Chapter Text
Be gentle with yourself as you uncover
Your best kept secrets yet to be discovered
In stillness, boys, clear water to the bottom
You will do better in the morning
I will do better in the morning
Better in the Morning
By Birdtalker
“What do you think Jay?”
“Hmm?” Jason looked up, having long dropped out of the conversation. “I uhh, I trust your judgment, whatever you think is best.”
“Okay great, so the plan we go with is mine and we will sell the ship and buy a van with classic shag carpeting and drive around the country solving mysteries instead of fighting crime.”
Jason nodded.
Roy groaned, smacking Jason hard across his knees. “You haven’t been listening to a single word I’ve said Jay, what is your deal?”
“Are you anticipating a communication of some kind?” Kori asked airily. “You have been checking your phone with increasing frequency.”
The phone in question was in Jason’s hand, he had been rolling it over absentmindedly for the last hour and half, looking to see if any new notifications had popped up. Jason shook his head, shoving it into his pocket. “No, I’m not. I’m not checking it I was just-sorry. What were you saying Roy?”
Recling back in his seat Roy gave a resigned shrug. “Look, other than that goopy stuff you found, we don’t have any idea with what we’re dealing with. And since that whole thing with Essence, the lab we have has spotty capabilities at best, at worst, it’s going to blow up in our faces. So, we have three options. We either; forget about the whole thing entirely. Get the repairs. Or find a lab we can run tests. I like option number one, because I’m exhausted and would like another vacation, and we are not the Scooby Gang, we stop trouble, and sometimes we cause trouble, but we don’t solve robberies where there is no proof of a robbery.”
“They’re missin' stuff!”
“Little old ladies get confused.”
“They aren’t confused Roy.”
“This is cop stuff Jay, come on.”
Jason levelled Roy with a glare, “The cops aren’t going to waste their time on them, not any more than filing out a report and letting it gather dust.”
“Then why should we?” Roy asked.
“Because!” Jason shot up, pushing his chair back into a crate of spare parts. “Because they’re ladies in my neighborhood and I want to help them.”
“Okay,” Roy sighed, giving in to Jason. “So we do this.”
Half floating from her own seat, Kori seemed pleased with the agreement. “We are still without means of testing the sample you have acquired.”
“I know a place,” Jason shrugged. “It’ll be a short trip.”
Jason shuffled into the cock pit, imputing the information into the navigation system.
“Kor, would you mind piloting? I’d like to talk to Jay for a few minutes.”
Jason turned to frown at Roy, who stood with his arms folded and his brow pinched. Kori glided into the pilot’s chair without question, her long fingers flitting over the controls.
“Right now?”
“Yes, right now.”
Reluctantly he followed Roy into the main deck, hitting his boots into the floor a little harder than necessary. When Roy stopped, he faced Jason with a look of expectation, his foot tapping slightly as Jason stared back without a word.
“You feeling alright?” Roy finally asked.
“I feel fine.”
“Really?”
“Yeah," Jason huffed, “I mean, I’m a little worked up over the case, but I’m fine.”
The frown deepened across Roy's brow. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Well I don’t know what you’re talking about then. Can we go back?” Jason turned, his feet moving back the way they’d come.
“Jay, wait at minute, hey,” Roy hooked a gentle hand on his sleeve, tugging him back. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothin’.”
The grip loosened but Roy continued to look at him, the worry painted clear across his face. “Seriously. You’ve been off. You can talk to me.”
“I do talk to you,” Jason sighed, meeting Roy’s gaze reluctantly.
“Then tell me why you’ve been glued to your phone lately.”
The vertebrae in Jason’s spine locked ridged as he straightened, warning edging into the low register of his voice. “Roy.”
“You’re gonna stand there and tell me you haven’t?” Roy shot in disbelief. “You’re hand in your pocket right now! Who are you talking to?”
“No one,” Jason blushed, pulling his hand back out and folding his arms, picking a spot on the floor to glare at.
“Why are you embarrassed? Did you meet someone?”
“No!”
“So, it’s someone you already know?” Roy suggested coyly.
Jason let out a low groan. “Roy, drop it.”
“Okay,” Roy acquiesced, raising his hands in surrender. “You aren’t ready to talk about it, what ever it is. But I’m…happy for you. You’ve seemed really happy lately, when you aren’t on edge waiting for a text back. So, when you’re ready, when you want to talk about it, I’m here for you. They must be special, to have you all worked up.”
