Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tim liked to think that he had the best relationship with Jason out of everyone in the bats.

Which… honestly didn’t mean anything because Jason wasn’t really that close with any of them the others but they’re all trying to fix that. Honest!

They had a bit of an eye opener.

To some extent, they’ve all gotten used to Jason having their back which meant that by extension, they trusted him. Then, the confrontation in the cave happened between Hood and Batman and while it wasn’t the worst they’ve had, it was still pretty bad.

On the bright side, it didn’t get physically violent.

His heart sank. As if that meant anything. Pretty bad still meant bad. Jason still got hurt. Even if it wasn’t physically. Cassandra said so- said he was scared.

Of what? She didn’t say. Told them it wasn’t for her to say.

He couldn’t get Jason’s pleading gaze out of his mind. Begging for Tim to say something.

He did.

It was just- he said it a lot later than he should’ve.

Everyone regretted not speaking up sooner. They were just-

No excuses. They all should’ve spoken up sooner. All of them knew that Batman was in the wrong. It was just… easier, he guessed. To have Bruce let it out. Which was wrong. Reallyreallyreally wrong. He knew that. They all knew that.

He wondered if Jason knew that. If Jason blamed them. Or if Jason blamed himself.

Jason stormed off after that and no one could blame him. Not even Bruce. No one stopped him.

Everyone expected him to be back in a few days- maybe weeks at most. But months?

Well. None of them expected that.

And goddamn, did they all feel it.

All of them got injured more frequently. It wasn’t anything critical but if Hood was there- with them- there would’ve been no injury at all.

He had their back. Always.

And once again, they didn’t have his.

Another thing was that their conversations during patrol. It was different. There were no sarcastic quips. No morbid jokes. No random quotes. There was nothing. He missed his voice and his stupid sense of humor. The others did too. He could tell.

They all missed him.

So when he was spotted on patrol again. They waited a few days before they sprung on him- inviting him to hang out with them, eyes pleading for him to say yes to stay but 

“I was planning on leaving the city for a while y’know. Go off the grid n’ all that.”

None of them expected that. There was a chance Jason would’ve said no and they knew that. But for him to go off the grid. Again? When he just got back. They barely got to talk to him- hang out with him. And he’s leaving already? That doesn’t make sense.

Tim told Jason so, straight to his face. Well- not the last part.

The man didn’t budge. Tim tried to come with anything to get him to stay but in the end, nothing. There was nothing he could’ve said.

From the corner of his eye, he saw how Dick’s smile grew dimmer, his hopeful expression cracking just a tiny bit. How Damian’s scowl deepened, folding his arms across his chest, and Cass. Well, Cass looked disappointed but she probably already knew that Jason was gonna say no before the man himself did.

Even with the helmet hiding his eyes, Tim could feel the weight of Jason’s gaze sweeping over each of them, quick and assessing. Jason must have realized how disappointed they looked because he said that he would go to their next outing.

Tim smiled. That was good! Better than nothing. They would have to plan it accordingly so Jason would have lots of fun and come back to hang out with them even more. Ideas were beginning to form in his head but before he could further develop them, Steph nudged his arm.

“He’s leaving.”

Jason didn’t say goodbye. He just fired his grapple and left. But Tim was fine with that. 

They got something better-

Jason gave them his number. So he could be added to their group chat.

He really should’ve been added earlier. Why didn’t they add him earlier?

Tim couldn’t wait to send him memes and random pictures and to spam him with messages.

Dick added Jason to the group

Dick: hi jay!

Tim: welcome to the gc

Tim: prepare to be spammed

The others all texted back and greeted Jason. Telling him that they were excited because he’ll be in their next hang out. And that he should stay safe with whatever it was he was off grid for. Then they waited. For three dots to pop up. Anything.

No response.

Which was… fair. He was probably driving or something.

Days passed.

Then weeks.

They all expected Jason to text back eventually. They knew he would be busy but to go weeks without a response or a single read receipt. Well, they grew worried.

Tim knows he shouldn’t have but hacked into the phone. What if Jason was in danger and that’s why he wasn’t responding? What if he was captured somewhere? What if someone pickpocketed his phone? So many what-if scenarios were running through his mind.

The phone wasn’t as encrypted as he thought it would. He found the location pretty easily.

Crime Alley…

Wait. A realization struck Tim. He knew that house. That was the one where Jason and him would watch movies after patrol. It was a rare occurrence. Very very rare. But it did happen. Tim treasured those memories.

He really missed his brother.

Next thing Tim knows, he’s at the house. He knocked first because it was the polite thing to do.

But nothing.

He knocked again.

Nothing.

Third times a charm right?

… Yeah no.

So Tim broke in. Again. Probably not his brightest decision but he doesn’t care.

He just wanted to check in. Just in case something bad happened, you know- and oh. 

In the middle of a perfectly made bed in a perfectly clean and tidy house, there was phone that vibrated every few seconds.

Seriously though, the house was so clean. He knew Jason was relatively tidy but this was something else. It’s as if Jason scrubbed it clean and wiped it bare. There were no tea mugs, no jackets on the floor. Hell, there wasn’t even food inside the fridge.

Tim guessed Jason planned to be off grid for a while.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the stupid phone on the stupid clean mattress again and his breath hitched. At least that cleared up why Jason hasn’t responded to their messages.

“A burner.” Tim dryly stated, trying not to let the disappointment that he felt in his veins creep onto his voice even though no one could hear him. “He gave us his number from a burner.”

Tim should’ve been able to guess that but for some reason he didn’t and it hurt.

So much for progress.

Chapter Text

Patrol was over and everyone was in the cave debriefing and looking over a case they’ve been stuck on the past few days. 

The information- it just didn’t add up. Out of nowhere, Oracle took over the main screen of the Batcave, catching everyone by surprise. 

Dick recognized the armor right away! “Jason’s back!” he exclaimed with excitement, smile wide as he immediately stood up. 

Ever since Tim told them that the number Jason gave them was from a burner and that said phone was just tossed and forgotten about in a safe house. Well, let’s just say that their mood had been down. 

It’s been a week since then and now Jason’s back! He glanced up at the screen. Jason was talking to a guy around Dick’s age- early, maybe mid twenties?

He couldn’t read his lips but whatever his brother was saying must be good because the man suddenly wrapped his arms around Jason with tears running down his cheeks. 

Jason’s shoulders loosened and his stance softened. Dick watched with wide eyes as Jason hugged the man, slowly patting his back in comfort.

Dick shouldn’t feel jealous. He shouldn’t! That would be wrong. But… but when was the last time Jason hugged him back? When was the last time they’ve had a conversation that didn’t end up with screams or punches? 

The man Jason was talking to pulled back, using his wrist to wipe the tears away. Dick read the words “Thank you, Red. We all knew you cared. Hell, you’re probably the only one that does. But this- this is something else. I’ll spread the word. You can count on me” come out of his mouth. 

The man walked away with semi-dry eyes and a hopeful expression on his face. After that, they watch as Jason turned, tilting his face up to look directly at the camera. 

A second passed. 

Two. 

Then, Jason waved. 

Dick was so overwhelmed with glee that he forgot to question that whole interaction. What he didn’t forget though, were the snickers of his siblings as he stupidly waved back even though he knew that Jason wouldn’t be able to see.  

Ever since that night, Jason has joined them on patrol a few times. It wasn’t as often as he used to though. 

No one complained. Not wanting to drive him away again. Plus, they could tell that he’s busy with the Alley. Some major project or something. Jason refused to share any details, keeping everything tight lipped. 

Whenever they asked, he always discreetly changed the topic to something else. He did it so smoothly that no one noticed until Bruce off-handedly asked them if any of them had details on the project Jason was doing. 

No one answered, exchanging glances with each other. Tim spoke up, hesitantly telling the story of how his conversation with Jason went when he asked. 

And one by one, the rest talked about their interaction. 

In the end, they were all impressed. Even Bruce. They didn’t know that Jason could be skilled or even sneaky with his words like that. Usually, Jason just spoke his mind. Blunt and unforgiving. 

Don’t get Dick wrong, he knew Jason was skilled. He’s one of them, after all. He just didn’t realize that Jason was skilled in anything other than bombs and fighting. 

And wow, Dick blinked. That was a really messed up thought for his brain to conjure up about his brother. Why wouldn’t Jason be skilled in something other than fighting? He wasn’t around much when Jason was a kid but he always heard about how much of a bright and smart kid he was. 

What else did he not know about his brother? 

And since when did he start thinking of Jason as someone who was only ever violent? 

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. Maybe he should hang out with Jason one-on-one. Without the others. Dick wanted to get to know Jason more. 

He doesn’t think about how it's been years since Jason's been back. Years. What had happened during those years? Why hadn't they worked through their issues?

They already lost years when Jason was six feet under. Why did they decide to lose even more?

Without a second thought, he sent a message to Babs. 

       got a case that needs solving?

preferably one about traffickers or anything that Jay would work on me with

plz 🙏🏽

Babs sent an attachment 

Good luck.

Tell Jay I said hi.

IOU 

yep, i will

Dick grinned. Thank God for Babs. That was fast. 

He stared at the file, tilting his head. Should he let Jason know that there was a case Dick wanted them to work together on? Or should he just surprise him? 

If Dick texted and asked, there’s a chance Jason would flat out respond with a no. But… if Dick showed up in person, maybe with Alfred’s food on his hand, there’s no doubt that he’ll have a higher chance of Jason agreeing to work with him.

It’s decided then.

Dick would ask Jason in person. 

Days passed and Dick finally had time to go to Jason’s safe house. 

Patrol was over and he just changed out of his Nightwing suit. Alfred’s food was on one hand, his keys were on the other. 

He couldn’t wait. Dick was so excited. This was gonna be good. This was going to be fun. And most importantly, this would make Jason and him closer. 

Just when Dick was about to unlock the car, Tim appeared next to him. “Can I come with you?”

“No.” 

