Archive of Our Own ^beta

As Damian stepped up to the Manor for the first time, his hands shook slightly and he let himself briefly think of the one person he wished was with him right now. His akhi was in Gotham, had even arrived weeks earlier than Damian himself but that did little to ease his anxiety. Damian wasn’t supposed to even be here, years too early according to his mothers plans. 

Either way, as the Heir to the Demon a little anxiety had never stopped him and it would be shameful to hesitate any longer than he had. He gathered his courage once again and was about to knock on the heavy door in front of him when he heard it. 

A whistle cut through the Manor grounds, almost perfectly imitating a bird in song. Its pitch wavered here and there almost nonsensically to the untrained ear. Damian however knew that to be the sound of a wallcreeper, very much not native to Gotham. He also knew that call from the many journeys and hikes through the mountains where he was trained, it was a signal that they were both safe if they’d been separated. Damian pursed his lips and replied back a call of his own, softer since he was so close to the house proper but then with the hand still hanging by his side he made a little motion, barely a twisting of his fingers. It wasn’t sign language that anyone else knew, and may just look like a nervous twitch if anyone watched any footage but to him and his akhi it meant everything.

Thank you for watching my back. I miss you. 

There was one more little tune, and Damian almost didn’t knock because it was the saddest sounding bird call he’d ever heard from his akhi. Worse even than the times they’d been injured and starving in the mountains for weeks at a time, but he knew regardless of what his akhi thought this was not goodbye. He simply had to get into his Fathers good graces and then bring his akhi home as well. 

He raised his hand, and knocked. 

***

As the weeks passed, Damian was sure of a few things around the Manor, and confused by many many more. While he thought he would have to fight tooth and nail for his spot amongst his Fathers family, it seemed that he didn’t have to do much. The thought grated on him, the very nature of acceptance being freely given was almost overwhelming. Surely there was something afoot. It was nearly inconceivable that they would allow him into their home without testing his skills and knowledge to prove himself worthy. But they all had, or pretended to. He really couldn’t be sure. 

Sometimes he would lose himself thinking in circles. It was always, ‘that’s just what family does Damian, they love and support’ or ‘Damian, I understand you were raised differently but I promise Bruce isn’t going to hurt you for mistakes’ with these people. And he had made many mistakes since moving to Gotham. At first he only saw Drake as competition and Richard as incompetent and challenged them both endlessly. They both proved him wrong in different ways, not that he would willingly admit to those concessions. That led him to a confusing place of ‘why have I bled endlessly to prove myself then?’. It was enough to give anyone a migraine.

A few of the things he’d learned in his time here however was that Mr. Pennyworth was a phenomenal cook, and terrifying. Also that sometimes force was not always the way to get what he wanted. Drake had said to him that should he want something, all he really had to do was ask. 

Apparently if he softened his face and looked up at his Father, it was called a ‘puppy dog’ look and was quite convincing to get his way. The first time Drake saw him do it however, he cackled at him and said he learned quickly how to weaponize his status as baby of the family. That notion also grated on his nerves, he was not an infant. But to convince Father to let akhi come home, he would do what must be done. 

Damian decided he would finally ask for what he truly wanted, and knocked on his Fathers study. A call to enter was heard swiftly after. Bruce was sitting at his desk reading over what appeared to be police reports, but set them down when he saw his youngest approaching.

“Damian, what can I do for you?” His voice was gentle, as it always was when he spoke to Damian. At first Damian thought it a ruse, then when he parsed it to be genuine that it was a sign of weakness in the man. Now he was more or less confident it wasn’t either of those things, and was probably something born of affection instead. Perplexing.

“Father, when I first arrived you had asked if there was something I wanted or needed to feel more at home. I was too frightened to ask for what I wanted. I would like you to bring akhi here.” Damian made sure to keep his posture softer than he was used to and his face gentle. He was playing his role spectacularly if he did say so himself. Akhi surely would owe him for years to come after this. 

“Akhi? Brother?” Bruce seemed to be malfunctioning if his twitching face was to go by, but Damian could not quite figure out why.

