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Dick calls the first day of November, demanding to know Jason’s Christmas plans.
Jason, still nursing his Halloween hangover, promptly tells Dick to fuck off and ask him again when it’s actually Christmas time.
-
That means, two weeks later when the first snowflake falls, Dick calls again.
“It’s still November,” Jason groans.
“Yeah, but it’s snowing!”
“How do you even know it’s snowing here, we’re like a hundred miles apart.”
“I’ve got weather alerts on for New York, keep up Littlewing.”
“Jesus Christ, is it even snowing in Gotham yet?”
“Yeah, a little. Tim claims it’s just sleet but he’s never been very optimistic. Anyway, you’re coming home for Christmas, right?”
Honestly, Jason doesn’t know how to reply to that. Of course Gotham is technically his home, but so is Brooklyn now, with Steve and Bucky.
“I dunno Dickie, might see what we’re doing here,”
“But Jason,” Dick whines like a child. “It’s Christmas, we have to see you, plus Damian is in his school pageant this year, you can’t miss it!”
“Oh yeah, I wouldn’t miss that for the world.” Jason snorts. “What date is that?”
“December fourteenth.”
“Alright, alright I’ll come for that definitely but let me see what I can swing here, okay?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll see Dickiebird, don’t worry it’ll be great.”
The things is, Jason has actually been thinking about Christmas. Last year it’d been quiet. He’d only just started living with Steve and Bucky and was yet to make contact with his brothers again which meant they just spent a quiet day in the apartment and watched holidays specials on TV. It was nice though, Jason actually kind of liked the cosy feeling of holing up in the apartment compared to the big vast space of Wayne Manor.
-
“Can we have a Christmas party?” He asks Steve and Bucky, after he’s done with Dick.
“What, like a rave?” Steve asks.
“What the fuck Steve, you think I want to have a Christmas rave? No, I meant like a party with family and friends where we play Christmas music and give each other presents?”
“Oh, yeah that’s what I thought.”
Jason rolls his eyes and Bucky snorts.
“So can I?”
“Sure, when were you thinking?”
“Like, Christmas Day?”
“Aw right, so you want people to come over for Christmas, what? Were we too boring last year?” Bucky teases, not meaning a word.
“Nah, of course not. It’s just,” Jason sighs, “I’ve got, like, two families, yeah? And I don’t want to have to live, like, a double life, y’know?”
Bucky snorts again.
“I get you, I get you.” He says, holding his hands up. “Sure, we can have a big family Christmas, but you’re taking care of the food, alright?”
-
So, a big family Christmas it is. Jason starts thinking about food and how he’s going to have to provide vegetarian options for Damian, and an alternative meat option for Clint because for some reason he doesn’t like ham, who doesn’t like ham? Then he starts thinking about where his Gotham family will stay, because he can’t just expect them to trek up for a day then trek back again.
“Is it alright if me and brothers stay in here?” He asks Steve, as they decorate the Christmas tree.
At the start of December Steve started getting a bit worked up about getting a decent tree, claiming that all the good ones would be gone if they waited. So, the three of them ended up at the Christmas tree lot, where Steve took an hour and a half to choose a tree he deemed satisfactory. Jason and Bucky endlessly sighed and rolled their eyes, begging for him to just choose one. The saleswoman called them cute and Bucky flashed her his winning smile and said they’re much cuter when somebody could decide on a damn tree.
That’s how they ended up with a tree way too big for the apartment.
“In here? The living room?” Steve asks, placing an Iron Man decoration on a branch.
“Yeah, we’ll pull the couch cushions out and get some blankets.”
Steve smiles gently and nods.
“Of course, just Christmas night?”
“Well, I was thinking for Christmas Eve too, just so they don’t have to travel on Christmas, y’know?”
“Yeah, yeah I know. That’s okay, what about Alfred?”
“He can have my bed and I guess Bruce can take my floor if he comes.”
“If he comes?” Steve raises an eyebrow.
“I dunno, he could be on like League duty or something. Or he might be against leaving Gotham, I mean, the crazies come out at Christmas, or maybe he just, just wouldn’t want to be here?” Jason wraps tinsel round the tree to avoid eye contact with Steve.
“No reason why not,” replies Steve gruffly. “He’d just be missing out.”
-
When December fourteenth comes around, Jason finds himself seated in Gotham Academy's auditorium in between Dick and Tim. Bruce is sat on the other side of Dick, nervously wringing his hands together as if something could go wrong.
“We made the mistake of watching Home Alone 2 with Dami yesterday,” Dick stage whispers. “Now Bruce is convinced something’s going to happen here like in the pageant in the movie.”
“Wasn’t the kid's brother bugging him?”
“You think us being here isn’t going to bug him?” Tim snorts. “Besides, I don’t think it’s the pageant B should be worrying about, the demon’s got the equipment and brain power to pull off every trick in that movie. We should be worrying about who’s getting hit with the bricks.”
