Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Red Hood slowly pulls off the mask of the sniveling whelp of a worthless, broken Robin below him. The pathetic whimper he makes as the mask pulls at his broken nose does nothing but further excite the already all-encompassing green fury coursing through his veins. 

Every weak whimper, pained scream, choked gasp, cutoff breath, agonized shriek, every moment of begging, it’s all gorgeous music to Red Hood’s ears, a beautiful symphony of suffering. Every bright red drop of blood, breathtaking crack of ribs, sharp snap of a wrist, loud pop of dislocation? The green feeds on it. Every injury just makes it want more. It wants to kill. Kill this greedy piece of shit that stole Robin before Jason was even in the ground. This piece of shit that dared smile, happily, while flying between rooftops in a dead kid’s suit. No mourning. He was overjoyed to see Jason dead, thrilled to steal the mantle away, it was probably the best day of his life. 

Getting to finally get his revenge is exhilarating. He can’t wait to see the fear in his eyes, the realization that he’s not getting away, that these are the last moments of his life. It’s gonna be glorious.

Red Hood pulls the mask the rest of the way off and watches in sadistic glee as some of the tears that had accumulated in it roll down his cheeks. Beautiful. 

But annoyingly, Robin keeps his eyes closed. 

Red Hood scoffs. "Seriously?" Like that’s gonna keep him from finding out? Fucking idiot. He slaps his replacement hard across the face and his eyes snap open. Fresh tears fall and it’s perfection to- he freezes when he realizes that he knows those eyes.

The green instantly vanishes and Red Hood immediately sobers from the intoxication of his rage. Now all he feels is pure, unfiltered horror.

Robin is Tim.

Tim, his best friend.  

“You’re not ‘just you’ Tim. You’re… honestly my best friend.”

Tim grins. “Mine too.”

Tim, that he met after accidentally surprising him so much that he fell off a building and Jason had to save him.

Guilt floods Robin and he panics. “Oh, oh godit’s ok! You’re ok, kid, I am so sorry, holy crap!”

“I WAS JUST SAVED BY ROBIN THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!”

Tim, with his shitty-ass absentee parents.

“What?!” Robin growls. He gently turns Tim’s head to look at his face. “You’ve been alone for three months? What the hell, Tim? You’re barely even fourteen!”

Tim shrugs, “I mean, it’s… it’s whatever. I’m used to it. Been like this for years. They leave for weeks at a time and come back for one, maybe two nights.”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Robin screeches.

Tim, that he held through a few breakdowns. 

Tim cries quietly and trembles in his arms. “You shouldn’t be kinder to me than my own parents. They should… they should love me. But. I feel more loved here than I ever have there.”

Tim starts suddenly sobbing like a flicked switch. “I was really scared, Jay. Really fucking scared. I didn’t wanna die!” 

“Oh, no, no no no. It’s over. You’re safe, I won’t let anything else happen to you. You are safe.”

Tim keeps crying and trembling and Jason’s heart aches for him. 

Tim, that held Jason through a few breakdowns.  

“Come here,” Tim murmurs, wrapping his free arm around Jason and turning him closer. Jason slumps against him, buries his face in Tim’s chest and clutches the back of his shirt in tight, shaking fists.

Tim suddenly starts crying right along with him. “Can I hug you?”

“Please,” he whispers, begging. They turn towards each other and embrace tightly. Jason cries into his shoulder.

Jason abruptly lunges forward, squeezes Tim bruisingly, and bursts into tears. Tim hugs him back immediately.

“It w-was all a lie!” Jason sobs. 

Tim soothingly rubs Jason’s back. “I’m here, Jay. I’m right here.”

“No kid should be the one to discover that their mom’s dead,” Jason’s voice breaks and he starts quietly crying. 

Tim scoots closer and wraps an arm around him. “I can’t imagine…”

Tim quickly sets his bowl on the island and hops down, throwing his arms around Jason. He doesn’t say anything, just lets him cry himself out in his arms. 

Tim, that Jason constantly had new nicknames for. 

“Fair enough. Thanks Timmy.”

“Bye Timbo. See ya soon.”

“Heya Timmers.”

“Hey Timbit? What’s your favorite pizza topping?”

“Well you’re welcome, Babybird.” 

“My genius wonder.”

Tim, who told Jason not to go to Ethiopia. 

"Ugh. I know I'm overreacting. I'm just worried. I don’t… Jason this isn’t well thought out, it’s rushed.”

Tim, who kissed his cheek when they said goodbye for the last time.

Tim lifts up onto his toes and presses a kiss to Jason’s cheek. And it somehow feels painfully like goodbye.

Tim, who he realized he had feelings for only seconds before his death. 

Tim’s image suddenly pops into Jason’s mind. He claps a hand over his mouth and laughs, slightly hysterically, as the tears continue to pour. 

“I got to fall in love,” he whispers, wiping his eyes with a smile.

Tim, who he swore he would never hurt.

“Hey, you know… you know I would never intentionally hurt you, right Babybird?” Jason murmurs, “Never.”

“I know.”

Tim, who probably cried when he first put the Robin suit on. 

Tim, who decided to carry on his best friend's legacy. 

Tim, who he just tortured, shot, cut, punched, kicked, belittled, and traumatized. 

Tim, who offered his underage self to Red Hood like a piece of meat just so he would stop. 

Tim, with bloodshot, puffy eyes, horrible tears of pain streaming down his matured face.

Tim, who needs immediate medical attention. 

Tim, who he almost murdered. 

Oh fuck he’s gonna be sick. Red Hood’s stomach revolts violently and he frantically unseals his helmet, throws it aside, scrambles away from Tim, and vomits all over the laminate flooring. 

Jason viciously assaulted his best friend. 

He throws up again. 

He brutalized him - and enjoyed it.

He throws up a third time, and then painfully dry heaves, his horrified body wanting to rid itself of more but nothing’s left. His throat burns from the stomach acid and his eyes sting from the acrid scent. 

The sobs burst out of him at what he’s done. Oh god, he shot Tim, he shot Tim. He’s right on the verge of hyperventilating when he screams in frustration and forces himself to breathe. He pulls off his mask to wipe away his tears and then puts it back on. 

Help first, completely fucking lose it second. Help him. He scrambles back to his feet and over to Tim, then drops to his knees at his side, mentally cataloging his injuries. 

Concussion, broken nose, dislocated right shoulder - reset, broken left wrist, bruised neck, bruised or fractured left temporal bone, right shoulder GSW, bruised right wrist, broken rib(s), sliced neck, shattered left patella, and immeasurable psychological distress. 

He nearly snaps at Tim to shut up so he can concentrate when he realizes the crying is himself. Tim looks delirious and terrified.

Jason starts moving his hands towards Tim's head, making him whimper and try to pull himself away. A single sob slips out of Jason at the completely warranted fear response but he keeps moving. He slips a hand behind his head and holds him still. He moves the other hand to his nose and gently holds it, then quickly snaps it back into place, making Tim yelp loudly. He pulls his hands back. One down. 

Jason snatches Tim's belt and grabs out a small flashlight, gauze, bent tweezers, and a local anesthetic from sheer muscle memory. 

"Stop… ‘pol'gizing… I get it," Tim groans breathlessly. There’s so much pain in his voice. Pain Jason caused. On purpose.

Jason stops, not realizing he'd ever begun. "Just stay still. This is gonna hurt like hell," he murmurs. He takes the syringe with the anesthetic and injects it in and around the bullet wound, making Tim whimper for a few seconds until he quiets down as it numbs the pain - at least a little, anyway.

Jason grabs the flashlight in his left hand and the tweezers in the right. The suit prevented the bullet from being a though-and-through, and it's somewhat shallow - for a gunshot wound. He sets the flashlight down and grabs the corner of Robin's cape, twisting it and moving it up to his mouth. 

"Bite." 

Tim does. 

Jason lets go of the cape and grabs the flashlight again. He gingerly moves the tweezers into the wound and closes them around the bullet.

"Ok three… two!" He pulls the bullet out and Tim gives a closed-mouth yell then relaxes. The blood starts flowing faster and Jason drops the tweezers and grabs the gauze. He flicks his eyes to Tim, heart squeezing at the tears. 

Tim nods. Jason drops the flashlight and holds out a hand. Tim cowers and Jason yanks his hand away, a fresh wave of tears escaping his masked eyes. Tim whines and his hand twitches. Jason hesitantly moves his hand back and Tim takes it, squeezing lightly. 

“Brace yourself.” Jason begins to pack the wound, and then presses down hard to stop the bleeding. He knows the anesthetic lessens, but definitely doesn’t erase the pain. Tim’s eyes go wide and he screams around the cape as his hand tightens painfully around Jason's, the scream now like a bullet to the heart instead of the sick joy that it was a few minutes ago. 

He holds the wound for several horrible, heart-wrenching seconds, watching more tears spill from Tim’s eyes. He has to hold it down and continue hurting Tim until he's fairly confident the blood will stay inside his former best friend. He lets go and Tim spits out his cape. 

“I’m so sorry,” Jason rasps. “I didn’t- I thought-”

“Wrong… target?”

“You could say that,” Jason says, a small sob falling from his mouth. “Fuck.” He takes a deep breath. Not done yet. 

He pulls his hand away, moves to his wrist, and gently feels the break, pulling more soul-crushing whimpers out of Tim. “It’s only the radius, not the ulna. Brace again.” Before Tim can nod or say ok, Jason sets the bone and thus hurts Tim all over again as he screams, capeless this time. Then Jason wraps it with a couple strips of gauze.  

Jason moves back up to his head. "To the right." 

Tim complies. Jason removes a glove and checks the rapidly growing bruise on his temple. He gently presses and feels the temporal bone, and Tim gives a pained whine. The bone's in one piece - or seems like it, anyway. Good thing he's still hard-headed when he needs to be. But he’s definitely concussed. Probably. He should check. 

Jason pulls his glove back on and grabs some gauze from the utility belt and gently wipes the blood away from his neck wound. He feels Tim swallow nervously as he does. To Jason's relief, the bleeding's already stopped. He wipes the blood from under his nose as well. 

He tosses the now pink gauze aside and grabs another piece. "Close your eyes," he whispers. Tim complies. Jason tenderly wipes away the tears gathered under Tim's eyelids and dries his cheeks. He tosses that aside as well. “Done.”

Tim opens his - pretty, god they’re pretty - deep blue eyes and just stares at him with unequal pupils. Yep, definitely a concussion.

“Let’s get you back to your nest, Ba- Little Bird.”

“little but ‘m old,” he mumbles. 

Jason takes a deep breath and tries to ignore the sharp pang in his chest. The last time he heard that quote was right before he hid his face in Tim’s chest and sobbed about finding his dead mother. The way Tim wrapped his arms around him and carded his fingers through his hair - not saying anything, just being there. Tim’s the best person he knows - tied with Dick - and Jason tore him apart like a starving tiger. He tortured him. 

Pushing his racing thoughts aside, Jason pops to his feet and walks to the small control panel where he presses a couple buttons to deactivate the signal jammer and uncover the windows.

“Can… help… comm?” The broken ribs are making Tim gasp for breath every time he talks, and the concussion seems to be making it harder for him to choose words. Jason walks back and sinks to his knees again, gently activating the comm in his ear. 

“Robin… t' cave.

’m pretty… badly injured. Handing… t' Red.

He’s… new.”

Jason reaches up to his ear and plucks his comm out and puts it in his own ear. "Red Hood to Cave, Robin is down. I've treated his injuries to the best of my abilities and he's stable, but I gotta get him back to you. If you have an on-call doctor, call them. From what I can tell, his injuries are-” He proceeds to list them off. 

"Ok, those have been noted down. Redbird - Robin’s car - will be sent to his location.”

Jason forces himself not to burst into tears at his grandfather’s voice. "Understood. Red Hood out."

"Cave out." 

Jason deactivates the comm.

"Who… are you?" Tim murmurs.

"A dumbass piece of shit that was played like a fiddle by an al Ghul." He starts crying quietly. 

"Happens… best of us.”

Jason scoffs. “Yeah right, you’d never be stupid enough to fall for this.”

“You… know me… don’t you?” Tim asks cautiously. 

“I used to, Timmy,” he whispers. Tim’s breath hitches sharply. Shit, he shouldn’t have used that name. A litany of apologies flows rapidly from Jason’s lips. He… he needs to tell him the truth, tell him that the person that nearly killed him is someone he used to trust with his life. 

He raises his trembling hands to his head and loosens his red domino. As he pulls it off, he covers his face with his free hand. He drops the mask and then buries his head in both hands and sobs brokenly. Jason deserves to die. Painfully. Again.

“Look… at me. Please,” Tim begs. 

Jason gasps a couple times to rein in the sobs. He sniffles and wipes his eyes with his gloved hands, then drops them and stares at the ground. “I will never have the words to tell you how sorry I am. I can never make it up to you. I’ve irreparably fucked up,” he whimpers. 

“Up,” Tim snaps, desperation leaking into his tone. 

Jason takes a deep breath and raises his head to meet Tim’s guarded yet hopeful gaze. Tim’s breath catches and it’s not because of the rib this time. “Jason?” he whispers, voice awed.

“Hi Babybird,” he murmurs, trying to smile but it’s more of a grimace. He braces himself for the well-deserved hate from Tim. 

“You’re alive?” Tim starts crying.

Jason nods.

“You’re alive!” he cries harder, yet he can’t stop smiling, a massive grin stretching across his face. He looks overjoyed. He sits up and gives a small whimper at the pain. The fingers of his right hand twitch toward Jason. 

Jason reaches over and squeezes his hand. “I am.”

The smile disappears and Tim starts sobbing. “I’d n-never… steal Robin… from y-you… Jay. Never.” He sounds like the idea of doing that is causing him physical pain. Or that’s probably just the actual, Jason-caused physical pain. 

“I know you wouldn’t, and I don’t blame you. It’s not an excuse but I was… I was intentionally lied to about you. To hurt Bruce, I think. Let’s get you downstairs and back to somewhere safe.” From me, he thinks.

“Ok… long as… come with.”

“Of course I will,” he lies, reaching for Tim’s face to gently wipe away the fresh tears. 

Jason reaches to the side and grabs his discarded mask, reapplying it. Then he stands and goes over to where he threw his helmet and puts it back on his head, unsealed, and turns the voice modulator off. 

He quickly walks back to Tim to gather up the discarded gauze, tweezers, and the bullet, adding them to the empty compartment of Robin's utility belt before clipping it back to Robin's waist. He grabs the sliced patch and the birdarang in the wall, adding them to his belt as well.

Then he grabs Tim's domino and straightens the nose of it before gently reapplying it to his face.

“I gotta pick you up. It’s… it’s gonna hurt like hell.”

“Nothing… hurt now, too happy,” Tim mumbles, “missed you.”

“Me too, god me too,” Jason whispers, sliding his arms under Tim and easily picking him up in a cradle carry, making him cry out in pain. 

“Lied. Still hurts,” he gasps, eyes shimmering from tears.

Jason bites back a sob and starts carefully carrying him downstairs. He’s quite a bit heavier than he used to be. It’s not difficult for Jason to carry him, but it is a noticeable change. He’s probably, geez, five, six inches taller? He’s grown up so much so quickly. 

Tim lays his head on his shoulder and just stares at him, smiling dopily. From happiness and a massive concussion. “Hiii Jay.”

Jason snorts. “Hi Timmers.”

Tim beams when he hears the nickname and presses his head against his chest in what Jason thinks is meant to be a hug.

“Tim, I need you to listen to what I’m about to say, ok?”

“Ok,” he smiles. 

Jason takes a deep breath. “Everything I said when I attacked you was a lie. You are smart. You’re brilliant. You’re not a pretender, you are Robin. …ok I guess it wasn’t a lie when I called you precious… Anyway. I know you didn’t steal my suit. You’re not a pussy, you’re incredibly brave. You are not worthless, or pathetic, or a piece of shit. You are amazing, and wonderful, and a fantastic Robin. And yes, we were best friends.”

“Were?” Tim whispers, lip wobbling. 

Jason gives him a sad smile. “I tried to murder you, Tim. Pretty sure that revokes my friendship rights.”

“Was… accident.”

Jason scoffs. “It was a mistake, not an accident. I intentionally beat the shit out of you. And I am so sorry.”

“Forgive you… Jason.”

Jason sobs. “It’s not ok, Tim!”

“Didn’t say… ok. Said… forgave. Yes… y' fucked up… But not irreparably.” 

“You’re too good to me,” he sighs. Tim’s wrong but it’s not worth arguing right now. 

“I know,” Tim smiles.

“Listen, I’m so god damn proud of you for becoming Robin. I can’t think of a single better successor. And I want you to keep being Robin.”

“But… you’re Robin?” Tim mutters, confused. 

“Not anymore. I don’t want it. Please stay as Robin. If…” Jason’s voice shakes and the lump in his throat grows painfully, “if you’re able to.”

“Gonna be out… awhile,” Tim admits. 

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers. 

“I know… ‘nough with… apolo…gizing, geez.”

“Sorr- ergh,” Jason sighs. 

Tim laughs and something about that reopens the wound on his neck - not a lot, but enough to see fresh blood rise from the cut. “Oww, frack,” Robin moans in regret. 

Jason starts crying again. “Hang on, we’re almost there.”

Tim flicks his eyes up at him. “‘s not fair.”

“What?”

“You got hotter,” Tim whines like he’s personally offended by it.

Jason scoffs, glad that the helmet can hide his blush. “I didn’t think I hit you that hard. I hope Alfred gives you the good shit, clearly you need it.”

“I just need you,” Tim smiles sweetly. Then closes his eyes and goes limp in his arms.

“Tim? Tim?!” But he’s breathing fine and the bullet wound is still closed. Shock must’ve finally pulled him under. 

He carries him down the final flight of stairs, tears flowing freely from his eyes, feeling nothing but pain and regret and grief.

Jason hears the powerful purr of an engine and then the squeal of tires as a red muscle car comes racing around a far corner. It races up to them and stops, doors popping open automatically. Oh holy shit. That’s his Shelby Mustang, turned into a vigilante car. That’s awesome! If Tim’s life wasn’t on the line he’d be admiring the hell out of it.

He carries Tim to the passenger’s seat and gently sets him down. He grabs the seatbelt and pulls it across Tim to click it in. Then he pulls off his helmet and mask, setting them down beside the building. He pulls off his gloves and pockets them.

He returns to Tim, looking down at the broken bird in his car. A small smile remains on his unconscious face. The youthful, slightly rounded face has faded, replaced with a stronger jawline and more mature features. He’s still a little small, not done with his vertical growth, but Jason’s chest aches at the realization that he’s seventeen. He’s so old now. And ok, yeah, that’s not actually old but he’s so much older than when Jason left him and it’s startling. 

Jason crouches and gently cups the right side of Tim’s warm face and slowly brushes his thumb back and forth across his cheek. Tim hums happily and leans into the touch, eyes fluttering open. Jason pulls his hand away but Tim whines for it back, so he returns it. 

“Hey,” Tim whispers. 

“Hi,” Jason murmurs. 

“You’re… coming, right?” Tim asks nervously. 

Jason sighs and leans in, pressing his forehead to Tim’s and closing his eyes. He lets himself have a moment of selfishness and enjoys the closeness. They take several breaths together and then Jason leans back and kisses his forehead. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” Tim whimpers, “please no.”

He holds two fingers to his ear. “Red Hood to Cave, Robin’s secure. Bring him home. Red Hood out.”

“Understood. Cave out.”

“Please… don’t leave. Not again… please, Jason… please… just got… you back,” Tim sobs. “Please come.”

“I can’t.”

“Can work… this out, Jay… Know we can… I love you.”

“Do you mean that?” he whispers. 

“Yes,” Tim answers, not a picosecond of hesitation. 

“Then stay away from me, ok?” Jason’s voice shatters at the end. He doesn’t want Tim to stay away, he wants to burst into tears and hug him until they know that things will be ok again. But it’s better to keep him away. This was way, way too close. Never again. 

“I don’t want to!” Tim cries. 

“I’m sorry. Please don’t look for me. You’re not safe with me,” Jason implores him. Then he reaches up and plucks one of his own hairs out and slips it into Tim’s belt, making sure he sees him doing it. It was definitely Jason’s own hair that he sliced with the birdarang. Least he can do is give him another. Even if it’s super dangerous because Tim could test it and then the rest of the Bats would know… whatever. 

“You know… ‘s me now… won’t hurt me,” Tim says, with complete faith in him. 

Jason takes his hand and squeezes it tightly. “I’m glad I got to say bye this time.” 

Tim squeezes back just as tightly. “Jason,” he whimpers, “don’t hurt… yourself. I’ll be… ok”

“I won’t, I promise. Goodbye, Tim.” He kisses him firmly on the forehead again and then pulls away from him and slams the door. He runs to the driver’s side, ignoring Tim’s sobs of his name, ignoring the begging for him to stay. He plucks out the comm and tosses it on the seat. He apologizes again and slams that door as well. A couple seconds later the car accelerates and drives away. 

“I love you too,” Jason whispers, tears rolling down his face. 

Jason puts his gloves back on, reapplies his mask, and pulls on his helmet. He grapples to the top of a building and sprints across the rooftops to one of his safe houses.

When he arrives he hurriedly unlocks it, climbs inside, and locks it back behind him. Luckily this safehouse is soundproofed. Then he removes and tosses aside his helmet and mask, falls to his knees, and screams. Raw, agonized, horrified screams of guilt and regret. The green roars through his body and Jason loses himself in it. 

Chapter Text

Tim wakes up and his entire existence is pain. Everything hurts. Head, ribs, shoulder, wrist, knee, throat. And his right hand is trembling for some reason. He slowly opens his eyes in the infirmary, lights down low for him. 

He glances at his right arm. His right hand is being held by Dick's left, which is the source of the tremble. Dick's right elbow is pressing into the mattress of the hospital bed, while his forehead is held in his hand. His eyes are closed, and he's quietly crying as soft words flow rapidly from his lips like a prayer. 

“Please, please please please, not again, please. I can't, please.” Dick is still in his Nightwing suit, minus the mask, gloves, and escrima. 

Tim squeezes the hand in his. “Dick,” he rasps. 

Dick’s head snaps up. “Tim!” he gasps, “thank fuck!”

“Hi.”

“You’ve been unconscious for hours and I didn’t know if you were ever gonna wake up and, and I’ve been terrified this whole time because, b-because I thought I might lose another one,” Dick sobs. He twitches in Tim's direction and he can tell his big brother is physically holding himself back from tackling him, lest he break whatever small part of him is left unbroken.

“I’d take… a hug but…  my everything hurts,” Tim groans, gritting his teeth against the pain, tears springing to his own eyes. 

Dick laughs wetly and releases Tim’s hand so he can wipe his own eyes. “God, sorry,” he self-consciously laughs. “I’ve got pain meds for you, one sec.”

Tim moves to wipe his eyes and freezes for a second, then gasps for air, the gathered tears spilling from his eyes at the brutally sharp pain that arcs through his shoulder. 

“Hurts… fuck… fuck it hurts,” he whimpers. 

“Hey, ok easy. Let’s not move right now,” Dick says as he stands. “Lemme grab the meds.”

Tim nods. “P-please.”

Dick grabs a glass of water on the table beside the bed and a couple pills. He holds up the pills, tells Tim to open, and drops them in his mouth, then holds up the water, carefully tipping it so he can take a sip and swallow the pills. “There ya go. We got you the good shit.”

Tim laughs quietly - and instantly regrets it, whimpering in pain again. 

Dick whines at Tim's pain and the tears. He grabs a tissue and gently dries Tim’s eyes and cheeks for him, just like-

“Oh my god!” Tim suddenly yells, bolt of pain shooting through his ribs, and Dick jumps in surprise at the outburst. 

Jason’s alive, Jason’s alive, alive, he’s alive, oh my god he’s alive. He’s… oh crap. Crap, no, he knows Jay won’t want them to know he’s alive. Yet.

“What’s wrong?”

“S-sorry. Remembered what happened. Forgot for second,” Tim lies. He hates lying to Dick. Especially about this. But he'll do anything to gain Jason's trust back. He'll burn Drake Industries to the ground if he has to. Not that those things are even remotely correlated, but whatever. 

Dick sighs tiredly. “It was bad. You arrived in Redbird and the door opened and you were bleeding from the neck and I thought you were dead but you weren’t, you were just completely nonresponsive and beat within an inch of your life,” Dick whispers, lower lip wobbling.

“I made it,” he whispers. 

“Yeah. Yeah, you made it,” Dick gives him a small smile and squeezes his hand.

“So… how… am I?” 

“Moderate concussion, two broken ribs, right shoulder GSW, broken left radius at the wrist, bruised neck, cut neck, nondisplaced left patella fracture, bruised right wrist bones, bruised left temporal bone, broken nose. Think that’s everything.”

“Dislocated right shoulder,” Tim adds.

“What?”

“I popped it back into place.”

Dick’s nose wrinkles. “Gross.”

Tim snorts. It’s exactly what Jason said.

“Your wrist and nose were correctly set by, uh… Red Hood, was it?”

Tim nods. 

“Wrist is in a cast now - around four weeks, then a removable splint for another four. Bullet wound was cleaned, disinfected, and covered. Should be mostly healed within ten days. Neck has a bandage on it - couple days. Ribs: six to eight weeks. Concussion: a week. Nose: a week. Patella: six weeks to heal, two to three months to feel normal, but can move around as soon as it’s got a brace. Bruised wrist and temporal bone: two to three weeks. And you’re gonna need a shit ton of physical therapy.”

“When can I drive?”

“When your concussion is fully healed. Probably a week. Though we’d all rather you didn’t for longer than that, to be perfectly honest.”

“Shit,” Tim whispers, eyes watering. He needs to get back out, he needs to get to Jason, he has to bring him home. Before he does something stupid like… like throw himself in a situation that could kill him, or just… flees forever. But, no matter where he goes, Tim will find him. Even if Jason begged him not to. The tears in his eyes and desperate, pained crack of his voice made it pretty clear that he didn't want Tim to stay away, he just thought it was for the best or whatever.

“I am so, so sorry that I wasn’t there,” Dick says, fresh tears in his eyes. ”I failed another Robin.” The tears escape and roll down his cheeks. Tim can tell he's biting back ugly sobs of guilt. 

“Dick, no, they were- they were really, really good. You would’ve been injured too, and you’re more impor-”

Dick slaps a hand over his mouth with his hand. The guilt in his eyes is gone, replaced with a burning fury. “Do not finish that sentence,” he growls angrily, voice pitched low.  “We are equally important. Never say that you are less ever again, got it?”

Tim looks down. “I'm sorry. Am… am I still Robin…?” 

“Well yeah, you just won’t be back out for awhile.”

Tim takes a deep breath, then raises his head, forcing himself to look strong and assured in his decision. “I'm giving Robin up. Gotham needs them and I’m gonna be out for too long. We need to find another.”

“Tim, that’s ridiculous. I just want you to recover, I don’t care if there’s no Robin for several months.”

“Ok,” Tim sighs in relief that Dick didn’t accept that. 

Dick hums then casually investigates his own nails. “Why’d Red Hood do this?”

“He didn’t mean t- fuck. How?”

“Because all of a sudden someone we’ve never heard of has just happened to save you after no one knew you were even in trouble? What I don’t get is why he did all that and then gave you first aid.” Dick’s brow furrows. “It's probably some sick manipulation game,” he decides. 

“No. He thought I was… someone else. When he realized I wasn’t who he thought I was, he apologized nonstop for like, an obnoxious amount of time,” Tim mutters. 

“Well, I’m gonna go find him and beat the shit out of him regardless of how many apologies he gave.”

“No!” Tim can’t imagine the guilt Dick would go through once realizing that he beat up his apparently-not-dead little brother. 

“I ALMOST LOST MY BABY BROTHER AGAIN!” Dick screams, voice shattering, and now he’s crying again, quiet sobs making his body tremble. God, the irony. “I almost lost you,” he whispers, swiping at his tear-stained cheeks.

“Hey,” Tim murmurs. He wiggles his fingers and Dick takes his hand. “You didn’t.”

“You can’t-” a sob breaks free “-can’t leave me, Timmy. I won’t make it twice, I won’t. I’d rather go with you than be left here without you.” Dick chokes and muffles himself with his hand as more tears spill from his eyes.

“Dick,” Tim whispers, horrified, “please don’t say that.” His lip wobbles and his eyes flood with tears. 

“It’s true!” Dick sobs, yanking his hand from Tim’s. “I would. Cause I l-love you, and m-maybe, maybe if Jason… if he kn-knew how much I loved him maybe he wouldn’t’a g-gone. He’s dead because I never told him I love him enough!” He dissolves into a sobbing wreck. 

The attack on Tim has completely triggered Dick about Jason. And Tim aches to tell him, to stop those heartbreaking sobs of pure pain, but if he’s not careful… if he doesn’t do this right… Jason could be lost forever. For real this time. 

“Dick, please don’t cry. I love you too, I love you so much, ok? You’re the brother I always wanted. I love you and I’m still here. And god, Jason knew. He knew that you loved him more than anything. How could he not? You told him you love him enough, Dick. You didn’t… you didn’t fail at loving him. If there was anything he thought of at the end… it was how much you loved him. You love with every fiber of your being. The only way he couldn’t know would be if he was an idiot, and he’s not an idiot.” 

Tim hopes Dick didn’t catch his slip into present tense. Probably not, crying too much. 

“You can hug me - gently.”

“Ok,” he squeaks. He walks to Tim’s left and carefully, delicately, gives him a hug and hides his face in his hair. “God. I’m sorry, I’m having a total meltdown. I thought I was healing!” Dick’s still crying, a lot, but not quite sobbing anymore. “I’m pathetic.”

“Dick, crying about your…” god, Tim hates this, “about your brother being murdered isn’t pathetic. It just means you love him.”

“I was so scared. I’m tired of losing the people I love. I’m so tired. I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too,” Tim murmurs. 

Dick sighs and raises his head, removing his arms and taking a step back. “I’m gonna make him regret even looking at you. I will wipe him off the face of the Earth to protect you.”

“Dick, please. If you love me, don’t hurt him.”

Dick growls. “Tim, did he threaten you? Me? Is that why you’re defending him?”

“Dick, please, please trust me. Do not hurt him. I promise you will regret it.” The worst part is, he’s almost certain Jason would let Dick hurt him. He’d probably taunt him just to piss him off even more to make him hit harder.

“You know who he is, don’t you,” Dick points at him accusingly. 

“No comment.”

“Timothy Jackson Drake, who did this to you?!” Dick snarls. “You were nearly killed!” he yells, voice breaking.

Wait. He was nearly killed. So- “Where’s Batman?” he asks, voice small. 

Dick grimaces, then wipes his eyes. “There’s been… some incidents he needs to take care of.”

“M-more important than me?” 

“No, but more… dangerous. Black Mask, Two-Face, Scarecrow, Joker, and Zsasz were found dead. Mask was found first, about two hours after you got back here. B was here and planning to stay until the Bat-signal was lit a second time tonight.”

Oh, Jason. The timing is far too coincidental. It has to be him. “Weren’t the last three in Arkham?”

Dick nods. “Someone broke in and a bullet to the brain later, they were dead. Mask and Two-Face were sniped. No drama with any of them. Just pure efficiency. It would be impressive if it wasn’t, you know, murder.”

“Same person for all?”

“That’s the working theory.”

Tim sighs. Guess Jason’s been quite busy since assaulting him. Speaking of which, “How long was I out?”

“Five hours.”

“Geez. But I’m… I’m glad Joker’s dead.” 

“Me too,” Dick admits, “after the thousands he’s killed… and… and Jason. I hope he knows his murderer is finally dead.”

“He knows,” Tim says with complete confidence. Because he did it, he doesn’t say. 

“I miss him so much,” Dick’s voice cracks and he starts crying, “he deserved better, he deserved so much better. I’d give anything to hug him again. To tell him I love him. To protect him from everything bad in the world. To tell him how amazing he was.”

Tim wiggles his right hand again. Dick huffs in amusement and takes it in his, squeezing tightly.

“Me too,” Tim murmurs. And he’s gonna make god damn sure Dick can do and say all of those things to him. Maybe he should tell him. Jason would be pissed and maybe never forgive Tim, but he thinks if he can’t convince him to return, surely his big brother can. “I think one day you’ll be able to tell him.”

“I hope so… just, hopefully not anytime soon,” Dick chuckles. 

“I’m gonna go back to sleep,” Tim mutters, vision starting to soften and blur. 

Dick kisses the top of his head. “Ok Timmy. I love you. Get some rest.”

“Promise me you won’t hurt him if you see him.”

“One punch?”

“Fine,” Tim relents. 

Dick smiles and laughs quietly. “I’ll make it count. But I’ll be here awhile. Yell if you need me.”

“I will. I love you too, Dick.”

Dick’s smile grows and he affectionately runs a hand through Tim’s hair as he leaves. 

Tim will heal and he will find Jason. Even if it kills Tim, Jason will be brought home. 

He closes his eyes and drifts off. 

Dick sighs and exits the infirmary. “’m sorry, Tim,” he whispers. He hates lying to him, but he’s gotta leave now if he has any hope of finding this Red Hood asshole. He pulls on his gloves, reapplies his mask, and returns his escrimas to his back as he walks toward his bike.  

“Don’t do anything inordinately stupid, sir,” Alfred warns, appearing out of thin air like Batman. 

He doesn’t even turn around, he just waves a hand over his shoulder. “I won’t!” He hops on the bike, starts it, and roars out of the cave.

Dick will find him. Nobody hurts his baby brother and gets away with it.

Jason comes to an unknown amount of time later, sitting in the middle of his living room, and his safehouse is obliterated. Shakily, he rises to his feet to survey the damage. The kitchen cabinet doors are ripped off and snapped into pieces, thrown across the living room. Jason’s one plate, bowl, cup, and mug are missing, presumably in shattered piles around the living room. His single set of silverware is thrown to the ground. The door to the microwave is torn off. Kitchen drawers are torn out and in pieces. There’s a small beep and Jason flinches sharply, turning to the fridge and quickly unplugging it. The door’s wide open and the shelves are ripped out, but he honestly didn’t have much of anything in there anyway. 

Sticky strawberry jelly is clinging to the bulletproof window, shattered remains of the jar in the sink. He looks in the pantry and sighs. Rice is all over the floor along with broken spaghetti noodles and a shattered, previously unopened jar of spaghetti sauce. His ramen packets are likewise torn open, noodles crushed.

He returns to the living room. His sofa is on its back, cushions pulled off and torn open, chunks of foam all around the room. The floor lamp is broken in half on the ground. Coffee table has a split down the middle, so does the cheap, foldout kitchen table, legs snapped off. The wooden chair is in pieces. The TV is on its side on the ground, screen littered with bullet holes. Jason pulls his right handgun from its holster. It’s empty, he can tell from the weight. He holsters it back.

“What the fuck, Jason,” he rasps, voice wrecked - from screaming, he’s sure.  

He unhosters the left gun. Almost completely full. God, it would be so easy to end everything. Just a squeeze of his hand. After what he did to Tim, he deserves it. His agonized screams are gonna haunt Jason for the rest of his life. He clicks off the safety and turns the gun towards himself. Wouldn't even hurt. No more fear, or paranoia, or loneliness. No more regret. Just… nothingness.

“ Jason ,” Tim whimpers, “don't hurt… yourself. I'll be… ok.”

“I won't, I promise.”

“God damn it!” Jason growls, lowering the gun and clicking on the safety. Fine. He'll find someone to do it for him. He holsters the gun, moves to check the bathroom, and sighs again. The door is torn off the hinges, fallen into the room. The lid of the toilet tank is shattered and in the tub, shower curtain torn from the rails. The mirror is broken, and the sink is torn from the wall, water shooting from the broken pipe - miraculously into the tub. His toothbrush is… god knows where. His toothpaste tube is empty on the floor, toothpaste in a pile of goo beside it. 

He checks the bedroom next and is glad that this isn’t his primary safehouse with his books - they’d definitely be destroyed. His ceiling fan has been torn out of the ceiling, motor on the ground in the middle of the room, fan blades snapped in half and scattered. How did he even do that? Dresser drawers are yanked out and broken, thrown around the room. The dresser is on its side in pieces. His clothes are strewn about, ripped apart. His blanket is also torn, his pillows are shredded, feathers everywhere. There’s a large rip through the center of his mattress, knife handle sticking out. His closet door is split in half lengthwise, hinges hanging onto the wall for dear life. The closet racks are empty, contents in a broken pile on the ground. Thank god there’s nothing actually valuable in here. He plucks the knife out of his mattress and slides it back behind his boot. 

He walks to the hallway and opens the hidden compartment in the wall. He unholsters both handguns, reloads them to maximum capacity, and racks the slides on the right gun. He puts everything else in the compartment into the duffel bag. He’ll fix this mess later. Or maybe never. He needs to get to his main safehouse. Time to exponentially speed up his schedule. 

Red Hood looks through the scope of his silenced M4, aims, exhales, and fires before the next inhale. 

Black Mask

He repeats the process fifteen minutes later. 

Two-Face

Red Hood uses a stolen keycard to unlock Joker’s cell, dressed like a maintenance man with a ballcap on. 

“Hey, remember me?” Jason smirks, pulling off the hat. 

“Oh I do! Oh, goodie, back for more f-” 

He raises his hand and fires the silenced G20 into the center of Joker's forehead. 

Joker

Next room.

Scarecrow

Next room.

Zsasz  

Red Hood escapes the Asylum, returns to his safe house to put his gear back on, and heads out to give instructions to his lieutenants before he hightails it out of Gotham. 

He’s on his way to the last lieutenant when he hears two feet landing behind him. He spins while pulling out his right pistol and aims at the center of their chest. He sees who it is and his finger slips off the trigger.

Oh fuck, Nightwing's pissed.

Chapter Text

“Nightwing,” he says, smoothly lowering his gun and holstering it. "Is Robin gonna be alright?"

"Despite your best efforts, he's gonna live," Nightwing growls and pulls his escrima sticks off his back.

“I really don’t want to fight you,” Red Hood sighs. Thank god Tim’s gonna be ok. 

“And I don’t want my brother to get beaten half to death but here we are.” Nightwing very subtly presses the buttons to electrify his escrima sticks, thinking Red Hood doesn’t see it.

Jason tried to ignore the sting of Dick calling someone else his brother. “All of my gear is insulated, you might as well turn them off.”

Nightwing sighs and turns them off, then lunges. 

“Shit!” Red Hood yells, diving to the side and rolling, popping back onto his feet. Nightwing’s already there, mid-strike. Red Hood grabs his arm and throws him away from him. 

“I won’t fight you.”

Nightwing growls again and jumps back into the fight. Red Hood just focuses on parrying his blows, refusing to strike back, trying not to think too hard about the fact that his brother is attacking him. 

“WHAT DID YOU THREATEN HIM WITH?! WHY DID HE BEG ME NOT TO HURT YOU?!”

Jason grunts, blocking a strike with his forearm. “I didn’t threaten him! I apologized! I regret it more than anything I’ve regretted in my entire life!”

Another strike, another parry. 

“FIGHT BACK YOU PIECE OF SHIT!”

“No.” Red Hood stops parrying to unseal and remove his helmet, tossing it aside. He still has his mask on. “You wanna hit me? Hit me.” He sees stars when Nightwing’s escrima cracks against the side of his head and he falls to a knee. 

“I hit Robin way hard- hng!” A fist to his mouth splits his lip and throws his head back. He tastes the copper in his mouth. God, people really underestimate just how hard Nightwing can hit. A brutal kick to the chest knocks him onto his back and his head slams into the concrete. Oh yeah. He’s gonna be concussed. 

“You know who got hit harder than that? Jason,” Red Hood taunts. He wants to fire him up, cause he deserves punishment. 

Nightwing screams in rage and yanks him back to his feet, twisting him into a headlock. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” He tightens his grip, choking Red Hood. 

“DO IT!” Red Hood screams, elbowing him in the gut just hard enough to make him let go and shoves him back. 

He unholsters one of his guns and throws it at Nightwing who has to drop an escrima to catch it. He stretches out his arm and aims at the center of Hood’s chest, not a single tremor. 

“If I hadn’t promised him I wouldn’t hurt myself, I’d have already done it! So do me a fucking favor, AND KILL ME!” He walks up to Nightwing, lifts the arm up higher, and presses his forehead against the barrel of the gun. “Please,” he begs, but it comes out as more of a sob. Just put him out of his misery. He’s a murderer, he’ll never be welcomed back. He’s tired of pushing to live out his miserable existence. 

The arm falters and Nightwing lowers the gun and takes a step back. “…are you crying?”

Red Hood takes a deep breath. “I would never, ever knowingly hurt Tim. I swear it on my life, and if my life’s what you want, take it. Because I don’t deserve this life, I never did. I nearly killed him, so fucking avenge him!”

The arm goes back up, gun leveled at his chest. Jason’s big brother fires three times in rapid succession and Red Hood staggers back, falling to the roof. 

Chapter Text

“Fucking ow,” Red Hood groans on the ground. His suit may be bulletproof but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like a bitch. Three shots, all in the exact same spot. “Great aim,” he wheezes, breathing heavily on his back.

“You’re not worth killing,” Nightwing spits, tossing the gun aside.

“You knew it was bulletproof?”

“Lucky guess.”

“And if you’d been wrong?”

Nightwing shrugs. “One less piece of shit.”

His brother just called him a piece of shit. No, it’s not Dick, Red Hood reminds himself. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t think that about Jason. 

Nightwing walks up to him and kicks him hard in the ribs. His armor prevents a break but it’s gonna be one hell of a bruise. “Stay the fuck away from my family, or next time it’s three to the head,” he hisses. His voice is pure venom and it makes Red Hood’s eyes water behind his mask. He’ll never forgive Jason… he hates him. He hates him. 

“I’m leaving Gotham anyway,” he mutters. 

“Good.”

“I told him not to look for me. He’s going to. Make sure he fails.”

Nightwing scoffs. “Why would he look for you?”

“Because he can’t resist solving a mystery.”

Nightwing hums in acknowledgment. “But he knows who you are.” 

“There’s a lot more he wants to understand than just my identity. You owe me nothing, but promise me you will do everything you can to keep him away from me.” But really, he just wants to take off his mask and ask to come home.

“He’ll never see your pathetic ass again,” Nightwing promises, sneering. “Now get the fuck out of here.” He kicks him again as he walks to the edge of the roof and jumps, grappling away. 

Red Hood groans as he crawls over to his helmet. He removes his mask and puts the helmet on. 

And then he starts sobbing. Because all he actually wants is to hug his big brother that he has missed more than anyone. He wants Dick to tell him he’s ok, cause he’s not sure he ever will be again. “I just want a hug,” he cries. He can feel the tears sliding down his cheeks. “I just want my brother,” he sobs harder.

Nightwing hightails it to his safehouse in Robbinsville, changes into civvies, and jogs over to the cemetery and up to his brother’s grave, falling to his knees in front of it. Dick starts crying. 

“I p-promised you I’d protect Tim. I nearly failed. I don’t know what t-to do about Red Hood. I don’t understand why Tim’s hell b-bent on protecting him. I know I’m missing something but I can’t imagine wh-what. I really need you, Little Wing. You’d f-figure it out. You were so smart. And amazing. I’ll always m-miss you, always love you,” Dick has worked himself up to sobbing at this point. 

“This is just a really, really… b-bad week. I want you back. I just want my brother!” he wails. “Why does a piece of shit like him get to be here when someone as good as you doesn’t?!” 

Dick pulls out his phone with shaking hands and takes a deep breath, calling his boyfriend. 

Wally answers immediately. “Is Tim alright?”

“Tim’s ok,” Dick sniffles. 

“But you’re not,” he murmurs knowingly. 

“I shot the person that hurt Tim. Three times. In the chest.”

Wally inhales sharply. “Dick…”

“‘s fine. Bulletproof armor.”

“Oh.”

“Didn’t make me feel any better.”

“Revenge doesn’t usually do it for you. Do you want me to come over? Where are you?”

“With Jay,” Dick sighs. Wally hangs up and Dick pockets his phone. 

Then Wally’s on his knees beside him, pulling him into a hug. “Hey.”

“I’m having a really hard time, Walls,” Dick whimpers, nestled in Wally’s unnaturally warm hold. He knows he’s safe here. 

Wally snorts. “Understatement.”

Dick laughs quietly. “Take me home?”

“Sure, sweetheart. Manor or apartment?”

“Manor.”

And then they’re there, on Dick’s bed, laying on their backs beside each other. Dick rolls over and on top of him, resting his head on his chest. 

Wally wraps his left arm around him, and cards his right fingers through his hair. “Just let it out.”

“Ok,” Dick whimpers, breaking into tears. He scoots further up, tucks his head under Wally’s chin, and cries it out.

Downstairs, Tim’s finally gotten his knee brace and he’s sitting at the Batcomputer, pulling up Nightwing’s mask footage from the night. He knows he left almost immediately. When he woke up and he wasn’t still there, he just knew. Problem is he has no idea what Nightwing has done.

He finds the footage and fast forwards until he sees Red Hood and presses play. 

By the end of the footage, when Nightwing kicks Hood and then flees, Tim has a hand over his mouth to muffle the sobs that want to burst out of him. Dick could've killed Jason...

Chapter Text

“I told you not to look for me,” Red Hood growls, his dagger at Robin’s throat. 

“I really don’t care, Jason,” Tim says softly, pulling off his mask and tossing it aside. There’s not a speck of fear in his eyes. He has complete faith that Red Hood won’t hurt him. 

He’s wrong. Red Hood slits his throat and laughs viciously at the betrayal in his eyes. Tim grips his throat with both hands, trying to stem the bleeding, but it gushes through the spaces between his fingers, spraying hot across Red Hood’s masked face. He licks his lips and tastes the blood of the pathetic little whelp in front of him. 

Tim falls to his knees, gushing torrent now a steady stream down the front of his suit, life draining out of him right in front of his eyes. 

“Wow, red looks good on you,” Red Hood laughs. He kicks Tim onto his back. 

Tim tries to reach a hand towards him, but then he collapses, dead. His eyes are wide open, permanently afraid. 

Jason shoots up to a sitting position, gasping for air. 

Not real, not real, it wasn’t real. It was just a nightmare. He pulls his knees to his chest and hugs them, sobbing brokenly. 

Why did he think he could sleep already? It’s only been two days since Jason nearly killed Tim and Dick nearly killed Jason. 

“Y-you’re in Gatlinburg, in a sh-shitty little Airbnb in the middle of the woods. You’re n-not in Gotham. You d-didn’t murder Tim. He’s gonna h-heal,” he whimpers to himself, trying desperately to keep the looming panic attack at bay.

“Ok, what do you s-see Jason?” he mutters to himself, looking around. 

1. Black cabin door
2. Brown dresser 
3. His shaking hands
4. Cheery red bathroom door
5. Ugly old floral sitting chair

“Touch?”

1. Cool sheets under his feet
2. Hair on the top of his head. 
3. Scratchy blanket
4. Pinch on his arm

“Hear?”

1. Crickets outside
2. Nails scritching across the blanket
3. Hum of the air conditioner

“Smell?”

1. Musty cabin
2. Detergent used for the sheets

“Taste?” Jason licks his lips. 

1. Blood

He must’ve been biting them. He takes a couple deep breaths and tries to get rid of all the tension in his body. Tim is fine. Jason didn’t slit his throat - fatally, anyway. He will heal.

Even so…

“I could’ve killed him,” he cries. Tim’s whimpering and screaming and begging and crying won’t stop playing in his head. He almost killed the guy he loved. Back when love was something he could’ve had, something he deserved. Not anymore. Love’s the last thing he deserves. He doesn’t even deserve to be alive. Truly does not deserve it. No one else gets to come back, so why does he? Maybe he really should just… end it. Do it in a way that Tim will never find out and he’ll just think Jason is MIA. Tim will always have hope while Jason will finally have peace. 

God, Jason really needs to sleep instead of contemplating how to die. He promised Tim he wouldn’t hurt himself. But what if… what if it doesn’t hurt? 

Ok time for some sleeping pills. Jason grabs his bag from the ground and fishes out the pills, reading the directions. Take two. Well, Jason’s a big guy. He throws back three and swallows. Who knows, maybe he won’t even wake up at all. 

He lays back down and closes his eyes, counting breaths to lull himself to sleep. Finally, sleep takes him. 

Jason watches from the roof as Tim starts his car. It explodes, killing him instantly. 

Jason looks through his scope into Tim’s bedroom, aims, and fires. The bullet blasts through the side of Tim’s head; blood, skull fragments, and brain matter shooting out of the other side, splattering against the wall. 

Jason grabs Tim’s head with his hands and sharply twists, reveling in the crack his neck makes before he drops, dead. 

Jason puts the barrel of his handgun right between Tim’s eyes and pulls the trigger.

Jason removes Tim’s head with a swift slice of his katana. 

Jason kicks Tim hard in the chest, knocking him off the roof. He screams as he falls and then with an odd kind of ‘pop’ noise, Tim becomes a broken mass of blood and bone. 

Jason stabs his katana through Tim’s heart. The bright red blood slides down the blade as he dies, falling to the floor. 

Jason sees Tim lift the coffee mug to his lips and take a sip. His eyes go wide and scared as he drops the mug and it shatters on the floor. His eyes roll back and he seizes, foaming at the mouth. Then he falls out of his chair, dead. 

Jason slashes his dagger across Tim’s stomach, eviscerating him. His bowels fall out of the gash, and Tim desperately tries to put them back inside his body, but the rapid blood loss wins. He dies, hands still holding his intestines. 

Jason straps cinder blocks to Tim’s broken legs and throws him into Gotham Harbor. 

Jason wraps his hand around Tim’s throat and squeezes, lifting him off the ground. Tim scrabbles desperately at the hand but Jason’s too strong. He keeps fighting until he goes limp, passed out. Jason continues the hold until he feels the pulsing in his neck finally stop. He drops his corpse and walks away. 

Jason forces a crowbar through Tim’s abdomen, dumps a bucket of water over him, and then clamps jumper cables to each side of the crowbar. He whistles as he walks over to the wall, flicking the switch. Tim’s scream is aborted as the electricity makes him seize up. The smell of burnt hair and charred flesh floods the room. 

Jason hogties Tim and leaves him on the floor in the middle of a warehouse, surrounded by explosives, a twenty second countdown directly in his line of sight. He casually strolls out, feeling the blast of heat against his back when it explodes.