“Yes, that is correct Father. He was my most loyal companion in the League. He often slept on the floor next to my cot to ensure my safety through the night. I trust him with my life, and it would bring me great comfort should he be allowed to come stay with us at the Manor. Though he often whimpers in his sleep, I cannot fault him for that and still wish for him to be by my side.” Damian thought it only fair to warn his Father of his akhi’s sleep troubles, as sometimes they devolved into night terrors that ended in shouting but he’d ease into the rougher edges of his akhi later.

“Oh, I see. Well Damian I can’t guarantee that I can find him-.” Damian’s eyes started to water unbidden, and he wasn’t even trying to play up his sorrow this time. He’d been working endlessly to try and get his Father to agree to this, he’d bid his time and endeared himself to the family even to his own humiliation. Why wasn’t it enough?

“Oh no Damian, I didn’t mean that I wouldn’t try my absolute hardest. No, no, don’t cry chum. He can stay here of course.”  Bruce had swept around the desk and picked Damian up before the tears had even started to fall. Damian hated crying, nothing showed emotional compromise clearer than tears but he couldn’t help it.

“Do you promise? You’ll let akhi stay?” He whispered into Bruce’s chest.

“Of course Damian. Of course I promise. Just let me try and find him and he will come stay with us. Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to ask.” For akhi, anything. Damian thought and let the tears fall.

***

As the days passed after asking Father to let akhi come to the Manor, nothing seemed to be moving in the direction he wanted. Surely it couldn’t be this hard to find a large man that could kill someone with his pinky, even if they were in Gotham. 

“Father, any update on akhi?” He asked for the fifth breakfast in a row.

“No chum, Talia seems to be away on a mission so I can’t get a hold of her to ask.” Damian felt his shoulders slump and he pushed his food away from himself. How could he possibly eat when it felt like his brother was slipping through his fingers no matter how he clutched?

“Master Damian, would you like to go to the animal shelter today and pet some of the dogs over there?” Mr. Pennyworth was a kind man, if not incredibly intimidating when displeased. All-in-all, Damian quite liked the butler, but he did not see how an animal shelter would help him in his plights no matter how much he liked the small creatures. 

“I don’t quite see the point Mr. Pennyworth. I think I’d like to be excused.” He felt tears starting to well up in his eyes, this time from frustration and couldn’t bear the thought of someone seeing him cry twice in a week. 

“What if you got a friend for Akhi when we bring him home?” Father said, looking a little lost. 

“A friend for akhi?” Damian blinked to clear his eyes and considered the thought.

“Master Bruce, please think about this carefully. Damian is just now settling in and getting an untrained dog-.” Damian normally would never cut Alfred off, but he was starting to get excited at the thought.

“That’s a great idea! I can train an animal to help akhi while I’m not here! He can be quite anxious while we’re separated and a companion he’s responsible for will help with that. Alfred, I would like to go to the animal shelter like you suggested!” Maybe it was the shock of Damian calling him Alfred or the fact it was his first genuine smile possibly ever at the Manor that swayed the old butler over but he nodded and sighed.

“Of course Master Damian. We’ll go after you finish your breakfast.” As soon as Alfred said he needed to finish his food, Damian was scarfing down his plate at speeds unimaginable and so undignified that it shocked the other two to see. He had never had anything less than perfect table manners but it seemed doing something for Akhi was all he needed to be the kid he was.

As the boy raced upstairs to get ready to leave Alfred turned an unimpressed look towards Bruce. “Getting a dog, for a dog, was surely not your most thought out plan, was it World's Greatest Detective?”

“Perhaps not but Talia is not answering my calls and has gone to ground for whatever mission she’s doing. What was I supposed to do Alfred? He looked minutes away from a depression induced hunger strike.” Bruce put his head in his hands and considered the complications and logistics of just breaking into Nanda Parbat to liberate his son’s dog. 

“You, young master, have a bleeding heart. I can’t say I’m surprised but I expect some help should two dogs be overwhelming for Master Damian.” They both knew that two new animals to the family would hardly add a strain for Alfred and he would take care of anything that needed to be done but Bruce nodded along anyways.

***

The shelter was magnificent and depressing in equal measure and Damian wanted nothing more than to take all of them, but he was on a mission. Would akhi want a cat, dog, rabbit? 

“So Master Damian. Tell me about Akhi so I might be of service to find a good companion.”