“I can hear you Tim.” deadpans Bruce. “And I am worried about that, please don’t put ideas into his head.”
Both Jason and Tim snicker and Dick opens his mouth to reply, but then the lights dim and the pageant begins.
All in all, it’s a decent performance. The kids perform a rendition of the Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer Christmas special, which includes Damian starring as a very surly Donner. Jason cracks up when Damian stomps out on stage in his reindeer onesie, Tim losing it alongside him. Dick snaps at them to shut up before training his phone camera on Damian to record his very well rehearsed and Damian esque line of You can’t play with us Rudolph.
When the pageant ends and the kids scamper on stage to take their bows, Jason stands and claps and whoops for his little brother, causing Damian to turn beet red and for a scowl to cross his face.
“You are an embarrassment Todd.” Damian declares when they meet him backstage.
“Aw c’mon Demon, I was just showing my support.”
“Do not look like a blundering fool next time then.”
Jason is kind of touched that Damian expects there to be a next time.
“You did great Dami.” Dick says, pulling Damian into a hug. “The best Donner there ever was.”
“It’s true.” Chimes in Bruce, giving Damian a hug of his own, albeit not as tight and as suffocating as Dick’s. “You’ve made me proud.”
Damian’s lower lip wobbles but he composes himself quickly enough and stands up straight.
“That was my intention Father, I believe this pageant has been the best you have attended, yes?”
“That’s only because he didn’t come to mine.” Tim points out. “My Tiny Tim performance was through the roof.”
“I highly doubt that.” Damian rolls his eyes.
“Even so, I think we can all agree that my Joseph in the nativity would’ve earned me an Oscar.” Adds Dick, cheeky grin on his face.
“It’s the Tony’s you get for theatre Dickhead.” Jason teases.
“Screw you Jay, what were you again in your pageant? Extra thirteen?”
“Yep, sure was.”
“No you weren’t.” Bruce grins evilly.
“B, no, don’t do this.”
“Don’t do what? What were you Todd?”
“Yeah Jay, what was your part?”
“He was the Grinch.”
“Jesus Christ Bruce!” Jason hides his face in his hands while his brothers cackle at his misfortune.
“It was quite the performance Master Jason.”
“Shut up Alfred, that was the worst day of my life, and yes that includes the day that I died.”
Dick, Tim and Damian continue to laugh all the way back to the manor, poking fun at Jason the whole time.
“I have to see this,” Dick wheezes. “B please tell me you got it on tape.”
“I did, but I think I’ve ruined Jason’s life enough tonight without the inclusion of that tape.”
“Please Bruce,” Tim wipes a tear of laughter from his eye. “That’ll be the greatest gift you can give this year.”
“Nope, nope, nope, we are not doing this.” Jason demands, feeling real fear strike his heart at the prospect of his brothers seeing him in his horrific fifth grade Grinch costume.
“It’s, it’s fine,” Dick laughs. “We’ll get it later guys.”
“Speaking of gifts anyway,” Damian turns to Jason, inklings of laughter still on his face. “Where are our gifts Todd?”
Jason rolls his eyes and ruffles Damian’s hair.
“Didn’t you learn from your pageant that the meaning of Christmas isn’t presents?”
“Actually, I believe the moral behind the story was that friendship and family is the real meaning of Christmas Todd, so make with the goods.”
“Little brat.” Jason mumbles. “I don’t have any with me.”
“What?!”
“Calm down demon, I was going to ask if you guys wanted to come stay over Christmas Eve then spend Christmas Day in Brooklyn, but after seeing your reactions to the information that I portrayed one of the greatest literary characters in history, I think I’ll pass.”
“Wait, what?” Dick stops laughing. “You’re serious? You want us to come to Brooklyn?”
“Well I did, not anymore.”
“Shut up Littlewing, of course we’ll come for Christmas!”
Dick wraps Jason up in one of his suffocating hugs.
“It’ll be great, we can bake cookies and give each other gifts under the tree, you have a tree, right?”
Jason nods. “Perfect, and we can eat dinner altogether like a family!”
“I will prepare the meal beforehand.” Alfred states.
“You don’t have to do that Alfie, I can handle it.”
“In that kitchen you share with Mister Rogers and Mister Barnes? I do not think so.”
“Aw man, this’ll be so great!” Dick looks ready to pass out from excitement.
“Okay, okay calm down.” Jason soothes. “It’s not just gonna be you guys, okay? Like, the Avengers will probably be there, and Peter too, and yes Dami, you have to talk to him.” Damian pouts and mumbles under his breath about hyperactive youths.
“The Avengers?” Tim asks, looking slightly star struck. “So Black Widow is gonna be there?”
“We will be having dinner with a man who can transform into a hulking green beast, and you are concerned about Black Widow, Drake?”