Jason pins Tim against the wall with one hand and tears off his pants and underwear with the other.

“Jason, no, please don’t- AHH!” Tim screams in pain as Jason slams into him. “Stop!”

“We both know you want this,” Jason purrs, lips brushing against Tim’s ear as he pulls back.

Tim sobs. “I don’t! Get away - FUCK!” Another scream as Jason roughly thrusts back into him. 

“Yeah, you like that, don’t ya bitch!” Jason laughs cruelly. 

“Stop, I don’t want it, I don’t want it! NO!” he shrieks at another thrust. 

“I love the way you scream for me.” Jason pounds into him, the cries of pain bringing him closer and closer. 

Tim has gone limp against the wall, pathetically whimpering and quietly pleading for it to stop. That’s all Jason needs to hear to finish inside him. “Yeah, there ya go you little slut. Just what you wanted!” He quickly pulls out and watches the semen and blood mix as it drips out of Tim.

“Fucking fag,” Jason spits, shoving him away and tucking himself back into his jeans. 

Tim collapses to the ground, whimpering and trembling. 

Jason laughs. “Pathetic.” He crouches down and slices open Tim’s carotid with his dagger. “Bye bye birdie.”

Jason shoots up to a sitting position and immediately throws up all over the bed. He couldn’t wake up, he couldn’t wake up! He murdered Tim repeatedly and he, he just raped Tim. Real or not, he… he raped Tim. He felt himself raping Tim and enjoying it.

He realizes his boxers are sticky and it triggers him to throw up three more times. 

“I’m evil…” Jason gasps, breathing heavily and clutching his stomach. “Fucking… pit… made me… evil. ” He would never, ever, ever in a million lifetimes, ever rape someone, especially not Tim. He would never throw slurs at him. He would never rip him open. Never do anything like any of this.

Or would he? Has the pit turned him into someone capable of rape? He doesn’t have an answer to that. But he does have a response. 

Jason Todd is gonna burn the League of Assassins to the ground. Burn it into nothingness. Destroy any evidence that it ever even existed. And destroy those god damn pits. Then maybe, maybe he can return to Gotham. 

Six Weeks Later

Jason sighs tiredly as he walks through the parking lot to his room in a mediocre hotel in Dublin. Infinity Island was destroyed a couple weeks ago. The base in the Swiss Alps was destroyed only a couple days ago. Then he fled to Ireland to cool down and plan before his final assault on Nanda Parbat. 

He runs a hand through his dyed auburn hair. He’s been frequently changing the color, hoping to make himself harder to track. He currently has blue colored contacts in his eyes as well. He casually looks around, making sure no one is following him. It appears to be clear. He pulls out his key, unlocks the door, and steps inside, tossing his backpack into a chair. He pulls off his jacket and throws it over it. Then he removes the knives hidden in his boots, dropping them onto the table.

He pulls out his blue contacts and drops them beside the knives. He’ll sanitize them later, he’s too tired to care right now. 

“Hm, auburn hair looks nice on you,” the voice says.

Chapter Text

“Hm, auburn hair looks nice on you,” the voice says.

Jason dives at his backpack, yanks out his handgun, and spins around to aim at the intruder. 

Tim, sitting on the bed, back against the headboard, doesn’t flinch - hell, he doesn’t even blink. He looks… good. Certainly better than the last time Jason saw him: bleeding, broken, and crying on the floor because he tried to murder him. His legs are stretched out in front of him, right ankle crossed over his left. He has really ugly socks on. They’re green, white, and orange striped… for Ireland. God, that’s terrible.

He’s in pale blue, regular-cut jeans. Which is interesting. He usually goes for slims or skinnies. So he’s probably hiding something. Left knee seems bigger than the right - must have a brace on and didn’t wanna upset Jason. Sweet thought - didn’t work.

A darker blue hoodie looks comfortably snug around his torso. His hands are relaxed in the hoodie pocket. The design is Mickey Mouse, mid-stroll, and it says Hong Kong Disneyland. Tim kept going to Disneylands, he realizes. That… that makes Jason really happy. If he kept going annually then he’s been to four Disney resorts, so there’s still two left. Unless a new one popped up in the last three years. Who knows. That wasn’t exactly part of Jason’s post resurrection education. 

His hair looks like he’s recently had it cut. His eyes are bright, a teasing smugness in them. Little shit’s real proud of himself for finding him.

Jason quickly lowers his arm and sets the handgun on the table. Fucking fuck, he almost killed him again. “I could've fucking killed you!”

Tim completely ignores it. “But I’m more partial to black hair, myself.” He stretches his arms and yawns.

“I’m more partial to Robin, myself.”

Jason’s heart squeezes at the reminder of their first meeting. He knows Tim chose those words for that exact reason. 

“Get the fuck out,” he growls, pointing at the door. He wants to say ‘stay, I miss you, tell me everything.’

Tim snorts. “No.”

“Fine. You don’t wanna get the fuck out? Then I will.” Jason turns around to gather his things. 

“Don’t you dare!” Tim snarls. Uh oh, he’s pissed.

Jason internally screams and sets his stuff back down, turning to face him. “Please stay away from me, Tim. I am begging you,” he pleads, hands together almost like he's praying. “If you love me, you will leave.”

Tim scoffs and rolls his eyes. “Ignoring how manipulative that is, if I really love you, then I’ll stay to call you out when you're being a dumbass. So I’m staying.”

Tears of fear well up in Jason's eyes. “Tim, please! You’re not safe here. I don’t trust myself. I can’t- get out. Just get away from me. I’ll kill you! I can’t do this right now, I can’t!”

“I trust you.” Tim slips off the bed and onto his feet, taking a step towards Jason.  

Jason grabs his gun back and aims at his chest. “Get out!” He takes several steps back until he hits the corner of the room, then he slides down the wall to the floor. He maintains his aim as he does.

Tim takes two more steps closer. He’s in danger! Jason will hurt him, kill him, torture him, rape him. He needs to get out of here, he’ll die and Jason won’t be able to stop it. Dead. He’ll be dead. Jason can’t do this. He can’t… he can’t breathe.

All Jason can see is various dead Tims, flickering constantly from one to another. Broken neck. Decapitated. Bullet between his eyes. Foaming at the mouth. Slit throat. Just… blood. Blood coating Tim. Jason killed him, he really did it this time, too much blood, there's too much blood, Tim's drenched in it, no one can survive this much blood loss, he can’t be dead! Jason hugs his legs to his chest and hides his face. Doesn’t help, he can still see Tim's bloody corpse.

“-ok. I'm ok.”

Tim? That’s Tim's voice… but he's dead. How is he talking?

“-ever you're seeing is not real. I’m alive, Jason. I’m backed away. But I really need you to breathe for me,” Tim's voice is calm. It sounds… safe. “I'm gonna count for you, ok?”

Tim begins to count and Jason does his best to follow the instructed inhales, holds, and exhales. He doesn't know how many reps it takes, but eventually he can breathe again. Not dead, Tim’s not dead, he’s alive, he’s ok. 

Wait, wasn't Jason holding his gun? Why is his right hand so light? Jason lifts his head and looks at his hands. Both are empty. He doesn’t see the weapon near him. 

“It's over here,” Tim says quietly.

Jason looks at the bed, where Tim is back in the spot he was before his freakout. The gun is on the bed beside him. How did he even get that close to him?

“I thought you might feel better if I had the gun so I can shoot you?” Tim sniffles, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. He's crying. Why is he crying? Jason asks as much. 

Tim laughs. Or sobs. Maybe both? “Because I caused a fucking panic attack!”

Jason scoffs. “I said get out for a reason.” 

“I just- I was-” His face shows nothing but guilt and regret.

“Being selfish, Tim,” he spits. He really wasn’t but maybe… maybe if he hurts his feelings he’ll go away and be safe from him. 

“I… you're right,” he sighs, “you're right, and I’m sorry.” He sounds sincere, and it just pisses Jason off more for some reason.

“Just get out,” he growls again. 

A small sob escapes Tim and he nods. “Ok.” He stands from the bed, grabs the gun, and trains it on Jason as he heads for the door, staying as far away as possible as he does. He opens the door, steps out, and lays the gun on the floor of the room, crying all along. He grabs the doorknob-

Jason can’t take it. “Tim, wait. Stay,” he sighs. 

Tim pokes his head into the room, swiping at his eyes and face. “I think maybe I've done enough, Jason.” He gives him a sad smile and starts withdrawing from the room.

Jason internally screams again. Why is he doing this? Just let Tim go. “Please?”

Tim freezes for several seconds. Then he steps back into the room, closes the door, and grabs the gun.

“One condition. I say leave, you leave.”

Tim nods. “Where…”

“Left side of the left bed.”

“Ok,” Tim whispers, walking past Jason and over to the bed, sitting down on top of it. He sets the gun down beside him. 

Jason takes a deep breath, wipes his eyes and face, stands, and moves to sit on the right side of the right bed. He looks straight ahead, not over at Tim. “Make it quick, I got shit to do,” he snaps.

“Is… is it really you?” Tim murmurs. 

“'London Bridge.'”

Tim laughs quietly. “Yeah, never told anyone else.”

This could be so normal. Just like old times. Talking about everything and nothing. No judgment, just his best friend and all the time in the world. But he’ll never have that again. Not with Tim. 

“I'm not going back with you, Tim.”

Tim sighs, like he expected it. “I know. You still have another target.”

“How…? Nevermind, I don't care.”

“I miss you,” Tim whispers, abruptly changing the subject. 

Jason sighs and looks over at him. “The me that died isn’t the me that came back, Tim. I’m… I’m a monster now.” 

Tim frowns and shakes his head. “Bullshit.”

“I’ve killed over a hundred people. Over forty in the last six weeks alone.”

“Oh no, you killed assassins, how terrible,” he says dryly, then smiles. “Doesn’t make you a monster to me.”

Jason turns away again. He can’t take the sheer earnestness on Tim’s face. “I really don’t wanna hear it.”

Tim groans in frustration. “Well. Anyway, I’ve healed.”

“Knee brace.”

“Damn it…” Tim mutters. 

Jason knew it. He was trying to hide it. 

“The bone healed. I have a brace out of caution. Everything else has healed too. I’m actually healing ahead of the curve, so.”

“Mentally?” He’ll probably never recover, probably has permanent trauma. 

“I… have had an occasional nightmare about Red Hood. But never about you, Jason.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. 

“I know. Were… you really gonna kill Robin?”

Jason’s been asking himself that a lot. Would he really be able to kill his successor, regardless of who they were? Could he actually do that to his family? Cause heartache all over again? That’s assuming they missed him at all. But they… they had to have missed him. Right? 

“I probably would’ve,” he says. 

Tim hums. “You know, the dead bird was a bit much.” 

The corner of Jason’s mouth twitches in a smile. “That… wasn’t planned. An alley cat happened to have a robin and it was still alive, but dying. It wasn’t gonna make it. I scared off the cat and broke the bird’s neck so it wouldn’t suffer. And then I realized it was a perfect psychological trigger.”

Tim laughs quietly. The tone sounds like he’s shaking his head fondly at Jason while thinking he’s an idiot. “A monster would not mercy kill a bird.”

“They ‘don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy,’” Jason quotes. 

Tim huffs out a laugh, then sighs again. “Do you think that maybe… maybe you’ll return to Gotham when you’re done?”

“And what, exactly? Rejoin the family? Move back into the manor?” 

“They’d be overjoyed to know you were alive.”

Jason scoffs. “Doubt it.”

“Maybe… maybe you don’t have to go back to them. But you said you’d always come back to me.” Tim’s voice breaks and Jason can hear him start quietly crying. 

Jason looks over, and sure enough he’s wiping his eyes. If he wasn’t terrified of hurting Tim, he’d be over there immediately, pulling Tim into his arms and hugging the pain away. Wiping the hurt from his eyes. Telling him that he’ll always be there for him and that he loves him. That there’s no one in the world he would fight harder to protect. But he can’t. What if touching Tim… what if it makes him snap? Jason’s much faster and substantially stronger. He wouldn’t stand a chance. Plus…

“Tim… Nightwing said he’d kill me if I return.” And Jason believes him. 

“You don’t have to come back as Red Hood.”

“I like being Red Hood.”

“Then I’ll tell him that if he hurts you, I’ll never speak to him again. That’ll do it.” 

That’s… horrible. And would be ludicrously effective. “And you called me manipulative?”

Tim shrugs. “I’ll manipulate Batman to protect you, I don’t care.”

Jason groans into his hands and then rubs his face. He shouldn’t say this. He should not say this. “Fine. After I complete the next phase and after I clean up anything leftover, Red Hood will return to Gotham.” Well, he said it. 

“Promise it,” Tim orders. 

“I promise - if I survive.”

Tim frowns. 

“Which I will try to do.”

Tim smiles, small but sincere. “I’m gonna go before you change your mind.” 

After screaming at him to get out, now that he’s actually leaving… it makes Jason sad. But he has to destroy the League. They’re a threat to the entire world. He needs all his focus for this mission. And Tim is… distracting. 

Tim opens his mouth, pauses, and then shuts it. He reaches under the pillow and pulls out a pile of bullets.

“You were bluffing,” Jason realizes aloud. 

“Like I would ever point a loaded gun at you? Please.” Tim pulls the slide to lock it back (showing the empty chamber), ejects the emptied magazine, and lays both down on the bed before standing. “Can I walk past you?”

Jason nods. 

Tim walks toward the door, pausing at the foot of Jason’s bed and turning to face him. “Jay, I…” he hesitates. “You’re really important to me. Please be careful, ok?” He ends in a shaky whisper and his eyes water. 

“Ok.”

Tim hesitates again. “Can…” he reaches a hand towards Jason, who takes a deep breath and then reaches forward enough for Tim to just brush their fingertips together. 

Jason would do anything to be able to hug him, but he can’t take that risk. Not with Tim, never with Tim. 

Tim smiles, another small one, then turns away, continuing to the door. He opens it. 

“Tim?”

He looks back, a nervous little frown on his face. 

“I miss you too,” Jason smiles at him. 

Tim’s breath hitches in surprise but then he beams at Jason. The happiness on his face is breathtaking. Jason wishes he could take a picture, frame it, and keep it forever. 

“Bye Jay.”

“Bye Timmers.”

If possible, his smile brightens even more. Then he steps through the doorway and closes it. 

Jason grabs the pillow beside him, hugs it to his chest, buries his face in it, and starts sobbing. 

Chapter Text

It’s been seven weeks since Tim saw Jason in Dublin. Three weeks since Nanda Parbat was blown up, according to the satellite imagery that he was keeping an eye on. He doesn’t even know if Jason survived, let alone if he’ll keep his promise. 

He’s thrown himself into work to get his mind off it - a lot of meetings with Wayne Enterprises to set up the merger with Drake Industries. So much reading and so many lawyers and just... ugh. DI will essentially become a subsidiary of WE, and will continue with their own work while taking over Wayne Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals. With DI’s specialization in those fields, and now access to WE’s funds, it will be a mutually beneficial relationship. Plus, Tim will retain his CEO-ship and DI will keep its name.

This afternoon, he’s in Bruce’s office reading over the final forms that need signing. Once he signs, the merger will be complete and all the real work will begin. 

Wait what did he just read? He reads the paragraph again. And again. And one more time. His eyelids droop and his head falls forward. He jolts back up. 

“-im? Would you like some coffee?”

“Please,” he groans. 

Bruce stands with a chuckle. “I’ll get it.”

Tim sets the papers on the desk and rubs his eyes with a tired sigh. 

A few short seconds later, Tim hears the quiet clink of a mug being placed on the table in front of him. He stops rubbing his eyes and looks down at the mug, filled with steaming hot coffee. 

“Thanks Bruce,” Tim smiles, taking a long sip from the mug. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Wrong?” Tim’s brow furrows 

“It seems like there’s something on your mind.”

Tim sighs. “Someone,” he corrects, looking back down at the mug in his hands and taking another sip. 

Bruce hums. 

“Sorry. It’s... Jason. He’s just been on my mind a lot this week. Not really sure why?”

Bruce gives him a small smile. “Hm. Maybe you’re stressed about this merger so you’ve been thinking about someone that made you feel calm?”

“That... might be it.” He says. Cause he can’t just say ‘well he was alive at least three weeks ago but he might be dead again and I’m freaking out!’

“He’d be really proud of you,” Bruce smiles.

Tim returns it. “Yeah?”

“Definitely,” Bruce nods. 

“Actually,” Tim laughs quietly, “I don’t know, I kinda feel like he’d be yelling at me to stop working so hard. ‘Jesus Christ Tim, you’re only seventeen, live a little. Have you heard of outside?’”

Bruce laughs. “He’d be proud and he’d yell at you.”

“Fair.” Tim drains the rest of the mug and sets it back down. 

“Another?”

“Um...”

“Alfred’s not here,” Bruce reminds him. 

“Then absolutely, thanks.”

“No problem.” Bruce picks up the mug and exits his office

Realistically, he could probably go ahead and sign the forms. He trusts Bruce. But he’s gotta do his due diligence. Just in case. 

He thanks Bruce again when he returns and downs the coffee unreasonably fast. 

Ninety minutes later, Tim finally finishes reading the entire stack.

“Everything in order?” Bruce asks. 

Tim nods. “Yep. We just need a witness.” 

Ten minutes later, after Tim, Bruce, and Lucius have signed all the forms, the two CEOs pose for a photograph of them shaking hands for the quarterly WE newsletter. And then Tim finally leaves. 

As he walks back to his penthouse apartment a few blocks away, he gets the distinct feeling that he’s being watched. He turns back and looks around but can’t see anyone, so he continues on his way. The feeling immediately comes back. But it doesn’t feel threatening. It almost feels... protective, somehow. Suddenly it all makes sense. 

Tim grins. Jason.  

He starts jogging back to his apartment, then hurries through the lobby with a friendly greeting to Joey, the doorman. He enters the elevator and holds his wallet up to the card reader, which beeps affirmatively. The elevator rapidly rises to the 30th floor penthouse as Tim quickly removes his necktie, slips out of his blazer, and untucks his shirt. 

The elevator doors open and Tim heads to his room to remove all his work clothes, throw them onto the bed, and change into some shorts, sneakers, and a t-shirt. 

He grabs his camera and heads out to his sprawling balcony. He holds the viewfinder up to his eye and zooms in to scan the rooftops around him. He doesn’t see him. But he’s back, somehow he just... knows. 

Robin whoops joyously as he flies between rooftops. He’s finally been allowed to patrol alone again. He’s only been back in the field for a couple weeks, always with either Batman or Nightwing as a constant companion in case he has a problem. But tonight, he’s free. And Jason’s back - hopefully.

Before long, after pausing to take care of a couple muggers, Robin enters the Bowery, just south of Crime Alley. It’s the epicenter of drug activity in the city, and if Red Hood was telling the truth when monologuing, this is his area. If Tim’s gonna find him, it’s gonna be here. (Or Crime Alley.)

Robin mentally goes over his options and decides to run to the Monarch Theater. He moves like Nightwing: unnecessarily flippy and showy, just to get Red Hood’s attention. When he gets there he lands on the roof, behind the sign. He turns off his mask cam, mutes his comms, and waits. 

Several minutes later, there’s an intentionally heavy thump behind him. Robin turns around and there’s Red Hood, about ten feet away with his arms crossed. “Robin,” he greets plainly, voice modulator off.

“Hi,” Robin smiles, relief surging through him. This is the third time he’s seen him since his return, and it’s not even close to getting old yet. “You came back.”

Red Hood nods. “No more League, or pits. No more Ra’s.”

Robin knew Red Hood was dangerous, but he didn’t know he was kill-Ra's-al-Ghul dangerous. He can't tell if that’s scary, or hot. Maybe both? The guy took down an entire murderous criminal empire in under two months. He's amazing, and brilliant, and strong, and an incredible fighter. He's still everything that he was as Robin... but classed up to a level that Tim could only ever dream of reaching.

“Can’t say I’m upset about that. Talia?”

Red Hood shifts his weight, a surprisingly anxious motion. “She, uh... had a baby with her. I let her live.” Hm. Feels like there's more to that story but he’s not stupid enough to ask right now.

“Never thought of her as the motherly type.”

“Might be a good thing for her,” he shrugs. 

“Maybe. So... I uh, have something for you.”

Red Hood tilts his head the tiniest bit, and Robin knows he’d see a raised eyebrow if the helmet was off. Robin unclasps one of the pockets on his belt and pulls out an old, black cell phone with a slide out keyboard. He tosses it over and Red Hood uncrosses his arms and catches it effortlessly.

“Untraceable. Made sure of it myself. My number’s in it. If you ever need help or just wanna talk or whatever, you can. Anytime, day or night, I will always answer you.”

Red Hood snorts. “We’ve really come full circle, huh? Now you’re giving me a phone. There a tracker in it?”

Robin nods. “But it’s inactive until you press the ‘CALL’ button three times. Just in case you’re in a tight spot. The alert only goes to me.”

“Thanks man. Got a BatBar?” he jokes, slipping the phone into a pocket. 

Robin laughs brightly because he actually does, and pulls out the bar, tossing it over to him. Red Hood catches it with a quiet chuckle and puts the bar in the opposite jacket pocket.

“I was fresh out of Robin kiddie watches, sorry,” Robin teases.

Red Hood barks out a laugh, but there's a notably sad edge to it. “I'd give anything to go back to then,” he whispers, barely audible.

“You can...” Robin responds, taking a step forward. Red Hood takes a corresponding step back, throwing out a hand in a ‘stop’ gesture. Robin stops with a disappointed sigh, shoulders falling.

“I told you. I'm a murderer. I won't be accepted back.”

Robin scoffs. “Well they don't know that.”

“I won’t lie to my brother.”

“Tell me you're not seriously worried that him knowing you've killed people will make him not love you? Nothing could do that.”

“Trying to murder you?” Red Hood snaps, hands clenching into fists.

“He would forgive you immediately if he knew it was you.”

“I’m not ready, ok?!” he yells, voice cracking.

“It's ok if you're never ready. But if you ever are, I'll be right at your side, alright?” Robin murmurs. “Whatever they say, whatever happens... you'll always have me.”

Red Hood's tense posture relaxes slightly. “Diana Ross?”

Robin's brow furrows. “What? Oh. Well that wasn't my intention but honestly, it’s fitting. No matter where you are, no matter how far... you call, I'm there,” he assures. “But you can always tell me to leave.”

“I won't,” Red Hood whispers, shaking his head, then continues at normal volume, “But for right now, I need to get back to work. Thank you for the phone and the bar. You’re... literally the only person in the world that I trust right now.”

Tim’s eyes burn behind his mask. He doesn’t want to be the only one. He wants Jason to have his friends, his family. He deserves people on his side, and there’s so many people who would be if he would just tell them. A sob escapes him and he claps a hand over his mouth. 

Red Hood takes a couple wary steps away from him. “...Robin?”

“I’m s-sorry. I just, the l-last time...” Robin sucks in a quick breath, “the last time I knew wh-where you were and didn’t t-tell anyone, you died,” he cries, pulling off his mask to wipe his suddenly overflowing eyes. 

“That was not your fault, Tim,” Red Hood says from closer than he was before. 

Tim pauses his frantic eye wiping. Red Hood (helmet off, mask on) is standing only a foot-and-a-half away. “I know that, I do. I’m just, I’m scared that it’s gonna happen again and maybe I could prevent it by telling them but I know you’re not ready for that and I’m trying to respect what you want but it terrifies me and I can’t tell Dick twice, I can’t do it, once almost killed him and I just... I can’t, Jason and I - ow, hey!” Tim rubs his forehead where Red Hood just flicked him - hard.

“If I die again, just don't tell them. There, problem solved. Plus, I’m very hard to kill. So calm down.”

Tim's eyes narrow. “Calm... down?” he says slowly. 

“I already regret it,” Red Hood groans.

“I WILL NOT CALM DOWN I’M TIRED OF LOSING THE PEOPLE I LOVE!” he screams. 

“Look, I will try not to die again. If I’m in over my head, I will call you or another Bat. I won’t let it happen to you twice,” he says softly. 

Tim laughs with a hysterical edge. Jason has no clue that Tim’s parents were murdered, but now’s not exactly the time. He takes a few deep breaths, wipes the final tears away, and puts his mask back on. 

“Sorry. Had a moment.”

“It’s ok. You’re important to me too,” Red Hood says, reading between the lines.

Robin smiles. “Cool.”

Red Hood sputters and then laughs. It’s loud, and honest, and happy. Robin laughs quietly, cheeks heating.

“‘Cool?’ Oh my god,” Red Hood sighs in amusement, laughter already gone. 

“Not my finest moment.”

“You’re ridiculous Babybird,” Red Hood says softly, words dripping with fondness.

Robin’s chest warms from the affection in his voice. It feels... familiar, and good, and... dangerous.

“I really gotta get back.”

“Ok,” Robin smiles. “Can… I hug you?”

Red Hood frowns. “No. I’m sorry, I just...”

“Still don’t trust yourself,” Robin nods. 

Red Hood reaches forward and gently wraps his hand around Robin’s wrist, giving a slight squeeze. “It’s not you, it’s me,” he smirks, letting go. 

Robin laughs and gives his hand a squeeze. “Sure, ok. Bye Jay.”

Red Hood puts his helmet on and activates the voice modulator. “See ya around, Timmers.” He grapples away. 

Robin sighs and reactivates his comms and mask cam. He holds two fingers to his ear. “Robin to Nightwing.”

“Nightwing.”

“Can you meet me at my safehouse in Robbinsville?” His voice shakes a little. 

“Are you alright?”

“Physically, yes. But I passed by the cemetery and I uh...” he sniffles. 

“Got triggered?” Nightwing responds softly.

“Yeah.”

“Be there in seven.”

“Thanks.”

“Of course. Nightwing out.”

“Robin out.”

Robin turns and runs across the rooftops to his safehouse. It’s right near the edges of Crime Alley and the Bowery, so it only takes a couple minutes. He unlocks and slips through the window, then quickly pulls off his suit as he walks to the bedroom and changes into sweatpants and Dick’s hoodie. 

Tim walks to his couch, sits down, hugs his legs to his chest, and hides his face against them. The tears start flowing silently. He just wants Jason to come home. He wants to tell Dick. He wants to stop being scared that Jason’s gonna fracking die because he doesn’t think his family will love him anymore. He wants a hug. From Jason. But he’ll take anyone at this point. 

He hears the window creak open and then latch close. “Just me,” Dick says softly. “Gimme a sec.”

He hears quick footsteps and then some grumbling and then the thump of his boots as he pulls them off, then the softer thump of the Nightwing suit hitting the floor. Tim makes sure Dick has a change of clothes at all of his safehouses in case he ever needs to crash. He hears drawers open and close and then a zipper. 

Several seconds later the sofa dips beside him. “Timmy?” Dick asks, voice gentle. He presses a warm hand between Tim’s shoulder blades and Tim raises his head to look at his big brother’s concerned eyes that sadden when they see the tears. 

“Hug?”

“Please,” Tim whispers. 

Dick moves to wrap his arms tightly around him and pulls him close. “What happened?”

Tim rests his head against Dick’s chest. “I want Jason to come home,” he whimpers. 

“Oh, Winglet...” Dick sighs sadly. “I know. God, I know.”

Tim starts sobbing. Dick’s brother is a couple miles away and he has no idea that he’s even alive and Tim can’t tell him. This tiny bit of trust from Jason is too fragile to rush with and Tim will not mess that up just because he’s dying inside by keeping it secret.

“I c-can’t bring him home!” he cries. 

“No one can,” Dick murmurs, starting to run his hand up and down Tim’s back. “It’s impossible.”

“I want him back! I’m sick of this!”

“Where is all this old grief coming from?”

“I don’t know! I thought I was healing but it’s like I’m losing him all over again!”

“Healing from a loss like this... ‘s not a straight line. Sometimes it feels like you’ve looped right back to the beginning and everything is horrible and you think you’ll never make it out... and then you do. So cry it out now and worry about healing later. I’m here,” Dick murmurs, and Tim feels a soft kiss against the top of his head. 

Tim cries himself to sleep in the safety of his brother’s arms. 

Red Hood gets to his safehouse and quickly pulls off his helmet, mask, and jacket, removes his body armor, stumbles over to his bed, falls onto it, and bursts into tears. He didn’t have shit to get back to he just needed to leave before he had a complete fucking meltdown over a shitty fifteen year old phone and a protein bar!

After nearly killing him... Tim, he... he gave Jason something to keep him safer. To allow him to reach Tim in an emergency. He still trusts Jason. He has faith in Jason.

He sobs as he wipes his eyes. Tim has more trust and faith in him than Jason has in himself. Red Hood is a killer, and yet Tim just wants to hug him. Jason wants to hug him too. But he’s legitimately worried that the Pit will take over if they hug and Tim will die. No hug is worth Tim’s life, even if it’s desperately wanted. 

He’s scared of hurting Dick too. And Bruce. And Alfred. Any thoughts about returning to his family... it’s all filled with the crippling terror that he’ll kill them. He can never return. 

Jason cries himself to sleep, alone and scared. 

Red Hood grapples away from Robin, then turns back and fires a shot right into his head. 

“NO!” Jason screams, sitting up in bed and breathing heavily. That’s not what happened, that’s not what happened. Right? Right?

He throws himself out of bed and frantically grabs his jacket, pulls out the phone, finds the contacts, and calls Robin. 

It rings three times. 

“What happened?” Tim asks immediately. 

“You’re ok,” he gasps in relief, “I knew you were ok, fuck, fuck fuck fuck sorry. Ok. I’m sorry. I’m gonna try to go back to sleep. I just, I...”

“Nightmare?” Tim murmurs. 

“I killed you after leaving you today,” he whimpers. 

“Nope, I’m alive.”

“Thank fuck. Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“Yeah, but I’m glad you did. No reason to suffer alone. Though I wasn’t expecting you to use the phone quite this soon, if ever,” Tim chuckles.

“Honestly... neither was I. Anyway, um. I’ll let you go back to sleep. Sorry.”

“I meant what I said. Call whenever. And don’t be sorry when you do. I... I like hearing your voice,” Tim whispers, then groans. “Oh my god that was so lame,” he mutters. 

Jason laughs quietly. “It really was.”

“Hush,” Tim yawns, “feel better?”

Jason nods, then remembers Tim can’t see him. “Y-yeah. I was... scared, sorry.”

“Enough with the apologizing. I’m gonna go. Try to get some sleep?”

“Uh, heh... doubt it. But I’ll try.”

“Ok. Bye Jay.”

“Bye Tim. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Love you.”

“I...” Jason pauses. “I know.”

Tim hums sleepily and then the line disconnects. 

“‘I know'? Seriously?” Jason groans into his hands, then realizes his face is wet. He wipes the tears away and flops onto his back. He’ll try to sleep again. 

The sound of Robin’s phone ringing from the bedroom wakes Dick from where he was sleeping on the sofa. 

There’s a whine and then frantic movement in Tim’s room, a heavy thump, and then a softer thump. A deep breath, and then the ringer stops halfway through the third cycle. He hears Tim speak, but he can’t make out the words. The tone is gentle and concerned. 

Dick continues to listen for a minute or two, but still can’t make anything out. He rises to his feet and silently walks to the door, shamelessly eavesdropping. 

“You’re welcome. Love you.” 

Dick’s eyes widen. Is Tim dating someone? And he didn’t tell him? That... kinda hurts, honestly. 

There’s a pause, a sleepy hum, and then the sound of a phone being placed on a bedside table. “Was Han Solo’d...” There’s a soft thump again. “Cool,” Tim mutters. Then his room goes quiet and Dick silently returns to the sofa.

Tim having recently started dating someone would explain why he’s so triggered about Jason today. Cause as far as Dick knows, Jay’s the last person he fell for. He knows Tim and Kon had a thing for a hot second but it wasn’t the same. Whoever the hell it is, they must be pretty amazing to compete with Tim’s idealized memories of Jason. Maybe he’ll get to meet them soon.

“Good for you, Tim,” Dick whispers, pulling a blanket over himself and going back to sleep. 

Chapter Text

It's been a couple weeks since Tim saw Jason on top of the Monarch. He's forced himself not to look for him again. He doesn't wanna crowd him or rush him, plus whatever he's got going in his territory is clearly working. Crime rates in Crime Alley were already lower after the duffle bag incident. They rose a bit when Red Hood left, but now that he's back they've plummeted to near zero. There hasn't been a rape or murder or a minor with hard drugs in over a week. 

The Bats, apart from Tim, are driving themselves crazy trying to find the person responsible. (Because it took a lot of… examples… in Crime Alley and the Bowery for crime to fall like this.) They still haven't made the connection with Red Hood, or even realized that he's back. Probably because the residents refuse to talk to Batman or Nightwing, and many shoot at them if they enter the neighborhoods. 

Robin, unbeknownst to the two of them, is tolerated. No guns, and people are… not unfriendly. It almost feels like they were told to allow him and not the others. Still, he only sticks to the outskirts. He passes through every three patrols, using the same route every time. He knows Red Hood picked up on the pattern after the third time. Maybe one day Red Hood will show up along his route. Tim wishes, anyway.

Tim is struggling with how he feels about Red Hood's methods. On one hand, it’s highly effective. On the other… maybe some of them could have been redeemed? But the rest of the entire city is just as violent and crime-ridden as usual. How many would die if Red Hood’s criminal empire encompassed the whole city? The thought is... chilling. But would it work?

“Any ideas?!” Nightwing yells, rolling to dodge Killer Croc's tail swipe.

Ok maybe now isn't the best time for an internal debate in criminal morality.

“Where's Batman?!” Robin yells back, taking a breather after Croc got a good hit in. He appears to be on some kind of stimulant. He's much angrier and violent than usual - which says a lot, for him.

“They needed him on the Watchtower!” Nightwing activates the taser on one of his escrima sticks and tosses it in Croc's mouth. It does nothing.

“In that case I have an idea!” 

“Great!” Nightwing's voice is high, disbelieving at his useless attack.

Robin pulls up his holoscreen and sends out a call. It's answered instantly.

“Robarino my dude what's up how's it going has Agent A-”

“Help now, cookies later! Batman’s gone and we need help with Killer Croc in Gotham.”

“Be there in a-”

Robin hangs up before he can say it. 

Fifteen seconds later, a yellow and red blur whirls around Killer Croc, and then Kid Flash is standing in front of the man with his hands on his hips and a cocky smirk on his face as Croc slams into the ground. “Ah, small potatoes.” 

Robin snorts and jogs up to him. “Thank you.”

“Excellent idea,” Nightwing gasps, breathing heavily as he flops down on the grass and raises a shaking thumbs up before dropping it.

“Nightwing!” Kid Flash grins and zips over to hug him.

“Hi Bart,” Nightwing laughs softly, “been a minute.”

“I'm here too,” Robin huffs, crossing his arms. 

“Robin!” Kid Flash is instantly hugging him, “I haven't seen you in forever,” he sobs dramatically.

Robin uncrosses his arms to hug him back tightly. Hugging a speedster is like hugging a heating pad set on high. It's almost too much - and it's perfect. He sighs happily into the hug. He hasn't seen any of them in five months. Between running a Fortune 50 company at seventeen and getting the shit beat out of him by his apparently alive former best friend that he had a massive crush on and then had to track down across the globe, and then merging into the Fortune 1 company and harboring a massive secret… he hasn't had time.

“I missed you too. Between the injury and the work stuff- I haven’t abandoned you guys, I promise. I’ll come visit the Tower on Saturday night, ok?”

“Awesome!” Kid Flash crows, then he picks Robin up and shakes him side-to-side. “Ican’twaittotelltheteamit’sgonnabesomuchfuneveryonemissesyou!”

“Um.”

Kid Flash suddenly sets him down and lets go, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I did it again, didn’t I?”

Robin laughs. “Yeah. Little quick.”

“I am very excited and this will be fun,” Kid Flash says slowly - for him, anyway.

“I can’t wait. And I'll bring Alfred’s cookies.” He really is excited, he's missed them a lot. It’s just… if there’s any people that he’s gonna break around and let the Jason thing slip, it’s them. It’s risky, but he's frankly tired of avoiding them. 

“Ok gotta run!” Kid Flash hugs him again. “Thanks for the call didn’t expect to punch a cannibalistic crocodile-person tonight but hey why not? Miss you love you bye!”

Robin laughs again. “I’m glad I called. Love you too.”

“Bye Nightwing!” Kid Flash zips over to give him a split second hug and then literally yells ‘nyoom!’ as he runs off. 

Robin smiles after him and shakes his head fondly before turning back to Nightwing. “…what?” he frowns.

Nightwing’s mask lenses are wide, eyes flicking back and forth between Robin and the direction Kid Flash just ran in, jaw slightly dropped.

“What?” Robin repeats, “what’s with- JESUS!” He yelps as his gauntlet shrieks an alarm at him. A cold feeling of dread washes over him. Jason.

The look on Nightwing’s face instantly becomes concerned. Robin frantically pulls up the holoscreen map where a red dot is flashing in the westernmost part of the Bowery. He swipes the map away. 

“Stay with Jones til Blackgate gets here this an emergency,” Robin says quickly, as he turns and sprints to his bike, turning off his comms and mask cam as he does. 

“Do you need help?!” Nightwing calls after him.

“No!” Robin yells back, skidding into the nearby alley and jumping onto the R-cycle, scanning his handprint to activate it. It roars to life and Robin guns it.

“Please don’t be dying, please don’t be dying, please don’t be dying,” he mutters to himself, driving recklessly fast but he doesn’t care right now, he’s terrified. 

He makes it to the area in record time, slams the brake, grapples off his bike onto the closest building, and pulls up the map again. He grapples to the next building over and runs to the edge, dropping down onto the fire escape. There’s a bloody handprint on an opened window. 

“No, no no no no,” Robin whimpers, nimbly squeezing through the opening into what he assumes is one of Red Hood’s safehouses.

There’s a trail of blood and Red Hood’s equipment. He quickly follows and comes across his jacket with a large rip through the back, then his helmet, mask, gloves, his holsters and guns, and his body armor. It leads to a bathroom with an open door. He turns into the room and freezes. 

Oh frack that’s a lot of blood.

Chapter Text

Oh frack that’s a lot of blood. The metallic smell in the bathroom is nearly overwhelming. 

Jason is shirtless and breathing heavily, feet braced against the opposite wall, pushing himself back against a wadded up towel behind him, trying to keep pressure on his wound. The white towel is almost completely red. Dripping blood from the wound is pooling on the floor around him. A trail of blood runs down his back.

In the tub is a long sleeve compression shirt, and an already soaked through towel, in a puddle of blood. His black Kevlar pants are still on, and his bloody hands are clenched in loose fists resting at his sides. The cell phone is tossed aside, splotches of blood all over it. 

Not to mention the blood on the walls and the sink and the sink cabinet and the doorframe and the door itself and the edge of the tub and the shower curtain. Just, blood. So much blood. A life-threatening amount of blood. 

Robin starts trembling as he quickly removes his mask, gloves, and cape, tossing them into the hallway. “Hey remember when you said you’d try not to die? You’re doing a shitty job.”

Jason startles and whips his head to face him, but then he relaxes. “You came,” he whispers. His face is a bit too pale.

For some reason, Jason’s relief at seeing Tim calms him down. “Always,” he sighs, turning to the sink to wash his hands.

“Not… doing so hot, Timbo,” Jason mutters, sounding disoriented. 

Tim snorts. “Didn’t notice. First aid?”

“Sink.” 

Tim crouches to open the cabinet under the sink and pulls out a massive first aid kit. He opens it and quickly rifles through it to find what he needs. He slips on some too-large gloves and pulls out several packages of hemostatic gauze, ripping them open and sitting down beside Jason.

“Ok Jay. We gotta do this really quickly.”

“Y-yeah.”

“When I tell you to move, I need you to lay on your front, and then I’m gonna pack the wound to stop the bleeding. I’m… probably gonna need to straddle you to get the correct angle.”

Jason just barely nods. 

“You’re gonna be ok,” Tim assures, though he doesn’t know if he says it for Jason or for himself. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“Hurry,” Jason whispers. 

“Ok, on three. One… two… three!”

Jason throws himself to the side and onto his stomach. He crosses his arms and rests his chin on them. There’s a thin layer of blood all the way down his back. Tim quickly moves to straddle him at his waist. If Jason’s life wasn’t on the line, he’d probably be freaking out right now. He removes the towel, which is sticking to the wound. It pulls at the skin and Tim winces in sympathy. 

The wound is a long, diagonal gash, stretching from a couple inches to the left of roughly his T11 vertebrae, to a couple inches to the right of maybe T3. It’s at least a very clean cut, no jagged edges. 

“Jesus Christ, Jason,” Tim mutters, grabbing the gauze and beginning to pack it in the wound. Jason inhales sharply. “I know, I’m sorry,” Tim murmurs. 

The blood flowing from the wound is hot on Tim’s fingers as he quickly fills the entire gash with the gauze. By the time he’s done, the first piece of gauze is already fully saturated.

“Ok I gotta hold it for three minutes.” Tim leans forward to press his entire left forearm across the length of the wound, pressing down as hard as he can. He uses his right hand to push the left arm even more.

“Motherfucker,” Jason groans, pained. 

“Consider this payback.”

Jason whines. “‘m sorry.”

Tim sighs. “I forgave you three months ago, you know that. And I’m banning the word ‘sorry’ for the rest of the day.”

“My bad?”

“All apologies are banned, ok?”

“So bossy.”

“I know. Two more minutes.”

“You got… strong, Babybird.” Seems he can only get a few syllables out at a time before pausing for a breath because of the pain. 

Tim laughs quietly. “You were surprised by only my abs at Disneyland? You’d be shocked now.”

Jason jokingly gasps. “No, don’t… tell me that… adorable little Tim… got hot.”

Tim throws his head back and laughs loudly. “I’m stronger than you were.”

“Weird,” Jason mutters. 

“Nuh uh, you’re bigger than Nightwing now. That’s weird.”

“I missed… so much,” he whispers. 

“You did,” Tim admits, “but I can catch you up. One more minute.”

“Maybe after… ’m not bleeding… to death?”

“God, what did you do?”

“Fucker had… sword… cut right through… m’ armor.”

Tim decides not to ask what happened to the culprit. “Your bulletproof armor?” 

“It was really sharp.”

“Yes I see that,” Tim pauses for a second. “Jay?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for… for killing those rogues. It’s a lot safer out there. For everyone.”

“You knew.”

“Timing was obvious - to me.”

Jason is quiet for a few seconds. “They deserved it.”

“I… don’t disagree. Ok,” Tim sighs, sitting back up, “bleeding’s stopped.”

“Thanks.”

“Still need to stitch you up,” Tim reminds him. 

“Fuck. Got… anesthetic… in your belt?”

“Yeah. I can use it for part of the wound, but not the whole thing.” It would run out maybe halfway through because of how much area it would need to cover. 

“Forget it. I ‘on’t… deserve it. Deserve… to be left,” Jason mutters.

“I will never leave you like this,” Tim rasps, eyes watering, “never.” God, why does he think he’s so worthless? He’s not. He helps people - innocent people anyway.

“You should.”

“Too bad.” Tim growls, leaning over to the side and pulling the first aid kit closer. He pulls off his bloody gloves and tosses them aside, then grabs a fresh pair from the first aid kit, pulls them on, and pulls out a sutures pack. “Um… so I’ve never… done this before. I know the procedure but it’s probably gonna be ugly and definitely gonna hurt.”

“I trust you,” Jason murmurs without a second of hesitation. 

“Just like that?” 

“Mhm.”

“O-ok.” Tim rips open the sutures pack containing the stitches and the necessary tools. “You really don’t want me to use the anesthetic?”

“No.”

“Fine,” Tim sighs, “let’s do this thing.”

“Pretty sure you’re… doing all the work.”

Tim takes a deep breath. He’s about to intentionally harm Jason. Yes it’s to save his life, and sure, it’s just a needle compared to a goddamn sword but… but he has to intentionally make Jason bleed. Like, a bajillion times. 

“No, please… take your time,” Jason says dryly. 

“Sorry.” Tim takes a deep breath, leans forward slightly, and makes the first puncture in Jason’s skin, slips the curved needle through, and pulls the thread. He pulls out the gauze piece by piece as he moves along the wound.

Jason hisses. “Would love… a distraction. Talk. Sing. Whatever.”

“Sing? Sure. Hmm…” Tim takes a second to think, then he smiles at the memory and begins to sing. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night.”

“You remembered,” Jason whispers, a touch of awe in his tone. 

“Of course- take these broken wings and learn to fly, all your life… you were only waiting for this moment to arise.”

“Hm. Nice voice,” he murmurs. 

Tim blushes. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night… take these sunken eyes and learn to see.”

“All your life,” Jason sings quietly. 

Tim grins. “You were only waiting for this moment to be free… blackbird, fly… blackbird, fly… into the light of a dark black night.”

“I’m gonna try… to avoid flying… into the light.”

“Yeah please fracking don’t. Fifth of the way through,” Tim tells him. 

“Another?”

“What’s new Scooby Doo-” Tim starts.

Jason lifts his head and turns it to the side. He’s smiling. Tim grins in response as he lays it back down. 

“-we’re coming after you, you’re gonna solve that mystery, I see you Scooby Doo, the trail leads back to you, what’s new Scooby Doo?”

Tim’s pretty sure Jason’s humming along. 

“Na na na na na

Na na na na na

Na na, na, na, na na na 

Na na na na na

Na na na na na,

what’s new Scooby Doo?”

Jason sighs sadly when the song ends. “That was… a really… good time.”

Tim’s eyes water. “Still got it in my room.”

“Yeah?”

“I still have everything you gave me,” Tim whispers, voice wavering and blinking back the tears because he needs to be able to see.

“The paper towel from the first Batbar I gave you?”

“Oh my god, ok, not everything.” Tim has a sneaking suspicion that Jason said that just so he wouldn’t cry.

“I’m devastated.”

“Three-fifths, Jay.”

“Yay.”

“If I were a boy, even just for a day,” Tim starts, and Jason laughs. “I’d roll out of bed in the morning, and throw on what I wanted and go… drink beer with the guys, and chase after girls… I could get with who I wanted.”

“I’d kick it with,” Jason corrects. 

“Oh fuck off, I’m helping- and I’d never get confronted for it, cause they’d stick up for me, if I were a boy I think I could understand… how it feels to love a girl, I swear I’d be a better man.”

Jason scoffs. “Can’t be… better than… the best.”

Tim’s blush darkens. At least Jay can’t see it. “I’d listen to her, cause I know how it hurts… when you lose the one you wanted, cause he was murdered by a psycho-”

Jason laughs even louder and Tim adores the sound. 

“-and everything you had got destroyed. If I were a boy, I would turn off my phone. Tell everyone it’s broken, so they’d think that I was sleeping alone… I’d put myself first, and make the rules as I go… cause I know that she’d be faithful, waitin’ for me to come home, to come home… if I were a boy-”

Tim finishes the chorus, and then hits the bridge, changing it. 

“It’s never too late for you to come back, it was just a mistake, and I forgave you for that, if you thought we won’t love you now… you thought wrong…”

Jason whimpers. “I can’t.”

Tim sighs but accepts it (for now), and finishes the song. 

“Ok, almost done.” 

“K,” Jason whispers.

“It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me, at tea time, everybody agrees, I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror, it must be exhausting always rooting for the anti hero.”

Jason makes a confused sound.

“I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money, she thinks I left them in the will, the family gathers round and reads it and then someone screams out, ‘she’s laughing up at as from hell.’”

“Who?”

“Taylor Swift.”

“Mm. Checks out.”

Tim finishes the last stitch and ties it off, then clips off the remaining thread. He tosses all the crap in the trash, including the second pair of gloves.

He looks through the first aid kit and pulls out two abdominal pads, some medical tape, a xeroform packet, and then pulls on a third pair of gloves. 

“Just cleaning the stitches, putting on some pads and some tape, and I’ll be done.”

Tim plucks a water wipe out of the kit and gently dabs along the cut, removing the blood surrounding it. Then he grabs a piece of regular gauze to dab it dry. He opens the xeroform and lays it over the sutures, gently pressing down to make it stick. Then he grabs the pads, places them on, and tapes down the edges. Tim tosses all the new wrappers, packaging, and gloves. 

“Good as new,” Tim says, closing the first aid kid and grabbing the handle. He stands and steps over Jason to place it back under the sink, then turns back to him.

“Thanks Dr. Drake,” Jason groans as he rolls onto his side to sit up without laying on his back. Tim holds out a hand. Jason stares at it for several seconds before raising his hand to take it. Tim helps pull him up. Jason takes a step and wobbles on his feet.

“Easy.”

Jason grumbles and goes to wash his bloody hands, but then freezes and stares at them. Then he crouches, opens the first aid kid, and pulls out a waterproof dressing cover and tape. “I’m gonna take a shower. Will you help-”

Tim’s pulse skyrockets.

“-put this bandage on?”

Oh thank god. “Sure.” He takes the bandage and tape and puts it over the wound dressing then tapes it down. “Will you be ok? You’re weak from blood loss.”

“Yeah. Heal fast. Thank you, Tim,” Jason says sincerely and smiles at him.

“You’re welcome,” Tim says softly, throwing the packet away with a small smile of his own. He grabs a towel off the rack.

Jason raises an eyebrow.

“There’s… a lot of blood out there.”

“Oh, Tim no, it’s fine. I’ll get it.”

“Just let me help,” he sighs. 

“Uh sure, yeah. Ok.”

Tim nods and leaves the bathroom, while Jason walks into his bedroom. Tim grabs his mask, gloves, and cape, and takes them to the kitchen, laying them on the counter. He opens the cabinet under the sink and pulls out a bottle of 409 cleaner. (Jason’s predictable.)

He carries the towel and cleaner back to the floor outside the bathroom, right as Jason steps back into it with a change of clothes, closes the door, and doesn’t lock it. Not that a locked door would do much to stop someone wanting to kill him anyway, but it’s still a huge sign of complete and total trust. Tim could pick up Red Hood’s guns, walk into the bathroom, and shoot him dead. Easily. And Jason knows that. It makes his eyes water because Jason… he trusts Tim with his life. 

Tim shakes it off, then crouches to spray the floor and wipe up the mess with the towel. He works quickly, removing the dried blood trail from the bathroom to the window in only a few minutes, and then the window itself. The white towel is pink when he’s done. He finds the laundry room and tosses it into the washer. 