With a mollified chuckle Jason relaxed, dragging a booted foot across the floor. “It really isn’t like that.”
“Maybe not yet,” Roy nudged him playfully.
“Stop it.”
“What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t give you a hard time over a crush?”
“There is no crush,” Jason said, before smiling wickedly, his tone mocking. “Oh, that must mean no best friend?”
Roy gave him a gentle swat on the arm, “Shut up, you love me.”
“I put up with you with a reasonable amount of affection.”
“I’ll be sure to put that into my future best man speech.”
“You’re garbage,” Jason groaned, heading back to the cockpit. “I’m going to hang out with Kori, at least she’s cool.”
“You’re just trying to hurt me and distance yourself from this emotional bonding moment we’re having!”
“Kori!” Jason shouted, flipping Roy off without turning back to him, “We need to pick up some breakfast burritos on the way. Let me know when we’re twenty minutes out, I’ll place an order.”
Roy laughed at his friends retreating form, kicking a loose bolt across the floor, “I want mine with bacon!” He shouted.
When the ship landed on the helipad on top of Titans Tower, Jason ignored the odd looks he received from both Kori and Roy. He clambered down the gang plank with a confident stride, hoping to give the others no room to feel ill at ease. Tim stood in the roof access entry, rumpled in an oversized t-shirt and compression shorts, his hair moving in the late morning breeze.
“When you told me you were going to cash in that favor I wasn’t exactly expecting the whole crew.”
“But this ride get’s me around so much quicker,” Jason replied smugly. “Where's your little gang? I thought I’d have to fight my way through.”
“As if you could,” Tim smirked, rolling his eyes. “I Silenced the alarm system when I got you on radar. Didn’t want to wake them.”
“What a benevolent over lord you are.”
Tim shook his head, “That’s Cassandra actually. I stepped down from the Lording Over.”
“Since when?”
“A while ago. I have to split too much of my time between here and Gotham. Just made more sense.”
Jason nodded understandingly, taking a quick glance over his shoulder, spotting the others lingering at the ship. “Well we brought a peace offering, to ensure safe passage.”
“Granted,” Tim waved a little uneasily behind Jason. “Hey Roy, Koriand’r. Nice trip?”
Kori flew over, glowing in the bright sun light, “It was most uneventful, and not long. It brings me to joy to see you are prospering well.”
“Thanks,” Tim smiled shyly. “I hope you’re prospering as well?”
“There is better sunshine here than there is in Gotham. I was pleasantly surprised that this is the location Jason has chosen.”
“Surprised being the operative word,” Roy muttered.
“If you guys want to take those to the kitchen, I can get Jason set up. I don’t want to keep you here longer than necessary. Wouldn’t want to hold up your big case.”
Roy frowned, his grip on the bag tightening, “It’s not that big a case.”
“Thanks Tim,” Jason said, pressing his heel onto Roy’s toes, “we really appreciate it.”
Tim nodded, leading the way down the stairs, Kori walking beside him, inquiring politely on the health of his family.
A hard tug pulledJason back, Roy holding them up so they followed further behind. “You couldn’t warn us about this?” he whispered.
“I didn’t know it would be a problem.”
“I didn’t know you would have us begging favors from a bat.”
“It’s not a…it’s just Tim,” Jason sighed, “And he owed me from a few months back. It’s not like I took us to the Bat Cave and made you crawl hands and knees in front of Dick.”
“That’s not funny,” Roy hissed.
Out of the corner of his eye Jason watched Roy, “I thought you and Dick were okay.”
“We are okay,” Roy grumbled. “Dick and I don’t have beef like we used to, we’re adult enough, and we’re fine. But I didn’t think you and any Bat were fine. Least of all you and Tim. I covered for you when you had all your ‘not-family family drama’.”
“It’s not like I’m one of their fold. But we share the city, we have run ins, we have overlap, sometimes we have had to work together. Tim has a lab here, he owes me, and his brain is on par with Barbara’s. Just think of him as any other resource we’ve used before.”
“Are you slipping him thank you twenty’s like you do with the girls?”
The heat crept around Jason's collar, and he frowned tightly. “I’m not slipping him anything.”
Roy chuckled quietly at the surprise innuendo. “I don’t think anyone’s slipped him anything since Stephanie.”