“Please don’t make me regret this.” Jason pleads.
-
Later, when the excitement over Christmas Day calms down and nearly everyone has retired to bed, Jason finds himself bumping into Bruce in the kitchen on his way to get a glass of water.
“Hey B, you’re still up?”
“Just heading to bed.” Bruce replies in a tone indicating that that was not at all his plans.
“Alright, uh, before you go can I ask something?”
“Okay.”
“Uh, are you coming for Christmas too?” Bruce pauses for a moment and stares into Jason’s eyes.
“Am I invited?”
“Yeah, yeah of course,” Jason nods. “I mean, you’re gonna have to sleep on the floor, but yeah, I want you to come.”
“Okay,” Bruce smiles. “Looking forward to it.”
-
Before Jason returns back to Brooklyn, he helps out with the annual Wayne Enterprises backpack giveaway. Basically, Bruce Wayne and his sons hand out backpacks full of essentials to the homeless and less fortunate. It’s something they do every year, starting the year Jason came to live with Bruce.
Jason hasn’t always been big on Christmas. When he was younger it was just the coldest time of year which made his living situation even more difficult, and when he started living with Bruce, he sort of felt overwhelmed by the amount of gifts he received and didn’t really know how to handle the festive season. He likes to think he’s got a stronger hold on it now, thanks to his brothers and Steve and Bucky, but one thing that has never changed was Jason’s joy at being able to help people in the same situation he’d been in with this event.
He grins as he hands each backpack out, happy with the knowledge that he’s helped even one person make it through another year. Dick claps him on the shoulder and tells him he’s doing a good job and Bruce looks at him with that sense of pride he’s always been chasing, but honestly, the absolute best part is seeing kids faces light up when they find the new pair of shoes they desperately needed, or a new book that will hopefully distract them from everything else going on at home.
-
It’s something that sticks with him even when he’s back in Brooklyn, hanging Christmas lights with Bucky.
“Y’know in Gotham, right,” he starts. “Bruce does this thing where he fills backpacks full of stuff people need, y’know, toiletries and new clothes and that and gives them to the homeless.”
“Alright.” Bucky replies, carefully taping the lights to the window pane.
“You think we could do that?”
“I don’t see why not,” Bucky shrugs just as the lights come on. They're multicoloured, dancing along the windowpane boldly against the snow.
“Tony will help out,” Bucky continues. “Me and Steve will too, but it's probably a bit late to get much more help. When were you thinking of doing this?”
“Before Christmas?”
“Christmas is a week away, but don't forget your party.”
“Of course I won't forget, Dick’s been sending me daily reminders since I told them about it.”
-
Tony's actually a big help with the whole operation. He finds a space for the event in next to no time and has flyers made up and tacked up in neighbourhoods and handed to shelters straight away. He even pays for most of the supplies, even though Jason insists he could take care of that.
“C’mon Tony, I can't expect you to pay for all this, I can handle it, I mean, I've got a trust fund I'm not using.”
But Tony waves him off.
“Shut up, I've got money coming out my ears, you keep your trust fund for starting a business or something and I'll deal with this.”
Turns out though that packing all the backpacks without a whole Wayne Enterprises team isn't the easiest. Jason maybe have gotten ahead of himself and set up the event for three days before Christmas and maybe didn t think about how long it would actually take to fill these backpacks, which is why at 2am, eight hours before this whole thing begins, Jason, Steve, Bucky, Tony and Peter are filling backpacks.
“No Tony, only one book goes in,” Jason chastises for what feels like the ninth time.
“Well sure, but knowledge is power, and we've got to give these kids every chance we can, right?”
“Right.” Peter agrees.
“Maybe we should just do it the way Jason says because Jason knows what he's doing?” Steve chimes in.
“Exactly, and I know that book are good, but they make the bags heavier which makes them harder to carry, which just makes everything so much more difficult.”
“Or we could give the kids kindles and that way they can carry around millions of books with only the weight of one!”
“Yeah and how're they gonna charge the kindles Tony?” Bucky snarks.
“Well, if I'd had a little more time I could've got some wireless chargers made up, but no, we’re here at two in the morning arguing about how many books is too many.”
“We're not arguing! We're just saying extra book means extra weight that these kids just can't account for.”
“You know what Barnes-”
Jason groans and buries his face in his hands. He just really can't believe they're having this argument, again.
-
Despite the late night arguments, everything goes great. Jason thinks even more people turn up here than there was in Gotham and he gets to help people without the media accusing him of only doing it because his dad is making him.
The media do catch wind of course, Jason suspects that Tony tipped them off, which is completely reasonable seeing as they stayed up pretty much all night getting this ready. The reporters seem to like the idea of the Avengers helping out in a mundane way so Steve and Tony take care of most of the talking. But Jason still gets cornered at one point, one reporter demanding to know how this idea came about.