“Hmm, he’s probably about Fathers size.”

“Pardon?” Alfred looked as unaffected as usual, but his eye brow was raised in what could only be a slight show of shock.

“Yes, about Fathers size. Muscular, could easily kill anyone who poses a threat to one of us. Black and white-. Oh look Mr. Pennyworth, do you think a shepherd would be a good candidate?” Damian had cut himself off from his description, but Alfred was almost fretting in his mind. A canine the size of Master Bruce that was trained to kill and had anxiety? He may have to invest in more tranquilizer guns to stash around the Manor indeed. 

“A shepherd of any kind is quite intelligent and easily trained, but needs a lot of enrichment and activity. Is that something you think you could achieve?” Damian positively glowed, this was one of his greatest pleasures in life after all.

“I assure you Mr. Pennyworth. The League doesn’t keep many animals but if akhi and I can train Mothers tigers to recall and attack on command then I think a shepherd is of little concern. A few of them we even taught to fetch and to play dead.”

“Akhi helped to train tigers?”

“Oh yes. I was quite small when the last litter was born so he always stood guard and corrected if they got too rambunctious. He sustained a few scars from it but they listened to us both after a while. At the time he wasn’t very vocal but they learned the difference in his stance. Once when they had grown to their teen stages they helped akhi kill fifteen assassins that were after me without him making a sound. Quite the sight.” 

Alfred prided himself on his unflappable demeanor but the image of a canine the size of Batman surrounded by tigers killing fifteen assassins who were threatening a small child was odd to picture even for him. “I see. Akhi sounds quite intelligent indeed.”

Damian turned towards the older man and only remembered to lessen his glare at the last moment. “Of course he’s intelligent, he’s my akhi. He may not have been the most put together at all times, but he always protected and fed me without fail.”

“I meant no offense Master Damian. Only to express that I was impressed is all.”

“Ah yes. Akhi is quite impressive, isn’t he? I can’t wait for him to come to the Manor.” They rounded the corner and came across another set of kennels, one plastered in “Do Not Pet” and “No Hands Past the Bars” signs. Inside was a very skinny belgian shepherd who looked to be ready to attack them at a moment's notice. 

“Oh hello there. What’s your name then?” Damian reached out to grab the paper with the dog's information on it causing the animal to start growling something fierce. “Darcy? That’s quite serendipitous isn’t it Mr. Pennyworth.”

“How so Master Damian?”

“The first time akhi and I went to the library, he hadn’t been around books in who knows how long and positively tore through the shelves. But he always went back to Pride and Prejudice with a vengeance. Luckily no one else ever seemed to be in need of the book, but we still got a couple extra copies to replace the ones he took just in case. I assumed it to be his favorite.” Bruce had always described the League’s libraries to be ancient and valuable with one of a kind books, so Alfred winced internally and threw up a prayer asking for protection of their own books at the Manor.

“He tore through the books you say?”

“Positively. It was as if he believed he gained sustenance from the pages or something. Anyways Darcy seems to be quite a fitting name I should think.” Right back to the current problem, protecting their library could come later.

“Perhaps we should keep looking at the animals Master Damian. It appears Darcy might be aggressive. Akhi might not take kindly to having a companion that is aggressive towards you. You said you both had experience with felines, perhaps we should look at the cats?” 

“I am open to looking at the felines, but I don’t think Darcy is aggressive. I think that should she get the right training and affection she would be a delightful companion. She hasn’t actually tried to attack us, she’s simply scared.” Alfred hummed his agreement while steering them towards the other side of the shelter. 

A while later, Alfred was carrying a sedated and muzzled Darcy into the Manor while Damian was holding a cat carrier to his chest and cooing. The shelter had been adamant to not let them take Darcy home claiming she was too dangerous for a family. When Alfred tried to talk Damian out of it again, his eyes got misty and said she deserved a second chance and a family just like he and Akhi did. The shelter stood no chance against Alfred on a mission, but still said it was policy they sedate any animal classified as a biter and they signed all sorts of documents releasing the shelter from responsibility should they get injured. The cat was a black tuxedo cat, Damian had been adamant about not leaving behind as well. 