He grabs another towel from a linen closet and lays it on the table. Then he picks up all of Red Hood’s gear and lays it on top. He grabs a paper towel to clean the blood off the mask - from Jason pulling it off - but that’s the only piece that Tim is comfortable cleaning. He doesn’t wanna destroy his guns or helmet with a household cleaner.  That would… not be good.

Tim tosses the paper towel, puts the cleaner back under the sink, and washes his hands. Then he actually observes his surroundings and it hits him. This is Jason’s primary safehouse. His home. A cozy one-bedroom(?) apartment. It… suits him.

All the pieces of furniture look nice - definitely purchased secondhand, and a rather eclectic collection, but all nice. He has a navy blue sofa in the center of the back wall with a couple square, white pillows on it. Draped over the back is a very warm looking maroon blanket. Tim walks over to feel it. Ooh, yeah that’s nice. 

In front of the sofa is a plain, rectangular, black coffee table with a grey-green book on it. He takes a closer look. The Jungle Book. The edges are worn and the corners are fraying. On the cover is a black and white drawing of Mowgli walking through the jungle beside Bagheera. Which gives Tim an idea for later. 

There’s (different) side tables on both sides of the sofa with different lamps on each. Each one has a coaster on it. In the far corner there’s a large, dark brown, leather recliner with a floor lamp beside it. 

In the near corner is the table with the gear on it. It’s pretty standard, a leg in each corner and made of a light-colored wood. There’s a single matching dining chair. Tim’s chest aches at the implications of that. 

Across from the sofa is what looks like a forty-three inch flatscreen on a white tv stand, which blends nicely into the wall. The front two corners of it contain speakers that look at least fifteen years old. There’s two shelves under the tv. The top shelf has a DVD/VHS combo player on the left and a cassette/CD combo player on the right. Tim walks up to it and crouches to look at what movies and music he has on the bottom shelf.

The Breakfast Club - DVD

Shrek 2 - VHS

A New Hope - VHS

Tim’s eyes burn. It’s the first movie they watched together. Figures he’s still sentimental. 

The Exorcist - DVD

The Wizard of Oz - DVD

Forrest Gump - VHS

Finding Nemo - DVD

Jaws - DVD

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory - VHS

It’s a mix of Tim and Jason’s favorites - and it’s heartbreaking. He moves on to the music. 

Shrek 2 - CD

Awesome Mix Vol. 1 - tape

Motown Hits - CD (that one looks like it was purchased new)

The next one makes Tim pause. That’s unexpected. It’s 1989 on CD. “Jason Todd, you closet Swiftie,” he murmurs. Or he just has it cause it reminds him of Tim? He would, wouldn’t he.

Number Ones: Michael Jackson - CD

Queen Greatest Hits - tape

1: The Beatles - tape

The Lion King Soundtrack - CD

The Essential Britney Spears - CD. (And that would be for Dick.)

Tim opens the CD player. 1989. He closes it and opens the tape deck. Awesome Mix Vol. 1. He closes that too. 

Tim stands and continues around the room. The walls are bare. He spots another room - apparently it’s a two-bedroom apartment. The shower is still running so he’ll snoop real quick.

He opens the door, flicks on the lights, and sees that it’s a weapons room/workshop, with multiple workbenches pushed together in the center covered with random parts and tools and gadgets. It looks like Jason built the gadgets himself. They look better than some of Batman’s stuff. 

There’s a sleek, black stun gun, a couple grapple guns, smoke pellets, lockpicks, what Tim thinks are explosive disks, a couple utility belts, and three Red Hood helmets in various states of completion. There’s several rolled up schematics for who knows what. 

One wall is lined with firearms. On the left are a couple sub-compact handguns that it looks like could be concealed effortlessly, two compacts, four mid-size, and six full-size. And then two, just… stupidly big handguns. A shelf under the handguns has various silencers, magazines, and sights for them - lined up by size. 

On the right are various long guns. Tim spots a SPAS-12 combat shotgun, M16, AK-47, M4A1, M249, and… is that an XM7? They were only created last year. Neat. Another shelf contains the relevant attachments and magazines. 

Tim turns to the next wall and actually laughs out loud. Seriously? RPGs? God, that’s so extra. At least they’re unloaded. There’s a very basic looking one, and then a super hi-tech one. Tim honestly really wants to fire it. There’s a couple of Uzis, and then a couple sets of body armor are hanging beside them. 

The third wall has… well, ninja stuff. Shurikens, caltrops, nunchaku, a couple bō, a tantō, two crossed sai, two kusarigama, several kunai, and a gorgeous katana. The blade is made of a smooth, shiny black material. 

Tim steps closer and his eyes widen. It’s an obsidian katana. That shouldn’t even be possible, it’s far too brittle to carve. The guard is a gold disc with a silver tatsu dragon coiled around it, while the handle is classic katana. Corded black silk is wrapped around white rayskin. Essentially a black handle with white diamond shapes down the center. It’s beautiful. 

Directly below it is the sheath. It looks like it’s black lacquered wood, with the last inch of it being solid gold. Tim has a sneaking suspicion that it belonged to either Ra’s or Talia. Probably Ra’s. 

Next are a couple plain kris daggers, with silver blades and brown wood handles. So it’s not all ninja stuff.

Tim turns back towards the door. On that wall is a cabinet. Tim walks over and opens it. It’s ammo. Lots and lots of ammo, systematically ordered by caliber. Plus multiple bottles of solvents, degreasers, and gun oil, and a whole lot of bore brushes, utility brushes, cleaning patches, and extension rods. Hanging on the wall beside the cabinet are holsters for his various guns. Most are for handguns but some are for the long guns. It’s a really impressive set up. 

Tim hears the shower stop and quickly flicks off the light switch and leaves the room, heading for the kitchen. He looks through the fridge and pantry. They’re both pretty well stocked. He wonders if Jason’s hungry or if he’s just gonna go to bed. 

The bathroom door opens. “Tim?” Before Tim can even respond there’s a disappointed sigh.

“Kitchen!” Tim calls. 

Jason walks around the corner in gray sweatpants and a plain cobalt blue shirt. He looks substantially better as he leans against the wall with a small smile, arms loosely crossed. 

“You look much less like imminent death,” Tim remarks. 

Jason snorts. “Yeah, guess I do.”

“Hungry?”

“Nah, I’m gonna go to bed. Help me with the waterproof bandage?”

Tim nods and walks up to him. Jason turns around and lifts his shirt, and Tim quickly removes the bandage, then steps back away from him. Jason lets the shirt fall and turns back around, holding out a hand to take the bandage from Tim. Then he disappears around the corner with it, presumably throwing it away, and comes back without it. 

“I… I like your place.”

Jason actually blushes at that. Tim’s just happy there’s enough blood that some can be spared for his cheeks. “Yeah. It’s… it’s not much. But it’s home.”

Tim grins at the quote. “It’s very you.”

“You totally snooped in the weapons room didn’t you.”

Tim reddens slightly.

“Which is fine,” Jason tacks on with a laugh.

In that case… “Whose katana?”

Jason smirks. “Ra’s.”

“I figured. But… how? It's obsidian, right?”

“Magic,” Jason shrugs casually. 

“Sweet.”

“Yeah…” Jason frowns and looks away, biting his lip.

“What?”

“Just…” he looks back, “thank you.”

Tim closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them and answering. “I was terrified.”

“Yeah, I remember when you were kidnapped.”

“Ok but imagine me being a hyper-competent six foot vigilante calling for help.”

“Fair enough,” Jason nods, “Well… thanks for being brave for me.”

“You’re welcome. But… it’s easy to be brave if the alternative is losing you again,” Tim whispers, trying not to cry over how close it got to that tonight. 

“Well you prevented that,” Jason murmurs.

Tim smiles. “Yeah, I did. Anyway… I’m gonna go. You need your rest.” He grabs his cape from the counter and reattaches it. 

“Timmers?”

“Hm?” Tim looks back over once his cape’s on correctly.

Jason’s cheeks are tinged just the slightest bit pink. “Can… do you want… well, if you have some time, maybe…”

Tim laughs quietly. “I would love to catch up.”

Jason huffs. “Yes. That was what I meant.”

“I’ll text you some times?”

Jason nods. 

Tim grabs his mask and reapplies it. He goes for his gloves-

“Wait,” Jason says, walking up to him. 

“What?” 

“Nothing, I just…” he reaches forward and takes Tim’s hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. His hands are warm, and it’s… actually a really sweet gesture. 

Tim snorts and squeezes back. “I’ll get a hug out of you one day.”

“Let’s let the giant gash on my back heal first.”

“Ok that’s fair,” Tim says, pulling his hands free and putting his gloves back on. “Bye Jay. Try to keep the blood inside of you, okay?”

“Yeah… good plan. Bye.”

Robin walks to the window, pushes it open, and slips through onto the fire escape.

“Hey, wait.”

What now? Robin turns around to face him. 

“See the notch in the bricks?”

Robin nods.

“Put your thumb in it.”

“Uh. Ok?” Robin does. 

“One sec.” Jason turns to the wall and makes a sliding motion with his hand, and then there’s a faint blue glow on his face. There’s the quiet beeping of an electric pad being tapped.

Robin feels a quick prick on his thumb. “Ow,” he grumbles. 

A few more beeps and Jason turns back to him. “I put you in my security system.”

“So basically… you gave me a key to your apartment?”

“Moving too fast for ya, Babybird?” Jason teases. 

Robin blushes. “Shut up. Bye.”

Jason laughs. “Bye.” 

Robin grapples to the roof, jumps to the next building, grapples to the ground, hops on his bike, activates it, and drives back to the Batcave. 

He’s passing an electronics store with TVs playing when a word on the screen catches his eyes. He comes to a stop. It’s an ad. He watches it through and then grins. That’s perfect.

The smile remains on his face all the way until he finally crawls in bed and falls asleep.

Chapter Text

Jason groans as he flips through his shirt drawer. They’re all t-shirts. He doesn’t even have a polo. With a huff, he shuts the drawer and walks over to his closet. His tux and a couple suits. Yeah that’s a bit much. He only has those for undercover shit. Ugh, he’s gonna have to go shopping. 

He goes back to the dresser and opens the pants drawer. Sweatpants and loose-cut jeans. That won’t work. And he’s definitely not wearing shorts so he doesn’t even bother with that drawer.

The Red Hood is in Target. Ok, fine it’s just Jason in jeans, a plain, white t-shirt, and sunglasses. But still. He’s staring at the jeans selection, feeling totally overwhelmed at all the options.

“Excuse me, sir. Anything I can help you with?”

Jason turns his head towards the sound. Some older teen blonde girl in a Target uniform. Steph, her nametag says. She’s smiling pleasantly at him and he’s honestly really impressed that she doesn’t seem intimidated by him. He’s kind of a big dude.

He smiles back. “Probably? I have a friend coming over that I haven’t seen in awhile. I wanna look nice, but not… like I’m trying too hard?”

“A friend, or a friend?”

Jason doesn’t actually have a good answer for that. “Yes?”

She laughs and nods. “I get it. Personally, I would recommend some slim cut jeans. They’re more flattering but they’re still jeans. I’d say a dark blue would probably look nice on you.”

She walks up to a stack and quickly flips through it, pulling out three pairs and turning around to hand them to him. “I guessed your size, should be one of these. We have fitting rooms if you wanna try them on.”

He wrinkles his nose. “No thanks. I’ll just donate any that don’t fit.”

“That’s fine,” she laughs quietly, “need help with a shirt?”

“I… yes,” he admits. 

She starts walking, gesturing for him to follow. “I’m guessing more than a t-shirt but less than a button-down?”

“That sounds right, yeah.”

She stops at a rack of looks through it. “Ah.” She pulls out a teal… polo? No, that’s a t-shirt. Wait but it has buttons.

“It’s a henley,” she adds, “it’s between a t-shirt and a polo.” 

She hands two of them to him. “The teal should bring out your eyes! Here’s an XL and a double XL. Cause you’re… broad.”

Jason snorts. “What can I say, I’m a gym rat.”

“All day every day?” 

“Something like that,” he nods.

“Anything else I can help you with?” 

“Nah, this was really all I came for. But thanks, uh, Steph.”

“You’re welcome. I’m sure they’ll think you look great.”

“I could probably wear sweatpants and a hoodie and he’d think I look great,” Jason mutters, then blushes at the slip. 

“Then yeah, he’ll love this,” she assures him, “go get ‘im, Tiger.”

Jason laughs. “Yeah. Ok. Thanks again.”

“Yep!”

Jason heads for the checkout.

Jason goes home to shave and shower. He even scrubs out the cheap black hair dye with a clarifying shampoo (and then conditions it) to show his white streak. Tim hasn’t actually seen it yet, cause Jason usually just keeps his hair black in case Red Hood’s ever seen without his helmet. It’s a little too unique. But he doesn’t wanna hide anything from Tim. Even something as small as that.

Then he tries on the clothes. He decides on the middle pair of jeans. His legs look good in them, yet they’re still comfy. As for the shirt, he goes with the XL instead of the XXL. The XXL was super comfy but it didn’t… show anything. But the XL hugs all the right spots. His arms and his chest look great, and the color does bring out his eyes. 

Which is super weird for Jason to be thinking about. He’s not vain. He can play vain - very well - but he usually doesn’t care when it’s his family or friends. Or didn’t care, previously. Because this is the first time he’s actually hung out with anyone since spontaneously coming back to life - without an ulterior motive, anyway.

Should he do something with his hair? He runs his fingers through it. It’s soft, and kinda… fluffy? A little curly at the ends. He can’t really do anything anyway, what with the whole intentionally untamed hair thing he’s got going for him. It looks fine. 

Jason looks at his reflection some more and decides to undo the second button. Ok maybe all three. Noooope, that’s too much. He quickly buttons it back, but he pulls apart the unbuttoned halves to widen the V. Yeah. That’s good. Wait.

Jason suddenly holds up his hands and buries his face in them. “What am I doing?” he groans. 

He doesn’t want Tim to be attracted to him, he just wants to look like Tim’s important enough for him to look nice for. Though the fact that Tim’s the only one of the eight billion people on this planet that Jason is comfortable having in his home is probably enough of a hint for Tim to know that he’s important, and by hint Jason means flashing neon sign. 

But also Tim might be in a relationship so maybe it’s irrelevant. The guy’s seventeen and good looking, it would be kinda surprising if he were single. Jason just hopes Tim let himself be interested in someone. Maybe one of the newer Titans? God knows they’re all attractive. 

Oh whatever. Jason’s allowed to look good if he wants to. Wait, he put deodorant on, right? Jason lifts his head from his hands and then lifts his left arm, giving it a quick sniff. Yep, he did. Not that Tim’s gonna be that close to him. Not that Jason would mind if he was close- “Oh my god you are not in high school!” he snaps at his reflection. 

Ok deep breaths. In… and out… and in… and out. Everything’s fine. 

Oh god what if there’s something expired in his fridge and Tim notices and then thinks he’s a slob and runs away and then Jason’s friendless again?? Jason hurries to the fridge and opens it, looking through all of the stuff in it. Ok. Nothing out of date. Ooh, freezer! Nope, nothing. Pantry, nothing.

He moves back to the kitchen counter to make sure the K cups he just bought aren’t suddenly expired. They’re not. He lifts the mug off of the new machine and looks inside it. Still clean. He puts it back. Fresh water in the tank, and a pod ready to go. Tim still likes coffee, right? What if he doesn’t and then he only has water to give him and then he’s a terrible host… nah that little shit was addicted. 

Should he order pizza? He could make something. Actually yeah that might be a nice distraction for him while they talk. Favorites, what are his favorites?

Favorite asian dish - chicken fried rice

Favorite Italian dish/dessert - tiramisu

Favorite food ever/favorite pasta - mac and cheese

Favorite comfort food - Alfred’s chicken n rice (not making that, Jason will cry)

Favorite cake - red velvet 

Hm. He can’t make that rich white boy mac and cheese that Tim’s mom made, he doesn’t have fancy enough cheese, but he can make a damn good regular one. Yeah. That’s a good plan. Should he make dessert? No. No he shouldn’t, he refuses to stress bake. He can handle this. 

He pulls out his phone to look for ‘the best mac and cheese recipe.’ He finds one that looks good and clicks the link. 

“Bla bla bla, life story, yada yada,” he mutters as he scrolls through it. Looks easy enough. And there’s an entire pound of cheese in it. He has everything except for dry mustard. Can he use regular? He googles it and finds out that he can, awesome. Oh god what if he became lactose intolerant?

Christ, this isn’t a date! What is he freaking out about? Just him and Tim, talking and enjoying each other’s company, just like they used to. Back when everything was good. Back when Jason had a family. When he had a grandfather and a dad and a brother. And a best friend that he could tell about the deepest, darkest parts of his life with no judgment whatsoever. 

Could he really have that back?

But… but his dad didn’t even mourn him. 

His brother didn’t even come to his funeral. 

His grandfather... well, he's infallible. 

Tim… is a godsend. 

“God damn it,” he mutters, wiping his eyes. It’s fine. This is fine. Everything is fine. 

Oh god no it’s not! Everything is terrible and it’s gonna go wrong and, and… oh fuck, his chest hurts. 

It’s not a heart attack, he reminds himself. It’s just an anxiety attack. He’s not actually gonna die... probably. He starts pacing. Restless, so restless, can’t sit down, won’t sit down. He’ll be fine. He just needs to distract himself. 

Fuck the random anxiety attacks are so much worse than the acute panic attacks. He can feel his racing pulse but he’s not like… actively freaking out? It’s confusing and he doesn’t fully understand it. Water! That should help. He shakily grabs a glass out of his cupboard and fills it with tap water and takes a long sip. A little better? Maybe? He finishes it and fills up and drinks another. He sets the glass down on the counter. 

“Hurry up, Tim,” he whines. 

He hears the quiet chnk of a grappling hook connecting to the outer walls of his apartment. Speak of the devil.

Jason lifts up the Keurig top, closes it back, and presses the button. It starts whirring right as he hears a surprisingly soft thump onto the fire escape. He turns around and sees Tim and oh god, here comes the panic, and then Tim looks back and Jason feels… calm. 

They smile at each other as Jason walks up to the window and opens it for him. 

“Hey Tim,” he sighs in relief. 

“Hi. Uh. Here, take this. It’s fragile.” He carefully pulls off a backpack and hands it to Jason. 

Jason takes it and wow it’s at least twice as heavy as he expected. He carefully sets it down against the wall as Tim makes his way through, closes the window behind him, and then turns to face him. 

Oh. 

Shit. 

Tim did get hot.

Chapter Text

Tim did get hot - and judging by his outfit, he knows it. Jason can’t help it - his gaze pans from Tim’s hair all the way down to his shoes and then all the way back up. His usually hopelessly messy, inky black hair has actually been tamed somewhat, and is cut a tad shorter too. It also looks nearly velvety soft, like Jason’s fingers could just glide through the thick locks. Not that he’s gonna do that.

Tim’s beautiful baby blues are a glistening sapphire tonight, nearly glowing with happiness. Jason could easily get lost in them if he’s not careful. His smile is small, a little hesitant, but achingly sincere. He’s looking at Jason with a frankly overwhelming slew of emotions that change so rapidly he can hardly keep track of them. Happiness, worry, grief, joy, hope, anxiety, anger, amusement, longing, and… love? That’s… dangerous.

His slim cut, burgundy button down is clearly tailored, fitting him perfectly, leaving little to the imagination. It’s snug around his traps and then hugs his broadened shoulders as the sleeves wrap closely around his biceps and taper down to his wrist. It’s cut to perfectly frame his chest - Jason can see the exact shape of Tim’s pecs - and then narrows down to his waist. Jason would almost describe the shirt as a little… tight. It’s not if-Tim-flexes-it-will-bust-at-the-seams tight, but one size down and it would. Only the first button below the collar is undone, showing the same amount of skin as Jason’s two undone buttons. Black skinny jeans are showing off strong thighs and toned calves. His shoes are pure white converse, not even the classic colored lines on them. How does he keep them so white? 

Logically, he knew Tim had to be in great shape, but it’s normal for Robin to look muscular. Which is all that he’s seen him as, apart from Dublin with loose fitting civvies that didn’t show anything. But actually seeing Tim with all of Robin’s musculature is jarring. 

Tim used to be so tiny. He barely even looked like a teenager, and the only noticeable muscles were his slightly above average abs. Jason died and left behind a shrimp of a Tim but came back to a hunk of a Tim. A skinny, short hunk, but a hunk nonetheless. He’s still probably not done growing. Probably be near Dick’s size when he’s done. Tim’s probably… eh, five foot seven now, with the top of his head at Jason’s nose. The difference in their heights has lessened. Before, Tim only went up to his chin. 

God, Jason missed so many things. He doesn’t even know what all he’s missed. Which… well is exactly the point of tonight.

It looks like Tim’s eyes have just finished doing the same thing as Jason’s. They both turn pink at being caught checking the other out. Then Tim’s eyes flick to Jason’s forehead. 

“Blunt force trauma,” Jason explains, reaching up to gently tug at the white streak. “Was dyeing it.” He turns to grab the mug of coffee and hands it to Tim, who grins at it and takes a small sip.

“Well… I like it. It suits you.”

“What’s with…” Jason points at the backpack. 

“Oh, just my Robin stuff in case there’s an emergency while I’m here,” Tim responds casually, and yeah that makes sense.

Jason loosely crosses his arms and shifts to lean against the wall…

Except he misses the wall and flails for a second before righting himself, cheeks burning. He can tell Tim is holding back laughter. Why is he so bad at this? 

Tim’s smile fades a little. “Jason… are you ok? You seem a little… off.”

“I’m having a massive fucking anxiety attack I’m great.”

Tim frowns. “Right now? But you’re not…”

“Crying, hyperventilating, screaming? Yeah, wish I was. Instead I just feel like everything is about to go wrong and I’m gonna fuck up and then you’re gonna ditch me and I feel like I’m having a heart attack but I know I’m not but my brain thinks I am which makes me more anxious which makes it feel worse and it’s a horrible feedback loop and I’m dying a little inside how are you?”

“Better than that,” Tim smiles wryly, “is… there anything I can do to help?”

“Honestly, just being here is already helping,” Jason admits, glancing to the side in embarrassment. 

“Sooooo… what’s up?” 

“I was gonna cook, if you’re hungry?” Jason looks back at Tim.

“The big bad Red Hood cooking dinner? Hell yeah, count me in.” Tim walks closer and hops up to sit on the kitchen counter. “What’s on the menu?”

Tim being so chill is ridiculously helpful. He’s still a little fidgety, so Jason knows he’s nervous too, but he’s trying not to show it for Jason’s sake, which honestly is such a Tim thing to do.

Jason turns away and walks to his pantry, pulling out a box of elbow pasta. “Mac and cheese,” he says as he walks back to the stove, setting the box beside it. “Was gonna do your fancy-ass one but I don’t have fancy-ass cheese. Or wine, for that matter.” He crouches to pull an old silver pot out from the under-counter cabinet and sets it in the sink, then turns on the tap. 

Tim makes a sad sound.

“Oh my god, I already fucked up,” Jason groans into his hands.

“You didn’t,” Tim says quietly, “it’s a good thing you can’t make it, I would probably just cry.”

Jason lowers his hands and Tim’s eyes are shimmering from tears. “So there’s definitely a story there,” he mutters, turning off the tap and putting the pot on the stove. He salts the water and turns the burner to high. 

“Yeah, you could say that,” Tim laughs quietly. 

“Dick and Wally?” Jason asks out of nowhere, pulling out a saucepan to set on the stove. Then he moves to get the rest of the ingredients.

“They’re still going strong. I’m guessing they’ll get engaged next year, after Dick graduates from GU.”

“Good. Dick deserves it. What are they studying?” He knew Wally was doubling but he doesn’t know if it changed in the past three years. 

“Wally graduated from Stanford in May - Chem and Bio. Dick’s studying criminal justice and early childhood development.”

Jason hums in response. “Reform juvenile delinquents?” 

Tim snorts. “Something like that.”

Jason hands Tim a bowl, a pound of cheese, and a cheese grater. “I’m putting you to work.” 

Tim laughs and hops off the counter, setting the items down and getting to work. 

Jason turns back to the stove, tossing the half stick of butter into the saucepan and setting the burner to medium-low. “What about you? You just started right?”

“Uh, yeah. Started last week online. Self-paced. MIT.”

Jason turns back to him with a grin. “MIT? No shit? You’re amazing, Timbo.”

“Thanks Jay,” Tim murmurs, tips of his ears turning pink. Jason turns back to the pan. The butter is melted so he sprinkles in the flour. 

They continue chatting, nothing particularly personal, while Jason cooks. Tim tells him about his Robin training, his team, major incidents in Gotham, about Harley and Ivy, about the whole-ass celebratory parade the city threw following the deaths of Joker, Scarecrow, Black Mask, Two-Face, and Zsasz.

Jason adds some final seasonings to the cheese sauce and stirs everything together. That should do it. He grabs a spoon, dips it into the sauce, and then hands it to Tim. Tim pops it in his mouth, then pulls the spoon back out and swallows. Then he hums happily. “‘s really good,” he grins. 

“Great,” Jason nods, staunchly ignoring his heart’s skipped beat, refusing to think about Tim’s lips tight around the spoon - god help him - throwing the drained elbows into the cheese sauce and stirring to coat. He grabs two bowls, fills them up, hands one to Tim, then adds a spoon to his own bowl. He suddenly realizes that at some point during cooking his anxiety attack finally dissipated. 

Then he walks to the sofa and plops down onto the left side - so Tim will be closer to the window, just in case. Tim kicks off his shoes and sits down on the right, throwing his feet up onto the coffee table. Jason tries a bite of the macaroni and groans happily. That is good. 

“Told ya,” Tim laughs.

They eat quietly. Tim devours his first bowl quickly and then heads back to the kitchen for a second. Jason only has one serving. It is really good, but he’s too nervous to eat more. 

When they’re both done, Tim helps Jason clean up the kitchen in a companionable silence. He seems a bit… pensive.

They move back to the same spots on the sofa, and Tim fidgets with the end of his sleeve. Jason takes a deep breath and decides to make the first move with the question that’s been burning in his mind for well over a year. “Tim?”

“Yeah?”

“Why didn’t Dick come to my funeral?” he whispers. He can’t keep the pain out of his voice. It’s his brother. 

Tim chokes. “What?”

“Talia, she… said he was back but didn’t come…”

Tim looks at him in horror. “ Jason… Dick was still in space. He didn’t know and we couldn’t reach him and the funeral home couldn’t keep you longer than a week because it’s Gotham and people are constantly dying. By the time Dick got back, you were already buried. Dick mourned you more than anyone. How could you even think…” Tim sounds devastated at the thought. 

Jason suddenly starts crying in sheer relief. “I thought he didn’t love me.” He feels so stupid. In what universe would Dick choose not to come to Jason’s funeral? Dick told him he loved him. Constantly. He wouldn’t lie about that. He’s the best brother in the multiverse.

Tim scoots closer to Jason and holds out a hand. Jason takes it and squeezes lightly, afraid that he’ll hurt him. “Dick never stopped loving you. God, he wouldn’t… he wouldn’t even leave his room for a week. He… when Dick found out, he…” Tim hesitates. 

Jason’s stomach drops. “He what?”

“He had a cardiac episode. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. It mimics a heart attack, Wally and I thought he was dying. You literally broke his heart! What else did that fucking bitch tell you?!” Tim snaps. 

Jason wipes his eyes but the tears keep flowing. He almost killed Dick. Was there a single true thing that Talia told him? “She said Bruce didn’t mourn me,” he whimpers, “that he didn’t care.”

Tim gets quiet and Jason looks over at him. He seems… haunted about something, lost in a memory. Is it… true?

Tim shakes his head like he’s clearing his mind. “Bruce performed CPR on you for an hour. He wasn’t stopping when the Batplane landed in the cave, and he was sobbing over your body still weakly pressing at your chest but you never woke up and it was horrible! Alfred had to drug me so I wouldn’t get in the way and then Bruce said Alfred drugged him so that Leslie could look at you without being interrupted.” 

Jason laughs wetly. “Would’ve paid to see Alfred drug Bruce. God. Sorry,” he says, wiping his eyes. At least the tears have finally stopped. 

“Did… did she say anything about me?” Tim asks quietly. 

Jason shakes his head. “No.”

“For the record… I went. And… mourned,” Tim whispers, pulling his hand free from Jason’s to wipe his eyes. He turns his head up to the ceiling and stares at it. 

“…how bad was it?”

He looks back at Jason with an annoyed frown. “Are you trying to find things to feel guilty about?”

“It was kinda my fault, Tim.”

Tim literally snarls and punches him in the arm. Hard.

“Um. Ow?” Jason grumbles. Guy can hit. 

“The monster at fault is dead!”

“You told me it was a bad idea.”

“So if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine for not trying harder!”

“That’s fucking absurd.”

“EXACTLY!”

Jason winces at the volume. Ah. Good point.

“It was really, really hard for me to let go of the guilt, I mean, months and months of counseling for me to stop feeling like I was the one that murdered you!”

Jason turns to the side and sits crisscross, facing Tim, who moves to mirror him. Jason reaches out with both hands to take Tim’s, running his thumbs back and forth over the back of his warm, trembling hands. “You would never. But I’m glad you got help.”

Tim smiles sadly at him. “Do you… really want to know?”

Jason nods. Tim pulls his hands away and hugs himself. God, Jason yearns to pull him into his arms, to hug him close, but he just… he can’t. It’s almost like a mental block at this point.

“When I woke up from Alfred drugging me, I… I thought it was a bad dream. But then I was in the infirmary bed and I knew it wasn’t,” he sighs, shoulders sinking. “Doc was still doing the external autopsy. I barged into the room and just saw black hair and then B dragged me out.”

“Good. You didn’t need to see that.”

“Yeah, well… after kicking and screaming I asked him to carry me back in so I could say bye and if it was too much he could run me out. Saw your battered, stiff corpse. Promptly emptied my stomach. Then B carried me upstairs and I got lost in a hyperventilating panic attack and passed out.”

“Jesus, Babybird,” Jason sighs.

“I woke up on my bed, beside Bruce. He was on the phone talking funeral arrangements. Anyway, he finished and I thanked him for staying with me and he headed downstairs and I went into your room, and…” Tim blushes slightly, “I uh, curled up on top of your bed and cried myself to sleep.”

Jason just listens patiently, heart breaking over and over again. 

“Woke up, put on an angsty song, and removed everything in my room from you and Disneyland. I couldn’t look at it without hurting,” he says softly. 

“What song?”

“Clean.”

“Yep, angsty,” Jason huffs. He can see it. Tim, either crying or completely blank, systemically clearing out his room with brutal efficiency. 

“But I still saw you everywhere... I went to Dick’s room and Shake it Off came on and I actually smiled and started singing and dancing. Turns out Alfred heard me and took a video,” he laughs quietly. 

Jason chuckles. “I wanna see that.” 

“I’ll send it. But then… the song ended and I remembered singing it after the first time we met…”

Oh no.

“I started sobbing, but silently? And I didn’t speak again or cry out loud for a week.”

“Selective mutism?”

“E-lective, technically. Selective is in specific situations but this was me just not talking anywhere, ever.” Tim would pause an extremely emotional conversation to get the facts straight.

Jason hums. 

“Do you wanna hear about the funeral?” 

“Not really. How was it for you specifically, though?”

“Well me, Alfred, and B got to the funeral home first, I wasn’t thinking, strolled into the… visitation room or whatever, and there you were. Open casket. Was not prepared for that. Thought they’d open it after we got there. Anyway then the two of them gave me a minute alone with you…” he shudders. 

“You don’t have to continue if it’s too much.”

Tim nods. “So I walked up to you, and- well first I straightened your bow tie.”

“Thanks for keeping me handsome,” Jason jokes. 

“Shut up,” Tim huffs. “Then I…” he looks up at Jason and his eyes are bright red and filled with tears. He stops hugging himself and reaches forward. Jason takes his hands again. “I kissed your cheek. It was so cold,” he whimpers, “and I, I whispered ‘I love you’ and said bye. Then I left and… never saw you again. That was the single exception to the mutism. It was a total of a week that I was nonverbal.”

“What broke it?” 

“Dick.”

“Oh no…”

Tim laughs wetly and squeezes his hands. “Was sitting on one of the mats in the cave, flipping through the photos of you from that album. Dick snuck up on me. I saw who it was and started wailing.”

Jason sighs. 

“He tried asking me what’s wrong, I suddenly tackled him in a hug. And I… I begged him to just let me have one last hug because I thought once he knew he’d throw me out cause he asked me to look out for you and I failed as much as I possibly could.”

“You didn’t fail.”

“I know,” Tim sniffles, pulling his hands away, “anyway I wasn’t telling him and he said he’d ask you what was going on and I screamed and he carried me over to the computer, stuck me in the chair where I curled up and sobbed. He looked up your record in the computer and… that’s how he found out.”

“Oh, Dickie…” Jason whispers, heart squeezing painfully. That’s a horrible way to find out. 

“And then Wally was there and Dick went to your grave and then a few minutes later they’re back, Wally speaking frantically to him so I sit up and Dick’s completely unconscious and then Leslie ran in and he was talking about the symptoms and I thought I’d lose Dick too. He woke up, doc gave him diagnosis, and then he yelled my name and suddenly I was in his lap and his arms were wrapped around me and he promised that he still loved me and didn’t hate me and I cried myself to sleep and then I woke up on Dick’s sofa. Dick had learned about Bruce and Garzonas and blamed him for you running away, hit him, and called him a murderer.”

“Oh god, Dick…” he murmurs, voice shaking. That’s horrible. It’s cruel. That’s a verbal point-blank gunshot to the heart, he didn’t think Dick was even  capable of that. 

“I forced him to apologize. Literally dragged him into Bruce’s room and slammed the door on them.”

Jason smiles and wipes his eyes. “Good work.”

Tim nods. “Dick stayed in his room for a week and after a week I dragged him to the ballroom and forced him into singing and dancing. He had a lot of fun. We both did. It was the best I’d felt since… since losing you. It was the first time I thought ‘maybe I’ll get through this.”

“Glad you had a moment like that.”

“Then we cleaned out your room. Threw out your homework, donated your school stuff, backed up your tech and then reset and donated them too. But before resetting the laptop Dick found your ‘if my dumb ass gets killed’ file.”

Jason burst out laughing and Tim grins.

“Donated a lot of your clothes too. But I uh, kept a few things,” he admits, cheeks turning pink. 

“Yeah?”

“Your Disneyland shirt, hiking boots, Haly’s hoodie, and your sunglasses.”

Jason hums. “Thank you for donating all my stuff. What about my books?”

“No. Absolutely not, I… I couldn’t. We left those in your room. I took your lightsaber. Thanks for the car by the way.”

Jason notices Tim doesn’t mention Bagheera… probably didn’t want it and donated that too. That’s… fine. He sighs internally. “Love what you’ve done with the car,” he smiles. 

“She’s amazing,” Tim nods with a grin. 

“My pictures?” 

“I took the one of us. I moved your mom to the bookshelf. Dick took the others. Tossed your old backpack after emptying it. And the protein bars…”

Jason blushes slightly. God, he’d forgotten about that.

“I put the saber up in my room. It made me put my own ones back out too - I mean eventually I put everything back in. And then Bruce put up a…” Tim pauses. 

“A what?”

“A memorial.”

“How could I think he didn’t love me?” he whispers, lip quivering. A memorial? For the fuckup?

“First version was bad,” Tim winces.

“Oh god…”

“Plaque said ‘in memory of Jason Todd. Robin. A good soldier.’”

Jason’s eyes flash green. “Excuse me?” Is that all he was? She was right, oh fuck, she was right.  

Tim has an eyebrow raised, looking at Jason’s eyes. “Neat trick - anyway, Dick screamed at him while I made Clark get rid of it. Apparently he meant to remind himself that a memorial is the result of using his kids like soldiers in his crusade.”

“Oh,” Jason deflates. Jumping to conclusions again. “That… makes sense. In an edgelord sort of way.”

Tim laughs. “Clark gave the plaque to Bruce, said ‘do better,’ then left.”

“Oh holy shit,” Jason laughs. He can see that perfectly. 

“Anyway, it became ‘in loving memory of Jason Todd. Robin.’ Bruce wouldn’t let us say ‘the badass Robin.”

“Aw man, that would’ve been fucking sick.” Hell yeah. Forever the badass Robin.

“If you ever get around to telling them… can we take your memorial to the desert and use that fancy RPG on it? Oh and your headstone!”

“I’d love to do that with you,” he chuckless, reaching forward to give Tim’s knee a quick squeeze. 

“So. Yeah. It was pretty bad at the beginning there.”

“‘m sorry you had to go through that. Did… did you ever… I hope you didn’t, but…”

“Try to join you?”

“Mhm.”

“No.”

“Thank fuck.”

“Kinda.”

“Kinda?!”

“I… maybe, sorta went after the Joker by myself?”

“ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!”

“He uh… he won. Dick saved me.” Tim is a little too… practiced sounding? He totally left out a part. Probably how badly he was wounded.

“Thank god for Dick…”

“Yeah…” his eyes go somewhere else for a hot second. 

“You kept going to Disneyland?”

“How did…”

“Your hoodie in Dublin.”

“Oh. I hadn’t even thought of that…”

“How was Disney World?”

Tim shrugs. “Don’t know, never been.”

Jason frowns. “Why?”

“Because at Christmas you said you’d take me there next year and then you-”

“-died-“

“-and I just couldn’t do it without you.”

“I’ll take you someday,” Jason swears. 

“Ok!” Tim beams at him. 

“So where’d you go?”

“Tokyo - sobbed, like, the really, really ugly kind, at the fireworks. Played the same fucking song! Ugh! Anyway. Then Paris - didn’t cry, yay. Got a little misty. Hong Kong - cried. But didn’t sob. They freaking played Remember Me from Coco!” Tim throws his hands up in exasperation.

“Oh god… yeah, no. I totally get it.”

“Yeah, and I… remembered you,” he smiles sadly. 

“Sap,” Jason smiles back.

Tim shrugs. “Oh no, you caught me,” he deadpans.

Jason laughs. “What’s something really fun that you did when I was… unavailable.”

“‘Unavailable'?” Tim mutters in disbelief. “Dick and I took a ‘cruise-’” he physically makes quotes with his fingers  “-on Disney’s Star Wars hotel-”

“Oh, the Galactic Starcruiser?”

“How do you…?”

“You mentioned it once during a ramble.”

“And you remembered?” 

“I remember a lot from you,” Jason admits, cheeks flaring.

Tim smiles again. “Anyway, yeah, it was really, really fun, Jay.” He starts going on a tangent, telling Jason all about his trip. Jason holds on to every word of it. Tim is so in his element and just so god damn happy talking about it.

“-and yeah. It was a lot of fun.”

“Wish I could’ve been there with you,” Jason murmurs.

“Me too,” Tim smiles, “Ok. Timeout, gotta pee. And I uh… need a break from this conversation.”

“That’s fair.”

Tim pops up and walks to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway. Jason can see the shudder that runs down his back. Must be remembering. He takes a deep breath and steps inside, shutting the door. 

Jason turns so his back is against the sofa again, buries his head in his hands, and lets the silent tears flow. He devastated everyone that he loves. They were miserable and hurt and Jason could’ve prevented all of it, god. Dick nearly died from heartbreak. He cruelly attacked his dad. Dick loves Bruce. God, Bruce… sobbing over Jason’s body. Putting up a memorial. And Tim, trying to avenge him. Crying himself to sleep. Emptying his room because it hurt too much. 

Music starts and Jason whips his head up. Tim is standing by his CD/tape player with a grin. Jason snorts when he recognizes the song, drying his eyes and cheeks with his shirt sleeve. 

“In the town where I was born, lived a man who sailed to sea, and he told us of his life, in the land of submarines,” Tim sings, grinning at him. 

Jason rolls his eyes, yet he can’t help but smile fondly at the dork. He closes his eyes and lets his head rest back against the sofa while Tim sings intentionally obnoxiously just to lighten the mood. 

It works.

When the song ends, Jason opens his eyes and raises his head as Tim turns off the player. “I’m getting more coffee.”

“Good, I got it just for you.”

“I know,” Tim grins, walking into the kitchen.

Jason realizes Tim accepted someone doing something just for him without thinking he was unworthy or whatever. God, he really has grown. A few seconds later he hears the Keurig top open, then close, then it starts whirring. 

Another few seconds and Tim pops back into the room with a steaming mug of coffee, sitting back in the same spot. Tim starts getting fidgety and Jason can tell he’s about to tell him something. Jason watches him patiently. Then Tim reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet, and hands Jason… a business card. 

Timothy Drake

Chief Executive Officer

Drake Industries, a WE Company

“Surprise.”

“Holy shit. Tim… holy shit. How- why- what?” How is Tim a CEO? He’s only seventeen! Why aren’t his parents in charge? Unless- “Oh no, Timmy,” Jason sighs sadly.

Tim nods and swipes at his eyes. “They were murdered.” He tells him the story, and somehow manages to keep it together as he does. Until the end, anyway. 

“-and she… she died in my arms, Jason, bleeding from just… everywhere.” His voice breaks and the tears start flowing. Jason sighs and pats the middle cushion. Tim moves over to it and Jason rubs his back, up and down. “And dad, he… he told me to leave him cause he didn’t want me to have to see both of my parents die and I did. I let my dad die alone,” he sobs.

“I’m so sorry, Tim,” Jason murmurs, eyes filling with tears. The Drakes… they sucked. Tim was damaged by them. But god, they didn’t deserve that. And Tim didn’t deserve even more loss. He realizes that’s what he meant about being tired of losing the people he loves.

“Why did they have to be dying to say they loved me and were proud of me and supported me? Why couldn’t they have told me when they were still here?!”

“I don’t know.” Jason squeezes his shoulder. 

“And then I emancipated myself and dropped out of high school and got my GED and renovated my manor and spends tens of millions of dollars and took over a global megacorp and I can’t remember the last time I took a break and I’m exhausted all the time but I can’t show that in public and-”

“Tim!” Jason snaps to cut off his tangent. 

“Sorry,” Tim mumbles. 

“It’s ok. Just, you were about to run out of breath.”

“Oh, right. And… and now you’re back and I kinda just wanna shirk all my responsibilities and spend all my time with you,” Tim admits, cheeks flaring red. “You, me, my yacht, middle of the Caribbean.”

“I’m sorry, your what?!”

“…I bought a 125 foot yacht.” 

Laughter bubbles out of Jason. “Oh my god, Tim!”

“It gets much worse…” Tim whispers, eyes going wide.

“Tell me!” Jason laughs. “This is the best, you’re insane, it’s like when you bought R2!”

“Should I go smallest to largest?”

“Surprise me,” Jason has to wipe his eyes from tears of laughter. 

“Well first off, the yacht was nine million.”

“Huh. That… actually seems cheap?” 

Tim shrugs. “$1200 in vinyls.”

“I can respect that.”

Tim quickly looks over at Jason and then looks away, biting his lip.

“$85,000 for seventeen fountain pens.”

Jason cackles and hugs his stomach. “Timothy!”

“Thirteen pairs of converse; 800. Disney cufflinks and tie bars; 1,700. Three pairs of Nikes; only 400. Then Lululemon.”

“Nooooo that shit’s expensive,” Jason dead-ass giggles. 

“Five grand. Then twenty-two in messenger bags and briefcases. Another five for thirty-three colors of tuxedo vests. And, uh… thirty-five at Men’s Wearhouse.”

Jason falls onto his side, losing it. This is so fucking ridiculous and yet it’s just so Tim. 

“Shut up!” Tim laughs. “Then an $84,000 watch.”

“Oh god! I can’t imagine spending that on- on a watch! Stop, oh my god.”

“And uh, a motorcycle and three cars…”

Jason sits back up excitedly, wiping his eyes again. “Yeah?”

“Ducati Panigale V4 SP2.”

“That’s like… sixty-five grand?”

“Sixty. A Honda Accord hybrid for forty thousand.”

“A Honda Accord?”

“I needed a car that won’t look like there’s a teen billionaire driving it! The paparazzi are vultures!”

Jason nods in agreement.

“Ferrari Daytona SP3. $2.3 million.”

“Oh I gotta fucking see that!”

“Wanna drive it?” Tim grins. 

“Fuck yeah Babybird!”

“That’s not the best car yet.”

“Talk.”

“Bugatti La Voiture Noire.”

“That was you?!” Jason shrieks, “that was a mystery sale! No one knows who bought it! There’s only one!”

“Well I bought it from that person.”

“No, oh god how much, Tim,  how much?”

Tim purses his lips. “Twenty-five million dollars.”

“FUCKING FUCK IT’S A CAR TIMOTHY!”

“IT’S BEAUTIFUL SHUT UP!”

“I will not!” Jason is nearly sobbing with laughter. 

“Ok fine it nearly cost as much as my Gulfstream!”

“GULFSTREAM?!”

“G400. $35 million.”

“Oh I wanna see all this fancy shit Babybird,” Jason laughs. “Jesus. I gotta pee, you’re killing me Tim.”

Tim pouts while Jason pops up and heads into the bathroom, closing the door. He shakes his head. “Ridiculous,” he mutters.

When he comes back out of the bathroom, Tim grins at him from the middle of the sofa and Jason feels like he has walked into a trap. 

“What?”  

“You have to spend more time with me to see ‘all my fancy shit.’” 

“Oh I’m good I don’t wanna see it anymore,” Jason smirks. 

Tim laughs brightly. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Yep,” Jason nods, sitting back down on the sofa and kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. He loosely crosses his arms and turns his head to face Tim. “Hey, I’m… I’m so sorry. About your parents and taking over and just, god, all of it.”

Tim gives him a sad smile. “Thanks Jay.”

“I’m really proud of you though. You amaze me Timbit.”

Tim’s smile turns happy. “You haven’t used that one yet.”

“Yeah yeah,” Jason huffs. Tim frowns again. He opens his mouth. Then closes it, drumming his fingers on his thigh. He opens it again, and then closes it again. “You’re trying to ask something about me, aren’t you?”

Tim’s cheeks tinge pink. “Yeah.”

“You can ask anything. But if I say pass…”

“I’ll let it go.”

Jason snorts. “For now.”

Tim laughs. “Yeah.”

“Out with it.”

“How are you here? I’ve put together that the Lazarus pit is involved, it’s known to cause rage and enhance strength and cure fatal wounds plus you mentioned Talia and you just destroyed the League. But that’s about all I know…”

Jason exhales loudly through his mouth. “Christ you don’t pull punches.”

Tim smiles sheepishly, and rubs the back of his neck. “You know how I can get. Just. Did the League steal your body? Did the pit resurrect you? Did you ever even die at all, was it just like a body double or something?”

“No, I died. I remember that vividly,” he shudders. “I screamed and begged and sobbed for help and no one came.”

Tim whines and leans towards him.

“I remember hearing the Batplane… but the bomb went off and that was that. And… then I woke up.”

“Where?”

“So, uh… I shouldn’t remember it because of the brain damage but guess what? The fucking pit restored that shit to my memories, yay me!”

“I’m not gonna like this… am I?”

“Not at all. I, uh… I woke up, and it was pitch black.”

Tim’s brow furrows. “Yeah?”

“S-so I…” Jason’s breath shakes. “Reached out to my left, soft wall. My right, soft wall. Reached down with my feet, soft wall. Felt behind me with my head, soft wall. Or pillow maybe?”

“Oh no,” Tim whimpers, eyes widening, “Please no.”

“Reached above me, hard wall. I felt my body and I was in formal wear. And I realized I was in a casket.”

“Oh fuck.”

“Exactly. So I uh… punched, and punched, and punched and I felt the top crack. I pulled off my belt to use the buckle, and I… I dug myself out of my grave,” he whispers. It was horrible. Dirt on his face and in his mouth, desperately clawing to get out get out get out.

Jason looks over at Tim and he’s trembling. “Do you know when?”

“Mid-to-late August, 2020 apparently?”

The color drains from Tim’s face. “No,” he whispers, shaking his head and scooting away from Jason. “No, no no no…”

“Hey, it’s ok…”

“IT’S NOT OK!” Tim yells, then he starts sobbing. “I… I… Jason!”

“Get back here,” Jason says calmly. Tim scoots back to him, chest heaving and tears spilling out of his eyes. “Tim, what in the hell? I know it’s a horrible story, but…”

Tim frantically wipes his eyes. “You don’t understand! I thought s-someone had v-vandalized your grave. It was torn up, a-and I fixed it up, but…”

Oh shit, Jason knows where this is going. “Don’t you dare!”

“And I never checked your casket!” Tim wails, “I c-could’ve saved you from a-all of this! How c-could I be so stupid?! I should’ve checked why didn’t I check?!”

“Timothy Jackson Drake!” Jason snaps and puts his hands on Tim’s shoulders, squeezing tightly. Tim stops rambling but keeps sobbing. “Why the fuck would you check to make sure the corpse did not crawl out of its grave! It would be illogical to check! You can’t seriously think it’s your fault?”

“IT’S JUST ANOTHER TIME I FAILED YOU!”

Jason moves his hands to Tim’s face, cupping his cheeks and wiping his tears away with his thumbs. “Tim, you never failed me,” he murmurs. 

Tim’s breath hitches and the sobbing stops. “What?” he croaks, confused. 

Jason lets go of his face and takes his hands. “Remember when I told you about…” he takes a deep breath, “about finding mama?”

Tim nods.

“You… you held me while I broke down. You comforted me. And the Christmas party? You rubbed my back while I threw up, wiped away my tears. You listened to a horrible story when I’m sure you didn’t want to. You protected me from him. Hell, you got Selina to rob him.”

Tim hesitates. “You… r-remember when B called me at Disneyland? I’d told him that I heard a rumor while following you guys and gave him the address of that… monster and said he was hurting kids. He was calling to say he found evidence and the guy would be locked up for a long time.”

Jason’s chest gets warm with affection. He had no idea that Tim had done that for him. “You arrested the man that hurt me. Does that sound like failure?” He releases the hands and pulls Tim against his right side, then wraps an arm around his shoulders.

“But…”

“And then you slept beside me all night because I was scared. And you found me when I disappeared to mom’s grave. You held me yet again while I lost it. You got kidnapped and beaten but you never gave up my identity. My birthday, you made cookies with me like mom did, and you found that missing book, and the pizza. And after Garzonas you calmed me down and played music and made me laugh when I was hurting. And you told me not to go. You said it was a bad idea. Then you tried to get me help. You did everything you could.”