“I hear Bruce Wayne’s kids do this over in Gotham, I figured we could do it too.” He winks at the camera and turns back to the kids.
-
Jason gets a text from Tim that night accusing him of stealing Wayne Enterprises ideas. Jason just replies that it was his idea in the first place.
-
Due to the whole charity event, the Christmas party kind of took a back seat. Which is anything but good really. The day before Jason’s brothers, Bruce and Alfred arrive has him running all over the place like an escaped Arkham convict, wrapping presents, buying food, and shovelling through the harsh New York snow and tourists, trying to get the last of his Christmas shopping.
The day takes a bit of dip when Dick texts to inform him that some Batman problems have arised and Bruce may not be able to make the party after all. Jason busies himself with setting up and getting organised to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest. It's dumb anyway, he’ll have the rest of his huge family surrounding him, he doesn't need Bruce.
By dinner time, Jason thinks he's got nearly everything sorted.
“Did you get the apple pie?” Bucky asks.
“Apple pie? What do we need apple pie for?”
“For dessert?”
“What? Isn't apple pie like a Fourth of July thing?”
“No, it's a Steve thing.”
“That's true, I do love apple pie.” Steve confirms.
“What? Whatever, no, I didn't get apple pie.”
“I put it on your list.”
“No you didn't.”
“Uh, yeah I did. Look right there.” Bucky shoves the crumpled paper in Jason’s face, pointing at the messy scrawl at the very bottom.
“How am I supposed to read that?”
“With your eyes dipshit.”
“So you didn’t get the apple pie?” Steve cuts in, putting an abrupt end to the argument.
“No,” Jason sighs and stands up. “I’ll go get it now.”
“It’s fine, you can get it in tomorrow.”
“No if I get it now it’s out of the way and all I have to worry about tomorrow is dealing with the birds.”
And that’s how Jason ends up braving the harsh snow and biting cold, on a quest for an apple pie because nobody could be bothered to tell him earlier that it was apparently essential.
But on his way, he can’t help but stop in the street and admire his surroundings. The snow falls onto the streets, leaving a white blanket behind while the holiday lights in store windows sparkle like stars. People push past, but not in the usual angry way. It’s more excitement, the babble of laughter and cheer ringing out instead of the angry sighs and the tired get out my ways.
Jason feels oddly at peace, standing in this Christmas bubble that’s encased the city.
Maybe that’s why he doesn’t sense the bastard behind him wrapping an around his chest and forcing a chloroform soaked rag over his nose and mouth.
The last thing he sees is a bulb on the electrical store’s Christmas lights go out.
-
When Jason comes to, he’s in a chair in what looks like an abandoned warehouse. There’s a dull throbbing behind his eyes and a sticky tightness around his wrists. Duct tape. What a bunch of amateurs.
There’s a man pacing in front of him, two goons on either side of the chair, and three more behind the pacing guy. When the pacing guy notices Jason is awake, he cracks a creepy smile.
“How nice of you to join us.”
Jason just rolls his eyes.
“What’re you doing?” He asks boredly.
“What does it look like dipshit.” Goon on the left slaps him over the head.
“Nick! Don’t do that!” Pacing guy, Jason's guessing he’s the leader, snaps.
“Yeah Nick, you could’ve caused a concussion.”
“You’re not really in any position to be playing a smartass, are you?” The leader snipes.
“Sorry, it’s my natural response.”
Nick hits him again.
“Do you know why you’re here?” The leader asks, as if he’s some evil genius. He’s not, Jason can tell by the way he’s tied up with duct tape and how he was snatched in the middle of a busy street. He’s not too worried.
“No, I asked before, but you guys seem to think I just know these things.”
“Shut up!” The leader yells, losing his cool five minutes into this little interrogation. Jason counts this as a new personal best.
“You’re bait, kid.” Goon on the right declares.
“Oh that’s rich.” Jason rolls his eyes again. “For who?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know, everyone saw you on the news acting all buddy buddy with Captain America.”
“Oh so it’s Steve you’re after?” Jason’s a little relieved there, not that he was worried these dumbasses had figured anything truly scandalous out.
“Steve,” The leader sneers. “What are you to him, the prodigal son or something?”
“Jesus Christ, every word that comes out of your mouth makes me want to die.”
“That can be arranged.” Another goon steps out from behind the leader. Jason is beginning to question the structure of these gangs. It’s almost as if every big musceley criminal needs some skinny spineless rat to boss them around. He says as much to the goon, earning yet another slap around the head.
“I’d watch your mouth if I were you,” spineless leader continues. “Daddy might come find you in pieces.”
“I’m shaking in my sneakers.”
That’s another thing these fuckheads have screwed up, they’ve left Jason with his shoes and jacket, completely as he was when they picked him up. Which is probably the first thing they tell you not to do at criminal school. Jason would’ve suspected that they hadn’t even bothered to check his pockets if he hadn’t spotted his phone sitting on a table.