Bruce and Dick were by the stairs when they entered. 

“Father, Richard! Please come meet the new members of the family. This is Darcy, they said they had to sedate her so she wouldn’t bite us. I think it’s preposterous. Oh and this distinguished feline didn’t have a name, but I knew instantly this was Alfred the Cat so of course he had to come as well.”

“You let Damian get a cat and a dog?!” Dick was flabbergasted, he’d asked for a pet so many times when he was younger and was always shut down.

“Of course not Richard. Darcy is for akhi. Alfred the Cat will be a wonderful mouser and surely a productive member of the household so it wasn’t really for me.”

“For Akhi?” Dick raised an eyebrow in question towards Bruce.

“Yes, for Akhi, his most loyal companion from the League that we are trying to track down. He used to sleep by Damian's cot and protect him at night. He asked if he could bring Akhi here so he could feel more at home.” Bruce was giving Dick an unidentifiable look.

“Oh I see. Well that’s great Dami. Can’t wait to meet this Akhi and give him lots of cuddles for protecting you.”

“I should think not, Richard. He only accepts hugs from me.” Damian stuck his nose up at the thought of his akhi hugging anyone else willingly.

“Yes, quite right Master Damian. And you should be careful Master Dick. Apparently, Akhi is about the size of Master Bruce and helped to train tigers that he would use to eliminate threats that were after Master Damian. He also positively tore through the books in the library of Nanda Parbat.” Alfred was giving a very pointed look towards Bruce as he shared everything he had learned that day.

“I see. Well I’m sure he’ll be a great addition to the family when we meet him. Although when you say as large as me, do you mean height or weight Damian?” 

“Both, although he probably weighs a little more than you do Father.” Dick started snickering and said something about a Clifford, but Damian paid him no mind.

“Well back to these new family members that we currently have. Why is Darcy sedated and muzzled again.”

“The shelter said that any animal that’s a known biter can only be adopted by trained professionals. Which is well and good for the average citizen but I can absolutely train and help her. Alfred had to sign all sorts of documents so we can’t sue but it won’t be needed. I can handle her by myself and then when we get akhi here it will be even better.” With that Damian started walking up the stairs before calling back, “Richard, grab Darcy and bring her to the guest room next to mine. That’s where akhi will be anyway and since they are to be companions she should get comfortable.” 

“She’s out cold right now, right? I really don’t want to get rabies shots again.”

“She is unconscious as well as vaccinated Master Dick.” Dick gently lifted the sleeping shepherd out of Alfred’s arms and followed Damian up the stairs.

“I was imagining maybe a golden retriever, Alfred. Not a neglected Belgian shepherd and a cat.”

“Yes, well. Akhi’s favorite book to terrorize was Pride and Prejudice apparently, and he named the cat before I could stop him.” 

“Would him naming the cat Alfred have anything to do with it?”

“Absolutely not Master Bruce. I would never be so vain.”

“Of course not Alfred. And you’re not a bleeding heart who got played.”

“Right you are Master Bruce. That never would have happened.”

***

A couple more weeks passed with no news of his akhi, but that was alright for now. Damian was focused on rehabilitating Darcy. It was going quite well if he said so himself. She had only attached herself to Richard twice, both times while he was armored in his Nightwing gear. No harm no foul, as the saying goes. In her defence he was positively silent when in his vigilante persona so he did it to himself when he kept trying to sneak up on them in the garden. 

She had cemented herself to Damian after he kept up his gentle presence by her side, and took to training commands quicker than the tigers ever did. With more time, Darcy would surely be a cuddly terror ready to help his akhi reacclimate. He had even started training her to recognize signs of nightmares and anxiety. Admittedly Damian relied heavily on books and websites to help with that since he’d never done anything of the sort but she always responded well when he pretended to be distressed at night. Now he just had to get his akhi here, and his patience was wearing thin.

***

By the third month of no word and no movement on getting akhi to the Manor, Damian was nearly at his wits end. Apparently Mother was still unavailable to speak to Father, which he still didn’t understand why that was so important. Maybe Father wanted to verify that akhi was safe? Was his word not good enough? Akhi would never hurt him, of that he was sure. Was it for their safety then? Maybe he would need to take action and make sure akhi would be on his best behaviour. The Pit did have lingering effects, but they’d worked through so many of them together back at Nanda Parbat. He’d just have to prove it to them. 

