“god damn it.”

jason snarls under his breath, the putrid smell of the abandoned cave causing his eyes to sting. he struggles to keep his gaze locked on the corpse the green, vibrant liquid slowly envelopes. the waves balter around the body in a way that sends shivers down his neck, even if the process looks almost painful.

he knows better.

returning to the lazarus pit hadn't been a personal choice, jason was sure he could spend his saturday night without the nausea building in his stomach, cleaning out his pistols until the next job called. but he never had his luck go right, forcing his hand with the desperation of the skills the person he revives has.

but jason is sure; by doing this, he's no bigger than talia was when he was revived. he knows the misery the pit brings, and the after-effects you can never eliminate. how nothing about this is natural, how he is the biggest selfish jack*ss for not caring about choices. just because his will was ignored and body used, doesn’t give him the right to inflict the same torture upon another person.

but he’s so goddamn desperate. when the major threat appeared and every plan failed, bruce brought up the deceased ally they used to have. his throat clogs with the gas that emits from the pit, sending his knees scraping against the rocks beneath him, hastily attempting to wipe off the sweat building on his forehead with his sleeve. the green glow of the pit makes his cells vibrate, making him almost relive his own experience. even recalling it has the chill run down his bones.

he feels his stomach churn as his wide eyes watch the corpse emerge back to the surge, panic slowly setting in as hands claw against the water. that so familiar wheezes and gasps and cries. god, he feels so sick—

his feet move before he thinks, kicking off his boots with a curse as he plunges into the pit. green envelops him instantly — making his body stir and stomach churn.

"i'm so f*cking sorry." is all he can manage while his arms wrap around frail limbs and tugging them out.