The leader catches him looking and picks it up to dangle in front of him.
“Looking for this?” Then he throws it on the ground and stomps on it. Jason groans because that’s the second phone he’s gone through this year. He keeps the information that bringing the phone here and not destroying it straight away has probably just made tracking him all the more easier. He suspects someone will be here to pick him up soon, although he does keep moving his wrists to loosen the tape.
“What’re you doing?” Nick asks when he sees Jason lift his shoulders.
“Stretching, I’m a bit stiff you see.”
“Stop it!” The leader snaps. “When we’re finished with you you’re going to wish stiff joints were all you suffered from.”
“For fuck sake,” Jason sighs. “I’ve met kids with scarier threats than you.”
“I doubt that, you’ll see when we lure Rogers here just to kill him in front of your eyes, then kill you straight after.”
“Dude, your plan is not solid whatsoever. You think you can kill Captain America? What’ve you got, a knife?”
“A gun!” The leader screeches, pulling a small pistol from his jacket. Jason wants to laugh, Damian’s guns are bigger than that.
“Wow, I think you’ve really found his weakness, nobody has ever shot at Captain America before.”
“You shut your face or I’ll put a bullet in it!”
“Sure, sure. But seriously though, you think one gun is enough for Steve? Like, the dude has fought Nazis with no faces and killer robots and fucking aliens for crying out loud, the common cold is more likely to take him out than you and that gun.”
“Well, well,” The guy squabbles, looking put out.
“Well, it’s a shame you won’t be alive to see it then! Mason, get the camera, it’s time we make Captain America a little video.”
Mason, the right goon, moves towards the table and begins setting up a setting a video camera.
“You gonna email Steve the tape?” Jason laughs. “Cause I dunno what email you can use, he doesn’t give out his private one to just anybody, you’ll probably end up just emailing the fanclub.”
Mason gives the leader a thumbs up and he points the gun at Jason.
“I’m going to enjoy this you little shit.”
That was just the cue Jason was waiting for to be honest.
He raises his arms and slams them down quickly, ripping the duct tape as he goes. A gunshot rings out but Jason ducks and sweeps Nick off his feet while he’s at it. The three goons behind the leader begin advancing and Jason uses the chair to hold them off.
He jabs the first one in the stomach before turning sharply to smash the chair over another’s head. The chair breaks, because it seems they spared no expense here, so Jason slams his fist into the third goon’s face, hearing a sickening crack. There’s gunshots going off around them, each one being miles off so Jason carries on, kicking Nick in the ribs when he tries to stand. The one who’s been hit in the stomach gets back up and wields a chair leg as her weapon but Jason ducks and and headbutts her in response, probably not the best idea with that dull throbbing increasing into a splitting headache.
His moment of wooziness allows Mason to spin him around and land a punch to his ribs, but Jason stamps on his foot and elbows him in the temple. Someone pushes Jason down and Jason grabs their legs and yanks them down too before jumping back up and landing a kick to the groin of an oncoming attacker. Jason spins round, ready to go after the leader but Nick is back up and behind him, socking him right in the eye. Jason goes skidding backwards on his back, his vision going slightly blurry.
He blinks back into reality to see the leader standing before him, the gun gripped tight between his shaking hands.
“You asked for this,” He seethes and his finger presses down on the trigger.
But his finger doesn’t make it all the way, a shield and a batarang knocking the gun out of his hand before it can.
Steve comes barrelling into the warehouse, kitted out in his Captain America attire and closely followed by Batman. The goons that can stand try to make a break for it but Cap and Batman take them out instantly. They then appear to start arguing about who hit the gun out the guy’s hand first and Jason tries to get up to mediate, but someone stops him.
“Hey,” Bucky smiles at him, hand on his shoulder. “You alright?”
“Yeah, yeah I’m good, just a headache.”
“Looks like you’re going to have a back eye for the Christmas photos,”
“Those jackasses, can’t do anything right,”
Bucky laughs and helps him up, leading him over to where Bruce and Steve are still arguing.
“All I’m saying is the shield clearly hit the gun while your bat star hit his hand.”
“My bat star? Have you seen a star recently, you’ve got one on your chest!”
“Oh really, we’re arguing about stars now-“
“Hey, thanks for showing up,” Jason cuts in. They both turn to him, relief washing over both of their faces.
“You doing okay Jay?”
“Just a back eye,” Jason waves them off.
“Sorry we weren’t here earlier,” Bucky says. “Somebody fell asleep in front of the TV after one glass of eggnog.”
“I did not! You know that stuff has no effect on me Buck, I was just resting my eyes,”
“Resting your eyes my ass,”
“Can you two have your marital disputes somewhere else, I’d like to make sure my son isn’t hurt.”
