Something tells me you're a 'Games of Thrones' fan."

The teen made a sound caught between a gasp and a laugh. "How d'you guess?"

"A 'GOT' aficionado, such as myself, always does. Lucky for you, I've got HBO." she pointed in the living room. "My firestick's just on the stand."

Dick's teeth grounded at her words. Jade was up to no good. He could feel it in his gut, in his bones. Shit was about to go down. All she need was Rachel out the way. The teen lost no time striding into the area and flipping on the television. Instantly, the room resounded with the indubitable roaring of a dragon. His, glittering, unflinching gaze never left Jade. She sat sideways in her chair, arm slung over the back. From this angle. Hesitated. The sereness about her returned. Her cheekbones were striking, lips full and mulberry pink, and hazel eyes soft and bright - her body swiveled around suddenly, and she caught him staring. His head jerked down reverting to his plate.

"You keep making that face and it'll stay stuck that way, birdie." teasing entered her voice so smoothly. Like water through the floodgates. She pointed at the deep lines etching his features. "Worry lines" his mother liked to call them. She too, used to tease him for how he worried often too much. He'd usually got hot about it, but she would shake her head and gently smooth them away. Dick ignored the memory and Jade even when she said "You look like a senile potato."

His eyes rolled. "Make all the jokes you want, but I'm still on to you."

She gasped, mouth agape, and eyes wide. Her hand came to rest over her chest in utter shock. "How could you say such a thing, birdie? I did nothing wrong."

"Right you didn't." He leaned forward. "Which means this whole 'I'm the most harmless creature on the planet' bullshit act you're putting on is not fooling me." He stared right into those hazel eyes. "I know you for what you're really are, Jade."

She said nothing. Her body sat still. So still that Dick's heart felt as if it might burst from his chest.

"You're a monster. No matter how innocent you make yourself appear, that aspect will always stick with you."

For a moment, it fell quiet. Neither said a word. The detective watched her carefully. Watched her silent perceiving gaze and still figure for movement of any kind. Any which may cause his death. But she remained eerily still. He could hear his heart beating louder than the roaring dragons on TV.

Jade's lip curled into a dangerous smirk. "It's funny how you talk so graciously of such - when you yourself are about as innocent as those fiendish villains running Gotham's streets."

Dick didn't so much as flinch at the remark. Though his brain drew horrible images of his many mistakes. Unforgivable ones. "However. it isn't as funny as you showing your stupid face after all this time."

"What?" he managed, blinking a couple times, as if that would help snap him back into reality.

"Oh, come on, birdie." Jade perched at the edge of her seat. It squeaked from the shift of her weight. "Stop pretending this is a 'friendly visit'." her fingers air quoted right before they laced together on top of the table. "If that were the case, you'd done it five years prior than later."

He fell back, deflated. She knew exactly why he came. Good. But if she were addressing it like this - especially after getting rid of Rachel... then that was bad. Terrible actually.

"You came only because you wanted something." her voice neared a sharp, cutting edge; ready to pierce through him like jagged rocks. All he had to do was fall over the edge. But he wouldn't/ Not today. Not when too many lives hung in the balance.

"Tell me, birdie" her lips pressed against the wineglass, breath fogging its fragile surface as she spoke. "What does your heart desire?"

Many things, he wanted to say. Many. "Still the same old Jade I see. You're always looking at what the heart wants."

"Isn't that all what enters the human mind? Makes human flesh numb. Their desires?" she set her drink aside Full. "And, you my old friend," she looked him up and down. "are dealing with some issues."

Dick shook his head, "This isn't about me."

"Sure." she twirled a braid around a finger. "I'm assuming you mean the girl."

His arms folded across his chest in reply. "It is." Jade's eyes gleamed. "Does she even know?"

No answer.

"Hm... I guess not." her lips pursed, hinting amusement. "Sneaky, birdie."

"None of that matters." he said. "I gave up the whole sidekick thing." Dick had expected a reaction. One similar to what Dawn made when he first said those same words. Jade's face kept an uncharacteristic, but neutral expression. Looking at it, he might have appeared unbothered by it. Howbeit, inside he was screaming.

Seconds passed until she finally spoke. "Do you still carry that stupid suit around?"