He started planning.

***

It was his fourth night sneaking to Gotham proper when he realized his mistake. He had stuck to the more lit up areas of the city and whistled the signal up and down alleys before he realized his akhi was an assassin in hiding. He would surely not be in the ritzy areas that had more lights and therefore harder to blend into. He snuck into what Gothamites called Crime Alley and whistled again. 

Eventually deep into the Bowery he heard a faint whistle mirroring his own. Whipping around he climbed the nearest fire escape and whistled again and again. He didn’t hear a reply for such a long time he thought maybe he’d hallucinated the first reply. Damian had been so sure that he had heard his akhi and sat down heavily on the edge of the roof he was on. Akhi wouldn’t have left Gotham and him behind would he? 

He felt the tears start to come again, it was getting harder to go day after day when he just wanted his akhi, his big brother back. Richard and Drake were all well and good but they weren’t the ones who carried him for days in a blizzard to safety after giving him their only coat. They weren’t the ones who skipped so many meals to give Damian food when he was being punished for something during lessons. They didn’t get it, no one did. 

Damian had left Nanda Parbat with only one goal in mind, find akhi and get them both to safety. Akhi had done so much for Damian, he’d only wanted to return the favor and now he couldn’t even find him. He didn’t know a lot about his akhi’s life before the League and the Pit, but he knew he was from Gotham and grew up on the streets. He deserved a better life than that, and Damian knew as Bruce Wayne’s son he could help with that. On the worst nights in the mountains, akhi would tell him all about the dreams he had growing up. How he wanted to go to college, maybe write a book, help the other kids from Crime Alley. How he wanted nothing more than for Damian to be able to choose his own life and get away from all of it. Damian only ever wanted to do those things together.

He heard a whistle from behind him on the roof, a sad little tune again, and whipped around.

“What are you doing out here habibi? It’s not safe. You should be at Wayne Manor tucked into bed.”

“Akhi!” Damian was flying across the roof at near mach speeds, but he was caught in strong arms just like he knew he would be. 

“I missed you so much akhi. I've been waiting months to bring you back to the Manor with me. Your room is right next to mine, and I trained a lovely dog named Darcy for you. She’ll help with your night terrors, and akhi no one will hit us there! You have to come meet everyone!” Damian was talking a mile a minute but he wasn’t embarrassed, not when his akhi was still holding onto him after all this time.

“Habibi. I can’t go to the Manor with you.”

“What, why not? I stole a car and stowed away on a plane to get here, so that I could get us somewhere safe to live.”

“Oh habibi, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m doing fine out here by myself. I’m just trying to clean up the Alley as best I can like we always talked about. Volunteering and stuff. You should be at home with your family.”

“You’re my family, you jerk. More than Father or Richard or anyone else. You’re the one who taught me that family isn’t always blood! If you don’t want to stay there then I’ll come stay with you. I’ll get a job, I’ll figure out how to cook, anything you need.”

“No habibi family isn’t only blood, and you’ll always be my brother but I can’t come back.”

“But they know about you. Father already promised to let you stay, and has been calling Talia trying to find out where you were.”

“Bruce did?” Damian finally glanced up and saw his akhi’s face closer.

“Akhi, did you used to know Father? Before we met, I mean?” Jason’s face did something complicated.

“He’s actually, well he’s actually my dad too habibi. He adopted me a long time ago. But then I died.”

“So you’ve always been my brother?” Damian glossed over the dying part, he’d known that for ages after all.

“Even without some piece of paper, I’ve always been your brother Dami.” 

“Well good. Then really there’s no reason you can’t come to the Manor then. They’re expecting you and you’ll already know everyone.” 

“They’re expecting me? As in Jason Todd? You’ve told them it was me, kid?” Damian took a moment to ponder.

“Well I suppose I never said your name, I always called you akhi. But I told them all about how you were my most trusted companion, and would sleep by me to protect me. I did warn them you make noises while you sleep, sorry about that I just didn’t want to surprise them when you moved in. Oh and then Alfred had a delightful idea to get you a companion so we went to the animal shelter. I told you about her earlier, her name was Darcy and I knew you’d love her so we brought her home.”