“Your son? Oh, I’ve got some things to say to you there pal,”
Jason kind of tunes out of the conversation/argument as the sound of police sirens fill the air. The cops thank Captain America for keeping Brooklyn safe and wish them all a merry Christmas.
He only really re enters the conversation later, when they’re all in the batmobile, Jason riding shotgun.
“Thought you had Batman problems?” He asks Bruce, who looks like he’s about to burst a blood vessel stopping himself from snapping at Steve and Bucky in the back complaining about the lack of space.
“Some things take priority.” He states, looking over at Jason.
Jason just nods and turns to look out the window.
“I’ve not mentioned this to your brothers.” Bruce continues. “Thought it’d be best to let them have Christmas first.”
“Yeah, okay.” Jason nods. “It’s not Christmas yet though, is it? I mean, I couldn’t have been there that long.”
“Nah, you’re good Jay.” Bucky pipes up, clapping his shoulder. “It’s Christmas Eve morning, you’re not gonna miss your party.”
-
When they get back to the apartment, Jason collapses into bed (only after a very thorough concussion check from Steve).
He’s woken a couple hours later by Damian jumping on his bed.
“Get up Todd!” He screeches. “We’ve been here an hour now waiting for you to rise!”
Reluctantly Jason drags himself out of bed and pulls Damian into a headlock.
“What do you think you’re doing, demon?” He teases as Damian thrashes.
“Unhand me!”
“Aw Dami, you’re not enjoying our reunion cuddle?”
“Shut up Todd! You are the worst!”
After that mini episode, Jason and Damian enter the kitchen where their other two brothers sit with Bucky, Steve, Alfred and Bruce. Steve and Bruce have shed their superhero personas to causal clothes, and it still shakes Jason a little seeing Bruce in jeans.
“Jason! You’re finally awake! We’ve been here ages waiting- wait, what happened to your eye?” Dick stops reaching for a hug and instead inspects Jason’s back eye, prodding it gently.
“Geez, Dick just poke my eye out while you’re at it. And it’s nothing, just got into a fight, it’s nothing.”
“A fight?”
“Did you win?” Damian demands.
“Of course I won, you think I wouldn’t win?”
“I would not be surprised Todd.”
Dick looks uneasy and Tim’s giving Jason that calculating look of his, as if he’s already got it figured out.
“It doesn’t matter though,” Jason continues. “C’mon let's go do Christmas shit.”
“Language.” Both Alfred and Steve chide at the same time.
“Fine, sorry. Let’s go do Christmas activities.”
-
They go ice skating in Central Park, they see the tree at Rockefeller Center, Jason even drags Damian to meet Santa at Macy’s.
“I do not approve of that man.” Damian states, clutching his Lego set from Santa. “He wanted to know personal details, like my name.”
“Damian you have got to be the only kid alive who’s suspicious of Santa Claus.”
“I have every right to be Drake. Have you not heard of how he sneaks into every house in the world in one night? A man of such power is not to be trusted!”
-
At dinner, a couple people ask Steve for his autograph but Bruce goes mostly unnoticed.
“You’ve got to face it B,” Dick says around the hamburger in his mouth. “You’re just no Captain America.”
Bruce broods as usual and Bucky snickers.
“Hey, didn’t you get punched by Cap?” Some guy asks Bruce and Bucky full on loses it.
Bruce just grunts and asks the guy to leave before turning back to his food. Everyone is laughing though, even Alfred looks a little amused.
-
The sun rises on Christmas morning and Damian jumps on Jason’s chest.
“Wake up Todd! It’s Christmas!”
Jason’s wants to snap at Damian that 7AM is too damn early but the kid looks so excited and so like a real kid for once, that Jason lets it go. It is Christmas after all.
They both wake up Tim by shoving snow from the windowsill down his shirt, then the the three of them all bombard Dick on the couch.
“Let’s go Dickiebird, we’ve got presents to open!”
Bucky, Steve, Alfred and Bruce shuffle in at the commotion, all but Alfred still in pyjamas.
“Not like you to be so happy to be awake this early.” Bucky remarks.
“It’s Christmas, we have to be up early,” says Damian as he begins to lunge for the gifts under the tree.
It’s nice, Jason thinks.
There’s that warm and cosy atmosphere in the air that was never really around at the manor but he’s got that feeling in his chest again, that one he got when he handed out the backpacks, when he watches his brothers and father figures open his gifts to them.
Jason cleans up pretty well in the gift department too, and he can’t stop grinning when he opens the one from Damian to find a reindeer onesie, exactly the same as Damian’s in everything but size.
“Dami, this is great. C’mon stick yours on and we’ll match.”
And Jason doesn’t even have to force Damian into his onesie, he slips into with only just an inkling of a scowl on his face as Dick snaps picture after picture.
“Here,” Bruce presses a carefully wrapped box into Jason’s hands while everyone else is busy with their own gifts.