“I could’ve brought you home three years ago!” he sobs. “Everything that happened to you afterwards… fuck!”

“And now, you’re fighting to be my friend again after I beat the shit out of you, fighting to bring me back home, telling me you still care, still support me. Saving my life was never your job, Tim. You never failed me,” he murmurs, and then kisses the top of Tim’s head. 

Tim sighs and sags into his side. “I was so close to you and I n-never knew. You were out there alone and hurting and I just… I’m s-sorry!”

“It’s alright. I don’t blame you, I’m not upset with you, I’m not mad. You just didn’t know. You can’t know everything even if you’re the smartest person in the world. You became Robin, you kept my memory alive. You are not a failure.”

“I’m tired of you hurting!”

“Me too. But digging out of my grave, everything bad that happened after…” Jason pauses and has an idea to break the tension. Oh god is he really gonna say it? Fine. For Tim’s sake. “It all brought me back to you.” 

Tim’s breath hitches… and then he bursts into giggles and lightly shoves Jason. “That was terrible! God, Dick wouldn’t even be that sappy, what the hell? I’m gonna be sick. I’ll never feel guilty again if that’s the result.”

Jason grins at him. “Good.”

Tim’s giggles stop suddenly and he wipes the tears of laughter from his eyes. “You said that on purpose,” he realizes aloud, smiling softly. 

“I like to think I’d be smoother than that…”

“You probably wouldn’t,” Tim teases. 

“Brat.”

“Thanks,” Tim murmurs, leaning back against him. 

“You’re welcome. Do… do you wanna hear the rest?”

“If you’re still willing to tell. It’s ok if not.”

“Might be nice to talk about it… I’ve never been able to before,” Jason shrugs. “So then I got hit by a car and thrown straight into a coma, and one day I woke up, escaped, and then Talia kidnapped me, basically.” 

Tim rests his head on Jason’s shoulder and sighs as Jason moves his arm back around his shoulders. 

“Anyway, I was still fucked in the head so she tossed me in a Lazarus pit. It was… god…”

Tim gives Jason a quick side hug. 

“It was like all the blood in my body was boiling, every nerve ending was white hot. It was… indescribable. It… being alive… like this? It’s not worth the pain,” Jason says, voice breaking.

“I’m so sorry.” 

“But the, the training… it… oh fuck, I can’t… space, I need space, ’m sorry, Tim,” Jason says, removing his arm from around him. 

“Ok,” Tim murmurs, breaking away and moving to the far end of the couch. “You really don’t have to tell me, it’s ok.”

“They, I- I had to kill innocents!” Jason chokes on a sob. 

“I’m sure you didn’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice!”

“And if you didn’t?”

“They’d torture me. I… I held out the first five times. They killed them anyway, but I couldn’t do it. But they hurt me, they’d hurt me over and over and over. If they went overboard they’d just dunk whatever they injured back into the pit.”

“Jesus…”

“B-but by the sixth it… I was too scared of the pain. So I did it. I killed children, Tim. I became a monster.” The tears burn in his eyes and the lump in his throat becomes painful. He can see every single one as vividly as if they were standing right in front of him. 

“How?” 

“Usually neck breaking or decapitation.”

“So… as quickly and minimally painful as possible?”

“I didn’t want ‘em to suffer,” he rasps. 

“Does that sound like a monster?” Tim asks softly. 

“One time they made me bleed a toddler dry!” Jason yells and then starts sobbing. “She wouldn’t stop screaming in fear and pain and the pit… the pit loved it. It felt good. I’m evil, Tim.”

“You’re not! Being forced to do something doesn’t make you evil! Hurting innocents on purpose is evil. And that’s not you. No one would blame you for any of that, you were in an impossible situation.”

“I had to gut her like a f-fucking fish! Right cross the abdomen, Tim! I literally disemboweled her! The intestines… they… the s-splat of them hitting the ground…” Jason gags. “She was s-so scared!”

“Can… can I please come back?”

“Ok,” Jason rasps.

Tim moves back over to sit beside him, but not against him, and takes his hand. “If the pit truly made you into a monster, you wouldn’t be upset about this. Just… let it out.”

Jason cries himself dry in a few minutes, and Tim stays latched onto his hand the whole time. 

“Still with me?” Tim asks softly after Jason sighs and wipes his eye. 

Jason nods. “Thanks. Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry for.”

“And then she told me that Dick ignored my funeral, that Bruce didn’t mourn, and… and she said Robin was back out before I was buried. She said Robin was just some nobody Bruce took off the streets.”

“Just to clarify… it was half a year.”

“She… she showed me a picture of the new Robin in Dick’s uniform, i-in, in snow, said it was taken just after my funeral.”

“Oh, Jason, no,” Tim sighs, “that was the end of that summer. We were fighting Freeze.” 

“I saw pictures of B congratulating you, smiling at you… the way he used to smile at me. I’d been replaced!”

“Now you know you weren’t… right? Never. I could never.”

“And she said the Joker was still alive. I thought… I thought if anything, if anyone would be enough, worth enough for Bruce to kill over… I thought it would be his son!”

“That’s not…” Tim sighs. “It’s not that simple…”

“My original plan was to kill you, leave your corpse for Batman, infuriate him, kidnap Joker, then lure Batman, give him a gun, reveal myself, and tell him to kill the Joker or kill me to stop me from killing him.”

Tim’s jaw drops… and then he laughs. 

“What the fuck, Tim?”

“That’s so stupid!” Tim laughs. “That’s… that’s absurd, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I shouldn’t be laughing… seriously?!”

Jason pouts. “I worked hard on that plan…”

“You could’ve at least told him to shoot the Joker or you’ll shoot yourself. Like… oh no! My worst enemy slash psychotic serial killer is about to be killed and it won’t be my fault what a terrible choice!”

Jason snorts. And then chuckles. And then laughter bursts out of him. “I was a little fucked up, it’s not my fault!”

“You need to workshop that some more,” Tim giggles, then sighs. “Guess it doesn’t matter now. You took care of that piece of shit.”

Jason’s laughter fades away as well. “You… you don’t hate me?”

“For murdering the Joker? Scarecrow? The others? Fuck no! I thanked you when I was patching you up, come on.”

“The duffel bag?”

Tim hesitates. “Hate you for it, absolutely not. It… it was pretty fucked up. Do… you regret it?”

Jason pauses to think about it. “No,” he realizes.

“I mean, considering what they were involved in… the net difference… it saved lives in the long run.”

Jason nods. “I don’t wanna stop killing rapists and murderers, I’m not sorry about that.”

“Look… it’s not something I could do… but I… I don’t think… it’s exactly the worst thing ever. Some people are just… irredeemable.”

“Am I?” Jason asks, turning his head to look in Tim’s eyes. 

“No,” Tim answers immediately, squeezing his hand. “You help people now. Considering you killed the Joker… the number of people you’ve killed altogether isn’t even close to the number saved because of his death alone.”

“That’s… logical.”

“I’m proud of you Jason.”

“What?” Jason whispers, trembling. 

“I mean it. After everything you’ve been through, all the things you feel guilty about… but you never stop trying to help people. You single handedly took over the entire Gotham drug trade… you’re amazing, Jason.”

“Wouldn’t say single handedly…”

Tim’s brows furrow. “No?”

“I put a lot of heads together,” he deadpans. Jason can see Tim stop breathing as it hits him. 

“Oh my god…” he whispers. Then he throws his head back and cackles. “Jason Todd!” he scolds, laughing hysterically. “Oh my god!” 

Jason grins. “Sorry. The opportunity was there, and I took it.”

“I can’t with you,” Tim laughs, pulling his hand from Jason’s to wipe his eyes.

Jason sighs again as his thoughts drift to Dick and another wave of sadness hits him. “Tim?”

“What is it?” He asks gently.

“I really miss my brother,” he whispers, eyes burning again. 

Tim leans into his side again. “Are you ready to do something about that yet?”

Jason shakes his head. “No. I'm pathetic.” 

“Stop it, you are not. You’re scared, and… and I think that’s fair.”

“How can I want someone back so badly but be too scared to do anything about it?”

“You kinda got a lot going on in that brain of yours. You still have a lot to figure out.”

“Yeah,” Jason murmurs, wiping his eyes. Then he clears his throat and changes the subject. “Uh, soooo. Dating anyone?”

Tim snorts. “No.”

“It’s not exactly a ridiculous question, you’re seventeen, rich, handsome, and surrounded by attractive people.”

“I… I had a crush on Kon. We… might have made out once? But then we never spoke about it again. That’s the closest I’ve gotten to dating someone.”

Jason laughs. “Tim, you have more experience than me.”

“You’ve never kissed someone?”

“Well… there was one person that came onto me and kissed me but I said ‘no what the fuck’ and they stopped.”

“Oh. Well… I’m glad they listened.”

“It was Talia.”

“What the fuck?”

“Yeeeep.”

“Were you even eighteen?”

“I was, yeah.”

“Even so, that’s so… predatory. She had a thing with B and then she tries to fuck his son? What the fuck?” he repeats. 

“It was really fucking weird. She was like a mom to me. A psychotic, lying, evil assassin mom, but still a mom.”

“So that baby’s not…”

“No! Oh god no. I don’t know who the fuck’s it is, just that it ain’t mine.”

Tim grimaces. “Icky…”

Jason snorts. “Yeah.”

Tim suddenly yawns and relaxes even further against Jason.

“Think you might need to go to bed, Timmers.”

“Ugh. I don’t wanna leave you though. But I am tired.”

“Alright, get up,” Jason lightly elbows him. 

Tim whines but stands. “Fine.” He grabs his empty coffee mug and Jason follows as he walks to the kitchen, setting it in the sink.

“I… I enjoyed spending time with you, even if the conversation was… painful at times,” Jason smiles. 

“Me too,” Tim smiles back, then heads for the window, ignoring his backpack. 

“Uh, Tim? Don’t you need-” he points at the backpack. 

Tim grins and shakes his head. “Nah. It’s for you. I just lied so you wouldn’t be stressing about it the entire time. I’ll get outta here so you can open it.” He walks up to Jason, stopping directly in front of him. 

“Thanks for dinner. And the coffee. A-and for trusting me with your story. And listening to mine. But why… when you came back to Gotham why didn’t you…” Tim grabs his left arm with his right hand and anxiously rubs it, looking down at his feet. 

“Come back to you?” Jason murmurs. 

Tim looks up with sad eyes and nods. 

“I didn’t not do that for… for any bad reasons. You didn’t do something wrong. I just… I was so angry…”

“You thought it was safer for me,” Tim sighs, “I… can appreciate that.” 

“Plus, if anyone was gonna stop my plan…”

“It’d be me?” Tim chuckles, “‘s probably true.”

“Yeah…”

Tim slowly takes a step closer, one foot between Jason’s. Close. He’s so close, oh god. Then he slowly leans in while raising his trembling arms. He’s pressing up against his front, his left arm goes under Jason’s right, while his right arm goes over his left shoulder. Jason is frozen in place and tense. He shouldn’t- Tim’s so vulnerable right now. He could squeeze the life right out of him. Or break his neck. He could hurt him in so many ways. 

“Please,” Tim begs in a whisper. 

Jason relaxes and moves his arms up to hug Tim back, wrapping them loosely around him.

“Please,” he repeats desperately.

Jason takes a deep breath. Hugging Tim shouldn’t be scary. It wasn’t before. It was comfort and safety and warmth and it was good. It was happy. He can do this. It’s just a hug. He takes a second deep breath, then he pulls Tim closer and squeezes him tightly. Tim melts against him, turns his head to tuck his face into the curve of Jason’s neck, inhales deeply, and shudders.

Jason drops his head and lets his cheek rest against the side of Tim’s face. He gently turns them side to side. He breathes in and smells a little sweat, some kind of woodsy, earthy body wash that almost certainly has a picture of an evergreen forest on it, the very subtle, pleasantly clean scent of the detergent Alfred always uses, and something else. Something that’s just- “Tim,” he exhales, sagging against him. 

A broken sob is torn from Tim’s throat as his hug becomes bruisingly tight around Jason. “I missed you so much,” he cries quietly.

“I missed you too,” Jason murmurs, voice shaking from his own tears. 

“God, Jason. Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason,” Tim repeats, lips brushing against Jason’s neck as he whispers his name like a prayer. 

“‘m here, Tim.”

The hug is desperate, as if they’re the only one that can keep the other from falling apart. Neither one ever wants to let go. Jason loses track of time as he stands there, tightly embracing his best friend. Tim is so warm, and he fits perfectly in his arms and for the first time since waking up in his own goddamn coffin, Jason feels safe. They’re pressed together as tightly as physically possible and it’s… if this is all Jason gets, it’s enough. More than enough.

Eventually Tim sighs sadly and lets go, and Jason begrudgingly follows suit. Tim takes a step back so he can look in Jason’s eyes. “I… should go. Thank you for, for this,” he murmurs. “I really- I love you.”

Jason softly kisses his forehead. “Me too.”

Tim smiles, corners of his eyes crinkling. “Bye Jay.”

“Bye Babybird.”

They hug one more time, very briefly. Then Tim pulls away again, opens the window, climbs through, and closes it with one last smile directed back at Jason. Then he turns away and he’s gone. 

“Why can’t I just… tell him? Ugh,” Jason complains as he walks over to the backpack and picks it up. It really is pretty heavy. He carries it to the sofa, sits down, and places it between his feet. He unzips it, takes a deep breath, and pulls it open.

Jason instantly bursts into tears.

Chapter Text

Screw it, Tim wants a hug and he’s gonna god damn get one. He slowly takes a step closer, one foot between Jason’s. Then he slowly leans in while raising his trembling arms. He’s pressing up against his front, his left arm goes under Jason’s right, while his right arm goes over his left shoulder. Jason’s warm and god, his chest is amazing. 

Jason is frozen in place and tense. Tim guesses he’s probably terrified right now. Probably thinks Tim will spontaneously die or something.

“Please,” Tim begs in a whisper. He needs to know Jason’s really real. He wants to feel those arms around him, to feel secure. Tim just… wants.

Jason relaxes and moves his arms up to hug Tim back, wrapping them loosely around him. It’s a seriously shitty hug. It reminds Tim of when Jason hugged him after accidentally bruising his arm. 

“Please,” he repeats, growing desperate. He needs this. 

Jason takes a deep breath. Tim guesses that’s him psyching himself up. Another deep breath and then Jason finally pulls him closer and finally squeezes him tightly in his arms. Tim absolutely melts against him, turns his head to tuck his face into the curve of Jason’s neck, inhales deeply, and shudders. It smells like… like Jason. It's downright heady.

Jason drops his head and lets his cheek rest against the side of Tim’s face. It’s sweet, and comforting. He gently turns them side to side. Jason breathes in and then holds it. Then he suddenly exhales, saying Tim’s name like he’s something pure and treasured. Jason sags against him and it’s overwhelming in the absolute best way.

A broken sob is torn from Tim’s throat as his hug becomes bruisingly tight around Jason. “I missed you so much,” he cries quietly.

“I missed you too,” Jason murmurs. 

“God, Jason. Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason,” Tim repeats, lips brushing against Jason’s warm neck as he whispers his name like a prayer. 

“‘m here, Tim.”

The hug is desperate, as if they’re the only one that can keep the other from falling apart. Neither one ever wants to let go. Tim swears that the world around him falls away. The only thing that exists is Jason’s warm, unbreakable hold. They’re pressed together as tightly as physically possible, and in this moment it’s everything.

Eventually Tim sighs sadly. He can’t just hug him forever. He begrudgingly lets go, and Jason follows suit. Tim takes a step back so he can look in Jason’s (gorgeous) eyes. “I… should go. Thank you for, for this,” he murmurs. “I really- I love you.” That almost feels like an understatement.

Jason softly kisses his forehead and it’s honestly adorable. “Me too.”

Tim smiles, corners of his eyes crinkling. “Bye Jay.”

“Bye Babybird.”

They hug one more time, very briefly - if it wasn’t brief, Tim would just stay here.. Then Tim pulls away again, opens the window, climbs through, and closes it with one last smile directed back at Jason.

“I’m tired of lying, Bruce,” Dick sighs, rubbing his eyes in Bruce’s study. 

“I think it’s what’s best for Tim,” Bruce responds from behind his desk.

“He needs to know that we know that Red Hood is back and that we know Red Hood is northern Gotham’s… protector.”

“Murderer,” Bruce corrects.

“Well it certainly seems to be working! God, we’ve known for weeks. I’m sure Tim knows. Hell, the little genius probably knew before us.”

“I don’t trust that Tim won’t warn him if he knows we’re closing in,” Bruce says.

“Maybe he has a good reason to? I think we’re missing the bigger picture, and I’d bet Tim has the missing piece,” Dick tries to reason. He has a gut feeling that something unforeseen is going to happen.

“I know you don’t like it, and I’m sor-” Bruce cuts himself off, tilting his head slightly.

“Yeah, I hear it. It’s Tim. It’s… a very happy Tim,” Dick realizes. He stands from the chair and heads for the door.

“Dick…” Bruce warns. 

“I won’t tell him,” Dick groans. He opens the door and steps into the hallway. Tim’s walking down the hall from the garage in… an outfit that is designed to get him checked out, wow. He’s also singing.

“Hi Timmy,” Dick laughs, “hot date or something?” 

Tim pauses and looks up at Dick, blushing slightly. “Oh, uh. No, it… not a date. I mean they were hot, but that’s not… no.”

“Uh, ok.” Weird answer. Why is he so cagey about Bart? “Have fun?”

Tim grins and nods. “Yeah.” He gives Dick a tight hug. “I really did.” 

“It’s really great seeing you so happy,” Dick smiles softly. And it’s true, it really is.

“It’s nice being happy,” Tim beams, “I’m really tired though. I’m gonna go to bed.” He lets go of Dick and takes a step back. “Night Dick. I love you.”

“I love you too, Tim. Night.”

Tim heads for the stairs, nearly skipping with joy, and starts singing again. “He got my heart, heartbeeeaaat, skipping down sixteenth avenue, got that ah, I mean, wanna see what’s under that attitude, like, I want you bless my soul, and I ain’t gotta tell him I think he knows, I think he knows, I want you, bless my, I want you, bless my soul, I want ooh baby-”

Dick listens until Tim’s out of earshot, smiling at the direction he walked in. Oh, his baby brother’s got it bad. Bart is one lucky dude. Tim’s one of a kind.

Jason unzips the backpack, takes a deep breath, and pulls it open. He instantly bursts into tears. 

With trembling arms he slowly reaches into the bag, slips a hand under the plushie, and lifts it out. 

“H-hi buddy,” he murmurs through his tears. He hugs Bagheera to his chest. “Tim take g-good care of y-you?” Good god. Jason is nineteen, a crime lord, and he is crying over a stuffed animal.

He buries his face in the black faux fur - soft, softer than it’s been in a decade - and weeps. Tim wouldn’t throw out Bagheera, heck he probably slept with the leopard in his arms several times. 

The last time Jason held the cat - late at night after learning the truth about his bio mom -  everything was easy. Everything made sense. Sure, his mom was dead, and also not actually his mom and that was confusing and awful, but he had his second family and had no murder victim trauma and wasn’t homicidally irascible and he had Tim too. 

And way before that when Jason first moved into the Manor as a tiny, terrified thirteen year-old, he had Bagheera. He would keep him in his backpack until after Alfred/Bruce/Dick said goodnight and left his room, and then he’d grab him out and hug him. It was absolutely a security blanket. It was the only ‘friend’ from his old life that went with him to his new life. Bagheera made it ok.

Jason had never directly said any of that to Tim, but the genius almost certainly could figure that out himself. And now that he wants Jason to come back home, back to the Manor… Tim’s saying ‘here, take him. He made it ok the first time you moved in and he’ll make it ok the second time. So just trust me. You can come home.’ 

“Fuckin’ hell, Tim.” Jason raises his head and wipes his eyes with his sleeve. “Like I haven’t cried enough?”

He pets Bagheera a few times - he’s just the slightest bit damp - and then he lays him down on the cushion beside him. “Missed you, bud.”

He looks back in the bag and there’s a folded up piece of paper. He grabs it out, and it’s a note in Tim’s handwriting. 

I know there isn’t actually a real animal called a ‘black panther,’ they’re just melanistic leopards/jaguars - specifically Indian leopard, in Bagheera’s case. But I’m almost certain he was sold as a ‘black panther.’ Anyway! I looked up black panther spirit animal symbolism just for the heck of it. And you’re totally a black panther, holy crap.

Jason unfolds the paper and it’s a printout of some spirit animal webpage. The first paragraph is just an intro, and he skims it quickly. Then he gets to the list.

Common symbolism for the panther is…

• Astral travel

• Guardian energy

• Symbol of the feminine (I know you’re not a girl but Bagheera came from your mom, so it fits!)

• Death and rebirth

• Understanding of death

• Reclaiming your power 

• Ability to know the dark
• Aggressiveness and power

I’m like… 95% sure that you actually died? So yeah. But you’re a guardian of Gotham, and you died and came back, and you do understand death, and you’re reclaiming your power that the league took from you, and you do know the dark, and yes, you can be aggressive and you’re definitely powerful. Anyway - as you can see, you’re a badass. 

Jason snorts. That’s sweet. He’ll disagree with some points… but he definitely understands death and knows the dark or whatever. 

He pulls out the next item and fresh tears well up in his eyes. “God damn it Tim,” he groans.

It’s the picture of Jason, his mom - his real mom, not that blonde bitch (I mean he’s glad she made him exist but that is it) - and Bagheera, the day she gave him to him. Jason’s breath hitches when he sees the corner. Her earring is taped down. Jason stands and carries it slowly to the small bookshelf in his bedroom. He hugs the frame and then sets it down. He untapes the earring, gives it a gentle kiss, and lets it hang around the corner of the frame. “I miss you,” he whispers. 

He walks back to the sofa, swiping at his eyes, and sits down again. He pulls out the small sheet of bubble wrap and grabs the next photo: Jason and Tim at Disneyland, grinning in front of the Christmas tree. He smiles wetly at it. They’re pressed together, Jason with his arm wrapped around Tim’s shoulder, Tim’s arm around his midsection cause of the height difference. So much joy. 

He sets the frame on the coffee table and pulls out another sheet of bubble wrap, and the next photo. He screams internally. 

“Oh fuck you Tim, this bag is gonna be the second death of me,” he whines. 

Jason and Dick, standing in front of Sleeping Beauty castle. Dick is being overbearing with his hug, wrapped around him like a goddamn octopus and beaming, while Jason is smiling broadly. 

“I love you so much, Dickie,” he murmurs softly. He gives that photo a quick hug and sets it down as well. 

Another sheet of bubble wrap and another frame, this one a smaller copy of the larger family portrait ‘blooper’ that was in his room. Jason is scowling and blushing as Dick, slightly crouched, is wrapped around him in a smothering hug from the side, chin resting on top of Jason’s head, absolutely beaming. But there’s the smallest uptick in the corner of Jason’s mouth betraying his amusement. Bruce is behind them laughing, one hand on Dick’s shoulder. Alfred has a gloved hand over his own mouth and his eyes are sparkling with mirth. 

A small sob escapes. “Dad, Alfie, god…” he sets the photo aside. 

One last sheet of bubble wrap and he pulls out a fancy box? Oh yeah. He opens the decorated box and there’s his Darth Vader lightsaber hilt. He huffs a small laugh. “Cool.” He closes the box and sets it aside. 

He pulls out the box that his gold Ray-Ban aviators with the faint Mickey head outline in the corner came in. He opens it and the glasses are in the carrying case, the authenticity card is there, and the microfiber cleaning cloth. He opens the case, pulls out the glasses, and puts them on. 

“Huh. They actually fit, weird,” he mutters. He takes them off, puts them back in the case and the case back in the box. 

He pulls out a note from the bag. 

I know these won’t fit but if you want them for the memories, here they are. The hiking boots won’t fit in the bag.

He sets the note aside and pulls out his white Disneyland t-shirt and the Haly’s circus hoodie. These aren’t gonna fit any of them anymore. But… he’ll keep them anyway. He hugs the hoodie and smiles. One of the first things Dick ever gave him. He ignores the tears as he sets the clothes aside. 

The next item he pulls out is a small stack of five magazines.

“What in the world?” Jason asks quietly. He looks at the first one. It’s Us Weekly magazine, January 2023. He reads the main headline and a startled laugh bursts out of him and then he starts cackling. 

Wayne Heir and Drake Scion: Romantic Tryst Revealed -  What the Shocking Video Shows

It’s two headshots, one of each, inside a heart. It’s ridiculous. 

He frantically flips through the magazine to the correct article and starts wheezing. It’s just a picture of them dancing at the Christmas party, Dick in a dark green tuxedo with a red bow tie, and Tim in a dark red tuxedo with a green tie. 

Sure, they’re color coordinated and close together; Dick’s right hand rests in the center of Tim’s back, Tim’s left hand is on his right shoulder, and their other hands are clasped together, and they’re laughing. But they’re just having fun. A second pic shows Dick spinning Tim under his arm, both laughing still. A third one has Tim dipping Dick, Tim’s arms and legs tense and the slightest grimace on his face (because Dick is heavy), while Dick is cackling. 

He stops laughing at the fourth photo. At first glance it does look decidedly more romantic than the others. They’re pressed together, arms tight around each other, and Tim is hiding his face in Dick’s neck while Dick has a hand combing through his hair. Dick’s face is hidden too, looking down at him. But Tim’s posture is slumped, and Dick’s arm around him is tensed from exertion. The posture looks like Tim has collapsed against him in tears. The caption confirms it.

Young Tim Drake is overwhelmed by his love for Mr. Grayson, crying intensely during an instrumental rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love.

Yeah no shit, Tim’s crying. He and Jason sang that song together the day before he left for the last time. It’s not love overwhelming him, it’s loss.

Jason starts reading the article and the laughter comes back in full force because it’s one of the most ridiculous overanalyzations he has ever seen. It’s telling the tale of some long, drawn out love affair that started at Gotham Academy. Who writes this garbage? It’s hysterical. It’s so bad it’s good. No wonder people eat this shit up, it’s addicting. 

He laughs as he sets that magazine aside and picks up the next one. 

Superheroes Monthly

May 2021

New Robin Finally Gets Own Suit

The cover photo is Tim, in the newest version of the Robin suit, with a collapsible bo staff strapped to his thigh, his hood up, arms loosely crossed, and a cocky smirk on his lips, in front of some nondescript brick wall. It’s a phenomenal photo. He posed for that one. 

Jason flips to the article and looks through the massive collection of photos of Robin starting with his debut in Dick’s suit, his upgrade to Jason’s suit, and finally his own suit. He reads the article which is actually rather informative with dates and analysis of the changes in the suits, and even a brief description of each Robin’s personality and fighting style. Jason’s actually impressed with that article. 

“‘m crazy proud of you,” Jason murmurs, smiling at the photos. Then he closes the magazine and moves on to the next. 

People

March 2021

One Year Later: Bruce Wayne Commemorates Anniversary of Son’s Death With Opening of Treatment Center

The cover is a photo of Bruce, in a suit, and Dr. Thompkins, in scrubs, standing beside each other and smiling politely at the camera. Jason quickly flips to the article. 

On the one year anniversary of the tragic loss of his adoptive son, Jason Todd-Wayne, billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne opened the new Catherine Todd Recovery Center in Gotham City’s so-called ‘Crime Alley.’ 

The picture shows a hallway with the name in bold, black letters. Big surprise, Jason starts crying yet again as he continues reading. 

The center is attached to the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic, a cost-free clinic created in honor of Mr. Wayne’s father, who was a doctor. The facility is run by Dr. Leslie Thompkins and has been servicing the local community for over a decade. 

During his brief remarks, Mr. Wayne explained that the center is named after Jason’s mother, who sadly lost her battle with addiction when he was a young boy. Jason was highly empathetic to the plight of single mothers struggling with addiction, and the center honors that. 

Mr. Wayne went on to say that Jason wouldn’t want “some kind of flashy, gaudy remembrance party, he’d much rather have his memory used in a way that can help the people of Gotham, and that’s our goal here.”

The facility is small; only five medical rooms. However, the facility also contains five one-bedroom apartments. It’s a safe place for single mothers and their children to live while the mother undergoes treatment. There are childcare services and facilities, educational tutors, counselors for mother and child, social workers, a small gym, a small cafeteria, a food pantry, and a library. Mr. Wayne said that his son was an avid reader, and he would have absolutely insisted that a place like this have a spot for children to travel to other worlds through literature. 

The goal is to continue fostering a healthy environment for children to learn and play while at the same time catering to the needs of the mothers. Many single mothers are hesitant to seek help for their addiction because of the concern of losing their child, and this new center attempts to alleviate that concern by letting their children stay with them. 

Mr. Wayne has pledged to indefinitely fund the clinic. Depending on the success of the program, the center may be expanded. For more information, please visit www.catherinetodd.org. 

A teardrop makes a quiet plip onto the page and Jason wipes it away. He looks through the photos in amazement. The recovery rooms and the apartments, the daycare, the counselors, tutors, social workers, the gym, the cafeteria, the food pantry, and god, the library. Overall it’s a small room, but three of the walls are floor to ceiling books, except the fourth wall which has a long table with two computers and two desk chairs. There’s a comfy looking couch, a couple bean bag chairs, and even a recliner. It’s cozy, and it looks warm and inviting.

Jason loves it. If his mom had had something like this… maybe she would’ve made it. And Jason wouldn’t have become Robin and run off and died. But Jason also wouldn’t have Alfred or Bruce or Dick or Tim. Granted he wouldn’t miss them cause he would never have known them in the first place, but the thought of not having them in his life… it’s horrible. Even if them in his life isn’t actually happening at all because he’s too scared. At least he has one of them on his side.

“God,” Jason sniffles, wiping his eyes. 

He moves on to the next magazine, which actually is just a small WE newsletter with company updates - it’s brand new; August, the current month. The cover is Bruce and Tim shaking hands, with a brief article about WE’s acquisition of Drake Industries. DI will keep its name and CEO, but will absorb WE’s healthcare subsidiaries due to its specialization in the field. The rest of the newsletter is boring. He moves on to the final magazine

Forbes

January 2023. 

Timothy Drake, World’s Youngest CEO

Tim is in a perfectly tailored black suit, arms casually crossed, smiling at the camera. There’s actually a tiny hint of arrogance in Tim’s expression. God, he’s really good at exuding rich asshole vibes for the camera. It’s hilariously far from the real Tim, but if he’s anything like Bruce - and he is - he’s curating his public persona with surgical precision.

Jason flips to the main article and begins to read the interview. It’s really impressive. The last thing he would do is underestimate Tim, but he’s still blown away by his answers. He’s confident and terrifyingly intelligent and ridiculously competent and it’s actually kinda tragic because no teenager should have to act like a forty year old. But Tim would never back down from a challenge and he probably feels responsible since it’s the family company and it was probably willed to him anyway. 

Jason’s smiling by the end, when Tim gets optimistic and hopeful for the future. He really does seem to care about his work, even though Jason knows he’d definitely rather not be doing it at all. The final page is just a shot of Tim sitting at his desk. He’s got a coffee mug in hand while he’s skimming a business report. It’s totally staged but it works somehow. 

Jason chuckles quietly, then closes the magazine and sets it aside. Next in the backpack is a book that he doesn’t recognize, at all, with an index card on top of it. He picks up the card and reads it. 

Dick brought this home from Tamaran as a gift. Obviously he could never give it to you. You won’t be able to read it, but it’s an alien book! Feel the pages, it’s cool as heck.

Jason’s eyes widen. “Holy shit.” He tosses the card aside and yanks the unnaturally light book out of the bag.

The cover’s a thick, maroon leather of some kind, with glimmering metallic silver lettering and a whimsical curvy border of the same material. He has no clue what the title is. He opens it and turns the first page. 

Jason yelps and yanks his hand back. Ew. Wet. Except he feels his fingers again and they’re completely dry. He lays a finger on the page again. Wet. Lifts it off, dry. Woah. The pages feel like water, how the hell? 

“That’s so fucking cool!” 

He flips through several pages, marveling at the feel of the pages and the very pretty but very alien language. He starts sniffling. Dick brought this home to him, but he came back to Jason being dead. One of the last things Dick did while Jason was alive was get a gift for him. He loves him so much it hurts. He really is (almost) the perfect brother. 

Jason wipes his eyes for the ten millionth time today. “Thanks Dick,” he whispers. 

He closes the book and looks in the bag again - and there was no point in him wiping his eyes because the tears surge back full-force. His books from his mama. 

He sets the alien book back in the backpack and carries the bag to his room, setting it on his bed. He takes out all the books one by one and lays them out on his bed, crying the entire time. 

Alien book

Winnie the Pooh box set

Charlotte’s Web

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Tom Sawyer

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Little Women

Peter Pan

Dracula

Reading Journals

He individually carries each book to add to his bookshelf, setting them on the top shelf, right below the picture of him and his mom. By the time they’re all back on his shelf, he’s finally stopped crying. 

Then he goes back to the living room, grabs Bagheera, and lays him beside the photo. Then he brings in the three other photo frames. He sets the family portrait on his dresser, which is directly across from his bed - he’ll see it every time he sits up in the morning. He puts the photo with Dick on his bedside table, and puts the photo with Tim on his desk. 

He folds up the printout of the black panther webpage and lays it beside Bagheera. The lightsaber goes on his dresser - until he thinks of a better place. The sunglasses case goes on his bedside table. The box and authenticity card go in the drawer of the opposite bedside table. The magazines go on the bookshelf as well. He drapes the hoodie over his desk chair and puts the t-shirt in the top drawer of his dresser. 

He returns to his bookshelf and grabs out Dracula, When We Were Very Young, and his book journal and sets them on his bedside table. He goes back to the bookshelf when he sees that the book journal he hadn’t gotten to has the page marking ribbon in the front. When he died, it was in the middle. 

He curiously picks it up and opens the journal. His breath hitches. It has Tim’s name in it. He puts his thumb on the pages and drags it down to flick through every single page in seconds. It looks roughly as filled out as Jason’s. He goes to the first book review page - it’s the same first book as Jason’s. But it’s rated differently. He reads the review and his legs shake.

Carefully, he returns to his bed and sits down on top of it, lest he fall to his knees in the middle of his room. The review isn’t as positive as Jason’s was, which is fine. But then it specifically counters some of the things Jason wrote with a well-reasoned response. His eyes burn from tears. 

He flips to the next page. Same second book, but this one is rated the same and the review is also pretty much the same. There’s a part where Tim writes that he agrees with a couple things Jason wrote in his review, with another well-reasoned response. It’s like Tim was finding a way to create new memories with Jason after he died. It’s devastating and beautiful and heartbreaking and amazing and Jason loves it.

A fresh sob breaks free when he turns to the third page and it’s the same third book. He flips through the rest of the book reviews as the tears flow freely from his eyes. Some books are rated the same, some higher, some lower, all with intelligent, insightful responses.

“I b-broke his h-heart,” he cries, closing the journal and hugging it tightly. Tim wanted to spend more time with Jason and this was his only way. God. Poor guy. Jason really should’ve listened to him. But then Tim wouldn’t’ve become Robin. Though he probably would’ve become a hero anyway. Maybe another bird? Cardinal? Though a corvid would be more appropriate because they’re so damn smart. Raven’s taken. Crow is stupid. Magpies are pretty, but the name is kinda meh. Blue Jay? Oh god, that makes Jason feel things. Robin and Blue Jay. Wouldn’t that have been something. Red Hood and Robin just… isn’t as interesting. 

He wonders how good of a crime-fighting duo he and Tim would be, wonders if they’ll ever get the chance to fight at each other’s side, to have each other’s backs. It sounds kinda awesome. Or god, all four of them. They’d be unstoppable.

Jason laughs quietly, stops hugging the journal, and wipes his eyes. Then he reopens it and spends the next while reading through Tim’s book reviews. Seeing the books through Tim’s eyes? It’s almost like reading them all over again. It’s a gift. When he finally finishes, he returns the journal to his bookshelf. That was amazing. 

Jason returns to his bed to look into the backpack once more. The only thing left, at the bottom, is a small metal box. He grabs it out and opens it - it’s a plain, red flash drive, and what looks like a comms device. He plucks the drive out of the box and walks over to his desk, sitting down in the chair. He wakes his computer with a tap of the spacebar, and the monitor instantly comes to life. It may not be Batcave-level secure, but it’s pretty close. Computers aren’t Jason’s greatest skill, but he’s still damn good at it.

He looks at the flash drive in his hand. This little thing could crash his system. Or set up a backdoor for the Bats to hack into. Jason scoffs. Tim would never do that to him. He plugs in the flash drive without another second of hesitation. The contents of the drive pop up on screen. 

Click me.mov

Jason chuckles. “Creative.” He double clicks the file, and Tim’s smiling face pops up on the screen. 

“Thanks for trusting me enough to plug this in. This is a collection of photos and videos during your…” Tim hesitates, “ time away . As you can see, there’s a hero video, a civilian video, a hero photo folder, and a civilian photo folder. All the photos are in the video, but if you wanted to look at them individually, there they are. Anyway! Missed you, love you, please enjoy,” Tim grins and the video closes by itself.

Jason takes a deep breath and double clicks hero.mov. It opens to Tim and Dick on the training mats, in workout clothes.  

“Ok. B wants me to start your training. He’s still… processing.”

“I’d rather start with you anyway, to be honest. Batman’s scary,” Tim admits. 

Dick laughs. “Yeah, he can be. Ok, hit me!”

“Wh- what? Is that training? It sounds like… abuse.”

“Just do it,” Dick groans. 

“Timmy, nooo,” Jason whines - he knows what’s about to happen. 

Tim throws a punch. Dick catches the fist, grabs Tim’s arm, flips him over him, and lets him fall to the ground and hit the mat with a solid thump and a betrayed cry.

“What the hell?!”

“It’s tradition!” Dick grins, holding a hand down. 

Tim reaches up to take it and Dick pulls him to his feet.

Number 1 shows up in the corner, in red. 

The video jumps ahead to Tim hitting the mat again - 2

And again, this time with a cartoony sound as he hits - 3. 

Over and over, Tim hits the mat as the number keeps climbing. A lot of them are with Dick at the beginning, then a lot of Bruce, the occasional Barbara appearance, and then some more with Dick and some more Bruce. 

Jason is laughing hard at it all. The number rapidly climbs as Tim continues hitting the mat, but one day he actually manages to take down Dick. A blue 1 shows up beside the red number 57. Eventually Babs hits the mat and a yellow 1 appears, and much, much later, Bruce hits the mat and a black 1 appears. 

Bruce hits the ground in surprise, and then his eyes change to pride.

“Holy shit I knocked down Batman,” Tim gasps. 

Bruce sweeps Tim’s feet out from under him and Tim hits the mat. The red number ticks up by one with a comical bell sound. Bruce laughs and Tim sighs dramatically. 

Jason laughs again and continues watching. Eventually the numbers stop and the video switches to a compilation of full-costumed sparring matches. Tim is downright prodigious with his bo staff. These must just be excerpts of the best matches. Jason can see as Tim gets better and better, and then eventually he’s sparring in Jason’s suit and boy, is that an odd sight. Eventually Tim is in his current Robin suit. He’s insanely talented. 

Then the sparring matches switch to a completely different room, with Tim sparring against Superboy. And winning. Handedly. Superboy slowly gets better and better, and finally beats Tim. Then Wonder Girl, Tim kicking butt, then Tim eventually losing. Same with Bart. And then two-on-two sparring matches. They’re all really, really good, and no matter what duo is together, their teamwork is impeccable. So Tim’s not just an amazing Robin in his own right, but an amazing leader and trainer, too. 

Then there’s another video, of Tim sleeping on a training mat. 

Dick walks into the cave, spots Tim, and sighs. “What did you do?” he whispers as he walks up to him and calls his name at regular volume. No response. 

“Tim,” he repeats.

“Mm?” He groans. 

“Timmy, wake up,” Dick sighs, exasperated. 

“But... why though...” he mutters.

“You’re asleep in the Batcave and drenched in sweat.”

“Oh. Wait what?” Tim opens his eyes and blinks blearily up at Dick. 

Dick plops down beside him and pushes him up to a sitting position. “You’re overdoing it, kiddo. It takes time to build muscle, and working out to the point of injury or passing out just makes it take longer. How many hours did you workout today?”

“...twelve...” Tim cringes.

“Twelve?!” Jason yells at the screen.

“Oh my god what is wrong with you?”

“Sorry,” he grumbles. 

“Look, I know you wanna prove yourself but having an actual heart attack from overexertion is the worst way to do it.”

“I just... I just wanna make him proud,” Tim whimpers. 

“I’m sure he’s already proud. You’re doing great,” Dick assures him, rubbing his back. 

“Thanks,” Tim sighs. 

Dick stands and helps him to his feet. Tim takes a step, yelps, and starts to fall. Dick catches him and scoops him up in a cradle carry. “Ok you’re going to bed.”

Twelve hours? Jason’s glad Tim even survived to now if that’s what he was like when he started, good god. 

Another video. 

Tim is just outside the lockers in Dick’s Robin suit, crying, while Dick hugs him.

“He’s… he’s really g-gone, isn’t he?” Tim sobs.

“He… yeah, bud,” Dick says, voice tight, “but… I’m sure he’s watching, somewhere. And he’s proud of you and excited for you.”

“How am I supposed to be Robin without him?!”

“By taking it one day at a time,” Dick murmurs.

“It’s too hard, I can’t!”

“Yes you can. I believe in you wholeheartedly. You can do it and we’ll all be here for you every single step of the way, Timmy.”

“Ok. Sorry. Ok. God,” Tim wipes his eyes, “I’m a wreck.”

“It’s ok to be,” Dick tells him gently.

“Thanks,” Tim sniffles. 

Ok well that one hurt, geez. Jason sniffles too as the next video begins. 

Tim walks out of the lockers, fully decked out in Jason’s Robin suit. He walks over to the mirror to check himself out, and then immediately bursts into tears. 

“Woah!” Dick yells, running over to him and hugging him. “It’s alright! Hey, you’re alright.”

“No I’m not! I’m a fraud! I’m not Jason! I’ll never be as good as him! I’m an embarrassment to the name and he’s probably laughing at me because I can’t even put on the suit without having a crying fit!”

“You’ll never be Jason, Tim. Because you’re you. And you’re doing amazing, sweetie,” Dick jokes.

Tim laughs quietly. “Shut up.”

“Yas Queen! Slay!”

“Shut up!” Tim laughs harder. 

“Not if it makes you laugh, bud.”

Tim sighs and sniffles, wiping his eyes. “Thanks Dick.” 

“Anytime. You good to start practicing?” 

“Yeah,” Tim nods, “let’s do it.”

Jason sighs and wipes his eyes. 

Tim walks out of the lockers in his own Robin suit, with the hood up. He looks at himself in the mirror and grins. “God, I wish you could see me, Jay. I’m my very own Robin. But I’ve got you with me,” he murmurs, laying his hand over his Robin badge, “I miss you.”

Tim turns and leaves, and the feed switches to the main chamber of the cave. 

“Oh thank god! You’re not crying!” Dick cheers, running to him and grabbing him up in a hug. 

Tim laughs and hugs him back. “I’m… I’m happy this time. I don’t… feel like a fraud, cause this suit’s mine. Instead of me trying to fit into yours, or… or his.”

“I’m so proud of you, Winglet,” Dick murmurs, setting him down. 

“Winglet?"  Tim laughs. 

“It’s cute!” Dick pouts. 

“I like it,” Tim agrees with a grin.

Winglet? Holy shit that’s an adorable nickname. Now Dick has a Little Wing and a Winglet. It’s like he’s collecting them. Oh god Dick’s turning into Bruce. Any day now Dick is gonna bring a black-haired orphan home to Wally and teach them crime-fighting and give them their own suit and in twenty years that kid will adopt their own brood and by the time old man Bruce dies there’s gonna be fifty bats and birds running around Gotham. 

Ok that might be a little hyperbolic, but… still.

The next sequence of videos is footage from the mask cams of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman. It’s of them either being BAMFs, making a snarky comment or silly quip, or having a particularly epic fail. Jason laughs throughout them. 

Then the videos are news clips of the Bats or Titans or Young Justice fighting some outrageous threat or ridiculous villain. 

One news clip is about Robin rescuing a kidnapped Richie Grayson. Dick is crushingly hugging Robin, crying dramatically, and thanking him over and over for saving his life. Robin’s jaw is tense, holding back laughter at the theatrics. Jason luckily doesn’t have to contain his laughter, so he can let it all free.

Then it’s a chronological slideshow of pictures containing at least one Bat, whether that’s Robin, Nightwing, or Batman, and usually a random assortment of other heroes with them. Young Justice, Titans, Leaguers, Bats. It’s a whole heck of a lot of photos but Jason enjoys every single one. Occasionally there’s a voiceover from Tim to narrate a photo. 

Eventually the hero video comes to an end. Jason is stunned when he realizes that it was over a five-hour video. God, this must have taken at least a week of several hours a day. Maybe he used an advanced AI to pull it all together at least? However he did it, it took a lot of work and a fuckton of love. He got to see the good and the bad of Tim’s time as Robin, plus the rest of his family. As heroes at least. 

God, Jason’s tired. But he wants to watch the civilian video. That should give him even more insight. He double clicks civilian.mov. It opens to Tim, with headphones on, happily dancing and singing in Dick’s room.

“-break, break, break

And the bakers gonna bake, bake, bake, bake, bake-”

Jason snorts. Tim would sing it like that. He sings through the rest of the chorus and then hits the bridge.

“Hey hey hey! Just think, while you’ve been getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, you could’ve been getting down to THIS! SICK! BEAT! 

My ex-man brought his new girlfriend, she’s like ‘oh my god’ but I’m just gonna shake, and to the fella over there with the hella good hair! Won’t you come on over baby we can shake, shake, shake...

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOHOOHWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAHOHOHOOOOOH

HATERS GONNA-"

Jason laughs as it cuts off. What a goofball. He hates that Tim had a weeklong breakdown because of the song, but… that part was good to see. Next video is Tim walking into the ballroom with Dick. God bless the manor’s surveillance cameras.

“Why are we in the ballroom?” Dick asks. He looks like absolute shit.

Tim pulls out his phone, taps it a few times, and then the music starts. Loudly. “We’re dancing. For fun!”

Dick sighs and his shoulders drop. “Tim, I just don't feel like...”

“Don’t care,” Tim says, then starts singing mid-line. 

“-perfect night

to dress up like hipsters

and make fun of our exes

ah-ah, ah-ah,” Tim sings and bobs his head to the beat.

Tim keeps singing, and then eventually Dick joins in, and finally Jason’s heartbroken brother has some fun.

They sing and dance to a ton of songs. Jason sobs with laughter right alongside Tim at Dick dancing to “Single Ladies.” At the end, Jason rewinds it to watch again, stomach and throat hurting by the end of the second viewing from laughing so hard.

He smiles at Tim and Dick going back and forth on “Edge of Glory,” and cackles at them singing “Wannabe” to each other. A startled laugh escapes Jason as Dick launches Tim into the air during “Wings” causing a shrieking laugh to burst free of Tim’s mouth. More laughter as Dick expertly dances to “Hoedown Throwdown” and Tim follows along almost equally well. Same thing happens with “Bye, Bye, Bye” and “...Baby One More Time.” “ME!” has Jason grinning from ear to ear. Of course the final song is “Shake it Off.”

When the songs come to an end, Dick laughs brightly and grabs Tim in a hug. 

“I really needed that, Timmy. Thank you,” Dick sighs. 

“I just... I wanted to see you having fun again.”

“Wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to again... but you’re right. I’ll make it. It’s still... god,” Dick says, voice cracking, “still devastating. But I’ll get through it.”

“Yeah. We’ll both make it. You sure your superpower isn’t dancing?”

Dick cackles. “Maybe it is!”

“I mean really,” Tim scoffs, stepping back, “Britney?”

“Is a legend, Tim!”

Tim laughs. "You hungry?"

"You know... I actually think I am."

Thank god for Tim. Dick really needed that moment of levity. And he actually got Dick to eat.

The next series of videos is Tim/Dick/Bruce/Alfred just having fun. Tim and Dick pranking Bruce. Alfred scolding Bruce to get the hell out of his kitchen. Dick, Wally, and Tim happily goofing around at Tokyo Disneyland. A walkthrough of their suite. And several other things. Birthdays, other parties, holidays.

Then a GCN news story on the Catherine Todd Recovery Center, which tours the new facility, and then they show Bruce’s speech about it. Jason is frantically wiping his eyes by the end. 

More fun. 

A news report about the death of the Drakes. 

More fun.

A tour of their “Tony Stark Presidential Suite” at Disneyland Paris. 

More fun.

A news report about Tim’s emancipation.

More fun.

A tour of Tim and Dick’s Grand Captain’s Suite on Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser. A few brief videos around the ship.

More fun.

A tour of their suite at Hong Kong Disneyland.

More fun.

A news report about Tim assuming control of Drake Industries and purging the executive offices. Jason did not realize that Tim was so cutthroat. He loves it.

More fun.

A TMZ report with a video - the one from the magazine - of Tim and Dick dancing at the Christmas party, then the clip of them tightly hugging and dancing. Sure, without context he sees how people could believe it, but he can hear the song in the background. If you look really close, poor Tim is shaking. The TMZ cast seems supportive, at least, even if they’re reaching the completely incorrect conclusion.

More fun.

Then an interview with Tim. 

“This evening on Lois Lane Tonight. An interview with Timothy Jackson Drake, who became the world’s youngest CEO after the tragic death of his beloved-”

Jason snorts. 

“-parents, Jack and Janet Drake. The interview will cover topics both personal and professional, and give us a sneak peak at the future of Drake Industries.”

The voiceover ends and the cameras show the interview space. Two comfy looking cream-colored sitting chairs are roughly two feet apart. 

Tim walks into the room and shakes Lois’s hand. 

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Drake.”

“My pleasure, Ms. Lane,” he smiles politely, before they both sit down in their chairs. 

“Now, Mr. Drake-”

Tim laughs good-naturedly. “Tim is fine.”

She smiles. “My apologies. Tim. Now, how old are you?”

Jason laughs at how fake this part is. They already know each other. 

“I turned seventeen in October,” he answers smoothly. 

“In other words, you are very young,” she laughs. 

“Yes, I’ve heard that a time or two,” he chuckles. 

Lois nods. “Now, unfortunately you became CEO of Drake Industries due to very tragic circumstances, the loss of your parents.”