“Damian, I love you kid but I don’t think they’re expecting me at all. You helped me get over a lot of my pit aggression, and Ra’s was trying to use me against Bruce that’s why I left as early as I did. To escape the brainwashing. So while I don’t think seeing everyone again would end as violently as it could, I don’t think they’re ready for a resurrected son to walk through the doors.”

“Nonsense akhi. Father made a vow to me you could stay, and surely you being alive will be a great surprise if they don’t know who I was talking about all this time. Which I doubt, I was quite clear I think. It is simply not my fault they didn’t understand. Plus I refuse for you to leave me again.” 

“Oh you refuse, do you habibi?” 

“As your Prince and habibi I absolutely refuse to let you wander the streets alone. It’s either we're together here and together there. Take your pick akhi, but never leave me again.” Damian had tears welling up again because it seemed as though Jason was going to refuse again, his arms tightened around his neck in case.

“Well I couldn’t possibly refuse a direct order from my little prince, could I?” Damian nearly started shaking; he was so excited.

“Let’s go then akhi!”

“Sure kid, let’s go home.”

***

After a quick stop by a rundown apartment to let Jason change into more comfortable clothes and pack a small bag they hopped on his motorcycle and started heading towards Bristol.

“What do you think habibi? Drive straight into the Cave and surprise everyone or knock on the front door?”

“Either is fine, but we wouldn’t knock. It is both our homes afterall.” Jason let out a small laugh.

“I guess you’re right. Let’s go through the front door, it's been a long time since I’ve gotten the chance.”

As they pulled up to the Manor, Damian was nearly vibrating out of his skin, but fell back into his training to smother down his emotions. It had been months and months of planning to get to this point. 

“Dames, I just want to let you know that even if this doesn’t go how you want it to you’re still my brother. Also no stabbing.” Jason had helped him off the front of the motorcycle and crouched down to look into his eyes.

“I simply do not understand why you are fretting so much akhi. As I said, I’ve already ensured I got a vow of you being able to stay and I’m sure you would have been welcome regardless. I make no agreements to the stabbing though, should they feel threatened for some reason I will protect you as you have always protected me. Now come, I want you to meet Darcy.” He reached up and grabbed onto his brother's hand and started tugging him towards the door. It was quite late, but that meant little in the world of Bats.

As he entered the house he gently called for Mr. Pennyworth, since he was probably the only one in the Manor proper currently. He heard Alfred approaching, “Master Damian, why were you outside so late?” He rounded the corner and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the taller man with him.

“Master Jason?” His voice had barely changed from its normal tone, but it was obvious to those who knew him that he was in shock.

“Hey Alfie. Long time no see.” Jason raised the hand that wasn’t still holding Damians in a small wave.

“I apologize Mr. Pennyworth for not telling you my whereabouts as you instructed. I just couldn’t understand why Father was struggling to find akhi when he was in Gotham, so I went and brought him home myself.” Damian seemed to be glowing with that innocent pride that only children could shine with. 

“I see Master Damian.” The butler cleared his throat and approached the duo. “Master Jason, it is my honor to welcome you back home.” He gently reached out and put his hand on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed ever so slightly. 

“You know Alfie, I wasn’t sure anyone would want me back if I’m honest. But I’m damn happy to hear you at least missed me.” The hand got tighter.

“Language Master Jason. Though it is not my place, please refrain from such nonsensical notions. You are always welcome here and you were dearly missed, my boy. I’m going to put on some tea, would you two care to join me?” He released his hold on Jason and turned towards the kitchen. They could do nothing but shuffle behind him.

“Mr. Pennyworth, would you alert Father and the others that I’ve found akhi. I would like them to come home and see him.” Alfred cut a glance towards Jason who just shrugged at his silent question.

“Of course Master Damian. I’ll send an alert to have them all return home immediately. Might I suggest you get Darcy and introduce her to Master Jason?”

“Wonderful idea Mr. Pennyworth. I shall return promptly.” Damian bounded out of the room with more joy than either of them had seen from him before.