“Aw B you shouldn’t have,” Jason teases and tears away the paper. In the box is a box of rubber bullets and a gun with a little bat symbol engraved on the side.
“I wanted to get your initials, but Tim pointed out that that could blow your cover.” Bruce grins and claps Jason’s shoulder.
“It’s-“ Jason lets out a breath. “Fuck, B, I love it.”
“Only rubber bullets though, okay?”
“Yeah, I get it, I get it.”
Then they both laugh and Bruce wraps his arm around Jason in some kind of hug.
At some point somebody sticks the TV on and the Charlie Brown Christmas special plays.
“Come watch this Damian, it’s essential to experience in childhood.” Tim says, pulling Damian onto the couch with him.
“As long as it’s better than the one with the Grinch.”
“You only hated it because you expected Jason to show up.”
“I was led to believe Jason had the starring role.”
“That was the pageant Dami, Jay wasn’t actually the Grinch.”
“How come you never mentioned this before?” Bucky whispers into Jason’s ear teasingly.
“Please, lets just never mention this again.”
Bucky laughs and shakes his head.
“No way, I’ve already made a deal with Dick to send me the tape once he finds it.” Jason groans.
“Anyway, we’ve got something for you,” Bucky calls Steve over from where he’s pouring egg nog. “Just a little something, yeah?”
“What is it?”
“It’s outside,” Steve tells him. “Bucky wanted to have it under the tree but I told him that’d be too impractical.”
“It would’ve looked really good though.”
“How would we have even got it there, the boys were sleeping there all night!”
“Well I’m sorry for wanting to-“
“Guys!” Jason cuts them off. “Can I see it?”
“Of course, yeah.”
They go downstairs and to the street, where a shiny new motorbike sits.
“Wait,” Jason starts. “Is that for me?”
“Well, you always complain about the subway, and there’s not great car parking here,” Steve beams.
“Plus, I think the remains of your other one is still scattered about Coney Island.” Bucky stage whispers, beaming too. “Here,” He pushes the keys into Jason’s hands. “This is us totally trying to one up Bruce by the way.”
“Bucky!” Steve scolds but Jason laughs anyway.
“This is amazing. You guys are amazing.”
“We know, now c’mon, have a go. I’m sure everyone wants to see a reindeer riding down the street on a motorbike on Christmas morning.”
-
Then, when the rest of the Avengers and Peter and his Aunt May show up, they do it all again.
Jason will admit, he was kind of worried it’d be awkward combining these two groups of very different but at the same time very similar people, but he had nothing to worry about.
Everyone gets on like a house on fire, Dick, Natasha and Clint talk about circuses and gymnastics, Damian and Sam argue about falcons and Robins, Tim and Tony get excited about technology, even the two Bruces find something to talk about other than name similarities. Steve, Alfred and May wander off to the kitchen to start dinner and probably gossip while Bucky sneaks his way into Sam and Damian’s discussion, finding ways to wind up both of them simultaneously.
“Hey Jason!” Peter greets, wearing an oversized Star Wars Christmas sweater. “Nice onesie, was that your bike outside? Tony said it was, that Steve and Bucky got it for you, that’s cool! What did your other dad get you? And your brothers? Is that Bruce Wayne- what happened to your eye?”
Jason laughs and ruffles Peter’s hair.
“Merry Christmas to you too Pete. The eyes from a bit of a, an incident. I’ll give details later, I feel like if I tell you now Dick will somehow overhear and demand answers, and I just want a quiet Christmas, y’know?”
“Yeah I get it, he’s coming over now! Hey, has he got super hearing? Or can he read minds? That’d be so cool!”
Peter doesn’t get a chance to continue listing Dick’s possible superpowers, and Dick doesn’t get the chance to demand answers from Jason, as at that moment Alfred emerges from the kitchen to announce that dinner is ready.
Everyone squeezes around the kitchen table, honestly Jason hadn’t really thought about this, but everyone fits somehow and they all dig in. There’s a million different conversations going on and Jason can’t move his elbows from where he’s squashed between Bruce Banner and Steve but it’s a good time.
“You outdid yourself this year, Alf.”
“Thank you Master Jason, although I did have some help from Ms Parker.”
“Are you forgetting someone Alfred?”
“Please Mister Rogers, I’d hardly count heating up the mashed potatoes as helping.”
Damian and Bucky both snort and Bruce Wayne looks smugly pleased as he takes a bit of mashed potato.
After Jason’s third helping, he catches Tim’s eye from where he’s seated directly across from him. They somehow form an unspoken agreement and Tim proceeds to launch a spoonful of peas Damian’s way. Except he misses and the peas hit Sam instead.
“Aw, shoot, I- I’m sorry Mister Wilson,” Tim stutters as he turns bright red.
But Sam isn’t perplexed, he takes a spoonful of stuffing and catapults it back.