“Wha-“ Tim’s jaw dropped as he moved his hands around furiously. “Why not? You’re going to Jay, aren’t you? I wanna come with.” 

Dick huffed, dramatically closing his eyes and turning his head to the side. “This is my time to hang out with Jason. We’re going to be working on a case together and me and him are gonna hang out, eat food, and bitch about Bruce.” 

“I can help!” Tim protested, all huffy and puffy. “I can do all of that too. Pleaseeeee.” Tim begged, “I wanna go. Let me go. Please, please, please.” 

Dick sighed, if it was any other case with any other person, he probably would’ve given in. His siblings weren’t known for their pleading. The only person they say please to is Alfred. And occasionally Babs. 

“Still a no, Timmy. This is a case for me and Jason. Just us.” 

The desperation Dick was feeling must’ve shown up in his voice because Tim hmphed and finally backed down. “Fine.” He said, “But next time you hang with Jay, I come with.” 

“Sure,” the tension in Dick’s shoulders loosened. “Why not.” Dick had no disagreements with that. As long as this night was just for Dick and his little wing, then he would be happy. 

The ride to the Alley was fast, quiet, and relaxed. Dick had one hand on the wheel, the other keeping Alfred’s bag steady on the passenger seat. Every few blocks, the scent of roasted chicken and fresh bread would sneak past the folds in the paper, making his stomach growl.

Yeah. This was going to be a good night.

He parked a block away from the safe house, just to be safe and cut the engine. 

His heart was beating fast with anticipation as he walked closer. The building itself looked the same as the last time he saw it.

His chest loosened. Jason was home. Dick climbed the steps two at a time, balancing the food carefully in one hand as he knocked with the other.

Nothing.

He knocked again, harder this time, the sound echoing in his head.

Still nothing.

Maybe Jason didn’t hear it? 

He placed his hand on the doorknob and twisted it. Huh? It was unlocked. Did Jason know Dick was coming? Maybe that’s why he didn’t open the door for him? 

He pushed the door open. The lights were on. A worn-out but well-loved book was on the small table next to an armchair and there was a blanket tossed over it.

He could imagine Jason bundled up, invested in the book as he furiously turned the pages. The corner of Dick’s mouth twitched up at the thought. 

There were freshly washed dishes in the sink and the air smelled faintly of spaghetti. So Jason was obviously home. 

He softly set the food on the table, next to a gun with a pile of ammo beside it. 

Huh. Dick didn’t even know Jason had that type of gun. He didn’t even know that was on the market right now.

He shrugged, Jason probably got it early from one of his contacts. 

Then, his eyes caught the fridge-

Something was taped on it.

A note. 

Dick rushed to grab it, barely registering the words or the small Avenger symbol on the bottom left of the paper. For half a second, he thought it might be a scribbled “be right back” or “help yourself to the fridge.” Something casual. Something that meant Jason was coming back any second.

He read over it once. Twice. Then, his shoulders dropped. The humming of the fridge seemed to grow louder.

Don’t know if u guys will see this cause we have nothing planned but if for some reason, u guys do decide to break in for whatever reason, I decided to write this.

I’m off grid. Emergency with one of my contacts. Will prob be back in a week or two. See ya! 

It was written in haste, Dick could tell. Jason’s handwriting was usually neater than that. So whatever the emergency was, Jason probably just found out about it. Meaning, Dick probably missed Jason by a few minutes. 

He wanted to tear the paper into shreds. As if getting rid of it would magically make Jason show up. Instead, he just crumpled it up and shoved it in his pocket.  

His hands turned into fists. Deep breaths, he told himself. Deep breaths. 

Dick forced himself to calm down but the disappointment he felt still lingered. 

It wasn’t Jason’s fault. He knew that, it was just bad timing. 

But he... he just wanted to spend time with his brother. 

He stared at the food on the table, feeling stupid for carrying it so carefully.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Duke wondered if he was dreaming. His life felt so unreal sometimes. 

He was part of the bats. Friends with them, even. 

Hell, he was considered a Wayne. 

He attended Gotham Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in the nation. A place that he once thought he would never be able to see in person. 

And... the most surreal part was that the Red Hood was his English tutor. 

Duke wasn't Jason's only student either. Damian was one as well. 

It was ridiculous, really. The two of them were respective geniuses. They've gone toe to toe with Gotham's worst, solved cases that many would never figure out, and even stood their ground against metahumans. 

But for some reason, they were both failing English. 

Well- not anymore. 

Even if Duke wanted to, he couldn't stop the wide smile that spread across his face. He was staring at the paper on his desk with disbelief in his eyes. There's no way. 

He turned his head up and met his English teacher-Mrs. Evans's- eyes. "I'm impressed, Duke. Keep this up and you might end this school year with an A."

She walked towards the next student but Duke could care less. His head was already turning back to the paper. On it was the number eighty-five, circled with black ink and three golden star stickers. 

If it was any other class, Duke would be disappointed but this was English and Literature with Mrs. Evans. She was Gotham Academy's strictest teacher and she barely handed out grades above a ninety. 

And even then, a ninety was impressive. 

Jason would have claimed otherwise, but that was only because he was a nerd.

During one of the rare times that one of the bats would talk about Jason, they mentioned that back in his Robin days, Jason refused to patrol unless he'd finished all of his homework. 

It paid off too because they claimed that Jason never scored below a ninety-eight percent. Every paper, every test, and every essay was apparently perfect. 

Duke wouldn’t have believed it, but Tim hacked the records so they had no choice. 

Duke and Damian asked him about how his grades were so good once, during patrol, but Jason just laughed, saying how it wasn’t a big deal because his teachers weren’t that strict with their grading. 

Once they asked him who his teachers were, they just stared at each other wide-eyed as Jason listed some of the strictest and harshest ones in the Academy.

He remembered that very night clearly. 

Damian had crossed his arms and demanded proof, even going as far as stomping a foot. It was adorable and not at all as threatening as Damian thought it was. He could tell Jason thought the same because he let out another laugh. 

"Don't know how I can prove it to ya," Jason responded, shoulders loosened. If his helmet was off, Duke would bet that the man was smiling. He didn't think he’d ever seen Jason so relaxed, “You can probably ask B and see if he remembers but I doubt it."

Bruce remembered. Remembered every teacher that Jason had. Listed all of them with frightening accuracy too. 

"Why are you guys even asking about this?" Jason tilted his head, "You guys having trouble or something?" 

Damian huffed and tilted his head to the side, "The education system in this nation is a joke. My knowledge is far more superior than all of my peers.”

"O~kayy." Jason slowly said before turning to look at Duke, "What about you, kid. How's the academy treating you?"

"It's fine." Duke admitted, "Just having trouble with my essays." 

"Who's your teacher?"

"Evans." 

“You serious?” Jason asked, disbelief apparent in his voice. “I remember her. I actually loved her class. Thought it was a breeze to be honest. It’s pretty easy once you understand the basics."

Easy? Duke and Damian looked at each other, incredulously.

That was the moment Duke and Damian both silently agreed that lazarus pit or not, Jason was insane. 

He’d watched Mrs. Evans tear essays apart like it was her lunch. 

Most of the class prayed to scrape by with a seventy. Hell, he’d seen one of his classmates cry because the teacher decided to write an X with a bright red marker over his entire essay, leaving a comment telling him to restart because “it was unsalvageable”.

Duke had never been so happy to receive a fifty-seven in his life. 

Nothing about that class was easy. 

He told Jason exactly that but his comment was just brushed off.

"You guys just don't understand the basics." He could still hear Jason's voice, clear as day as he repeated his earlier words. "Believe me, once you do, you'll be breezing through the class." 

There were no basics when it came to Evans. 

"You know," Jason hesitated. "If you want I can help you guys out." 

He would've been an idiot to decline that offer. 

Damian hadn’t declined either. Although, he did say that he didn’t need help. He would just supervise, just in case. 

At that, it was Jason and Duke that exchanged looks. 

He was pretty sure that Damian’s grade was lower than his. Which was saying a lot because Duke was on the verge of failing.  

The first time they sat down, they were in Jason's safehouse. Papers almost covered the entirety of the table.

Jason was focused, reading over Damian's essay and marking certain parts while the two of them were munching on the brownies Jason made.  

When he set his pen down, Damian and Duke immediately turned.

“This is really sloppy,” was the first thing Jason said, pointing at one of the parts he circled. "Your thesis doesn't match with what you've written." 

Damian bristled, "My thesis is flawless." 

Jason only raised an eyebrow, "Your evidence says otherwise. Look…”

Damian looked like he was about to throw his brownie at Jason as the man continued explaining. But by some miracle, he didn't. 

He just sat there, jaw tight as Jason gave suggestions on how Damian could fix his thesis so that the evidence actually defended it.

When it was Duke's turn. Jason was even more brutal.

"This is the worst thing I've ever read, Narrows."

Duke's jaw dropped, unsure of what to say. Now he knew how Damian felt. 

That hurt.

Jason sighed, probably realizing he went too far. "Look kid. I'm only saying that because I know you can do better. You have done better. This-" he pointed at the paper, covered with red ink. "-isn't your style. There's too many metaphors and weak attempts of symbolism that doesn’t even matter. You lost me in the middle of it. I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.“

Damian smirked beside him, pleased to see that Duke's essay wasn't good enough as well. 

Jason shut it down quickly though, "Don't think yours was any better, Damian. Your draft was just as bad. Do you really want me to explain how using fancy words incorrectly won’t automatically make your essay sound smarter? And how it just made your essay sound stuffy and bloated?"

That shut him up quickly. 

Duke slumped on his chair, glaring at the paper like it betrayed him personally. "So what do you suggest then?" He grumbled. 

"It’s not entirely bad. We’ll go through it step by step.” Jason tried to cheer him up. “First up, what are you trying to prove..."

They spent that whole day working on their essays and by the end of it, there was obvious improvement. 

It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot. But for the first time, Duke actually felt proud of what he'd written. 

Jason had gone line by line with them, asking them questions that helped them develop their analysis deeper.