He went mum. No response of any sort seemed necessary then, because she already knew. "You haven't given it up then." her tone was soft, but her meaning was icy. Her eyes peforate his soul, reading him like an open book. Dick hadn't forgotten her ability. It freaked him out every time. Though, what got to him the most was how unafraid she was to do it. Knowing what a person wanted was scary, yet she did it so with no hesitation.

"Playing hero keeps you in a safe place." she continued. "But part of you feels that you're corrupted by Bruce's influence."

"Now you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Inevitably lost." The more she spoke, the hotter he felt in his chest. Anger spewed so dangerously. They didn't have the luxury for a soul reading. At this rate. Dawn and Hank could be dead - or worse, Hank's testicles were being taxidermy'd. Dick needed to say something, quick. For everyone's sake.

"Oh, my - birdie." Jade breathed. "How hypocritical of you to call me a monster." she stared him right good in the eyes. Tug-of-war. They were playing tug-of-war. But instead of rope, there were a string of firing shots being sent left and right. Either of them could slip up, and in return, suffer.

"You're one too." she beamed.

"No." he exploded and slammed his fist on the table's surface. Everything on it shook upon the impact. "Don't you fucking ever compare me to you?" His finger then pointed accusingly at her. "You're the monster. You've always have and always will be-"

Something horrible rose in his throat and choked off his words. Sharp as knives, it lodged itself there enabling him to complete his sentence. Dick's fingers dug at the tables' edges soon as agony took root and wracked his body with a great jolt forward. He coughed out of desperation to rid what seemed stuck in his esophagus. But his attempts proved futile because he discovered a supernatural force bound his mouth.

Dick grunted painfully and glanced, meeting the searing pinnacle mark on Jade's neck, and then her glowing left eye. She was behind this. His words, dauntless and undefined as they intentionally been, initially applied to emasculate her intractable pride, now asphyxiated him under her taciturn- induced command.

"Birdie." she tsked at last, shaking her head. "You never cease to amuse me." a biting laugh followed. Both bitter and resoundingly unsettling, it echoed his mind bringing up a bunch of cuss words he so badly wanted to yell in her face.

Jade leaned back in her chair. "First, you show up here unannounced then let that insufferable child attack me. But I invited you both inside my humble home - despite our differences - and fed you out of kindness - which I had every right not to show. Yet how do you repay me?" she glared at Dick with an iciness that seemed to penetrate his bones.

"By calling me a monster not once, but twice." She held up two fingers as though he's incapable of fathoming her words alone. "Now I like to consider myself very reasonable and understanding." Jade sighed and shook her head again. "But you make that especially hard. And we both know that I could kill you after what you did to me."

He stilled when her glowing red eye picked at him adroitly, her tone allegedly descending into a more demonic range as she stated, "kill you dead and make her watch." Jade tilted her head over at a distracted Rachel who looked too grappled by the TV to notice the ongoing commotion in the dining area. Dick digested her every word, believing them as a promise made long overdue. He waited to suffocate. To die. His nails leaving scratches in the grainy wood of the table from her relentless condemnation. Hank and Dawn would die. At that point Rachel. He'll go to hell having failed the high schooler. But death never came.

He glanced, seeing Jade while she shrugged after a minute as though at long last considered his fate. "But I won't as long as you remember your place."

"Keep in mind that you're beneath." she said. "A mere weakling bearing no strength that will overcome my power." She released him and he lurched backward hacking. The whooping cough sounded loose and wet, like thick phlegm was sliding up and down his throat with each violent expulsion of air. Except he tasted metallic bitterness than mucus. Dark red- similar to what Jade drank earlier - splattered the table, forming the word that'd been on the tip of his tongue before the bitch bounded his lips. 'Fuck you' it read as clear as dark words against the crisp white pages of a book. He sent her a tight-lipped glare, cursing whatever possessed him to pay this she-devil a visit. As much as he hated to admit it, Dawn was right. Jade hadn't changed. Not one bit. She was still the same old soul perceiving, bloodthirsty, and implacable killer from ten years ago.

"Continue what you were saying, birdie." she waved, setting a fist under her chin.

"I need your help to save Hank and Dawn." he blurted through the dull ache in his throat, voice sounding like it'd been buried it for ages then dug up.