But he misses too and the stuffing lands directly in Clint’s drink.
“Oh, it is on.” Clint announces.
Then, chaos ensues.
Five minutes later everyone has food dripping off their faces and decorating their clothes. Jason gets a good throw of cranberry sauce smeared over Peter’s cheek before Dick pelts him in the face with a roast potato. Everyone is laughing though, ignoring the fact that all chances of leftovers have been used as ammo.
“Okay, okay, I’m going to have to bring a stop to this.” Steve says, standing up with a smearing of gravy across his nose. “As much fun as this was, we’ve still got dessert.”
The remaining food on the table is cleared away while everyone wipes the mess off their faces, some giggles still breaking out across the table.
Then the desserts come out and everyone digs in once again.
“Uh, why is there apple pie at Christmas dinner?” Dick asks.
“Are you for real? You guys went and got it?”
“Of course Jay, I told you it’s a Steve thing.” Bucky winks and dishes out a slice.
“Even after everything?”
“After what?” Sam asks with a mouthful of raspberry pie.
“Jason got in a fight over an apple pie last night,” Steve says quickly.
“And you got a shiner like that over a pie?” Nat smirks.
“You’re an idiot Todd.” Damian states.
“Hey, be nice to your brother.” Bruce scolds.
“My brother is an idiot.”
“Right back at you Dami,” Jason grins, something he just can’t seem to stop doing today.
-
After dinner everyone returns to the living room where a game of Pictionary breaks out. There’s a huge injustice where both Steve and Damian end up on the same team, resulting in their team being able to guess every single one of their drawings straight off the bat, while Jason and his team struggle to decipher Tony’s drawing of a tractor.
“C’mon people, there’s the wheels, there’s the little place where the farmer sits,”
“The little place where the farmer sits?” mocks Clint. “Dude, how are you so smart but when it comes to drawing a damn tractor we’re left with this.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m rich, if I need a tractor drawn I can just pay someone to do it.”
“Amen.” Bruce Wayne raises his glass.
“Exactly, Wayne gets it so can we all just agree that this team’s inferiority is not my fault.”
It’s decided after Tony’s breakdown that it’d be best if Damian switched teams, just to make things fair.
Then, somehow more arguments about how to correctly portray Titantic break out, then someone (Dick) launches a pen out the window and Alfred decides maybe it’s time to wrap things up.
The Avengers team leave mostly together, each one with bright smiles as they thank Jason for putting everything together.
“I’m going to let you off for ditching our run this morning,” Sam tells him. “But only this once, I expect you there bright and early tomorrow, got it?”
“You guys are going running? Can I come?” Dick chimes in.
“Sure, maybe we’ll finally beat Steve and Bucky,”
“I doubt that Wilson, but you’re all welcome to try.”
“Screw you Barnes. Merry Christmas everyone!”
Peter and his aunt leave next, Tony trailing after them still yelling about the tractor incident.
Soon it’s just the bats left, and they settle in for the night before they take off early the next day.
“Hey Littlewing, come watch Home Alone with us, I’ve sworn to Dami it’s better than the sequel.”
“It’s is not.”
“Shut up Tim, you’re wrong and always will be.”
“Yeah, yeah I’ll be there in a minute, I’m just getting a drink.”
Jason enters the kitchen, where Bucky sits at the table drinking eggnog.
“I think Steve and Bruce are finally getting on,” He remarks when he spots Jason.
“Well there’s not been any punches since Bruce has been here so I’ll count that as a win.”
“I don’t know, it was getting pretty touch and go during Pictionary.”
“That was just Tony making everything worse because he was so hung up on that damn tractor.”
“It really was a shit tractor. But it doesn’t matter, it was a good night, you did a good job.”
“Thanks.”
“We could do it again next year, we’d probably have to invest in a bigger table.”
“Thanks for, uh, everything. I’m glad I’m here.”
“I’m glad you’re here too Jay.” Bucky smiles, all toothy and happy.
“I’m getting all sappy, I think Damian’s Christmas pageant has had a real effect on me.”
“Yeah? How so?”
“It was all about how Christmas is about family and friends and all that crap, what a load of shit.”
“Yeah, a load of shit.”
“Anyway,” Jason breathes out. “Despite all the shit that's happened to me, I’m glad I made to here. With all you guys.”
“We’re glad too Jason, you have no idea.”
Jason grins once again and takes a gulp of eggnog.
“Okay, I’m done with all this sappy shit, I’m gonna go watch Home Alone and you can come too if you want.”
“Wow, thanks for the invite to my own living room.”
“It’s technically our living room.”
“Sure, sure you little brat. Now go away before I change my mind about being glad you’re here.”
There’s no malice behind Bucky’s words, he looks too happy and Jason feels happy too and feels like he should say something corny like Merry Christmas Bucky or something.
“Fuck you Bucky.”
Yeah, that works.