Tim’s smile falls. “That’s correct.”

“What can you tell me about it?”

“Well, my parents were in Haiti on an archaeological dig when they were kidnapped by, as he’s been described to me, a practitioner of black magic and voodoo.”

“That sounds crazy.”

“You would think so, right? But considering all the heroes around the world, it almost seems tame compared to, say, Superman.”

Lois’s eyes narrow just the tiniest bit while Tim smiles innocently. 

“Anyway, they were ransomed for $20 million. I paid it immediately, but they weren’t let go.”

“That must have been awful.”

Tim nods. “So, since my parents are close to Bruce Wayne because of business, and Mr. Wayne is a known benefactor of Batman and the Justice League, Mr. Wayne called in a favor and Batman and Robin rushed down to rescue them.”

“The newest Robin, correct?”

“Right, the one with the staff or whatever. They got there and rescued them, but they’d already been poisoned and they died shortly after.”

“Poison?”

“It was apparently a brutally fast hemotoxin - they internally hemorrhaged to death,” Tim sighs, glancing away. 

“Do you hold any resentment towards Batman and Robin?” Lois asks gently. 

Tim looks back and shakes his head. “I honestly don’t. They’re great heroes, but they aren’t perfect. Sometimes even the best intentions just…”

“Don’t work out?”

“Exactly.”

“That’s a very… mature perspective.”

“I’ve been forced to mature a lot, and quickly,” Tim smiles wryly.

Lois nods, then turns to face the camera. “We’ll be right back with Tim Drake.”

It cuts out and then right back. 

“And we’re back, here with Tim Drake. Now, you’ve just told us about the circumstances of your parents' deaths, but what was getting that phone call like?”

“It was awful,” Tim says quietly, and his eyes start shimmering. “I mean it’s my parents, and I was told they were…” he pauses and inhales shakily, “never coming home again. I h-had to mourn and plan a funeral. A lot of what they wanted was in their wills, so I at least didn’t have to think anything up, but I still had to make all the calls. I was only sixteen, I shouldn’t’ve had to do that, but I was the last living Drake.”

“That’s really unfair. I’m so sorry.”

Tim smiles wetly. “A-and then I had to bury my mom and dad. I’m told it was a lovely service. I’ll be honest, I was pretty numb that day.”

“Numb, or heartbroken?”

“Both, I guess. I just w-wanted my parents,” he whispers, and a tear breaks free from his eyes and slides down his cheek. He sniffles and wipes it away. “God, sorry,” he rasps. 

“That’s alright. It’s a difficult subject.”

“Reckon I’m not the first person you’ve made cry, huh?”

Lois (and faintly in the background, a producer) laughs. “No, definitely not. Let’s take a break. We’ll be right back.”

“Thank you for being so candid about your parents, Tim.”

Tim nods, eyes a little red but otherwise ok.

“But that turned out to be the easy part, didn’t it?”

Tim laughs quietly and nods again. “Yeah, it was.”

“Tell us about that.”

“Well their fortune, their company, and the CEO position were all willed to me, a sixteen year-old. I wasn’t ready for that, at all.”

“You waited until your seventeenth birthday to assume control, correct?”

“Yes.”

“What did you do in the meantime?”

“What didn’t I do?” He jokes, “I got myself emancipated, I dropped out of high school, I got a perfect score on the GED, and I spent every free moment poring over Drake Industries earnings reports and meeting minutes and product information, and getting my hands on any and all resources related to running a business.”

Lois raises an eyebrow “Where did you keep all that information?”

“I have a photographic memory. I remember everything I read, see, or experience,” Tim says casually, as if it’s a super normal thing. 

“Bet that came in handy.”

Tim snorts. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without it.”

“I’ve heard you also had a… crisis?”

Tim laughs. “Yeah, I spent an obscene amount of money.”

“What did you get?”

“Well I renovated my home, for starters, to make it more… me.”

“What’s it like?”

“Geeky and ultramodern. But that was the cheap part,” Tim laughs, “I bought a Ducati, Ferrari, Bugatti, a yacht, a Gulfstream, and a massive wardrobe.”

“That sound like a fun crisis,” Lois grins, then her smile softens, “Did that make you feel better about losing your parents and being forced to run a company?”

“Honestly? It did,” Tim laughs. “But then I felt guilty about spending all of that money on myself and I donated twice as much to a local Gotham charity that’s important to me - I’d like to keep the charity anonymous, if you don’t mind.”

“I respect that choice. Now, another break and then we’ll get back into it. 

“So, you took over on your seventeenth birthday. What’s the first thing you did?”

“I fired eight of my executives,” Tim says bluntly.

“Cleaning house?”

“I was reviewing their time with DI, and I wasn’t happy with the way they were operating. The stock took a dive, but it’s now already bounced back higher than it was, and profits are at an all-time company high,” he says proudly. 

“Sounds like you made the right choice.” 

“I think so. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary.”

Lois nods. “What does your typical work day look like?”

“A lot of reading, nearly all day long. Almost always at least one meeting, but usually two. Most I had in one day was seven.”

“How do you keep yourself going?” 

“By ingesting unhealthy amounts of caffeine,” Tim laughs. 

Lois laughs as well. “I empathize with that. Now, you’re young, rich, handsome… are you dating anyone?”

“Nope. I’m too focused on the job right now, I wouldn’t be able to give them the time they deserve.”

“I’m sorry, but I have to ask,” Lois begins carefully. 

Tim groans into his hands. 

“I know. There’s a rumor that you are involved with Bruce Wayne’s adoptive son, Dick Grayson. I’m sure you’ve seen the video. What can you tell us?”

Tim drops his hands and looks at Lois. “Dick Grayson is a very close friend. We were just having fun dancing together.”

“What about the clip of you two tightly wrapped in each other’s arms?”

“Easy explanation,” Tim sighs, “the song playing was one of my parents’ favorites, and it hit me really hard to hear it. I started crying and he comforted me. I do love him very much, but not like that. He’s been in a committed relationship for three years, and they’re a wonderful couple.”

“How did this friendship start?”

Tim’s eyes start filling with tears again. “I, uh… geez, sorry,” he chuckles, wiping his eyes, “I was best friends with his brother, Jason Todd-Wayne. I already knew Dick, but when Jason died, we got much closer through our mutual grief. He’s an integral component of my support system.”

“It’s good that you have people like that. Alright, one last break and then we’ll wrap up.”

“Alright, and we’re back again. What can you tell me about the future of Drake Industries?”

Tim smiles brightly and starts excitedly listing off the newest things at Drake Industries. “Well, we’ve got a lot of exciting opportunities coming up. We’re doing some contract work for Wayne Pharmaceuticals. Our new executives are the best and brightest in their fields. Revenues are rising. Employee satisfaction is at an all-time high. We’ve just opened a free childcare facility in our headquarters. We’ve cut our work week to thirty-five hours, and yet we‘ve increased output. We guarantee fifteen weeks parental leave for new parents, whether via birth or adoption. All employees have thirty days of paid leave a year for any reason. We’ve increased all employee pay by twenty percent. I’ve rejected my annual compensation and will instead be splitting it among DI employees as an annual bonus. Our new health insurance plans are the best in the corporate world. Things are great, and I’m so excited to see what our employees come up with next. The future’s bright and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. It certainly does sound exciting! Thank you so much for sharing your story with me, you’ve been a pleasure to interview.”

“And you’ve been a pleasure to be interviewed by,” Tim smiles. 

Lois laughs. “Well thank you for saying that. This has been Lois Lane Tonight with Timothy Drake, CEO of Drake Industries. Thanks for tuning in and I’ll see you next time.”

There’s a couple more fun videos, and then the slideshow starts. This also has an occasional voiceover to explain. 

About 70% of the way through the slideshow, as shown by the time bar, there’s a picture of Barbara. In a wheelchair.

Jason clicks pause. “What the fuck? What happened to Babs??” That certainly explains Batgirl's sudden disappearance. Jason can’t believe Tim forgot to tell him. 

He opens his web browser and types in ‘barbara gordon gotham.’

Gotham Police Commissioner Kidnapped, Daughter Shot and Paralyzed by Joker

Jason clicks the article and reads in horror. That fucker should’ve been put down much earlier. God, it wasn’t even a hero accident, she was a civilian. But she seems… happy? That must be who Oracle is. Red Hood heard Robin talking to someone he addressed as such when he found the dead bird. It sounds just like her. She might not be physically on the rooftops anymore but she’s still helping the best way she can. She was always brilliant, she’s probably still completely amazing anyway. 

Jason closes the browser and resumes the video. Tim and Dick look awesome in their Jedi robes with their attached lightsabers. He knows Tim had an absolute blast. It’s really great seeing all these photos of everyone happy. The way Tim described it at first… it sounded like it was never gonna get better. But it did.

The video ends and holy shit Jason just spent another five hours. He looks at the window, and sunlight is pouring in. Good god it’s well into the morning. It’s past time to go to bed, good lord. He closes the video and then a new video file suddenly shows up on the drive. Jason shrugs and clicks it.

Tim’s smiling face once again pops up on the screen. “Hi. I coded this video to not show until you watched the first three. I know, it was a whole freaking lot of footage. I just… I wanted you to see all that happened, with all of us. There was definitely quite a bit of sadness, I won’t lie to you” he admits with a small frown, “but a whole lot of happiness too! By the way when that interview ended and the cameras stopped running, Lois and I laughed and hugged. The interview was totally a publicity stunt but she was happy to help. Anyway! So, that little comm? It’s a direct private line to me. When you activate it, it mutes my Bat comm. So they can't listen in on our convo. Use it if you need help, or if you just wanna chat. I love you a whole lot. You know I’m here for you, no matter what. Anyway, I’ll see you again soon. Oh, here’s my civilian cell number.” He rattles off the number.

Jason frantically scribbles it down on a piece of paper. 

“Text me, call me, whenever you want. Doesn’t even have to be important. Like I said, I’m here. Ok. Yeah. Gotta go. Bye Jason.”

“Bye Tim,” Jason whispers. He closes the video and unplugs the flash drive, leaving it on his desk. 

Jason stands from the chair, enters his bathroom, runs through his nighttime routine, and then returns to his bedroom. He pulls off his henley and his jeans, tosses the backpack onto the ground, and crawls into bed with just his boxer briefs on. He stares up at the ceiling blankly for several minutes.

“Oh fuck it,” he hisses, hopping out of bed. He grabs his phone, walks to his desk, punches in Tim’s number to add to his contacts, then sends a quick text. 

Jason: Thank you so much, Tim. This was all amazing. You mean the world to me. 

He walks over to his bookshelf and hesitates for a few seconds before snatching up Bagheera and walking back to his bed. He sets his phone on the bedside table and slides back into bed. He hugs Bagheera to his chest. Fuck it, if he wants to sleep with a goddamn panther plushie, he’s gonna sleep with a goddamn panther plushie. Fuck stereotypes. It’s a comfort. 

Jason suddenly starts quietly crying. It’s a very complicated mix of happy and sad; he’s completely overwhelmed by Tim’s gifts. So much time and love and… god, why does he have to be so fucking good? Jason actually has a room with… with happy memories surrounding him. It’s almost like being home. Almost.

He falls asleep cuddling Bagheera. 

And sleeps like a baby.

Chapter Text

A few days later, Red Hood’s comm pings softly. He’d integrated it into the electronics of his helmet. A spike of panic runs through him and he quickly double taps the helmet at his ear.

“You ok?” 

“I’m fine!” Robin chirps happily, “I was just wondering if you were hungry.”

Oh thank god he’s ok. “Uh, I could eat,” he decides. Things are particularly quiet tonight on patrol. 

“Ok cool! You remember where we met?”

“You mean do I remember where you almost met your untimely end? Absolutely,” he grins, even if no one can see it. 

Robin makes an offended scoff. “You’re the one that scared me!”

“Will you stay on the roof this time?”

“Oh frack off, yes.” 

Red Hood can imagine the scowl perfectly. He laughs. 

“Anyway! Meet you there in ten?”

“Sure.”

“Awesome. Bye Red,” Robin says, and Red Hood can hear the smile in his voice.

“Bye Robin,” he smiles back. 

He deactivates the comm and runs across the rooftops, back to where he left his bike. He grapples down to the ground and then jogs up to his bike, throwing his leg over. He can more or less leave his motorcycle in the open because of the low crime rate. Well, also because would-be criminals are terrified of Red Hood’s wrath.

He starts the engine and guns it out of the alley near his safehouse. He easily weaves through the traffic and makes his way to the border of Crime Alley and Crest Hill. He pulls into an alley and leaves his bike before he enters Crest Hill. No one’s gonna be fucking with his red and black Chief Dark Horse, he loves that bike. 

He grapples up to the top of a building and uses the rooftops to enter the neighborhood. He finds the building quickly and jumps down onto its roof from the neighboring building. 

He unseals his helmet with a quiet hiss and pulls it off, setting it on the AC unit. Then he walks over to the edge of the roof where he scared Tim almost four years ago. He chuckles quietly to himself at the memory. He looks over the edge and winces. Yeah, that would’ve been bad. 

Robin is almost silent as he lands on the rooftop. He pretends not to hear him. 

“Please don’t fall, I’m not strong enough to catch your gigantic ripped self,” Robin mutters. 

Red Hood laughs and turns to face him. “I’ll do my best, though you probably shouldn’t’ve snuck up on me.”

“Oh please, I saw your body language change when I landed. I know you heard me,” Robin smirks from where he sits on top of the AC unit, helmet on his right and a paper bag on his left.

“Brat,” Red Hood huffs, sauntering over.

“You know, while I think the all black with the leather jacket and helmet is totally badass - I feel like your chest needs a symbol.”

“What, like a logo or somethin’?” Red Hood moves the helmet over and sits down beside Robin. 

“A red handgun.” 

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Two red handguns.”

“My last statement was a lie.”

“Crossed.”

“That’s… not the worst idea in the world, but yeah, no.”

“A red skull?”

“Your ideas suck, gimme food.”

Robin laughs and Red Hood grins at the sound. Robin reaches into the bag and pulls out two of what looks like hot dogs wrapped in tin foil. 

Red Hood takes one from him. “Thanks.” He unwraps it and his breath hitches. It’s a chili dog, which isn’t a big deal, but he recognizes it.

“I uh, I was by Robinson Park, so I just thought…”

It’s a chili dog, from the same place his mom got them a literal decade ago.

“Please tell me I didn’t upset you,” Robin whispers. 

Red Hood sets the chili dog down on his right, pushes Robin’s still unwrapped one out of the way, and pulls him into a hug. “You didn’t.”

It’s not a particularly good hug because they’re both in body armor so they can’t actually feel each other, but the meaning’s there. “Thank you, Tim,” Red Hood murmurs, pressing the side of his face against Robin’s. At least he can feel that. 

“Oh thank god,” Robin laughs, “you’re welcome.”

Red Hood pulls back and Robin smiles at him. 

“You really are the best,” Red Hood smiles back. He turns back to his chili dog, picks it up, and takes a bite. He moans happily at the taste. God, that’s good. Robin’s cheeks redden and he looks down, unwrapping his own chili dog. He takes a bite and a pleased little hum sounds from him. 

Red Hood can’t stop smiling as he eats. It’s so simple yet so meaningful. Tim’s just so… loving. This could totally be a date, he muses. And oh god, no, that’s way too dangerous of a train of thought. He mentally stomps it down, shoves it into a safe, and locks that shit up. Not today, Satan.

He finishes his chili dog and a small whine escapes. Robin hands him another unwrapped one.

“Oh fuck you’re better than the best,” Red Hood takes it from him and excitedly unwraps it. 

Robin laughs. “Knew one wouldn’t be enough. That’s the last one though.”

“Tragic,” Red Hood mutters, taking a bite. He decides to eat this one a little slower, to treasure it while it lasts.

He finishes a few minutes later and balls up the tin foil. Robin hands him a couple napkins. 

“Thanks,” Red Hood laughs quietly, wiping his mouth with one napkin and his gloves with the other. Robin holds out the bag and Red Hood tosses the two balls of tin foil and the two napkins into it. He sets the bag down and then hands Jason a mini water bottle. 

“Thought of everything, huh. You totally planned this in advance, you little schemer,” he grins, unscrewing the top. 

“Wh- I…” Robin crosses his arms and pouts. 

“I’m glad you did.” He downs the bottle quickly and adds it to the bag as well. Then he stands and stretches. 

Robin’s own bottle goes in and he stands as well.

“Thanks Timmers,” he whispers.

Robin grins and hugs him again. Red Hood returns it and pecks his forehead. 

A pair of boots hit the roof. “Get. The fuck. Away. From my brother.”

“Thanks for my final meal,” Red Hood mutters, letting Tim go and turning around.

Nightwing’s on the far side of the roof, shaking, escrimas in hand. The fury is palpable. You can practically see it radiating off him in waves.

“Red, I did not-” Robin might be equally mad based on his tone.

“I know you didn’t,” Red Hood cuts him off. He trusts him. Completely.

Robin quickly snatches the helmet, gives it to Red Hood who immediately puts it on, then pushes him behind him with one hand. He’s protecting him.

“You will not touch him,” Robin growls, flicking out his bo staff and crouching slightly.

Nightwing takes a subconscious step back while Red Hood shudders. That was deeper than Batman.

“Robin, what…” Nightwing murmurs. He turns his attention to Red Hood. “What did you do to him?! Mind control? Are you threat-”

“He didn’t do anything! I just love him!” Robin yells. 

“But… but you’re with KF?” Nightwing looks legitimately confused.

Robin’s posture loosens from surprise. “You thought I was dating K- oh for god’s- I’m not dating anyone! I love all my friends!”

“Soooo I’m just gonna…” Red Hood backs away slowly.

“No you’re not!” Nightwing screams. Red Hood stops.

“Nightwing, I will fight you. Back off,” Robin snarls. 

“You’re compromised,” Nightwing sighs, then pounces. 

Robin was apparently expecting it, and slams the end of his bo staff into his stomach. Nightwing grabs at his stomach with a groan. “What the f- gah!” He just manages to block another strike from the staff with his escrimas. Then he knees Robin in the stomach. “Payback.”

Robin ignores it and sweeps Nightwing’s feet out from under him. Nightwing grabs his cape and pulls him down with him. Robin slips out of his cape and rolls to the side, then springs back up at the same time as Nightwing, who grabs him in a headlock. 

“ENOUGH!” Red Hood screams at them. They’re gonna beat the shit out of each other if they keep escalating this, and Jason can stop it. 

They freeze and then slowly turn their heads to stare at him. Nightwing lets go of Robin, who crouches to reattach his cape. His hand starts moving towards his belt. 

“Stop, Babybird.”

Robin sighs and stands. 

Nightwing gasps quietly. “What did you just call him?” he whispers. “You don’t get to call him that!” he yells. 

“Enough, Nightwing,” Robin sighs. 

Nightwing turns to look at him in disbelief. “He tried to kill you!” 

“I forgave him!”

“It’s unforgivable!”

“Stop arguing! Please.” Red Hood raises two shaking hands and unseals his helmet, pulling it off. He drops it to the ground. He slips the edge of his nail around his mask to loosen it.

“Wait!” Robin cries out, running up to him. 

“What?”

“Are you sure?” he whispers. 

“I am. It’s alright,” he whispers back. Robin steps aside but remains within arm’s reach. Nightwing slowly walks up closer, lowering his escrima. 

Jason takes a deep breath and quickly pulls off his mask, dropping it. “It’s me, Dickie.”

Nightwing’s breath hitches and he freezes. “Oh my god. Oh my god. That’s-” he frowns. “No.”

Jason takes a step forward. 

Nightwing glares and raises his escrima. “Robin, get away from this thing.”

Oh shit Dick doesn’t believe him.

“It’s really him, I swear,” Robin says, stepping in front of Jason again, hands up placatingly. 

“Robin, I get why you’re so defensive of… this, but please. You are too smart to fall for it. This is a threat,” Nightwing says slowly. 

“God, you’re so dramatic,” Jason groans into his hands. 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

Jason looks back up and if looks could kill, well, better dig up his casket and throw him back in. 

“Dick, stop, please,” Robin says quietly, voice breaking, “just let him explain.”

Nightwing grabs Robin and yanks him closer, into a tight hug. “I know you miss him, I know, I’m so sorry Winglet. But you’re not thinking straight.”

“Stop fucking gaslighting me!”

“I’m sorry.” Nightwing spins, shoves Robin away, and lunges at Jason. 

Jason doesn’t defend himself. He lets Nightwing grab him in a headlock. He seems fond of those tonight. “What the fuck are you and who the fuck sent you?” he growls. 

“Fucking hell, no one. It’s me.”

“Clone? Shapeshifter? Telepath?”

“Please, Dick,” Jason murmurs, voice wobbling and eyes filling with tears, “please, I just want my brother.” He finally, finally gets the nerve… a-and it’s not good enough. He doesn’t believe him, he doesn’t want him back, he doesn’t love him, he doesn’t love him!

“Liar!” He tightens his hold and it’s difficult to breathe. “I’m not losing another one to a fucking lie!”

“Hey,” Jason rasps, tears spilling out, “r-remember when you were on the r-roof, crying over your parents picture, and I c-came up and sat beside you? Didn’t say n-nothin, just leaned against you? And you h-hugged me and thanked me and I just b-bumped your shoulder with my head to say you’re welcome? And the f-first time I called you Dickie, after I had that p-panic attack when I dropped that glass of water, please, I need you.” Jason’s just shy of sobbing at this point.

Nightwing gasps and lets him go, backing away. “L-Little Wing?”

Jason nods and gives him a hesitant smile.

Nightwing falls to his knees. “I shot you…” he says quietly, horrified. “I fucking shot you, if your suit hadn’t been bulletproof…” A sob escapes Nightwing. 

Jason takes a step forward and Nightwing scrambles away from him. “I shot my brother. I sh-shot my b-brother.”

“I literally asked you to,” Jason sighs. He just wants his brother back, just let him have this! God, gods, the universe, whatever, let him have this.

Nightwing shoots to his feet. “I c-can’t… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he backs away, shaking his head.

“Dick…” Jason takes another step. “Please…”

Nightwing runs away. 

Jason falls to his knees and sobs. Robin runs over and throws his arms around him. 

“He doesn’t l-love me!”

“He does, oh god, Jason no, he adores you! You wouldn’t let me near you because you thought you’d hurt me again. He’s doing the same thing. He’ll come back, please, you have to believe me!” Robin pleads.

“What if he doesn’t?!” The sobs just won’t stop. 

“He will, I swear he will Jay. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!”

Jason keeps crying in Tim’s arms. His brother left him…

Chapter Text

Tim hands Jason a mug of coffee while he’s huddled in a blanket on the sofa in Tim’s Robbinsville safehouse thirty minutes later. Tim had some jeans and a t-shirt in his size, just in case, that Jason changed into because he’s not gonna mope on a sofa in combat pants and body armor. 

“Thanks,” Jason whispers, eyes red and exhausted as he takes the mug. Dick just… just left. Just like that. Left Jason broken, sobbing on a roof so hard that his throat hurts. 

“You good for a minute?” Tim murmurs. Jason nods and takes a sip of coffee. 

“Great! I have an idiot to scream at.” Tim pulls out his phone, dials a number, and holds it to his ear as he walks toward the bedroom. “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU-” the door slams. 

Jason can’t hear specific words anymore, just furious scolding and complete disbelief. He’s feeling a bit too numb at the moment to care. He never thought Dick would hurt him, but he did. Yes, he knows Dick panicked. But it feels so much worse than that. Surely Dick still loves him. Right? 

However long later, Jason hears the window open in Tim’s bedroom, and then close again. Then he hears the very distinct sound of a slap.

Tim starts speaking, quickly getting louder and louder until Jason can actually hear what he’s saying. “-fix it, you dick!” 

His door opens and he steps out with a scowl, closing it behind him. He walks up to Jason and sits down beside him. “Dick’s here. He wants to talk to you.”

“Did you slap him?” Jason murmurs. 

“Wh- I… yes,” he grumbles.

“My hero,” Jason cracks a tiny grin.

Tim rolls his eyes. “Do you want to see him? I’ll kick him out if not.”

“Even though you’re the one that told him to come?”

“Am I that obvious?” Tim mutters.

“Yeah, kinda. But yes, I do,” Jason sighs. He’s been aching to talk to him for months. Just give him back his brother.

“Ok.” Tim squeezes his knee. “I’ll get him.” He stands and looks back at Jason. “I’ll be in the bedroom with my headphones on so you two can talk privately. Text me if you need me, ok?”

Jason nods. “I will. Thanks Tim.” He hates that Tim is always the one having to keep this clusterfuck of a family in one piece. It's not his job. But knowing him, Dick has said the same thing and he was all ‘what, no, it's totally fine’ cause of his stupid selfless self. (Even if, admittedly, Jason greatly appreciates the results of it.)

Tim nods again and walks back to his bedroom, opening the door and stepping through. 

“He wants you,” he murmurs. 

“Oh thank god,” Dick sighs in relief. 

“You fuck this up, I fuck you up, got it?” Tim growls protectively and Jason swears it makes his heart skip a beat.

“I’ll… I’ll do my best.”

“Shut the door behind you,” Tim says, calmly this time.

“Ok. I love you.”

Tim gives him an exasperated sigh. “I love you too, Dick.”

Jason watches as Dick walks out of Tim’s bedroom and closes the door, also in jeans and a t-shirt. His right cheek is slightly pinker than the left. He pauses for a split second when he sees Jason watching him, but continues towards him. The nervous energy is radiating off of him. 

Jason sniffles and throws the rest of his coffee back. Dick pauses in front of the sofa. “Can…”

Jason avoids eye contact but nods, and Dick slowly sits down beside him, though doesn’t touch him. Which frankly shows a shocking amount of self control. “Is it really…”

Jason turns his head to look at him. “Yeah.”

Dick nods and his already red, puffy eyes fill with fresh tears. His foot starts tapping anxiously and he drums his fingers on his thighs. “I fucked up, I am s-so s-sorry. There’s n-no excuse.” Not a terrible opener.

Jason looks down at the cushion, takes a deep breath, then looks back up, but just off enough to avoid direct eye contact. “I thought… I thought you didn’t l-love me anymore.” His voice breaks.

Dick's expression crumples as the nervous motions halt. “God, Jay, n-no. I love you. I love you m-more than anything. Nothing could make me stop.” 

He reaches over and curls his hand around Jason’s. It’s warm and comforting and the staggering amount of love in the gesture is completely disproportionate to its simplicity. Jason squeezes the hand and Dick smiles softly at him. 

“But I… Dick, I almost killed Tim. A-and I was enjoying it.” The green had never felt so alive. The rage was intoxicating.

“But you didn’t know it was Tim, right?”

“No,” Jason says quietly, “I would never hurt him.”

“I know,” Dick murmurs. “But why did…”

“I was told that the new Robin was a nobody street kid just like I had been, and had started before I was even buried,” he spits angrily, “said I’d been immediately replaced.”

Dick’s eyes widen in horror and the hand tightens slightly. “That is not true! Jason we would never-”

“I know! I know, Dick. I was told… a bunch of other horrible lies too.”

“Like what?” Dick soothingly rubs the back of Jason’s hand with his thumb.

“Like you were b-back but chose not to come to my f-funeral, and that Bruce didn’t mourn me, didn’t even c-care.” He bites back the tears. 

“And you believed them?” Dick starts quietly crying.

Jason looks down, ashamed that he could have ever believed that. “They were all I had when I… came back.”

“Who?”

Jason looks back up. “Talia al Ghul.”

“I’ll fucking kill her,” Dick hisses, “how dare she manipulate you into- into thinking that you- that we- that we didn’t even mourn. I’ll fucking kill her,” he repeats. 

Jason snorts. “Oh, just wait.”

“Really don’t like the sound of that,” Dick mutters. “So… did the League resurrect you? Steal your body?”

“It’s… complicated. The League fixed my brain, but the resurrection was spontaneous,” Jason shrugs.

“So where did…?” Dick’s definitely going to freak out next.

“I woke up in my coffin.”

“You what?” Dick whispers, horrified.

Jason nods. “Six months after I died. I uh… I dug myself out of my grave.”

"Six months? That’s…” Dick’s eyes widen, “oh my god. Shit. I never che-"

Jason growls. “Don’t you dare! I’m not doing this again! It was no one’s fault for not checking. I was supposed to be dead, you had no reason to suspect otherwise, so don’t even go there! Tim’s guilt was bad enough, I don’t need yours.”

Dick pulls his hand free of Jason’s to cross his arms and pout. “Fine. Then what?”

“Wandered out, got hit by a car, was in a coma for months at Gotham General, randomly woke up one day and escaped, was kidnapped by the League and dunked in the Lazarus Pit to fix the brain damage. Then I was trained as an assassin, around the world,” Jason says it all very clinically. Emotionless. 

“Is that why you turned into… this,” Dick gestures at him.

Jason laughs quietly. “Yeah. ’m bigger than my big brother.”

Dick wails dramatically. “Unacceptable. You are forever my Little Wing, key word - Little.”

Jason scoffs. “I’ll always be your Little Wing, Dickie, no matter how old or how tall,” he murmurs.

Dick smiles, eyes wet, and reaches forward with both hands to cup Jason’s cheeks. “Look at you, all grown up, so handsome. You always were but now? You’re a fucking stud. This is so weird.”

“As weird as being called a ‘fucking stud’ by your brother?”

“Shut up, you know what I mean.” Dick releases his face with a light smack to his right cheek. 

“Wanna know Tim’s biggest complaint after realizing it was me?” Jason grins.

Dick chuckles. “What?”

“He said it was unfair that I got hotter.”

Dick throws his head back as laughter bursts out of him. “Yeah, I can see it.” Then he frowns and leans his head back forwards. “So… so what else… happened to you?”

Jason hesitates. Dick’s gonna be so pissed.

“Tell me.”

“Talia… tried to fuck me?”

“She what?” Dick says slowly, voice low and deadly. 

“She kissed me. I said back off. She listened, at least.”

“Nevermind. Killing her would be a mercy,” Dick hisses, “I’ll make her regret ever being born.”

“Calm down, Dick. I already destroyed the League and killed Ra’s.”

Dick’s jaw drops. “You killed a centuries old madman?” 

“Look, I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I did,” Jason snaps.

“Wh- don’t like? Jay no, I’m… I’m impressed. Hell, I’m proud.”

Wait what? “B-but… but I’m a murderer?”

Dick opens his mouth, then pauses. Recognition flickers in his eyes. “You killed the rogues,” he realizes.

Jason nods. 

“Oh my god. You killed the piece of shit that killed you. I was so happy to see him dead, you have no idea. I’m just glad it stuck this time,” Dick mutters under his breath.

“Excuse me?”  

Dick frowns, and then he starts crying, again. “I broke my promise.”

“What promise?”

“I killed him. W-with my bare fucking hands. Punched the life right out of him. I’m sorry.”

“But…?” Certainly didn’t stay dead, least not until Jason took care of it. 

Dick sighs. “Tim went after the Joker, I caught up and thought he was dead, a-and Joker was taunting me about you. H-he said you sang prettier than the new Robin, and I just… god. I was livid. Like, would-not-have-been-surprised-to-see-a-Red-Lantern-ring-blast-through-the-wall livid. Tim had to practically drag me off him. Then B showed up and revived him so I wouldn’t have a death on my conscience.”

“Y-you avenged me?” Jason whispers, stunned. 

“I’m sorry! I know-”

“Thank you.”

“-I said- what?”

“Thank you. I didn’t… I didn’t think anyone did.” Holy shit. Dick killed for him. Yes, at the time that he made Dick promise, he meant it. But then after actually dying? It means the world to him.

“If Tim had been more experienced… he would’ve beaten me to it. Think it was his goal.”

“Glad he didn’t do it.”

“Me too.”

“Do you… regret it?” 

“No,” Dick answers immediately.

“I don’t either,” Jason admits, “For any of them… not even the duffel bag.” He doesn’t regret getting rid of those pieces of shit. Even if he had thought it meant his family would never love him again because of it.

Dick gulps. “Th-that was y-you?” 

Or maybe it does mean that. “The Pit, I… Dick, I… I came back… wr-wrong,” he says quietly, wiping at his eyes. 

Dick takes a deep breath. “Can I hug you?”

“Yes,” Jason whispers. Dick stands and gestures for Jason to do the same. Jason pulls off his blanket and tosses it aside, then nervously rises to his feet and hangs his head in shame. 

“Hey, look at me,” Dick softly requests. Jason takes a couple seconds before slowly raising his head. Dick is giving him a sad smile. “You can’t come back wrong, because you coming back at all could never, ever be wrong. Look, I don’t understand everything. Maybe I never will, but… but I will love you forever.”

Jason’s eyes fill with tears and his lower lip starts wobbling like a goddamn child. Because he finally believes it. 

“You are my brother. Mine. There is nothing you have done, or may do, that can change that. I love you, Jason.” Dick reaches forward and lays a hand on his shoulder.

Somehow it makes the final barrier shatter and they move as one into a crushing hug. “I love you too,” Jason manages to squeak before they both start sobbing. The really ugly, gross, snotty kind of sobbing. 

Jason’s knees give out from all the emotion and Dick yanks him back to the sofa, falling onto his back and Jason landing on top of him. 

“God- fuck- heavy,” Dick wheezes. Jason tries to move away to avoid crushing him. “No!” he cries, keeping him trapped against him with his arms. 

Jason stops trying to escape and lets the side of his head thump against Dick’s broad chest and continues the bruising hug.

“N-never letting you g-go,” Dick sobs, “n-never!”

Normally feeling at all trapped sends Jason straight into a panic attack but this is his big brother. This is safe. And good and perfect and oh god he didn’t even realize how much he truly missed him. 

“I missed you so m-much,” Jason cries, tears streaming freely from his eyes.

Dick’s shaking hand starts brushing through his hair. “Y-you don’t have to anymore. I’m… I’m h-here, Little Wing.” He firmly kisses the top of his head. 

“Just hold me,” Jason sobs, “p-please, need you.”

“You’ve got me, I’m here, you’re safe, y-you’re back, fuck I love you, you’re perfect a-and amazing and strong and smart and you d-deserved so much better and I’m sorry and I will never let you g-go until you ask me to because we have three and a half y-years of hugging to make up for and I think you might actually be the m-most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life because you’re alive and I n-never need any gift for anything ever again because I have you.” Dick’s crying has finally started to fade.

Jason sobs harder. “I love you.”

“I love you Jason, god, more than you could ever know, I-”

Jason cuts him off, cause that’s bullshit. “I do know - I love you just as m-much.”

Dick’s breath hitches. “I’d just finished crying you fucking asshole!” He sobs all over again. 

“I’m sorry,” Jason laughs through the tears. 

“I didn’t m-mean it!”

“I’m s-sorry I hurt you!”

“Not your fault; f-forgive you anyway.”

“You nearly d-died because of me!” He nearly dropped dead from the grief. Not to mention the years of mourning.

“Wh- death is extremely rare with b-broken heart syndrome,” he argues back, still crying.

“I don’t care! I’m just someone else that left you!”

“I left you!” He screams back, “You’d just found out about your m-mom and you were hurting and I f-fucking ran off to space and you died! And I couldn’t save you, I s-save people all the time, but I failed when it counted the m-most!”

“You didn’t fail!”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, I’m sorry! A-and then I, I f-fucking shot you! If your armor- if- I almost- I’m sorry! I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if that’s what you need. I’ll do anything.”

Jason takes several deep breaths to rein in the unending sobs. He has to stop this runaway train of guilt before it eats Dick alive. 

“I don’t need anything except for you to know that I forgive you. That’s it. That’s all I need.”

“Ok,” Dick whimpers. He kisses the top of Jason’s head again. “Ok,” he repeats. The hand continues to comb through his hair. “Jason?” His voice is tiny and scared.

“Hm?” Jason hums, warm and suddenly content. He turns his head to look up at his brother. 

“Am I gonna wake up a-and lose you… a-all over again? B-because I don’t think I’ll survive after being able to hold you again,” he voice cracks.

“’s not a dream, Dickie. Little Wing flew back home,” Jason says softly.

Dick laughs wetly and proceeds to pepper an absurd number of kisses all over the top of Jason’s head. “I fucking love you.”

Jason sighs happily and closes his eyes. “Me too,” he murmurs, then yawns and slowly reopens them. “Ugh, I’m… drained. I should… p-probably go…”

“Don’t go, just sleep. I’ve got you,” Dick promises.

“Safe,” Jason sleepily mumbles to himself. He quickly drifts off in his big brother’s protective arms.

Chapter Text

When the latest song ends, Tim no longer hears any conversation. He pulls off his headphones and walks to his door. He cracks it open and peeks out. Sure enough, Jason is completely asleep and on top of his brother. Dick’s fingers gently card through Jason’s hair and he’s murmuring softly to him. 

Tim pulls the door all the way open and gently taps it with the side of his shoe to alert Dick to his presence. The fingers still and the talking stops - for a quarter-second before continuing. 

Tim quietly walks over to the sofa as Dick keeps talking. 

“-love you, you’re amazing, god you’re back you’re back you’re back, I adore you, you’ll never be alone again, oh my Little Wing, my perfect, perfect Little Wing-” 

Tim walks past Dick and grabs a pillow from the end of the sofa for him. He turns around and his eyes instantly fill with sympathetic tears. Because Dick is silently sobbing as he whispers to Jason’s sleeping form. Tears are flowing from his eyes and it’s the closest thing to anime tears that Tim’s ever seen in real life.

And yet, Dick can’t stop smiling. Tim walks up to him and gestures for him to raise his head. He does and Tim slips the pillow under him. 

Then he heads back to his room, grabs several tissues, and returns to Dick. “God, you’re a mess,” he mutters, drying his face. 

Dick sniffles. “Thanks Timmy.”

“Of course. You’re my…” Are they still brothers? It was never official or anything, but he loves him like one. But now the real brother’s back. “M-my…” his breath hitches. “My… f-friend?”

He never considered that there could be downsides of Jason returning. But after everything Tim and Dick have been through together, the revocation of his brother status would be devastating. A knife to the gut. The tears escape from his eyes; he doesn’t wanna lose that.

But… if that’s the necessary sacrifice to bring Jason home, it’s worth it. It will always be worth it. No matter how much it hurts.

“Wh- Tim,” Dick whispers, sounding heartbroken, “sit down.” He nods at the floor by his head. 

Tim sits down on the floor, right side against the sofa, and frantically wipes his overflowing eyes. “Sorry, ’m fine, ’s fine.”

Dick removes the arm that’s tight around Jason’s torso and cups Tim’s right cheek, turning him up to face him. “You are still my brother, still my baby brother, Tim. Jason being back doesn’t change that. You are just as much my brother as he is. Hell, I’ve known you nearly a year longer than him. I’m not going anywhere,” Dick promises. God, he knows Tim alarmingly well.

Tim forces down a relieved sob. “I, I know, I just- for a second I thought- ‘m sorry.”

“You’ll always be my brother, ok?” Dick murmurs, releasing his cheek and wrapping his arm back around Jason.

Tim nods. 

“Besides,” Dick says, “the return period expired years ago.”

Tim snorts. “Asshole.”

“You love me,” Dick shrugs. 

“I know,” Tim grumbles. 

“Sooo…” Dick says, eyes flicking back and forth between Tim and Jason and waggling his eyebrows.

“I refuse to have this conversation with you right now,” Tim hisses. That’s not something he’s even remotely concerned about. Getting Jason home and happy and hopefully emotionally stable is what’s most important. Besides, Tim has school and a damn company to run while Jason has a criminal empire to run. And that’s assuming Jason would even want something like that, and want Tim too. It’s not important right now. 

“Fine,” Dick huffs.

Tim rolls his eyes. God, Dick’s going to be incessant. “I’m going to bed. Wake me if you need something.”

“Can you grab the blanket?”

Tim nods and pops to his feet. He grabs the blanket from the end of the sofa and gently lays it over Jason up to the middle of his torso. He doesn’t want it to be too enclosing. 

“Thank you for bringing him home,” Dick murmurs. 

Tim lightly blushes. “I didn’t, I just… nudged him in the right direction.”

“Thank you,” Dick repeats. 

“You’re welcome.”

Dick reaches up to squeeze his hand. “I love you, Winglet.”

“I love you too,” Tim smiles, squeezing back. “Goodnight.”

“Night,” Dick says, releasing the hand.

Tim returns to his bedroom, closes the door, and flops into bed. One down, two to go, he thinks as he slips into unconsciousness.

Dick watches Tim enter the bedroom with a small frown on his face. He seriously thought Dick would just... throw him aside? And Jason thought Dick would willingly skip his funeral? Does no one believe Dick when he says he loves them? God his brothers are frustrating.

He turns his head back to look down at his resurrected brother sleeping soundly with their head on his chest. He leans forward to kiss the top of Jason’s head for the billionth time. 

He starts whispering again. “I love you. I love you so much. I don’t care what you’ve done. You’re alive and that’s the only thing I need you to be.”

He stops talking as the happy tears begin all over again. He stops combing his fingers through his hair and wraps that arm around him as well. 

Dick isn’t tired at all. He stays wide awake, smiling and crying happily at the sight of his brother for literally hours.

It becomes the quickest eight hours of Dick’s entire life. He memorizes every millimeter of his brother’s face, listens to every single breath, rests his fingertips over his carotid artery and feels the steady thumping of his pulse. Every single sign of life is beautiful and miraculous and perfect. 

It’s almost like he’s fifteen again, getting hit with the same tsunami of emotions from when he first saw Jason as his brother.

Protect

Love

Die for

Anything for

Forever

He’s at least a foot taller than he was that day when he was burritoed in a blanket, asleep on the sofa. And probably twice as heavy. He’s a big guy. He used to be a tiny little kid and now he’s a grown ass man. It’s surreal, thinking about the brother he left compared to the brother that came back.

Back. 

He’s back. 

He’s alive.

He’s here.

Jason starts shifting slightly, a tiny grumble falling from his lips. He’ll probably be awake soon. Dick returns a hand to his hair to gently comb through it again. He never wants this to end. And yet he does, because he wants to be able to talk with his brother. To see those pretty eyes and hear his voice and wipe away his tears and tell him to come home and make him never doubt ever again that he is loved.

Speaking of tears, his own decide to spring up again. He’s lost count of how many times he’s started crying since Jason fell asleep on him. Still nowhere near the amount of tears cried from losing him. He’s completely overwhelmed - in the best way - from Jason being back.

Dick can feel it when Jason wakes up. The almost imperceptible tensing of his muscles, the slight change in his breathing.

“Please don’t freak out and punch me, Jay,” Dick murmurs.

Jason relaxes with a small sigh and his eyes slowly open. “Dickie?”

“Hi Little Wing,” he smiles at him.

Jason reddens slightly. “Sorry. God, that’s so embarrassing,” he mutters to himself. 

“I love you.”

Jason’s arms tighten around him. “I love you too.”

“Like, a disgusting amount.”

Jason snorts. “I’m aware.” He turns his head up to look at Dick. He frowns at the sight of the tears. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Dick laughs quietly, wiping his eyes. “They’re happy.”

“Oh. Good. Next time I won’t wait three-and-a-half years to hug you,” he chuckles. 

Dick’s eyes narrow into a glare.

“…too soon?” Jason winces.

And then the glare turns into a smirk. 

“Oh shit,” Jason mutters. 

Dick stops hugging Jason and instead shoves him off of him and onto the ground. The thud shakes the room.

“You’re so mean,” Jason whines. He sits up with the grumpiest little pout, blanket rolled around him, and it’s adorable.

Dick laughs. “You kiiinda deserved it.”

“Ugh. I have to pee,” he sighs, pulling the blanket off and standing. He throws the blanket at Dick’s face, who squawks in surprise. “You deserved it,” Jason mocks, voice fading slightly. 

Dick yanks off the blanket and watches as Jason steps into the bathroom and the door clicks shut. His pulse skyrockets in panic. Apparently he’s lost the understanding of object permanence because he can’t see him and gone, gone gone gone, Jason’s gone, oh god it was a hallucination and he never came back. 

Dick throws himself off the sofa and scrambles over to the bathroom. “Jay?” he asks, voice thick and body trembling.

“Oh my god, Dick, I’m fine, still peeing, gimme a minute, yeesh.”

And yeah, he knows that, he can hear it but his heart is still thudding painfully in his chest. “S-sorry. Sorry. I just… sorry.”

“It’s ok.” 

The peeing finally stops, then the toilet flushes and there’s the sound of a zipper, then the sink turns on for several seconds before turning off and then the door finally opens. 

Dick grabs him and yanks him into a desperately tight hug with a tiny sob. “You were gone again.”

Jason returns the hug. “Dick, it’s gonna be a problem if I can’t leave your sight.”

“It was the first time in the past nine hours that I couldn’t see you,” he whimpers. 

Jason stiffens and pulls back. “I slept for eight hours?”

Dick nods.

Jason’s eyes are wide. “I… can’t remember the last time I’ve done that. I think it was… before. A-and I didn’t have any nightmares either.”

“Glad I could help,” Dick smiles wetly and wipes his eyes. “Ugh, damn it.”

“What?”

“I have to pee too,” Dick whines, letting go of his brother. 

“Just… go pee, Dick.” Jason steps aside, “I’ll wait in the doorway.”

“O-ok. S-sure. Y-yeah. Ok.” Dick  begrudgingly walks into the bathroom and stands in front of the toilet. He looks back at the doorway. Jason is standing with his back to him. Still alive. Still breathing. Still here. 

“Unless you’re planning on pissing yourself, I recommend unzipping. It’s been like thirty seconds dude.”

Dick blushes in embarrassment and turns his head back to the toilet. “Sorry.” He unzips, pulls himself out, pees as quickly as possible, flushes, tucks himself back in, and zips up. He steps over to the sink, turns it on, washes his hands, turns it off, and dries them.

Jason turns around. “Tada. Still here.”

Dick hugs him again. “I love you.”

Jason sighs. “I do too, Dick. But I really gotta go. I got shit to do.”

Dick stops hugging him. “And I have a paper to write,” he grumbles.

“Yeah, I don’t envy you.”

“You should be a college sophomore,” Dick whispers sadly.

“The dead can’t go to school, Dick.”

“W-we can fix that! Dad can fix that!”

Jason takes a deep breath. “Please let go.”

The tone makes Dick listen instantly. He lets go and Jason walks away from him, fists clenched and shaking. Dick exits the bathroom and stops several feet away from him.

“Jay…”

“I didn’t want this to happen,” he growls. 

“Is… it the pit?”

“Yes.” He slowly turns around and his eyes are glowing an unnatural green. 

Dick takes a nervous step back.

Jason takes another deep breath. “I won’t hurt you.”

Dick steps forward two steps to show he trusts him. 

“Just, I’m not ready for any conversations like that. And I am not ready for da- for Br- for him to know.”

“Ok. That’s fine. No more of that, then. I’m sorry.”

A third deep breath and the color fades. “Sorry. I just… sorry.”

“It’s alright. Can I approach?”

Jason nods. 

Dick walks up to him. “Hug?”

Another nod. 

Dick hugs him.

Jason doesn’t hug back, he just sags against him. “I didn’t want you to see that.”

“Doesn’t change anything.”

“That’s good,” Jason sighs. 

“I love you.”

“Oh my god, I know, Dick,” Jason laughs, “me too.”

“Didn’t want you to forget,” Dick says, letting him go. 

Jason scoffs. “Impossible. Wait, where’s Tim?”

Dick shrugs. “Work, probably. I heard the window open and close a couple hours ago.”

Jason walks to Tim’s bedroom door, knocks, waits a few seconds, then opens it. His shoulders drop in disappointment. Which is actually kinda cute. He leaves the door open and turns back. “I’m really proud of him,” he smiles. “Robin, a-and being CEO and starting college and only seventeen.”

“He honestly amazes me,” Dick agrees. “Just wish he didn’t have running an entire goddamn company on his plate. I… apart from holidays and Disney, I’ve never seen him take a break since…” he hesitates. 

“Since I died?”

Dick nods. 

“Bet I could convince him to take a break…”

Dick smiles impishly, sparkle in his eyes. “Oh, I know you could.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing! Nothing at all. Not a thing,” the impish smile turns faux innocent.

“Dick, leave it alone.”

Dick sighs. “Ok, fine.” God, neither of them are taking the bait.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I love you.”

Jason’s eyelid twitches. “Oh my god.”

“I have a lot of them to make up for,” Dick grins. 

Jason rolls his eyes with a huff.

“Anyway, where’s your civilian phone?” 

“Um. Not on me, I was Red Hood.” 

“Right. Duh.” Dick pulls out his own phone and hands it to Jason. “Do… do you mind?” 

Jason takes the phone and quickly punches in his number.

Dick takes it back and pauses at the name field. Decisions, decisions. He shrugs and types in LW. Jason snorts.

Dick laughs as he taps save. “Couldn’t help it.” He pockets his phone. “I’m…” he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and reopens them. “I’m gonna go. We both have crap to do, so…” he walks past Jason and over to the window, opening it. 

He turns back to face Jason with a hesitant smile. “You… you call or text whenever you want, ok? If you ever need anything, I will drop everything and come running. You are my top priority.”

Jason nods. “Ok. Thanks, Dickie. I will.”

“I’ll do anything for you.”

“Give me Nightwing.”

“Done.”

“Seriously?”

“If it wasn’t just you testing me, I would do that for you in a heartbeat.”

“I’d never ask you to do that for me.”

“I know.” Dick pulls him into a crushing hug that’s immediately returned. “This is the happiest day of my life,” he rasps, tears spilling out again.

“Are you fucking crying again?” Jason laughs, but his voice is thick with emotion too.

“Yep.”

Jason snorts. “I love you, Dick.”

He can’t control the sob that breaks free. “I love you too, Jason.” He pulls back just enough to press a firm kiss to his forehead. “Die again and I’ll fucking kill you.”

“I’ll try my absolute best not to, I promise.”

Dick keeps hugging him. And hugging him. And hugging him.

“Oh my god, Dick!” Jason complains after probably a minute.

Dick lets him go and steps back. “Sorry,” he mutters. “I love you.”

“Ditto.”

“Even when you say dumb crap like that, I love you.”

“I know.”

Dick turns around and practically dives out the window, then turns back to look at Jason again. He doesn’t want to leave him. He doesn’t wanna leave his side for a month straight. “I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you.”

“I love you too, now go the fuck away.”

Dick whines in frustration and jumps up to grab the roof and pull himself on to it. He stands and looks down at the fire escape beside the window for several seconds.