Jade lifted a perfectly, arched brow. "Those two bozos?" Then rolled her eyes. "What'd they do now?"

"I believe they're in trouble."

She said nothing for several seconds. These pauses were irking him. "So you sought me out, after all these years so we could do a classic Stain/Robin team up and save your old asshole teammates?" Her forehead creased and for a moment, his brain tingled and the corners of his lips itched to smirk in hopes she might agree. At least for old times' sake. Knowing she spent five years retired and alone. Leading a normal life, but working at the world's crummiest job, and living in a crummy apartment in the crummiest part of town. No one could go on so long without cracking. Not even the strong girl with the strong name.

"Yeah... no." she shook her head. The smirk he wore deflated along with his hope. "I refuse helping you on some daring rescue mission. Especially if it means to help save the 'Bonnie and Clyde rejects'. Last I checked, I ain't super, bird boy and I'm most certainly ain't a hero."

"You could be." Dick pressed. "What about that robber you took down at Walmart earlier this evening, huh? Those people you saved?"

"The fucker was in my way so I felt obligated to shove my foot up his ass. And those people took out their phones and record the whole thing." she pointed out refusing to give in. "I was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Which also goes for the robber who's ass I resized."

"You're really gonna sit here and call what happened today a coincidence?"

"Exactly." Jade nodded enthusiastically plastering on a smile.

Dick palmed his forehead, near damn ready to accept defeat. Jade was still stubborn. You couldn't convince the ex-hero killer to change her mind more than you could convince a toddler that the sky chartreuse.

"Although," he heard her say and peeled two fingers finger back to find her leaning forward with her elbows resting on the table and both fists tucked under her chin. "Suppose if I lent you my help... what would you possibly give me in return?"

Uh-oh. He thought. Compromise never turned out beneficial with Jade. She was always plotting. Using them as stratagems to gain advantage. Compromise was dangerous. Compromise led to an unspeakable death. But Rachel.... His eyes fell on the teen sitting in the living room. This could be his one shot at giving her a normal life again. "Well..." he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. Was he really considering compromise? He really must have a death wish. "... I don't know. Whatever you want in terms of money or praise."

Her laugh cut him off, this time sharper than the last. "Praise? Are you shitting me?" she kept laughing and even took to wiping nonexistent tears from her eyes. "And damn, I thought Barry Allen was funny, you know, until I ripped out his spine."

"Yeah, yeah." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why is everything a fucking joke to you?"

She panted sitting back. "It's not just funny - I mean..." Jade took a breath. "How you actually believe that I want praise from those putrid humans is inexorable."

Dick's hard gaze softened to an inscrutable look.

"I'm not like you, birdie. I don't use Gotham to feed my pride." She replied candidly. "I'm angry, vindictive...someone who's out for blood."

Because of him. It's always been because of him.

"Expect nothing good to come from me, birdie. I'm a predator and prey's should never trust a predator. Especially not a little robin such as yourself." They were dangerous words. Vehement but a warning. One he should play close heed. But he was never one to heed warnings. Not even hers.

Jade stared at him for odd seconds at a time, as if she's thinking on something. He pictured the cogs in her head turning, weighing options. "Now that I think about it, maybe seeing the stupid faces after I save their sorry asses might actually be delicious." she smirked. "As you know, I've had a shitty day and could use another good laugh."

Dick immediately perked up. "Really?"

She looked into his eyes, scanning them with her own. "Ah..." she shrugged for what seemed the thousandth time tonight. "... sure. What the hell."

"Thank you-"

"But," she said holding up a finger, silencing him. "under one condition."

Dick tensed, worried she might ask for his soul. "... what?"

Jade twisted a braid around her finger, effortlessly sliding back to her flirtatious machinations. "You'll. Owe. Me. a favor." she said after several heartbeats later, cruelly wounding his apprehension like it was a clapping cymbal monkey. "I call you you come, and do whatever I tell you to. No questions asked."

This was bad- hell worse than he could've possibly imagined.

He swallowed, throat still aching. "Can you just take my soul instead?" 

~

Author's Note

So this was one hell of a chapter. Took me three fucking weeks. Whooo!! Next one will up soon. Till next time.