“I’m glad he got out. He seems to be doing well here. I tried to protect him while I was with the League, and I planned to go back to get him by next year, but I couldn’t let him live on the streets with me while I tried to figure out the whole not legally alive thing. Little shi- goober got out before I even had to go back though.” Jason had a small smile on his face while he looked at the door Damian had disappeared through.

“I think he left for you Master Jason. I didn’t realize who he meant when he kept asking about akhi, and I’m sure the tale of how your meeting is arduous. But I imagine he’s only as semi-well adjusted as he is thanks to your influence. You always were good with kids. Now, are you truly comfortable with me sounding the alarm and bringing them all back? I must admit, this is a shock even for me.” 

“Let’s just rip the bandaid off. But do me a favor, don’t say anything about me by name.” Alfred only sighed.

“You always had a flair for the dramatic Master Jason.”

“Hey, you should have heard some of the things Ra’s wanted me to do Alfred. I’m incredibly well adjusted for being a zombie. Let me have some fun, I only get to be resurrected once.” Jason had that mischievous grin on his face that Alfred had grown so fond of during his time in the Manor, and had missed so deeply when he thought he wouldn’t see it again. He had a feeling he would indulge him far too much if he kept grinning like that. 

Alfred raised his phone and sent out a signal to all comms saying they needed to return home, but it wasn’t an emergency. The non-emergency memo would do little to slow them down, but hopefully they wouldn’t come in weapons drawn. Alfred silenced his phone and turned towards his miracle grandchild.

“I estimate we have 10-15 minutes before they arrive. Would you like a cup of tea, or any other refreshments Master Jason? I have your favorite still stocked if you’d like.” Jason’s grin simmered down to something more uncertain, Alfred hated to see it.

“You still have the hibiscus blend? No one else even drank that besides me, not even you. Said it tasted like dirt or something, pretty sure Bruce had a mild allergy to the thing.”

“Master Bruce actually has some of the blend near daily Master Jason. I think he’s grown a tolerance for it. Even Master Dick indulges once in a while.” They heard feet approaching, as well as nails on the floor before Jason could even think of a reply. 

“Akhi! This is Darcy. I have been training her extensively and I think I could even get her ESA certified should the need arise.” Damian was standing next to the shepherd proudly, head held high in anticipation of Jason meeting the animal Damian had chosen for him.

“Wow habibi, she’s really pretty and I’m sure you trained her wonderfully.” Jason approached the dog, crouching down, and held his hand out towards her slowly palm up. She glanced towards Damian but when he didn’t react she sniffed the outstretched fingers gently before stepping forward to allow him to pet her.

“I just knew she would like you akhi. She always growls when she meets new people but obviously she has superior taste.” Jason just gently laughed and kept giving her soft pets.

The minutes passed quickly, with the freshly brewed tea barely cooled to a manageable temperature before they heard feet sprinting towards the kitchen. Bruce made it to them first, Alfred's name leaving his mouth before he stopped dead in his tracks staring at a ghost he never even hoped could haunt him. Dick came barreling into him not expecting him to have stopped so suddenly. 

“B what the heck? Let me throu-.” His words stopped just as suddenly as Bruces had when he looked around the kitchen. “Little Wing?” He was whispering now, and seemed to almost be shaking.

“Father, I took it upon myself to retrieve akhi since it seemed to be difficult to ascertain his location.” Damian had stood when Bruce had entered the kitchen and taken it upon himself to explain the situation. “I’m sure you would have located him soon, but I was tiring of waiting. I apologize for not asking.”

“Jason? Jason was akhi?” Bruce seemed to be stunned beyond comprehension and only standing by sheer habit and will.

“Of course. Who else would I have been referring to Father? I thought you knew.”

“Habibi, I told you it didn’t seem like you were describing me.” Jason finally spoke, before he turned towards his dad and brother. “Hey B, hey Dickie. Hope I didn’t interrupt your night too much.” It was only a small joke, barely even a joke at all, but it seemed enough to snap Dick out of his stupor and before anyone could react he was shoving Bruce aside and leaping towards Jason. Darcy was quick to react and latched onto his leg, all bared teeth and protection.