“For fuck’s sake, Richard!” Jason’s annoyed voice comes through the open window. 

“I love you!”

“I know.” The window smacks closed. 

“Meany…” Dick grumbles. 

The window creaks back open. “I love you too.” Then it closes again. 

Dick’s smile is blinding as he jumps between a few buildings and then hurries down a fire escape to the street where he left his car. He unlocks it, opens the door, hops in, closes the door, puts on his seatbelt, starts the car, and then maybe, possibly screams from pure happiness and joy. 

His Little Wing came home.

Thirty minutes later, Jason is back in his main safehouse and grabs his civilian phone.

Tim Drake: 1 new message

Unknown Contact: 3 new messages

“Oh god,” Jason groans, unlocking his phone and opening messages. 

Tim Drake: Hey. Lemme know how it went. If you want! Totally ok if not. (But please tell me if I need to beat Dick up.)

Jason smiles and changes to Dick’s messages - because he already knows it’s him. He adds the name to his contacts.

Dick Grayson: I love you

Dick Grayson: I LOVE YOU! 🥰

Dick Grayson: Sry for yelling i got excited 😅

Oh, Dick’s gonna be a goddamn menace. And yet, Jason finds himself very ok with that. He really missed his big brother.

Chapter Text

Hey everyone! I know it’s been awhile and I gotta admit that I have had severe writer’s block following the last posted chapter.

Kinda embarrassed to admit this but… does anyone have any ideas for what happens next?

Please feel free to share any and all ideas no matter how big or small and I will be so goddamn grateful.

I’m going to change the settings on this fic to moderated comments so that I can see what you say without any other commenters/readers being spoiled by whatever ideas you share with me.

I will be forever grateful for a hand here.

Thank you all so much for all your comments and continued reading of this fic. I love JayTim so much and I’m having so much fun with this fic. I’m just a little stuck at the moment.

Chapter Text

I truly cannot express my extreme gratitude to the *checks inbox* eighteen of you that commented with ideas. I definitely see the way forward for this fic now. The support from y’all was stunning, in the absolute best way possible. I can’t wait to continue this…

But it’s gonna be a little bit of time. I know I said this wasn’t going on hiatus, and hiatus feels a little too strong of a word, but I have absolutely been using this fic to ignore doing the shit ton of things I need to do for myself.

I’ve got appointments to make/go to and I need to throw myself head first into job hunting. If I worked as much on jobs as writing fanfiction I’d honestly probably have had one several months ago. My life has been revolving around this fic and that’s probably not a good thing lol

That being said, make no mistake, this fic will absolutely, 100% continue because I love it and JayTim and all of my readers far too much to cancel it. When this fic does continue, if you do not want a shoutout for me using your idea, please comment saying so because I’d love to credit y’all but not if any of you don’t want that. (You don’t have to tell me why you don’t want a shoutout, just the fact that you don’t is enough - and comment moderation is still on.)

Y‘all have been the absolute best readers in the world, always being supportive and always telling me how much you love this fic and seeing y’all being so excited over this gives me an insane amount of joy.

So again, thank you all so much! Thank you thank you thank you! I’m not gonna give any estimates on how long it’ll be in case I’m wrong so that no one’s disappointed.

I hope every single one of you takes care of yourselves and this is cliché as hell but you’re all important and valid people in your own right. 

Thanks again and I will be back… eventually!

Chapter Text

Wally looks up from his spot on the sofa when he hears Dick unlocking their apartment door. The door opens slowly, and his boyfriend steps inside looking exhausted. He closes the door and turns to look at Wally. 

Oh no.

Wally’s there in an instant, gently cupping his warm face. “What happened?” he murmurs, analyzing his face at lightspeed. It’s obvious that he’s been crying - for a long time - with the slightly puffy, bloodshot eyes and the tear tracks all over his cheeks. 

And yet… Dick’s happy - no, he’s overjoyed. His eyes are messy, yes, and exhausted, but they’re practically glowing. His smile is tired but unmistakably real. It’s oxymoronic, frankly.

At a speed that even Wally himself can appreciate, Dick launches forward to wrap his arms tightly around him - which Wally reciprocates in a blink - and then proceeds to scream joyfully and shake him side to side. 

A surprised laugh bursts from Wally before he gives Dick a quick kiss. “Happy tears?”

“The happiest!” Dick squeals, grinning widely. 

“What happened?” Wally repeats, glad it’s something good.

Dick’s opens his mouth to tell him and Wally watches his flickering facial expressions. He is no Bat, but he has time on his side to figure them out. 

Realization, disappointment, frustration, acceptance, joy.  

The intensity of the grin fades a bit. “Um. I’m not allowed to tell you yet?” He smiles apologetically. 

Wally shrugs. “Ok. I trust you. But I’m very excited to find out.” More like absolutely dying of curiosity, because what in the world?

Dick lifts Wally up and spins in a circle. “This is the best day of my life!”

“…should I be jealous?” Wally teases. Except a teeny, tiny part of him is serious. But god, no, Dick would never cheat on him. He’d break up with him first, and that’s not likely to happen either. Probably.

Confusion, realization, disgust, horror, disgust, exasperation, fondness, amusement, joy.

“Oh gross,” Dick’s nose wrinkles, “absolutely not.” A small shudder runs through him.

“That honestly just makes me even more curious?” What could it be? He mentally runs through options of things that would cause Dick happy tears and that he potentially wouldn’t be allowed to talk about yet. 

Job offer? Wouldn’t cry. 

League acceptance? Also wouldn’t cry - probably. 

Maybe he got a new sibling? Bruce does have a penchant for adopting black-haired orphans. If Tim hadn’t emancipated himself, Bruce would have adopted him without a thought. Ok, new sibling is the top of Wally’s list. 

A breakthrough medical trial for Babs? That’s… that’s not bad either. 

Maybe Tim got a boyfriend because he finally healed from Jason and just didn’t want anyone else to know yet? Mm, also feasible. 

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god!” Dick screams again and literally jumps up and down, still holding Wally. 

“God, I haven’t see you this happy since… before.” Since before Jason died. That was horrible. Dick was depressed for months. Which is absolutely reasonable but it was hard to watch. Dick doesn’t even frown at the mention of his brother dying. 

“I know! Isn’t it great?!” Another spin.

“Ok, put me down before you slam my head into a wall,” Wally laughs again. 

Dick giggles. “Throw Walls into the wall.”

Wally leans back a little to look at his face again. Despite the bloodshot eyes, Dick manages to look absolutely gorgeous. He’s radiating happiness. He’s on cloud nine - no, more like cloud twelve or something. He’s beaming. He is joy personified. God he’s beautiful.

“You’re breathtaking like this,” Wally murmurs.  

“You saying I’m not hot when I’m sad?” Dick pouts. 

“Annoyingly enough, you are still hot when you’re sad.”

“Think you might be a little biased,” Dick says slowly, melting into the hug and sighing contently - and then finally going very still and very quiet. 

“Absolutely. And you’re crashing,” he chuckles. 

“Sorry,” Dick yawns with a quiet laugh. “Need sleep.”

In another blink, Wally carries him to bed and gently lays him down. Wally lies on his side and watches him curiously. Dick scoots over and snuggles up to him. “You’ll never believe it,” he mumbles.

“I can believe some pretty crazy stuff,” Wally whispers, kissing Dick again. “But go to sleep. You’re exhausted.”

“Mm,” Dick nods in agreement, eyes sliding closed and head softly thumping back against the pillow. “Love you, Wally.”

It still gives Wally butterflies. “I love you too.” He has for years, and he doesn’t anticipate it ever stopping. This absolute gift to humanity chose Wally. He could have anyone he wants and he wants Wally. 

Wally reaches forward and softly brushes a thumb across his cheek. Dick smiles and hums sleepily. 

“I adore you,” Wally whispers. Then he zips back to the sofa to resume looking at crime scene results for work

“Timmy!” Dick yells happily from across the Batcave as Tim zetas in. 

This is the first time he’s seen Dick since the big reveal. He highly considers turning around and leaving to avoid the freight train of joy headed directly for him. Instead, he just accepts the inevitability and braces himself. 

Dick collides with Tim and his arms go vice-like around him. 

“Dick,” Tim rasps, “bit much.” He can’t even hug his brother back because Dick has also trapped his arms against his sides.

“I love you I love you I love you!!” Dick cackles with glee, picking him up and spinning in a circle at least six times, screaming the whole time.

Tim just accepts his fate. “I love you too,” he laughs.

“I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY!” he screeches, basically directly into Tim’s ear and he flinches at the volume.

“Can I have my arms?” Tim laughs.

“Sorry!” Dick lets go just long enough for Tim to pull his arms free and hug him back. 

“I’m happy too,” Tim grins.

“I bet you are, god damn he sprouted.”

Tim rolls his eyes and lightly pushes Dick away. “I’d be just as happy no matter what he looks like, long as he’s back. But y-yeah, he’s not exactly hard on the eyes. Wasn’t before either,” he mutters and blushes. 

“Oooh, I can’t wait to see all the blushing again,” Dick laughs. 

“I hate you,” Tim sighs.

“You loooooooooove me!” Dick hugs him again and obnoxiously - and wetly - kisses his cheek. 

“You’re so gross,” Tim whines, wiping the slobber from his cheek with his sleeve. “Ugh.” He smacks Dick with the wet sleeve which makes him yelp and jump away.  

Dick wipes his own face and just laughs brightly. “Wanna patrol together tonight?”

“Yes!” Tim yells excitedly, then calms down and coughs, looking away, “I mean, sure, if you want.” He hasn’t patrolled with Dick in a long time and he loves flying with his brother - the original Robin! He’s giddy at the idea, ok? Sue him. 

“Ok, go get dressed!”

Tim runs off to grab his suit with a massive grin. They laugh and joke throughout the night, running, jumping, flipping around the city and kicking ass.

Later, back in his apartment, Tim realizes that for the first night in a while, he wasn’t worried about Jason. He wasn’t worried about pit rage or accidentally triggers, or ugh, feelings. He got to simply have fun with his brother.

For a second, a horrible thought - that he misses how much easier everything was before Jason came back - flits through his mind. And then he’s flooded with guilt even though it’s just a random intrusive thought and it’s not really his fault. 

It was easier then, yes. But Tim would never return to that. Because Jason’s back. Even if there’s still a  long way to go, he’s back.

“Hey Alfred!” Dick greets cheerfully. 

Alfred turns to smile at his grandson as he skips into the kitchen, and raises an eyebrow at him. Dick is practically vibrating with unyielding joy. It’s… atypical. 

“Good afternoon, Master Dick. I wasn’t aware you were coming, but I’m certainly glad to see you,” he says, setting the knife down as Dick hugs him tightly. 

“I’m glad to see you too. I’ve missed you! Can I help?” 

Alfred pauses for a second. Alright, that’s very unusual. Cooking was always more Jason’s thing. “Of course, my boy.”

“Sweet!” Dick cheers, letting him go and heading to the sink to wash his hands then returns to Alfred’s side. 

“You’re positively chuffed, lad. What happened?”

“I, well…” he frowns for a split second and Alfred regrets asking because that blinding grin needs to come back immediately. “I was thinking about Jason and the memories made me happy, so I’m just happy that I can be happy. I’m alright. For the first time in a long time, so I’m just… happy.” Cue the return of the blinding grin. That’s better. 

Dick is definitely leaving something out, Alfred’s sure of it. But whatever else is causing this abundance of joy, after seeing so much sadness from Dick since losing Jason, Alfred can’t be anything but thankful. 

“Cube these potatoes for me, if you will.”

Dick salutes him. “Yes sir!” 

Alfred laughs quietly and steps aside to let Dick take over from what he was doing. He affectionately squeezes his grandson’s arm as he moves back to the fridge to gather more ingredients.

Bruce is going over some paperwork when Dick comes bounding into his office with a massive grin on his face. “Hi dad!”

“Hey, Dick,” Bruce chuckles, rising from his chair to hug his son - and grunts as the full force of overjoyed Dick Grayson smacks into him and throws his arms around him. 

“I love you!”

Bruce hugs him back. “I love you too, chum. What’s up?”

“I’m just having an amazing day! We should go to lunch, can we go to lunch?” he says quickly.

“Um, I actually have a m-”

“Plea-”

“I would love to,” Bruce relents. 

Dick lets him go and jumps up and down. “You’re the best!” His smile is blinding. Bruce needs sunglasses just to look at him. It’s a beautiful sight. Ever since Jason’s death, Dick has rarely shown extreme happiness. But this? This is beyond that. This is unfettered joy. This is Dick struggling to hold himself back from an explosion of utter glee. Something has happened. Something massive. But what?  

His eyes flick to Dick’s hands but there’s no ring anywhere. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not engaged. He looks back at his desk and taps his intercom. “Tam, please cancel my lunch meeting.”

“Yes, sir. Enjoy your lunch.”

“Thanks, Tam.” He taps the intercom to turn it back off and looks back at Dick, who is starting to look guilty. Typical.

“No, maybe- you shouldn’t- I can come back another time. I know you have important stuff to do. Don’t-”

Bruce gently cuts him off. “Honey, nothing is more important to me than you.”

The guilt vanishes and Dick beams at him. “Ok, let’s go!” He grabs Bruce’s arm and pulls him along excitedly. 

Bruce will get to the bottom of this. He’s sure he’ll have it by the end of lunch. 

He does not. 

“Bye dad! I love you!” Dick hugs him and actually picks him up in his excitement, like Bruce weighs nothing. When did his son get so strong?

Bruce laughs and kisses the top of his head as he hugs him back. “I love you. Be safe.”

“I will. See ya later!” He lets go and bounds out of the office with just as much enthusiasm as he entered. 

Bruce frowns and pulls out his phone, quickly dialing Tim and holding it up to his ear. 

“Oh for god’s sake, you too?” Tim groans, “just let him be happy! I’ve already had Wally and Alfred call me in the past two days. Just trust him.”

“You know don’t you?”

“No, it just doesn’t seem that odd to me. If you have anything else, please say it, otherwise I have work to do,” Tim sighs. 

“I don’t. Thanks, Tim. Bye.”

“Bye Bruce,” he says, and Bruce can see the eye roll. The line goes dead.

Tim is an incredible liar. Bruce would believe him if he wasn’t far too brilliant to not notice the huge change in Dick. So he must know. So what is it? What’s such a big deal that only Tim knows what’s up with Dick? Not even his boyfriend knows. Or Alfred. Whatever it is, for some reason they’re not allowed to say yet.

Bruce will get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

Chapter Text

Ok, so maybe Jason isn’t quite as ok with Dick’s constant communication as he first expected. His brother is exhausting. He had to turn off vibration on his phone because he was sick of hearing it constantly buzzing from Dick’s texts. He’s lost count of the number of ‘I love you’s he’s gotten. But it’s not completely awful. 

But this? No, this is too much. It’s only 10am and Dick has broken through Jason’s do not disturb by apparently calling twice. 

With a muttered swear, Jason taps ‘accept’ and then speakerphone, laying his phone down beside him. “Fuck y’ want?” He groans, rubbing his eyes. His voice is tired and rough since he was completely asleep.

Dick laughs. “I love you. Sorry, did I wake you?”

Wake him? Did he wake him? “I’M A VIGILANTE AND ITS TEN IN THE MORNING YES YOU FUCKING WOKE ME, RICHARD!”

“Oh, right you don’t have a day job, whoops,” Dick mutters.

“Like you do?”

“Well, class. Which ended- wanna hang out?” God, why does he sound so happy? It’s too much joy this soon after waking up.

“Dickie,” Jason sighs, hoping he isn’t about to hurt his feelings, “I need a break. I am so glad I have you back, but I am exhausted.”

“Pleeease?”

Jason can hear the puppy dog eyes, but it’s not gonna work. “No. I need some time to myself, you have been texting me, nonstop, for thirty-six hours! Let me call you when I want to hang out, ok?”

Dick sighs pitifully. “Ok. Long as it’s not never. Can I still text you?” He sounds miserable.

Jason rolls his eyes. “Just gimme twenty-four hours of peace, and then we can talk about hanging out.”

“Really?” Dick gasps, then whoops excitedly.

“Yes I love you goodbye.” Jason grabs his phone, hangs up, rolls over, and goes back the hell to sleep.

Thirteen hours later:

Red Hood sighs in exasperation and answers his comm. “That was not-”

“Don’t care, Arkham breakout, the three of us need help, no injuries yet,” Nightwing says, straight to the point which is never a good sign.

“Be there in six,” he says, running across the rooftops toward his bike. Luckily the bike and the Asylum are pretty close.

He brakes hard, about thirty feet away from the gate and vaults off his bike, hitting the ground in a roll then popping up and continuing to run towards the Bats.

Nightwing is being his usual overly acrobatic self, Robin is moving similarly but less… often. He’s incredibly precise and exceptionally accurate in all his movements and all his hits. He’s stunning. And then Batman is just solid as a brick wall. He occasionally jumps or rolls but rarely flips. He’s still really cool to watch, because god he’s good. Most of the inmates they’re fighting are super easy to take down, but they’re constant. So the request for help is reasonable. 

Red Hood runs and throws himself into the fight beside Nightwing. “You called?” he says, punching some random goon in the face. 

Nightwing and Robin both laugh at his really lame intro. Batman growls. “This is who you called?” His words are dripping with disdain. It would be chilling if Red Hood wasn’t desensitized from his time as Robin. “You’ve been communicating with Red Hood?”

Red Hood rolls his eyes - which no one can see, of course. “Great to meet you too, Batman, big fan,” he snarks.

“Can you both just be professional? Me and Red are cool now, ok B?” Robin sighs, “he’s only here to help.”

“Fine,” Batman relents. “But no killing.”

“You’re not the boss-”

“Hood!” Robin snaps, which means he’s actually mad, cause usually he just uses ‘Red.’

“Understood,” Red Hood says through his teeth. 

“Thank you. Batman, lets circle around to the side gate and flank them,” Robin suggests, quickly moving away from Red Hood and Nightwing.

“Good plan, Robin,” Batman agrees, and they both run off.

“Did he just boss around Batman?” Red Hood chuckles, flipping someone over his head.

“Yep,” Nightwing grins proudly, throwing an inmate to the ground, unconscious. 

“Hey N, did Robin suggest that to get away from me? Is… is he scared to see me fighting?” he asks quietly. 

Nightwing laughs. “Seriously? He did it to get Batman away from you, duh. Plus, it’s a good plan, much more feasible with four, and he’s never fought beside you. Now is not the time to try it out.”

“Oh,” he kicks out someone’s knee and they drop with a scream. “Right. Makes sense.” He focuses back on the fight, staying quiet more or less.

“God, I’ve missed fighting with you,” Nightwing laughs.

Red Hood grins behind his helmet. “Me too.”

“We’re a hell of a team.”

“Always were,” Red Hood agrees. 

They start slowly moving towards the center courtyard, taking down everyone that tries to get past them. It’s shocking how easy it is to fall back into fighting alongside his big brother. It’s like no time has passed at all - in fact, Nightwing is still throwing himself at the more dangerous targets to minimize the risk to Red Hood. Which, while sweet, is a tad annoying. But they can communicate full ideas with little more than a glance or a single gesture. They weave around each other expertly and it’s honestly exhilarating to have someone at his back that he trusts. 

Before long they’re in the center courtyard, back to fighting beside Batman and Robin. They’re almost done securing the breakout and that actually disappoints Red Hood.

They finally restrain the last escapee and then they all pause to take a breather. 

“Good work guys,” Nightwing gasps, breathing heavily.

“You were… a valuable asset,” Batman says begrudgingly. 

“Careful there, Bats. That’s almost a compliment.”

“Don’t push it,” Batman growls.

“I thought you were awesome,” Robin grins, walking up to him. 

Red Hood laughs and gives him a first bump. “Not so bad yourself.” (Amazing, he was amazing.)

Robin beams at him and it’s obvious - to Red Hood at least - that he’s restraining himself from hugging him. Nightwing, however, has zero compunctions about it and wraps his arms around him. Red Hood freezes and pretends to absolutely hate it, for Batman’s sake.

“I’m really not much of a hugger,” he says, pushing Nightwing away.

Nightwing smirks, knowing that Red Hood is full of shit. “Oh, sorry,” he shrugs, stepping away.

Robin clears his throat and gives Batman a pointed look. Batman glares back at Robin who is completely unphased and thoroughly unimpressed. Then he literally sighs in acceptance and extends a hand to Red Hood. 

“Thank you,” he says, sounding like he’s saying it at gunpoint. Which he kinda is. Or at Tim-point, rather. 

Red Hood extends his own and they shake. “You’re welcome.” 

When he pulls his hand back, it’s trembling because holy shit he just shook hands with Batman, with Bruce, with his dad. Who just shook hands with his not-actually-dead son and has no idea. 

Do it, his brain tells him. 

Just fucking do it.

He misses you and you miss him, so just tell him!

Red Hood takes a deep breath. His dad will still love him. He will. Jason got dunked into mystical green angry juice, that’s a damn good reason to start killing.

He starts raising his shaking hands to his helmet to unseal it - and then a hitched breath sounds from Robin. He whirls around and Robin is on his knees, arms yanked behind him and wrists held together with one hand, and the barrel of a handgun against the back of his head. He looks annoyed at being caught, he doesn’t look worried at all.

“Weapons down or he dies,” Gun Guy chuckles darkly. Cliché much? Nightwing immediately drops his escrima sticks and Batman removes and drops his utility belt.

Red Hood starts moving his hand to pull out his gun-

“No, only them,” Gun Guy grins, “caught this here birdie just for you.”

Red Hood stops. “Did you?” He’ll play along with this absolute dipshit in front of him if it means he can get closer to Robin. He forces himself to relax his posture. “Well done,” he grins under his helmet. (Because of how much he’s going to enjoy punching him, but Gun Guy doesn’t know that.)

Batman scoffs, like he expected this. Nightwing gasps and whispers a horrified ‘no.’ Red Hood is shocked that his brother actually believes what he’s saying. 

He starts slowly walking up to them. Robin’s mask lenses are narrowed slightly, focusing intently on Red Hood; looking for any signals or codes. He doesn’t look afraid but he is tense.

Gun Guy actually tinges pink from the compliment. “Th-thank you, Mr. Red Hood, uh, sir.”

Red Hood laughs. “No, please. Mr. Red Hood was my father.” Then he looks directly at Robin. “But I don’t mind the sir.” (He minds, he very much minds.)

Robin relaxes and looks at him with absolute faith and trust. Thank god he understood. Red Hood wants to throw up just from saying it. He gets to Robin and crouches, tilting his head slightly like he’s appraising him. It makes his skin crawl and the implications force him to hold back a shudder.

“Pretty thing, ain’t he?” The man says. Nightwing makes a sound of disgust and Red Hood swears he can feel Batman’s rage behind him.

Red Hood hums in feigned agreement and runs a gloved hand through Robin’s hair, thoroughly hating himself the entire time. “Not the word I’d use. Let him go, I can handle him.”

Gun Guy shrugs and pulls back the gun and releases his wrists. And there’s the mistake he was waiting for. Red Hood jumps to his feet, shoves Robin behind him, grabs the gun out of the guy’s hand by the barrel, and slams the grip into his temple. He crumples, groaning in pain. 

“Take that, asshole!” Nightwing cheers. So he didn’t believe it. He was just playing the part. 

Red Hood tosses the gun aside, turns back to Robin, and extends a hand. Robin takes it and he pulls him to his feet before letting go. 

“Are you alright?” Red Hood murmurs softly, refusing to touch him again. 

“I am now,” he grins, cheeky smile on his face. 

Red Hood chuckles quietly, then sighs. “I’m so sorry- I had to save- he gave me an opening- please god tell me you know that I would never, ever-”

Robin jolts forward and hugs him. “Didn’t doubt you for a second, Jay,” he whispers, and Red Hood allows himself to hug him back. 

“What the hell?” Gun Guy gasps, rubbing his temple. 

“Do you know nothing about me?” Red Hood scoffs, letting go of Robin to glare down at him. “You think I’m gonna, what, accept a kid - or anyone - as a gift?”

“I thought you were just keeping the best ones for yourself!”

“What the fuck?”

“The prettyboys are the best co-”

Red Hood kicks him hard between the legs and Gun Guy howls in pain. Then he crouches and wraps his hand around the man’s throat, lifting him into the air. The man kicks his legs and scrabbles at the hand, choked noises of pain coming from him.

“Hm, not sure I should let you live,” Red Hood muses. 

“Hood, please,” Robin says, squeezing his forearm. 

“Fine.” He releases the man’s throat and lets him fall to the ground, head slamming into the stone of the courtyard. 

Gun Guy cries out in pain and sucks in a desperate breath. Red Hood laughs cruelly. He’d be lying to say he’s not enjoying this.

“Should never… have… gotten him… for you,” he gasps through the pain.

“You really shouldn’t’ve,” he agrees at an unnaturally deep pitch.

“Should’ve kept… for me. Would’ve made… fortune on… that sweet… little mouth.”

Red Hood’s fists clench and he takes a deep breath. The green is swirling around the edges and he wants to kill. 

Robin starts pulling him away urgently. “He’s egging you on, just ignore it!”

The man whistles appreciatively, lustful eyes focused on Robin’s ass. “But that would… make me millions.”

Nightwing is now also pulling him away, with his other arm. “Don’t- c’mon, don’t do it, please, get away, let’s just get away before he-”

“‘m sure… he would be… such a good bo-”

Red Hood breaks free from both of their grips, yanks out his gun and shoots the freak in the dick, and then right between the eyes. “Piece of shit,” he spits, holstering his gun.

“Fuck,” Nightwing mutters.

Robin sighs in acceptance and turns him away from the body. “Did you have to?”

“A pedophile? Talking about selling you? Yes I had to!”

“Look, I get it. I don’t even disagree that he deserved it. But B’s gonna lose it,” Robin whispers.

“Whatever. I will never regret avenging kids or protecting you,” he says, squeezing Robin’s hands. 

Batman runs up to Gun Guy and… checks his pulse? What the hell? There’s a bullet in his brain. Batman’s fists clench and he whirls back to face Red Hood. Red Hood looks right back at him, not even remotely intimidated.

“Get away from my kid,” he demands, shoving Red Hood away from Robin.

“Excuse me? I just saved your kid!”

“Batman, calm down,” Nightwing says carefully, laying a hand on his shoulder, which he immediately shrugs off. 

“You’re a cold-blooded murderer!”

“Did he fall… or was he pushed?”

“Of a piece of shit that wanted to fucking gift Robin to someone!” God, Batman never fucking learns.

“Batman, drop it,” Robin says, starting to sound a little frantic.

“You’re reckless,” he shoves Red Hood back again with both hands, “and arrogant!”

“B, stop! Please stop it!” Nightwing begs, jumping between him and Red Hood. 

“Why are you defending him?”

“Because he saved Robin’s life?!”

“Whatever,” Red Hood scoffs, turning and walking away. He hears Batman lunge and rolls out of the way. Fine. If that’s how his dad wants to play it, so be it. He jumps back up and throws a very obvious punch at him. Batman dodges, as expected, and Red Hood slams a boot into his chest. 

Nightwing and Robin both jump in front of Red Hood. “ENOUGH!” Nightwing snarls, raising his escrima sticks into a defensive position.

Batman rises to his feet with the strongest BatGlare Red Hood has ever seen. “Stand down!”

“No!” Robin yells back, flicking out his bō staff and ready to fight. He’s pissed.

“Stop, guys,” Red Hood sighs, “I’m not worth it.”

Robin looks back at him. “But-”

Batman cuts back in. “The only thing you’re worth is being put in Blackgate until you die!”

Red Hood’s breath hitches and his eyes water. No. He’s better than that. No, he… he helps people. Dick and Tim both said so! Fuck Batman.

“You’re gonna fucking throw me in prison for saving Robin? Would you rather I didn’t? You tryna go two for three, cause everyone knows what happened to the last one!” Red Hood sneers.

“Hood,” Nightwing whines, “why?”

“You don’t know anything about him!” Batman snaps.

“And you don’t know anything about me!” Red Hood throws it right back.

“I know that you’re a mass murderer, and that’s all I need to.”

And Red Hood realizes he can never, ever tell him. Because he can handle Batman rejecting Red Hood. But he can not handle Bruce rejecting Jason. And if he knew… he won’t love Jason anymore. Might as well let him still think his son is dead as a good person than alive as a killer.

“Batman you are going to regret this!” Robin yells, “Please trust me!”

Batman ignores him, stepping closer to Red Hood. He speaks slowly and deeply. “You think you’re helping this city? Forget Blackgate, you should be in Arkham with those delusions. Especially considering your namesake,” he hisses. 

The Joker. He fucking… compared him… to a serial killer of innocents. Red Hood kills sexual predators and murderers. Not a sixteen year old child just figuring out who they came from!

God bless this helmet and his mask because the silent floodgates have officially opened. Robin drops his bō in shock, scrambling to pick it back up. 

“SHUT THE FUCK UP, BATMAN!” Nightwing screams, and Robin, Red Hood, and Batman take a startled step away from him.

“What did you just say?” Batman asks slowly.

Nightwing is shaking with rage. It seems like steam should be rising from his ears. “I said shut! the fuck! up! He is a good man and he cares about this fucking city more than you ever will!”

Nightwing electrifies his escrimas and takes slow steps towards Batman. “And you dare compare him with the most vile-”

Batman takes a step back and for the first time in Jason’s life, he looks scared. Nightwing continues to advance. Robin has backed up beside Red Hood.

“- evil, piece of shit that has ever walked this motherfucking planet and MURDERED MY LITTLE BROTHER!”

And look, Red Hood is furious with Batman, and emotionally eviscerated, but he doesn’t want him to actually be killed by his son.

Red Hood runs up to Nightwing and grabs him from the side, holding him back from Batman.

“NO, HE DESERVES A PUNCH RIGHT IN HIS STUPID FUCKING FACE!” 

Red Hood twists around to hug him. “Yes he does, but turn them off. Drop them.” Nightwing clicks off the taser and his escrimas clatter on the stone.

“He can’t talk to you like that!” Nightwing screams. Or sobs. It’s unclear at the moment.  

Red Hood speaks as quietly as possible. “Breathe, it’s me. It’s Jay. I’m here. Please don’t hurt your dad even if he really deserves it.”

“Our,” Nightwing whispers a correction.

“Not anymore,” Red Hood sighs bitterly, letting Nightwing go and turning to face Batman. “You want me out of Gotham, Batman? Fine. I’m gone.”

“Good,” Batman says, turning on his heels and storming off. Nightwing glares daggers into his back before turning to his brother. 

Robin runs up to him. “No,” he whimpers, voice breaking, “no, you can’t!”

“Please don’t,” Nightwing adds, crying, “please, d-don’t leave me again, I can’t do it!”

“Only a couple days, chill,” Red Hood murmurs. “You two look after North Gotham for me, ok?” 

“You’re trusting us with that?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you going?” Robin asks. 

“Somewhere I should’ve gone months ago.”

“Just… be careful. The last time you ran off after he threw a temper tantrum you didn’t… you didn’t come back,” Robin sniffles.

“I’ll be fine, guys, ok?”

Nightwing hugs him again. “I love you. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“I love you too.”

Robin switches with Nightwing. “Thanks for saving me. I love you.”

“Me too, Timmers,” he whispers, hugging him tightly. “Am I still in the Zeta system?”

“Uhhh yes, actually. Just let me know when you’re about to use it and I’ll delete the trip record.”

“Thanks.” They pull apart and Red Hood starts walking back to his bike. 

“Wait,” Robin calls. 

Red Hood turns back and he’s smirking at him, uh oh.

“Yeah?”

“What word would you have used?” he laughs.

Nightwing stifles a shocked, wet laugh.

Is he really asking… what the hell? Sadly, Robin can’t see him staring at him like he’s insane. “Are you serious?”

“I wanna know,” he shrugs.

“You are… boyishly handsome.”

Robin beams at him. “Pretty good word for you, too.”

Red Hood scoffs - and also realizes Robin’s trying to lighten the mood before he leaves. “Excuse you, I am ruggedly handsome.”

“Oh my god,” Nightwing mutters, looking exasperated.

“Mm, depends on how the light hits you,” Robin whispers, smiling sweetly. 

Red Hood’s face quickly becomes searing and god this helmet is saving his life tonight. “Ok yeah, goodbye Casanova.” He turns his head to address his brother, “I think he’s concussed,” he stage whispers.

“Am not,” Robin grumbles.

“Oh just go,” Nightwing whines, “this is actually killing me.”

Red Hood laughs and then turns and runs to his bike. Time to go.

Red Hood laughs and runs off to his bike. 

Nightwing turns to Robin in shock. “Holy shit.”

“I don’t even know,” Robin whispers, suddenly sounding horrified with himself. His face goes bright red and he hides his face in his hands. “Oh my god. Did I say that? Did I say that?!”

“CAN YOU IDIOTS JUST KISS?!”

“I can never show my face again…”

“Oh my god it was not that bad.”

Their comms chirp and they both activate them.

“Nightwing. Robin. Report to the cave. Now. That is an order.”

“No, fuck you Batman!” Nightwing growls

“Seconded,” Robin bites out. 

A small sigh, and then, “You’re both banned from the cave until further notice.”

The comm disconnects.

“Well fuck,” Robin says.

Nightwing wraps an arm around his baby brother. “Wanna go get some ice cream?”

Chapter Text

Red Hood has to pause for a second as he exits the Zeta to take several deep breaths. God, his stomach hasn’t had to be atomized, beamed across the country, and reorganized in a very long time. He quickly calms and then grapples up to the roof of the adjacent building.

Ok, he knows the bunker is northwest. He pulls out his phone and opens Maps real quick just to orient himself. He is currently facing southeast. Whoops. He turns around and runs across the rooftops. 

Finally, a challenge. Some new buildings. Ugh, this is so much nicer than Gotham it’s not even funny. Sure, Gotham is home, but here it’s so bright and alive, even at night. And there’s no damn Batman.

It takes him about twenty minutes to cover the distance in the unfamiliar city, but he actually finds himself smiling as he flies. Eventually he recognizes the old rundown, former arcade. He grapples down into the alley and jogs up to the empty dumpster. 

Glancing around to make sure no one is watching, he pushes the dumpster aside several inches. A few quick taps on specific parts of the brick wall, and a couple bricks slide apart to reveal a handprint scanner. He has no idea if his hand is still registered, but he’s gonna try anyway.

He pulls off his left glove and places his hand on the scanner. A line of light moves up and down, and then it turns green. Why does no one delete him from anything? Such a security hazard.

The bricks part widely enough for him to step through and then close behind him as he walks down the stairs into the bunker. Another scan at the bottom door, and it slides aside. Red Hood puts his glove back on as he steps through. 

He looks around and it looks… more or less the same. Training equipment on one side, a wall of weapons on the other, a supercomputer centered on the back wall, work tables in the middle of the room, and…

Oh. That’s… unexpected. It maybe shouldn’t be, but it is.

Red Hood raises his hands and unseals his helmet, pulling it off his head and setting it on one of the work tables. He walks slowly up to what appears to be a memorial. To him.

It’s just his red domino mask and his R patch, in a shadow box, hanging on the wall. For some reason the simplicity of it is actually really touching. Beneath it is a plaque. 

Jason Todd

Robin

Asshole. Brother. Missed.

Red Hood snorts as his eyes water behind his mask. Sounds right. Reaching up, he carefully lifts the box off the wall and carries it to the work table. He opens it and reaches in, picking up his patch. He traces the R with his finger and sighs sadly.

How was he so stupid that he ran away from everyone that loved him? He gave up everything - literally - for nothing! He was Robin! He was happy - more or less. He had a dad that loved him. A dad that now thinks he’s the scum of the earth. He’s basically an orphan all over again. He ran away from the parent that loved him to the parent that didn’t even keep him, and he lost both.

But that fucker at Arkham deserved to die! It was obvious to Red Hood, based on all his talk, that he has sold children before. He has caused countless kids to be torn from their lives and raped. He’s a god damn human trafficker of children. That's almost definitely why he was in Arkham to begin with. He was evil. And he wanted to hurt Tim. He wanted to force himself on Tim! How could Bruce actually think Red Hood was the villain there? And then he said horrible things. He made the Red Hood cry. The worst part is that despite it all, he still loves his former dad.

“Stupid fucking Batman,” he hisses, dropping the patch back into the box. He didn’t realize how badly he wanted Bruce back until he lost the option altogether. He should’ve done it sooner!

He pulls out the mask next. Red. Just like his current one, but a bit smaller. He smiles at it, rubbing his thumb over it. He felt invincible when he had that on. 

Until he wasn’t. 

He hears the door slam open behind him. Right on time. 

“Put. That. Down,” the man says slowly, voice promising pain. He never thought that tone would make him relieved. He does what he’s told. 

“Hands up. Turn around - slowly.” There’s actually a tremble in his voice and it doesn’t sound like fear, or even anger. It sounds like grief. 

Red Hood obeys the order, and he can safely say he’s never been happier to have an arrow aimed at his face.

Chapter Text

“Give me one good reason not to let go of this arrow. Especially since you tried to murder Robin,” Red Arrow growls, nodding his head at the Red Hood helmet on the work table. His arm is perfectly straight and completely still, bowstring pulled all the way back. If he lets go it will be fatal. 

“Please! I don’t wanna die,” Robin sobs, begging for mercy, bleeding and broken on the floor. 

Red Hood barely refrains from shuddering. “Robin forgave me.” (Because he is far more forgiving than Jason could ever deserve.)

Red Arrow slightly lowers his bow and releases a little bit of the tension on the string. “Why would he do that?”

“I would rather die than hurt Tim,” he says quietly. “He knows that. I fucked up. I didn’t realize he was Robin a-and I haven’t stopped regretting it since the instant I realized what I’d done.”  

“Still doesn’t tell me who the heck you are, why you’re here, and why you’re messing with a freaking memorial. So explain. Now,” he lowers the bow completely and takes a step closer, coming fully into the light. 

He looks great. Healthy. His red hair is a bit long, curling slightly at the ends and kind of a mess, but it works for him. He looks strong too. And old - in the good way. In a more mature, more experienced way. He looks like an actual adult. 

“Um. I- oh fuck it, I’m here because I miss you.” He pulls off his mask and tosses it onto the work table, then looks back at him. 

Red Arrow inhales sharply and his bow clatters on the ground. “Kid?” he whispers. He frantically tears off his mask, unclips his quiver, rips off his bracer, and yanks off his gloves, letting everything fall where he stands. 

“Surprise?” He shrugs off his leather jacket because it’s not great for hugging, which seems imminent. 

“Oh my god,” Roy rasps, green eyes filling with tears. And then he’s moving and before Jason can blink, he’s wrapping his arms around him and squeezing bruisingly. “Oh my god.”

His hold is completely secure around Jason, not a single tremor in his arms. Red Hood’s kevlar is back in his safehouse, so he can actually feel the warmth of the hug through his secondary armor. It’s so safe, fuck it feels so safe.

“Roy,” he sobs, hiding his face in his friend’s shoulder as he hugs him back. Unlike Roy, he’s bodily shaking. 

Roy shifts and moves one hand to cup the back of Jason’s head. “Jay, I’m here, it’s alright,” he tries to soothe him, “it’s ok, you’re ok. I’ve got you.”

“Forget Blackgate, you should be in Arkham with those delusions. Especially considering your namesake.”

“It’s not ok,” he continues sobbing, “it’s not!”

“Then we’ll fix it,” Roy says, voice thick. “I promise you.” He starts carding his fingers through Jason’s hair and it’s so loving and it just makes him break down even further.

Dick’s comfort is overwhelming and all-encompassing. It’s like drowning in love. Tim’s is gentle and logical and sweet. It feels cozy. But Roy’s comfort is steadfast. Solid as a rock. Unbreakable.

“It hurts.” The sobbing still doesn’t cease. “It h-hurts so f-fucking bad!”

“I’m sorry - no idea what you’re talking about, but I’m so sorry,” Roy murmurs.

“Had to g-get outta Gotham. R-really need you, kinda falling apart!” 

“It’s Batman’s fault, isn’t it?”

“‘s really l-long story.” 

“How about you let it all out, and then we talk about it?” Roy suggests.

Jason lets himself cry in the safe embrace for who knows how long until he finally stops. Roy didn’t falter for a single second. “God, fuck, sorry.”

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for. Especially not crying,” Roy says gently. He lets Jason go and takes a small step back so that he can cup Jason’s cheeks and wipe the tears away with his thumbs. “God, look at you! Where’d the little twerp go? You’re taller than me now, what the heck?”

“A really, really, really long story,” Jason sighs.

“I wanna know everything,” he swears, letting go of Jason’s face. “Come home with me, ok? I really gotta get back. I rushed over here when I got the alert that someone had entered this bunker and had to call in an emergency babysitter.”

“I can’t,” Jason whispers, lip quivering. 

“What? Why?”

“I’m not… a safe person to be around. I won’t risk hurting her.” Even if he really, really wants to see his goddaughter.

“Jason, you would never, in a million years, hurt Lian. Please? She- god- she cried when she realized she couldn’t ever meet you. She was heartbroken.”

“You told her about me?” Jason whispers, shocked. He figured running off and dying made him not exactly a good person to talk about. But he still did?

Roy laughs quietly. “Of course I told her about her godfather, you dummy. You know that picture of you holding her like right after she came home?”

“I love that picture,” Jason murmurs. She’s so tiny, swaddled up in a pale pink blankie, laying in the crook of his arm and he’s looking down at her with the softest smile. 

“She wanted it on her bedside table. She says goodnight to you before bed. She calls you- nevermind.”

She says goodnight to him? She has a nickname for him? How the hell is he supposed to not go see her after learning that? Unless… “Her hair’s black, right?”

“Oh my god she didn’t have any yet when you… I’d forgotten. Yeah.”

“Not, like… a dark brown?” He clarifies. 

“It’s like yours. Jet. Why?”

“It’s…” The last thing Jason needs is to have a massive, can-feel-the-hot-blood-on-his-hands panic attack in front of her. If she’d had the same hair color as- well, she doesn’t, and she’s not a toddler. So he should be fine. 

“A long story?” Roy smiles sadly. 

Jason nods. “Yeah.”

“One sec.” Roy brushes past him and grabs a power drill from the work table, changes the bit, then walks to the plaque and quickly removes it from the wall. “Thank god,” he whispers, holding the plaque in his left hand. He returns to the table and lays the drill and plaque on top. “Can’t wait to destroy that.”

“You seriously called me an asshole in a memorial to me?” Jason laughs.

Roy shrugs. “I was furious at you for dying - don’t apologize.”

Jason closes his mouth, having been a millisecond away from doing exactly that.

Roy frowns and looks down with a heavy sigh. “Just… tell me it wasn’t some undercover crap, because losing you was brutal. And if it was all for nothing...”

“No, I died. Like, died died.”

Roy sniffles and wipes his eyes. “Nevermind. That doesn’t make me feel better.” He picks up and puts all his equipment back on.

At the same time, Jason reapplies his mask, pulls his jacket back on, pockets his old R patch as a memento, and carries his helmet. He follows Red Arrow out of the bunker, who leads him to… nothing. And then Red Arrow presses a hidden button on his bow and his vigilante car uncloaks. It’s dark, dark, dark red. Almost black. It’s a muscle car, similar to Redbird

“Very nice,” Red Hood hums appreciatively, “Camaro?”

“Yeah, GA bought it for me,” he responds, walking to the driver's side and lifting open the butterfly door, which subsequently causes the passenger’s side door to open. He tosses his bow and quiver into the backseat, and then sits down. Red Hood sits down as well. The doors close and they’re off.

For the entire drive, Red Arrow keeps looking over at him. 

“What?” Red Hood asks after the twentieth glance.

“I’m kinda expecting you to vanish into thin air,” he admits.

“I’m real, I promise.”

“That is exactly what a hallucination would say.”

“Dick started sobbing because I had to pee and closed the bathroom door and he couldn’t see me anymore.”

Red Arrow snorts. “Ok a hallucination probably wouldn’t be quite that specific. Who all knows?”

“You, Dick, Tim.”

“And probably Babs.”

“Most likely.”

“I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you,” he murmurs.

“I am too,” Red Hood smiles, “I’m sorry I didn’t come see you sooner. I was trying to get my head on straight first but…” he laughs bitterly, “Bruce thoroughly fucked up that plan.”

“Can you watch your mouth when we get home?” Red Arrow chuckles, “I say ‘damn’ once when I think she’s out of earshot and it’s her favorite word for a week! I told her I was upset about beavers. ”

Jason laughs. “Yeah, sorry.” 

“Thanks. It’s fine you didn’t come sooner. I don’t want you doing anything before you’re ready. You’re going through a lot - I assume.”

“Understatement.”

“Well, I love you. Just, by the way.”

Red Hood smiles at him. “Love you too, Roy.” 

Red Arrow grins for the rest of the trip - which is only a couple minutes, until they’re pulling into a Batcave, basically. Arrowcave? They both pull off their masks when the car stops. 

“Ollie wanted to call this ‘The Quiver.’”

Jason barks out a laugh. “That’s terrible.”

“I know!” Roy opens the door and they both get out of the car. “Um, leave your guns down here.”

“Got a safe?” 

“Lian’s birthday.” Roy points to a far corner. Jason jogs over, punches in the code and the safe opens automatically, then he removes his firearms, sets the guns inside, and closes it.

“USB-C?”

“I even have one of those, yes,” Roy snorts. 

“Can I upload my helmet cam to your computer? It… helps explain.”

“Sure.”

Jason walks to the supercomputer, grabs a cord that’s just laying on the desk, and connects one end to his helmet and the other to the computer. It starts downloading.

“This’ll take a little while.”

“Ok, you can leave it.” Roy - already changed into sweats and a hoodie - leads the way up a staircase, through a false wall that slides out of the way, and into a large furnished basement. 

“So… your basement has a basement?”

“Yep!” He guides them up another flight.

When they get to the main floor Jason pauses. “Woah. I… didn’t expect your house to be this…”

“Nice?”

“Yeah,” he chuckles. 

“Ollie insisted when Lian turned one. Lemme go tell Kory she can leave. Unless you wanna see her?”

Jason shakes his head. “Not yet.” (The entire superhero community would know by the end of the week.)

Roy nods and walks quickly down a hallway and then turns a corner and disappears. 

Jason can hear a quiet conversation for maybe half a minute, and then several seconds later, a door opens and then closes. 

Roy jogs back around the corner to him. “She’s gone.”

“How is she?”

“She’s great! Living life, kicking butt. She’s really happy.”

“Good, she deserves it.”

Roy nods in agreement. “Anyway, if you wanna take a shower you can head upstairs. Whole floor is a guest suite, so it’s all yours. Supposed to be an owner’s suite but I didn’t wanna be on a different floor than Lian,” he chuckles.

Jason wrinkles his nose. He hasn’t had one since pretending that he wanted to own Tim, and then murdered a piece of shit. “Yeah I definitely need one.”

“Ok. I’ll bring you some clothes - which will actually fit you now, that’s so weird - anyway, I’ll put the stuff on the bed. You can come down afterwards and talk, or if you’re tired you can sleep and we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“I think… maybe I would like to sleep?”

“Great, me too,” Roy laughs quietly.

“Thanks for- I just appeared - should I go? I should go. I’ll fi-”

“Stop,” Roy says gently.

Jason shuts up.

“I would do anything for my little brother,” he murmurs, pulling Jason into another crushing hug, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Jason sighs into it and curses himself for the stupid tears that well up in his eyes again. He holds on tightly for several seconds before finally letting go. “Goodnight.”

“Night.” 

Jason heads for the stairs while Roy heads toward his bedroom, but then he suddenly remembers. “Wait.” He walks back to Roy

Roy turns around curiously. “What’s up?” 

“Um, I just, I haven’t-" Jason blushes because this is so childish. He should be over this.

“Been so long I forgot,” Roy admits, holding out his arms. Jason looks them over, wrist to shoulder. No marks. “Always looking out for me,” Roy smiles, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. 

“I don’t actually expect you to, it’s just, I think it’s like, a security blanket,” Jason mutters. “Thanks for humoring me.”

“Thanks for caring.”

Jason smiles back and gives him a split-second hug. “Night Roy.”

“Goodnight, Jaybird.”

They let go and Jason heads upstairs.

Roy walks quickly to his room, swiping at his eyes, and grabs his civilian phone, immediately dialing Dick, because holy crap. Jason Todd. Alive. The kid that had a screaming, crying fit when he noticed a single track mark on Roy's arm and probably saved his life with his subsequent massive (deserved) guilt trip. 

And then Lian came and threw his entire world upside down. The instant she was in his arms, he knew he’d die to protect her. Did he love her at the beginning? To be honest, no. He was mostly horrified that she even existed. But a few weeks later, Roy was randomly hit with a massive tsunami of love deeper than he ever thought he was even capable of feeling, for this perfect baby girl. If he’d been still using he never would’ve been able to keep her. She is the absolute light of his life and the most important person to him in the universe. 

He sobbed in front of Jason, thanking him for screaming at him and saying he will never, ever leave his daughter the way Jason’s mom left him. It was only natural to make him Lian’s godfather. 

Roy snaps a photo of Jason, cradling a sleeping Lian in his arms. She’s swaddled in a pale pink blanket, and he’s smiling down at her with a softness that Roy didn’t think the kid possessed. 

Jason looks up at the sound of the shutter, cheeks turning pink at being caught. “She’s beautiful, Roy,” he whispers, carefully sitting down on the sofa. 

Roy pockets his phone and sits down beside him. “I can’t believe I made that.”

Jason snorts. “The beauty ain’t from you.” He looks back down at her, soft smile peeking out again. 

Roy laughs quietly. “Asshole.”

Jason nods. “Yep.”

They’re both quiet for several seconds before Roy continues.

“Hey Jason?”

He looks up at Roy. “Yeah?”

“I want to ask you something.”

“Uh, sure,” he shrugs, looking nervous.

“I, um - you’re just a kid, I’m not asking you to take on any responsibility for raising her.”

“Good to know?”

“But, I was wondering - and you do not have to say yes, it is absolutely ok if you don’t, I swear to you I will not be offended.”

“Oh get on with it,” Jason groans.

“I was wondering if you would be Lian’s godparent.”

Jason’s breath hitches and he starts crying almost instantly.

“Oh god forget it, I’m so sorry please don’t cry I hate when you cry!”

Jason shakes his head. “No, I would be honored. B-but you sure you want… me?”