“What’s your evidence saying? And then why did you choose that quote specifically.” 

“No, no. You guys have to tell your reader remember. They can’t read your minds.” 

“This is really good so far. Now how does this connect back to your thesis?” 

By the end of it, writing essays finally started making more sense.

When they thanked Jason, he told them that he barely did anything. That it was all them and that they were just overcomplicating everything. 

Jason was wrong. He helped them out way more than he thought. 

And now, staring at the eighty-five circled in black ink and surrounded by stars, he made a decision to show Jason just how much he’d helped. 

Carefully, he folded the essay in half and then folded it again. He smoothed out the creases before tucking it into his folder. He didn't want to crumple it. 

He couldn’t wait to show Jason. 

His brother was going to be proud of him. 

Damian couldn't wait for patrol.

He was more excited than usual and everyone could tell. 

Although, he didn't know how. 

When he privately questioned Grayson, the man just laughed, before ruffling his hair and messing it up.

Damian scowled, trying to fix it. 

“You were quieter than usual during dinner.” The man informed him. 

“I am always quiet.” 

“Sure you are.” He stepped back before Grayson could lay his dirty hands on his hair again.

Then Damian started heading toward the cave- at, of course, a reasonable pace.

Grayson jogged to catch up to him. 

“Why are you in such a rush anyways? You’re not usually in such a hurry.” 

Damian didn’t answer and after a few minutes of ignoring the man’s pleading, Grayson finally gave up and started talking about how his day had gone. 

Everyone was already changing into their suits when his eyes narrowed at the paper that Thomas was carefully shoving into his pocket. 

Ever since school started, Signal started joining them for patrols in the evening. 

Father stated that school was important and should always come first, meaning that Signal had been demoted to patrolling at the same time as them. 

Damian believed the logic idiotic but he didn’t argue. From the looks of everyone, it was a losing cause. 

“What is that?” Damian asked, pointing an accusing finger at the former daytime vigilante. 

Everyone turned towards them.

“Wha- this?” Thomas took the piece of paper out, before unfolding it.

Damian’s eyes immediately went to the number in the corner, feeling a surge of pride in his stomach. 

He proudly took his own essay out from where it was hidden, neatly folded. 

“I scored higher than you.” He couldn’t help but point out, very smug about the eighty-seven on top of his paper.

Thomas rolled his eyes, “Of course you did. You’re like four grades below me. Different rubric standards.” 

Damian glared, “Excuses. Just admit that my essay is more superior than yours.” 

“Nope,” Thomas was putting his boots on, ignoring Damian. “You can ask Jason after I show him my score. He’d agree.” 

He frowned, “I was going to show Todd my score.” 

Cain interrupted, amused. “You-both-show-together-Jason-proud.” She said. 

The two guys glared at each other before agreeing. 

Damian hurried to change, ignoring Drake’s whining about how unfair it was that Jason was around to tutor them for Evans’ dreadful class. 

He couldn’t wait to see the look on Thomas’s face when Todd declared that Damian’s essay was better.

In a blink, an hour and a half had already passed. 

Damian kept an eye on the shadows, hoping that one would reveal Todd in all his dramatics. 

Beside him, Signal was doing the same. 

Patrol was boring. There were no rogues or anything remotely dangerous. 

Not that Damian expected less- it was a school night after all.  

As more time passed, the excitement that Damian harbored slowly became replaced with disappointment. 

Hood wasn’t coming. 

The paper in his pocket began to burn.

Still though, he needed to confirm. Even if the answer was obvious. 

His hand pressed on the comm, “Oracle, did Hood go off grid?”

A static and then- “Yeah. The cameras haven’t caught him patrolling tonight. And he isn’t answering my calls. There was probably another emergency with his contacts.” 

Signal sighed, “He sure has been off grid a lot recently. There must be a lot of emergencies.” 

Damian couldn’t help but nod. 

“Say O,”  the meta continued. “Do you know who these contacts are by any chance?” 

Damian wanted to know the same thing.

“I wish,” Oracle said. “Tim and I have been trying to figure it out but nothing. Whenever he leaves Gotham, cameras never seem to pick him up.” 

Todd was annoyingly competent. 

“Tt,” he spoke up. “Whoever his contacts are, they are clearly lacking in skill. It’s as if every few weeks, Todd has an… emergency.”  

He crinkled his nose. Damian was really beginning to hate that word. 

“I agree.” Drake’s voice joined their conversation even though no one asked. “He’s never off grid this much. Even when he’s fighting with B.” The interloper was whining now. “If he keeps this up, he’d have spent more time away from Gotham instead of in it.” 

Damian froze. No, that couldn’t be the case. 

Todd loved Gotham. 

Todd loved them. 

He shouldn’t be straying so far from them. He never had before. This wasn’t right. 

A thought dawned onto his mind. 

What if he was being blackmailed?

Without thinking, he spoke the question out loud and the comm line suddenly burst with voices. 

Damian wasn’t paying attention though. 

Todd was theirs. 

More Damian’s than anyone else’s though. 

Not that they know that. 

Todd was a Wayne. A bat. And an Al Ghul. 

He was part of Damian’s family in every way that mattered. 

He should be here, with Damian. Not away. 

And definitely not with contacts that were so incompetent that they needed his akhi’s help every few weeks. 

Chapter Text

Steph skipped around the cave, a bright smile on her face as she buzzed with excitement.

Cass was next to her. She was excited too. It was just more subdued.

“The boys are gonna be so jealous when they find out,” Steph exclaimed. “I can’t believe we’re meeting up with Jay to talk about a case. We’ll actually be working with him. Like side by side!”

She smiled faintly. “Very jealous.”

“And- and! He told us to meet him at that one safe house that everyone knows is his favorite because it actually looks lived in! With his books and actual food in the fridge.”

At that, Steph stopped and she turned to Cass, her eyes widening as her smile became so bright that it might rival Dick’s.

“Oh. My. God. Food! I think I know Jason pretty well by now and when I was talking to the younger D’s, he told me that whenever he helped them with their English papers, he also had a snack or dessert prepared for them. Do you know what this means, Cass?”

Cass knew exactly what it meant but she shook her head anyway.

“It means while we’re talking about the intel and gathering more info and coming up with plans, we’ll get to eat Jason’s food. OMG, I can’t wait! Ooh -”

Steph’s smile turned more mischievous and she began doing that hand thing Cass had seen in movies where the villain rubs their hands together while talking about their evil plan.

“Maybe I’ll even steal one of his hoodies.”

Cass watched as the blonde prattled on about her plan to steal Jason’s hoodie. She didn’t know if it would work, but it would be fun to see the blonde attempt.

Jason had been very protective of his jackets recently. It all started when Dick was complaining about how he was cold and Jason just grumbled about how annoying the man’s voice was before throwing one of his hoodies to the man.

Jason tried to hide it with his grumbling, but she could see that he was happy when Dick visibly brightened and started thanking his little wing.

He even tried to hide it by turning his face away, but Cass could tell he was turning red.

Dick took the hoodie back with him to the manor and soon enough, everyone tried it and then everyone wanted it.

They all went to the mall once and they wanted to invite Jason, but he never responded so they assumed he was busy.

Tim wanted to get the same jacket as Jason, so they went to the shop, but the boy only frowned when he tried it on.

“It’s different.” Tim frowned, inspecting himself in the mirror. “It doesn’t feel the same.”

“Different size?” Cass asked, because the hoodie Tim was trying on was in his size and well, Jason was very, very tall and big. The opposite of Tim.

“I don’t think so. Jay’s hoodie actually feels different. More comfy.”

“Weird.”

“Right?” Tim shrugged. “Oh well. Maybe I’ll just steal one of Jason’s next time we hang out. Maybe his detergent made the fabric softer or something.”

Cass didn’t know if that’s how it worked, but she saw Dick and Damian nodding like it made sense, so it probably was.

They exited the store and Tim did exactly what he said he would. Then, the others started following his lead.

Poor Jason was so confused. He looked like a lost puppy when he realized that everyone’s new hobby was stealing his jackets.

Even Damian joined, ignoring Jason’s protests about how it was definitely too big for him and that they needed to give it back because it was his.

No one ever did.

Steph clapped her hands together. “Operation Steal-Jason’s-Hoodie-and-Eat-His-Food-Is-A-Go!”

The corner of Cass’s mouth twitched up in amusement as they left the cave. Steph was always so bright and bubbly. Cass admired that about her. She knew that her friend had a rough life, but she never let it bring her down.

Steph was also emotionally competent in the ways her dad and brothers weren’t. She didn’t judge and her mind didn’t immediately come up with accusations.

Steph tried to understand and, more times than not, she actually did.

Cass thought that that was why Jason and Steph got along so well. If she thought about it, the two of them were pretty similar.

The one big difference that she could think of when it came to them was that Steph let her personality shine while Jason tried to keep his at bay.

Cass could see it in him sometimes-the way his shoulders tightened, the way his hands twitched. He was scared.

But she didn’t understand why.

Everyone already loved Jason. They would only love him more once he stopped hiding his personality.

Cass knew it was complicated. She could read people’s body language with frightening accuracy and because of that she could also read people’s emotions.

The body knows what the mind doesn’t.

But at the same time, emotions were very… hard . They blurred together and they could change in a quick blink.

It got confusing and messy and it made her head hurt.

Sometimes, she wondered if she’d picked up the Waynes’ incompetence with emotions too.

“Hey Cass,” Steph’s quiet voice snapped her out of her thoughts. They were in Jason’s territory now. “Do you think that the Alley feels… different?”

Cass looked around but honestly she didn’t need to. She could sense that Steph was right.

The Alley was different.

She couldn’t sense leery eyes on her back. There weren’t dealers hiding in the corners. She couldn’t hear shouting from within the houses.

“Different.” Cass confirmed in surprise. “Very different.”

“This-” Steph’s voice hitched. She turned in a slow circle, eyes bright with awe and wonder. “This was definitely Hood’s doing. I know we haven’t been here in a few weeks but… but you can really tell that something changed, you know.”

