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Jason gets a dose of fear toxin out of nowhere one night; Scarecrow hates him, particularly, after City of Fear. Everyone knows that the Arkham Knight is now Red Hood, and also Jason was personally there to see Scarecrow get beat down. So he's kinda getting used to the fear gas, which doesn't make it any better.
Tonight it's not Joker's rictus of a grin, or Steph with Black Mask's hands round her throat, or watching Dick fall with his ropes cut. Tonight it's Damian, something a little off about his face. "You weren't even a replacement," he's saying. "I'm the real son. Father didn’t even bother to look for you." Jason keeps telling himself it's not real but what the hell kind of good does that do?
Fear toxin Damian has Joker's boney hand on his shoulder now, Damian's smug grin disappearing. "Jason?" he whispers. "Jason!" he yells as Joker pulls him backwards. Jason keeps telling himself it's not real, but he's not so sure anymore.
Maybe he's back at the Asylum and the last decade has been another trick, another game that Harley's playing. "I make the best games!" she always said, and he'd end up turned inside out, all his rawness exposed. A year in the Asylum with the two of them and sometimes he thinks she was worse than Joker. Maybe he'll wake up soon and Joker will be there with his crowbar and brass knuckles. Maybe Jason will get lucky and die this time.
"Jason! Jay, honey." He comes back coughing and sobbing, rolling to throw up. It's Steph, of course it's Steph. His gloves scrabble over her armor.
"Where's Damian?" he growls, putting the helmet back on. "Is he okay?"
"He's fine," Steph promises, a little confused. Jason relaxes, soothed. He knows she's real, knows he couldn't come up with someone like her. "He's back at the mansion trying to threaten Tim, like always." She taps at the front of his mask. "Are you alright? I thought you usually fight it off."
"Strong dose." She nods, putting his head in her lap. "Damian's really okay?" he asks again; Joker's been dead for six years now but Jason still worries, sometimes. That Joker will get his hands on everything Jason's built, bring Bruce low again, finish the job with Barbara, or, worst of all, get to Steph.
He has to throw up again and is barely fast enough with the helmet. Steph doesn't flinch. "Damian's fine. And patrol's done for the night," she says over the sound of his retching. "Let's go home."
The next time he sees Damian he hugs him, and nearly loses his kidneys for it.