“I know I haven’t known you nearly as long as I have any of the other Titans, but if you hadn’t…” he subconsciously rubs at the spot on his arm where the track mark that triggered Jason used to be, several months ago. “If you hadn’t noticed what I was doing… I wouldn’t have her. I will never be able to thank you enough for that. I wouldn’t want anyone else for this.”

Jason looks back down at Lian. He lifts her higher and presses a tender kiss to the top of her head. “I love you, princess,” he whispers, “I’ll always be here for you. I promise.”

“And I’ll always be here for you, Jaybird,” Roy murmurs, giving him a one-armed hug. 

“I know.” Jason drops his head on Roy’s shoulder for a quick second in lieu of hugging him back since he’s busy holding Lian. 

“Yello?” Dick answers, a spoon definitely in his mouth; Roy can hear it. Probably ice cream. 

“Dick, am I losing it or did I just hug Jason?”

“So that’s where he went,” he mutters, “He’s with Roy, Timmy.” The spoon is now gone. 

There’s a quiet mumbled response on the other end.

“It’s really him. I’m glad he’s with you. We were a little worried; didn’t tell us where he was going.”

“He hasn’t told me anything yet. How… hard is it gonna be to hear?”

Dick sighs. “Very.”

“Good to know… I gotta go bring him clothes. He’s upstairs showering. Just needed to know that I wasn’t completely nuts,” he chuckles. 

“Nah, you’re only mostly nuts.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Roy mutters, “goodnight guys.”

“Night,” Dick says, then hangs up.

Roy takes a deep breath. Tomorrow is gonna suck.

Jason steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and sees a neat stack of clothes left on the bed, with a note on top. 

The boxers will probably fit but if they don’t there’s athletic shorts you could use. Lian has to be at pre-k at 8:50, so I’ll wake up at 7:30, we’ll leave at 8:30. You’re welcome to walk with us or you can just stay here. You’re under zero obligation to come. 

I’ll see you in the morning. Here’s my number. Text me if you need anything. 

 

Roy

His number is scribbled out below his name. Jason smiles and grabs his phone from the side table where he left it, and quickly adds the number to his contacts. 

Jason: It’s Jay. Think it may be best she not know until she comes home? Will she be able to concentrate in school?

Roy: Honestly probably not. Help yourself to anything if you’re up before I get back from dropping her off

Roy: Night kid

Jason: Goodnight, adult 🙄 

Jason sets his phone back down and then removes the towel and pulls on the bright red boxer briefs. They’re a tiny bit tight on the waist but they’ll be fine. He moves the rest of the clothes to the far side of the bed and then crawls in.

“Oh geez this is comfy,” he sighs happily. He pulls up the sheets and quickly falls asleep. 

Red Hood takes off his helmet and removes his mask. “Dad?”

Batman doesn’t look surprised at all. “You lost the right to call me that when you became a killer.”

“B-but-” he starts crying.

“Murderer,” Nightwing spits. 

“Dickie?” Jason sobs.

“Assassin,” Robin growls. 

“What? T-Tim, you said you love me…”

They all laugh at him cruelly and start walking towards him. Batman has a couple Batarangs at the ready in his hands, Nightwing’s escrimas are raised, Robin’s bō is slowly twirling. 

“Love you?” Tim laughs harder, “how could anyone?”

“Pathetic,” Dick smirks.

“Useless,” Bruce sneers.

Jason backs up as his family and Tim advance. “No, this is wrong, this is wrong.” His boots slip on the edge of the rock.

“You’re not good enough,” Robin clicks his tongue and then he’s right in front of him and slams his bō into Jason’s chest, and he falls over the edge of the cliff. 

Jason shoots up with a gasp, then sighs in relief and wipes his wet eyes. “Just a nightmare. Tim loves you. Dick loves you. Roy loves you. Alfred will still love you. But not Bruce,” he murmurs, “he’ll throw you in Arkham with a laugh.” He flops back down and picks up his phone, checking the time. 

5:27 am

“Stupid timezones,” Jason mutters. It’s 8:27 back in Gotham. 

He puts the phone down and tries to sleep but he can’t stop playing over Tim’s words in the dream. He would never say that to Jason.

…right?

He picks the phone back up, unlocks it, opens his messages, taps on Tim, and sends the most insecure text of his entire life.

Jason: Am I good enough?

He locks the phone but not five seconds later Tim’s face pops up on the screen.

Jason answers and holds the phone to his ear. “H-”

“Absolutely,” Tim says immediately.

“Sorry, I just…” he sighs.

“Nightmare?” Tim guesses.

“You said I wasn’t,” he whispers, voice shaking, “s-said no one could ever love me.”

“Jason, I would never-”

“I know, I just… I c-can’t stop hearing it.”

“Then hear this: you are good enough and I love you. So do Dick and Roy.”

“Yeah…” Jason sighs again.

“Fucking asshole,” Tim hisses.

Jason makes an offended sound.

“Not you. Him. I just, I can’t-” Tim’s voice breaks and he starts quietly crying. “How c-could he say that? He destroyed weeks of progress. I could see it. You were c-confident. You trusted that Dick and I love you. You were happier. And you were about to tell him! And he r-ruined it because you ended someone evil. Someone horrible. And then h-he…” Tim inhales and Jason hears his breath shake, “he compared you to him. You’re nothing like him. I don’t understand how he could b-be so cruel!” Tim is nearly sobbing now, and he’s gonna hyperventilate soon if he doesn’t calm down a little.

“Tim, can you take a breath for me?” Jason asks calmly.

“Y-yeah, sorry.” Tim takes several deep breaths, “Thanks. If I’m this upset I can’t even imagine how you’re feeling,” he mutters.

“Pretty bad,” Jason chuckles humorlessly.

“God I need to punch something.”

Jason snorts. “Don’t punch the execs, bossman.”

“Bruce is an exec,” Tim mutters.

“Not even him. But feel free to punch Batman for me.”

“Ooh, don’t threaten me with a good time, Jay.”

Jason laughs quietly. “I’ll be ok Timmers. Just… might take a little time.”

“Still mad,” he sighs. 

“Me too. But I’m gonna try to get some more sleep before I have several meltdowns with Roy and then try to not be a complete mess by the time Lian gets home from school.”

“Fun,” Tim deadpans. 

“Oh totally. Anyway. Thanks, Babybird. Don’t work too hard, ok?”

“I won’t. Bye Jay, love you.”

“I do too. Bye.”

Tim hangs up and Jason sighs. He sets the phone on the bedside table and tries to go back to sleep. It works, eventually.

Tim hangs up with a sigh as he pockets his phone. It might as well be a few months ago considering how insecure Jason is right now. Thanks to his own father. 

Tim wipes his eyes and slaps on his CEO smile as he enters the lobby of the DI headquarters. 

“Morning Mr-”

Tim cuts off the security man with a raised eyebrow. How many times does he have to tell him?

“It’s a habit,” he says, chuckling, “sorry. Good morning Tim.”

“Morning, Mike. How’s Shane and Emily?”

“Good as ever, thanks for askin’. Have a good day!”

“You too,” Tim smiles politely and continues to the elevator, scanning his card to go straight to the 27th floor where the executive offices and boardroom are. 

He walks quickly to his office, holding out a hand to grab his coffee from his secretary, Donna, as he passes by her.

“Good morning Timothy,” she smiles.

“Morning. You’re the best,” he says as he takes the cup of coffee and continues on his way. 

“I know.”

Tim laughs quietly as he enters his office and sits down at his desk, taking a long sip from the drink. He opens his calendar and sighs in relief. Empty.

He starts by reading through the short end of week report. Nothing he didn’t already know. Then he checks in on the progress of DI’s latest projects. Everything’s on schedule.

“Mr. Drake?”

He taps the speakerphone. “Yes?”

“Mr. Wayne is here to see you.”

He taps mute and hides his face in his hands. “Ugh god dammit why?” He unmutes it to tell her to send him in. 

Bruce walks through his office doorway and shuts the door behind him, looking distinctly like Alfred has just said he’s disappointed in him.

“How can I help you, Mr. Wayne?” He says, glacially cold, as he presses the button on his desk to frost his windows. The desire to vault his desk and beat him up is strong. 

Bruce legitimately looks nervous. “I made a mistake last night and I’m here to say that I am sorry.”

“Ok. Well, I don’t forgive you,” Tim shrugs.

“That’s ok. I just- for a second- what that man said… I thought I was going to lose another one. A-and it terrified me and then Hood killed him and I completely overreacted. He is a murderer, that’s a fact. But… he’s not cold-blooded. He doesn’t kill innocents. I completely disagree with his tactics, but I don’t think he deserves to be locked up.”

“God damn right he fucking doesn’t,” Tim hisses. 

“Look, I don’t understand why you and Dick are so protective of him… but I do trust you guys’ judgment, so I can only determine that there’s a good reason and you’re simply not at liberty to discuss it right now.” 

“Correct.”

“Well, that’s it. That’s all I had to say - oh, you’re not banned. That was… petty,” he admits.

“And ineffective.”

“That too,” Bruce smiles and nods.

“I appreciate your apology, Bruce. But I’m still very upset and I’m going to be for a while.”

“That’s fine. Just wanted you to know. I love you, Tim.”

Tim sighs. “Me too, Bruce. Have a good day.”

“You too,” Bruce gives him one quick nod and then exits the office. 

Tim turns the frosted glass off and sighs tiredly.

Dick walks out of class with a tired sigh. Today has sucked. He looks across the hall and sees his dad leaning against the wall, waiting for him. He can see Alfred’s scolding in his body language. Good. 

Dick walks quickly over to him. “What do you want?” he snaps, fists clenching at his sides. Don’t punch him, don’t punch him, don’t punch him. He would never say that if he knew it was Jason. Ugh, he was happily bounding into his dad’s office for lunch only twenty-four hours ago and now he’s furious at him. Why’d he have to ruin it?

“To apologize for my behavior last night. I was completely out of line, and I’m sorry. I was terrified for Tim, and then after Hood… I completely lost my cool. He doesn’t deserve to be locked up. I hate his tactics… but I don’t think he’s evil.”

“He’s an amazing person, and I love him,” Dick scowls. He just holds back from screaming ‘he’s your son, you fucking idiot!’

“And I trust that you have a reason to say that and an even better reason to not tell me. And you’re no longer banned, I’m sorry for that too. Just be safe, ok?”

“There’s no one I would feel safer with.” (That’s not actually true, he would feel the safest around Superman but that’s not the point right now.)

“Ok,” Bruce nods, “that’s all. I love you, Dick.”

Dick relents and gives his dad a hug. “I love you too. But you really, really hurt me with what you said to him. And it’s gonna take time for me to heal from that. But I do still love you dad. Nothing’s gonna make me stop. But can you stop testing it?” he asks with a tiny smile.

Bruce chuckles. “Yes.”

“I wish I could tell you, and I’m sorry that I can’t. But thank you for apologizing. I gotta get to my next class. Bye dad.”

“Bye Dick,” Bruce lets him go, turns, and walks away. 

Jason wakes up and feels marginally better. No nightmares this time, thank god. He grabs his phone and checks the time. 

8:43 am

Good enough, he decides, sitting up with a yawn. He rubs his eyes and then stretches a bit before pulling off the covers and standing. He heads into the bathroom, runs through his morning routine, then goes back to the bed and grabs the clothes Roy left. He looks through the stack and pulls out - he barks a laugh - a Nightwing shirt. Black with the logo in blue. 

He pulls it on and it actually fits, though it’s the tiniest bit snug on his shoulders. Best refrain from shoulder stretches. Then he grabs the maroon sweatpants from the pile and steps into them, pulling them up. Yeah everything fits well enough.

He pockets his phone and heads downstairs, quickly finding the kitchen. There’s a kettle on the stove. Jason looks in the cabinets above the stove and finds an unopened box of English breakfast tea. Great. He lifts the kettle, and it’s full. He sets it back down and turns on the burner.

Several minutes later and Jason has a hot mug of tea with milk. He wanders around the downstairs, looking at everything. (Except the bedrooms, cause he’s not a weirdo.) The whole house is warm and cozy; homey. It’s the kind of home Jason wants someday - but a little more modestly sized. 

He’s heading back to the kitchen when the front door unlocks and then opens, Roy stepping through and then shutting it behind him. He looks up and sees Jason and he isn’t quite fast enough to wipe the anxiety off his face. His eyes flick to the mug. “Oh, good. You found the tea.”

“Uh, yeah. Wasn’t open?” 

Roy blushes slightly. “I was really tired one day and we needed groceries and I knew you liked tea so I got it for you and when I got home… it hit me. But I just kept it in case anyone else ever wanted some.” 

“And no one ever did?”

“Nope,” Roy shrugs, “you done?”

“Yeah.”

Roy plucks the mug from his hands and carries it to the kitchen, Jason following after him. “Hungry?”

“Nah, thanks.”

“Yeah, ‘m not either,” Roy mutters, putting the mug in the dishwasher and then grabbing one for himself and using the Keurig to make a quick cup of coffee. 

“Why did you believe me?”

Roy grabs the mug when the machine finishes and takes a sip before answering. “That you were you?” 

Jason nods. 

Roy grins. “Who else would be that dramatic? You knew I would get an alert when you either successfully used a dead kid’s handprint access or hacked in, and then you went all ‘I missed you’ in your freaking Batman register. You were the only option, Jaybird,” he laughs quietly. 

Jason chuckles. “I mean ok, I could have just gotten Dick to tell you and then shown up. But I just-” his smile drops to a frown, “-I had to get out. Immediately.”

Roy grabs a glass from a cupboard and fills it with water, handing it to Jason. 

“Thanks.”

“C’mon, story time,” Roy says, leading the way to the family room sofa. They sit down beside each other and sigh. “You don’t actually have to tell me anything if you don’t want.”

“Yeah, I know. Starting to think I should record this so I can just play it for the next person instead of reciting it again.”

Roy hums in response. 

“Um. So I died. And six months later, I randomly woke up in my coffin and had to literally dig myself out,” he says bluntly.

Roy looks thoroughly horrified. “Oh god.”

“Yep. Wandered out, got hit by a car, was comatose in a hospital, randomly woke up and escaped the hospital, was kidnapped by Talia al Ghul, tossed in the Lazarus pit, and then forcibly trained as an assassin.”

Jason proceeds to tell him the whole story, and so far it’s the easiest time that he’s had telling it. 

Roy listens patiently. Occasionally he rubs Jason’s back when he gets choked up, or wraps an arm around him. He’s endlessly supportive and kind, even if he himself was crying multiple times during Jason’s story. 

“-and then Nightwing called me to help him, Robin, and Batman cause of an Arkham breakout, and we succeeded, but when it was over… well, that’s what made me come running out here to see you.”

Roy hugs him. “I’m sorry, for everything you’ve had to go through.”

“Thanks,” Jason murmurs, briefly hugging him back and then standing. “I’ll just show you what happened in the Qu-”

“Don’t call it that!” Roy whines.

Jason laughs and they start heading downstairs. They go through the basement, Roy scans his hand on the false wall, and then they’re in his Arrowcave. 

He walks up to the computer with a heavy sigh, unplugging his helmet. He pushes the computer chair aside and just stands up instead, quickly finding the uploaded video footage and playing it from the moment where Batman shakes his hand and thanks him. 

“No, only them,” Gun Guy grins, “caught this here birdie just for you.”

“Ok, wait, I’m sorry, is he trying to gift you Tim?”

“Yes! Ugh!”

Red Hood laughs, “no, please. Mr. Red Hood was my father.” 

“‘Was my father'?” Roy laughs quietly, “that’s what you went with?”

Red Hood hums and runs a gloved hand through Robin’s hair. 

“Oh. Oh no, Jay... You’re hating yourself touching him like that, aren’t you?”

“So much.”

“Ha! Yes!” Roy cheers when Jason pistol whips the guy. 

“Are you alright?” Red Hood murmurs softly, hands off of him.  

“I am now,” Robin grins, cheeky smile on his face. 

“Did Tim just- ‘I am now’? Wow.”

“I thought you were just keeping the best ones for yourself!”

“What the fuck?” 

“The prettyboys are the best co-”

Roy’s fists clench and he literally growls at the screen. 

All the same, he still winces when the guy’s head audibly cracks against the stones.

“Should’ve kept… for me. Would’ve made… fortune on… that sweet… little mouth.”

“Ew, ew ew ew, ew what the frick? Tim’s a kid.” 

“‘m sure… he would be… such a good bo-”

“Oh he’s so d- yep. I would’ve killed him too,” Roy mutters, “freaking disgusting.”

“You’re reckless,” Batman shoves Red Hood back again with both hands, “and arrogant!”

“Whoa, ok, he needs to chill.”

“The only thing you’re worth is being put in Blackgate until you die!”

Roy instantly hugs Jason. “It’s not true, Jay. It is not true. You deserve the world.”

“It gets worse,” Jason sighs, hugging him back for just a second.

“Forget Blackgate, you should be in Arkham with those delusions. Especially considering your namesake,” Batman hisses. 

“Did he just- did Batman just compare you to- what. The. Fuck? - I don’t remember the last time I said that.”

Nightwing electrifies his escrimas and takes slow steps towards Batman.

“Oh crap Dick’s gonna kill him.”

Red Hood runs up to Nightwing and grabs him from the side, holding him back.

“NO, HE DESERVES A PUNCH RIGHT IN HIS STUPID FUCKING FACE!” 

“Deserves many punches to the face,” Roy whispers, quietly fuming.

 “You want me out of Gotham, Batman? Fine. I’m gone.”

“Good.”

Jason stops the video. “How could he say that to me? A-am I evil? C-cause I’m starting to wonder. I-I can never tell him. I’m never gonna get my d-dad back, Roy,” he starts crying and Roy tightly hugs him. 

“You are not evil, Jason. You are so far from evil. Not even close. But I don’t… I really don’t think Bruce is lost from you forever. If he actually had the backstory… ”

“I can’t, I c-can’t listen to my dad tell me he hates me again!” Jason sobs. 

“He doesn’t, he really doesn’t, he’s just - god, he’s completely out of his mind there. I really… Jason, I really think you should tell him. It doesn’t have to be soon- it probably shouldn’t be soon, but… eventually, maybe? You don’t ever have to, obviously, but if you ever want to… me, Dick, Tim, we’ll all be right beside you when you do, and you will have our complete support, because no matter what happens, we will always, always love you,” Roy promises.

“I-it’s too much, I can’t! I’m too scared,” he whimpers. 

“That’s totally fair. It’s ok not to tell him. It’ll hurt, but it’s ok. Do what you think is the best for you, not for anyone else. I’ve got your back, whatever you decide.”

Jason just nods in his arms. 

“I cannot believe Tim was that flirty. I mean seriously. ‘I am now’?” Roy changes the subject in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Jason laughs wetly and lets go of Roy, resuming the video and then wiping his eyes. “You thought that was flirty?”

“Oh god, it gets worse?”

“What word would you have used?” Robin laughs.

“He seriously just asked- after what that man- wow- ‘Boyishly handsome’?!” Roy looks over at him and nods, “Hm, yeah you are ruggedly handsome.”

“Mm, depends on how the light hits you,” Robin whispers, smiling sweetly. 

“Oh my god - wh- Casanova?” Roy laughs, “you two need help, that’s terrible.”

“He whined that I got hotter when I was carrying him to Redbird.”

“Does danger make him flirty?”

“Apparently,” Jason shrugs. 

“That could work in your favor.”

 Jason blushes. “Stop.”

Roy puts his hands up. “I’m just saying. It was bad enough to watch the first time.”

“I was legitimately completely clueless until right before I was blown up.”

“How can you be so intelligent but still so dumb?”

“Skill.”

“Sure, kid. Just… maybe do something about it this time?”

“Look, if I ever make a move, it’s not gonna be for a long time. I do not need a relationship right now.”

“And god knows Tim won’t actually make the first one,” Roy mutters.

“Exactly. I’m not ready for that. I need to get my stuff together first. I’m a mess right now, Roy. A-and I wanna be stable for Tim. Not perfect, just… consistent. Right now I absolutely do not deserve him. I almost killed him, I shouldn’t even be thinking like this, I mean god if Tim was in his right mind he wouldn’t have flirted with me at all. He’s so good and I’m… I’m me. He should be with Superboy. He’s a hero and they’re best friends and I know they had a thing and it could probably become more if they actually talked about it. He’s so much better than me it’s not even funny. At best I’m an anti-hero. At worst, a villain.”

“I think Tim should decide who Tim wants to be with, not you.” Roy shrugs, “maybe he will pick Kon, I don’t know. But don’t make his decision for him, that’s not fair.”

The thought of Tim with Kon makes Jason’s chest ache but if Tim was happy, he’d be ok with it - eventually. Tim deserves so much better than the fuckup that ran off, died, and then managed to become even more of a fuckup.

“Ok, easy Jay, don’t go down the rabbit hole. I can literally see you overthinking,” Roy murmurs.

Jason nods and wipes his eyes. “Enough about me. I wanna hear all about you and Lian.”

Roy smiles and nods at the stairs. “Come on. I have a freaking absurd number of photos and videos. I think I’m obsessed with her? She’s my entire world.”

Jason follows him up and they return to the sofa. Roy pulls out his phone and opens his photos. There are literally tens of thousands. 

“Oh my god,” Jason laughs.

“I think I have a problem.”

“Yeah, maybe a little.”

“You don’t even know. Couple weeks ago, first day of preschool, I leave the building after dropping her off and I just start sobbing at how grown up she is. She is four! She’s not even close to grown up but I lost it. Some random person handed me tissues and patted me on the back a couple times.”

“I probably would’ve cried right along with you,” Jason laughs.

“It was so embarrassing,” Roy groans.

“It’s kinda sweet?”

So Roy tells - and shows - Jason all about him and Lian. 

Jason tears up when she says ‘dada’ on video. 

He laughs when she drops a spoon from her high chair and says ‘uh oh!’ with the proper inflection. 

On her first birthday she grabs a chunk of cake and smacks it on her own face with a shrieking giggle. Jason cries when he realizes she’s wearing the Snow White dress he bought her at Disneyland.

She hisses at a pea and then throws it aside.

“So… not a fan, then.”

“Not at all,” Roy laughs. 

Ollie is holding her hand while she takes baby steps on the grass, and he has the biggest smile Jason has ever seen on the man.

Tim is sitting on the ground in front of a shape sorting toy, trying to fit the square shape into the triangular hole.

“Come on, I swear this is the right one…”

Lian giggles and bats at his hand. 

“You wanna try? Good luck, it’s not easy.” He hands her the square. 

She places the square into the square hole and it fits perfectly. 

“Wow, look at you! Ok lemme try again.” He grabs the triangle and places it in the triangular hole, then gasps in surprise. “Yes!”

She giggles again and claps.

Tim grins. “Thank you! That was tough,” he sighs in relief.

Jason smiles softly at the video. Tim’s adorable.

Lian is staring at Dick, her head slightly tilted, mouth agape, and eyes wide, as he walks around on his hands to entertain her. 

“Dick, if I go home, and she tries this and bonks her little head, it is entirely your fault.”

Dick laughs and flips back to his feet. “Tada!”

“Ick!” Lian giggles. 

“Dick,” the man corrects with a soft laugh. 

“Nah I think she was just calling you gross.”

“Oh hush Roy.”

“Hush dada.”

Dick gasps in joy and Roy gasps in shock. 

“Do not teach her to backsass me!”

“Oh, just wait til she’s a teenager.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Roy whispers, horrified.

They're at Haly’s circus, Dick carrying Lian around excitedly and introducing her to everyone, and then they get to the elephants. One of them trumpets when they see Dick and walks up to him.

“Zitka! Hey girl. Lian, this is Zitka, she was my bestest bud when I lived here!”

“Zitka!” She laughs. 

Dick looks at her with a very impressed expression. “Oh, wow, ok I didn’t expect that. Great job!” 

Zitka lowers her trunk and pats Lian on the head with it. She giggles and reaches up to touch the trunk. “El-phant!”

“That’s right! Here, hold her,” Dick says, handing her to Wally. Then he climbs the fence and jumps onto Zitka’s back. “Ok, gimme!”

“Um…” Wally turns towards the camera. “Can I?”

“Yep,” Roy answers. 

Dick reaches down and Wally hands Lian to him. Then he sits back up, placing Lian in front of him, holding carefully onto her. 

Lian laughs and pats Zitka’s head. “Woah!”

“So cool, right?” Dick grins. 

“Yeah!”

 

The videos and photos seem endless and Roy narrates through everything and Jason honestly loves every single second. 

Until the video from her fourth birthday, just a couple months ago, when Jason suddenly bursts into tears.

Roy closes the video, puts his phone down, and pulls Jason into a hug. “I got ya. I’m sorry, I didn’t think- this was too much, wasn’t it?”

“I m-missed so much! She’s four a-and she wasn’t even one when I died and I feel like I’ve missed her entire life!” he sobs. 

 “Ok, as far as she actually remembers, you’ve missed not even one year of her life.”

“You m-made me her godparent and I abandoned her! I p-promised!”

Roy lightly smacks the back of his head. “You did not abandon her! You’ve been with her every day of her life. I made sure of it. She’s never even met you but she loves you. Lian is four. She is not going to be upset that you weren’t there before, she’s going to be ecstatic that you’re here now. Jason, you died, horribly. It’s not like you weren’t here because you were being selfish. I know you’re upset but me and her do not, nor will we ever, blame you or be mad at you about it. It’s ok.”

“It’s just… i-it’s everything! She couldn’t even hold up her head when I died and now she’s r-running and jumping and going to school and she’s l-like this whole, entire, actual p-person now.”

Roy laughs. “Jay, bud, at the risk of sounding like I’m invalidating your feelings… I cry about it too and I’ve been here the whole time. Like you said, you’d probably be crying about this just the same if you never left. You can’t focus on what you missed. You gotta think about what you are here for. Ok?” Roy releases him so he can wipe his eyes. “Now, you wanna meet her?”

“Yes,” Jason rasps, smiling at him. 

“Ok. Let’s go get our baby girl.”

Jason nods and rises to his feet.

“I’m sorry I upset you.”

“Eh, it was bound to happen anyway,” he chuckles. “I actually am glad I got to see all of that. I’m just… kinda terrified?”

“You’ll be great. You’ve always been great with kids,” Roy assures, leading the way out the front door and down the steps. Jason stops to turn around and actually see the house.

It's two stories, a light blue and Jason thinks it's craftsman style? Architecture’s not really his thing. But it's very nice. It's at least a million dollar house. 

“Pretty.” 

“Yeah,” Roy smiles, “it is. We’re really happy here.”

“Good,” he smiles back.

Roy keeps talking about Lian, about cute little moments that aren’t recorded, or her being silly, or really just anything. He gushes about her nonstop, all the way until they get to the school. 

“Ok, I’m gonna go grab her and talk to her real quick. Wait here?” Roy asks. 

“Sure.”

“Ok. Be right back. Just brace yourself. You’re gonna fall in love, her charm is… supranatural.”

“Ooh, supra? Big word there, Roy.”

“Watch yourself, Jaybird,” Roy snarks right back, then turns and walks up to the building, entering through the doors. 

Roy smiles politely at the front desk woman as he walks down the hall to Lian’s classroom. He pokes his head in and Lian is instantly on the move. 

“Daddy!” she squeals, running up to him. 

Roy scoops up his daughter with a laugh and hugs her tightly. “Hi baby girl! How was your day?” he asks, shifting her to his hip as he walks back toward the entrance. Is she a little big to still be carried like this? Probably. Does Roy care? No.

“I know a new color!” 

“That’s awesome! What is it?”

“Magenna!” she says, with full confidence. And it's way more adorable than it probably should be. He kisses the top of her head and then grins at her. 

“Was it maybe magenta, honey?”

“Yeah, that!” she giggles. “Magenta.”

“There ya go.” They head through the doors and back outside. He sees Jason spot them and then slap a hand over his mouth, and even from forty feet away he can see the tears shimmering in his eyes. Oh, this is gonna be good.

“I have something very important to tell you,” Roy says, lifting her off his hip and setting her on the bench near the entrance, then he crouches down to be at her eye level and gently takes her hands.

“Ok!”

“So, you remember what I told you about Jason?” he murmurs.

“Yeah,” she frowns, lip quivering, “he went to the sky.” 

It had been too hard for him to say ‘died’ when he was explaining. She was barely even three. He made it clear that Jason was gone, and couldn't come back. But died? He just… couldn't. He said he was with the angels. To her, that meant in the sky.

“Well, it turns out I was wrong.”

The frown disappears. “What ya mean?”

“He did come back. It was a big surprise for me, I found out last night.”

“Where?!” she yells, grin exploding onto her face. “Daddy can I see him?! Can I can I can I?!

Roy glances over at Jason, furrowing his brow in a silent question. Jason wipes his eyes, takes a couple deep breaths, and then nods. 

He looks back at Lian. “So, he looks a little different than your photo. He got really tall. But, he’s actually right over there, in my BlueBird shirt.” (It’s what she called the Nightwing symbol the first time she saw it. She knows it's Nightwing now, but it kinda stuck. Plus it makes Dick gasp dramatically in betrayal and she has a giggling fit at his antics.)

She whips her head around to look - so quickly that Roy legitimately worries about her neck for a second - and then she spots him. Her eyes go wide and a massive grin explodes onto her face. She scrambles off the bench and sprints toward him.

“JAYJAY!”

Chapter Text

Jason watches as Roy exits the preschool building with Lian balanced on his hip and his arm securely around her, talking to her with a big grin and it's so sweet watching him being such a dad. But Jason is also totally overwhelmed at the sight of her. She's so big - compared to baby Lian, anyway. And so cute and she's all smiles and happiness and that's his goddaughter. She's right there and he finally gets to speak to a Lian that can speak back and good god she is old. He slaps a hand over his mouth to muffle any potential sobs and his eyes flood for the millionth time today.

Roy says something to her and then moves her from his hip to the nearby bench, then he crouches to be at her level and takes her - ginormous - hands. She nods at her dad excitedly, but then a few seconds later she frowns and looks like she's about to cry and seeing sadness on that precious face is heartbreaking. The frown is shortly replaced by a mix of confusion and curiosity.

And then a grin explodes onto her face. “Where?!” she yells, loud enough for Jason to hear. “Daddy can I see him?! Can I can I can I?!”

She sounds like she's being told that she's gonna meet Santa, just bursting with excitement. Like she's just heard the best news of her life. A tiny sob forces its way past Jason's lips because that excitement is to meet him. She already loves him.

Roy turns his head slightly and his eyes flick over to Jason, brow furrowing - a silent ‘are you ok with this?’ Jason wipes his eyes, then closes them and takes a couple slow, deep breaths. He can do this. He opens his eyes and nods. 

Roy looks back at his daughter, saying something else and then Lian’s head whips around concerningly fast. When she spots Jason, her eyes go wide and the grin that was on her face right before she asked if she could see Jason doesn't hold a candle to the absolute supernova that she's sporting now. 

She scrambles off the bench and sprints towards him. “JAYJAY!” 

Oh god help him, he hopes he doesn't embarrass himself in front of her by bursting into tears. She calls him Jayjay, that's so cute.

Also, she is very… pink. Her absolutely adorable pigtails - with hot pink bows - are bouncing as she runs. She's wearing a pale pink shirt that has a white unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail. Her shorts are knee length and… magenta? Her socks are also hot pink. Her shoes, however, are not pink and are quite possibly one of the tackiest things Jason has ever seen. The tongue is yellow, the outside halves are green, the inside halves are red, and the laces are black. Robin. They're Robin colors. Which do not look good with pink - and yet it couldn't be cuter.

Jason quickly lowers himself to one knee and opens his arms as she barrels into him, arms only wrapping halfway around him. He hugs her tightly, and for the first time since seeing her Jason finally thinks of her as small.

“Hi Princess,” he murmurs, voice tight. He looks at Roy behind him (recording, the bastard) and mouths ‘oh my god.’

Roy nods. ‘I know,’ he mouths back. 

Lian giggles and oh, goddammit, she’s already gotten him. He’s screwed. She’ll be able to get anything she wants from him. He'll never be able to say no to her. “Daddy said you say that!”

“He’s absolutely right. And now I can say it even more.”

“I love you!” she yells and Jason forces down the sob that is fighting to burst out of him.

“I love you too, sweetie,” he says, standing up and shifting her to his hip like he saw Roy carrying her. 

“No!” she whines.

“What?” he laughs quietly.

“Shoulders! Daddy isn't this tall!” Well she's not wrong, but he's only an inch taller.

“Well excuse me,” Roy huffs jokingly as he strolls up to them, no longer recording. “That ok with you?” he asks Jason quietly. 

“If it is with you?”

Roy doesn't even blink or take a millisecond to think about it. “Course.” Roy plucks her from Jason’s hip and reaches up to place her on his shoulders. 

Jason immediately moves his hands up to gently wrap around her legs and keep her secured. She crosses her arms, rests them on the top of his head, and giggles. “It’s a whole new world!”

And there is no way she isn’t quoting Aladdin. “Oh really?” Jason grins, as they begin to walk home. He starts singing, crooning softly at her. “Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?”

Roy is absolutely recording them again and Jason doesn’t care at all, because he’s loving this.

“You sing?” she gasps.

Jason answers by continuing, “I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder.” 

He moves her feet closer together and gently wraps one hand around both ankles, and moves the other hand to take both of her hands to secure her.

“Over-” he jumps up “-sideways-” slides to the right “-and under-” and then quickly crouches before standing back up. She laughs gleefully with all the movements. 

“-on a magic carpet ride-” he spins in a circle, “a whole new world! A new fantastic point of view! No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we’re only dreaming, a whole new world-” Jason continues singing through Jasmine’s part, and Lian joins him (mostly, though some of the words aren’t quite right) “-a dazzling place I never knew, but when I’m way up here, it’s crystal clear, that now I’m in a whole new world with you.” He lets go of her hands and moves back to one hand on each leg.

She claps excitedly. “Another! Another!”

“Jukebox Jason, at your service. What would you like to hear, your royal highness?”

She giggles again and then thinks. “Ummmm… Let it Go!”

He decides to start at the bridge. “My power flurries through the air into the grooound, my soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all arooound, and one thought crystallizes like an icy blast, I’m never going back, the past is in the paaaaast!”

Lian basically screeches the next line directly into his ear and Jason enjoys it anyway, happily singing with her. “Let it go! Let it go! And I’ll rise like the break of daw-aw-awn, let it go, let it go-o-o, that perfect girl is gooone, here I stand! In the light of daaaay-ayay… let the storm rage ON!” They both scream and they’re definitely getting looks and Jason is having the absolute time of his life. 

“Wow, you actually hit that? I’m impressed, Jay,” Roy laughs. (Sure, Jason hit it - but an octave lower.)

“The cold never bothered me anyway!”

“Ooh, Encanto!”

“I’m sorry, princess. I haven’t seen that one yet.”

“That’s ok Jayjay! Surprise song!”

“Of course, your majesty,” he thinks for a second and then starts the third song, “Tell everybody I’m on my way, new friends and new places to see, with blue skies ahead yes I’m on my way, and there’s nowhere else that I’d rather be.”

“I watched this with Uncle Timtam!”

Jason's voice cracks from amusement at ‘Timtam.’ “Tell everybody I’m on my way, and I’m loving every step I take, with the sun beating down, yes I’m on my way, and I can’t keep this smile off my face! Cause there’s nothing like seeing each other again, no matter what the distance between, and the stories that we tell will make you smile, oh it really lifts my heart, cause I’m on my way now.”

“That’s… appropriate,” Roy mutters, subtly wiping his eyes. 

“You sing pretty!” Lian exclaims.

“Not as pretty as you!” 

“Thank you! Can you cook dindin? Daddy said you cook!” Oh, dinner has never sounded so adorable.

“Woah, honey-” Roy starts gently, but Jason cuts him off. 

“I would love to. What would you like?”

“Macky cheese!” Ugh, everything she says is cute as hell. It's almost annoying. Almost. Perfect thing to cook. He already has a recipe and knows it’s good.

“You know, that’s Timtam’s favorite food.”

“Really?!”

“Yep! In fact, I just made it for him a few weeks ago when he came over for dinner.”

“Daddy said Timtam loves you!” 

Jason’s cheeks heat up slightly. 

“Lian, are you gonna tell Jay everything I ever said about him?” Roy sighs.

“Yep!”

“W-well, he loves a lot of people,” Jason says.

“No, you're his true love!”

Jason chokes and now he's really red. “What?” he rasps. 

“I did not say that!” Roy whines.

“You said Timtam loves Jayjay like-” she takes a deep breath “-Ruh-pun-zull-” she says carefully, then nods at her success, “-loves Flynn!”

“Um. Ok I did say that. I was explaining that a guy can fall in love with another guy, and I was using a real life example of someone she knew. Course it was the first thing out of her mouth the next time she saw Tim.”

“He got sad…” Lian mumbles, “I didn't mean to… but now his prince is back!”

Jason’s cheeks are never going to return to their normal color. “It’s complicated,” he mutters.

“Nuh uh!”

“Ya huh,” he shoots right back, sticking out his tongue. Even if she can't see it.

She giggles. “Love is easy!”

Oh, if only, Jason thinks. “Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”

Jason spots Roy quietly laughing into his hand. Jerk. “Princesses usually are, I suppose.”

“Can I be the flower girl?!”

Flower girl? Oh, a wedding. Wait what?

An image of Tim pops into his mind, wearing a dark blue tuxedo, grinning at him, those brilliant blue eyes nearly glowing from joy, and looking absolutely gorgeous and this is a dangerous fantasy and time to nip that in the bud.

“Wh- l am not marrying Tim.”

“B-but why?” Oh god she sounds like she's about to burst into tears, he has to fix it right now.

“For a very long time and you might be too old to wanna be the flower girl by then,” he says quickly. 

“Oh,” she giggles, “That's silly! I'll always wanna! Even if you're super duper old, like daddy!”

"Hey!" Roy pouts.

“He is kinda old, isn't he?” Jason snickers.

“I am only five years older than you!”

“You're more older than I am old at all!”

“She's got a point.”

“I should've known you two would be a menace together,” Roy mutters.

Jason laughs as they walk up the front steps of the house. He crouches to make it easier for Roy to grab Lian from his shoulders and set her down. She’s so small. The top of her head isn't even at his waist. 

Roy unlocks the door and walks through. Lian runs in after and scurries off to her room with a loud declaration of her need to pee. Jason shuts the door and Roy turns around. 

“You alright?” he murmurs. 

Jason smiles broadly. “I actually am right now.”

“You're crying, dude.” Roy pulls out his phone, opens the camera, turns it front-facing, and holds it up to Jason's face. There are fresh tear tracks on his cheeks. He had no idea he was crying during the walk home.

Jason chuckles and dries his face and eyes with his hands. “Oh. Whoops. They're happy, it's ok.”

“Good then. And you really don’t have to cook dinner if you don’t want. Stouffer's exists.”

“You probably already have the ingredients, plus,” he scoffs, “like I could say no to her?” 

“She’s a terror,” he whispers. 

“She’s perfect,” Jason laughs quietly. 

Roy turns his head and smiles softly in the direction of her room. “Yeah. She is.”

“No wonder you're obsessed.”

“It's horrible, I can't stop.”

Jason laughs. “She got me the instant she giggled. Right then. Game over. She could ask me for a real pet unicorn and I would find one.”

“Do not say that out loud,” Roy hisses.

“Sorry,” he grins.

"Jayjay!" Lian comes running around the corner with a pack of crayons and some blank paper. "Color with me!"

"Absolutely!" he says immediately. 

“Yay!” She runs off to the kitchen. 

Jason gestures in her direction and mouths ‘see?!’

Roy snorts. “You might be worse than me,” he teases.

“Hurry uuuuuuuup!” Lian yells.

Roy lightly shoves him in her direction and he walks quickly to the kitchen. She's sitting down at the kitchen table with papers spread out and crayons dumped in a pile in front of her. 

"Sorry, I'm here, I'm here," he says, sitting in the chair beside her, "I’m not sure what to draw?"

“Me neither!” 

“Hm. I'm gonna draw a………. shark!” Jason decides.

“Ooh! Me too! But mine’ll be best!”

“I don’t doubt it, princess. But mine's gonna be dressed as Robin!”

“Mine’s gonna be Flash!”

“Oh, bring it on.” Jason uses the black crayon to outline the shark. He colors it in green from the tail to right before the dorsal fin. The dorsal and pectoral fins are yellow. He colors it red from where the green stops up to the gills. He outlines an eye and colors it white, and then colors the rest of the shark black from the gills to the snout. It looks utterly ridiculous and he kinda loves it. 

“Tada!” he says, showing her. 

“Wow! But you need an R!”

“Oh, shoot, let me fix that.” He draws and colors a Robin logo in the corner. “That better?”

“Yes! But not as better as mine!” She holds it out proudly to show him and it's… good, for a preschooler. It makes Jason feel like an actual artist in comparison and that is not an easy feat. It’s a solid red, vaguely shark-shaped blob with a yellow scribble over it.

“Ah, yes. The Scarlet Sharkster,” Jason nods approvingly, not missing a beat. Then he sighs pitifully. “The Shark Wonder has been defeated!”

“Noooo, I'll save him!” She jumps into Jason’s lap and picks up his drawing, hugging it to her chest. “I'll keep this forever!” 

Jason wraps an arm around her to keep her from falling off. With his free hand he picks up her drawing. “And I'm keeping this forever!” 

“Oh, my name, gimme!” She slaps Jason’s drawing back down and snatches hers up. She grabs the black crayon and draws… a squiggly line. “There!”

How does he react to this? “Wow, very fancy. Do you want my fancy name?”

“Yeah!” She hands him the black crayon and moves his shark drawing in front of him. He leans forward to quickly sign his name. Which he realizes he hasn't done in three and a half years. “Woah! I wish mine was that cool!”

“It just takes a little practice, but one day yours will be even cooler then mine,” he promises, leaning back in the chair. He hugs her and presses a soft kiss to the top of her head.

She twists around and hugs him back. “You're the coolest ever Jayjay. I gotta pee again!”

Jason laughs and carefully sets her down on her feet. “Ok cutie, go on.”

She giggles and runs off.

“Nice shark,” Roy comments, voice a little rough as he saunters into the kitchen.

“You good?” 

“My four year old was entertained. I took a catnap,” he laughs. He walks to the fridge and opens it. “Ok, what do we need?”

“Milk.”

“Check.”

“A pound of non pre-shredded cheese.”

“Uhh yes? It's a Kraft block? Sixteen ounces.”

“Perfect. Yellow mustard?”

“Weird but yeah.”

“Unless you have dry mustard.”

“What the heck is dry mustard?”

“Take that as a no.”

“Egg.”

“Check.”

“Butter?”

He scoffs. “Of course I have butter."

“Pasta and flour.”

“I have penne? And definitely flour.” 

“Yeah that's fine. That's it.”

“Great!” He pulls out a juice box and closes the fridge. He tears off the straw, pulls it out of the plastic, and stabs it into the foil hole, then sets it on the table in front of Lian’s chair. Hi-C Orange Lavaburst.

Jason smiles sadly at it. “Mama used to get those. Haven't had one in… geez, a decade?” 

The fridge reopens and then Roy says “catch.” 

Jason turns and easily catches the juicebox. He narrows his eyes at his friend. “I am nineteen, Roy.”

“Aaaaand?” he says, pointedly reaching in and grabbing a juice box for himself, undoing the straw, sticking it in, and taking a sip. “This stuff is great.”

Jason grumbles and does the same, then laughs quietly as his eyes water. “It tastes exactly the same.”

Lian runs into the room with a loud gasp. “Juice party? Without me?!”  

Roy points at her spot. “But will you clean up the crayons and paper first please?”

“Sure! Thanks daddy!“ she chirps, running up to the table and putting the crayons back in the box and stacking the papers in a pile, except for the two sharks. “Be right back!” She scurries off and comes back in under a minute, sitting at her spot and picking up her drink.

Roy sits down in the third seat and holds out his juice box. “Cheers.”

Jason chuckles and bumps Roy’s drink with his own, then bumps Lian’s, then Lian bumps Roy’s. 

“Yay!”

Jason asks Lian about pre-k and then some of her favorite things. Some of the things take her several minutes to elaborate on and Jason hangs onto every word because she's too damn precious not to. But it does make the conversation a bit slow moving. The conversation continues as Jason cooks and then all the way through dinner - which she said was ‘the best macky cheese ever!’

Color: pink

Animal: unicorn

Disney Princess: Mulan

Disney Prince: Flynn Rider aka ‘U G Fizzerber’

Disney movie: Tangled

Playground Equipment: swings

Bat: Robin

Flash: Flash III (Wally)

Titan: Kory

YJ that isn't Tim: Cassie

Leaguer: Superman

Show: Sesame Street

Sesame Street Character: Cookie Monster

Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom 

Part of school: nap time

Ice cream flavor: strawberry

Snack: goldfish

Fruit: mango

Word: supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (said perfectly without a hitch)

The conversation continues while Roy and Jason clean up the kitchen from dinner, and Lian watches from her seat. 

“That's an awesome word. Who is your favorite music artist?”

“Taylor Swift!”

Jason grins. “Is that cause of your Uncle TimTam?”

Roy chuckles. “Well he didn't cause it, but he definitely helped. I'm guessing you probably haven't been keeping up with pop culture? She's huge this year. She is literally everywhere. All the time. And she's on a massive, record-breaking tour.”

“Tim hasn't really mentioned her. He sang one of her new songs when he was… uh… giving me some bandaids for a boo-boo.” Jason figures ‘stopping me from literally bleeding to death’ is a bit graphic for a four year old.

Roy snorts. “Understatement,” he mutters under his breath when he's looking away from Lian.

Jason laughs quietly. “Actually that reminds me - so I listened to the whole song-”

"Which one?" Lian pipes up. 

“Hey, honey? Remember what I said about interrupting?” Roy says gently.

Her cheeks turn pink. “Oh, right. Sorry Jayjay!“

“Thank her for apologizing,” Roy whispers.

“Thank you for apologizing, Lian,” Jason chuckles.

“You're welcome! What song?”

“Uh… Hero?” Is he allowed to say Anti Hero?

Lian giggles. “You're being silly! It’s Anti-Hero, Jayjay.”

“Oh, gosh. My bad, thanks. So I was listening on YouTube, and I read some comments and I'm confused. Is she making a TV show of her albums or something? And 1989 TV is next month?”

Roy bursts out laughing and Lian giggles.

“I don't know anything, it's not my fault!” Jason whines.

Roy calms down quickly, but he's still grinning. “Sorry. That was kinda mean.”

“Yeah, you big meany,” Jason smiles. 

“There was a whole thing with like, copyright or something and she's re-recording her albums so she can own them. Tim would know the details. Anyway, she adds ‘Taylor’s Version’ on the albums so I'm almost certain that's what they meant.”

“Oh, yeah that makes sense.” And then it hits him and he grins. “Oh. Roy do you mind finishing up?” Jason asks, since that's literally just putting two pots away. “Need to make a call.”

“No problem,” Roy says. 

“Thanks.” Jason stands and quickly walks to the living room, Lian bounding along behind him and then dramatically throwing herself onto the sofa. He laughs quietly as he pulls out his phone and calls his brother, just standing in the middle of the room like a weirdo. It's answered immediately.

“Everything alright?” Dick asks, sounding worried.

“Yeah! No, it's good. I'll tell you more later. I had a question about Tim.”

“Uh, ok. I'll answer if it's not personal.”

“Do you know if Tim ordered the Taylor Swift 1989 re-record?”

Dick sighs. “Doubt it. He doesn't think to buy stuff for himself anymore - I mean, apart from after his parents died. He's too busy, apparently. Why?”

“Can you order it for me? I, uh. I don't have a credit card,” he admits. “I'll pay you back.”

“Yes - or I'll try anyway, might be sold out - and nah you don't have to.”

“Dick, I want to pay you back. I want to buy it.”

“Sure, no problem. It does come out a few days after his birthday.”

“Yeah, that's fine. I'll just, like… print the album cover or something for it.” 

“He’ll probably think that's the actual gift, like Disneyland,” Dick laughs.

Jason throws his head back and laughs. “He was so disappointed with the maps!”

“I know! Maybe preface it by telling him it's not the gift.”

“Yeah, good plan.”

“This is really sweet, Little Wing,” Dick says, and you can hear the smile.

“He deserves so much more than a darn album.”

“You could literally just be there with nothing and it would be his favorite gift.”

Jason huffs and blushes. “Probably.”

"Definitely. Anyway, I'll let you- oh!"

“Mm?” 

“Bruce individually apologized to me and Tim for what he said about you. We were both appreciative but told him we're gonna be pissed for awhile, but he did apologize. He doesn't think you belong in Arkham or Blackgate or that you're evil and horrible and a scourge to the city. I mean, you're the one that needs the apology, but. It's a start. It's not as bad as you thought, I promise. I thought you deserved to know.”

“O-oh,” Jason says, voice wobbling and eyes burning. Lian’s eyes widen and she runs out of the room. Weird. “That's… thanks for telling me. S-still not ready for him to know, though.”

“I know. But if you ever are-”

“I know,” he says softly. “Thanks. I gotta go, bedtime soon.” He assumes, anyway. What time do four year olds go to bed?

“Have you seen her room yet?” Dick asks with an audible grin.

“Uh, no? Why?”

“No reason,” Dick says innocently.

“That's not even remotely believable.”

Dick laughs. “Yeah, I know. I love you, Little Wing.”

“I love you too, Dickie. See ya.”

“Bye.”

Jason sighs and pockets his phone, wipes his eyes, and turns back toward the kitchen. He pauses when he sees Roy holding out a plastic, hot pink unicorn bowl with a scoop of ice cream and a spoon in it.

“Uh.”

Roy smiles softly. “She said something made you sad and insisted that strawberry ice cream would cheer you up, especially in the ‘Cheer Up bowl.’ It's ok if you don't want it.”

“This is… exactly what I needed,” he grins, then mouths ‘later’ as he takes the bowl from him and starts eating. Roy nods. 

“Just so you know, this is her very special bowl for when she has a bad day. No one else has ever been allowed to use it, and it always works. So ‘Jayjay needs it.’”

“That is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard?” Jason says, taking a bite. 

“She’s like that. Just out of the blue, bam, syrupy sweet.”

“Where is she?” Jason asks curiously. 

“Kitchen. She's a little embarrassed,” he chuckles.