Cass nodded, letting Steph talk.

“Some people… some people will never understand just how much Hood’s done for people like me. They’ll never know how good he is.”

Cass’s gaze lingered on the quiet streets and compared it to how it used to be. Her voice was certain. “Little brother… amazing.”

Steph’s laugh echoed in the air. “He really is, Cass. He really is.”

The blonde didn’t say anything after that. She was quiet. The only sound coming out of her mouth was soft, happy hums.

It didn’t take long for them to reach Jason’s house. Steph hopped up the steps first, reaching for the handle. She turned it and paused.

…It turned all the way.

Steph’s hand was still frozen, looking at the handle like it was an alien.

“Unlocked?” Cass asked in surprise. “Little brother left it… unlocked?”

“I guess so.” Steph was wearing a beaming smile again. “The boys are definitely gonna die when they hear this. They’ll be so jealous.”

Cass nodded in confirmation.

The others were always jealous when it came to Jason. They fought for his attention like puppies.

It was very amusing.

Steph pushed the door forward and stepped in. Cass followed.

The lights were on and Jason’s blanket was over that ottoman that he always sat on. They passed the fuzzy and soft carpet that she loved to lay on.

The atmosphere was light and happy until they saw it.

Cass saw the immediate change in Steph’s body language and hers followed instantly.

The table was empty except for a manila folder, a few containers, and a note.

“I would ask if you wanna bet if it’s another emergency but that would just be unfair.” Steph’s voice was bitter now. Not towards Jason, but towards whoever kept pulling him away from Gotham because of these emergencies.

Steph grabbed the note, eyes skimming quickly before crumpling it. “It basically says the same thing as the last one. Contact had an emergency and Jason left. He did leave an apology though. Said he was looking forward to this but he couldn’t ignore whoever that contact is.”

Cass noticed how the lids of the containers were foggy. She touched one. “Still warm,” she pointed out. “Little brother just left.”

Steph tried to look on the bright side but Cass could see that her smile was strained. The light in her eyes wasn’t as bright anymore.

“At least we won’t have to heat it up! It’ll taste fresh but…” Her shoulders slumped. “That just means we barely missed him. Dang it.”

Steph pulled out her phone, eyes determined. “I’m gonna ask Babs if her systems flagged him leaving.”

It was unlikely and they both knew it, but there was no harm in asking.

Cass reached for the manila folder, opening it carefully. She flipped through the pages Jason had printed out.

Each one was so effortlessly detailed that it would have made Bruce jealous. Notes were scribbled in the margins, arrows connecting ideas, and even sarcastic comments that Jason must have added because he was bored.

Steph peeked over her shoulder, letting out a fond laugh. She pointed at one of the pictures with their main suspects. Jason had drawn a ridiculous mustache and glasses on every single one of them in purple ink.

Her eyes moved down to the words below and some of the tension in her shoulders eased.

“These are… really good. Like really, really good.” Cass handed her the folder and Steph quickly looked through them. “I mean-this is info that Bruce couldn’t even find. And his notes… they’re extremely helpful and they seem pretty accurate so far.”

Steph paused, as if she was unsure if she should continue. Cass put her hand over hers in comfort.

“You know, if you heard how they used to talk about Jason before, you wouldn’t have guessed that he could be so-” Steph paused, trying to find the right word. “Competent .”

Cass furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

Steph answered the silent question. “You weren’t part of the Bats yet. It was just me, Tim, and Dick. It was… well, look Cass. You have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone I told you this. Everything is going pretty good right now with Jay and everyone. I don’t want to ruin it.”

Cass held out her pinky and Steph interlocked it with hers.

“Back when Tim was Robin,” Steph started. “He… how do I describe it-he kind of had this one-sided competition with Jason. Which was ridiculous because as far as anyone knew, Jason was still dead, you know.” Steph shook her head. “He’d make comments about how reckless Jason was and how Jason didn’t listen and that was why he died.”

Cass could tell that Steph wasn’t lying, but it was still hard for her to understand why Tim would say those things. From what she’d seen, Tim absolutely loved Jason. He looked up to him.

“I know,” Steph saw the shock on Cass’s face. “It’s shocking, especially now. But back then, it was really different. He would constantly compare himself to Jay and talk about how he was better than him and other stuff like that. In my opinion, I feel like Tim was projecting.”

Cass tilted her head. “Projecting… how?”

Steph sighed. “He was always insecure, especially when it came to his place in Bruce’s life. I think a part of him was scared that he would never fill the hole that Jason left, you know. And well-it’s not like Bruce helped in that regard.”

“What do you mean?” Cass struggled to say the words, afraid of what she would hear next.

“I mean Bruce was the one that started the whole thing. He constantly compared us to Jay. Whenever we would do something he didn’t like, he’d start asking if we wanted to end up like Jason. It got worse when I became Robin. He would tell me about how I was exactly like Jason and how reckless I was and well-you get the point.”

Cass didn’t know what to say, so she just held on to Steph’s hand a little bit tighter.

“I used to hate it,” Steph said. “When Bruce compared me to him. But now-now I’m happy he did. Jason’s pretty amazing, ya know.”

Steph nudged Cass playfully and Cass laughed. Steph’s eyes were still sad but the usual shine was starting to come back.

“And after a while, Tim grew out of it. It took a while but it happened. Then, Jay came back and you know what happens from there.”

“Does he know?”

Steph shook her head. “I don’t think so. And honestly, I hope he never finds out. Bruce, Dick, Tim-they don’t really talk about what they said about Jay back then. I’m pretty sure they wiped it from their minds. It’s just… sad, you know. Jason was dead and it was like no one had a good thing to say about him.”

Cass’s mind immediately flashed to how Jason would look at the memorial in the Cave-A Good Soldier. There was no evidence, but she felt like Jason knew about what was said about him. Or at least, he had an idea.

“Little-brother-need big-hug,” she told Steph.

Steph nodded. “Yeah. Jason really does.”

Chapter Text

For the first time in weeks, all of his kids were present in the cave and there wasn’t a single member missing. 

Even Jason. 

Especially Jason. 

It felt like Bruce hadn't seen him in months. He couldn’t even recall the last time Jason was in the cave with all of them. 

Lately, Jason had been always busy. 

Patrol sightings were rare, and when anyone did catch him, they talked for no longer than a minute. There was nothing but a muttered hello or how are you. 

On the rare chance that someone barged into his safehouse needing stitches, Jason would quickly drop what he was doing to help them but the moment the thread was cut, he was already turned around and headed back to whatever he was doing. 

Jason was getting too busy. And everyone had noticed.

Tim and Dick muttered about unanswered texts. Steph pouted that he’d “bailed on debrief for the third time.” Cass only shrugged when asked if she’d seen him. Even Damian and Duke were sulking.

“Todd cancelled our tutoring sessions this week,” his youngest grumbled as his small arms crossed in front of his chest. “Now Duke and I have to wait even longer to show him how much we improved.”

Bruce had found it adorable, though he wisely kept that thought to himself. He learned his lesson last time. He would never look at cotton candy the same way.

Tonight though, Jason was with them. 

It took everything in Bruce not to ask where he’d been, what he was planning, and why he was running himself ragged. 

When he even hinted at asking a day before the meeting, the glares he received- from his children and Alfred- could have convinced anyone he’d just kicked a puppy. 

Apparently, those questions made him sound suspicious. Who would’ve thought. 

Bruce didn’t even mean for it to sound like that. He was just curious. He wanted to get to know his son again. They hadn’t talked in so long, and Bruce knew it was all his fault.

He always handled things with Jason wrong.

It was why their relationship was so nonexistent. 

It was why Jason died. 

But he was trying. God help him, he really was trying.

Whatever mistakes he made with Jason, he poured himself into correcting with the others- and it seemed to be working. 

They trusted him more and they stayed. 

But when it came to his second son, he still couldn’t get it right. He could never get it right. 

He wanted Jason back and every attempt slipped through his fingers.

But tonight-

Tonight, there was a good chance that Bruce could take the first step in the right direction. 

They had a plan. And Bruce practiced! They made flashcards and Bruce refused to mess it up. 

All he had to ask was, would you like to stay for dinner? 

That was it! Even Bruce couldn’t mess that up.

First things first though, the meeting. 

The case that Steph and Cass were working on was uglier than anyone could have ever thought. It was an interconnected web that had strings all over Gotham. 

They thought they wrapped it up weeks after they received Jason’s surprisingly detailed folder of information.

But they were wrong. 

Coincidences began to pop up. Familiar names turning up in smaller busts and familiar signs scratched on crates that should’ve been clean. 

There were too many threads resurfacing. Way too many to ignore.

Barbara searched her feeds and Tim ran the algorithms until his eyes burned. Bruce sat for hours in front of the Batcomputer, chasing connections that evaporated the moment he began to reach for them.

There was nothing.

Until one of them off-handedly mentioned it to Jason while he was fixing their wound. A singular frown and a simple, “I’ll look into it” and here they were. 

Jason arrived in the cave with a simple nod and a folder tucked under his arm. 

Bruce blinked.

He could tell the others were caught off guard too. Jason wasn’t wearing his red hood suit. Instead, he was wearing a dark red shirt and his leather jacket over it, with the collars popped high enough to cover a majority of his neck. Then, he paired it with black joggers. 

It didn’t hit him until that moment just how young Jason looked. 

Steph whistled, “Looking good, Hood.” She playfully winked at him, “How come we hardly see you dressed up like this?” 

“Probably because we don’t really hang out a lot in our civvies.” Jason informed her, looking confused when she winced. “Plus, I would hardly call this dressing up. I just grabbed whatever and changed.” He shrugged.

His eldest quickly tried to change the subject, “I like your new necklace!” Dick smiled brightly, “I didn’t know you liked necklaces.” 

“Or just jewelry in general,” Duke was staring at Jason’s hand. “The bracelet is new as well.” 

“Pretty.” Cass told Jason. 