Jason almost missed the next step, his stomach swooping abruptly, “What? What do you mean?”
“Stephanie and Tim used to date.”
“They did?”
“Yeah, a couple years ago.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Well you weren’t exactly hanging around back then,” Roy shrugged. “And it’s not like you and Tim are best buddies.”
“Yeah...” Jason swallowed, letting Roy through the door first, their small group walking past the living area and into the open space of the kitchen.
Bart was sitting at the counter, diving into what must have been his second bowl of cereal with speedy enthusiasm.
“We’ve got guests,” Tim called out, drawing Bart’s attention.
“Hey!” Bart smiled wide, rocketing out of his seat. “Arsenal! Starfire! Hi, welcome! Is this a Team up? Are we teaming up with the Outlaws?!”
“No, no team up,” Tim assured. “Jason needs to borrow the lab, but they have come bearing gifts.”
Bart zeroed in on the bag emitting the savory aroma, “Is there chorizo?”
“Yup!” Roy tossed that bag to the far right, Bart catching it and bringing it back in a blur.
“Thanks man!”
Jason watched Roy and Kori take seats at the counter, “You two okay here?”
“Without question,” Kori smiled, taking the wrapped burrito Bart offered her with a grin.
“Labs down in the underground,” Tim said, leaving the others. He accessed the hidden panel in the wall, punching in the security codes, the lift opening up for them. Tim leaned against the wall, given Jason a look of sleepy appraisal, “How have you been?”
“Pretty good, plenty to do. Kinda missed running into you on the roof tops, though. How much longer are you going to be here?”
“I’ll be back in Gotham in a couple of weeks,” Tim smiled, “My “Business Trip” is almost over.”
“I guess everyone deserves a summer vacation,” Jason gave Tim’s arm a poke, “even you.”
“It’s hardly been a vacation, “ he frowned.
“You can’t deny you’ve vacated.”
“Vacated one place of work for another. You’re the only one I know who goes on actual trips,” Tim slipped his finger around Jason’s belt loop, tugging down, glimpsing the sliver of paler skin beneath the line of golden tan. “Where were you last? Mexico? The Bahamas?”
“Porto Alegre.”
“How’s your Portuguese?”
“Aceitavel.”
“Tente mais.”
Laughing Jason shuffleled a little closer, “Now I know where to get a tutor.”
“You’ve already cashed in your favor,” Tim teased.
“It wouldn’t be a favor! Just a little help from a friend.”
Tim straightened as the elevator slowed, and the door slid open, “I’m sorry, for not being super responsive to you lately.”
Jason waved him off, “It’s not a big deal, I know how busy you are.”
“It’s not that I don’t have time.” Tim assured him, placing his hand against the scanner to read his print, “I have a hard time getting privacy around here. That’s all.”
“No explanation necessary. You got back to me for this, we’re cool.”
“Well,” Tim smiled, stepping across the threshold and dropping into a dramatic German accent. “Velcome to my Labor-atory.”
“Nerd,” Jason chocked.
“Put one on,” Tim instructed, slipping on a white lab coat and a set of goggles.
“Seriously?”
“Safety protocol.”
“We aren’t handling dangerous chemicals.”
“You have no idea what we’re handling,” Tim returned smartly, “Put them on.”
“Fine,” Jason conceded, fitting his arms through the starched sleeves.
Aranging equipment swiftly on the workstation, Tim slipped on a pair of protective gloves. “Sample?”
Withdrawing the plastic evidence bag, Jason handed it over, before leaning out of the way against the sink.
Tim audibly scoffed, taking it from Jason’s grasp, “We’ll at least we know it’s not corrosive.” Tim took a swab of the sample, snipping it in to test tubes. “This will process the compounds, see if anything comes up in the database,“ He explained capping the white machine that resembled a coffee maker, and initiating the sequence. He took the remaining sample and pressed it between the glass slides, slipping it under the microscope. He slid his protective eye on top his head, bending down to examine the substance, carefully adjusting the focus, watching as the cells of the material expanded and contracted.
Moving away from the counter Jason stood behind Tim as he hmmed and hummed. His eyes caught a little hole in the collar of the shirt, where Tim’s skin peaked through the dark fabric. The tag had been removed in haste, Jason knew, because he had done it himself. The shirt Tim had gone to bed in was the same that Jason had sent him home in after the human trafficking incident. He resisted the urge to swallow the sudden tightness in his throat when Tim straightened up suddenly, stepping back from the scope, “Jay-.” He halted; his back pressed against Jason’s chest.