Jason nods and keeps eating. It's not very much so it doesn't take long to finish it. Roy holds out his hand to take the bowl and Jason hands it to him then follows him into the kitchen.

“Did it work?!” Lian yells when she sees him.

Jason grins and crouches beside Lian, giving her a hug. “Of course it did, princess. Thank you for letting me use the Cheer Up bowl. I'm all better.”

“Yay!” she crows. He laughs quietly as he lets her go and stands back up. 

Roy swoops in and snatches her up, blowing a raspberry on her cheek. A shrieking laugh escapes and she kicks her feet and tries to break out of the hug but doesn't succeed.

“Sorry sweetheart,” Roy laughs, “but it's bathtime.” 

“Aw…” she frowns, “fiiiiiine.” She goes boneless in his arms and flops against him. 

“Uh. Is… she ok?“

Roy nods with a fond eyeroll. “Oh no… so… heavy,” he gasps, slumping forward. “I don't think… I can… hold on… guess I'll… have to drop her.” His arms shake. 

A tiny giggle slips out of Lian.

“Oh no, what's happening… now… she’s so light!” Roy suddenly jerks back and launches her into the air, then smoothly catches her in a cradle hold.

“You caught me!” She doesn't actually sound surprised.

“I will always catch you, honey,” he grins, “now come on. I'm sure Jayjay will come say goodnight when we finish.” Roy turns his head to look at Jason. “Feel free to chill. It'll be about thirty minutes.”

“Ok.”

“Bye Jayjay!“

“Bye Lian,” Jason laughs.

Roy carries her off and Jason heads back upstairs to take a breather. He closes the bedroom door, walks to the bed, and flops onto his back. He is exhausted. He was already tired before Lian, but after? He wants to go to sleep. 

She is an absolute joy to be around. She's sweet and funny and smart and ridiculously adorable but she’s also… a lot. He's not used to having to be that happy for that long. Which admittedly sounds super sad but it's true. At least when there's not a kid around he can let his emotions fluctuate a little.

He sits up with a groan, checks his phone and sees nothing, and then stands and heads to the bathroom, taking care of things and doing everything else he needs to before bed.

A couple minutes after he's back in the bedroom, his phone buzzes. He grabs it and checks it.

Roy: Thou hath been summoned

Jason grins at his phone and replies that he’ll be right there. He leaves his phone and trots downstairs, quickly finding her room with the door wide open. He knocks on the wall and walks in, and it is so stereotypically girly. There is so much pink. Like, full-on Barbie’s dreamhouse. Lian, in pink pajamas, is looking through a small pile of four books while sitting on top of her bed, her dad beside her. They both look up when he enters. 

“Jayjay!” she yells happily

“Princess!” he yells back just as happily, walking up to the bed and sitting down on the edge.

Roy laughs quietly. 

Jason glances at her bedside table and sure enough, there's the photo of him holding baby Lian in his arms. “Gosh you were so tiny,” he murmurs fondly. 

Lian giggles again. “Now I'm a big girl!”

“Still just as cute though,” he winks at her.

Another giggle. “Thanks Jayjay. Will you read me a bedtime story?!”

“Of course I will! Which one?” He looks at the small stack. 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Goodnight Moon

Corduroy

“What about this one, honey?” Roy suggests, pointing at Goodnight Moon. “You've never had it read before.”

“Oh yeah! Good idea!” She holds out the book to Jason who takes it from her.

“I remember this one,” he smiles. “Ok, where should I sit?”

Roy and Lian simultaneously point at a recliner in the corner of the room. Jason shrugs and walks over to it, sitting down. Lian scrambles over and hops into his lap. Jason chuckles and pecks the top of her head. She turns sideways and curls up against him, resting her head on his chest. He wraps his right arm around her, and holds the book in his left. He's able to open it with the right hand. 

“Ok daddy, you can leave!“ she says cheerfully. 

Jason bites his lip to avoid laughing, while Roy pretends to scratch his nose to cover his grin. “Ooook I'll go do some laundry then,” he says, turning and exiting the room.

“Ok Jayjay!”

“Alright, let’s do this thing. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, pictures by Clement Hurd.”

“Yay.”

He turns the page and begins to read.

“In the great green room,” he says, reading slowly, hoping to make her sleepy.

“There was a telephone

And a red balloon

And a picture of-

Page Turn

The cow jumping over the moon

And three little bears sitting in chairs

Page Turn

and two little kittens

and a pair of mittens

and a little toyhouse

and a young mouse

Page Turn

and a comb and a brush

and a bowl full of mush

and a quiet old lady who was whispering ‘hush.’

Page Turn

Goodnight room

Goodnight moon-”

He continues reading through the book, and he can feel her energy dwindling as he does.

“Goodnight noises everywhere,” he finishes.

Lian yawns, which makes him yawn.

“Thanks,” Lian murmurs. “Again?”

Oh god damn it let him sleep. 

“Of course,” he says - obviously.

“In the great green room

There was a telephone

And a red balloon”

He continues on. 

“Goodnight… lights,” he whispers, mentally fighting with his eyelids. He's pretty sure she's asleep based on her breathing, but he's gotta finish it. Right?

“and the… red… balloon……

Good…… night……. be-”

Roy actually does need to put some laundry in, so that's exactly what he does while Jason reads to Lian - which is ridiculously adorable and yes he left his phone just out of sight with the voice recorder running. 

Jason’s gonna be such a good dad someday - if that's something he wants for himself - and if he's not a single father, he's definitely gonna be the parent that tells the kid to go ask the other parent for permission for whatever they want because he would just always say yes. He subconsciously visualizes an older Tim as that other parent, and oh god that’s a cute picture. 

After Jason's story earlier today - not to mention the video - it sounds like they're just as into each other as before. Or heck, maybe more. They'd be great together and Roy grins at the idea. Also he's definitely gonna make a bet with Dick about it. 

But can the universe just let life be good to Jason for once. He meant what he said earlier, the guy deserves the world. He's achingly caring about the people he protects as Red Hood. Under all the kevlar and helmet and guns, Jason is soft.

Tim deserves the world too, honestly. He works way too hard and he still goes out to help people. And the kid is good. Like, prodigiously good at being Robin. Jason said he even held out against him for a minute or two and he's as trained as Batman now, maybe more, and had a rage-induced strength boost. And Tim is such a good counter to Jason’s darker side, whether the two of them realize that or not. They would just… work.

Roy shuts the door on the washing machine and presses the start button with a quiet sigh. There’s a long way to go for both of them. 

He heads back to Lian’s room and it is... far too quiet. He silently walks inside and oh. That is stupid cute. They're both asleep. Goodnight Moon is half closed, his left hand (barely) holding it is resting on his thigh. His right arm is loosely wrapped around Lian, slumped against him, her head just below his chest. He quietly grabs his phone, ends the recording, and opens the camera to take pictures, because this is far too adorable not to.

After taking way more photos than necessary, he pockets his phone then walks to Lian’s bed, picking up the three books and putting them on the little bookshelf before going back and pulling down the sheets for her. 

He hesitates on waking Jason or moving Lian. He doesn’t wanna risk a freakout from Jason. He would be beside himself if he scared Lian.

“Jaybird,” he says softly, giving the book a gentle tap.

His eyes snap open with a swirl of glowing green. Huh. So that’s what he was talking about. Interesting. It vanishes the instant he sees Roy and then his expression turns guilty.

“You’re fine,” Roy whispers, taking the book from him and setting it on the table, “didn't do anything wrong.”

Jason nods and looks down, guilt replaced with affection. He moves his left arm under her legs and slowly rises to his feet, then carries her over to her bed and gently lays her down before removing his arms. 

He pulls the sheet, then pauses and gives Roy a questioning look. Roy holds his hand horizontal right at the top of his chest. Jason nods and pulls the sheet to the same spot on her, then crouches down to press a soft kiss to the top of her head and whisper a quiet “goodnight, princess. I love you.”

He stands and walks back to Roy, who feels like something is missing. Oh, crap he forgot the plushie. But where is he? He walks up to his daughter’s bed and crouches to look under it. Sometimes he ends up here. Yep, there he is. He picks him up, wipes any dust off with his hand, and carefully slips him under the sheets, nestling him against her side. She instinctively curls her arm around the black panther plushie and Jason's breath hitches when he sees it, and he hears him carefully leave the room.

Roy kisses his daughter’s forehead. “I love you so much, baby girl.” He brushes a hand through her hair before standing and leaving the room, closing the door. Jason is waiting in the hallway, wiping his eyes. 

“Tim gave him to her when she turned three,” Roy explains, walking quietly down the hall and away from her room. “Said you had one too.”

Jason smiles wetly. “Yeah, Bagheera. What's its name?”

Roy grins at him. “Todd.”

Jason makes a choked sound and covers his mouth. “Oh my god,” he rasps, voice muffled.

“I told you. You've always been part of her life, Jason,” Roy says, hugging him.

“That's so… so sweet,” he murmurs. “What the heck, I'm crying over a panther plushie. Again. Geez.”

Roy laughs quietly and lets go of him. “Again?” he asks.

“Tim kept Bagheera and gave him back to me last month.”

“That's also really sweet.”

Jason nods and wipes his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Uh, so what happened on the phone?”

“Apparently B apologized to Dick and Tim and he doesn't think I'm evil and horrible or that I belong in prison and it might actually not be as terrible as I thought.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yeah it just… freaks me out, I guess. Anyway. I'm going to sleep. She is adorable. I actually kinda forget everything terrible and had… fun?”

“Oh, anything but that.”

“Yeah yeah. Goodnight, Roy.”

“Night Jaybird.” 

A quick hug and then Jason heads back upstairs and Roy pulls out his phone as he walks to his bedroom and sits on the edge of his bed. Tim's gonna die.

Roy: You should probably sit down before looking at these. Or at least have someone nearby to catch you if you swoon.

Roy: *’Jayjay’ album shared*

Tim looks around to make sure Bruce isn't in the cave, and then walks to the training mats to sit down and taps the link to the album. 

“Geez,” he mutters. There's tons. He taps the first one, a video.

-you last let your heart decide?” Jason sings to Lian who's sitting on his shoulders, grinning with her arms crossed and resting on the top of his head. The angle is from slightly to the left and behind him, eyes not visible because of it.

A grin bursts onto Tim’s face. This is adorable.

“You sing?” Lian gasps. Jason continues singing, and then he's jumping and sliding and ducking with the words. Lian joins in at the Jasmine part.

When he finishes the song, she claps excitedly. “Another! Another!”

“Jukebox Jason, at your service.”

Tim laughs quietly. 

“What would you like to hear, your royal highness?”

She giggles again and then thinks. “Ummmm… Let it Go!”

Jason starts at the bridge, and when he hits the chorus he and Lian belt it, and at the end they scream the final ‘on.’

“Wow, you actually hit that? I’m impressed, Jay,” Roy laughs.

“The cold never bothered me anyway!”

“Ooh, Encanto!”

“I’m sorry, princess. I haven’t seen that one yet.”

“That’s ok Jayjay! Surprise song!”

“Of course, your majesty,” Jason says, looking like he's taking a second to think of one. Then he grins and begins. “Tell everybody I’m on my way-

Tim's grin softens considerably and his eyes water. They sang that in the car on the way to Disneyland. And it was also one of the last movies they ever watched together. And the words fit the situation really well. He hopes to god that there are indeed blue skies ahead for Jason.

“I watched this with Uncle Timtam!”

Jason's voice cracks.

Tim can tell it’s a disguised laugh about the name. 

Jason keeps singing the song until the end of the chorus.

“That’s… appropriate,” Roy mutters behind the camera. 

“You sing pretty!” Lian exclaims.

“Not as pretty as you!”

The video ends and Tim feels so light after watching it. And also hopeful for Jason’s future. He’s still got that soft, emotional side to him. And yeah Tim’s seen that side personally a few times since he returned, but never for an extended period of time. And never quite that soft. 

Tim flicks through more photos and videos. 

A photo of Lian and Jason talking to each other at the kitchen table, papers and crayons spread out in front of them, nothing drawn yet. 

A poorly taken and rushed photo of Jason and Lian bumping their juiceboxes together but still very cute.

A handful of videos of Jason and Lian discussing their favorite things, mostly Lian on a long-winded, usually unrelated rant and Jason giving her his undivided attention, except while cooking where sometimes his attention is on the stove, but she either doesn't notice or doesn't care. 

A photo of Jason dramatically handing Lian a bowl of Mac and cheese, down on one knee and holding it out like it's an offering to the gods or something and Lian’s grin is massive.

And the next photo makes Tim actually squeak at how cute it is. They're both asleep in the recliner in her room, and Lian is snuggled up against him and he's holding a book. They fell asleep reading a bedtime story. Jason read a bedtime story. Tim zooms in on Jason’s face. There’s the faintest hint of a smile, but the rest of his face is neutral. He zooms back out. Lian’s entire body is limp. She's out out. This is one of the cutest things Tim has ever seen.

Quick scenes of Jason being a dad flick through Tim’s mind and oh, bad idea because now he can't get the idea of raising a family with Jason out of his mind. Which one of them would the kid(s) call daddy? Oh god, no not imagining a little toddler happily screaming daddy and running into Jason’s arms when he gets home, definitely not imagining that. And Jason picking them up and spinning around with them, making them giggle and kick in glee, nope.

Oh Tim’s so screwed.

Dick trots down the stairs to the Batcave and finds Tim sitting on the training mats and staring at his phone with the stupidest grin and softest eyes and it can only be Jason that he's looking at with that kind of face. Dick yanks out his phone and takes a photo before Tim realizes that he's there, then continues walking over to him as he slips it back in his pocket. 

“Whatcha looking at, Winglet?”

“Daddy Jason,” Tim mutters distractedly.

“Um…?” Dick laughs quietly.

“Oh god not like that!” Tim blushes and throws Dick his phone and oh, now it makes sense.

It's Jason and Lian asleep in the recliner, with a book in Jason’s hand.

“Oh, shit that's cute.” Dick actually giggles.

“Go to the beginning.”

Dick goes back to the first item and presses play.

“-you last let your heart decide?” Jason sings to Lian who's sitting on his shoulders, grinning with her arms crossed and resting on the top of his head.

“Oh my god. This is adorable. This is precious, oh my god I want all of these. He's gonna be the best dad.”

“Do, uh… do you think I'd be an ok dad?” Tim asks quietly. 

Dick pauses the video and sets the phone down. “You would be more than just ‘ok.’ You'd be a great one too. But you're still young as hell. Though I can see why you're thinking about it,” he chuckles, making his baby brother blush again.

He picks up the phone and continues the video, then goes through the entire album. He can't stop grinning by the end. It's too cute. He knew Jason was a total softie and complete pushover for little kids, but wow. And granted it's not any little kid, it's Jason’s goddaughter, but still. Oh, he can’t wait to see Lian and Jason interact in person because surely it can’t get cuter than this, right?

Chapter Text

When Jason wakes up in the morning, around 8:30 am, he throws the clothes from Roy back on, uses the bathroom, and then heads downstairs and into the kitchen.

“Mornin’ Jaybird,” Roy smiles at him from behind a mug of coffee.

“Mm, hey,” Jason says with a tired yawn, grabbing a mug and using the Keurig for hot water instead of the kettle this time. While the water runs, he grabs a tea bag from above the stove then plops it into the mug and carries it to the table, sitting beside Roy.

“Sleep good?” Roy chuckles.

Jason nods. “That bed is comfy. And I was exhausted. I haven't slept that well in… years?”

“Yeah, she’ll make you sleep,” he grins.

"How do you do it?" 

Roy sighs. “I'll be honest, it's hard. If I didn’t have Ollie and Dinah, the Titans, the League supporting me, I would've failed years ago. I, uh… definitely wouldn't’ve survived losing you and being a dad without them.”

“I'm sorry.”

Roy waves it off. “Don't get me wrong, there is nothing I love more than being a dad. She's everything to me. But… if it was ten years ago and I was imagining where I'd be today, this would not be it. But I wouldn't trade it for the world.”

“That sounds fair,” Jason shrugs. “This isn't where I thought I'd be either,” he jokes.

Roy snorts. “Yeah, bet not.”

“So, I'm uh… gonna head back to Gotham today.”

“Ok,” Roy nods, “when?“

“After breakfast, probably. Does she like pancakes?”

“She does, but you really don't have to cook - or, like, you could at least use Bisquick. She will not care,” Roy assures him.

And he was absolutely right. She didn't care a bit. They were the best pancakes she's ever had, apparently. After cleaning up from breakfast, Jason crouches by Lian’s chair. “Princess, there's something I gotta tell ya.”

“Ok Jayjay!“ she grins, and it breaks his heart a little. He really hopes he doesn't make her cry.

“I'm going back home today.”

“Oh,” she frowns, lower lip wobbling. “Why?” Oh god, make it stop.

“I… gotta get back to my prince, sweetheart. I miss him.” Which actually is true, he realizes. Well, Tim isn't his because he isn't an object. Nor is he actually a prince.

Lian grins at him and giggles. “Timtam’s your prince, too?”

“Absolutely,” Jason laughs softly.

“It's not forever, is it?”

“No no no, of course not. They couldn't keep me from you if they tried.”

“Good! And you can't leave without a dance party!”

“Honey, he’s probably got errands to run…” Roy says, giving Jason an out. Lian frowns.

“I suppose I could do one song,” Jason says, rising from his crouch.

“YES!” She cheers, jumping from her seat, grabbing Jason’s hand, and running them into the living room. “Daddy, play 'Happy'!”

“Did you forget something?” Roy says softly from the doorway, phone in hand.

Lian frowns for a second and gets a thinking face. “Oh yeah- please!” She smiles. 

Roy grins at her. “I’d be… happy… to.”

Lian giggles while Jason groans. “Was wondering when the dad jokes were gonna appear.”

“It was funny,” he grumbles, tapping his phone a few times to play the song on the WayneTech smart speaker. The music starts and Lian immediately starts jumping around and dancing. 

“It might seem crazy what I'm bout to say!” she yells happily. 

Jason laughs, and sings and dances along with her. “Sunshine she's here, you can take a break!” He lets himself be silly and doesn't have a care in the world. 

Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do 

Come on

The song ends and Jason gives Lian a high-five. She's a little flushed from exertion and breathing a tad quicker than normal. “Great choice, Lian.”

"I'm happy!"

God, Jason really doesn't wanna leave. It's so much calmer in Seattle than it could ever be in Gotham. But it's still home there.

“Am I free to go, your majesty?”

“I guess,” Lian sighs pitifully, bottom lip stuck out in a little pout.

Jason lowers himself to his knees to talk to her at her level. “I've had more fun with you the past day than I've had at all since coming back.” He's actually being completely honest.

She gasps in awe. “Even Timtam?”

Jason nods. “Even him.” (Especially him, considering that he’s sobbed every single time that he's seen him - or anyone, actually.)

“Wow!”

“So thank you, princess,” Jason smiles and opens his arms. Lian jumps forward to hug him, and he returns it immediately. He wraps his arms tightly around her and kisses the top of her head. “I love you, Lian,” he murmurs.

“I love you too Jayjay!”

“I'll be back before you know it.”

She nods and there's definitely a tiny sniffle accompanying it, which Jason hates to have been the cause of. 

“When you miss me, hug Todd extra tight, ok?” 

“Yeah,” she whispers, letting her arms fall away. 

Jason releases her, gives her an extra forehead peck, and rises to his feet. Her eyes are shining with tears and her lower lip is wobbling again and Jason is a horrible person.

“Bye sweetie.”

“Bye,” she squeaks.

“Sweetheart, can you please go play in your room for a few minutes? Jay and I have to talk about boring adult stuff.”

“Ok,” she nods, walking slowly off to her room. She hiccups and Jason feels terrible.

Jason and Roy head downstairs and Jason starts crying quietly. “How do you stand it when she cries? I feel horrible.”

“Jay, she's barely even four. It doesn't take much. One time she cried because I cut her sandwich into squares instead of triangles,” Roy says. 

Jason laughs wetly. “Bet you never did that again.”

“Absolutely not,” he agrees, “I called Dinah like ‘Lian hates me!’ Ugly crying and everything. She basically told me to chill. It worked. Point is, she’ll be fine… after crying a little.”

“I really didn't wanna make her cry…”

“It's really ok, I swear,” Roy says as they enter the Arrowcave. 

Jason brought his stuff down here just before he started cooking breakfast, so it's all ready for him to change back into. He sighs when he looks at it. “Can I just move in and we can co-parent?”

Roy laughs. “Jason, don’t think for a single solitary second-”

Well that hurts.

“-that I would not absolutely accept that.“

Oh.

“But I think we both know you care far too much to leave behind the people Red Hood protects,” Roy smiles.

“Gotham’s home,” Jason shrugs, “for worse or for… well, worser.”

“I get it.”

“Thank you, for everything. I didn't realize how much I needed this break. I'm really happy you're doing so well, and Lian is precious. Thanks for still caring, especially after all I've done,” Jason whispers, voice tightening.

“Come here kid,” Roy murmurs, pulling him into a hug. “I'll always care about you. You're… you're my little brother, Jason. And my daughter’s godparent. There isn't anything you could do to make me stop caring. Not a thing,” he swears.

“Ok,” Jason sighs, “thanks.”

“I love you a lot, Jay.”

“I love you too, Roy.” Jason gives him an extra tight squeeze before letting go. He grabs his stuff and heads to the showers area to change into everything, then walks back out as the Red Hood - mask on, helmet in one hand and the borrowed clothes from Roy in the other, which he sets on one of the tables.

When he hears him, Roy turns from where he was typing on the computer. “I, uh. Updated your status. Don't worry, only I can see it. By the way, I have a Zeta here.” He points at it. It's basically just a little alcove instead of the massive tube in the Batcave or Titans Tower.

“Oh, sweet. That's easy.”

“I feel like your chest needs… something.”

“Tim said I should have two red crossed handguns right in the center.”

Roy laughs. “That's not completely terrible.”

“But absolutely not. I'll think of something… eventually. Maybe.”

“Well you do look pretty cool, not gonna lie.”

“Thanks,” Red Hood snorts as he walks to the safe and grabs his guns out of it. He double checks the chambers and safeties before holstering them and returning to Roy.

“Be safe. Please call me if you ever need anything. Or if you just wanna talk to Lian. And if you decide to tell Bruce I will be happy to come support you, ok?”

Red Hood nods. “I will. Thanks.”

“Bye kid.”

“Bye old man,” Red Hood replies, pulling his helmet over his head and sealing it. He gives him a mock salute before turning and heading for the Zeta, setting it for downtown Gotham, texting Tim that he's about to use it and getting an almost immediate thumbs up, and then walking through.

Recognized: Robin

Ugh. Home sweet smoggy, polluted, deadly home. It's weird being out as Red Hood in the middle of the afternoon, but he still surreptitiously makes his way back to his safehouse.

"Hood!” Nightwing calls happily as he lands on the roof beside him.

“You know, I do have a reputation to maintain,” he mutters. Under the helmet, he's grinning at the sight of his big brother.

“Yes yes the big mean Red Hood, who is way too cool for a hug from a Bat,” Nightwing teases, walking up to him and hugging him. “I missed you.”

Red Hood sighs in acceptance and hugs him back. “Me too. How were things?”

“Robin took the Bowery and I took Crime Alley. Nothing happened. A couple unsuccessful muggings. Nothing else. I gotta give it to ya, your way is effective,” Nightwing admits, letting him go.

“Bet Batman disagrees,” Red Hood growls.

“True,” Nightwing admits, “but fuck that guy. Anyway, how was it?”

“She is so sweet. She screamed ‘Jayjay’ and ran into my arms and I cried. I love her. Just, ugh, she's perfect, I adore her.”

“Roy sent us a bunch of videos. Started with you singing. You're so cute together. Like stupid cute. Tim couldn't stop smiling.”

“Yeah?” Red Hood chuckles.

“Yeah.”

“What are you doing this week?”

Nightwing gasps in joy and a grin explodes onto his face. “Oh my god, oh my god are you saying what I think you're saying?!“

“Oh calm down. Maybe I wanna know your schedule just for fun.”

“Nahhhhhh, you liar. Say it.”

“I refuse.”

“Say it say it say it!” Nightwing is literally jumping up and down with happiness, ugh.

“No.”

“Pleeeeease?”

“Oh my god,” Red Hood mutters.

“I'm not leaving you alone until you say it.”

Red Hood sighs. “I want to hang out with my big brother.”

Nightwing attaches to him like a god damn magnet and shakes him, cackling gleefully like an absolute maniac. “I would love to!”

“Yeah, I was super worried you wouldn't,” he deadpans. 

Nightwing inhales sharply and sets him down, backing away. “R-really?”

“No! There is nothing I am worried about less!”

“Oh thank god.”

“Seriously?”

“I didn't know!”

“Schedule, chop chop.”

“Uh I could do a Sunday or Tuesday. That's… actually it for the next week.”

“What's happening on Saturday?”

“Ugh, annual gala. At the Ritz this year.”

“Gross. But, uh… I won't be upset if you smuggle me a brownie.”

“Yeah I can do that,” Nightwing laughs.

“Is it everyone?”

Nightwing nods. “Wally too.”

“Oh, good. Wouldn't want that heir and scion tryst to pick up again.”

Nightwing laughs brighly. “We were dying reading it together. Like, tears-streaming-down-our-face laughing. Hardest I had laughed in a while.” Then he frowns. “But while it happened? It was horrible. He was sobbing in my arms and I had no idea what had triggered it. He told me afterwards. Said you two sang it the night before you left.”

“Never should've…”

“Well that seems obvious now, but you were hurting,” Nightwing says gently.

“I should've known better.”

“You were just a kid.”

“I guess... Anyway. How about Sunday at 6?“

“Sure. Watcha wanna do?”

“Honestly? Just eat and talk.”

“Sounds awesome. Guess I'll let you get back to work. Bye Little Wing. I love you.”

Red Hood gives him a quick hug. “I love you too, Dickie.”

Bruce - or Brucie, rather - watches his son dance happily with Wally and Tim at the latest Wayne Foundation gala at the Ritz-Carlton in Gotham Heights. The joy on Dick’s face is, frankly, disproportionate. Of course he wants his son to be happy but it’s almost suspicious; he hasn’t been this happy since before Jason died. 

Bruce sighs. How has it been three and a half years already? Three and a half years without his boy. Longer without him than with him. His eyes burn for a second but he forces back the tears. Jason would want him to be happy again. And Bruce is, most of the time. But god, not like Dick. He’s noticed the change in Nightwing for the past ten days or so. Even more flips and quips. Dick himself hasn’t been around the manor (at least while Bruce is there) in awhile - since that time Tim came home singing - but they’ve talked on the phone a couple times. Even then it was noticeable.

So what happened? It’s driving him nuts. At first he thought Dick surprising him for lunch was maybe just a fluke, and he was just having a great day. After Dick’s bone-chilling fury a few days ago at Batman’s response to Red Hood, who subsequently disappeared for a couple days, Nightwing lost some of that recent exuberance. Bruce figured he was still pissed at him. He thought that was the end of this sudden massive increase in happiness. But when Red Hood returned, so did Dick’s joy.

And it's not just Dick, it's Tim, too. But Tim’s been extra happy for months. Since he met Red Hood, AKA was almost killed by him. But now Robin is apparently communicating with Red Hood, and has forgiven him. Which isn't particularly odd, Tim is far too forgiving, always has been. But Dick? He will hold a grudge forever if it involves someone hurting his family (which Tim is absolutely a part of), and even he has forgiven Red Hood. In fact, he and Tim looked thrilled when Red Hood showed up at Arkham. Robin was even showing off when the four of them were fighting in Arkham’s courtyard.

So Red Hood seems to be the common denominator in his kids’ extra happiness, which can only mean that they know who he is. But they're not telling Bruce, presumably at Red Hood’s request. Dick said Red Hood was an amazing person and that he loved him, and then said he was sorry that he couldn't tell Bruce. And Tim confirmed earlier that he wasn't at liberty to discuss it. And it appears that Tim has known for months while Dick has only known for days. Meaning Tim didn't even tell Dick. 

Bruce is baffled. He can't think of anyone alive with Red Hood’s skill set that would make Dick and Tim act like this. That would make Tim keep something from Dick, unless he would lose it if he found out too early.

Bruce pales. Are Tim and Red Hood together? Because that cannot be good for Tim’s mental health. 

Or… or maybe Tim being nearly killed made him value his life more? Maybe he went on antidepressants and was worried that Dick would be judgemental - which is ridiculous. But maybe Dick found out and decided to try them after seeing how it affected Tim? Except Dick’s joy was overnight. That's not how they work. Unless he had some sudden breakthrough with Dinah? But that's not usually how that works either. Not that Dick has ever been 'usual.'

Wally said he didn't know anything, but maybe he’s since figured it out? He knows Dick better than anyone. The next time Wally is facing in his direction- only a few seconds later - Bruce gestures for him to come over. Wally’s brow furrows and he excuses himself from the boys who just shrug and keep dancing. 

Wally walks up to him quickly, with a bemused smile and slightly nervous body language. “Um, yes sir?”

“Is Dick on antidepressants?” Straight to the point.

Wally raises an eyebrow. “...you don't seriously think I'd tell you if he hadn't, right? Not that he would hide that from you. But no, he's not. Why? Is he ok? Did something happen? Did he say something that scared you?”

“No.” Bruce gestures at Dick.

Wally chuckles. “Because he’s so happy?” 

“Yes. I know that's not how they work, usually. But something happened.”

“I don’t know either, he won’t tell me yet,” Wally admits, “but I trust him. And I love seeing him like this. He hasn’t even frowned a single time in ten days. Though he stayed with Tim the other night which was atypical but not unheard of.”

“Surely you’re curious?” 

“Well yeah, but it’s his choice to tell me. Look Bruce, I care about you and respect you, but I refuse to play middleman between you and your son.”

Bruce smiles. “I can absolutely respect that. Sorry. Thank you, for having his back.”

Wally glances over at Dick and smiles softly. There's so much love in his gaze and Bruce couldn't be happier that someone looks at his son like that. “Always. I love him,” he murmurs. 

“For the record, you absolutely have my blessing.”

Wally blushes. “Th-thanks. Not sure we're quite there yet. You might change your mind.”

“If you do something to my son that makes me change my mind, my blessing will be the least of your problems,” he laughs good-naturedly. (He has zero anticipation of that actually happening.)

Wally laughs nervously and takes a small step away from him. “Y-yeah, I know. Um. Is. Is that-”

The doors burst open and three gunshots echo through the room, causing the crowd to scream and try to flee. Another shot stops them. Five armed men in ski masks are in the room. Four have automatic rifles and black masks. The one in the center has a dark blue mask and a revolver. He must be the leader. 

Godammit, it had been a really nice gala so far.

“MUSIC OFF! EVERYONE DOWN ON THE GROUND! JEWELRY AND WATCHES OFF! WALLETS OUT, PHONES OUT!”

“Oh for fuck’s-” Wally mutters, “Can I-”

“The compromise risk is too high,” Bruce whispers, “just do what they say. I’ll think of something.” They both sit down where they’re standing. Bruce unclips his father’s old Rolex from his wrist and hopes to god he gets it back by the end of the night. He’d happily write these goons a check for the value of it if he can just keep it.

Across the room he notices Tim and Dick rapidly press the lock button on their phones three times in nearly eerie synchronicity. Emergency alerts. But to whom? Any of the heroes would be too suspicious to just suddenly show up in Gotham to save some random rich people. Unless… but surely they wouldn't have told Red Hood their identities, right? It's probably just Babs, to call the police.

They sit down right beside each other and pull off their watches and cufflinks, then pull out their wallets. ‘Richie’ hugs his knees to his chest and starts crying. It makes Bruce’s heart twinge painfully even though he knows it's all for show. ‘Timothy’ mindlessly rubs his back up and down, staring blankly ahead. Sometimes they're alarmingly good at acting traumatized. 

A goon walks up to Bruce and Wally, holding out a bag. They both sigh and drop in their wallets, phones, watches, and Bruce adds his cufflinks - also his dad’s. Across the room Dick and Tim are doing the same. And then ‘Richie’ mouths off, god dammit. Bruce is too far to hear him but he can easily read the ‘fuck you, asshole’ on his lips. 

Wally inhales sharply when Dick gets punched in the face and yelps loudly in pain. Even from here, Bruce can see Tim hands clench into white-knuckled fists to avoid jumping up and beating the hell out of the guy. Instead Timothy dramatically cries out in horror and pulls Richie closer. He hides his face in Tim’s shoulder, bodily trembling with pained tears - in reality, he's definitely hiding laughter. Tim drops his head and his shoulders start shaking - also laughing.

“At least they're having fun,” Wally mutters. 

“Mm,” Bruce smirks.

The goons continue circling the room and collecting their loot as ‘Blue,’ the leader, watches with a sneer on his face. 

All of a sudden, the lights go out and the room is plunged into darkness. Bruce faintly hears a grappling hook and then hears the sound of a brutally efficient takedown and then a body hitting the floor - either dead or unconscious.

Several seconds later, another grapple, takedown, and body smacking into the marble floor.

Then a third time. A fourth time.

Another several seconds pass and the lights come back on. Bruce is begrudgingly impressed. 

“Holy shit,” Wally whispers.

The four goons that had been in black masks have their wrists zip tied and are slumped against the wall, unconscious with their masks removed. Their rifles are all field stripped and in a small pile of parts.

“What the fuck?!” Blue yells. 

Then an electronic laugh breaks out and it sounds like it came straight from the depths of hell. Wally shudders. A couple guests faint. Dick and Tim grin. 

The sound stops and Red Hood flies down and lands in a crouch before rising slowly, standing between Blue and the crowd.

“Those guys suck, where'd ya get ‘em?”

Blue’s mouth opens to respond. 

“Just kidding, I don't give a fuck.” He turns around to scan over the crowd. There's the slightest pause when he sees Dick’s face and the tiniest tensing of his shoulders. He's mad. Ugh, the last time he got mad at someone hurting a Bat he killed the guy.

He turns back to Blue, who is still gaping at him in shock. He tsks and shakes his head. “You could've at least punched someone ugly, that was just a crime against humanity,” he says dryly, pointing a thumb behind himself at Dick.

Dick preens, Tim laughs into his hand, Wally chokes, and Bruce sighs.

“What do you want?”

“You to get the fuck out, you piece of shit.”

“Why are you helping these rich pricks?”

“Much as I abhor this obscene flaunting of wealth, that Wayne organization has done some good shit for Crime Alley, the Bowery, and the Narrows. And I'm pretty sure this is a robbery, not a Robin Hood moment. You're stealing from the rich to give to yourselves. That's just shitty.”

Blue lifts his revolver and aims it at Dick’s head. Red Hood steps in front of the gun. “I'd strongly advise you not to do that.” Dick jerks forward as if to jump up and charge the guy, but Tim holds him back.

Blue moves to pull back the revolver hammer with his thumb. In a sudden flurry of strikes, Blue falls to the ground, completely still except for his shallow breathing. A nerve strike. That's- ok, that's really impressive. He's also shocked that Red Hood didn't just kill him. Red Hood hums as he inspects the revolver now in his hand, then tucks it into his belt. “‘m keepin' this.” He bends down, zipties Blue’s wrists together, and then throws him over to where the goons are. He walks over and grabs the bags of items.

He turns back to face the stunned crowd. “I am only going to say this once. You will take your own shit. You will not take anyone else's. Got it? Good. You're safe.”

Like a flicked switch, the crowd jumps up and starts running around and screaming. He carries the bags over to Tim, who quickly looks through them and hands two to another guest before digging through the two he kept. Bruce and Wally rise to their feet and start making their way through the crowd to Dick and Tim. It's slow going through the chaos of the crowd. 

Red Hood pulls off his gloves and cups Dick’s cheek with an unexpectedly gentle touch, turning his head to the side and lightly pressing the fresh bruise around his eye. Dick winces slightly and Bruce reads his lips as he says ‘I’m fine.’ Red Hood relaxes and gives him a quick hug before turning to Tim, who has since handed off the bags and just shoved everything of theirs into his pockets.

Tim grins at him. ‘Thanks for coming.’ 

Bruce growls. They told him.

Red Hood cups one side of his face and brushes his thumb gently across his cheek. It's… intimate. And sweet. Tim nods and laughs. ‘I’ll try.’ Then he closes his eyes and leans into the hand with a soft smile on his face. 

Dick is watching them like he wants to cry at something cute. He must make a sound because Tim and Red Hood flinch and quickly pull apart, Tim blushing brightly. Red Hood turns and must say something because Dick laughs - and Bruce and Wally are close enough to hear it. Tim glances over and sees them quickly getting closer. 

Dick notices too and yanks Red Hood into a crushing hug. “I love you so much,” he says, barely audible. 

“I love you too,” the modulated voice says back.

Wally bodily flinches.

Red Hood then has to physically push Dick off of him, and Dick pouts. 

Tim hugs him next. “Thanks. I love you. Now run.”

“Me too. Bye Tim.”

“Oh wait!” Dick pulls out a plastic bag from his pocket that has one of Alfred’s brownies in it and hands it to Red Hood. He takes it and laughs, and hearing a sound of legitimate delight through the modulator is even scarier than the sardonic laugh from a couple minute ago. 

“Oh, you're the best.”

“Obviously,” Dick scoffs.  

“Yeah, sure.” He turns and quickly walks away, intentionally - and roughly - bumping into Bruce’s shoulder. “Gonna lock me up, asshole?” he hisses, showing that he knows who Bruce is before storming off. 

Bruce could have sworn his voice broke at the end. Weird. He turns his attention back to Dick. “You alright?”

“I'm fine, dad. It's nothing. And before you lose it, Hood already knew.”

Wally has just pocketed his phone and wallet that Tim handed him and put his watch back on before turning to Dick. “Dick… that… that was strictly platonic, right?”

Dick’s nose wrinkles in disgust. “Oh my god, ew. Yes. Strictly. Also what the hell? I would never cheat on you, you… you know that, r-right?”

“I know,” Wally sighs, “I just- sorry.”

Tim hands Bruce his cufflinks, wallet, watch, and phone. “Thanks.” He hesitates for a second. “Tim…”

“Yes?”

“Are you and Hood… dating?”

Dick cackles and Tim blushes. “No, Bruce.”

“That interaction did not seem platonic…”

Tim blushes darker. “Well it was. I'm not ready to date anyone right now. I'm still… healing. Red is just affectionate.”

That's gotta be the first time that adjective has ever been used to describe the Red Hood. “I believe you,” Bruce nods.

“Ok,” Tim says, then turns to Dick. “Dick, here's your stuff.” He pulls it all out of his pockets.

“Oh, thanks Winglet.”

“No problem. Can I borrow you for a second?”

“Sure,” Dick shrugs, following him away from Bruce and Wally.

“Um. So you're super confused too, right?” Wally asks Bruce.

“Indeed.” Bruce has got to figure this out.

Chapter Text

Tim wakes slowly, feeling groggy and severely coffee deprived. He's so comfy. And warm. He should just stay here in bed, ugh. But he knows he needs to get up. With a pitiful groan he sits up and rubs his face tiredly. He feels like there's something important happening today but for the life of him he can't figure out what.

Wait. He lowers his hand and sniffs the air tentatively. Bacon? Is someone cooking? In his penthouse? Did he even have bacon? What is happening? He blindly reaches for his phone on his bedside table, hand slapping it a couple times before landing on the device. He grabs it and pulls it close to him. 

12 New Messages

Oh god, please let no one be dead.

First conversation is Dick.

Today 12:00 AM

Dick: TIMMYYYYY!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!! 🥳🎁🎂🍾🎉🎊

Dick: ur the best most amzing baby brother of all the baby brothers in the WORLD! Im SOSOSOSOSO lucky to hav u as my brother and i luv u and i cant wait to celebrate with u!

Dick: *aggressively kisses top of head* MWAH! 😘

Tim gets a sudden energy boost. It’s his birthday! And someone snuck in to cook him breakfast. It sounds very much like a Jason thing to do. Is Dick with him?

Today 10:07 AM

Tim: Thanks! I love you. I'm lucky to have you too :)

Today 12:27 AM

Babs: Happy birthday, Tim! Hope it's the best one yet 🙂

Today 10:08 AM

Tim: Thanks Babs :)

Today 1:53 AM

Kon: Hey Tim :) Happy birthday! You're my best friend and I can't imagine where'd I be without you. I love you a lot dude. We'll see you tonight! 

Today 10:10 AM

Tim: I love you too :) Thanks Kon

Today 6:15 AM

Bart: TIM! TimTimTimTimTimTimTim! What's up my dude my man my main Robarino hope you have the happhapphappiest birthday EVER congrats you're old now! I mean eighteen WOWZA you're gonna go full-blown ‘git off my lawn ya meddling twerps’ like ANY day now and it's gonna be HILARIOUS. Love ya bunches and you're the coolest most badass (ANCIENT) leader of the coolest teen hero team that has ever existed and we're gonna rule the world WOOO!!!!! Anyway have fun DONT FORGET YOUR SURPRISE PARTY! Normally I wouldn't spoil it cause like even I can keep a secret if I REALLY want to but you already know anyway so it's like what the point! See ya soon love you bye!

Tim giggles at the message. He loves Bart. His energy is infectious and he's always upbeat. (Unless he gets triggered about something from his past, and then he gets quiet and broody and it sucks to see that from an actual human ray of sunshine.)

Today 10:15 AM

Tim: Love you Bart :) thanks

Today 9:32 AM

Cassie: Happy Birthday Tim! Love you!

Today 10:16 AM

Tim: I love you too Cassie! Thanks :)

Today 9:35 AM

Bruce: Hope you have a wonderful birthday Tim 🙂 It’s been a joy watching you grow into the man that you are today. I can't even begin to imagine what you'll accomplish in another four years, but I know it'll be incredible. I love you like you were my own.

Tim actually tears up at that one. Bruce has been more of a father in four years than Jack was in sixteen. He's patient and kind and brilliant, not to mention he's the goddamn Batman. He's still far from the perfect parent but god does he try. Tim's not even really sure what to say to this.

Today 10:20 AM

Tim: Thank you for being the dad I always wanted :) I love you too. I wouldn't have gotten here without you

Today 9:43 AM

Alfred: I wish the happiest of birthdays to you, Timothy. I love you very much, lad.

Today 10:21 AM

Tim : Thank you so much Alfred. For /everything/. I love you too :)

Today 9:51 AM

Wally: Happy birthday Tim 🥳

Today 10:22 AM

Tim: Thanks Wally! :)

Today 9:56 AM

Roy: HPPY BRTHDY UNCL TIMTAM LUV U

Roy: She insisted. Happy birthday kiddo. I know itll be awesome :) Jays really excited about his gift! Love ya

Today 10:24 AM

Tim: Well give her a hug and tell her thank you and that I love her too

Tim: Thanks Roy :) now you've got me VERY curious. I think ONE of his gifts is breakfast because I'm 99% sure he's in my kitchen right now. Love you too!

Tim wipes his eyes with a happy smile. So many people love and care about him. And it all happened because of Jason. Jason gave him a family when he thought he would never have one, when he didn't even realize he wanted one. He couldn't be luckier to know him. Speaking of which, he really wants to see him. 

Tim pulls off his covers and hops out of bed, setting his phone back on the bedside table and then quickly making his bed - because Alfred has drilled it into him at this point, and his disappointment could make even Lex Luthor cry. Then he slips into some sweatpants… and pauses. He wants to look nicer than that. 

What should he wear instead? He'd be absolutely lying if he said he didn't like how Jason was checking him out at his apartment, but skinnies and a button down feels like overkill for breakfast. Maybe just dark blue slim cut jeans and a pink polo. Yeah. That works. 

He quickly changes into the outfit and slips on a pair of dark tan topsiders. Then he heads to the bathroom, pees, washes his hands, brushes his teeth, and fusses with his hair in the mirror. He quits nearly as soon as he began. It looks fine. He washes his face quickly and makes sure to wipe all the sleep from his eyes, then heads back to his room. He slips his personal cell into his right pocket and then grabs his work cell and slips it into the left. He'd rather completely ignore it today, but he realistically can't. 

With a deep breath to calm himself down, he opens his bedroom door and walks down the hallway and then around the corner into the kitchen. He pauses and leans against the wall, loosely crossing his arms. This is a nice sight.

It is Jason. He's looking down at his phone while standing in front of two bowls on the lower island counter, one with some kind of flour mixture and the other with a milk mixture. Beside the bowls is a plugged-in waffle maker with two empty plates beside it. A Millennium Falcon waffle maker. Behind him, on top of the oven, is a greasy cookie sheet. Beside it is a plate with a paper towel, a pile of bacon, and another paper towel on top. In front of the bar stools there’s a bottle of maple syrup. 

Jason himself looks really nice - as usual. He's wearing a solid red long sleeve t-shirt that shows off his arms and chest. Like Tim, he's wearing plain slim blue jeans - god his ass looks great, not to mention those thighs that could choke Tim to death and he would die happy - and then all black sneakers on his feet. He's also in a black apron with a large gold Wonder Woman logo right in the middle. Tim laughs quietly. 

Jason jumps and his head whips up in surprise, but he quickly relaxes when he realizes it's just Tim and smiles softly. “Hey Timmers. I uh, I hope this is ok? I asked Dick about it and he convinced me you'd be fine with it… even though I've never actually been over before? Did, uh… did I overstep?”

“We're Bats, a little B&E is how we show we care,” Tim jokes, sauntering up to him.

Jason grins and nods in agreement, pretty teal eyes softening in relief. “Exactly. Anyway, happy birthday, Tim. Not sure if waffles are still your favorite breakfast food… but that's what I made?”

“I love them. Especially Millennium Falcon ones,” Tim laughs and hugs him tightly, and Jason hugs back with a relaxed sigh. “This was really sweet, Jay. Thanks.”

“You're welcome. I’d do anything for you,” Jason murmurs, strong arms tightening just a little. Tim feels completely safe and secure between them. 

“Cute apron too,” Tim teases. 

“It was Dick’s idea!” Jason whines, letting go of Tim and lightly pushing him away. “Sit down.”

Tim grins, walks around the island, and hops up onto the barstool. Jason turns around and pops a dark brown pod into the Nespresso, then presses the button to start it, a mug already under it. He sips from his own mug as he waits for it.

“Which one did you pick? I don't have any tea, sorry,” Tim chuckles. 

“The chocolate one. Fancy ass coffee machine,” he mutters. Said machine finishes and he hands the mug to Tim.

“Thanks. Geez, I could get used to this,” Tim mumbles, taking a sip.

“Yeah?” Jason says as he starts combining the wet and dry ingredients with a whisk.

“A hot guy making me coffee and homemade waffles? Hell yeah.”

Jason chokes and lightly blushes. 

Was that too much? That was probably too much. “...in my defense, I haven't had my coffee… sorry,” Tim grumbles.

“W-well, maybe I like giving a hot guy coffee and waffles.”

Tim blushes right back, but a little darker. “Jay,” he whines. 

“You know what they say about turnabout, Babybird,” he teases. He reaches a hand below the counter and presses the microwave start button, and then ladles some batter into the waffle maker and closes the lid.

Tim just quietly watches him work while he drinks his coffee. After less than a minute, the microwave beeps and Jason opens it, pulling out another mug and setting it in front of Tim. It's filled maybe a third of the way with melted butter. “Ooh, yum.”

“Works better than just spreading it.” He turns around and grabs the plate of bacon, then turns back and sets it beside him. He puts four pieces of bacon onto a plate.

“Hm. Smart.”

Jason hums quietly until the waffle iron beeps. He opens it, gently pulls the waffle up with a fork, and plops it onto the plate which he then hands to Tim along with a second fork.

“Thanks!”

“Eat up,” Jason smiles, then adds more batter and closes it again. 

Tim pours a little butter over the waffle and then some syrup. Then he uses the edge of the fork to cut off a little piece and pop it in his mouth. 

Oh shit that's good. It's crisp yet the inside is fluffy and it practically melts in the mouth. Tim makes a happy sound and quickly gets a second bite. 

“Good?”

Tim nods and swallows. “Is everything you make delicious? Like, it would be annoying if I didn't benefit so much from it.”

Jason laughs. “Glad you like ‘em.”

Tim eats happily - and probably quicker than strictly necessary but it's so good. He finishes right as the second waffle is done. Jason holds a hand out for the plate. Tim hands it to him and he adds the fresh waffle before handing it back. 

“But take the next one for yourself, ok?” Tim tells him as he adds butter and syrup again, and Jason adds more batter to the machine.

“...I wanna argue on the principle of it being your birthday… but I'm also hungry… so, sure thing!”

“And here I thought I'd have to argue with you about it.”

The machine finishes in about a minute and Jason sets it on his own plate, adds the toppings, and takes a bite. “Oh, damn. I did do good,” he laughs.

Tim nods in agreement. And then his left pocket starts buzzing. “Oh god damn it,” he mutters, pulling his work phone out of his pocket. He doesn't recognize the New York City number. He presses accept and then speakerphone, laying it on the counter. Jason watches curiously. 

“This is Tim Drake,” he says in his deeper, 'more mature' CEO voice. Jason raises an eyebrow at it. 

“Mr. Drake! Happy birthday. You're eighteen, correct?” The woman on the other end asks. She sounds nice enough but he has no idea what she wants.

‘Weird,’ Jason mouths. 

“Uh, that’s correct. But who’s asking?”

“Of course, sorry, this is Vanity Fair magazine.”

"How can I help you?"

“If you're interested, we'd love you to be on our December cover. We’re doing a special edition showcasing the ten hottest CEOs, and you're our choice for number one.”

Tim blushes brightly. What the hell?

Jason’s jaw drops, and then he claps a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter.

“Uh, wow. Ok. That's… I’m flattered, but can I think about it and get back to you?”

“Of course! If you could let us know within a week we'd really appreciate it. You can call this number back. My name’s Natasha.”

“Ok, got it. I'll do that. Thanks, Natasha.”

“You're welcome. Have a great birthday! Bye.”

“Bye.” Tim hangs up and pockets his phone. “What the hell?”

Jason bursts into loud laughter and Tim pouts at him. “Oh my god, Tim!” 

“I've only been legal for eleven hours and I'm already getting calls for sexy photos!”

Jason continues and Tim crosses his arms and buries his head in them. “Are you gonna do it?” Jason asks, nearly crying from laughter. 

“No! Would it even sell?!”

A confused, disbelieving sound breaks the laughter. “Oh, Tim. It would sell. Have you seen you? That shit would be flying off the shelves, good god.”

Tim’s head snaps up. “You think I'm hot?”