Jason turned red and looked away, “Uhm- thank you.” 

Then as if a switch was flipped, Jason cleared his throat and set the folder on the table with a dull thunk. 

The shift in his posture was obvious. His shoulders squared and the easy flush in his cheeks fading into something steadier.

“Anyway,” he said, “Duke mentioned the case wasn’t dead, so I poked around.”

The teasing atmosphere drained out of the cave. Dick’s smile faltered. Tim straightened in his chair. Even Steph leaned forward, elbows on her knees, eyes narrowing at the folder.

“Sorry it took me so long to grab and organize the info. I’ve had a lot on my plate lately.” 

Duke just sent him a surprised look, “Don’t worry about it, man. I told you about it three days ago. I’m surprised you even found…” his voice trailed off when Jason opened the folder and carefully spread the papers out.

Inside were maps marked with red ink, lists of possible companies, coded names with dates scribbled beside them. There were even drafted warrants, the notes were so detailed and precise that even Bruce was caught off guard. 

How did Jason find all of this in less than seventy two hours? 

Unaware of everyone’s shock, Jason pointed to one page casually. “They never actually shut down,” he told them, voice certain. Then, he tapped a map with red markings. “They shifted to Old Gotham- mostly the Narrows but there are some out by Robinson Park, and a dockside warehouse. It’s the same product, different storage. There’s a pattern when they rotate so it doesn’t attract the wrong attention. It’s every twelfth, fifteenth, and third hour. Weird, I know. But it’s been working soooo.”

The others stilled, exchanging surprised glances. 

Jason kept going, “They’re funneling money through small, local companies- laundromats, eateries, things nobody looks twice at.”

Tim leaned forward, eyes wide. His fingers twitched like he wanted to grab the page out of Jason’s hand. “I… I ran checks on every warehouse in the Narrows. Nothing lit up.”

Jason only shrugged, flipping to the next sheet. “Because the leases aren’t under their names. They kept it off the books. The paperwork is layered through the fronts.”

Barbara’s chair creaked as she leaned closer, eyes scanning the notes as her lips pressed into a tight line. “These records… they aren’t in any of my databases.” The admission sounded strange in her mouth.

Steph whistled, impressed as she grinned at Cass.

Jason ignored it, choosing to stack the last sheet on top and pushed the folder forward. “If you want them off the streets for good, you’ll need simultaneous raids. Non-lethal entry points are here, here, and here.” He pointed at the blue dots in the map. “The chain of evidence is clean if Gordon pushes it through fast. No wiggle room in court.”

Then he leaned back, brows furrowed. The silence was heavy.

He looked up at them, something indescribable in his eyes. “This is technically Alley business. I’m sorry you guys were forced to deal with it. I don’t really have a good excuse for you guys but if you want, I can easily take it out of your hands and deal with it myself.” 

The words burned through them like lava. 

Bruce couldn’t react fast enough before Dick’s hand slammed down turning to Jason. At Jason’s flinch, his eldest froze, fingers still spread over the paper as if the folder might disappear. 

“No.” Dick caught his breath, “You can’t just-” His sentence faded into a shocked noise. He blinked, then laughed, a sound that was half incredulous and half delighted. “You found more info in three days than what we got two weeks. You can’t just do that and expect us to be mad”

Jason’s gaze lowered to the table, the black necklace at his throat flashing in the cave’s glow. He shifted his weight, shoulders tight. “I just… had the right contacts, that’s all.” 

Bruce couldn’t help but stare. The sight in front of him was so familiar it hurt. Some things really don’t change. His Jaylad still couldn’t accept compliments.

The others didn’t push and the silence hung heavy, the weight of Jason’s work spread out across the table. 

Once a moment passed, he felt everyone's eyes immediately head to him. 

He took that as the sign. 

Bruce took a deep breath in and he counted to three before letting it out. He could do this. He was Bruce Wayne. He was Batman. He was the Dark Knight. He invoked fear by sight alone. He's defeated meta-humans and gods that one could only dream of. 

He had practiced the words in front of his mirror so many times. He could do this. 

He could ask his son to join them for dinner. 

Bruce opened his mouth, "Jas-" 

RINGGGGGGGGG! 

Someone's stupid phone started ringing, slicing through the silence like a blade. Before Bruce could glare at the one responsible, Jason was taking a device out of his pocket. 

Bruce blinked in shock. Why did his son have a Starkphone?

“Yeah?” Jason’s voice dropped, his shoulders began to tense as every word that came out of his mouth sharpened. “Are you sure? If you’re lying- no, no…yeah, I bet. Not really. Yeah, I just finished a meeting, but it wasn’t that important. Just info-gathering. So it was light. I-yes, don’t worry… meeting’s pretty much done, so- yes of course. You don’t gotta ask twice, you know that. I’m on my way.”

He ended the call without ceremony, sliding the Starkphone back into his pocket.

And then he turned his back on them and walked away without hesitation or even a second glance. He didn’t even wait to hear what Bruce had to say. 

"Wha- wait! Little Wing!" Dick’s voice cracked as he lurched forward. Jason paused mid-stride, blinking back at them like he’d just remembered they were there. "Where are you going? I thought-"

“You thought what?” Jason raised a brow, his motorcycle helmet already tucked under his arm, confusion flickering across his face.

“I—” Dick’s words caught in his throat. His shoulders sagged. “Maybe we could help with the problem? And then you can… join us for dinner after?”

For the briefest moment, Jason looked almost startled. His mouth parted, expression raw in a way that made Bruce’s chest ache. 

Jason recovered quickly though. "Sorry N,” Bruce hated how he actually looked sorry. “Maybe next time. I thought I had a few days because-“ He caught himself. “Well, it doesn’t matter." 

Stephanie and Tim exchanged a look that spoke volumes. Damian’s eyes narrowed; he muttered curses under his breath, arms crossed tight.

"It's ya' know. My contacts. Can't leave them hanging and it's an-" 

"Emergency." Every single one of his kids finished for him like it was rehearsed. 

The disgust and disdain at the word was obvious but like all the other times, Jason paid it no mind, more focused on grabbing his keys. 

"I- yeah." Jason put the helmet over his head and effortlessly hopped on the bike. "That was kinda creepy but thank god, you guys get it." The bike roared to life, its echo filling the cave as Jason revved the engine. “I’ll be gone a few days. Don’t wait up.” 

And then he was gone, tail-light swallowed by the dark tunnel.

The silence he left behind was crushing.

“Barbara—” Bruce started.

She was already at her console, fingers hammering across the keys. Her movements were sharp and clipped. “I’m on it.”

Tim’s arms were crossed so tightly his knuckles blanched white. His glare burned into the floor and his jaw clenched hard enough to ache.

“Unbelievable,” he muttered, pacing in a short, agitated line. “I thought he trashed that Starkphone after that night in the safehouse. But no. He still had it.” His hand clawed through his hair, tugging hard. “Wayne Tech is better. We’re better. He should be using our tech. Not anyone else’s.” 

Bruce stayed quiet, though he agreed. And everyone knew that it wasn’t really the tech that Tim was really frustrated about.

“Tt. Not to mention that this is the third emergency this month. The third. And it’s only the tenth.” Damian was scowling, his arms folded tight across his chest. 

The air tensed and Bruce wished he could say something to ease the tension but nothing came to mind. 

Luckily, Steph turned to Babs. “Have you found anything, O? A direction on where he’s headed? Maybe where the frequency of the call is from?” 

There was nothing but the sound of fingers pressing on the keyboard before Barbara muttered a defeated, “No. There’s nothing. He should’ve tripped at least three cameras already, but it’s like he disappeared off of thin air.”

“That’s not possible.” Dick was unnaturally still, “We have our own cameras set up around this part of Gotham. There’s no way he could’ve avoided them the way he’s avoided others.” 

The cave was quiet again. 

“Guys,” Duke was hesitant. “Maybe Damian wasn’t paranoid with the whole blackmail thing.” 

Steph’s head snapped toward him. “You really think that someone’s pulling his strings? And that’s why he keeps running off?”

“It makes sense,” Tim said too quickly. “It has to be.” Bruce didn’t know if Tim was trying to convince them or himself.

“Really?” Steph argued back, voice rising. “Because this is Jason we’re talking about. The Red Hood. I know you guys like to deny it but he has a rep. Who would have enough balls or even power to blackmail h-?” 

Tim didn’t let her finish. “That’s what I’m trying to say. Jay is smart. He covers his bases and he doesn’t leave openings. If someone found a way to get to him, then it has to be big. Something personal. And something he can’t fight his way out of.”

No one spoke, they barely exchanged glances. 

“It makes sense.” Dick gave in, his voice rougher than he intended. “Jason- he always put us first before. No matter what. He’d drop everything the second one of us called.” His fists curled against the table, knuckles white. “And now he barely gives us a second glance.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, even Cass and Steph could tell she was defeated. “I still think we’re jumping the gun but sure, fine. It’s blackmail.” She said sarcastically.

The others ignored it, choosing to point out certain experiences they’ve had with Jason that seemed suspicious. They talked about how his eyes would stare at shadows longer than usual and how his stance was always tense, whenever they saw him from another rooftop. 

The cave buzzed with noise again as his children compared notes. 

But Bruce stayed silent. 

His eyes stayed locked on the tunnel his son had vanished through. His hands curled into fists at his sides. He faced his living nightmares every day but the sight of his son walking away from them gutted him every single time.

Just like before, Jason was slipping through his fingers again.

And this time, Bruce didn’t even know who he was losing him to.

Chapter Text

Her shoulders ached like she’d been strung up for hours. The ropes bit into her wrists, leaving her fingers prickling and useless. Just from the position, she could tell there was no way out. 

Steph felt like she was Black Mask all over again, tied up and helpless, with his smug smile as he watched her scream in pain with every passing second. 

Her vision swam, shadows bleeding together as her head screamed at her in pain, until they finally sharpened into familiar faces.

The sight made her heart drop. 

There was no way. 