Dick didn’t even stop advancing even though he wasn’t in uniform and the teeth had pierced his calf. Having stripped quickly upon returning to the cave to respect the no capes upstairs rule since it was technically not an emergency, his sweatpants offered no safety. It didn’t matter, he hardly even felt it if he were honest. His advance only stopped when Damian stepped in front of him fists up as if to fight him off.

“Richard, I must ask what you’re planning to do.” Dick’s eyes still hadn’t left Jason, he tried hard to articulate any words at all for a moment.

“Dami, I just wanted to hug him.” He finally glanced down towards his youngest brother, before he turned his gaze back towards the younger brother he thought he’d lost. “I wouldn’t hurt him. I don’t think I could hurt him.” He was still addressing Damian. “Jay, I wouldn’t hurt you. You know that right?” He finally spoke to Jason, he sounded desperate. Dick was almost afraid speaking directly to him would cause him to disappear like it had after his death and he’d started impossibly seeing him around Blüdhaven. 

Jason walked up behind Damian, “It’s alright habibi, call off Darcy.” Dick looked towards his leg and seemed to finally realize the dog was still attached to him. Damian gave a short whistle and she heeled and returned to his side but seemed like she wasn’t happy to be recalled and they stepped to the side.

Dick slowed down his next approach but didn’t stop until he was within arms reach of Jason. With even slower hands he extended them towards his brother's face. There were new scars, one almost looked like a J on his cheek, but his eyes were the same shade of blue he hadn’t seen on anyone else. That was almost enough to confirm he was real, because he always thought he’d never been able to imagine the right hue no matter how he tried. Dick had looked at pictures of his brother when he thought he was forgetting the stormy color, the sorrow of not remembering outweighed the torture it was to see him smiling and thinking how he’d failed him.

“Jaybird, you’re here. You’re real aren’t you?” 

“Dickhead, what does that even mean? Of course I’m real, you’re literally touching me right now.” Jason had never been the best at vulnerable moments, always trying to throw off the heavy weight of them with jokes or distractions. Seems like that hadn’t changed.

“Yeah I guess you’re right. I don’t know how I’m touching you, but I don’t think I even care right now.” Jason’s hands came up and wiped at tears that Dick hadn’t realized were flowing down his cheeks.

“Sheesh, breaking out the water works, Dickie? I could almost be convinced you’d missed me or something.” A wounded noise eeked out of Dicks mouth.

“I missed you every day you absolute fucking miracle idiot.” The tears were really flowing now, but Dick was refusing to wipe them or even blink. He was positive that if he did he’d wake up and he didn’t think he wanted to right now. 

“Couldn’t tell. You haven’t even actually hugged me yet.” That finally snapped Dick’s restraint and he attached to Jason with all the finesse of a broken man. All arms, legs and tears. They hadn’t noticed Bruce approaching.

“Jaylad?” He seemed to be as unbelieving as Dick had been.

“Sorry for busting in unannounced B. Damian can be quite convincing when he wants to be, so I figured I could at least swing by and appease the demon.” Jason was trying to joke again, but his arms were full of a sobbing brother, and his eyes were as uncertain as ever. 

“Jason don’t. Don’t apologize. You came home. I can’t believe you’re home again.” 

“Well Dames said you’d promised I was welcome to stay. Couldn’t turn down an open invitation like that.” 

“Jay, you’ll always be welcome here. I never wanted you to doubt that, and I’m sorry if that wasn’t clear.” Bruce reached out almost on autopilot but he stopped himself from touching. 

“You know. When I first woke up in the pit, even with all the side effects after, all I really wanted was to come home. Have some tea with Alfie. Annoy Dickhead. Get a hug from my dad.” Jason wasn’t looking at him when he said it, Bruce took it as the invitation it was though and closed the gap, his arms encircling his two oldest boys. He’d ask his questions later, run the tests, but for now he would just live in the moment in case he’d finally lost it and it was all fake. 

Tim hadn’t been on patrol that night but ambled into the kitchen after a while and glanced around confused. He couldn’t see who Dick was sobbing on, but it was very odd to see Bruce hugging two people. He looked at the youngest sibling. “Who’s that?” 

“Oh that’s akhi. You may know him as Jason however.”

“JASON WAS YOUR DOG THIS WHOLE TIME?”

“You thought I was talking about a dog?!”