“I-“
“Sorry,” Tim, breathed, stepping out of his way. “Take a look.”
Jason hunched over, Tim sliding beside him. “That’s weird…it…almost disappears?”
“Right? It compresses and shifts, similar to what we’ve seen with Clayface.”
Jason lifted his face from the lenses, meeting Tim’s eager gaze, their faces inches apart.
“Oh,” Tim blinked. Freezing. His words mumbled in a daze. “…I didn't realize you had so many freckles.”
The processor beeped suddenly, and Tim whipped away, wide eyed and flushed. He snatched a long sheet of paper from the printer, scanning the break down with interest.
“Does it match anything?”
“No, no hits,” Tim said, his brow furrowed. “But it’s chemical breakdown resembles what you’d see in ink.”
Jason crossed to him, his own forehead crinkling, “Ink. Like a pen?”
“Pen ink on steroids,” Tim expanded, handing the paper to Jason. “Likely dealing with a meta of some kind, maybe an alien life form. Or human experimentation gone wrong.”
“And they can compress enough to get under doorways, leaving no sign of forced entry.”
“Not the weirdest thing for Gotham.”
“But why are they knocking over apartments of people who can barely pay their rent?” Jason wondered aloud, setting the paper aside.
“Don’t know,” Tim shrugged, starting to clean up the area, “It could be their comfort zone. They could be doing practice runs for something bigger. Or they could be really young, just starting out.”
Jason gave a defeated sigh, folding his arms so that the white coat strained against him, “So, we have a vague idea of how, but not who or why.”
“Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful,” Tim said, and Jason could tell he really meant it.
“At least we know what to look out for now,” Jason brushed it off, wanting to reassure Tim. “I can be sure to have a jar of paint thinner on hand.”
“Maybe I’ll buy you a squirt gun.”
“You won’t even splurge for a super soaker?”
“I thought big boys didn’t need big guns?” Tim teased.
“Who have you been talking guns with?” Jason asked, leaning over him, “That’s not your scene.”
“I discuss a wide range of weaponry with many people,” Tim replied smoothly, “I don’t have to like guns to know how they handle and who likes to handle them.”
“You’re always full of surprises pre-ssy bird.”
“I like to keep people on their toes.”
Smirking, Jason pulled playfully at the opening on Tim’s coat, “If you wanted someone to dance with you could have just asked.”
“Well-“
“Hey, are you done in here?”
Tim stepped away from Jason’s bulk, swiveling sharply to the door. “Cassie, hello.”
She kept her eyes on Tim, standing almost intimidatingly in the frame, “I hate to interrupt but I’ve got a Super upstairs who’s about to have an aneurysm. Would you mind talking your boy down?”
“Yeah, we’re done,” Tim told her, his smile tight.
“Alright.”
“Okay.”
“Then let’s go.”
Tim nodded, “We’re coming.”
“Great,” Cassie smiled back, still propped in the door.
“Cassandra.”
She gave a defeated sigh, shifting her feet reluctantly, “I’ll hold the elevator for you.”
“Sorry about that.” Tim grumbled once she left, dumping the coat in a bin and tossing the safety glasses in another. “She’s the boss for a reason.”
“Powerhouse.”
“Yeah.”
Jason shucked off his own, tossing it on top of Tim’s, taking his time to straighten his own clothes, “Rescuing you from the Big Bad Red Hood on behalf your knight in t-shirt armor.”
“Kon can’t come to the lab,” Tim explained, “We have kryptonite stored here.”
Jason snorted unattractively “Lucky me.”
“Don’t worry about Kon, I wouldn’t let him hurt you.”
“Birdy,” Jason bit his lip, “you couldn’t stop him from hurting me even in Bruce’s Battle suit.”
“Just think of me as your shield,” Tim smiled, brushing his fingers against the back of Jason’s hand, pushing through the door. He walked down the hall towards Cassandra, who was standing ridged against the open elevator, eyeing Jason wearily as he followed. His clenched hand tingled from Tim’s brief touch, his mind over processing every tidbit of information he had received since his arrival.
Maybe he didn’t know as much about Tim as he thought.