Apart from Jason and Barbara, the rest of the bats were in the same boat as her. They’d never- 

It seemed impossible, and for a second, Steph believed that it was a hallucination or her mind was playing tricks on her. How could they all have gotten captured? Almost all of them? 

They had even gotten Cass.

There was no Babs on comms either. Whatever this was, it jammed her too- or it was powerful enough to knock her offline.

A faint sound drew her eyes sideways. 

Tim. 

He shifted against the ropes; his face might have been pale, but his eyes were still sharp and calculating, despite the situation.

“Don’t pull,” he rasped, voice just loud enough for her to hear. “The knots tighten when you fight them.”

Steph let out a shaky breath that was almost a laugh. She felt like crying. “Great. So what’s the plan? How are we getting out of this one?” 

The odds weren’t good, and a simple glance around the room confirmed it. They didn’t have a contingency plan in case everyone was captured. Usually, there was always one bat free that could save them, or the ropes weren’t tied properly. 

And well- 

With the number of bats steadily growing, it didn’t seem possible for any of their rogues to have enough skill to grab all of them and keep them captive. 

They should’ve known better. They got too prideful. Guess Batman and his contingencies weren’t so perfect after all. 

A familiar grunt entered her ears; it was Bruce. His cowl was still on, but with how his shoulders sagged and his breath rasped through the room, he didn’t seem like he was actually Batman. 

If the situation weren’t so dire, Steph would’ve made a joke about how he looked like a knockoff version of himself. 

Bruce didn’t look untouchable anymore, and it scared Steph more than she wanted it to. 

When he spoke, his voice was rough. “Report,” he said, eyes scanning the room as his mind was probably coming up with more plans to try and get out.

Steph’s breathing calmed for a bit. If Bruce was telling them to report, it meant he confirmed that there were no cameras or people in the near vicinity. 

As of right now, they were safe. 

Dick answered first, but the upbeat and cheery attitude that was usually in his voice was gone. “I’m alive,” he winced at every word. “There’s a wound on my side. It hurts, but nothing seriously fatal. You guys?”

“I’m okay.” Although it was quiet, Cass’s voice pierced the air. One look and Steph could tell how unsettled she was. This was probably the first time she’d ever been held captive, “Body aches but no injuries.” 

A small amount of weight was lifted from Steph’s shoulders. 

Tim answered soon after, “My ribs are bruised. Thankfully, it’s not broken. Heads still spinning, but I’m functioning well enough.” 

His eyes met Steph’s, and she was about to open her mouth to answer, but the words were stuck in her throat, trapped and unable to escape. 

Around them, the air shifted. 

It was subtle, like a small draft that entered due to a small crack in an open window, but they were bats. Subtle didn’t work on them.

It turned cold. Goosebumps rose on her skin. If Steph wasn’t tied up, she would be wrapping her arms around herself, rubbing her hands on her skin to generate heat.

It felt wrong. As if oxygen itself were being depleted from the room. Steph shivered; this type of cold was different from Gotham’s winter. It was thinner. Emptier. 

Steph hoped she would never feel like this again.

The silence was broken by a noise she couldn’t describe. 

It wasn’t footsteps or even the sound of someone breathing. It didn’t even sound human.

There was scraping. And even a dragging sound, something wet and uneven, as if nails were clawing on stone at the bottom of the ocean. 

The sound made her body ache, and Steph wanted nothing more than for her hands to be free so she could cover her ears; It rattled through her bones and vibrated through her teeth. 

She didn’t know if she’d ever be able to forget it.

The smell followed, causing her to wrinkle her nose in disgust. It was sharp and metallic, and it smelled like expired food that’s been rotting in your cabinets for months. Steph tried not to visibly gag, but she failed. At least she didn’t throw up though.

Shadows slithered across the floor despite the fact that there was no one but them there. They were moving against the light, bleeding into different shapes. 

The figures bled out of the dark corners, too tall, too thin, and their edges twitching as though the world couldn’t decide where their bodies ended.

Steph blinked a few times, desperately hoping that her mind was playing tricks on her, but from the matching faces of shock that was painted on everyone’s faces, she wasn’t. 

She wanted to talk, to say something, but she was frozen as if someone had cast a spell on her. A strong sense of fear entered her body. One she’d never felt before. Not even when Black Mask had captured and tortured her. 

Steph didn’t know what these creatures were, but they were different from anything they’d ever fought before. They were worse. She felt like she was staring at the devil themselves. 

Their faces-

She didn’t even know if faces were the right word for them. They kept rearranging, twisting into a worse version of the last. It was like her brain refused to hold onto what they really looked like. 

Every time she tried, her eyes burned and watered until she wanted to squeeze them shut.

Steph wanted to turn her face away. But she couldn’t. 

One of their mouths opened, and she visibly shivered. She couldn’t even focus on the others right now, too shaken up to pay attention to anything but the creatures. 

“The chosen will comeeee.” Only one of them hissed, but it sounded as if multiple were talking. Their voices crashed over each other like a choir out of sync. “And when he does, your bodies will already be cold.” 

Steph didn’t know who they were talking about, but she knew that it wasn’t good. If they didn’t free themselves in the next few minutes, she has no doubt that they’d be dead. 

But how? 

Steph had felt helpless before. All of them had. But nothing like this. They were stuck, and they had no way out. If she had the strength to look at the others, she had no doubt that they probably felt the same. 

Another one hissed, “It will be fun to see the despair in his eyes. To see him realize that he was too late once again.” It cackled. 

Or maybe it was choking? 

The sound doubled back on itself, a laugh that didn’t belong in anything with a human mouth. Either way, it made her chest clamp down, like the air had been ripped out of her lungs. 

Its eyes trailed over each and every one of them, heavy and leery. She thought that she’d be able to breathe easier when their gaze moved on, but she realized just who exactly it lingered on. 

She wanted to cry out, bring the attention back to her, but she couldn’t. The faces of the rest of the bats grew clearer; their expressions matched hers. Wide eyes filled with pure, undisguised terror.

No! She wanted to cry out. 

The mouth of the creatures twisted up. As if it could hear her thoughts. “You will go first.” It said with its gaze still locked on Damian. “He always did have a soft spot for children. You will be the beginning of his undoing.” 

The creature rushed forward, and Steph was helpless to do anything but watch as its arm grew, grabbing Damian and holding him in front of its eyes. 

Its mouth peeled back into something that might have been a grin, except it wasn’t anything close to playful.

If Steph survived this, she would never be able to forget Damian’s face. The arrogant mask that he loved to wear around them was gone.

His bottom lip pressed tight until it quivered, eyes too wide and glinting with a wetness she’d never seen on him. He looked so small. He didn’t look like a prince right now. Only a kid. 

Damian still tried to hold his face steady because, of course, he did. His chin was up, and his jaws were clenched. But the tremor in his hands betrayed him. 

For the first time since Steph could even remember, he looked exactly his age. 

The creature’s mouth opened as it pulled Damian closer. She wanted to look away. She couldn’t watch this. But she was stuck. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak, and neither could the others. 

She couldn’t turn to face them, even if she wanted to. Whatever these creatures were, they wanted to watch as they killed Damian. 

Damian was merely inches away, and her heart began to beat faster. No. No, no, no- 

Above them, the ceiling cracked.

A sound like thunder split the room as wood and stone rained down. 

A figure dropped through the dark, a blaze of motion in black and red. 

That was- 

Jason hit the ground in a roll so fast it blurred, the tip of his sword—and since when did he use a sword?- was already swinging through the air. The blade carved a vicious arc of light that split straight through the arm of the creature holding Damian. 

The thing shrieked— a chorus of voices splintering in pain- as black smoke and fire burst from the wound. Its grip snapped open, and Damian tumbled free.

Jason was already there, catching him mid-fall. His other hand didn’t slow. It shoved Damian behind him in the same breath, sliding the boy toward the cluster of bats. 

Steph’s heart stuttered when she saw the protective push and then a glint of steel. Jason pressed a small knife into Damian’s palm, closing the boy’s trembling fingers around it.

“Cut,” Jason ordered, his voice raw and sharp. “Now.”

Damian’s wide eyes snapped to Jason, finally comprehending that he was real before nodding. 

Jason turned, his sword already rising in a fluid motion that said that he’d done this a thousand times before. 

The next creature lunged, and Jason met it head-on, steel cleaving through the smoke of its body.

Steph’s breath hitched. She’d seen Jason fight before; all of them had. But-

But never like this. 

More of the creatures appeared, peeling themselves up from the ground. It was a scene directly from a horror movie. Their limbs twisted and bent in all the wrong ways as their forms reshaped into something worse every second she looked at them.

They attacked in multiples of three. Twelve, fifteen, sometimes maybe even twenty-four. It didn’t matter. It was always in a multiple of three. 

And Jason never flinched once. His swords were in his hands, burning bright, and acted like a beacon to these creatures. 

They swarmed him, claws slashing and voices overlapping. Jason tore through each and every one of them with brutal efficiency. 

One swing cutting through two at once, another plunging straight through a chest, before he spun and slashed the head off another. 

Steph could tell that words were being exchanged between the creatures and Jason, but with all the screams and hissing in the air, it was hard for her to understand what they were saying. 

“Come on,” Jason growled. “I know there’s more of you. Come out.” 

They did. 

And they paid the price. 

But it was never ending. To an untrained eye, Jason was doing fine. Excellent even. But Steph could tell that he was beginning to feel the toll. 

Behind her, she felt the rope tug. Steph twisted, just enough to catch Damian’s small hands working at the fibers, the knife Jason had shoved into his grip still trembling between his fingers. His jaw was tight, lips pressed thin, but his movements were quick, sharp- born of training drilled into him since birth, even if fear still trembled in his bones.

The rope bit at her skin as Damian sawed through it, each pull jerky with frustration. “Hold still,” he muttered, voice cracking in a way Steph had never heard from him before. 

It wasn’t an order, and it wasn’t a command. It was a plea. A plea from a boy trying to sound steadier than he felt. The last strand snapped, and blood rushed back into her wrists so fast it made her gasp.

She could move again. 

Steph was just about to thank him, but-

A clang! filled the air.

The sound echoed in her bones like steel breaking against stone. Her head whipped around in time to see Jason’s blade locked against the claws of one of the creatures. Sparks hissed where metal met shadow, the fire along his sword guttering under the force.

He was surrounded. Jason staggered back, teeth bared beneath the helmet, as one wrapped itself around his arm, another clamped onto his shoulder, dragging him half to his knees. 

For the first time, it looked like they had him.

Steph’s chest seized, her heart hammering as though it might tear through her ribs. 

Jason strained against the bindings, blades flashing but slowing under the weight of too many. Smoke coiled around him like chains, burning against his jacket, squeezing tighter every second.

“You will fall, Chosen.” They said, “It is finally your time.”

Despite the threat, there was a dangerous glint in Jason’s eyes that she had never seen before. Not even when they used to be enemies. 

From the corner, she saw the flaming sword disappear from the pavement. 

A snarl escaped his throat, “I’ll stop fighting when I’m dead and-“ the corner of his mouth turned sharp, “-I’m not planning on dying again anytime soon.” The sword reappeared in his hand, and he stabbed the demon, setting it on fire.

Before Jason could hit the floor, he twisted into a roll, lessening the impact before springing back up like it was nothing. 

The creatures faltered. Their heads turned, twitching, eyes flashing between Jason and each other like they weren’t so sure anymore.

One dissolved into the shadows with a hiss, its body breaking apart into smoke that sank into the floor. Another followed, its cackle unraveling into silence as it slipped away. A third screeched something guttural before retreating, its form melting into the wall.

The ones that stayed were hesitant. Jason wasted no time before taking advantage of it. He slashed and stabbed until there was nothing left.

No one said a word. The only sound left was Jason’s harsh and heavy breathing. His swords flickered once, then vanished from his hands, leaving behind only the faint scorch marks where they’d burned through the cement.

He turned to them, pressing a button on his helmet to reveal his face. Steph blinked. The domino mask Jason loved to wear underneath wasn’t there, and she could see the obvious relief in his eyes. 

Jason strode straight past the rest of them, dropping to one knee in front of Damian. His gloved hands hovered for a moment, almost shaking, before settling on the boy’s shoulders as if to reassure himself he was real, that he was whole. 

His voice cracked, “I thought I would be too late again.” The man muttered to himself as if he was in the middle of a memory before he finally let out the breath he’d been holding since he crashed through the ceiling.

Steph exchanged glances with Cass. She didn’t think that they were supposed to hear that. 

Jason shifted to stand, but the motion drew a sharp wince across his face before he could mask it. His hand twitched to his side, just for a second, then fell away like nothing had happened.

“You’re hurt, akhi.” Damian frowned in worry, the knife still trembling faintly in his grip. “Alfred can treat you. You are coming back to the cave with us.” 

Aside from Duke, the rest of the bats watched their interaction with surprised expressions.

Jason’s lips parted, and Steph could already hear the ‘no, not tonight’ that would come out. But to her surprise, he scanned over each of them. 

Dick’s hand was pressed against his bleeding side. Tim’s chest was heaving with shallow breaths. Cass was sitting too still, conserving strength, same with Bruce. Steph’s raw wrists and Duke’s pale, defeated face.

His shoulders sagged in defeat. “Okay,” Jason muttered in agreement. “But only if you guys get checked up first.” 

The others looked like they were about to disagree, but a sharp glare from Jason caused them all to nod. 

Damian looked thoughtful before tilting his head. “I will only agree to that if you stay and watch a movie with us.” He paused, debating. “Two movies.” He demanded. 

It was actually an adorable sight. Jason obviously thought so too because he agreed with a playful shake of his head. “Sure, Dames, anything you want.” 

Those were the wrong words to say because Damian looked up at Jason with something dangerous in his eyes. “Then I demand that you cannot leave for any emergencies this week!”

“I think you guys were the emergency this time,” Jason informed him. “But sure, no leaving Gotham this week. Just you and me, okay.”

Damian nodded, satisfaction evident in his body. It was deserved too. Everyone knew that Jason didn’t break promises. Ever. 

Jason kept going, “But jeez, D, you’re acting like I leave ‘cause of emergencies’ all the time. There aren’t that many.”

Steph looked at him in shock. So did the rest of them. Jason looked as if he actually believed it, too. 

Before Damian could answer, the Batmobile finally showed up, automatically opening all the doors. 

They all shuffled into the Batmobile with slow, careful steps, each one of them stiff from injuries and exhaustion. 

The ride back blurred together for Steph. Her head rested back against the seat, eyes heavy, wrists throbbing in time with her pulse.

By the time the vehicle slid into the cave and the engine cut off, Alfred was already there. His sharp eyes swept over them in one calculating glance, and Steph swore she’d never seen him move faster.

They were filed into the med bay in silence, one by one being ushered onto stretchers or stools as Alfred worked. He stitched, wrapped, cleaned, muttering soft reprimands under his breath. 

When Alfred turned to her, Steph didn’t argue when her wrists were bandaged, though she bit down on every sarcastic remark that tried to crawl out of her throat.

It wasn’t worth it. Not when Alfred’s hands were so steady, his scowl so fierce.

Then it was Jason’s turn.

He lowered himself onto the stool, trying to play it casual, but the sharp wince that flickered across his face gave him away. 

Jason tugged his shirt off with a sharp inhale, and the room went uncomfortably still, every pair of eyes on him.

Jason let out a long breath, “Don’t all stare at once,” he muttered, rolling his eyes before frowning. “They don’t usually stay this long after a fight.” 

Jason was talking about the faint but steady markings curled across his arms and branded over his muscles and veins. 

They weren’t tattoos because Steph knew tattoos didn’t glow, and they definitely didn’t move. The ones on Jason’s body shifted like molten lines, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.

The marks crawled higher, licking over his arms and shoulders until they shimmered faintly at his collarbone. 

It was pretty. 

Steph wasn’t the only one staring. Tim, Dick, and even Bruce were transfixed by them.

The shiny, metallic black necklace that Jason loved to wear even seemed to be glowing. 

But the awe didn’t last. 

Because his side- God. 

His side was torn open, raw and angry, the skin scorched black at the edges. Alfred’s sharp intake of breath cut through the silence, and Steph’s stomach flipped.

“Good Lord.” The butler’s voice was tight. “Master Jason, when-”

“You didn’t get hit on the side tonight.” Tim’s voice cracked, but it stayed sharp with disbelief. His eyes were locked on the wound. “Not once. I saw you. That- that’s not from the creatures.”

Jason’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t look away. “No,” he admitted. “It’s not. It’s from The Untitled.”

“The Untitled?” Bruce’s eyes sharpened instantly. Detective mode automatically switched on.

Steph shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel. Dick followed a second later, shaking his head once in warning. Not now.

Luckily, Jason didn’t hear Bruce. He seemed too wrapped up in his own memories. 

Jason exhaled through his nose, shifting his weight as Alfred moved in to inspect the wound. His voice was quieter now, like he wasn’t even speaking to them. “I didn’t have time to get it looked at. As soon as I knew you were taken, I-I rushed straight here.”

The room went silent. 

“Stop looking at me like that.” Jason shifted uncomfortably. “It’s nothing I haven’t done before, you know that. Seriously, you guys have been acting weird recently. I don’t-“

Cass’s gaze lingered on the scorched wound, then it flicked to Jason’s face. “Thank you, Jason.” Cass interrupted, “You saved us.”

He seemed shocked at the appreciation, but nonetheless, the tension left his body. “Anytime.” 

“Wait-“ Color was finally coming back to Duke’s face. “So are these creatures the reason you’ve been so busy?” He asked.

“I mean- I guess?” 

“So you weren’t being blackmailed?” Jason gave Dick the most judgmental look she had ever seen, and he immediately backtracked. “Right- of course. Who would be stupid enough to think you’d be blackmailed?” The man nervously laughed. 

They were the ones who were stupid enough to think that. Well- Steph wasn’t. If Jason was ever seriously blackmailed, there would be more explosions. 

Jason just rolled his eyes. “Duke’s not entirely wrong. They’re part of the reason I’ve been busy. The Untitled have been appearing more and more.”

Steph could tell Bruce wanted to ask more. Get as much detail about the Untitled out of Jason as he could. But luckily, he was reigning himself in. She didn’t know if it was because he finally learned emotional cues or if it was because of the glares aimed at him. 

It was definitely the glares.

“I don’t know how or why. But I do know that it’s beginning to get annoying. If they keep this up, I might have to postpone sending in my college apps.”

Everyone froze. Even Alfred, mid-stitch. 

Jason was applying for college? 

Judging by the surprised looks everyone was wearing, no one knew about that.

“Chum, you want to go to college?” 

“I’ve always wanted to go to college.” Jason was defensive now. “You know that. Or, well, I guess I thought you did. Doesn’t matter. Like I said, I might not be able to apply right now.” 

“I- of course I knew.” Bruce was floundering with his words. Trying to say the right thing. “I just thought you changed your mind. I can make calls if you want. What do you want to study? And I can pay for your tuition. Housing. Food plan- everything. I can give you an allowance or-“

Steph wanted to laugh. Throwing money at anything really was Bruce’s love language. He seemed desperate to pay for everything, basically pleading for Jason to say yes. 

Too bad Jason was more focused on Alfred stitching up his side instead of Bruce’s face. “Nah, it’s okay.” He casually waved it off. Like, he didn’t just crush Bruce’s hopes and dreams. “Talia already called dibs on all that.” 

Tim blinked. “Talia al Ghul? Damian’s mother- Talia al Ghul?” 

“Yep,” Jason said, popping the p. Like it wasn’t a big deal to him. Like they hadn’t learned more about him in one night than they had in years

Damian was staring at the bracelet around Jason’s wrist. “So that is why-“ Jason nodded, probably knowing what Damian was about to say. “She finally claimed you as an al Ghul.” Damian nodded back in acceptance. “It is about time.” 

Confused looks were thrown around, but no one said anything. Bruce still looked sad. 

Alfred tied the final knot in the stitching, his hands as steady as ever despite the chaos of the night. “There,” he murmured, snipping the thread with surgical precision. “But do be careful not to tear them open again, Master Jason. I would rather not have you back on this table tomorrow.”

Jason gave a crooked grin. “No promises.”

Alfred’s brow furrowed, but he only sighed, gathering his tools. His gaze swept the room, sharp and unyielding as it fell on each of them in turn. “All of you. Showers. Now. You reek of smoke and sulfur, and I will not have you dragging that stench into the manor.”

No one argued. They were too tired and too sore. Not to mention that they were far too aware that Alfred’s word was law.

“Besides,” Alfred continued, adjusting his cuffs like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, “Master Damian has already informed me that tonight is to be a movie night. I suggest you make yourselves presentable before sullying the furniture.”

Damian straightened, chin tilting upward with smug certainty. “Two movies,” he corrected.

Jason huffed a laugh, shaking his head. And for the first time all night, it felt like things would be okay.

The movie was playing on the screen. They were nearing the end, and Steph was still glancing back and forth between Jason and the screen. 

The others were doing the same. 

Jason pretended not to notice, shoving more popcorn in his mouth, munching angrily like that would drown out the unspoken commentary hanging over the room.

He was wearing a navy blue turtleneck, sleeves pushed up to his forearms. His tattoos were still glowing faintly. She had no idea how he wasn’t sweating under it. 

When Duke asked about it earlier, Jason just shrugged and said that he was used to the heat, but that didn’t really answer any of her questions. And honestly, now that Steph was thinking about it, Jason always wore something like that around them. Turtlenecks, jackets that were usually zipped up high, and collars that always covered the side of his neck. Even with his Red Hood getup, his neck was covered. 

From what she remembered, it hadn’t always been like that.

She wondered what had changed. 

Or maybe she was looking into things too much. Maybe Jason just had a weird sense of fashion. Which was honestly a shame. 

Steph might see him as a brother, but even she wouldn’t be able to deny just how handsome Jason was. Out of all the boys, he looked the most like Bruce. Steph bet that if she looked up a picture of Bruce when he was younger, they would look freakishly similar. 

He looked very similar to Dick as well. But while Dick was prettier, Jason was more handsome. And while Dick’s best asset was his butt, Jason’s was his thighs. 

She wasn’t the only one who noticed either. The hero community loved to talk, and Steph loved to gossip. She wished they would stop talking about her brothers, though. She did not need to keep hearing about Red Hood and how appealing he was with his “bad boy aesthetic with that leather jacket and motorcycle”. 

The man was very lucky that Batman hadn’t heard that comment. 

She wondered if Jason would let her choose his next outfit…

Steph dragged herself out of her own thoughts. She was getting off track. 

On the screen, one of the hunters pulled out her blade, and her sword appeared as glowing markings lit up her arms, curling like living brands across her skin.

Rumi.

And also- 

The resemblance was almost comical if it wasn’t so uncanny. The way Rumi’s tattoos pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat, the way the blades burst into existence like they’d been waiting for her call, and the way that the whole point of their group was to kill demons. 

“Okay,” Someone finally said once the movie ended. “Tell me I’m not crazy, or is Rumi basically Jason?” 

“Not crazy,” Cass responded with certainty. “Accurate. Very accurate.” 

Jason scoffed, still chewing like the world’s angriest popcorn machine. “She’s a K-pop singer in a famous band. I’m not.”

From behind them, Alfred cleared his throat. “If my memory serves me right, Master Jason. I remember that you have always been rather adept at singing. I have no doubt that your voice has only improved over the years.” 

Everyone turned to Jason, and he cursed under his breath.

“YOU CAN SING?” Dick basically yelled. “HOW COME WE’VE NEVER HEARD YOU SING?” 

Tim made another comment that Steph missed, but it resulted in Jason throwing a pillow in his face with frightening accuracy. 

Not to be defeated, Tim threw one back, but Jason caught it. Then, he threw it at Dick, and in no time, an all-out pillow fight between the three started. 

“Wow, Jay.” Steph couldn’t resist; Jason’s face was so red, and he was holding a pillow in his hand. “You’re a vigilante, a demon hunter, you can cook, you’re applying for college, and now we find out you can sing?. You might just be the most versatile out of all of us.” 

“I will throw you out the window.” He threatened. 

“Don't threaten your siblings.” 

Bruce was hit with a pillow next. Steph couldn’t even laugh because she was hit soon after. 

Still, though, when Steph turned to Bruce. He had the fondest look on his face. 

After that, everyone got involved. The room devolved into absolute chaos. There were feathers floating in the air like snow because Bruce was bougie and had fancy pillows. Cass was dodging every pillow with as much ease as Jason was catching the pillows. Damian ran behind Tim, using him as a shield, and Tim couldn’t even run because Duke and Dick were targeting him. Steph was trying to hit Jason and Bruce- 

Bruce was getting hit by pillows left and right, not bothering to dodge them because, for some reason, he decided to just stay still and watch them fight with the sappiest look on his face. Laughs and screams filled the room. Steph didn’t remember the last time she had that much fun. It was going great until–

RINGGGGGGGG!

A familiar ringtone filled the air, cutting straight through the noise. The room automatically froze, and Steph exchanged looks with Cass. 

Like last time, Jason immediately grabbed the phone from wherever he hid it and tilted slightly away from them, acting like they weren’t even there. 

“What’s up?” Jason answered. There was a pause, “Yeah. It worked. Thank you for creating it by the way… I got there just in time, thank god. If I was a second late-” Whoever was on the other side of the phone cut Jason off, “-Yes, I know. I remember…this time… Yeah, more of them…”

Damian scowled, while Bruce and Tim looked like they were about to take the phone from Jason’s hand and crush it with their fists. 

Apparently, they had serious beef with Stark. Who would’ve thought?

The conversation continued, “I don’t know, they're still… yeah. Acting weird… Is it bad that… not complaining. I know, but-” Jason rolled his eyes, “I am not- okay, yes, but… too forgiving. No, I am not- fuck you.” The curse lacked its usual bite, though. It was replaced by a fond smile, “Okay, fine, maybe you have a point… yes… listening… Nah, I’m not worried… whatever-uhmmm-” 

He turned back to them, gaze sweeping over each one before landing on Damian. Steph’s stomach twisted. 

“A week.” Even Steph could hear the groans from the phone. Jason rolled his eyes again like this was normal. “You guys can survive… Yes, seven days… I will make it fourteen…yeah, yeah. Bye. Only call me for emergencies. Actual emergencies. Lying and freaking out because you don’t know where the seasonings are does not count. Especially when you were the one who threw it away and set it on fire. Whatever, bye.”

Jason hung up the call. 

“Who was that?” Tim asked, eyes narrowing as his hands crossed over his chest. 

Jason brushed it off, calmly walking back toward his spot on the couch. “No one important, don’t worry.”

“They sounded important.” Dick’s scowl was sharp and Steph didn’t miss the flash of jealousy in his voice. “And it sounded like you’d leave us again in a week.”

Jason’s mouth twitched but his eyes briefly flashed with something she couldn’t decipher. He recovered quickly though. “I think you’re just reading into things too much, Dickie.”

Damian cut in before Dick could retort. “Do not forget what you promised,” he said with utmost importance. His chin tilted up. “You said you wouldn’t leave Gotham this week.”

Jason glanced at him and softened for a second, then shrugged. “And I won't. You know I don’t break my promises.” 

Tim leaned forward, sharp as a knife. “And when next week hits?” Jason shrugged again, refusing to answer. “Who are these contacts, Jason?” Tim pressed. It didn’t sound like he was talking to Jason anymore but as if he was interrogating a criminal.

Jason didn’t seem surprised. He huffed out a laugh, low and humorless. “What? Do you want me to send you their business cards? Will a LinkedIn profile help satisfy your curiosity too?”

Dick bristled. “We just want to know who they are and why they’re stealing you from us.”

For a second, Jason’s eyes flashed green. He actually looked mad. “First of all, their identity is none of your business. And second, no one is stealing me from anyone because I don’t belong to anyone.” 

Damian froze, jaw tight. Dick flinched like he’d been slapped. Even Tim’s sharp expression faltered, just for a second. Bruce didn’t move at all, but Steph could feel the weight of his silence pressing heavier than anything.

Jason dragged a hand down his face, exhaling slowly, trying to calm himself down. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, frayed and edged with a tinge of desperation. “Look. I’m here right now. I’m doing what you guys asked and I'm not going anywhere this week. Isn’t that enough?”

It wasn’t, judging by the looks being traded around the room. But because of the way Jason’s voice broke, no one argued.

Whoever this contact was, they were definitely important to Jason. Especially if he was willing to argue against them about it. When he hadn’t gotten in a fight with any of them in so long.

Jason didn’t notice the glances shot around the room, too focused on picking the next movie. Steph already knew what they were thinking. Steph hated how she was thinking the same thing. 

Jason was a bat. He was theirs before he was anyone else's. 

And now someone was taking him from them. 

Steph once hated how possessive and obsessive the members of this family could get. But now- now she kind of understood it. 

During the past few months, she had seen a part of Jason that she’d never seen before. All of them had. A part that they never realized existed during the past few years. 

She didn’t want to lose it. To lose him. 

He was the older brother that she never knew she needed. 

The movie Jason chose started playing, and he leaned back. He seemed focused on the screen, unaware of the tension in the air but if she looked closely, it looked like his eyes were glazed. 

It was probably a trick in the light. 

Steph shifted in her seat, pillow clutched tight. Jason was right. Right now, he was there, surrounded by them, promising that he wouldn’t leave, and Jason didn’t break his promises. She knew that. 

But the atmosphere didn’t feel as light as it did earlier and Jason-

Jason felt like he was miles away.